Chapter Seven: Zhou Tian’s Breakthrough (Part One)

Zhao Li was aware of what the teacher had said, but Xu Jun was not. Hearing the teacher speak in such a way, Xu Jun regretted his actions and wished he could punch himself a few more times. Had he known the lasting effects of the Basic Physical Strengthening Technique were so significant, only a fool would provoke Zhao Li. Clearly, Zhao Li was testing the validity of that theory; no wonder he, who usually paid little attention to Xu Jun, agreed to a challenge so readily.

Yet what pleased Zhao Li most was that his actions hadn’t aroused any suspicion in the teacher who knew him best. He had worried that his level of cultivation would be noticed, leading to a miserable life as a lab rat. Now, thanks to the theory of sustained effects, he had not been exposed.

He let out a long sigh, obediently listening to the instructor’s reprimands. There was nothing better than relaxing under such circumstances, and soon, Zhao Li, Xu Jun, and their classmates who had watched the duel left the school sheepishly.

Although he hadn’t revealed his secret and had taught Xu Jun a lesson, Zhao Li wasn’t happy. There seemed to be few who supported his approach to cultivation—he wondered whether people had simply never considered it, or if it had already been proven ineffective.

Returning home with a bruised face naturally prompted a round of questioning from his parents. Zhao Li didn’t hide anything, except for his own secret; everything else he laid out openly.

His father, sensitive as ever, again noticed something unusual about him, a result of Zhao Li’s habit of eating with his parents during the latter part of the holidays. His parents seemed unsurprised by his low spirits. Unable to interact with others during the break, Zhao Li had only his own thoughts; facing all his classmates after returning to school, such reactions were understandable.

After all, Zhao Li was still just a twenty-year-old, and had struggled to preserve his secret. Coupled with his classmates’ lack of understanding, his low mood was perfectly normal.

As for Zhao Li fighting with classmates, his parents didn’t seem to take it too seriously. As his father put it, a man needs a bit of fire—otherwise, he’ll find it hard to stand his ground in society and will only invite bullying.

Fighting wasn’t a big deal, but the sense of isolation and the feeling of being misunderstood required guidance. In this respect, as scientists, his parents handled things excellently.

“What do you think yourself?” Though his parents appeared absorbed in their work, they never neglected Zhao Li’s situation. After dinner, his father began another round of counseling.

“Me?” Zhao Li was momentarily stunned, expecting his father to launch into a lecture about perseverance. He hadn’t anticipated being asked for his own thoughts.

After some reflection, Zhao Li explained his approach—his strategy of achieving his goals indirectly. Hearing that their son was willing to join the army to gain extra points in pursuit of the dream they had imposed on him, even his father couldn’t help but feel proud. Especially since this dream was something both his parents had pressed upon him.

Moreover, Zhao Li seemed to have deeper ideas—he planned to continue cultivating the Basic Physical Strengthening Technique until he entered the military, thereby transitioning directly to the army’s successful methods. No one had ever attempted such an approach; most people, eager to join the military, started practicing powerful techniques as early as possible to lay a foundation. No one had thought to try what Zhao Li proposed.

His father was both surprised and delighted by Zhao Li’s idea. Surprised that his son had come up with such an unprecedented plan, and pleased that Zhao Li finally had his own independent thoughts and convictions.

“Congratulations, son!” His parents’ faces radiated genuine joy. “You’re finally starting to think like an adult. You’ve grown up, son!”

Zhao Li hadn’t expected his parents to be so happy about his idea. He had been anxious, thinking his father would drag him into a feasibility study and try to record experimental data. The actual response astonished him.

“I... I...” For a moment, Zhao Li was tongue-tied, unsure what to say. The outcome he had imagined didn’t happen—even though he hadn’t revealed his deeper secret, the surprise was profound.

“Very good, son, you have your own ideas, and I’m very happy!” His father praised him warmly, patting his shoulder. “I was going to tell you that a person needs their own convictions and shouldn’t abandon their beliefs because of others’ opinions. But it seems those words aren’t needed. You’re an adult and should have your own judgment and resolve. All I want to say is: don’t give up.”

Deeply moved, Zhao Li looked at his parents’ joyful expressions and couldn’t help wanting to reveal his secret. Yet as he began to speak, his father’s next words halted him.

“We should record the method you mentioned.” Having finished counseling his son, his father reverted to the meticulous researcher. “I think we should propose it to the higher-ups—it could become a research topic.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully as he spoke.

“Uh!” Zhao Li’s desire to confess was immediately stifled. Looking at his father, he felt a surge of relief. Thankfully, he hadn’t spoken quickly; thankfully, his father had interrupted. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

From a professional standpoint, his father was a conscientious and responsible man. In life, he noticed emotional changes and offered timely guidance—a devoted father.

Zhao Li had no complaints against his father; he was a principled man, never letting personal matters interfere with work. Still, Zhao Li resolved to keep his secret, simply because he didn’t want to become a lab rat.

From his father’s reaction, Zhao Li could tell that his proposed shortcut in cultivation hadn’t already been tried and proven ineffective; rather, no one had ever thought of it. In that case, it seemed he might be pioneering a new school of cultivation.

Of course, after a brief moment of pride came greater caution. Today, his secret had nearly been exposed—thank goodness for the theory of sustained effects in the Basic Physical Strengthening Technique, or he would have become a lab rat. From now on, he could never afford such impulsive simplicity; impulsiveness is a devil!

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