Chapter 7: Breaking Through Oneself
Chapter 7: Breaking Through Oneself
The next day, Chen Shouyi woke up while the sky was still dim.
The muscle memory of the Lunge Thrust from the previous night remained vivid in his mind. As soon as he got up, he eagerly grabbed his wooden sword and began practicing. He had initially thought mastering the essence of the Lunge Thrust would come easily.
But when he actually started practicing, he realized it was nothing like he imagined.
Memory, after all, was just memory.
His muscles felt stiff and uncoordinated, making control extremely difficult.
This was different from practicing the optimized Thirty-Six Body Refining Techniques. Compared to the original version, the optimized techniques had only minor adjustments in details, and the force exertion followed the natural habits of ordinary people.
Chen Shouyi had adapted quickly after just a few practice sessions, even becoming proficient in executing them.
But the Lunge Thrust was like forcibly transforming a low-powered, crudely made machine into a high-powered one with tightly coordinated components. Not only did every muscle require precise control, but they also had to work together seamlessly to unleash the full power of the body without loss.
Fortunately, compared to others, he possessed the martial arts teacher’s memory of the Lunge Thrust—a tremendous advantage. It was like someone who already knew the technique switching bodies and relearning it.
This meant he wouldn’t have to take unnecessary detours.
……
Days passed one after another, and for Chen Shouyi, life was both uneventful and fulfilling.
His appetite improved, and his body grew stronger day by day. His once thin and frail chest gradually filled out.
On the third day, his Constitution and Will attributes each increased by 0.1. On the fourth day, his Strength also gained a 0.1 increase, followed by Agility soon after…
At first glance, an increase of just 0.1 points might seem insignificant, especially when the average attribute was around 10.
But in reality, the Book of Knowledge calculated each full point as a 1.5x multiplier.
For example, 10 points of Strength roughly equated to 100 kilograms, while 11 points would be 150 kilograms, and 12 points would be 225 kilograms.
An increase of 0.1 from a base of 10 translated to approximately 5 kilograms.
And this was achieved in just a few days.
Moreover, the growth was nearly comprehensive across all attributes. With each attribute reinforcing the others, his overall combat ability had improved by several times.
……
Another day of martial arts class arrived.
The martial arts teacher walked among the students, observing their practice. When he saw Chen Shouyi’s movements, his eyes lit up. He clapped his hands and announced loudly, "Chen Shouyi’s Lunge Thrust has reached a commendable level. Come up here and demonstrate it for everyone."
With the teacher’s loud praise, countless eyes turned toward him.
Those gazes felt like concentrated sunlight, making Chen Shouyi’s face burn and his limbs stiffen. The curious stares of a few pretty girls in particular made his chest tighten and his breath shorten.
Since childhood, he had been timid and insecure, terrified of being the center of attention. Even answering questions in class would make him blush and stammer—let alone a situation like this.
"Chen Shouyi seems a bit shy!" the martial arts teacher said with a kind smile. "But how can one learn martial arts without courage?"
The class burst into laughter.
The laughter of his classmates felt like sharp swords stabbing into his fragile heart.
Chen Shouyi kept his head low, silently clenching his fists so tightly that his sharp nails dug deep into his palms. Inside, he roared at himself:
"What are you afraid of? Chen Shouyi, what the hell are you afraid of?"
"These are just your classmates—what’s there to fear?"
"Even if you embarrass yourself, what can they really do to you?"
"Since childhood, none of these people have ever truly cared about you or looked up to you. Even if you make a fool of yourself, they’ll forget it in an instant!"
Under this relentless self-hypnosis, a fierce determination surged within him. Suddenly, Chen Shouyi spoke up: "Yes, teacher!"
The moment the words left his mouth, it was as if he had broken free from his own restraints. Everything before him seemed different now.
The air inside the indoor basketball court felt fresher.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves outside, passing through the glass windows to cast scattered patches of light.
Step by step, Chen Shouyi walked forward. At first, his head remained slightly bowed, his shoulders hunched, his face flushed red. But with each stride, he gradually lifted his chin, his steps growing firmer, his posture straighter, the flush on his face slowly fading.
"I never realized Chen Shouyi was so tall!" a girl whispered, as if discovering something new.
"Same here, I never noticed before!" another girl chimed in quietly, finding common ground.
......
"I guarantee he’s going to cry in a second!" This was the silent mockery in Zhao Yifeng’s mind.
Watching Chen Shouyi, who now seemed almost unfamiliar, Zhao Yifeng instinctively felt uneasy.
After all, they had all been stuck in the same mud—no one had the right to laugh at anyone else. But when someone tried to climb out of that mire, a surge of jealousy and inferiority made Zhao Yifeng instinctively resist the change.
