Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Thrice-honing

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In his room .

Fang Ping cultivated the Methods of Honing over and over again .

Previously, he cultivated it only once daily—a single tempering used up a lot and exhausted him, even if he had a full Mentality .

This time, however, Fang Ping had continuously cultivated the Methods of Honing thrice already .

‘Break already!’

Fang Ping roared inwardly . He had been stuck at the boundary to 200 for a long time already!

Ever since he got the system, it did not matter if the boundary was 149 or 179, he did not have to spend more than a few days on it .

It was just 199 that had him stuck for almost a month!

…

An hour passed .

Two hours passed…

After Fang Ping completed the sixth tempering of his meridians and bones, suddenly, his skeleton started moving .

Yes, his bones were moving .

His muscles were wriggling too .

Fang Ping, who had gone through twice-honing, was overjoyed . The thrice-honing had started!

Dots of black, tainted blood squeezed out to the surface of his skin .

Fang Ping did not dare to dally and hastily got to his feet to do stances .

This was also when the stances’ effects worked the best .

…

Twenty minutes later, Fang Ping had become “black” .

His entire body was covered in hardened, black, darkened blood .

Still, Fang Ping was overjoyed!

“It’s finally done!”

“Thrice-honing! Even Old Wang can’t compare to me!”

“Ha ha ha…”

Fang Ping rarely displayed his happiness, but he was really happy this time . He had been stuck for too long!

Fang Ping hurriedly checked his stats . Very quickly, his new stats were reflected in his eyes:

Wealth: 2200000

Vitality: 182cal (205cal)

Mentality: 175Hz (209Hz)

“Its effects are astonishing!”

Completing the third bone-honing increased his Vitality’s limit by 6cal and increased his Mentality’s limit by 10Hz!

This meant that Fang Ping’s overall physical fitness had been improved .

After all, being able to increase so much in one go above 200cal was extremely difficult .

‘I’ve completed the thrice-honing . I shouldn’t continue grinding . ’

Fang Ping had determined to breakthrough to martial artist while it was still early .

This thrice-honing cost a large amount of his Wealth points and time . If he had chosen to breakthrough to Rank-1 in June, he could have had hope to be on the road to Rank-2 by now .

Thrice-honing was enough . It did not matter if he could not have another bone-honing . Even if he could, Fang Ping would not continue .

Fang Ping knew the advantages of bone-honing in the early stages .

It was the foundation for his future full-body tempering . During the aspiring martial artist period, the more bone-honings one had, their tempering of limbs and torso in the future would go faster .

Wang Jinyang had vaguely revealed that more bone-honing was also very beneficial to skull tempering in the later stages .

Skull tempering was the most difficult of the human bone tempering .

Rank-1 and Rank-2 tempered the limbs, Rank-3 tempered the torso . Whether or not the skull would be tempered in Rank-4, Wang Jinyang did not say, so Fang Ping did not know either .

However, the skull absolutely had to be tempered, and it might even be during a higher ranking .

Tempering the brain was not a small matter . If it was attempted, it would be extremely dangerous .

Now that Fang Ping had completed a thrice-honing, he would have a big advantage for his future skull tempering .

He had cultivated starting from the middle of April until the middle of August . After four months, Fang Ping had completed thrice-honing!

“Replenishing my stats would use up too many Wealth points . I won’t replenish for now and rely on my own body’s maintenance for a couple of days . I should rest more for these two days .

“I’ll wait till school starts before I breakthrough to Rank-1 . I can ask for resources from the school too as Magic City Martial Arts University provides free medicinal pills and elixirs for Rank-1 .

“This way, I can save a Bone-honing Pill and a Rank-1 Vitality Pill . ”

Fang Ping did not wash up, instead staying on the floor and muttering to himself .

There were only more than 10 days left until registration started, which was why Fang Ping was so anxious for a breakthrough .

A part of it was because an aspiring martial artist was not a martial artist, so it was not quite convenient to do some things .

For instance, his courier company . Despite there being not much difference between a twice-honed and a Rank-1 martial artist, he was not a martial artist and did not have the capacity of intimidation a martial artist possessed .

Fang Ping could guarantee that troubles would come when his company opened for business .

It was not as if the university town did not have courier companies . A third-party like him was not going to give any notice to his competitors and would start competing for business immediately .

