Winner's Fist

第4話 nothing your bro can't solve

"Sister Bai, how is my awakening going?"

"Based on your current situation, I have two hypotheses. One is that the element you have awakened is very special. Many of these special elements are not composed of basic elements, so general awakening tests cannot detect them."

"Doesn't that make me really powerful?"

"Special elements are indeed powerful, but they have a fatal flaw. Without the corresponding resources and cultivation techniques to aid in training, they cannot exert their power and are not as popular as mainstream elements."

Bai Zhi explained while putting items into a box.

"The other possibility is that you lack elemental affinity. Although you won't be able to use elemental abilities, you can still train in physical techniques."

"It is said that thousands of years ago, a physical technique master named Lee Rock achieved invincibility across the land with a technique called Eight Gates. He could even fight against legendary beings."

Between these two possibilities, it was obvious that the latter was more likely. Bai Zhi subtly expressed her opinion without stating it directly.

Returning to the main hall, Chen Mo walked to the old man without speaking. The old man observed the flow of qi and blood in Chen Mo's body and nodded in satisfaction before heading to the fourth floor.

The two walked downstairs one after the other.

"Grandpa, wasn't this awakening opportunity very rare? What about my two younger sisters?"

Chen Mo couldn't help but voice his concerns.

"Boy, I know what you're thinking. Are you disappointed in yourself for not awakening an element?"

"Any ability practiced to the extreme can be unbeatable. You must remember that true masters never complain about their difficult circumstances."

Chen Mo looked at the old man's loving eyes full of trust and secretly made up his mind. The old man turned and continued walking downstairs, casually saying:

"Moreover, who told you this was your only chance to awaken? This time the awakening was free, so why not take it? The process was painful, and the element test was perfunctory. I wouldn't want my precious granddaughters to suffer through this."

Chen Mo, who was initially very touched, had a confused expression, feeling like thousands of alpacas were running through his mind. So, I was just picking up scraps? This is too biased; you old codger.

As he reached the fourth floor, the old man took the terminal from Chen Mo and went to the counter to receive supplies.

A man at the counter sighed as he handed the old man a box containing a large red mineral along with other items. Watching them leave, the man sighed again.

"Hope their village can hold out a bit longer."

With the main tasks in the city completed, Chen Mo planned to fulfill his promise to his sisters. He remembered there were many shops on the street, so he decided to pick up some items to bring back. Now that he had awakened, he needed to quickly learn cultivation techniques, as his path would be harder than others. Thinking of this, his eyes naturally turned to the old man in front of him.

"Grandpa, have you heard of a technique called Eight Gates?"

"Yes, it’s said to be the ultimate move of the physical technique master Lee Rock. Many powerful people emerged from his village."

"Do you have any physical techniques I can practice?"

The old man didn’t stop walking. He reached into his clothes and quickly took out two tattered parchment pages. Chen Mo eagerly accepted them, but his excitement turned to disappointment when he saw the writings.

Seven Star Steps (Partial Step Technique), Force Gathering Palm (Partial Palm Technique).

In this world, techniques are divided into twelve levels corresponding to the twelve meridians in the human body. The higher the technique's level, the higher the requirements for the practitioner, and the more powerful the technique.

Chen Mo looked at the Seven Star Steps in his hand. This technique was likely based on seven star positions, but the partial manuscript only recorded three. It seemed impractical for learning and could only be used for reference.

He opened the other technique. This palm technique seemed to have two parts, and the one he had was a derivative usage. It involved gathering qi in a specific way to use a weapon as a hidden projectile, but the power seemed unpromising.

Although a bit disappointed, Chen Mo understood that the old man had given him the best techniques from the wandering group.

Back on the main street, Chen Mo followed the old man into a general store. The store wasn't large, and the items sold were varied.

A middle-aged man was resting in a rocking chair, and he lazily said:

"Look around and pick what you like."

After a round, Chen Mo saw only a few candies for sale in a corner; most other items were clothes and decorations made from animal hides.

Candy, something he used to disdain, had become a luxury here. He picked two pieces and wrapped them in paper.