Sun Xin didn’t speak, only pursing his lips slightly. As Chen Shouyi’s deskmate, he could clearly sense the transformation in him.
These past few days, Chen Shouyi had been studying harder than anyone else, pushing himself relentlessly. Sometimes, Sun Xin even wondered if something had triggered this shift.
......
Chen Shouyi came to a stop in front of the training dummy the teacher had set up.
"You may begin," the Martial Arts instructor said.
"Yes, teacher!" Chen Shouyi replied respectfully.
Gripping his sword, he stood under the gaze of all fifty-three classmates—yet his mind was utterly calm, his gaze sharp and confident.
Six days ago, his swordsmanship had finally reached the foundational level.
For him, the hardest part had been breaking through that initial barrier. But once he did, with the guidance of the school’s Martial Arts instructor’s muscle memory to draw from, his progress had been meteoric. In just a few short days, his Lunge Thrust had grown increasingly refined, to the point where he could execute it flawlessly without conscious thought.
In the next instant, he moved—his body flowing like drifting clouds, his sword cutting through the air like a storm-piercing seabird.
"Boom!" A loud impact rang out.
The tip of his sword struck the dummy’s forehead with such force that the dummy tilted back at a 30-degree angle, its base sliding nearly half a meter across the floor.
Silence fell over the room—followed by a chorus of sharp inhales.
Out of all fifty-four students in the class, fewer than five had reached the foundational level in swordsmanship. And among those, not a single one could perform the technique so perfectly while also displacing the dummy by nearly half a meter.
......
On his way back from the demonstration, Chen Shouyi noticed something different. From being an obscure, almost invisible outsider, he had suddenly become the center of attention. Many were secretly eyeing him, including quite a few female classmates. When he turned to meet their gazes, they immediately looked away.
"Hmph, women—just like that," he thought to himself, a strange notion bubbling up in his mind. The slight nervousness he had felt earlier gradually settled.
"I had no idea you were so good at Martial Arts!" A classmate punched him lightly on the chest and grinned. Chen Shouyi recognized him as Huang Kai, a perennial top-ten student in their class. In the past, they had belonged to completely different social circles, and Huang Kai had never even spoken to him. Now, he was acting as warmly as an old friend.
Chen Shouyi was momentarily stunned before quickly replying, "I’ve just been practicing a lot lately." He had expected to feel overwhelmed by the sudden attention, but instead, he found himself speaking with unexpected calm.
He really was different now.
As the Martial Arts class ended, Chen Shouyi instinctively moved to regroup with his usual trio of friends—only to find himself surrounded by a crowd.
"Chen Shouyi, how did you train? Is there some kind of trick to it?"
Many might never pass the Martial Apprentice exam in their lifetime, but what teenager didn’t love Martial Arts?
There is a trick, but you wouldn’t be able to use it, Chen Shouyi mused inwardly. Out loud, he recited some generic advice he’d read online: "First, break down the movements into smaller steps and practice them one by one. Once you’ve mastered each part, combine them into a fluid sequence."
"I’ve tried that, but it doesn’t seem to help much," one classmate protested skeptically.
"Different methods work for different people. What suits you best is what matters—but patience is key. Without patience, you won’t achieve anything," Chen Shouyi said smoothly, without a hint of guilt.
"Patience really is the most important thing. I just can’t stay focused," the skeptical classmate admitted with a nod.
……
Chen Shouyi realized that today, his mind was sharp, his words effortless. Every casual remark he made was listened to and agreed upon.
A thrill of excitement surged through him. He found himself enjoying this feeling of being noticed, of being important—no longer an insignificant, easily overlooked nobody.
Back in the classroom, Chen Shouyi took his seat.
Sun Xin suddenly threw an arm around his shoulders, his face full of envy. "Did you take some kind of stimulant today? You were insane out there!"
"I told you I’d get into a Martial Arts Academy!" Chen Shouyi whispered smugly.
He had expected the usual mockery and discouragement in response. After all, he was still far from becoming a Martial Apprentice—the gap felt like an insurmountable chasm. Even Chen Shouyi himself wasn’t confident he could pass the exam in just a year.
But this time, none came.
"Don’t forget about me when you make it big," Sun Xin said with a grin.
At the start of the semester, Sun Xin had heard similar boasts from Chen Shouyi. Back then, it had felt like nothing more than idle bragging between friends—something not to be taken seriously. But after witnessing that jaw-dropping performance in Martial Arts class today, Sun Xin couldn’t help but believe it might actually happen.
