Chapter 18: Ki-gong Technique, Proficient Level!
Pressing down on the Cloth Doll that was already shambling toward the doorway, Shangshan Che shook his head at it.
‘I’ll get it.’
He mouthed those words, took a deep breath forcefully, then placed the Cloth Doll in the corner of the wooden desk, together with the pile of untouched homework.
“Dad? You wouldn’t be knocking now to make me cook a midnight snack, right?”
Muttering in dissatisfaction, Shangshan Che casually pulled open the Room Door himself.
At the Doorway stood a faceless middle-aged man.
It stood quietly facing Shangshan Che, saying nothing.
The silent pressure climbed over Shangshan Che’s entire body, and just as his face was about to instinctively start twitching, he immediately entered the Calm as Still Water state.
“What, you can only watch soccer Matches, but I can’t stay up late to watch a Match?” Shangshan Che took out his Mobile Phone and showed off the flashing game on it: “Esports is a Match too!”
With that, Shangshan Che calmly walked past the man and said while relieving himself in the Restroom:
“If you want a midnight snack, just say so. I’ll heat up the Bento in the Refrigerator. If not, I’ll eat it by myself.”
After shaking it off and washing his hands under the man’s gaze, Shangshan Che took a Bento from the Refrigerator, heated it up, and ate it while browsing his Mobile Phone, chuckling from time to time.
From start to finish, he didn’t show the slightest abnormality.
Finally, just as Shangshan Che was about to lick clean the plastic bowl of the extra-large curry beef Bento, the faceless man who had been peering at his cheek finally slowly walked away.
He returned to the Sofa in front of the TV that was forever replaying the same soccer Match and sat down.
Shangshan Che seemed completely unaware, still focused on the Bento in his hand.
Only after eating the Bento clean did Shangshan Che toss it into the trash bag like a victory.
Before returning to his Room, Shangshan Che even said to the faceless man on the Sofa:
“Dad, I’m going to sleep. You should sleep early too.”
Thud.
The moment he closed the Room Door, Shangshan Che collapsed limply.
Like a drowning person just pulled ashore, he panted silently and heavily, his previously dry back instantly soaked.
Thank you, Lili Zi!
Supporting himself on the edge of the desk and gasping for breath, Shangshan Che had never been so grateful to a person as he was at this moment.
If not for maintaining the Calm as Still Water that Lili Zi had taught him before, he would definitely have sweated, had shaky hands, or shown some Opening that even he himself hadn’t noticed.
Then, the Three-Star dad crowned with the name “Evil Spirit” would have swallowed him in one gulp!
Shangshan Che looked at the Cloth Doll that had scurried to his hand and thought that maybe he wouldn’t be instantly killed, but he would definitely face off directly against the faceless Three-Star dad.
That way, not only would he lose the Cloth Doll that Sister Nanjo gave him, which was enough to intimidate dad, but he would also lose a Three-Star Safe House!
That’s right, the reason Shangshan Che had boldly opened the door earlier was to let the “dad” who sensed something wrong relax again after observing him.
Ruffling the Cloth Doll’s little head, Shangshan Che hugged it and lay on the bed, sighing with relief.
—Plan successful!
Shangshan Che’s Thought was simple.
Dad wanted to attack him for some unknown reason but was wary of the Cloth Doll, so he had blurred his memory and kept waiting for an opportunity.
And since dad was “raising” him, he naturally wouldn’t let other Demons and Monsters run wild.
Thus, didn’t that mean Shangshan Che was freeloading a Three-Star combat power bodyguard!
“Thanks to you too.”
Poking the Cloth Doll’s drooping little face, Shangshan Che placed it by the bedside and pulled up the covers again.
“Three-Star, huh…”
He sighed, glancing at the Laughing Hannya Progress bar that was still only halfway.
What a long road ahead.
Thinking this, Shangshan Che subconsciously fell asleep while maintaining the breathing rhythm of the Ki-Gong Technique.
【After practicing in your dreams, your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment’s Proficiency +7!】
……
The next day.
Walking to school, Shangshan Che looked astonished.
He hadn’t expected the Ki-Gong Technique’s Proficiency to actually increase while sleeping.
Even if it wasn’t as much as normal practice, this was a big Discovery!
And…
Shangshan Che stared at the 【Incomplete Ki-Gong Technique（Beginner 87/100）】 marker in front of him, determined to max out the remaining Proficiency during morning classes and break through before lunch!
With the help of Calm as Still Water, the Teacher’s teachings and the classmates’ noisy chatter drifted past his ears like a breeze.
When Shangshan Che finally reconnected with the World, he found the Classroom already empty.
“Gone to PE class?”
He smiled knowingly, unconcerned.
Because after nearly a morning of dedicated effort, the Ki-Gong Technique had successfully broken through.
【Your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment’s Proficiency +13!】
【Your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment has leveled up to Proficient Level!】
【Ki-Gong Technique Fragment（Proficient 0/300）】
【Effect: Gather the qi of the Physical Body, unite it in one place, with obvious effects.】
【Your Physique +2!】
The instant the breakthrough completed, Shangshan Che felt a comfort throughout his body as if he had been soaked in warm water.
And after that sensation faded, Shangshan Che could feel his far sturdier body than before, as well as the “qi” in his body that had thickened by more than double.
“I’m evolving, getting stronger.”
Shangshan Che murmured softly. He could clearly feel the transformation from his previous weak and frail self to this powerful body now.
This feeling was simply too wonderful.
Opening the Attribute Panel again, the data had become—
【Shangshan Che】
【Physique: 6】
【Willpower: 8】
【Charm: 9】
【Spiritual Arts: 1】
Apart from the pitiful “1” in Spiritual Arts Attribute, both Physique and Willpower had seen significant improvements.
As for Charm…
Shangshan Che didn’t think this Thing was useful. Could it make Demons willingly drop Soul Ash?
Taking a deep breath, Shangshan Che circulated the qi in his body and immediately saw his Physique Attribute +1 again.
“Not bad.”
Shangshan Che showed a smile like an old farmer.
One Level up of the Ki-Gong Technique had brought him a full 3 points of Physique improvement in his normal state.
Although part of it was the carryover from the previous 0.5 Physique, it was still a very bountiful harvest.
With half an hour until the end of class, Shangshan Che didn’t act special and instead went to the playground, quietly blending into the crowd watching the jocks play basketball.
With his low presence, no one noticed an extra person had suddenly appeared in the crowd.
On the basketball court, the sun shone brightly.
“Ando-kun and them play so cool!”
Listening to the cheers from the girls nearby, Shangshan Che nodded in agreement: “Yeah, they play really cool.”
Then he found a shady, deserted corner and continued to quietly cultivate the Ki-Gong Technique.
Basketball? Cool?
What was that? Could it be eaten as Physique? Or when Demons came to kill, could he say, “Hey bro, hold up, let’s one-on-one with free throws?”
Shangshan Che thought not.
So, blended into the cheer squad, Shangshan Che continued his silent Cultivation.
“This afternoon, skip class with Lili Zi to go Cultivate.”
He thought.
