My Cultivation Techniques Upgrade Automatically

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Protagonist Template

Li Qi’s assessment results were not looking good.

To be precise, it was plain to see he was going to fail the Demon Suppression Bureau’s assessment in a few days.

"Shopkeeper, another jar of wine!"

Inside a tavern tucked away on a street corner, Li Qi reeked of alcohol, his eyes hazy and drunk.

Staring at the wine jar, now empty of its last drop, he slammed his hand on the table and bellowed, the very picture of a drunkard.

"Master Li, you should drink a little less."

"Didn’t you say a few days ago that the assessment for the Demon Suppression Bureau Captain in Cangwu City is coming up? How can you show up like this?"

The Shopkeeper was a slightly plump, middle-aged man. He had received a lot of help from Li Qi over the years, so seeing him in this state, he was genuinely worried and didn’t fetch him any more wine.

"What’s the point of taking the assessment anymore!"

Li Qi was slumped over the table like a boneless heap. Hearing the Shopkeeper mention the Demon Suppression Bureau assessment, a bitter smile spread across his face.

"That bastard He Kui, relying on his uncle being the county archivist, had me transferred to the foot of the city wall. I was stuck there for over two months, guarding useless scrap paper, unable to leave for a single moment."

"Since I couldn’t arrest any criminals, I didn’t get any reward silver. I couldn’t afford any medicinal soups or pills. I trained at the city wall every day and studied martial arts at home every night..."

"But even so, I barely made any progress. After months of hard work, I only just managed to advance by one minor layer."

"After guarding scrap paper for months, they finally transferred me back just before the Demon Suppression Bureau Captain’s arrival, and all I got was a salary of ten taels of silver."

"If it weren’t for us being old acquaintances and you giving me a discount, I might not even be able to afford this wine."

Li Qi’s face was filled with helplessness. He rambled on and on, feeling utterly exhausted, body and soul.

"The way these guys do things, it’s really..."

The Shopkeeper listened with a sense of helplessness. He glanced around, and seeing no other Officials, he continued, "...not right at all!"

But then he chuckled and said,

"Master Li, don’t be so down. Who in the city doesn’t know you’ve always had the upper hand on He Kui?"

"Here, let me get you twenty taels of silver. I don’t know anything about martial arts pills and whatnot, but you can buy what you need. Put in a few more days of hard practice."

"I’m sure you’ll have no problem beating He Kui in the assessment and getting into the Demon Suppression Bureau in Cangwu City!"

"Sigh—"

That only made it worse. Li Qi let out another long sigh and said,

"It’s too late, too late..."

He sighed again, filled with sorrow.

"He Kui’s uncle must have spent a fortune these past two months. He’s surely been feeding He Kui pills and having him soak in medicinal baths. I heard he even hired a famous master to guide his martial arts."

"In two months, that guy has completely transformed. He broke through two minor layers in a row and is now a Jade Bone Realm Third Layer Martial Artist."

"Third Layer of the Jade Bone Realm! That’s two whole minor layers above me... I can’t win, I just can’t..."

The pressure of being two minor layers behind made Li Qi feel utterly hopeless, and his voice dwindled.

If it were just a one-layer gap, he was confident his combat skills would give him a fighting chance against He Kui.

Given He Kui’s arrogant and conceited personality, he might even have a thirty percent chance of winning.

But with a two-layer gap, Li Qi believed he would be nothing more than a punching bag.

The Shopkeeper was about to say something more to comfort Li Qi, but the light at the tavern’s entrance dimmed, signaling the arrival of a customer.

He had to swallow his words for the moment and attend to the guest.

But the newcomer didn’t wait to be greeted. With the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, he had already sat down at Li Qi’s table and spoke softly:

"There’s always a chance to win in anything, but if you’re afraid before the fight even begins, you’ve already lost half the battle."

"If you don’t pull yourself together, you’re going to lose the other half."

Though the voice was quiet, it reached everyone’s ears with perfect clarity.

Li Qi felt a slight stir of air around him and didn’t think much of it at first. But then he realized the voice sounded familiar, and the words seemed to be directed at him, so he looked up.

"It’s you!"

He recognized Wu Chen at once. He immediately pushed his slightly weak body upright and offered a wobbly fist-and-palm salute.

"I’m truly sorry about tricking you last time, Young Master."

Li Qi was referring to the day Wu Chen entered the city, when he had tried to trick him into becoming an Official at the county yamen. The plan was for Wu Chen to participate in the Demon Suppression Bureau’s assessment and block He Kui’s promotion.

