28th noon. Fang Ping’s smartphone notification rang.
50 million had been transferred into his account!
He could not care less about finding out who actually bought the heart essence, nor did he ask. All that mattered was that the money had been transferred
As soon as the money was in his account, Fang Ping quickly took a look at his stats:
Wealth: 1 billion
Vitality: 2100cal (2300cal+)
Mentality: 690Hz (699Hz)
Bones honed: 177 bones (100%), 29 bones (30%+)
After a moment, everything was dark. Fang Ping was suddenly overjoyed. It had really upgraded!
All he had to do now was wait.
...
The upgrade this time took much longer.
It was only until the darkness fell did Fang Ping saw his stats emerging in front of his eyes again.
Wealth: 1 billion
Vitality: 2100cal (2300cal+)
Mentality: 690Hz (699Hz)
Bones honed: 177 bones (100%), 29 bones (30%+)
Storage space: 1 cubic meter
Energy shield:10 thousand Wealth/minute
“F*ck. That’s it?”
Fang Ping took a look for a moment. From start to finish, he took a good look at it. Completely baffled.
He was definitely delighted.
The storage space that he had been yearning for actually came true!
Although 1 cubic meter was not spacious, it was most certainly not small either. Storing some daily necessities was not a problem that was for sure.
Of course, the key was that when he mined, he could hide them. He would no longer get hunted down by countless monsters like last time due to issues with energy leakage.
Fang Ping was extremely delighted with the storage space appearing.
1 billion Wealth. None of them wasted any of his efforts after putting so much time into it.
But, what was the last one?
Energy shield?
“Is it used for defense?”
Fang Ping did not quite understand. From what he understood, this was for defense, right?
Like the Grandmasters’ Mentality shield?
Was this what it meant?
After thinking for a while, Fang Ping clenched his teeth. Let’s try!
After contemplating inwardly for some time, very subtly, Fang Ping could feel like something had been added on around him. Fang Ping mumbled, “I can’t feel anything noticeable.”
As he said that, Fang Ping suddenly punched himself!
Bang!
A dull thud was heard. Fang Ping coughed a few times, frowning. “Useless against myself?”
“Maybe I can find someone to try it out?”
Thinking of this, Fang Ping had no time to test the storage space. He had not seen that thing before. Though he had not seen a pig running, he had heard of it before.
Even modern times TV dramas had filmed about this a lot.
Actually, in the martial arts world, many people were yearning for Storage Rings too.
The government did not take that as a joke either and had been constantly working on inventing it. However, it involved issues with subdimensions, so it was difficult to create. Currently, they were still solving issues with the compression of space. Storage space was great stuff, though Fang Ping was even more curious about what an energy shield was.
...
Martial Arts Society.
Fang Ping went there in a flash. As soon as he entered the door, Fang Ping saw Chen Yunxi, yelling suddenly, “Hit me!”
Chen Yunxi was perplexed.
“What?”
“Hit me!”
Chen Yunxi thought she had heard wrongly. When Fang Ping repeated himself again, she was somewhat in a daze, shaking her head regardless. ‘Why should I hit you?’
Fang Ping was slightly speechless, ignoring her. He looked all around him, giving a thorough glance. When he saw Fu Changding, he said urgently, “Hit me!”
Fu Changding was equally baffled. Even so, he shook his head very quickly. ‘You must be kidding me!
‘If I lay a punch on you, you’ll return with another punch. Won’t you kill me then?’
“F*ck!”
Fang Ping cursed. ‘I’m allowing you to hit me, yet you don’t want to!’
Seeing that both of them were disappointments, Fang Ping continued scurrying all over the place. Behind him, Chen Yunxi and Fu Changding’s eyes met, following along quickly. Was there something wrong with Fang Ping?
...
“Hit me!”
“Never!”
Zhao Lei shook his head determinedly. ‘I’m not a fool. You’re tempting me to hit you on purpose. Don’t pretend like I don’t know!’
“You guys, hit me!”
Fang Ping bellowed. ‘It costs money to keep the energy shield activated. 10 thousand Wealth per minute!’
Everyone refused. Only a fool would hit you.
While Fang Ping getting sullen about it, someone chuckled at the sidewalk. “Which lowly person wants others to hit him?”
Fang Ping’s eyes lit up, saying quickly, “Qin Fengqing, you’ll hit me!”
