âItâs not just strength. This enhancement seems to be a comprehensive improvement to my physique.â
Hu Qi looked down at his palm.
The lines of his palm were clearly visible under the light. Even after being scraped by shards of broken glass, they were completely unharmed.
Moreover, the difference between using his Qi Blood Power and not was like night and day.
The effects were astounding whenever he used his Qi Blood Power.
Although he didnât have a Force Tester to check, he estimated his strength had more than doubled.
His strength had originally been over five hundred kilograms. Now that it had more than doubled, he felt like he could punch right through the wall in front of him.
This wasnât just a feeling. If the bones and skin of his arm were tough enough, he really could punch through a wall made of ordinary bricks or lightweight materials.
But he definitely wouldnât be able to do it to a specially reinforced wall, one built with high-strength materials, or one that was exceptionally thick.
Hu Qi looked at the wall, considered it, but decided against trying.
âItâs late. Iâd better not disturb the neighbors.â
âBesides, Iâd probably have to pay for it if I broke it...â
âAnd I have no idea how much that would cost.â
He shook his head. The thought had only flickered through his mind for an instant before he dismissed it.
With a thought, Hu Qi summoned the Crimson panel.
[User: Hu Qi]
[Status: Normal]
[Age: 21]
[Skill: Snake Form Posture (Third Layer)]
[Mixed Martial Arts (Perfection)]
...
[Modification Point: 1 (98%)]
He originally had seven Modification Points, but after raising Snake Form Posture to the Third Layer, only one remained.
That meant it cost two Modification Points to advance each layer.
This cost was a significant increase compared to ordinary Fighting Techniques, which only took one or two Modification Points to raise to the Perfection level.
However, considering this was a Dharma Gate capable of breaking the bodyâs limits, it was naturally beyond comparison to ordinary Fighting Techniques.
As he was thinking this, Hu Qi took a step, but his legs suddenly gave out. He staggered, nearly collapsing to his knees.
The color drained from Hu Qiâs face. He felt overwhelmingly powerful, yet at the same time, utterly weak, as if his body had been squeezed dry.
He immediately understood why. It must have been from raising his Snake Form Posture to the Third Layer all at once, which had condensed too much Qi Blood Power.
The importance of Qi and Blood to the human body was self-evident. Consuming and concentrating such a massive amount of Qi Blood Power was bound to leave his body in a state of deficit.
Fortunately, his body was robust enough, and he still had his original Dragon Spirit and Tiger Fierce Trait. This so-called deficit was only temporary.
He circulated his Qi and Blood twice through his body with his mind. The feeling of weakness gradually subsided. After resting for a moment, he recovered.
Hu Qi braced himself against the wall and managed to stand up straight.
âLooks like I canât upgrade so much at once next time unless itâs absolutely necessary.â
Previously, as his physique had grown stronger, the strain on his body from modifying other Fighting Techniques had lessened to the point that he eventually felt nothing at all.
Which was why he had nearly forgotten about it.
At this thought, he got up, walked to the window, and took out a milk chocolate bar he had bought from the canteen. He tore open the plastic wrapper and popped a piece into his mouth.
Instantly, a milky flavor and a faint sweetness spread across his tongue.
...
ăTwo days passed in a flash.ă
As far as Hu Qi was concerned, life at Anshan Academyâalso known as the Shexin Sectâwasnât much different from his university days in his past life.
In fact, it was even more comfortable.
At least he didnât have to share a dorm room with four or five other people.
Besides, room and board were covered, and he even got a stipend at the end of the month.
He didnât have to worry about other matters, nor did he have to fear being ambushed by Black Blood Species lurking in the shadows.
The only imperfect part was, perhaps, the lack of Exotic Beasts.
His only source of Modification Points was the Camphor Tea Duck, but the little guy seemed to be slacking off lately. It hadnât laid an egg in two days, preventing him from making any upgrades.
To remedy this, Hu Qi bought it supplements like dried fish, vitamins, and fresh grass. When he was free, he even took it out for walks, creating a peculiar sight on campus.
It wasnât that other students didnât have pets. The Shexin Sect had no rules against it.
It was just that most people raised cats or hamsters.
After all, people who kept an animal bred for food as a pet were extremely rare.
During this time, the Camphor Tea Duckâs unusual appearance even drew crowds of female students who would gather to take pictures.
But even so, the Camphor Tea Duckâs condition hadnât improved much.
âDonât tell me egg-laying is seasonal?â
Hu Qi recalled reading online that regular ducks tend to lay more eggs in the spring and autumn.
For now, he didnât have any better ideas. âItâs a shame. Youâd think an Exotic Beast would be more special, maybe lay five or six eggs at once.â
Of course, Hu Qi knew that was impossible.
In the nearly one month heâd had the Camphor Tea Duck, the most it had ever laid at one time was just two eggs.
...
"Hm? What did you just say? Youâve developed Qi Blood Power?"
Wang Luoâs expression changed dramatically. He stared at Hu Qi and shot up from his stool.
"Thatâs right."
Hu Qi nodded.
It had now been four days since he had first condensed his Qi and Blood, and seven days since he was first taught the Snake Form Posture.
Hu Qi figured it was about time, so he had come to find Wang Luo.
As he spoke, he raised his palm and channeled about one-fifth of his Qi Blood Powerâroughly the amount equivalent to the First Layer of the Snake Form Posture.
Instantly, his arm swelled slightly and his skin flushed red.
"Well, Iâll be damned!"
Wang Luoâs expression shifted, a look of utter disbelief on his face.
As an instructor, he naturally had a discerning eye.
He could tell at a glance that Hu Qi had reached the First Layer of the Snake Form Posture, where his Qi and Blood was self-generatingâthe sign of having achieved the Qi Blood First Transformation.
And how long had it been? Just seven days.
"Youâre full of surprises!"
Wang Luo spoke again, staring at Hu Qi as if he were examining some kind of monster. His expression was incredibly complex.
On top of that, the thought of losing another bet to that punk Lin Tong soured his mood completely.
"It was just a fluke. If Second Senior Sister hadnât given me a bottle of Snow Snake Ointment, I couldnât have developed Qi Blood Power so quickly," Hu Qi said with a smile.
At his words, Wang Luoâs expression flickered.
"I see. But even if the effects of Snow Snake Ointment far surpass those of Spiritual Snake Ointment, itâs ultimately just an aid for a Secret Martial Artist.
If your physique isnât strong enough, itâs impossible to break through in just seven days by relying on it alone."
The greatest effect of Snow Snake Ointment was to accelerate the circulation of a Secret Martial Artistâs Qi Blood Power, and it was typically used when breaking through a bottleneck.
It couldnât directly generate Qi and Blood.
Hu Qi was, of course, aware of this.
After all, he had already felt the hot spots formed by his Qi Blood Power before; he just hadnât been able to control them effectively.
The Snow Snake Ointment had merely helped him quickly master the Entry-Level of the Snake Form Posture.
Therefore, even without the ointmentâs help, mastering the basics of the Snake Form Posture was only a matter of time.