Skill: "Wind Element Body Tempering Technique" (Level 1)—Constitution slightly increased, agility slightly increased. This skill's maximum level is 4.
Seeing this, Zhou Zhe understood.
Only extraordinary abilities would earn the notebook's recognition and be recorded within it.
After cultivating the "Wind Element Body Tempering Technique" to Level 1, Zhou Zhe felt utterly at ease and refreshed, as though his entire body had become much lighter.
"'Slightly' increased agility and 'slightly' increased constitution? It feels like the Golden Finger's standards are a bit too high..."
"If I relied purely on traditional training methods, even with the most scientific plan, sufficient nutrition, excellent inherited genes, and five years of persistent exercise, I probably still couldn't reach this level, right?"
Just as Zhou Zhe intended to strike while the iron was hot and push the Wind Element Body Tempering Technique to a higher level in one go, his expression suddenly changed.
A ball of flame seemed to rise within his stomach.
Hunger!
An intense hunger surged forth like madness!
Every cell seemed to be crying out, craving more energy intake!
Although the god who had appeared from nowhere had altered some of the world's rules, He had not tampered with the law of conservation of matter and energy.
For the body to grow stronger, it inevitably had to consume energy and nutrients! The power of the Wind Element alone was not enough!
Zhou Zhe temporarily stopped cultivating and hurried toward the dining hall.
This place was similar to a buffet, except every kind of food was of an exceptionally high grade. Many were delicacies Zhou Zhe had heard of but never tasted before.
But now, the hunger-fire burning in his belly was nearly driving him out of his mind. He had no time to chew carefully and savor the flavors.
Galactic ramen, Huaxia steamed shumai, black chicken stewed with ginseng, blood bird's nest, platinum fried rice, double-headed abalone braised in SAXI sauce, French pan-seared foie gras, special Benedict eggs...
He stuffed them into his mouth in huge mouthfuls.
The food was chewed and swallowed into his stomach, turning into energy and nutrients as it rapidly began repairing his body.
Cells starved of nutrition received a replenishment of energy and seemed to let out joyous cheers.
Zhou Zhe stretched lazily, and every limb and bone felt incomparably comfortable.
After consuming a large amount of high-quality food and making up for his malnutrition, he felt reborn.
He quickly returned to his personal training room, preparing to continue cultivating.
The manual for the "Wind Element Body Tempering Technique" recorded that its highest realm was the fourth level.
Zhou Zhe had only just begun and completed the first level of cultivation, yet he could already clearly feel the changes and improvements in his body. If he cultivated it to the fourth level, what kind of height would he reach?
The limits of the human body? The standard of an Olympic gold medalist across multiple disciplines?
Or perhaps...
Surpassing human limits and reaching the realm of a superhuman?!
At that moment, the Black Sword Shield Brand on the back of Zhou Zhe's hand suddenly began to grow hot.
A moment later, a phantom abruptly emerged before his eyes.
The phantom stood three meters tall, with horns atop its head and scales covering its entire body. Its eyes were scarlet as blood, while the teeth in its mouth were like daggers—sharp and pointed, gleaming with a cold light.
Though it was clearly only a phantom, it gave off a distinct sense of oppression.
Looking at the phantom, Zhou Zhe could not help thinking of the demons of legend.
As a human who had lived in peaceful times, Zhou Zhe instinctively wanted to step back.
But he quickly realized that the phantom before him was very likely the opponent he would face several days from now, so he forced himself to stand firm.
"Weak, lowly human, are you my opponent?"
A cruel smile surfaced on the demon-like alien's face. He teasingly looked Zhou Zhe up and down for quite some time before chuckling. "I am Roxstar, from Sigma Star."
"Your eyes are not bad."
"So, I will leave nineteen 'medals' upon your body, then grant you the honor of assimilation."
The language Roxstar spoke was certainly not Mandarin, but some sort of alien tongue.
Yet Zhou Zhe knew that, as a Cosmic Gladiator branded by a god, he could understand any language and communicate without barriers with any kind of lifeform in the entire universe.
The "medals" Roxstar spoke of referred to wounds.
In his eyes, Zhou Zhe was merely a lamb awaiting slaughter.
Zhou Zhe looked at him expressionlessly, refusing to show any weakness.
The "alien demon" speaking to him now was his mortal enemy.
Within the Cosmic Arena created by the god, between opposing combatants, it was either your death or mine. There was not the slightest possibility of a draw. It was even less humane than the ancient Roman arenas! In His eyes, all intelligent life was nothing more than a toy!
The "honor of assimilation" Roxstar mentioned referred to a bloody custom on Sigma Star—after killing an enemy, they would devour the other party's corpse.
Their ancestors had done so because they superstitiously believed it would allow them to obtain the greatest possible amount of nutrients and power from their enemies, making themselves stronger.
Later, although Sigma Star's technology advanced, its people did not cast aside superstition. Many vile customs were passed down, including the "honor of assimilation."
During several previous global broadcasts, Zhou Zhe had seen unlucky Earth contestants being eaten alive and skinned alive by Sigmaians. The scenes were horrifying and nauseating.
Zhou Zhe stared directly into the other party's eyes and said with undisguised disgust, "Shut up! Scum!"
He felt heartfelt revulsion toward these alien mongrels who had clearly entered the interstellar age yet still insisted on behaving like cannibal savages.