Would others agree to this?

An aspiring martial artist could not intimidate these people . On the other hand, a martial artist—a Magic City Martial Arts University martial artist—could probably intimidate them . After all, it was just in the vicinity of the ten or so universities near MCMAU .

When the news spread to the whole university town, Fang Ping’s power would increase yet again and could suppress these dissatisfactions .

Fang Ping did not want to only start preparing when the time came . There is nothing to lose and everything to gain in early preparation for being troubled by others .

Moreover, his thrice-honing allowed him to choose better teachers in the martial arts university and let him be taken more seriously .

After all, the whole of Magic City Martial Arts University only had this one martial artist who completed a thrice-honing, and it was done under the circumstances of the school providing a large number of resources .

Weighing the pros and cons, Fang Ping mocked himself slightly . “I don’t even know if I’m suitable to be a martial artist since I’m so profit-oriented . ”

He liked to weigh the pros and cons before doing things . He lacked the impulsiveness of some youngsters .

People like Wang Jinyang also said he was not like a young person because his mind was not that of an impulsive teenager .

“Forget it, I won’t dwell on this . I’ve completed my thrice-honing assignment .

“My goal of earning money is still quite far away . It’s fine as long as I can set up the platform . Hopefully, Li Chengze can surprise me more . ”

Fang Ping packed away his worries . Today was worth rejoicing, not worrying .

“Oh yeah, what should I name the company?”

Fang Ping also thought about this .

“Fang Ping Express? Ping Fang Company? Sounds awful…”

“Yuan Fang? Fang Yuan? Yuan Ping? Ping Yuan?”

“The word Yuan is not good either . How about Distance?”

Fang Ping stroked his black-painted chin, mumbling, “This seems pretty good . One naturally has to look at how things will fare in the long-run while doing them, and the company must progress with going the distance in mind .

“Distance Express, Distance Dining, Distance Group…

“Uh-huh, this it shall be then . It’s only a name after all . ”

Fang Ping carelessly made this decision . He did not place much importance on external appearances like names .

…

In the next few days, Li Chengze took a few days of leave .

With this old Magic City citizen’s help, their efficiency improved at an abnormal rate .

Although the Magic Martial Hotel’s manager was not a big name, he was currently working for a Magic City Martial Arts University student . Adding Magic City Martial Arts University’s reputation to that, in the university town, not many would take him lightly .

The registration of the business was very quick . They decided not to use Express in the name, just calling it Distance Ltd .

Their business scope was quite extensive—F&B, courier services and IT were all included . Fang Ping did not know how Li Chengze managed it .

Li Chengze was not in a hurry to hire people either, choosing to renovate the company instead, wanting the distribution center and office to be simply furnished .

If new hires arrived and saw the mess it was currently in, even the fact it was a martial artist’s company was not enough to keep them in a place so dirty .

Moreover, hiring someone a day later also meant saving a day’s wages .

Li Chengze knew Fang Ping did not have much capital, so he had done some meticulous calculations . He was keen to start hiring on the day itself, train them on the second day and officially start work on the third .

They would keep busy till the end of August . Only then, will the preparations be done .

Currently, there were less than three days until the martial arts university’s official registration .

Prior to the registration, students and their parents have started to stay at the hotel one after another .

Not everyone was like Fang Ping, who came to school alone . These newly-graduated, privileged children had not yet gotten used to the change in their status .

Many of them were regular people . Vitalities of 130cal, no experience with combat techniques—they were no different from normal people .

Which was why quite a number of them came with their parents .

…

August 30th .

Upon noticing Fang Ping coming down from upstairs, entering the restaurant and receiving better dishes on his table than they had .

One of the parents who had been observing for a few days was displeased and finally asked, “Waitress, that person is also a student of Magic City Martial Arts University, right?

“Why are his lodgings and meals better than ours?”

At first, they did not know whether or not Fang Ping was a student .

After a few days of being there, they all knew that he was also a new student this year .

Since he was also a new student, why did Fang Ping stay in a better room and eat better food?

The Magic Martial Hotel was free-of-charge, this they were all clear on .

The school’s official registration only started the day after tomorrow, but their accommodations at school were already ready during these two days . Fang Ping was too lazy to move at the moment, so he remained here .

Their children did not stay here, but they did come over for meals occasionally .

