That night, in the room, Su Mu with his hair in disarray awoke from his cultivation to find that his small team leader position had been revoked, and the announcement of Sun Jianren and Zhou Lei among others being elected as security team leaders.
For a moment, Su Mu's expression slightly changed, and his heart felt stifled. He immediately checked the recent messages on his phone.
Only Zhou Lei had sent a message to him, mentioning the meeting and the re-election of the team leader, and had made several voice calls urging him to go to the meeting room, but at that time, he was still in cultivation.
Zhou Lei was a newcomer to Su Mu's team. When he was applying for a job, Su Mu had helped him, and after Zhou Lei successfully got the job, their friendship had always been good, and they often drank a little together.
In the dark, Su Mu didn't know what he was thinking, but then he calmed down, tilted his head back, swallowed a bottle of supplements, and continued cultivating.
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, twenty-nine days had gone by.
In the room, Su Mu with stubble all over his face and bloodshot eyes drank the last bottle of supplements by tilting his head back.
This time, he entered into a wonderful state.
His entire body's muscles and bones emitted a slight tremor. Immediately, Su Mu's skin began to expel a pitch-black viscous impurity. If Su Mu were awake right now, he would be ecstatic to discover this.
He had experienced this once fifteen years ago, at the moment he advanced to a First Level Martial Artist.
In this world, an ordinary adult man's qi and blood amount to 100 calories. Through cultivation, the upper limit of qi and blood can be increased, and when qi and blood reach 150 calories, completing one Bone Tempering allows one to choose to break through to become a First Level Martial Artist.
But this is only for ordinary people. Those with talent can increase their qi and blood to 180 calories at this stage, completing two Bone Temperings before choosing to break through to become a Martial Artist.
As for those with Celestial Pride, they can even accumulate their qi and blood to 200 calories, completing three Bone Temperings before choosing to break through to become a Martial Artist.
Three Bone Tempering Third Heaven!
Going through multiple Bone Temperings at this stage can solidify one's martial arts foundation, and it's easier to break through subsequent realms, with qi and blood less likely to be unstable, showcasing potential and talent in martial arts.
It is said that all Martial Saints, without exception, completed three Bone Temperings during this stage.
Su Mu had limited talent and could barely complete one Bone Tempering back then, but now, under the effect of the Foundation Establishment superpower, Su Mu's hard work these days finally had a qualitative leap.
He began his second Bone Tempering.
This process lasted from day to night.
Late at night, Su Mu opened his eyes, and feeling the stickiness all over his body, he was overjoyed. He didn't bother to clean himself up but hurried to start cultivating again.
Boom!
Suddenly Su Mu felt like he opened the door to a new world, and his mastery of his body and control over his qi and blood suddenly elevated significantly.
Meanwhile, without the help of qi and blood supplements, he felt that his cultivation speed actually became faster.
He immediately suppressed the excitement in his heart, completing a cycle of cultivation. It used to take about five hours, but this time it took less than two hours.
"More than twice the speed of cultivation, is this the experience of a genius?"
"With this calculation, if it took me five years to advance from a First Level Martial Artist to a Second Level Martial Artist, a genius with a second Bone Tempering needs only two and a half years, or even less, leaving plenty of time to strive for higher martial arts realms."
"Once overcoming the threshold of a Third Level Martial Artist, the road of martial arts will be broadened."
Su Mu's breathing was rapid, and his throat moved as he swallowed a big gulp of water.
Having just completed two Bone Temperings, what terrifying speed of cultivation should those with three Bone Temperings have, five or six times, ten times, or even higher?
"It's a pity, the superpower only lasts for a month, barely enough to complete one Bone Tempering. If only I had a Spirit Stone..."
"Actually, it's already very good. This Bone Tempering improved my root bone, doubled my cultivation speed, and this improvement is permanent."
"As for the breakthrough to a Third Level Martial Artist..."
Upon thinking of this, Su Mu sighed lightly. During the second Bone Tempering, he had a strong premonition of an imminent breakthrough several times but ultimately failed.
But after the second Bone Tempering, Su Mu had confidence in his heart to cross this dangerous threshold, but it would require some time, estimated to take half a year of gradual effort, or perhaps longer. After all, he was already thirty-three years old, no longer a young man.
Moreover, he had been sending supplements home over the past few years, and his physical condition had already declined.
"Xiaoyue still needs money for hospitalization, so next month's superpower draw will have to be postponed."
Su Mu smiled bitterly. Actually, he was clear in his heart that it would be difficult to come up with ten thousand Spirit Stones for a new ability draw anytime soon. Not just next month, perhaps it would be one or two years, or even longer, before having another opportunity for a draw.
And since the ability draw is random, he might not draw a suitable ability, so it's safer to wait until advancing to a Third Level Martial Artist before attempting a draw again.
Although he felt somewhat unwilling, there was no choice. This was the best option at the moment.
Coming to this realization, Su Mu's tense spirit relaxed, and he immediately lay down and fell asleep.
In the morning, upon waking up, Su Mu felt refreshed. He took a bath and shaved off his stubble, looking at himself in the mirror with some astonishment. After a month of hard cultivation, he actually looked younger.
