Yang Morning Light

Skill: Xingyi Boxing LV0 (9/100)
Attribute Points: 0.03

“Let’s add the points, then—0.01 each to Essence, Vitality, and Spirit.”

Du Ruo evenly distributed the points, then began to feel the changes in his body and on the status panel.

Name: Du Ruo
Age: 31
Essence: 8.09
Vitality: 8.11
Spirit: 8.43
Attribute Points: 0.00
Skill: Xingyi Boxing LV0 (9/100)

Other than the increase in attribute points and some experience gained, there were no other changes to the panel. Du Ruo had already reached a conclusion yesterday: as long as Essence, Vitality, and Spirit remained above 8.00, there would be no abrupt drops in stats. This also meant that even if the body felt out of sorts, it could quickly recover.

Du Ruo felt the changes after adding the points. A warm current flowed through his body, lasting even longer this time, and his mind felt refreshed, as if a gentle breeze was blowing through it—no discomfort at all.

“It really works!”

Du Ruo opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turning up. He clenched his fist, pleased that his idea had been verified. But for now, it was just his personal feeling; he’d need to try again to be sure.

The boost in attributes had swept away much of his fatigue, and Du Ruo noticed that training outdoors seemed more effective and comfortable than practicing indoors—at the very least, it was less mentally taxing. Perhaps that was why standing meditation required such close contact with nature.

“Let’s keep going…”

The morning passed quickly. Du Ruo allocated another 0.03 attribute points and looked at his status panel with a smile.

Name: Du Ruo
Age: 31
Essence: 8.10
Vitality: 8.12
Spirit: 8.44

Attribute Points: 0.00
Skill: Xingyi Boxing LV0 (12/100)

“It really works.”

Looking at his stats, Du Ruo saw that his Essence, Vitality, and Spirit hadn’t dropped below 8.00 as they had yesterday—proof that this session hadn't overtaxed his body.

The same amount of time, the same gains, just a different way of allocating points. This proved that it wasn’t ideal for any single attribute to climb too high above the others—they should develop together. The body is a treasure trove: both sturdy and fragile. Once its balance is destroyed, it can collapse in an instant.

This time, Du Ruo wasn’t uncomfortably hungry or suffering from a headache—just a bit tired and peckish. Clearly, it was time to stop training for now.

“Son—lunch is ready!”

His mother’s call pulled Du Ruo from his thoughts. It was already noon before he realized it.

“Coming!”

Du Ruo gathered himself. What he needed most now was a good meal and some rest, to see how long his body would take to recover.

The food at home always tasted especially good, and with the exertion from training, Du Ruo ate even more than usual. Fortunately, it wasn’t enough to arouse his parents’ suspicions.

After lunch, Du Ruo took a walk around the village and then returned to his room for a nap.

“It really is comfortable here. Why was I so foolish before? Ten years of working away, and I gained nothing. In the end, I find peace only at home. If I’d known this earlier, I’d have moved back right after graduation—spared myself a decade’s detour.”

Getting out of bed, Du Ruo felt his stats had almost fully recovered. He considered heading out to the backyard for more practice, but after glancing at the blazing sun, he thought better of it.

The heat was one thing, but if he trained too long and ended up as hungry and headache-ridden as yesterday, he’d have to sleep it off again. Better to wait for evening.

After some thought, Du Ruo picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He hadn’t kept in touch with most of his old friends after so many years away, except for one person he still chatted with for half an hour every now and then.

“Chenguang, I’m back home. Where are you? Got time to meet up?”

He sent a message to this friend.

“You’re back? Seriously? I’m in the village now, just come over.”

The reply came quickly, without much small talk—straightforward, almost as if Chenguang was skeptical whether Du Ruo was joking.

Du Ruo smiled at the message, put away his phone, and headed downstairs.

“Mom, I’m going out for a bit.”

He called out before leaving the house.

The friend he’d just contacted was Yang Chenguang, his childhood buddy and classmate.

Unlike Du Ruo, who left for university in Guangdong Province, Chenguang didn’t score well on his college entrance exams. He attended a junior college, then returned home to work.

Chenguang started out helping his family with renovations, but after getting injured on the job, he switched to being a tour guide. That didn’t make much money either, so he turned to farming—raising chickens and pigs—and eventually, somehow, ended up working as a village official.

The last time Du Ruo had spoken to him, he’d started growing crops and even became an online streamer, selling travel packages and fruit over the internet.

All in all, while Du Ruo had spent ten years hustling in Guangdong, Chenguang had been making a go of it at home for ten years. If you asked why he worked so hard, it was because he had two sons to provide for—he couldn’t just drop everything and take it easy like Du Ruo could.

Strolling along the asphalt road, Du Ruo enjoyed the pastoral scenery.

Chenguang’s village was right next door to his own, closer to the scenic area. Unlike Du Ruo’s village, where most young people had moved away, Chenguang’s village was thriving and much busier.

It took about fifteen minutes on foot to reach the village.

The houses here were more densely packed than in Du Ruo’s village, and there were clearly many tourists coming and going, making for a lively atmosphere.

“What are you up to?”

When Du Ruo found Yang Chenguang, he had just returned from outside, carrying a bulging bag filled with who-knows-what.

“These are for you—fresh kiwis I just picked from the mountain. Take some home for Auntie.”

Chenguang was slightly chubby, wore glasses, and had a dimple when he smiled—a sincere-looking guy with an easy charm. The only pity was his receding hairline.

“So you’re growing these now? Just leave them at your place—I’ll take them when I go.”

Du Ruo didn’t stand on ceremony. He grabbed a kiwi from the bag, rubbed it, and took a bite right then and there.

“Ugh—damn, that’s sour.”

He grimaced, spitting out the peel and chewing the fruit.

“Just leave them for a couple of days—they’ll sweeten up. So, what do you want to do? Come inside for tea or take a look around?”

Chenguang set the bag at his doorway, handed Du Ruo a cigarette, and then asked.

“Let’s look around. Your village is doing pretty well. I noticed you have guesthouses and restaurants here.”

Du Ruo was curious about the place. Since he planned to settle down at home, staying in his parents’ house was only temporary—he’d need to find something to do, and that was his main reason for looking up his old friend. Ideally, something that wouldn’t interfere with his martial arts training.