Free Web NovelChapter 21: Chapter 21: Surge
A flood of chaotic, dark memories surged through his mind. They were from the snake’s first-person perspective, and almost all of them involved feeding.
From livestock to living people.
The gloomy, cold, and slimy sensory experiences made Fu Juemin intensely uncomfortable.
Fortunately, this process, which seemed to stretch on forever, only lasted for a brief moment.
Soon, Fu Juemin felt his body begin to undergo some strange changes.
—
It was as if the number of bones in his body had multiplied. Starting from his fingertips, they seemed to "split" into countless smaller, more minute bones.
His body became as soft as noodles, and he unconsciously "flowed" to the ground.
With a mere thought, Fu Juemin began to slither across the floor like a snake, a "crawling" motion that felt entirely natural.
He wasn’t using his arms or legs, yet the movement felt effortless. On the contrary, it possessed an indescribable, natural grace.
He easily climbed the wall and even the ceiling. The moment his concentration lapsed, his entire body poured down like a pool of mercury.
’What is this effect? Bone Shrinking Skill plus Wall-Climbing Skill?’
Fu Juemin walked over to the full-length mirror in the room, observing himself in this state.
Outwardly, there was nothing unusual, but he seemed to have grown a bit thinner, and his aura had taken on a faint, uncanny quality.
’After activating [Soft Bone], my body’s flexibility is raised to an unbelievable level.
It should be incredibly effective for assassinations, escapes, or dodging certain attacks...’
Fu Juemin raised his right hand, pondering.
A snake has several times more bones than a human, which was why he had become so flexible. His whole body was like a complex and precise chain-driven machine.
But what if he applied this effect to his Martial Arts?
’With so many bones generating force section by section, could he unleash a strike far more powerful than normal?’
He decided to test the idea immediately. Fu Juemin tried to use a move from Ming Fist, but every punch felt awkward, and the strikes he delivered were soft and weak.
After several attempts, he finally found a bit of a knack for generating force and threw a punch.
CRACK!
His fist actually produced a crisp crack in the air.
But before Fu Juemin could be happy, his expression suddenly changed, and he immediately deactivated the [Soft Bone] state.
"Cough, cough—"
He gave a few dry coughs, his spirits instantly flagging. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead and back, his vision swam with black spots, and he was overcome with an exhaustion so profound it felt like he hadn’t rested properly in days.
’These are the symptoms of Qi Blood depletion...’
Fu Juemin glanced at his character panel and noticed a small, downward-pointing arrow had appeared next to the number 2 of his [Life] Attribute.
’Using a Talent consumes Qi Blood, and Qi Blood is linked to the Life Attribute... Looks like I’ll have to focus on increasing my Life from now on...’
Fu Juemin walked to his desk, opened the box of old ginseng in the drawer, and stuffed a handful of ginseng roots into his mouth. He also broke off a piece of the twenty-year-old Profound Leaf Stone Tiger that Xu Shirong had sent over last time and ate it.
He couldn’t be bothered with things like medicinal properties or pharmacology. After eating, his body finally felt much better.
’I only experimented for less than ten minutes, and the toll on my body was this great. Until I can raise my Life Attribute, [Soft Bone] can only be used as a last resort...’
As Fu Juemin thought this, he felt his condition had more or less stabilized. He then decided to try adding points to some of his Martial Arts Techniques.
There wasn’t much to choose from. He had only learned three Martial Arts in total—"Mixed Element Stance," "Ming Fist," and "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill."
"Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill" came with two extra Attributes at Entry Level, was the highest-grade technique he had, and was related to his Bone Forging progress. Naturally, he would prioritize leveling it up.
He tapped the small, golden "+" sign. The words "Entry Level" next to "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill" instantly vanished.
Before Fu Juemin could react, his head felt as if it had been viciously struck by an invisible sledgehammer!
BUZZ—
In an instant, countless new memories appeared in his mind out of thin air.
