Chapter 161 Experimental Class
Zhang Mou, who was following Jiang Tian, was visibly emotional, his eyes brimming with tears.
After all, Jiang Tian had come from another parallel world.
But Zhang Mou had been born and raised here, and the weight of this moment hit him much harder.
Zhou Shang, standing nearby, gazed at the framed photographs in silence.
His eyes were full of reminiscence, as if lost in memories.
In his expression, there was sadness.
But when his gaze shifted to Jiang Tian, that sadness faded.
What replaced it was hope.
The more he spent time with Jiang Tian, the more convinced Zhou Shang became that this disciple was the hope of the human race.
He was the future.
After Jiang Tian and Zhang Mou finished offering incense, Zhou Shang led them to the practice room inside the villa.
It was clear this was where Zhou Shang usually trained.
Sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion, Zhou Shang took out his mobile phone, cast the screen onto a nearby projector, and carefully read through the document Zhang Mou had submitted.
He had only skimmed through it earlier.
Now, he was taking a much closer look.
In the document, Zhang Mou had detailed his findings and his theory.
Zhou Shang stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So, you believe that at the first level of awakening, in addition to tempering the meridians, it's possible to temper the bones as well?"
Zhang Mou nodded seriously. "Yes, I even suspect that this method could work at level zero, in the health-preserving state."
"My legs were broken by Boss Jiang, and my bones shattered. But after eating the perfect dish, my blood and energy surged into my legs, speeding up the healing process."
"This feeling was undeniable. And if we look at your published paper, Report on the Principle of Blood Qi Refining Meridians in the First Level Awakening Realm…"
"After awakening, the explosion of blood energy in our bodies stimulates the tempering of the meridians."
"Then, if we can increase the blood energy concentration even further, could we also temper the bones, skin, and flesh—strengthening the foundation of our bodies on all fronts?"
This was Zhang Mou's hypothesis. If it was correct, it would be a groundbreaking discovery.
Zhou Shang did not immediately accept Zhang Mou's claim. Instead, he probed further.
"But Zhang, this idea was tested long ago by our predecessors."
"This is impossible. Blood and energy can only be tempered when they flow through the meridians and dantian."
"For blood energy to penetrate the flesh and reach the bones, tempering them at the first level of awakening is unheard of."
"It can be done at higher levels, but by then, the foundation is already set. The blood and energy become too strong to refine the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones effectively."
Zhang Mou was not surprised by Zhou Shang's skepticism.
He knew the principal wasn't rejecting his theory outright—he was challenging him to prove it.
Zhang Mou pointed to the data in his report. "But Principal Zhou, this data doesn't lie."
"According to the test results, the strength of my leg bones increased by 5%, and the strength of my entire skeletal system increased by 1%."
"Moreover, as a mind master, even though my external blood and energy haven't changed much, my physical strength has clearly improved."
"This proves that my theory is correct. The reason past attempts failed is simple: they didn't have Boss Jiang!"
As he spoke, Zhang Mou turned to look at Jiang Tian, his expression firm.
Zhou Shang followed his gaze and found that his disciple was deep in thought.
When Jiang Tian noticed his teacher's eyes on him, he pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Teacher, this actually makes sense. The people around me who regularly eat my food have noticeably stronger basic physical strength."
Zhou Shang thought about it. That was true.
Jiang Tian continued, "Zhang just mentioned something important—blood energy concentration."
"After eating my food, the concentration of pure blood energy in the body rises significantly during digestion."
"Maybe that's the key. Blood Qi Pills contain toxins. It's impossible to use them to reach this level of blood energy concentration safely."
"And the pressure from the blood source room is external, not internal."
Crack!
It was as if a thunderclap had struck inside Zhou Shang and Zhang Mou's minds.
That was it!
Zhou Shang's eyes flashed with excitement. "Yes! Before, all we had were Blood Qi Pills. But now, we have you, my disciple!"
Blood Qi Pills contained residual elixir toxins, and while they were useful for training, they were limited.
Even at Hongwu University, they were used cautiously.
There were strict guidelines for taking them, with each student undergoing physical tests to determine their resistance to toxicity.
Even the most resilient students could only take three Blood Qi Pills a week.
Some could only take one.
For someone to raise their blood energy concentration to the level of a nutritious meal, they would need to take at least ten Blood Qi Pills in one sitting.
That would be a death sentence.
But now, with Jiang Tian's cooking, everything had changed.
"If this is real, Hongwu University will be the first to benefit," Zhou Shang muttered.
Zhang Mou nodded. "Principal, even if only Hongwu University benefits at first, it's still a spark."
"If we lay a solid foundation for young warriors now, the results could be unimaginable when they mature."
"It's better than nothing!"
Zhang Mou's words made Zhou Shang pause, then he chuckled. "Haha, you're right. I was thinking too far ahead."
"For now, let's focus on what's right in front of us."
Zhou Shang turned to Zhang Mou with a serious expression. "You have good ideas, Zhang. You're young, but you think ahead. So tell me—what's our next step?"
Zhang Mou was thrilled by the trust placed in him but turned to Jiang Tian. "Boss Jiang…"
Jiang Tian looked at him. "What is it?"
Zhang Mou hesitated for a moment before saying, "Boss Jiang, can I count on your help for this next phase…?"
"Of course!" Jiang Tian nodded without hesitation.
He had long felt there was a reason he had been brought into this world, why his career aligned so perfectly with his dreams.
It was so he could achieve what he had always wished for—while also helping others.
The best kind of fulfillment was when a dream benefited more than just oneself.
Seeing Jiang Tian agree, Zhang Mou grinned. "Then from now on, Boss Jiang, we'll be counting on you to feed us test subjects!"