Nighttime,

Linjiang Road, Galaxy Bar.

The music was deafening, and colorful lights danced freely in the dark space.

In mid-air, projections of dancers twisted their bodies, dressed scantily.

Underneath their illusory bare feet, figures swayed and bobbed their heads, venting their emotions.

The smell of smoke, alcohol, and sweat mixed with the scent of hormones, fermenting in the enclosed space.

"It's been a month, and I'm still not used to this smell."

Li Qingshan, dressed in a security uniform, frowned as he walked along the edge of the crowd, heading to the bar's entrance.

Phew!

Li Qingshan let out a long breath, gently massaging his temples.

"Maybe I should find another job. There are plenty of part-time opportunities."

"But I'm starting the Martial Arts Class tomorrow, so I need to see how it's arranged first."

"I've managed to save 60,000 Star Coins, but I have no idea how long it'll last."

60,000 Star Coins isn't a small amount, considering his rent is only 1,000 a month.

But in terms of martial arts training, even the most basic nutrient solution costs 3,000 a bottle, making this amount of money a drop in the bucket.

"Luckily, I have a cheat!"

Li Qingshan grinned as he looked at the virtual screen.

[Li Qingshan]

[Realm: Body Refinement 9/100]

[Technique:

The 36th Set of Radio Gymnastics: 'The Stars Are Calling' 7/1000 (Proficient)]

[Function: Martial Arts Space] (Locked)

The last line, [Martial Arts Space], was still grayed out and locked.

However, just the proficiency in his technique had already benefited Li Qingshan greatly.

When you're just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

With effort comes reward.

In just two short years,

'The Stars Are Calling' had progressed from Beginner 53/100 to Proficient.

Increasing technique proficiency doesn't directly enhance the Body Refinement progress.

But it represents the speed of training,

With each upgrade, the effect increases exponentially.

Now at the proficient level, 'The Stars Are Calling' allows for a training speed at least eight times faster than at the beginner level.

Body Refinement is a major realm, divided into ten stages, a necessary path to becoming a formal martial artist.

The progress of [Body Refinement 9/100] was already nearing the first stage of Body Refinement.

This was the result of Li Qingshan's efforts over the past two years,

And now,

He was confident he could reach the second stage of Body Refinement within six months.

Moreover, as his technique proficiency increased, the speed would only get faster.

"I wonder what the function of [Martial Arts Space] is and what conditions are needed to unlock it."

As Li Qingshan pondered, a slender hand reached over his shoulder from behind.

"Hey handsome, why are you alone? Want to join me for a drink?"

Li Qingshan stepped forward, avoiding the hand on his shoulder, and turned to face the woman.

She was a woman in her twenties, holding a wine glass in her left hand, her right hand still extended.

Her long, wavy purple-red hair framed a pretty face, her eyes glazed with intoxication.

Beneath her neck, a striking patch of white skin was particularly eye-catching.

Li Qingshan glanced briefly, then quickly composed himself, saying seriously:

"Ma'am, if you want a drink, you can go to the bar. I'm a security guard, I have to work."

"A security guard can still be a handsome guy!"

The woman giggled, stepping forward again.

"You're so young, aren't you working here to make money?"

Li Qingshan's retreat slowed,

Indeed, even the most basic nutrient solution costs 3,000 a bottle, and 60,000 Star Coins wouldn't last long.

The woman's eyes lit up, and she pressed on:

"Name your price, handsome. I'm very generous."

Generous?

Li Qingshan's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head vigorously.

No, I can't fall!

But after sizing her up again, his gaze sweeping over the danger zone once more.

He... hesitated.

Maybe, it's not impossible?

Ultimately, Li Qingshan, full of inner conflict, raised a finger to her.

"Ten thousand? That's doable..."

The woman smiled, raising her wrist communicator, ready to transfer the money.

"What ten thousand! It's a hundred thousand!"

Li Qingshan took a deep breath, making up his mind:

"A hundred thousand, and I'll have a drink with you."

Ten thousand could only buy three bottles of nutrient solution, what's the point?

Besides, this would be his first time accompanying someone for a drink!

Faced with Li Qingshan's expression of noble sacrifice, the woman rolled her eyes and turned away.

"A hundred thousand for a drink? Crazy!"

"Weren't you saying you were generous?"

Li Qingshan clicked his tongue in slight regret.

He had been working part-time at the bar for a month, and it wasn't the first time someone had tried to chat him up, but he had always firmly refused.

This time, he had really struggled before deciding to take a chance for the sake of martial arts.

"Sigh!"

Li Qingshan sighed, continuing to dutifully perform his job.

As the night deepened, the raucous music gradually softened, and the crowd dispersed.

Li Qingshan changed his clothes and exited through the side door.

Outside was a dimly lit alley.

As he reached the alley's entrance,

Li Qingshan stopped in his tracks, seeing three figures blocking his path.

"Drink, I still want to drink~ hic~~"

A drunken woman was being held up by two blond-haired men, her feet barely touching the ground.

But the two blond-haired men were also unsteady on their feet, the three of them swaying like a clothesline in the wind.

"Already so wasted, and still out here picking up corpses?" Li Qingshan shook his head with a laugh.

He had seen these two blond-haired men two or three times before, always doing the same thing.

Hearing his voice, the two blond-haired men quickly stopped, turning around to glare at Li Qingshan warily.

"Kid, don't meddle."

One of them deliberately showed off his bare arm, revealing a tattoo of a dragon with flapping wings.

"This lizard is too ugly, I suggest you get a new one."

Li Qingshan glanced disdainfully, walking straight ahead.

The two blond-haired men immediately put on a fierce front, ready to make a move.

"Please step aside, you're blocking the way."

