Qi Shengjia was badly frightened, and his expression tightened. He didn't dare to swallow the half-mouthful of porridge in his mouth.
"Can you be any shadier?"
Sun Mo was extremely unhappy. Qi Shengjia's potential value was extremely low, and there were just five days before the test started.
Sun Mo was a 'newcomer', and the Central Province Academy could be considered his home ground. Hence, after spending two days in the library, he had almost read through all the information relevant to the school.
The battle hall was the most popular club in the Central Province Academy. It was also extremely famous in Jinling City.
In order to maintain the battle hall's lofty status and make each member of the club cherish their identity, the limit of their members had always been set at 500.
Every three months, the battle hall would organize an entrance test. Students who wished to join the hall could draw lots in the test and choose a person in the club as their opponent.
If they won, they would be able to enter the battle hall. If they lost, they had to wait for next time.
If a member lost, they would instantly lose their identity as a battle hall member. It was precisely this cruel competition rule that caused all members of the battle hall to do their utmost in cultivation.
There was a great teacher in the battle hall acting as a consultant, and he would provide public guidance lectures for free every week. As long as one wasn't retarded, who would bear to miss it?
Other than this, if one could join the battle hall, their reputation would surely grow. Their social circle would enlarge as well, and this would prove to be of immense help for their futures.
Under the temptation of such good conditions, the competition in each test would be extremely intense. Even using his knees to think, Sun Mo could tell that Qi Shengjia didn't stand a chance at all.
"A great teacher is someone who can transform the impossible into the possible. Turning a student who's crow into a phoenix, from rotten wood to a pillar that can support the state. If not, why would the world need great teachers for?"
The system sounded like this was inevitable and right.
"Do you have an original body? Come out for me, I guarantee I won't hit you to death."
Sun Mo cracked his fingers.
"Teacher Sun?'
Qi Shengjia summoned up his courage and asked.
"Eat your porridge!"
Sun Mo commanded.
"Oh!"
Qi Shengjia's neck shrank back, and gurgling sounds rang out as he ate the porridge. Although it was a little hot, he didn't spit it out.
"After finishing your meal, lie back on the wooden plank."
It seemed like there was no way for him to cancel the mission that had been issued. Sun Mo could only do his best.
"Teacher Sun is so good!"
Qi Shengjia's eyes grew wet again. As a mediocre student, he had never received any extra care from any teachers before.
Ding!
Favorable impression points from Qi Shengjia +2.
Prestige connection state with Qi Shengjia. Neutral (20/100)!
Upon hearing the notification, Sun Mo's mood became much better. At the very least, this fellow still had a conscience and knew how to feel grateful.
Qi Shengjia didn't dare to let Sun Mo wait too long. He hurriedly finished his breakfast and lay back on the wooden plank.
"Teacher Sun, do you think this pose is okay?"
Qi Shengjia's eyes were filled with trepidation.
"Relax your body, why are you so nervous for? I'm not a butcher, alright?" Sun Mo was speechless. "Why are you lying in such a straight and stiff manner? Are you a salted fish?"
"Oh!"
Qi Shengjia grew even more nervous.
Sun Mo didn't wish to be stared at, so he took Qi Shengjia's clothes to cover his head. After that, he grabbed hold of Qi Shengjia's left arm and started Tuina, clearing his energy channels.
Time slowly flowed.
"How's the feeling?"
As Sun Mo massaged, he asked Qi Shengjia. He could gain a more detailed understanding of this partial ancient massage technique from Qi Shengjia's answers.
"It's painful at the start, after that, the pain transforms into an itch!"
Qi Shengjia moved slightly. "It feels like ants are crawling on my body."
"And after that?"
Sun Mo patted Qi Shengjia's arm. "Flip your body over and lie down on your stomach!"
One couldn't help but say that this fellow did train his muscles well. Qi Shengjia's body was robust. Sun Mo could tell that Qi Shengjia was someone walking down the path of a man of steel.
"Hot!"
Qi Shengjia then flipped his body over. "It feels comfortable!"
