Chapter 15: The Point Grinder

Xin Lang pondered for a moment and decided to upgrade the “Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms” first. He selected the palm-shaped icon for the technique in the martial arts section, then pressed the upgrade button.
The upgrader prompted: “Upgrading the Mortal-grade Basic Technique ‘Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms’ to Mortal-grade Intermediate Technique ‘Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms’ requires 1 experience point. Proceed with upgrade?”
“Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms? Damn, is that even possible!” Although that single experience point was hard-earned, Xin Lang didn’t hesitate to choose the upgrade. An intermediate Mortal-grade technique—one would be foolish not to upgrade.
The upgrader prompted: “Upgrade successful!”
Xin Lang immediately felt a change. The Mortal-grade Basic technique in his mind, “Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms,” instantly transformed into “Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms.” Many flaws and deficiencies in the original were corrected; the moves became several times more refined, and their power increased dramatically.
Having upgraded “Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms” to “Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms,” Xin Lang now cast his gaze at “Piercing Heart Dragon Claw.” He still had one experience point left. “Should I upgrade this ‘Piercing Heart Dragon Claw’ as well?”
He hesitated briefly, but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of upgrading, spending his last experience point to elevate the Mortal-grade Basic technique “Piercing Heart Dragon Claw” to the Mortal-grade Intermediate technique “Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw.”
Unable to contain his excitement, Xin Lang practiced both “Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms” and “Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw,” now his intermediate Mortal-grade techniques, in the room.
“Haha! The power of intermediate Mortal-grade techniques is two or three times greater than basic ones!” Xin Lang was overjoyed.
“Wait!” Suddenly, Xin Lang slapped his forehead. “The upgrader can raise basic to intermediate Mortal-grade techniques—could it upgrade ‘Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms’ and ‘Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw’ to Mortal-grade Advanced?”
Xin Lang was thrilled. If intermediate Mortal-grade techniques were already so much stronger, then advanced ones would be even more formidable!
He selected “Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms” and clicked the upgrade button in the martial arts section. The upgrader immediately prompted: “Upgrading Mortal-grade Intermediate Technique ‘Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms’ to Mortal-grade Advanced Technique ‘Dragon Subduing Ten Thousand and Eight Palms’ requires 1 experience point. Insufficient experience points—upgrade unavailable!”
“Damn! ‘Dragon Subduing Ten Thousand and Eight Palms,’ how much stronger would that be?”
Regret filled Xin Lang’s heart. If he hadn’t upgraded “Piercing Heart Dragon Claw,” he would still have one experience point left, enough to upgrade “Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms” directly to “Dragon Subduing Ten Thousand and Eight Palms.”

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow I must upgrade to ‘Dragon Subduing Ten Thousand and Eight Palms!’” Xin Lang thought expectantly.
After a night’s rest, he rose before dawn to complete the upgrader’s daily tasks.
After nearly half a month of training aided by the upgrader, Xin Lang’s constitution had greatly improved. Where he once needed ten bottles of stamina-restoring “Flower Wolfberry Dew” to complete daily tasks for first or second-level martial apprentices, now, even as the tasks grew tougher, three or four bottles sufficed for a day’s routine!
That day, Xin Lang waited in vain for Qian Baidu all day, but Qian Baidu didn’t show. Unable to earn experience points from him, Xin Lang was deeply disappointed, and felt even more heartache over his two silver coins!
Fatty Gu also didn’t appear, and Xin Lang had no idea how well his new medicine, “Lotus Whitening Dew,” was selling.
Fortunately, after finishing his daily tasks that evening, he earned another experience point, which he used to upgrade “Dragon Subduing One Thousand and Eight Palms” to the Mortal-grade Advanced technique “Dragon Subduing Ten Thousand and Eight Palms.”
Mastering an advanced Mortal-grade technique lifted Xin Lang’s spirits considerably.
He planned to upgrade his intermediate “Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw” to the advanced Mortal-grade technique, then begin accumulating experience points to break through to the fifth-level apprentice realm.
The next day, Xin Lang finally saw his long-awaited “point generator,” Qian Baidu, at the door.
“Classmate, I’m truly glad to see you!” Xin Lang said sincerely.
Today, Qian Baidu looked especially spirited, a toothpick—who knows how many times reused—clamped in his mouth, his face once again bearing its characteristic cocky expression.
“Transfer student, today I’m here to rob the rich and help the poor!” Qian Baidu seemed to have regained his confidence.
“Great, you’re most welcome! By the way, where are your three little followers? Why didn’t they come with you? Maybe we should wait for them!” Xin Lang worried that Qian Baidu alone might not be strong enough for the upgrader’s task.
“Hmph, those three cowardly losers have been laid off! Today I alone will rob the rich and help the poor!” Qian Baidu declared boldly.

“Laid off!” Xin Lang said with some concern. “I think you should reconsider, Qian. Maybe persuade them to return and help you complete this difficult task!”
“Ha ha!” Qian Baidu’s confidence was palpable, and he smiled with pride. “I forgot to tell you—this genius mastered ‘Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms’ in just one day, and has advanced to fourth-level martial apprentice! So today, I will definitely succeed in robbing the rich and helping the poor!”
“Fourth-level apprentice?” Xin Lang was overjoyed at the news.
At the same time, the upgrader brought Xin Lang an exhilarating prompt: “One-star side quest: defeat challenger Qian Baidu, a fourth-level martial apprentice. Complete the quest to earn 5 experience points. No penalty for failure.”
Xin Lang had expected to scrape by with a mere daily quest for one experience point, but hadn’t anticipated Qian Baidu’s increased strength would raise the quest’s difficulty—and reward.
Qian Baidu declared, “Today I must defeat you and avenge my previous humiliation!”
He launched the first attack, still using his family’s Mortal-grade Basic technique, “Piercing Heart Dragon Claw.” Yet his moves showed subtle changes, hinting at counters to “Dragon Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms.”
Qian Baidu’s progress in a single day left Xin Lang deeply envious of his martial talent. “Without the upgrader, I really wouldn’t be his match!”
Though Xin Lang admired talent, he wouldn’t hold back; five experience points were too valuable to let slip!
“Alright, you use ‘Piercing Heart Dragon Claw,’ and I’ll counter with ‘Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw!’”
“Heart-Shattering Dragon Claw” was an upgraded version of “Piercing Heart Dragon Claw,” its power three or four times greater. Xin Lang’s claw shadows danced, dismantling Qian Baidu’s offensive in an instant.
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