Qin Fengqing took a look at him and was eager to try. Suddenly, he recalled something and said with a darkened expression, “Get lost. Don’t pretend like I have no idea what you’re up to. Are you porcelain bumping?[1]
“Not a chance!
“I’m here to receive my benefits. You’ll have to give it to me no matter what!
“If you’re relying on this trick to take my benefits away, then dream on. You, Fang Ping, know how to porcelain bump, do you think I don’t know how it works?”
After saying that, Qin Fengqing suddenly shuddered all over, white foam flowing out of his mouth. He immediately fell to the ground, struggling while gasping. “Fang Ping... You... You better compensate me!”
Fang Ping’s complexion was beyond dark!
‘Motherf*cker. What are you doing?’
The rest of them were contemplative instead. There was actually another meaning to this!
Zhao Lei and the rest breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god they did not fall into his trap.
If they had truly hit him, and Fang Ping porcelain bumped them, then there was no way they could explain themselves.
“I’m not porcelain bumping!”
Fang Ping looked really glum. Qin Fengqing, this bastard. Where did he learn this from? Making it seem so real.
Qin Fengqing stood up this time as well, grinning. “That’s enough. Don’t we know each other well enough? Fang Ping, your trick is very much outdated. Recently, I dug deep and researched a little. I realized that the show that you put on last time was very much exaggerated!
“I’ve grasped the gist now. Yesterday, I went to look for... cough, cough. Whatever it is, the effect isn’t so bad.”
Qin Fengqing mocked Fang Ping a little. An exaggerating act!
I, Qin Fengqing, was so much better than you.
Just yesterday, he was fighting with a Rank-4 martial artist in the southern area. Halfway through, he suddenly dropped to the ground and spat out white foam, scaring the other party to the point that he did not know what to do. In the end, the other party even offered to pay the compensation fee for the damaged floor and walls.
If that was not enough, he even asked with trepidation if he needed to get his health checked. In the end, Qin Fengqing said that his Vitality was drained. The other party even offered to compensate him with a Rank-4 Vitality Pill.
Also, two days ago...
This was called acting!
Fang Ping had fallen behind!
Fang Ping wanted to curse so badly. He could not even get hit even when he asked for it. What was wrong with this world?
Exaggeration, my ass. I was not acting.
Staring at the crowd, Fang Ping was mentally and emotionally exhausted. All I wanted was to get punched one time. Was it really necessary to keep me at arm’s length!
“Is there no one here who has the guts to punch me? You guys, why are you so useless!”
Fang Ping provoked. But, everyone ignored him.
Qin Fengqing was tugging on Liu Mengyao, not letting her leave. He ignored Fang Ping’s existence, saying indignantly, “Little Meng, give me my 2400 credits. Why did you confiscate it? I can’t even afford to eat anymore. Do you even have the heart to leave me like this?”
Fang Ping was speechless. Even Liu Mengyao was helpless. This fellow was just like sticky candy.
“Forget it if no one wants to hit me. Don’t regret it next time, all of you. This is your only chance. I’m asking to get hit, but none of you want to hit...”
Bang!
Before the words left Fang Ping’s lips, he had already flown out, smashing through the wall, unsure where he had landed.
Tang Feng strode toward them, asking flatly, “Why didn’t any of you hit him when he asked you to?”
It was pin-drop silence throughout the entire corridor!
Tang Feng was unconcerned about it, turning to look at Qin Fengqing, saying, “Follow me!”
Qin Fengqing gulped, saying dryly, “Tang... Dean Tang...”
“You, Qin Fengqing, are really something, aren’t you? Fang Ping is so savage, yet he never laid a finger on my daughter. You have a lot of nerves to blackmail my daughter! She’s a Rank-1 martial artist, and she can bump into you when she’s walking? To the extent that you’re foaming at the mouth? Qin Fengqing, this is a disease that must be treated!”
“Tang... Instructor Tang, it’s a misunderstanding. Really. It’s a misunderstanding!”
Qin Fengqing’s face was pale. ‘This is really a misunderstanding!
I was only trying to test everyone’s reaction at that time. If I explain it this way, will you believe me?’
‘In the end, your daughter was the one who said that she wants to compensate me. I didn’t even ask for it. You must believe me!
Qin Fengqing felt wronged. ‘I really didn’t blackmail her. Am I, Qin Fengqing, that kind of person?
‘It’s common for me to blackmail someone of the same rank. I didn’t plan to blackmail a Rank-1 martial artist though...’
