DEM Chapter 22: Lies Don’t Hurt, the Truth Is the Sharp Knife!

“When I noticed you still hadn’t come back by one in the morning, I knew you weren’t the same person anymore.”

“A man whose heart has changed is a traitor to this family! He’s even forgotten the responsibilities he owes as a member of this household.”

Chu Lanxi continued his dramatic performance, as if possessed by a theater spirit. Chen Nuoyi, witnessing this scene for the first time, was utterly shocked.

Su Yuan, however, was unfazed and said, “You’re just nagging me to do your homework, right? I finished it before school, so can you stop making a fuss?”

Chu Lanxi immediately shut up, gave an OK hand gesture, and headed toward his bedroom. Just before closing the door, he added with a serious expression, “Please, both of you, feel free to do whatever in the living room. No matter how much noise you make, I’ll be like the husband in those movies, fast asleep and completely undisturbed.”

“You’re dead!”

Su Yuan instantly mimicked the pointing husky meme.

Satisfied, Chu Lanxi closed his bedroom door, leaving Su Yuan and Chen Nuoyi alone in the living room.

“Time’s tight, Su Yuan. Which subject do you want to study first?”

Once in teaching mode, Chen Nuoyi regained the cool, composed demeanor she displayed in class and asked.

Su Yuan thought carefully.

For General Knowledge and Spiritual Literature, subjects that relied on rote memorization, his grades were decent. He typically scored around 135 and 70 points respectively in monthly exams, so there was no rush to improve those.

For Physical Education, it depended on whether he could consistently obtain blue pills. If he could, his scores would improve quickly.

As for Heart of the Dao, his performance used to be average, but with the Brahma Pure Demon Heart, he expected much better results.

That left Cultivation and Martial Arts. Cultivation breathing techniques were something he could only improve on his own, as even the same techniques varied slightly from person to person. Even Chen Nuoyi couldn’t help much there.

After much thought, the subject he most needed her help with was Martial Arts.

Martial Arts didn’t just refer to physical techniques but encompassed both martial techniques and magical arts, covering paths for both warriors and mages.

However, since Qi Refining cultivators had limited spiritual energy and couldn’t sustain the demands of magical arts, Taihua High School’s Martial Arts curriculum focused primarily on physical techniques.

Su Yuan had learned two martial techniques at school: Sunrise Fist, which boosted attack power, and Seven Star Steps, which enhanced agility.

Mastery of martial techniques was divided into four stages: Beginner, Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and Perfection. Su Yuan’s mastery of both techniques was only at the Minor Achievement level.

In the last monthly exam, out of a possible 150 points in Martial Arts, Su Yuan scored a mere 90, ranking 28th in his class, thoroughly average.

Of course, the Martial Arts exam didn’t test students’ mastery of these two techniques specifically but evaluated their performance in practical combat.

Students from wealthier families could afford to learn superior martial techniques, akin to buying extra practice materials or attending tutoring classes in his previous life.

However, the more advanced the technique, the harder it was to improve mastery. Being able to wield superior techniques effectively in combat demonstrated true talent in Martial Arts, naturally leading to higher scores.

For students without that talent, focusing on Sunrise Fist and Seven Star Steps was enough.

After all, while superior techniques had a higher ceiling, their floor could be abysmally low. Most high school students couldn’t even reach the ceiling of Sunrise Fist or Seven Star Steps before the college entrance exam.

In theory, Su Yuan’s Eighteen Divine Pitchfork Forms could also be used in the Martial Arts exam.

His Perfection-level Eighteen Divine Pitchfork Forms could absolutely dominate a Major Achievement Sunrise Fist.

But there was a problem: the Martial Arts exam required fighting bare-handed. Without a pitchfork, how could he use the Eighteen Divine Pitchfork Forms?
Unless the system granted him a new divine technique at the Perfection level, he’d have to stick to practicing Sunrise Fist and Seven Star Steps.

Having decided to focus on Martial Arts, Su Yuan naturally couldn’t start practicing punches in the living room. He and Chen Nuoyi headed to the rooftop of the apartment complex.

“Su Yuan, attack me directly. I’ll suppress my strength to the fifth layer of Qi Refining to spar with you and point out flaws in your fist and step techniques.”

Chen Nuoyi stood with one hand behind her back, speaking calmly.

Under the bright moonlight, the girl’s fair skin shimmered like flawless jade.

Her light summer school uniform, illuminated by the moonlight, faintly appeared translucent. It was at this moment that Su Yuan realized light had a shape.

And this aloof class beauty was surprisingly well-endowed!

But Su Yuan’s mind was free of distractions, as the girl exuded an overwhelming aura of a grandmaster, cool and inviolable.

Taking a deep breath, Su Yuan assumed the starting stance of Sunrise Fist, channeling spiritual energy into every muscle needed for the strike, revealing the presence of a fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.

The moment he got into position, he felt something off about his body.

Every muscle moved more smoothly than before, with far less sluggishness.

After a moment’s thought, Su Yuan realized it must be the effect of the blue pill, which had the ability to automatically optimize muscle functionality.

In other words, as long as he kept taking the pills, his body could eventually evolve into a Martial Arts Saint Body.

What a dangerous idea. One day, the martial arts world might hear the tragic news of Su, the Martial Saint, ascending to the Steroid Star in broad daylight.

Let’s see how far I am from the holy class valedictorian after… unlocking this cheat!

Su Yuan charged forward.

And then…

Bang!

Chen Nuoyi’s delicate fist slammed into Su Yuan’s stomach, sending him flying over ten meters.

Su Yuan hit the ground hard.

“Cough, cough! Big sister, what level is your Sunrise Fist? I couldn’t even see the shadow of your punch. Did you really suppress your strength to the fifth layer of Qi Refining?”

Su Yuan climbed up from the ground, covered in dust.

Seeing his pitiful state, Chen Nuoyi said apologetically, “My mastery of Sunrise Fist reached Perfection half a year ago. I’m sorry, I misjudged the gap between us and hit a bit too hard… I’ll be more careful next time.”

Su Yuan: “…”

Lies don’t hurt, the truth is the sharp knife!

But a man can’t admit defeat!

Su Yuan rallied his spirits, his gaze sharpening instantly. With the aid of the Brahma Pure Demon Heart, he cast aside all pain, his eyes filled only with a burning desire for Martial Arts.

The practical tutoring session resumed.

Of course, in reality, it was Su Yuan getting one-sidedly beaten.

Each time he was knocked down, Chen Nuoyi would pinpoint flaws in his fist or step techniques with razor-sharp precision.

This kind of tutoring was like having a master coach one-on-one, allowing Su Yuan to gain tremendous insights in just two hours… if you ignored the fact that he was beaten black and blue.

As the horizon began to glow with the first light of dawn, the tutoring session came to an end.

Back at the apartment, Su Yuan quickly finished Chu Lanxi’s homework. The three of them took turns washing up and headed to school together.

There were spare toothbrushes and towels, so nothing cliché or exciting happened.

At the delivery locker outside Feiyun Neighborhood’s gate, Su Yuan opened a compartment and retrieved a modestly sized package, stuffing it into his crossbody backpack.

This was the order he placed over two hours ago.

Chen Nuoyi, standing nearby, looked curious.

Su Yuan smiled and explained, “This is the nifty tool we’ll need to make money today.”

In his mind, he added: And it’s also the wicked prop to lure you, the righteous saintess, into absolute depravity.

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