Dimensional Storekeeper

Chapter 196: He Wasn’t Built Different, He Was Built to Suffer

Hao gave each of them a nod, and prepared himself.

He closed his eyes. Inhaled once, slow and deep.

Then began the adjustments.

Kurome’s advice came first.

He shifted his weight and gently realigned his lower spine. No big movement, just a tilt of the hips and a small tuck of the tailbone.

His center of gravity settled better. His stance no longer wobbled.

It felt as if a loose puzzle piece had finally snapped into place.

Mo Xixi’s tip came next.

He relaxed the tension in his left leg. The one that had been too stiff before. Bent the knee just enough. Now both legs could work in harmony.

No more awkward dipping midair.

He gave a light bounce in place.

Way smoother.

Then Tian Lu’s quiet correction.

He focused inward. Guided his solar qi from his dantian through his core, flowing cleanly up to his shoulders. No pauses.

No hesitations. Just a smooth, uninterrupted path.

The moment it flowed properly, he felt it roar inside him, unshaken and wild, a blaze sprinting forward no matter the wind screaming against it.

His limbs tingled with the pressure building.

Controlled. Stable.

Finally, Yan Zhi’s unexpected but helpful pointer.

He angled his head just a little to the right. Just a small tilt.

Weird? Yes.

But now he could see better while turning. His vision no longer spun into blur. He could imagine seeing an enemy’s strike coming even while flipping midair.

With that, Hao continued his training.

One movement at a time.

It wasn’t perfect.

But by the time the faint glow of morning crept into the edges of Sovereign CIty, Hao had already run through Seven Core Movements of Burning Drive Art.

Seven.

Not flawless, but solid. Functional. Ready to use in battle.

That was a big step up – and he knew it wasn’t just his own effort.

It was thanks to the sharp advice from the four standing nearby.

Each of them had their own edge. Their own insights. Their own strengths.

Without them? He probably would’ve been spinning in midair, upside-down, with both palms fried.

And maybe a bruised forehead.

But now?

Now he could move.

Not just in bursts, but with intention.

And the best part?

It was genuinely exciting.

The kind of joy that came from discovering something with others right there beside you.

That time in class when a friend leaned over and showed you the secret to cracking a tough math problem.

Or those chaotic afternoons when you and your childhood crew kept trying to land a backflip – then finally did, shouting louder than necessary.

That rare kind of shared spark.

The kind that stays with you long after.

It wasn’t just Hao who had fun. The four of them enjoyed it in their own quiet way too.

Even though they were mostly giving advice, something about the whole thing felt different.

There were moments when Hao seemed just like any other person – easy to approach, someone you could talk to without worry.

But there were also times when he didn’t feel ordinary at all.

He gave off something more. As if he stood above the heavens, brushing against something even higher.

Yet tonight, he stayed grounded.

Not completely the same as them, no – but closer than ever.

And maybe… closer to each other too.

Each comment they gave, each small observation?

It wasn’t just useful for Hao.

Some of the things they said made them pause and think.

Could this work in one of their own moves?

Would this adjustment fix something they hadn’t noticed before?

They weren’t just helping. They were growing alongside him!

But not everywhere shared that kind of night.

Far from the Dimensional Convenience Store, yet still within the borders of Sovereign City…

A dull clang echoed through the quarry.

Then a groan.

Not from the earth – but from a skinny man buried waist-deep in gravel, flailing with a shovel too big for his hands.

“Twenty more before the bell, Sissy.”

The shout came from a towering man whose beard looked like it could kill mosquitoes on contact.

Grunts, curses, and the scrape of stone against metal filled the camp air.

Dozens of laborers moved in rhythm, all wearing identical brown uniforms, rope belts, and reinforced iron collars that dulled any trace of spiritual qi.

No one here could channel energy.

No techniques. No tricks.

Only sweat and strain.

Qin Zhu – once the self-declared “Nightmare of Sovereign City” – was now just another collar-wearing convict in Labor Camp #7.

A scuffed tag hung from his neck.

Property of Labor Camp #7: Handle With Low Expectations

Nobody called him “Nightmare” anymore.

Just “Sissy Qin.”

“Think your hands are tired? Try digging with one arm.” someone jeered, tossing a pebble at his head.

More laughter followed. Qin Zhu’s scowl deepened, but he didn’t dare talk back. The last time he did, they used his mop bucket as a spittoon for three days.

He tried to lift another rock. It rolled out of his hands, flattening his foot. He howled.

Somewhere nearby, a rat squeaked.

Even it sounded disappointed.

His shovel was taken. Another worker handed him a smaller one, meant for children.

A crooked smile. “Might match your strength better.”

Qin Zhu didn’t respond. Just lowered his head and kept digging.

His skin was blistered. Knees bruised. Nails cracked.

At night, he curled on a straw mat beside the latrine. The biscuits were hard. The soup was mostly water.

But worst of all – no one cared who he used to be.

That part was over.

Long ago, after his failed robbery attempt at the Dimensional Convenience Store, he had been unceremoniously dumped on Sovereign City’s border.

Xiao Lianfeng, still dressed in clean white, handed him off directly to the city’s officials.

He spoke only once.

“Criminal. Check the records. Send him where he belongs.”

Then Xiao Lianfeng made sure they knew exactly who he was: a Core Disciple of the Drifting Sword Sect.

Not a threat. Just a fact.

The officials nodded. Tense. Serious.

They processed Qin Zhu within the hour.

Turns out he had quite the file.

Petty crimes. Large crimes. Even one involving a stolen statue he tried to sell back to a temple.

Within a day?

Assigned to Labor Camp #7.

No trial. No delay.

No one here knew what a “Nightmare” was.

They only knew he had soft hands, a loud mouth, and the stamina of a damp leaf.

Source: .com, updated by novlove.com

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!