"You really believe that? I’m not even confident myself," Chen Shouyi blurted out in surprise.
The next day, Chen Shouyi woke up while the sky was still dim.
The muscle memory of the Lunge Thrust from the previous night remained vivid in his mind. As soon as he got up, he eagerly grabbed his wooden sword and began practicing. He had initially thought mastering the essence of the Lunge Thrust would come easily.
But when he actually started practicing, he realized it was nothing like he imagined.
Memory, after all, was just memory.
His muscles felt stiff and uncoordinated, making control extremely difficult.
This was different from practicing the optimized Thirty-Six Body Refining Techniques. Compared to the original version, the optimized techniques had only minor adjustments in details, and the force exertion followed the natural habits of ordinary people.
Chen Shouyi had adapted quickly after just a few practice sessions, even becoming proficient in executing them.
But the Lunge Thrust was like forcibly transforming a low-powered, crudely made machine into a high-powered one with tightly coordinated components. Not only did every muscle require precise control, but they also had to work together seamlessly to unleash the full power of the body without loss.
Fortunately, compared to others, he possessed the martial arts teacher’s memory of the Lunge Thrust—a tremendous advantage. It was like someone who already knew the technique switching bodies and relearning it.
This meant he wouldn’t have to take unnecessary detours.
……
Days passed one after another, and for Chen Shouyi, life was both uneventful and fulfilling.
His appetite improved, and his body grew stronger day by day. His once thin and frail chest gradually filled out.
On the third day, his Constitution and Will attributes each increased by 0.1. On the fourth day, his Strength also gained a 0.1 increase, followed by Agility soon after…
At first glance, an increase of just 0.1 points might seem insignificant, especially when the average attribute was around 10.
But in reality, the Book of Knowledge calculated each full point as a 1.5x multiplier.
For example, 10 points of Strength roughly equated to 100 kilograms, while 11 points would be 150 kilograms, and 12 points would be 225 kilograms.
An increase of 0.1 from a base of 10 translated to approximately 5 kilograms.
And this was achieved in just a few days.
Moreover, the growth was nearly comprehensive across all attributes. With each attribute reinforcing the others, his overall combat ability had improved by several times.
……
Another day of martial arts class arrived.
The martial arts teacher walked among the students, observing their practice. When he saw Chen Shouyi’s movements, his eyes lit up. He clapped his hands and announced loudly, "Chen Shouyi’s Lunge Thrust has reached a commendable level. Come up here and demonstrate it for everyone."
With the teacher’s loud praise, countless eyes turned toward him.
Those gazes felt like concentrated sunlight, making Chen Shouyi’s face burn and his limbs stiffen. The curious stares of a few pretty girls in particular made his chest tighten and his breath shorten.
Since childhood, he had been timid and insecure, terrified of being the center of attention. Even answering questions in class would make him blush and stammer—let alone a situation like this.
"Chen Shouyi seems a bit shy!" the martial arts teacher said with a kind smile. "But how can one learn martial arts without courage?"
The class burst into laughter.
The laughter of his classmates felt like sharp swords stabbing into his fragile heart.
Chen Shouyi kept his head low, silently clenching his fists so tightly that his sharp nails dug deep into his palms. Inside, he roared at himself:
"What are you afraid of? Chen Shouyi, what the hell are you afraid of?"
"These are just your classmates—what’s there to fear?"
"Even if you embarrass yourself, what can they really do to you?"
"Since childhood, none of these people have ever truly cared about you or looked up to you. Even if you make a fool of yourself, they’ll forget it in an instant!"
Under this relentless self-hypnosis, a fierce determination surged within him. Suddenly, Chen Shouyi spoke up: "Yes, teacher!"
The moment the words left his mouth, it was as if he had broken free from his own restraints. Everything before him seemed different now.
The air inside the indoor basketball court felt fresher.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves outside, passing through the glass windows to cast scattered patches of light.
Step by step, Chen Shouyi walked forward. At first, his head remained slightly bowed, his shoulders hunched, his face flushed red. But with each stride, he gradually lifted his chin, his steps growing firmer, his posture straighter, the flush on his face slowly fading.
"I never realized Chen Shouyi was so tall!" a girl whispered, as if discovering something new.
"Same here, I never noticed before!" another girl chimed in quietly, finding common ground.
......
"I guarantee he’s going to cry in a second!" This was the silent mockery in Zhao Yifeng’s mind.
Watching Chen Shouyi, who now seemed almost unfamiliar, Zhao Yifeng instinctively felt uneasy.
After all, they had all been stuck in the same mud—no one had the right to laugh at anyone else. But when someone tried to climb out of that mire, a surge of jealousy and inferiority made Zhao Yifeng instinctively resist the change.
