After hearing Xia Youhui's explanation, Chen Chu was left in astonishment. He asked with curiosity, "What's the cheapest option for these qi and blood-nourishing resources?"
"The cheapest?" Xia Youhui pondered for a moment. "Currently, there are seven resources suitable for our foundation building. The most affordable one is the blood antler from Tianyou Group Company, which costs only 10,000 yuan per piece."
"Taking one piece can sustain the energy and blood transport consumption for five consecutive transfers, making it very cost-effective."
"Goodbye!" Chen Chu muttered to himself.
Upon hearing that the most economical resource for qi and blood enhancement cost 10,000 yuan, Chen Chu understood why he hadn't heard of it before; it was simply beyond his financial reach.
In his family, only Zhang Xiaolan earned an income. As a front-line manager at a metal company, her monthly earnings amounted to around 7,000 yuan. After deducting insurance and household expenses, there was barely anything left.
And this was in the case of having free education for the two brothers, with expenses primarily covering food.
Ten thousand yuan might be insignificant for families like Lin Xue's, but for Chen Chu's family, it was a considerable sum.
Moreover, considering that a single dose of blood antler could only sustain five qi and blood transfers, it seemed like a waste of money.
"Old Xia, thank you for the information. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Chen Chu patted Xia Youhui on the shoulder and left with a bag slung over his shoulder.
"Old Xia, am I really that old?" Xia Youhui mumbled as he watched Chen Chu depart. He couldn't comprehend how he had suddenly transformed from a young man to an "old Xia." After all, he believed he was rather good-looking.
As Chen Chu passed the school's playground, he contemplated what Xia Youhui had shared earlier.
Clearly, Xia Youhui had noticed that Chen Chu had forcibly moved his qi and blood in the afternoon, which had left him weakened. Consequently, Xia Youhui had intentionally waited for him outside.
Although they had only spent a few days together, they had developed a strong rapport and understood each other's situations to some extent.
For instance, Xia Youhui had recognized that Chen Chu seemed to lack common knowledge in the realm of cultivation. Thus, he had offered advice to ensure that Chen Chu didn't push himself too hard and harm his body.
At the same time, he had conveyed that if Chen Chu aimed to accelerate his cultivation, he could purchase resources to supplement his blood.
Unfortunately, Chen Chu was strapped for cash.
Even without these resources, based on his current progress, he believed he could gradually advance and confidently reach the foundation-building stage within a month.
Nevertheless, Chen Chu took note of the favor, considering Xia Youhui a true friend. He had even affectionately changed his address from "Classmate Xia" to "Lao Xia."
There was no choice—Xia Youhui simply gave off an old-fashioned vibe.
After returning home around five o'clock with two shopping bags, Chen Chu prepared a generous plate of fish and headed upstairs.
In the fish tank, the hexagonal salamander had grown to a length of 22 centimeters. It eagerly glanced upward at a piece of fish that fell from the heavens before opening its mouth to devour it.
The taste of salamanders differed from that of humans. As Chen Chu's consciousness entered the fish's mouth, he could discern the delicious, tender flavor of the fish.
Well, the delicious taste was experienced by the salamander itself, not Chen Chu. For ordinary people, consuming this type of frozen, raw fish would be characterized by its fishiness and chill.
After consuming a substantial plate of fish, the salamander avatar expanded to a length of 24 centimeters, and its head had grown to the size of an egg, more than twice its previous size.
Pleased with the 7 points of accumulated evolutionary value, Chen Chu nodded in satisfaction.
"Brother, I'm home!"
Around six o'clock, Chen Hu barged into the house, perspiring from playing with friends on the way back from school.
"I'm back." Chen Chu, busy in the kitchen, didn't turn to look. "Go wash your hands and help set the table."
"Sure." Chen Hu tossed his schoolbag onto the sofa, washed his hands, and entered the kitchen to assist.
Clutching bowls and chopsticks, Chen Hu approached Chen Chu with curiosity. "Brother, you've been practicing for two days. Have you experienced significant changes?"
Casting a sideways glance at him, Chen Chu retorted with a trace of annoyance, "Do you think I'm practicing some immortal technique, capable of soaring into the sky and escaping the earth in just two days?"
"Hey, didn't everyone say that Zhenwu is very powerful?" Chen Hu chuckled.
Perhaps due to the fusion of memories, Chen Chu didn't need to pretend; he naturally integrated into this family. Still, he felt a bit unaccustomed to the sudden presence of a mother. After all, he had been in his twenties before the time travel.
By 6:30, when Chen Chu finished cooking, Zhang Xiaolan had returned from work. At the dinner table, she inquired about Chen Chu's progress in his studies and whether school was suitable for him.
After 7 o'clock in the evening, Chen Chu sat on his bed, ready to begin his practice.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Zhang Xiaolan's voice, "Ah Chu, are you still awake?"
"No."
Zhang Xiaolan pushed open the door and entered, holding a bank card in her hand. Chen Chu regarded her with suspicion. "Mom, what's going on?"
Looking at her son, who sat cross-legged, poised for practice, Zhang Xiaolan spoke softly, "While I was at work today, Sister Wang told me that once you start practicing true martial arts in high school, you'll need to replenish your energy and blood."
"Sister Wang's son began high school several years ago and used a blood resource called Jianhu ointment. It's said to be very effective, but it's a bit expensive. Unfortunately, her son didn't have a knack for cultivation, so he ended up studying in the humanities department."
Zhang Xiaolan handed the card to Chen Chu. "I'm not well-versed in these matters, so I can't be of much help regarding cultivation."
"However, there should be some students in your class who use these resources. You can ask them which ones are better."
"Saturday is the day after tomorrow. There's more than 90,000 yuan on this card, and the password is your birthday. If you feel it's necessary, you can use it to purchase and consume these resources."
Chen Chu gazed at the bank card, feeling a bit overwhelmed. This money was most likely Zhang Xiaolan's savings from over the years.
"Mom, I don't need it."
Chen Chu shook his head slightly and pushed the card back to her. "Today, a classmate also mentioned qi and blood resources to me, but I don't need them."
"No need?" Zhang Xiaolan was puzzled.
Chen Chu nodded. "There are only two scenarios where qi and blood resources are needed for replenishment. First, when someone lacks talent and requires these resources to bolster their foundation."
"Second, when someone is exceptionally talented. In such cases, replenishing qi and blood speeds up cultivation progress, allowing them to build a foundation ahead of others. I want to be ahead of the game."
"My situation falls somewhere in between. I possess some cultivation talent, but I'm not a prodigy. Hence, I can advance step by step without the need to compete with others."
"Ah Chu, are you absolutely sure you don't need qi and blood resources?"
"Don't worry about the money. If you believe this amount isn't sufficient, Mom can borrow some from Sister Wang and the others." Zhang Xiaolan hesitated, knowing her son's health had always been delicate.
Chen Chu was touched but also resolute. "Mom, I genuinely don't need it."
Finally, persuaded by Chen Chu, Zhang Xiaolan reluctantly accepted that he truly didn't require qi and blood resources and departed with lingering doubt.
Chen Chu hadn't lied; he genuinely didn't need them.
Even if he spent the 90,000 yuan, it would only expedite his foundation-building progress by around two weeks. After completing the body refinement phase, he would still need to meditate on the lotus platform.
Practicing true martial arts after foundation building was just the beginning.
Consequently, there was no need to "deplete the family's finances" for such a modest time gain.