"One copper coin."

The man said lazily.

Chen Mo suddenly realized he had no money, not having touched any since coming to this world. He fumbled in his pockets and found a peculiar coin. From his memory, this coin had always been with him, but he couldn't recall how he got it.

"Is this okay?"

The man looked at the strangely patterned coin, which had a flower on one side, the petals faded and hard to see; the other side had a leering clown, its hat adorned with various weapons.

"Are you kidding me? If you have no money, get out and don’t waste my time."

He threw the coin back impatiently and chased them out.

Back in the car, the old man took out a newspaper and read it. Chen Mo played with the terminal, noting it was already 2 PM. Though not hungry, he habitually took out a biscuit and started chewing.

Since it was still early, he decided to explore the city. He quickly finished his biscuit and got out of the car.

"Grandpa, it's my first time in the city. I want to look around."

"Come back early."

With the old man's permission, Chen Mo walked down the street.

The street was still empty, and the shops were quiet. As he walked further, he saw a few stalls with people gathered around, arguing.

Chen Mo squeezed through the crowd to see what was happening. It was a hunting party's stall with beast teeth, hides, and two crystals in the middle.

"This crystal has good color, but it's too small. Selling it for 15 gold coins is too expensive."

"This is just a regular fire element crystal, albeit with pure energy. I'll take it for 10 gold coins."

"Go away, it's 15 gold coins, not a penny less."

Listening to the argument, Chen Mo focused on the crystal's strong internal energy.

He poked a chubby boy watching nearby.

"What are you doing?"

The boy looked annoyed at the interruption.

"Bro, what’s that crystal? It's so expensive."

Noticing Chen Mo's clothes, the chubby boy disdainfully explained:

"Never seen this? It's a beast core, a substitute for elemental stones but with side effects."

"That light green one is a wood element core, and the red one is fire."

"You're really knowledgeable."

Flattered by Chen Mo's praise, the boy excitedly showed off his knowledge.

The crowd around the stalls thinned, but the crystals remained unsold, with only one persistent buyer left.

Just then, a luxury car stopped nearby, drawing attention. A well-dressed man in his forties with white gloves got out, spoke to someone inside, and then walked towards the stalls, buying all the crystals regardless of price.

"Bro, who is that? So extravagant."

"In Huizhou, only a few have this power. That car belongs to the Su family, probably one of the three Su sisters."

The chubby boy ogled the luxury car, hoping to catch a glimpse of the renowned beauties.

The man quickly collected the crystals and returned to the car.

The chubby boy finally snapped out of his daze.

"Bro, with your talent, you'll have your chance someday."

The boy smiled,

"Bro, I feel a connection with you. If you need anything in the city, come to me."

Seeing the opportunity, Chen Mo said, "Bro, I already have a small problem."

"Just say it; nothing your bro can't solve."

"Bro, I'm new here and broke. Could you...?"

"I thought it was something serious."

The boy handed him a silver coin, but as he turned, Chen Mo had already vanished.

Singing happily, Chen Mo returned to the empty car, glancing at the luggage and newspaper, knowing the old man had gone for a walk.

He decided to try the techniques the old man gave him. Picking a sharp stone, he began gathering qi according to the instructions. Feeling warmth flow to his palm, he aimed at a distant tree and threw the stone, which missed, only knocking down some leaves.

"Accuracy and power are lacking."

Chen Mo pondered how to improve, trying a few more times with little success. He decided to try a closer target.

This time, the gathered qi was weaker, the stone slower and weaker, and he felt a hint of fatigue.

After some simple stretches, he realized he could only use the technique three times before his right hand would be too tired.

As night fell, the old man returned and tossed Chen Mo some buns for dinner.

The street lights cast a dim yellow glow. Lying on the seat, Chen Mo massaged his arm, pondering how to improve his accuracy, and drifted to sleep.

In the middle of the night, a cold wind woke Chen Mo, and he felt a strong urge to pee. After relieving himself in a corner, he felt refreshed.

The surroundings were silent, only the wind breaking the stillness. Chen Mo lay back, alert.