Sun Mo's hands gently massaged Qi Shengjia's cervical vertebra. After that, his hands moved down toward the backbone. When his hands reached the lumbar vertebra, Sun Mo suddenly used force and pressed down.
"Argh!"
Qi Shengjia immediately shouted in pain. His backbone curved like a bow, and he looked akin to a cooked prawn now. Before the pain faded, the spirit qi in the surroundings suddenly surged in, flooding his body.
"Mn?"
Sun Mo was puzzled. As he also understood the dao of cultivation, he soon realized that this was the phenomenon that would occur before a cultivator broke through to the next level.
Because this was the first time he was seeing it, Sun Mo observed very seriously. His hands didn't leave Qi Shengjia's body and were moving about, stopping on different parts as he sensed the flow of spirit qi through the energy channels.
Pak! Pak! Pak!
Qi Shengjia's body suddenly emitted patting sounds. His muscles seemed to be inflated. They swelled up and this condition lasted for about three minutes before they returned to their original form.
In the storehouse, the surging spirit qi also gradually calmed down.
Sun Mo retreated as he recalled the massage process that had happened earlier in his mind. This was his habit. Through reflecting the process step-by-step, he wanted to reinforce his memories and dig out all the good points and flaws that were worthy to be taken note of. This way, he could perform better in the future.
"I...I...broke through?"
Qi Shengjia's body trembled. He was dumbstruck as he stared at his hands in a daze. This feeling of having an abundance of spirit qi in his body...there was no mistake.
He had experienced this wondrous state before. It was half-a-year ago when he had broken through to the 3rd-level of the body-refinement realm.
He was in a daze for five whole minutes. Only then did he remember Sun Mo, and he hurriedly got up.
Boom!
Qi Shengjia overturned the wooden plank, scattering dust around. He took two steps and rushed in front of Sun Mo. With a thudding sound, he knelt down.
Bang!
Qi Shengjia kowtowed. The force he used was too great and shattered the floor panel. He wanted to say some words of thanks, but he was too agitated and only unintelligible words came out of his mouth. In the end, he didn't manage to say anything.
"Why are you kneeling again?"
Sun Mo frowned. "Are you a kowtowing bug?"
"No...I not…"
Qi Shengjia's head was filled with sweat. He was afraid that Sun Mo would loathe him. But because of this, he grew more and more anxious and couldn't speak smoothly.
At this moment, Sun Mo's status in his heart had risen endlessly. Just after a round of massage, Sun Mo had allowed him to step into the 4th-level of the body refinement realm. This was too awesome.
"If you are not, quickly get up!"
Sun Mo instructed, "Tidy up the things on the ground."
"Mn!"
Qi Shengjia was so obedient that he was like a sheep being glared at by a wolf. Right now, he was incomparably excited and wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. By breaking through to the 4th level, his chance of passing the battle hall's test would be greater.
When he thought of this, Qi Shengjia couldn't help but praise Sun Mo.
"Teacher Sun, you are so awesome!"
Ding!
Favorable impression points from Qi Shengjia +30.
Prestige connection with Qi Shengjia. Neutral (50/100).
Sun Mo clicked his tongue, +30 points directly? He wasn't despising it for being too little. Rather, he wanted to know how he could get so many favorable impression points every time.
"When your act of guidance generates a favorable impression like closeness, being impressed, feelings of worship, etc, you will be able to gain favorable impression points.
"The greater the emotional fluctuation of the target, the more favorable impression points would be generated."
"Using Qi Shengjia as an example. Right now, his breakthrough causes him to feel hope of passing the battle hall's test, and if he really passed, his life would immediately be much better. This is why he has generated plenty of favorable impression points."
If the system's voice could have a little more emotions in it, it would really be like a caring elder sister.
"So, this is the case. The more they feel that my guidance is important, the better it would be for me. So I have to put in more effort in guiding others to gain more favorable impression points, right?"
"Correct!'
