Back at home, Chen Hu had already prepared a basin of fish meat.
"Bro, that mutated beast you're raising eats more than I do, and it keeps getting bigger. Aren't you afraid we're gonna go bankrupt just from feeding it?" Chen Hu expressed some concern.
He felt that the food quality had declined recently, probably due to the mutated beast his brother was raising. Previously, he used to eat enough meat to feel full every day. While there was still meat in their meals nowadays, it seemed like he could only take a few bites before it disappeared, leaving only vegetables on his plate.
It had gotten to a point where he only felt somewhat satisfied when he cooked for himself. That was one of the reasons he had taken over cooking duty every day.
The thought of it started to make Chen Hu hungry, so he suggested, "Bro, why don't we eat that mutated beast? I heard that mutated beast meat is really good."
Chen Chu gave him an odd sidelong glance. "This suggestion sounds interesting. What flavor do you think would be delicious?"
Chen Hu's eyes lit up, thinking there might be a chance for some fun. Excitedly, he suggested, "I think barbecue and garlic flavor would be more delicious, though Mala[1] is also an option. Wait a moment, bro, I'll go get a knife."
With that, Chen Hu ran back to the kitchen, picked up a knife, and started to head towards the stairs to deal with the six-horned salamander.
With a hint of exasperation, Chen Chu said, "Put the knife down. You really believed it, huh?"
"Ah? Bro, you're not gonna eat some?" Chen Hu looked a bit disappointed.
Chen Chu waved his hand, "You're always thinking about eating. This is a mutated beast I raised myself, you know? But I understand your concern. Its appetite has been getting bigger lately. So I'm planning to release it in a couple of days."
"... Release it?" Chen Hu suddenly felt a sense of disappointment.
Such a waste. All of that meat...
"All right, don't feel bad." Chen Chu patted his shoulder, "You're still young, there are things you don't understand yet. Just listen to me. Now hurry up and cook."
"Okay." Although he didn't understand why his brother wanted to just release it, the trust they had built up since childhood made Chen Hu not think too much about it.
Ignoring his conflicted brother, Chen Chu carried the basin of fish meat upstairs.
The six-horned salamander, now grown to sixty-eight centimeters, was lying on the floor. Its figure appeared even more powerful, especially with the three pairs of red feathered horns spread on both sides.
Whether because of the evolution or it simply maturing, the salamander's vision seemed to have improved significantly. From its low and short perspective, Chen Chu could clearly see his own appearance and the room's furniture. Everything appeared enormous, however, emanating a sense of oppression.
After directing his avatar to eat and drink its fill, Chen Chu practiced cultivation again before finally resting for the night.
The next day, there were still police officers present, indicating that the two cultists hadn't been apprehended yet. Chen Chu contemplated this with a thoughtful expression on his way to class.
Upon entering the classroom, he noticed that today was livelier than before, with everyone discussing the upcoming competition.
Several students who had only recently built their foundation were complaining about the unfairness of the situation. They had just reached the First Heavenly Realm very recently, while many classmates had been cultivating for half a month. Competing under these conditions would prove challenging for them, and standing out seemed nearly impossible, given the considerable gaps in both fundamental physique and skill proficiency.
Compared to their gloomy counterparts, those who had made breakthroughs in the first half-month were rubbing their hands in anticipation. This was an opportunity to make a name for themselves in the school, something that excited them. In a situation where everyone was at the First Heavenly Realm, they felt that they had a chance to break into the top fifty.
As for the students who hadn't built their foundations yet, they could only look on with envy.
"I think the class monitor should have no problem making it to the top ten."
"You're underestimating Lin Xue. I think she has a chance for the top five. In yesterday afternoon's sparring session, she beat Zhang Gang and two others even when they teamed up."
"Yeah, I also believe that she has the strength to make it to the top five. Her swordsmanship is too formidable."
In the front row, there were many students around Lin Xue, discussing how she single-handedly defeated three classmates teaming up against her yesterday afternoon. All of them were deeply impressed.
After the battle between Chen Chu and Xia Youhui, Lin Xue and the others had also noticed the issue of lacking practical combat experience. Stepping into her role of the class monitor, she had summoned all of the students in the class who had built their foundation yesterday afternoon.
In order to enhance the overall strength of the class and ensure favorable rankings for everyone in the upcoming competition, she proposed organizing a practical combat training session. The majority had no objections to this proposal; after practicing for so long, they were eager for some hands-on experience.
As a result, that afternoon's training session had turned into a lively and spirited affair, with everyone enthusiastically engaging in their cultivation practices.
"I believe Yi Rui can also make it to the top ten. He's a genius like Lin Xue, and built his foundation in just three or four days."
"Yes, Yi Rui's strength is formidable. During the training session yesterday, he easily defeated Xia Youhui. He'll make it into the rankings effortlessly."
"Haha... You're all too generous with your praise. My strength is actually average, yesterday was just a stroke of luck. We're also just students. This competition is about friendship first, the rankings don't really matter. Let's focus on improving through mutual exchange and practice."
Chen Chu took his seat and gave Xia Youhui an odd look. "What's going on? You got beaten by the martial arts representative yesterday?"
Xia Youhui, a bit defiant, responded, "I wasn't beaten, we just had a friendly match. I just hadn't fully recovered from the injuries from our spar. I was a bit careless and lost two moves, that's all."
"Oh, really?" Chen Chu felt like Xia Youhui was being a bit stubborn.
After that spar with Xia Youhui yesterday, he had gone straight to a personal cultivation room to refine the Dragon Elephant Art. As a result, he hadn't joined the group training session.
Curious, Chen Chu asked, "Old Xia, how strong do you think Yi Rui and Lin Xue are?"
Xia Youhui hesitated for a moment. "... Very strong. I haven't sparred with Lin Xue, but I feel like I'm not her match. Her sword techniques are sharp and aggressive, which is really effective against my style. As for Yi Rui, he's decent, I guess. Just a little stronger than me."
"I see." Chen Chu nodded slightly.
Although Xia Youhui's words seemed insincere, these geniuses who had broken through their Foundation Building in just a few days truly did seem formidable. In terms of strength, they could overpower even classmates who were cultivating high-level arts, like him.
A low sob suddenly came from up front, and Xia Youhui quickly turned back around. "Ah Yue, it's okay. If you can't practice true martial arts, you can still get into a good university. General Luo Wuyue didn't practice true martial arts, and now he's a general major of the Federation at just thirty years old. Let me tell you..."
It wasn't just the girl in front of Xia Youhui's desk who was affected. While the martial arts students excitedly discussed the ranking competition, the ones who had been practicing for almost a month, only to still be in the sixth or seventh cycle, felt a bit downcast.
Chen Chu observed all this, but there was nothing he could do. The issue of talent wouldn't change just because one felt discontented or unwilling to give up.
In fact, they were actually quite fortunate. Having the opportunity to systematically study true martial arts in high school was already a significant advantage.
In some countries, information about true martial arts and access to cultivation resources were strictly controlled by the higher-ups. Ordinary people had no chance of getting involved, which was one reason why smaller countries had become increasingly chaotic in recent years.
After all, not everyone was willing to remain at the bottom for their entire lives.
At four o'clock, accompanied by the school bell signaling the end of the day, Chen Chu slowly opened his eyes. For the first time since he had built his foundation, he packed up and left for home, rather than staying after hours to continue cultivating.
The reason was quite simple—his avatar was about to undergo its second evolution.
1. Mala is a flavor originating from Sichuan. It is spicy with a numbing sensation, commonly associated with Sichuan peppercorn ☜