After he returned.
Chen Nuo began studying the One Element Qi Blood Technique.
He hoped to master the basics as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, his aptitude seemed to be quite good. After holding his breath and concentrating, he easily managed to mobilize his Qi Blood.
However, tempering the body—even a single, superficial round of it—was an exceptionally arduous task. The slightest misstep would result in a sharp, stabbing pain.
Even with the nourishment from the first-generation flat mushrooms, Chen Nuo had to expend a great deal of Qi Blood and two full days just to barely temper the surface of his body. The intricate Skin and Flesh within remained completely untouched.
'Whew... This really is difficult. But at least I've mastered the basics.'
At the same time, his status panel changed.
[Name]: Chen Nuo
[Identity]: Clan Leader (Gentry)
[Life Points]: 425
[Divine Techniques]: Immortality, Communication with the Spirit, Spray Transformation
[Realm]: Skin and Flesh Realm
[Skills]: Middle Level Medical Skill (1/100), One Element Qi Blood Decision · Skin and Flesh Chapter (1/100)
'Hoarding Points and only preparing at the last minute is a terrible idea.'
Ever since his memories awakened, he had felt a constant sense of unease. This anxiety had peaked, especially after he discovered the Immortality Divine Technique.
Now that he was the Clan Leader, he felt he was becoming too conspicuous. He had to have enough strength to back him up from the shadows!
Therefore.
"Add points."
[One Element Qi Blood Decision · Skin and Flesh Chapter (1/100) → (100/100)]
Chen Nuo's mind went into a trance.
In the hazy blur, a memory of him practicing diligently seemed to emerge.
He had consumed medicinal meals daily, followed the tempering methods described in the book to supplement his cultivation, and trained arduously day and night for countless days.
Finally, he had achieved Perfection in the Skin and Flesh Realm. He now had the strength to drag back two bulls, his skin was as tough as oxhide, and he had even managed to temper into existence those hypothetical Traits.
The next moment.
Chen Nuo snapped back to his senses.
His entire body had already undergone a change.
His Qi Blood flowed naturally as he willed it. His skin and flesh felt firm and powerful, and his muscles had become much more defined. Simply clenching his fist sent a surge of power through him.
He threw a punch.
BANG!
A small crater appeared in the ground.
A punch like that, if it landed on a person, would surely be fatal.
Even elite Armored Soldiers wearing multiple layers of armor wouldn't get off lightly.
Chen Nuo looked at his palm, a smile of relief touching his lips.
'Amazing. There was no energy consumption.'
'But were those conjectures also considered part of the Cultivation Technique? To think the system actually guided my cultivation in that direction.'
'And I actually mastered it. Most of the conjectures were correct, but there were some errors and omissions. If I had rigidly followed those theories, I probably wouldn't have succeeded even if I trained into old age. Thank goodness for the point-adding system.'
One of Chen Nuo's palms suddenly turned crimson, and a heavy sensation emanated from it.
This was the Trait Secret Technique: One Element Heavy Blood!
'So, the so-called Traits of top-tier Cultivation Techniques are actually Secret Techniques developed based on the unique aspects of each technique.'
'One Element means heaviness.'
By compressing a large amount of Qi Blood into a specific body part in a very short time, and then meticulously distributing and circulating it to prevent self-injury, one could increase the weight of that part and also boost its defense to a certain degree.
Chen Nuo had already thought of several uses for this Trait Secret Technique.
'It's a shame this Trait Secret Technique can only be used on a single body part at a time. If I could use it all over, it would be a natural Thousand-Pound Weight and Iron Cloth Shirt rolled into one.'
Chen Nuo shook his head. He should be content. No one else could achieve such success overnight.
'This is the beauty of having a cheat system.'
'Now that I have this strength, I can be a little less restrained in my actions.'
Chen Nuo's gaze instinctively fell upon the logs in his room, which were covered in flat mushrooms.
...
The flat mushrooms were a crucial resource for both cultivation and food.
Chen Nuo had been keeping a close eye on them these past few days.
He had already discovered that these second-generation flat mushrooms had no spores, meaning they couldn't reproduce, and they could only be harvested a maximum of three times.
The first harvest took only a day, but the second required seven days. The third and final harvest also took seven days, after which the entire log would rot into dust.
Even so, this growth rate was absurd. In nature, it would typically take three to four months.
The only pity was that it couldn't be propagated. But on second thought, if it truly could be, a treasure like this would not be something Chen Manor could hope to protect.
After some thought, Chen Nuo went to find Sister La and his mother, who were cooking.
"Mother, I'm planning to invite Grand-uncle over for a meal soon."
"Alright, leave it to your mother. I guarantee it will be delicious."
Because he had become the Clan Leader.
He could now requisition certain supplies, such as eggs or the cured meat turned in by the Hunters.
Of course, the Clan Leader couldn't just take whatever he wanted. A small amount was fine, but if he took too much, his grand-uncle or some of the other elders would inquire about its use.
Moreover.
Power and responsibility followed each other like a shadow.
The moment his actions incurred the wrath of the heavens and the resentment of the people would be the moment he was overthrown.
Chen Nuo stepped out of the room.
Just as he was about to leave.
Sister La caught up to him and stuffed two boiled eggs into his hands.
Chen Nuo asked, "What about you and Mother?"
"Don't worry, we have some too. This isn't like back when we had no grain. Go on, eat yours."
Sister La said, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, then."
Chen Nuo walked out of the courtyard.
Sister La rubbed her hands together, went back inside, and ate an egg with their mother.
...
At noon, Chen Nuo sat with his grand-uncle.
His mother and Sister La ate in the inner room.
On the table were two small cups of yellow wine, a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables and eggs, a plate of diced cured meat, a plate of wild vegetables drizzled with vinegar, a string of cured sausages, and a plate of stir-fried flat mushrooms.
Under the circumstances, this was a lavish feast.
At the very least, there was meat and wine.
The old man and Chen Nuo chatted as they ate.
Eventually, the conversation turned to the topic of grain.
"Grand-uncle, I have some results regarding the flat mushrooms."
"Oh? And?" his grand-uncle asked, looking at Chen Nuo nervously.
"At first, it was one harvest per day... But ultimately, they have no spores."
His grand-uncle's expression shifted with every word from Chen Nuo, moving from joy, to worry, and finally to a mixture of relief and disappointment.
Once he collected himself, the grand-uncle understood the purpose of Chen Nuo's meal.
"Don't worry. If there are no spores, we can keep this secret. There are only three harvests in total. Even if word gets out, the Government Office will just dismiss the person as hysterical."
"So, do whatever you want to do, and do it boldly. Your grand-uncle supports you."
Chen Nuo smiled and nodded.
This was exactly what he had intended. First, to have the old man vet his plans. Second, to gain his support. And third, he actually wanted to help the old man improve his health as much as possible.
Chen Nuo glanced at the dish stir-fried with the first-generation flat mushrooms.
Of course.
He wasn't yet prepared to make any major changes to the Clan—things like reapportioning clan lands, rebuilding the clan school, revising the clan rules and laws, or supporting clansmen to pursue business, martial arts, or scholarly studies were all still unrealistic.
You have to eat a meal one bite at a time. These were all things to be done after they became prosperous. For now, he had to solve the immediate food crisis.