The next day, Wang Chen woke up before dawn.
Without wasting any time, he headed straight to the back mountain where he had trained the day before to continue practicing his fighting skills.
This was a little trick Wang Chen had figured out over the years: train the body first, then cultivate Dou Qi. It was more effective than jumping straight into energy cultivation.
The fighting skill he was practicing now was one he had learned from the Xiao family—after strengthening it, of course.
[Gravel Kick (Strengthen +1)]
Grade: Low-level Xuan Effect: Greatly enhances leg muscle strength and defensive capabilities. Attacks have a chance to directly break the enemy's Dou Qi defense. Note: Best practiced alongside a special medicinal bath; otherwise, the skill's power cannot be fully realized.
In addition to the technique itself, Wang Chen had also received a medicinal bath recipe tailored for this skill. Unfortunately, he couldn't use it yet—he didn't have the money to buy a third-grade prescription.
Thankfully, that didn't hinder his training. At this early stage, the medicinal bath was just a bonus. The real value came from consistent practice.
Upon reaching his training spot, Wang Chen immediately began practicing.
Thanks to the golden finger's enhancement, he had already mastered the Gravel Kick technique. The only thing missing was muscle memory and physical conditioning.
It was like a top-tier player starting a new game account—low level, but with elite skills and rapid progression.
Under this high-level foundation, Wang Chen's leg muscles strengthened quickly.
After about two and a half hours, he stopped—not because he was exhausted, but because he understood a key principle:
Too much is as bad as too little.
This was a critical time for building his foundation. Overtraining could lead to hidden injuries, which would be devastating in the long run.
He had ten years ahead of him. There was no need to rush every minute and risk long-term damage.
After putting on his coat, Wang Chen returned to his room.
There, he ate the medicinal food he had prepared earlier—also enhanced by his golden finger.
Having learned from his experience with medicinal baths, he ate just one-third of the portion.
He could have eaten the whole thing without harm, but that would be wasteful—and Wang Chen couldn't afford to waste resources.
After finishing the meal, he jumped into the bathtub and began cultivating.
The energy from the medicinal bath and food, amplified by the golden finger, rapidly boosted his Dou Qi and physical strength.
As time passed, Wang Chen finished refining the energy. The results matched his expectations—no waste, maximum efficiency.
After training, he began preparing a new medicinal bath. The previous one had been fully absorbed.
"Looks like I need to buy more medicinal bath ingredients."
He took out the last set of ingredients and began boiling them in a casserole sealed for two and a half years.
When he first awakened his golden finger, Wang Chen had only bought two doses of medicine—just to test its effectiveness and avoid drawing attention.
Even though the ingredients were common in Xiao Family Market, buying too much at once could raise suspicion.
Wang Chen had read many novels and watched countless movies in his previous life. He knew that carelessness at critical moments often led to a villain's downfall.
And Wang Chen had no intention of becoming a foolish villain.
Fortunately, one medicinal bath lasted three uses. Though the energy requirement increased with strength, it was still enough for a day.
After several hours of preparation, Wang Chen turned off the fire and headed to the market.
He arrived at a Xiao family-owned shop with ease.
For two hundred gold coins, he bought four sets of medicinal meals and six sets of medicinal baths.
The shop assistant was a bit surprised but didn't ask questions. After all, some Xiao family descendants did buy basic training materials.
Not everyone was like Xiao Yan—gifted from birth and the clan leader's son, with no shortage of resources.
Even elders who opposed Xiao Zhan wouldn't interfere with Xiao Yan's training. They understood how important a growing genius was to the family.
But for those with average talent and no strong backing, self-reliance was the only path.
Buying medicinal bath supplies with personal funds was common.
Still, most people bought three to five sets. Buying ten sets like Wang Chen was rare.
Medicinal baths weren't expensive, but they weren't cheap either—especially for those funding themselves.
Wang Chen could afford it only because of the inheritance left by his parents. Otherwise, a ten-year-old boy wouldn't even afford two sets.
After collecting his supplies, Wang Chen returned to his room without hesitation.
"This batch should be enough for a few days of training."
After storing everything, he resumed his practice.
This time, he focused on light body movement fighting skills, which didn't require going to the back mountain. He could train in his own small courtyard.
Naturally, this skill had also been strengthened.
Its grade was now mid-level Profound Realm, more than sufficient for Wang Chen's current level.
"Shh! Shh! Shh!"
In the courtyard, Wang Chen moved swiftly.
His speed was impressive—ordinary fighters couldn't match it.
But after just ten minutes, he stopped.
This skill, Eight Steps to Chase the Cicada, consumed too much Dou Qi.
At the fourth stage of Dou Qi, Wang Chen couldn't sustain it for long.
Unlike Gravel Kick, this technique had little physical training effect without Dou Qi.
After a short recovery, Wang Chen resumed practice—this time focusing on footwork only.
Though the effect was reduced, so was the energy consumption.
This was part of Wang Chen's plan:
First, build muscle memory for the footwork.
Then, once his Dou Qi was stronger, practice the full technique.
This way, he could familiarize himself with the movement without hindering his growth.
Soon, most of the day passed.
Wang Chen ended his intense fighting skill training and began preparing to consume medicinal food to cultivate his Dou Qi once again.