"Being a genius is indeed nice, truly enviable."
There was still one day of vacation left, but at that moment, nothing could be done in a day, so Su Mu went to work early.
"Su Mu, morning."
"Morning."
Their address to him had changed from Captain Su to calling his name directly, and they were no longer so enthusiastic. Su Mu didn't mind. Over the past month, he had seen through the warmth and coldness of human relationships and had anticipated this.
Sun Jianren was a bit surprised to see Su Mu appear.
In the following morning meeting, the new captain Sun Jianren seized the opportunity to make an example, giving the former captain Su Mu a hard time by assigning him to stand guard at the school gate, a position usually rotated among newcomers.
With this arrangement, others looked on with strange eyes, some finding amusement in the situation.
"Do you have any objections?"
"Captain Sun, I have no objections."
Su Mu did not act out of anger. At the moment, his daughter was hospitalized and needed money; he needed this job to support his family. He told himself to endure it for now, as long as he succeeded in advancing to the Third Level Martial Artist, everything would be easier to handle.
While standing guard, Su Mu's emotions were complicated, not because of the guard duty itself, but because without being a squad leader, his salary and allowances would decrease, and he didn't know how to explain it to his wife.
His thoughts were interrupted by the conversation of several students.
"Are you serious about our school expanding enrollment the year after next?"
"Absolutely, do you still doubt my information? My uncle is a director at the school, and he said they might start recruiting a new batch of teachers soon."
"Haven't you noticed our school is planning new teaching and dormitory buildings?"
"Seems like it."
Recruit new teachers?
An idea sparked in Su Mu's mind, brightening his eyes. Since he began supporting his family, his vision had become limited, and without realizing it, he became overly cautious, fearing risks.
Initially, he chose to be a university security guard because of the good treatment; he never intended to be a lifetime security guard. It was time to seize this opportunity to try changing jobs!
Anyone can be the small captain or the big captain; he wanted to advance into becoming a university teacher, entering the system!
During lunch in the cafeteria, he found previous recruitment information for teachers and counselors on the school's official website. University mentors required Fourth Level Martial Artists or outstanding Third Level Martial Artists, while counselors required Third Level Martial Artists.
"A university mentor's base salary is three thousand Spirit Stones a month, plus over two thousand in allowances, totaling five to six thousand, almost ten times my current salary!"
"A counselor's base salary is fifteen hundred, with also over a thousand in allowances, totaling nearly three thousand, more than four times my current salary!"
"Moreover, university teachers are within the system, and they receive additional subsidies from the school and the Martial Artist Association, which is also a considerable amount of money."
Su Mu felt a rush of excitement but quickly calmed down.
"The school's website hasn't released recruitment information yet... If they recruit within the year, it'll be tough."
Su Mu was confident about advancing to the Third Level Martial Artist, but he needed time, unless he had Spirit Stones to draw new abilities, otherwise, it would be difficult to succeed in the short term.
If he had Spirit Stones, he would probably already be a Third Level Martial Artist, so this premise was unrealistic.
Reality is often so cruel, a penny can stump a hero.
"Hello, Captain Zhou!"
A figure crossed several rows of seats to stand before Su Mu, "Su Squad, when you asked before, I said the money would take a few days. Now the money is here; there are nine thousand five hundred Spirit Stones in this card, and more I can't manage for now. The password is written on the back."
Zhou Lei looked guilty and said quietly.
"I'm sorry about the meeting..."
"Zhou Lei, it's my own issue, it has nothing to do with you, and also, congratulations on becoming the squad leader." Su Mu spoke sincerely.
Zhou Lei was about to say something when someone called him from a distance.
"Good brother, no need for thanks, you go ahead. I promise to pay you back as soon as possible, with interest."
"It's fine, no rush on the money, I'm not in urgent need. How about we drink together tonight, Su Squad?"
"Sure, see you at our usual spot."
Zhou Lei appeared delighted, since because of the meeting incident, Su Mu had lost his squad leader position, while he unexpectedly got it, and his previous funds hadn't arrived, so he felt guilty and dared not face Su Mu.
Now seeing Su Mu still recognize him as a friend, he was naturally very pleased.
Su Mu was deeply moved; in this past month, he had seen the warmth and coldness of human relationships, and true emotions are seen in adversity. Only in true difficulty can one see the true faces of some people around them.
Zhou Lei was a person worth having a deeper relationship with and was Su Mu's benefactor!
That same day, Su Mu withdrew the money from Zhou Lei's card and his private savings, totaling ten thousand Spirit Stones, enough to fill a sack.
Just past midnight.
Su Mu, with a thought, the sack full of Spirit Stones burst into a dazzling light, then was absorbed by a roulette in the void, which then started spinning.
The green light flickered, and Su Mu couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed; indeed, last time's golden light was just a beginner's guarantee.
[Quality: Green]
[Superpower: Basic Level of Accumulation and Burst (Consumable), effective for Martial Artists of Third Level and below. The more time accumulated cultivating within a realm, the more insights into the realm gained!]
[PS: This ability can only be used once a month and becomes invalid after use]
...