Sun Xin didn’t speak, only pursing his lips slightly. As Chen Shouyi’s deskmate, he could clearly sense the transformation in him.
These past few days, Chen Shouyi had been studying harder than anyone else, pushing himself relentlessly. Sometimes, Sun Xin even wondered if something had triggered this shift.
......
Chen Shouyi came to a stop in front of the training dummy the teacher had set up.
"You may begin," the Martial Arts instructor said.
"Yes, teacher!" Chen Shouyi replied respectfully.
Gripping his sword, he stood under the gaze of all fifty-three classmates—yet his mind was utterly calm, his gaze sharp and confident.
Six days ago, his swordsmanship had finally reached the foundational level.
For him, the hardest part had been breaking through that initial barrier. But once he did, with the guidance of the school’s Martial Arts instructor’s muscle memory to draw from, his progress had been meteoric. In just a few short days, his Lunge Thrust had grown increasingly refined, to the point where he could execute it flawlessly without conscious thought.
In the next instant, he moved—his body flowing like drifting clouds, his sword cutting through the air like a storm-piercing seabird.
"Boom!" A loud impact rang out.
The tip of his sword struck the dummy’s forehead with such force that the dummy tilted back at a 30-degree angle, its base sliding nearly half a meter across the floor.
Silence fell over the room—followed by a chorus of sharp inhales.
Out of all fifty-four students in the class, fewer than five had reached the foundational level in swordsmanship. And among those, not a single one could perform the technique so perfectly while also displacing the dummy by nearly half a meter.
......
On his way back from the demonstration, Chen Shouyi noticed something different. From being an obscure, almost invisible outsider, he had suddenly become the center of attention. Many were secretly eyeing him, including quite a few female classmates. When he turned to meet their gazes, they immediately looked away.
"Hmph, women—just like that," he thought to himself, a strange notion bubbling up in his mind. The slight nervousness he had felt earlier gradually settled.
"I had no idea you were so good at Martial Arts!" A classmate punched him lightly on the chest and grinned. Chen Shouyi recognized him as Huang Kai, a perennial top-ten student in their class. In the past, they had belonged to completely different social circles, and Huang Kai had never even spoken to him. Now, he was acting as warmly as an old friend.
Chen Shouyi was momentarily stunned before quickly replying, "I’ve just been practicing a lot lately." He had expected to feel overwhelmed by the sudden attention, but instead, he found himself speaking with unexpected calm.
He really was different now.
As the Martial Arts class ended, Chen Shouyi instinctively moved to regroup with his usual trio of friends—only to find himself surrounded by a crowd.
"Chen Shouyi, how did you train? Is there some kind of trick to it?"
Many might never pass the Martial Apprentice exam in their lifetime, but what teenager didn’t love Martial Arts?
There is a trick, but you wouldn’t be able to use it, Chen Shouyi mused inwardly. Out loud, he recited some generic advice he’d read online: "First, break down the movements into smaller steps and practice them one by one. Once you’ve mastered each part, combine them into a fluid sequence."
"I’ve tried that, but it doesn’t seem to help much," one classmate protested skeptically.
"Different methods work for different people. What suits you best is what matters—but patience is key. Without patience, you won’t achieve anything," Chen Shouyi said smoothly, without a hint of guilt.
"Patience really is the most important thing. I just can’t stay focused," the skeptical classmate admitted with a nod.
……
Chen Shouyi realized that today, his mind was sharp, his words effortless. Every casual remark he made was listened to and agreed upon.
A thrill of excitement surged through him. He found himself enjoying this feeling of being noticed, of being important—no longer an insignificant, easily overlooked nobody.
Back in the classroom, Chen Shouyi took his seat.
Sun Xin suddenly threw an arm around his shoulders, his face full of envy. "Did you take some kind of stimulant today? You were insane out there!"
"I told you I’d get into a Martial Arts Academy!" Chen Shouyi whispered smugly.
He had expected the usual mockery and discouragement in response. After all, he was still far from becoming a Martial Apprentice—the gap felt like an insurmountable chasm. Even Chen Shouyi himself wasn’t confident he could pass the exam in just a year.
But this time, none came.
"Don’t forget about me when you make it big," Sun Xin said with a grin.
At the start of the semester, Sun Xin had heard similar boasts from Chen Shouyi. Back then, it had felt like nothing more than idle bragging between friends—something not to be taken seriously. But after witnessing that jaw-dropping performance in Martial Arts class today, Sun Xin couldn’t help but believe it might actually happen.
"You really believe that? I’m not even confident myself," Chen Shouyi blurted out in surprise.
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