Qin Fengqing no longer had the chance to explain himself. Tang Feng wrapped his hand around his shoulder, chuckling as they walked out. Qin Fengqing was not considered a delicate person. Right now, however, he was like a child, carried by Tang Feng away in his arms just like that.
As soon as they left, Fu Changding and the rest gulped.
The current MCMAU must have really gone insane!
Were both presidents of the Martial Arts Society struck dumb by others?
Fang Ping insisted on getting hit; Qin Fengqing, a Rank-4, blackmailed Rank-1 Tang Wen. Now even the father had turned up in person.
What was going on?
“Where’s Fang... Fang Ping?”
Chen Yunxi asked in a whisper, looking in through the big hole. Fang Ping was nowhere to be seen.
“I don’t know... He didn’t die, did he?”
Yang Xiaoman gave an uncertain reply. Then, she suppressed a giggle and said, “He’s asking someone to hit him. It seems like there’s no problem for the instructor to hit him.”
Finally, someone had taken revenge!
Both nitpickers of the Martial Arts Society were punished this time. How satisfying!
Fang Ping getting hit, that served him right. As for Qin Fengqing... he was really having a death wish.
Like what Tang Feng said, did he not see that even Fang Ping did not bully Tang Wen in the open? Bullying, that was within the rules.
A Rank-4 like you actually porcelain bump your way into a Rank-1. Needless to ask, Qin Fengqing’s head would be full of bumps tomorrow.
...
Meanwhile.
Martial Arts Society building rooftop.
Fang Ping rubbed his stomach, looking puzzled. “It’s not working. What the hell is that plaything for?”
“Wasted more than ten thousand of my Wealth—completely useless!”
“Also, Big Lion wanted to deal with Qin Fengqing, so why am I the one getting hit!”
Big Lion did not strike too heavy a blow. Even so, Fang Ping did not sense any form of shock absorption, sending him flying straightaway. There seemed to be no reaction coming from the energy shield.
“What exactly is this plaything used for?”
“It’s so odd!”
Fang Ping was completely puzzled. The system upgrades this time did not include internal organ-honing, which he wanted. Forget it, he could just spend more time studying it later.
Storage space was considered an unexpected surprise. But, the energy shield seemed to be completely useless.
“Could it be that 1 billion Wealth is used to exchange only 1 cubic meter storage space?”
Although this one was already very impressive, and his Wealth was still there, Fang Ping still thought it was not satisfying enough.
1 billion Wealth did not come easy.
“Sigh, what’s really going on!”
Fang Ping sighed. He was extremely unhappy with the upgrade this time.
The system was also trash. It did not even provide a hint or instructions.
...
Meanwhile.
Tang Feng looked doubtful, thinking for a while, asking Qin Fengqing, “Is there anything odd with Fang Ping earlier?”
“He’s out of his mind!”
Qin Fengqing replied. Then, he put on a bitter look and pleaded, “Instructor, please let me go. I have no plans to blackmail Sister Tang. You must believe me. Am I, Qin Fengqing, that kind of person?”
“Yes.”
“Instructor, don’t defame me. Everyone knows my, Qin Fengqing’s moral character. I would rather blackmail you than to blackmail a Rank-1...”
Tang Feng darted him a look.’ You must be out of your mind too?
‘Why don’t you try blackmailing me?’
Qin Fengqing sighed, and continued, “Instructor, I have a backer. If you hit me, my instructor will avenge me...”
“Instructor Chen has told me. I can hit you all I want.” Tang Feng said mildly, “You blackmailed another student of your instructor, what else wouldn’t you do? Your instructor didn’t punish you because it’s inappropriate to assault you viciously.”
Qin Fengqing’s expression changed again. He had almost forgotten. The one he tricked yesterday was a student who shared the same instructor.
Qin Fengqing sighed. ‘I’ll just admit defeat.
‘I’ll pay attention to this next time!’
Tang Feng ignored him. ‘These prickheads. I must find a chance to teach them a lesson. This time it’s Qin Fengqing, when I find an opportunity next time, I’ll be sure to give Fang Ping a good bashing.
‘Earlier, though... Fang Ping was a little different.’
“Which part is different?”
Tang Feng frowned a little. After a while, he thought of something suddenly, mumbling, “Oh, right. He smashed through the wall. I don’t think I sense him at all!”
Tang Feng’s brows were tightly knitted together.
A perception error?
Or did Fang Ping use his Mentality to shield himself?
“This kid is trying to put his Mentality to use?”