They were all scenes of him arduously practicing the "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill" from morning till night, without a moment’s rest.
His understanding of the several training methods within the "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill," as well as the three combat applications derived from them, continuously deepened. freewebnovel.cσ๓
Fu Juemin’s body was also undergoing corresponding changes.
His bones made a series of crisp pops, like peeling bamboo shoots. His shoulders and back gradually grew broader and thicker, the muscles in his arms bulged and became firmer, and even calluses began to form on his hands.
The entire process lasted less than a minute. When all the memories faded, Fu Juemin awoke from his dazed state.
He was stunned to find he seemed to have grown a size sturdier. He was drenched in sweat that gave off a foul odor, and his snow-white shirt was stained with a yellowish, greasy filth.
He ripped off his shirt and, bare-chested, began practicing on the floor.
"Han Yue," "Coiling Dragon," "Stone-Smashing Technique."
The three major killing moves of the "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill" were now executed with incredible proficiency, as if he had practiced them arduously for several years.
The "Coiling Dragon" technique, in particular, was the most refined and masterful. He didn’t know if it was due to the subtle boost from his [Soft Bone] Talent or the fragmented memories he had absorbed from the Black-Scaled Snake Demon, but he had already grasped its true essence.
Looking at his character panel again, the information had now changed to—
[Fu Juemin]
[Attack - 9 | Defense - 6 | Life - 2 | Mana - 0]
[Cultivation Technique: Mixed Element Stance (Master Level: Life +1), Ming Fist (Entry Level: Attack +1), Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill (Master Level: Attack +3, Defense +3)]
[Talent: Soft Bone]
’Two more points of Attack, two more points of Defense. This single Skill Point has saved me at least several years of hard work.
Even my Bone Forging progress has been greatly shortened. In a way, this has also saved me a fortune on medicinal supplements and Medicated Baths...’
Fu Juemin was in high spirits.
The golden "+" signs were still present next to the Cultivation Techniques on his panel. After all, the Black-Scaled Snake Demon had given him two Skill Points in one go.
However, Fu Juemin didn’t plan on using the remaining point for now.
The Master Level "Eight Extremes Bone Forging Skill" was more than enough for him at the moment. It was better to save the extra Skill Point to upgrade a more powerful Martial Art in the future.
’From now on, slaying demons and purging evil is my righteous path, my true calling...’
Fu Juemin relaxed his stance and slowly walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. He stretched his limbs, familiarizing himself with his newly enhanced physique, and gazed outside, muttering to himself, "Also, it’s about time I got a new sparring partner for my Martial Dao training..."
.....
The moonlight was cold and clear. A great, black-lacquered gate, half-dissolved in the darkness, looked like a giant beast lying dormant.
Two rickshaws, one following the other, broke the silence as they approached.
Upon reaching the gate, the pullers lowered the shafts, and two figures stepped out of the rickshaws one after another. freewebnøvel.com
The man on the left was in his forties, dressed in a dark blue scholar’s robe under a black satin vest—the attire of a Master. He sported a handlebar mustache and had the look of an amiable businessman, but his eyes glinted with shrewdness.
The man on the right was a youth in his early twenties. His frame was lean and sharp, like a stalk of green bamboo tempered by fierce winds and the scorching sun.
He was very tall, which made him appear even more angular. The lines of his muscles were clean and taut, without an ounce of fat.
As soon as the young man stepped out of the rickshaw, his bright eyes fixed upon the mansion before him. He gazed at the brightly lit areas in the distant darkness, his eyes flickering from time to time as if lost in thought.
"...This time, Young Master Fu specifically requested someone from our Black Shark Gang to be his sparring partner. Cao Tian, you’re the youngest Red Stick in the gang. The Gang Leader chose you. That’s a testament to your skill, and also a stroke of luck.
But before we go in, there are a few things I need to make clear to you..."
The Master standing beside him spoke to the young man in a slow, deliberate tone.