As he spoke, his hand pushed one of them on the shoulder.

The two blond-haired men, along with the woman between them, staggered, involuntarily leaning against the wall.

By the time they regained their senses,

Li Qingshan had already exited the alley, standing by the bus stop.

Just then, the bus arrived, and the front door opened.

Li Qingshan stepped forward, boarding the bus.

First of all, he was just a security guard.

Secondly, he was off duty.

"The vehicle is starting, please hold onto the handrails and refrain from moving around."

Li Qingshan sat by the window, looking toward the alley entrance.

The two blond-haired men visibly relaxed, while the woman they were holding up hung her head, her purple-red wavy hair particularly striking.

"Who knows who's the hunter and who's the prey?"

The vehicle swayed, slowly driving away...

Screech!

The harsh sound of brakes echoed, the wheels coming to a stop.

"The vehicle has arrived at the station, please exit through the rear door."

Li Qingshan stepped off the bus, running toward the nearby residential area.

The neighborhood he rented in was neither new nor old, with a decent surrounding environment and a small park equipped with various fitness facilities.

As he ran, the scenery along the way filled Li Qingshan's eyes, making him marvel once again.

"Is this really the interstellar era?"

Whether it was the fitness facilities or the community amenities, there wasn't anything particularly high-tech.

Even the neighborhood environment was similar to that of the Blue Planet from his previous life.

"Is the gap between the Old Continent and the New Continent really that big?"

The thought flashed by, soon dismissed by Li Qingshan.

He would find out the answer to this question sooner or later.

Li Qingshan's rented apartment was a typical one-bedroom unit, with an empty living room devoid of any furniture.

Upon entering, Li Qingshan headed straight to the kitchen, opening the fridge to take out two one-kilogram slabs of beef.

The beef had been stored for a week, yet it remained red and fresh, with firm and elastic texture.

"At least the preservation technology has improved."

Li Qingshan unwrapped the beef, boiled it in plain water, and sprinkled some salt.

Half an hour later, the beef was fully cooked. Li Qingshan fished out a piece, rinsed it under cold water, and began to gnaw on it.

The taste was nothing to write home about, but he didn't mind.

After quickly finishing the beef, Li Qingshan returned to the living room, stretching his body.

'The Stars Are Calling' consists of 108 movements, each not particularly difficult.

Any ordinary person with a healthy body can complete them in sequence, which is the basis for it being a "radio gymnastics."

But as a body refinement technique, the true characteristic of 'The Stars Are Calling' is that it's easy to learn but hard to master.

At the beginner level, you just need to mimic the movements to complete all 108 actions, which can strengthen the body.

To achieve body refinement effects, you must master the exertion techniques for each movement, reflected on the panel as proficiency levels.

As for the current proficient level, the focus is on breathing.

Phew!

With a heavy exhale, Li Qingshan clenched his toes, twisted his waist and hips, and raised his right arm.

Muscles bulged layer by layer, spreading to the wrist, with veins surfacing on the back of his hand, reaching the fingertips.

What was once a simple "hip twist and arm swing" movement at the beginner level had now become extremely challenging.

As time passed, the 108 movements were completed.

Li Qingshan relaxed, his clothes soaked through, sweat dripping from his forehead, steam rising from his head.

Ignoring his physical fatigue, Li Qingshan quickly rushed into the kitchen, grabbing the remaining slab of beef to gnaw on.

After finishing the beef, Li Qingshan finally breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the panel.

'The Stars Are Calling' 7/1000 (Proficient) → 'The Stars Are Calling' 8/1000 (Proficient)

One practice session wasn't enough to advance the Body Refinement progress, and even the increase in proficiency wasn't solely due to this session.

"Practicing twice a day, gaining 1 point every two days, meaning it takes four practice sessions to gain 1 point of proficiency?"

Since reaching the proficient level, Li Qingshan had been trying to summarize the proficiency improvement pattern for this level, and now he could basically confirm it.

However, he wasn't satisfied with this result.

"Two days for 1 point, with 992 points of proficiency remaining, doesn't that mean nearly 1800 days?"

"Hiss! Five years!"

Li Qingshan took a sharp breath, feeling the long road ahead.

"No, I overlooked the improvement in Body Refinement progress."

Glancing at the panel, Li Qingshan's spirits lifted.

"In another six months, I should be able to increase Body Refinement to 20/100, which is the second stage of Body Refinement."

"The stronger the body, the better the stamina, and the faster the recovery speed. By then, I can practice more than twice a day."

"The two complement each other, maybe it'll only take two or three years."

With the time halved, Li Qingshan still didn't have much of a smile, his gaze drifting to the fridge.

"I should try buying some nutrient solution."

Ultimately, what limited his progress was his body's recovery speed.

If he could recover fast enough, he could practice three, four, or five times a day, and the Body Refinement progress would improve faster.

Unfortunately, before reaching proficiency, various meats were enough to supplement his body's needs.

But now, his stomach couldn't hold more food, and his digestion couldn't keep up.

"Nutrient solution..."

Li Qingshan swiped his communicator, looking at the 60,000 Star Coins in his account, and sighed helplessly.

What limited him wasn't the nutrient solution, but poverty.

Unintentionally, Li Qingshan recalled the purple-red wavy hair, pursing his lips.

"Resorted to freeloading, yet still pretended to be generous."

------

In the suburbs, on the second floor of an abandoned construction site.

The concrete floor was soaked with blood, dark red stains winding and intertwining, outlining a bizarre pattern.

Beside it, two desiccated corpses knelt, emaciated, their skin clinging to their bones without a trace of flesh.

A breeze blew, scattering countless blond hairs from the tops of the corpses, spreading them around.