Tang Feng could not be sure. However, to be able to conceal it from him meant that this was no simple matter.
He, a Peak Rank-6, had already achieved an entry-level collective Mentality and Vitality, stepping into the peak of all peaks. He was not too far off from being called a Grandmaster.
As for collective Mentality and Vitality, as long as his Mentality could become so powerful as to corporealize, he would become a Grandmaster!
Compared to Lu Fengrou, Tang Feng was actually one step closer.
What Lu Fengrou needed to do now was to achieve Mentality corporealization before collective Mentality and Vitality.
His Mentality was not too strong, though. At this moment, it was only five to six hundred hertz. Despite that, collective Mentality and Vitality replenished each other. He could strengthen his Mentality even faster, and would not be any slower than Lu Fengrou.
Powerhouses who attained collective Mentality and Vitality had already exceeded the Peak Rank-6 category.
If everything went well, maybe three to five years later, him, Tang Feng, would become a Grandmaster powerhouse.
“His Mentality is actually stronger than mine...”
Tang Feng sighed in his heart. Sometimes, encountering genius like this could be really disheartening.
He had cultivated up to this stage now, yet his Mentality was not even comparable to Fang Ping. How humiliating.
...
“Can’t figure it out. Forget it. I don’t care anymore.”
Fang Ping’s head hurt. Since he could not figure it out, he would put it aside first. In no time, he had spent more than ten thousand Wealth.
He thought it was a protective shield at first. It was actually not.
If it was a protective shield, it would be awesome. Maybe he could block Mentality attacks.
“That’s it!”
Fang Ping eyes lit up. “Maybe it doesn’t block physical attacks but Mentality attacks? Why not try it out... Of course, I’ll have a death wish if I ask someone to attack me. I could try provoking both vice-chancellors. Once they’re angered, the moment they release pressure, I’d know whether that would be it!”
Lu Fengrou was not around, otherwise, he could try it out on her.
Right now, the two vice-chancellors were his only options.
If he could block out Grandmasters’ Mentality pressure, it would be impressive. This was simply a master skill!
Fang Ping did not know that Lion Tang had noticed certain things now. Energy shield was not a master skill for defense.
As for Fang Ping who was prepared to provoke both vice-chancellors, Tang Feng would not tell him even if he knew. It was best for him to suffer a little. Served him right!
“I’ll put the energy shield matters aside for now. I can spend my Wealth now! This time, I can cultivate with no restraints!”
Fang Ping thought of cultivation matters instead. Vitality could continue to increase. Even if he had lost control this time, it would not matter. It would be fine as long as he did not consult someone about it this time. He had no experience last time, not this time.
As for the skull, maybe he could try it out a little too. Add 1% to test it out. He would stop if anything seemed wrong.
For the internal organs, there was no need to worry about Vitality anymore. Whatever it was, releasing limitless Vitality would do.
There was also the saber maintenance matter. Did that not consume an immense amount of Vitality?
Fang Ping 1 billion Wealth exchanged into Vitality would make it 1 million cal Vitality. What sort of concept was this?
Rank-4 martial artists would typically hit 2000cal peak Vitality, equivalent to 500 Peak Rank-4 martial artists. Depleting his Vitality to maintain the saber, would he even care about this bit of consumption?
“I don’t believe that all of you have so many pills to take. Do you think you can match up with me?”
Besides, consuming pills would take time too.
Middle-ranked martial artists rarely take pills.
Also, the many Eleven Pills and Viscera-shielding Pills that he had exchanged earlier could be used. Strive to cultivate up to Peak Rank-4 as soon as possible, then cultivate Combat Techniques.
“Rank-5... if it’s not for my caution, when the time comes, I might even achieve Rank-5!”
Fang Ping was constantly mumbling. Without hesitating further, nor did he proceed downstairs to the Martial Arts Society, he employed the Flight Step and left.
If he went down, others would hunt him down to pay up.
That hole... must be charged on Big Lion’s account. There was no way that he was bashed up by others and still had to compensate for it. How upsetting.
As for whether it could be collected, Fang Ping could not guarantee.
This was Ye Qing’s job anyway. Right now, he happened to be in a period of decadence. He could go to Big Lion and try his luck. Fang Ping figured that Ye Qing might gain something.
[1] Porcelain bumping refers to the act of staging an accident to con another person’s money. The term comes from a version in Ancient China where con-artists would push around carts full of porcelain, waiting to spring on their victim and blaming them for breaking all of their porcelain in the “accident”.