The system paused for a moment before adding another line, "In view of your intelligence, I discovered that it is very possible for the Absolute Great Teacher System to finally make a correct choice in choosing you."
"Aren't these words superfluous?"
Sun Mo wanted to roll his eyes.
"I take back my words. Your mouth is simply too toxic."
After the system said that, it fell back into silence.
"How are you feeling?"
Sun Mo then glanced at Qi Shengjia. He didn't feel proud of himself. This was because Qi Shengjia had already cultivated to the peak of the 3rd-level before this, and he only lacked a bit of stimulus before he could step into the gateway of the 4th-level. It was just that his body got injured and he was overly fatigued, leading to his weaker state of being. This was why Qi Shengjia didn't manage to break through even after a long time.
Sun Mo's ancient massage technique could clear his energy channels, allowing his spirit qi to flow in the smooth circulation. This could be considered a stimulus that triggered Qi Shengjia's breakthrough.
"I feel very excellent!"
Qi Shengjia punched his fists together, wanting nothing more than to find someone for a spar right now.
"Scram back and rest. Don't keep thinking about cultivating."
Sun Mo commanded.
"Ah?"
Qi Shengjia was astonished. He initially wanted to say no, but when he thought of how much Sun Mo had helped him, he immediately shut his mouth and nodded heavily. "I'm going back to sleep right now!"
"During these few days, you can come back here after school."
In order to complete the mission and get the reward, Sun Mo could only give it his all.
"Teacher Sun, you are willing to guide me?"
Qi Shengjia's gaze was glowing as he looked at Sun Mo. He was so agitated that he was panting.
Sun Mo waved his hand, and Qi Shengjia tactfully departed. Before he left, he still closed the door to the storehouse gently. It was as though if his movements were too big, he would startle Teacher Sun.
When he reached his dorm, although it was in the middle of the day, Qi Shengjia hurried to bed so he could sleep. Right now, he treated Sun Mo's words as a royal edict. He would execute Sun Mo's instructions carefully to the fullest.
…
"Sigh, Shengjia is so pitiful. I'm afraid he is going to quit school!"
Wang Hao sighed.
"It might not sound nice, but given Shengjia's aptitude, he won't be able to get into the battle hall anyway. During these few years of school, he had spent quite a lot of money but he didn't make much progress. Let alone his father, I also feel that it would be better for him to quit school and find a job to lighten the financial burden of his family."
Zhou Xu didn't have a bad heart, but he truly felt that Qi Shengjia was wasting time. Without the guidance of a great teacher, even if Qi Shengjia practiced without eating or sleep, he wouldn't have any results.
Honestly speaking, a place like the Central Province Academy didn't lack students who were willing to work hard. What they lacked was the guidance of great teachers.
When the two of them returned to their dorm and saw Qi Shengjia lying on this bed, they shook their heads. It seemed like Qi Shengjia's situation didn't turn for the better. The two of them didn't know how to console him, yet they suddenly heard him laughing.
"It's over."
Wang Hao waved his hand. "He has gone crazy."
"Shengjia, there are many opportunities in life. Don't be too persistent about the present…"
Zhou Xu consoled, but before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted.
"I broke through!"
Qi Shengjia shared his happiness with these two friends of his.
"Huh?"
The two of them were stunned. Zhou Xu walked forward and placed his hand on Qi Shengjia's forehead. "Are you having a fever?"
"Nope."
Qi Shengjia pulled Zhou Xu's hand away. "I'm telling you guys that Teacher Sun is very awesome. Not only has he cured me, but he even caused me to have a successful breakthrough!"
"Which Teacher Sun?"
Zhou Xu asked.
"I'm talking about Sun Mo, Teacher Sun!"
Qi Shengjia's voice was filled with admiration.
"Sun Mo? That new intern teacher?"
Zhou Xu had some impression of this name. After all, Sun Mo's matters were considered a hot topic among the students.
"Are you certain you didn't mention the wrong name? I heard that he was a soft-rice guy who couldn't even become a teaching assistant. He was thrown into the logistics department instead!"
Wang Hao was puzzled.