Knowing he had acted improperly, he called out to the shopkeeper,

"Shopkeeper, bring a jar of your best wine for this Young Master! Put it on my tab."

Wu Chen waved his hand, signaling both for the Shopkeeper not to bother and to let Li Qi know that he didn’t take the scheme to heart.

After all, if he hadn’t been thriving in Mountain Mist City and tied up with important matters,

he would have actually been willing to take the opportunity Li Qi offered. He would have paid the hefty price to join the yamen and then passed the assessment to enter the Demon Suppression Bureau.

With the Demon Suppression Bureau’s resources, Wu Chen estimated that advancing to a first-rate or even a peerless master wouldn’t be a major issue.

"So, are you planning to spend the next few days drinking yourself into a stupor here?"

Wu Chen looked at Li Qi, who had slumped back onto the table like a pile of mud after his salute.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the wooden table and said calmly,

"Or do you want to make one last effort in these final days for a chance to defeat your opponent in the assessment and enter the Demon Suppression Bureau?"

Wu Chen’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

Every word that landed in Li Qi’s ears gave him an inexplicable feeling that if he had this person’s help, he would have a great chance of defeating He Kui.

And enter the Demon Suppression Bureau!

"I... I want to enter the Demon Suppression Bureau more than anything!"

Li Qi slowly pushed himself up. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Wu Chen, his breathing growing heavy and his body trembling with excitement.

If there was a chance to get into the Demon Suppression Bureau, why would he be here drinking himself into oblivion?

But he quickly sobered up. The alcohol’s effects dissipated under the suppression of his Qi and Blood, and he grew much calmer. In a low voice, he asked,

"So, what’s your price for helping me?"

Wu Chen nodded. ’He catches on quick!’

"Jade Bone Realm Martial Arts."

"I have it!"

Only then did Li Qi understand what Wu Chen was after. At the same time, he grew curious about what method Wu Chen would use to make him strong enough in such a short time to have a chance against a Jade Bone Realm Third Layer opponent like He Kui.

But then he remembered that this was the man who had charged into a horde of bandits and killed their leader. Perhaps he possessed some kind of Secret Technique...

"Shopkeeper, the bill!"

Li Qi knew this wasn’t the place to talk. He immediately stood up, placed some crushed silver on the wooden table, and looked at Wu Chen.

"The Martial Arts techniques are at my home. Would you please come with me, Young Master? We can talk there."

Wu Chen nodded, stood up, and said, "Lead the way."

...

The ground was clean and tidy, the alley quiet and secluded.

Li Qi led Wu Chen to the gate of a small courtyard and stopped, knocking lightly on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Li Qiuyao, open the door."

After the crisp knocking, Li Qi called out. Light footsteps were heard running from inside, and with a CLANG, the door bolt was removed.

CREAK~

The heavy door swung open, revealing the figure behind it.

It was a young girl with a round face and a sprinkle of freckles.

Her hair was tied into two buns, one on each side of her head, making her look lively and cute.

Smelling the reek of alcohol wafting from him, Li Qiuyao complained,

"Brother, you’ve been drinking again! Didn’t you promise me yesterday that you’d stop?"

"Sigh, how can you call what a Martial Artist does ’drinking’?"

Li Qi strode in with Wu Chen, ruffling his sister’s hair. "It’s for relaxing the muscles, invigorating the blood, and strengthening the body. You wouldn’t understand!"

"Bullshit, that’s nonsense! You used to say the smell of alcohol harms the body and hinders martial arts practice... Also, get your hand off me!"

Li Qiuyao shook her head, waving her hands to bat her brother’s hand away.

There was a simple reason: she had clearly seen a guest standing behind her brother.

Just a quick glance at his appearance made her heart beat faster.

Meanwhile, Wu Chen was observing the bickering siblings.

From the courtyard’s furnishings, the quality of their belongings, and the clothes hanging out to dry, it wasn’t hard to deduce a few things.

He couldn’t help but mutter to himself:

’Looks like their parents are gone, and the siblings rely on each other to survive.’

’The brother has decent talent, reaching the Jade Bone Realm First Layer at twenty, with a chance to enter the Demon Suppression Bureau.’

’And he has a nimble and cute little sister by his side!’

’Tsk, I didn’t expect... ’

Wu Chen raised an eyebrow at Li Qi.

’You’ve got the protagonist template down pat!’