However, these privileged children felt ill-at-ease eating for free . They were not as thick-skinned as Fang Ping and often went out with their parents to eat .

The parent who had asked the question earlier had her son with her . She had not wanted to come to eat here and desperately wanted to eat out .

Dining out cost an arm and a leg these days, going up to several hundred in a day .

Seeing Fang Ping have better food and lodgings here, the woman felt it was unfair . She was even cursing inwardly . How could this brat eat here so unabashedly?

The waitress did not dare to offend these Magic City Martial Arts University students’ parents and started explaining immediately . “Mr . Fang is a Rank-1 martial artist, so…”

Yes, Rank-1 .

Fang Ping’s martial arts license stated he was Rank-1 during check-in . Li Chengze did not bother to explain to them .

In front of Fang Ping, Li Chengze bowed and scraped . Towards these regular staff members, on the other hand, he felt it unnecessary to explain it clearly .

“Martial artist!”

The second these words appeared, everyone started buzzing .

Everyone knew martial artists and aspiring martial artists were as different as night and day .

Although their children had also been admitted into Magic City Martial Arts University, they lacked a lot in comparison with a martial artist .

To be able to become a martial artist during the Gaokao, their family backgrounds would not be average either . They would not stay at this place that served for free .

Fang Ping was an exception . In the many years since it opened, the Magic Martial Hotel almost never served a new student martial artist nor a student who had been twice-honed .

This was also one of the reasons Li Chengze had sucked up like crazy when he came across Fang Ping .

When high-level students arrived, they did not acknowledge Li Chengze, so only Fang Ping was nice to talk to .

Fang Ping overheard their conversation .

However, Fang Ping could not be bothered . He started considering if he should move out .

He ate well and lived well here, and it was all free . Aside from the distance of more than ten minutes from the school, there were no other downsides .

If he stayed at school, he would have to stay in a six-person room . Could it compare to here?

Of course, Fang Ping now figured, was it possible it would not be a six-person room and would be a four-person or two-person room instead?

After all, a martial artist’s cultivations were quite personal . Living in groups was not very suitable .

Still, it did not matter how many people shared a room—could it be better than the presidential suite?

He did not know if it was possible . If it was, that would be great .

As he was contemplating this, Li Chengze stepped into the restaurant .

The service staff hurriedly greeted him . Li Chengze smiled and nodded in acknowledgment .

After a while, Li Chengze stopped in front of Fang Ping and said softly, “President Fang, the renovation is nearly complete . Would you like to take a look?”

“No need . It’s fine if you are okay with it . I’ll be preparing during these two days to start classes in the best possible condition . ”

“About tomorrow’s hiring…”

“You’re also in charge of that . There are few people in the early stages . Human resources aren’t complicated and finances are simpler, so there’s no difference whether I go or not .

“When some foundation has been laid down, then I’ll go take a look .

“Also, if there’s not enough money…”

Fang Ping’s head hurt a little . Half a beat passed before he said, “Call me if there’s not enough . I’ll come up with something . ”

He still had some Vitality Pills . He would see if he could sell them .

“Alright, I got it . ”

When he had finished, Li Chengze spoke again . “When you’ve entered MCMAU, I’ll officially resign . The procedures can be completed very quickly . ”

“Can I continue staying here?”

Li Chengze was stunned for a moment before he nodded . “Of course you can, but… But this isn’t very appropriate, is it?

“At school, it’ll be more convenient for you .

“Furthermore, once I leave, you staying here for a long time might be…”

He did not say what it might be, but if Fang Ping adamantly stayed here for the long-term, it would easily allow others to look down on him .

Was this necessary?

Fang Ping did not say any more . He would assess the situation . If the school accommodations and dining were not troublesome, he would go to the school . It really was no big deal .

After exchanging a few simple sentences, Li Chengze left .

Fang Ping finished his meal and did not go out after . He went back to his room and resumed cultivating .

His pole-standing seemed to be nearing the breakthrough to the firm stance .

If he could breakthrough in these two days, he could enter the martial arts university with thrice-honing, the firm stance in pole-standing and minor success in leg technique . It was possible that nobody would be stronger than him among the new students .

Of course, this was excluding things out of his expectations . After all, this was Magic City Martial Arts University, the gathering grounds of geniuses!