He could not summon even the slightest respect for such a civilization or culture!
Refined and amiable?
Kind to others?
There was no need for that!
Between the two of them, it was either your death or mine. There was no third possibility.
"What?"
Roxstar was initially somewhat stunned. When he came to his senses, he flew into a rage. "You dare insult me?! You lowly, vile, weak inferior Earth Human!"
"A lowly species that originally did not even qualify to enter the Cosmic Arena—who gave you the courage to offend the great Roxstar?!"
He had never imagined that Earth Humans, renowned for their weakness and cowardice, could possess such a fierce side.
Zhou Zhe's insults were perfectly converted by the Black Sword Shield Brand into Sigma Star's language, and were even refined to perfectly satisfy the three principles of translation—faithfulness, elegance, and fluency.
The gap between expectation and reality filled Roxstar with intense fury.
"Who gave me the courage?"
Zhou Zhe pondered for a moment, then hurled a long string of names straight at him like a storm beating down upon his head. "Pangu, Nuwa, Fuxi, Suiren, Shennong, Yan Emperor, Yellow Emperor, Yao, Shun, Yu, Zhurong, Gonggong, Xingtian, Chiyou, Kuafu, Hou Yi, Jingwei."
"Jiang Ziya, Guan Zhong, Li Er, Confucius, Zhuang Zhou, Shang Yang, Ying Zheng, Mencius, Zhu Yuanzhang, Wang Shouren, Zhang Juzheng, Yuan Nongping, Deng Jiaxian."
Looking at the Sigmaian who seemed to have shut down, Zhou Zhe said expressionlessly, "Now you know."
"Besides..."
"Could a lump of scrap like you, who can't even deliver a proper threat, give me a reason not to curse you?"
Zhou Zhe raised an eyebrow. "And besides, what's wrong with Earth Humans?"
At this point, he fixed his cold eyes upon the alien calling himself Roxstar. Rather than retreating, he advanced, saying in a refined and amiable tone, "I am an Earth Human, and even more so, the guide who will lead your parents down the Yellow Springs!"
Though his heart pounded wildly, he still forced himself to take two steps forward. Facing the projection, he said, "After I kill you, your corpse will be cut into more than a hundred pieces."
"Our scientists will thoroughly study your corpse and unravel the secrets of your race."
"Your corpse will become fertilizer and provisions for Huaxia civilization to ascend to a higher level!"
Roxstar instantly flew into a rage. "Damn blasphemer, this is unforgivable blasphemy! Seven days from now, I will chop you into eight pieces, you—"
Before he could finish, Zhou Zhe took the initiative to cut off the connection and directly added him to the blacklist.
The Black Sword Shield tattoo on the back of his hand was a brand left behind by the god. The instant it appeared, Zhou Zhe had already known all the permissions and operating methods currently available to him.
For now, the only person Zhou Zhe could contact through the brand was Roxstar from Sigma Star—his next opponent.
Using pre-match harassment to disrupt an opponent's composure, driving an opponent to abandon himself in despair or lose reason in rage—these were all methods permitted by the god.
Even if Roxstar had not contacted him, Zhou Zhe would have taken the initiative to disturb his mind.
However, Zhang Miaoran's Swift Wind Pavilion membership card, coupled with the Golden Finger that had suddenly appeared, had caused Zhou Zhe to revise his plans.
After all, underhanded tricks outside the arena were insignificant little ploys. One's own strength was the foundation of everything.
When he could crush his opponent to death with sheer strength, why bother with so many flashy tricks?
After forcibly ending the communication, Zhou Zhe clenched his hand and discovered that his palm was covered in cold sweat.
Even his back had been soaked through with sweat.
After the conversation ended, Zhou Zhe's entire body began trembling uncontrollably.
It was like an instinct of the body, something he simply could not suppress!
Though he had appeared so brave and fearless before, even reckless, all of it had been something he forced himself to do after thinking it through.
How could an ordinary human living in a peaceful era stand before a ferocious three-meter-tall alien—an alien steeped in slaughter and shouting that he would eat him—and not feel even a little fear?!
Of course Zhou Zhe was afraid!
But more than that, Zhou Zhe feared the ugly sight of himself shrinking back in cowardice.
Zhou Zhe had always liked a saying—treat friends with the warmth of a spring breeze; treat enemies with the cold ruthlessness of a bitter wind.
If he were cruel inwardly yet tolerant outwardly...
Wouldn't that make him someone like his father, Zhou Yulin?
No matter when it was, he absolutely refused to become that kind of person!
Absolutely not!
Shaking his head, Zhou Zhe suppressed his chaotic thoughts.
He silently sat cross-legged on the floor and began cultivating according to the method of the "Wind Element Body Tempering Technique."
The Self-Configuration under the talent section of the mysterious notebook was rather baffling, but Zhou Zhe would soon realize just how powerful Absolute Comprehension truly was...
Burning Cold Light muttered quietly: A three-thousand-word mid-length chapter—I'm seriously generous! The second chapter is already finished and being revised. I'll upload it once the revisions are done!
Meanwhile, the refined and amiable Mr. Zhou had prepared himself to unleash a stream of fragrant profanity. Rubbing his fists and flexing his palms, he volunteered to enter the battle: Where are the votes? Where the hell are my glorious Huaxia votes?!
Before you continue