That was only his pure physical strength. If he paired it with the Blood Qi True Flame inside him, Lin Chen guaranteed the other person wouldn't even have a scrap left. That was how domineering the Blood Qi True Flame was!
The surging blood qi washed over him, essentially cleansing his body and marrow. The process expelled impurities, but the Blood Qi True Flame burned them all away, leaving not a trace on Lin Chen.
The improvement in his physical condition didn't just strengthen his muscles; it also enhanced his defense, eyesight, hearing, and more. The improvement was comprehensive.
"Origin: 100"
"Martial arts available for enhancement: Phoenix Undying Body, First Stage (0/9)"
Looking at the rudimentary system panel, Lin Chen was extraordinarily excited. This was the foundation that would let him establish himself in this world!
"I need to enhance it nine more times before I can condense a second Blood Qi True Flame?"
Lin Chen gave it a try, but the system told him he didn't have enough Origin to enhance it. Clearly, a hundred points of Origin weren't enough to further enhance the Phoenix Undying Body.
"I have to get more Origin as soon as possible!"
Lin Chen's expression turned serious. If the system was his foundation, then Origin was the basis of his strength—and the only resource he needed!
"Mutated Creatures!"
Lin Chen thought of the Mutated Rat he'd killed last night. It was currently his best way to obtain Origin. Perhaps there were other Mutated Creatures near the places where Mutated Rats appeared.
Huh?
Just as Lin Chen was about to leave and look for Mutated Creatures, a series of heavy pants, accompanied by faint moans, came from the bushes in the woods not far away.
"Damn, this early in the morning? Just how starved must they be to be getting hot and heavy out here?"
He'd never eaten pork, but he'd seen pigs run. Watching the bushes sway, Lin Chen felt a chill of revulsion. Heightened senses weren't always a good thing; at least right now, he was so embarrassed he didn't dare linger another moment.
Just as Lin Chen turned and started to hurry away, a strong stench of blood wafted from the bushes. If his senses hadn't improved, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.
"Something's wrong!"
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. No matter how hot and heavy things got, there was no way there'd be such a strong smell of blood. He immediately headed toward the bushes.
He skirted the bushes, and two figures locked in an embrace on the ground came into view. The slender figure in skimpy clothes was sprawled on top of the other, clutching the person's head and gnawing away.
"You really are chewing on him! How much do you have to love someone to sink your teeth in like that?"
Looking at the figure underneath, who was missing half his head, with a pool of red and white around him, Lin Chen couldn't help feeling sick. She really was chewing on him—his head was almost gone!
Just then, the woman on top turned to look at Lin Chen. Her mouth was half-open, split into four parts and lined with spikes, and it was covered in blood. The spiked tongue inside wriggled slightly.
"Monster! I knew you weren't human!"
Lin Chen shouted coldly, but then he froze. Looking at the woman's strangely familiar face, he cried out, "Damn, you're Hu Xiaoling!"
Hu Xiaoling, Fatty's crush!
Lin Chen had wondered before why Hu Xiaoling had taken a liking to that Fatty before graduation. He'd even said that aside from all his extra weight, Fatty didn't have much going for him. Now it seemed Hu Xiaoling really had her eye on all that meat!
"Good thing Fatty knew enough to shower before his date with a girl and spruce himself up a bit. Otherwise, that corpse on the ground might've been him!"
Looking at the body on the ground, Lin Chen wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved for Fatty. The guy had pursued Hu Xiaoling for years, and clearly didn't want to show up to his date with her looking sloppy. Otherwise...
While Lin Chen was reflecting on it, Hu Xiaoling moved. She crouched on all fours and charged at him like a leopard.
"Monster, behold my mighty—ugh, no... behold my Blood Qi True Flame!"
As Hu Xiaoling charged, Lin Chen immediately activated the Blood Qi True Flame in his dantian. In an instant, a ball of crimson-gold flame enveloped his fist as he smashed it toward her.
Boom!
His fist came down with a dull thud, and Hu Xiaoling was swallowed by the Blood Qi True Flame. A moment later, she burst apart and vanished right before Lin Chen's eyes.
"So weak?"
Looking at the spot where Hu Xiaoling had vanished without leaving so much as a hair behind, Lin Chen was clearly stunned. He'd thought she'd at least be stronger than last night's Mutated Rat, but was that it?
One punch, and she turned to ash?
"Slain Mutated Creature Hu Xiaoling. Origin +100"
"Slain First-Order Mutated Creature Blood-Devouring Worm. Origin +500"
"Origin: 700"
"Martial arts available for enhancement: Phoenix Undying Body, First Stage (0/9)"
"Huh?"
Lin Chen blinked. He'd clearly only killed Hu Xiaoling, yet he'd received two kill notifications: one for Hu Xiaoling and one for the Blood-Devouring Worm.
"Was she mutated after being parasitized?"
Lin Chen recalled what Hu Xiaoling had looked like earlier, and a guess took shape in his mind. She'd most likely been mutated after a Blood-Devouring Worm parasitized her. How else could an ordinary person end up looking like that?
"Lonely as snow!"
Lin Chen sighed. The Blood Qi True Flame was damn useful. His enemies didn't even leave a scrap behind, so he didn't have to worry about the sight of blood and gore making him sick.
After all, in either of his two lives, Lin Chen had never truly witnessed a scene of blood and gore. The corpse with half a head on the ground had almost made him throw up just now.
"The Blood Qi True Flame really is the essential martial art for killing people—no, for vanquishing demons and monsters!"
Lin Chen took a deep breath and headed for the Mutated Rat's location. He hadn't forgotten that he needed to obtain Origin to keep enhancing his strength.
But after arriving at the spot where the Mutated Rat had been last night and searching all around, he found nothing. And Lin Chen's five senses were far sharper now than they'd been last night.
"The authorities probably cleared the area nearby already. There might still be stragglers like Hu Xiaoling, but they won't be easy to find."
Lin Chen sighed inwardly. Searching aimlessly was unlikely to get him anywhere, so he had no choice but to head back to the dorm first.
As soon as he entered the dorm, a strong scent of cologne hit him. Fatty had showered and changed into a fresh set of clothes, and was spraying himself with cologne.
"Fatty, is all that really necessary?"
Lin Chen stared at him speechlessly. The cologne that had been gathering dust for over three years was finally getting used today.
"You don't get it!"
Fatty shot Lin Chen a look, then popped two pieces of gum into his mouth and started chewing. "Your bro won't be coming back tonight."
"Fatty, actually..."
"Hm?"
Feeling Fatty's gaze on him, Lin Chen hesitated. "Hope you have a great date. May guns and cannons roar all night!"
"Damn right they will!"
Fatty laughed heartily and strode out of the dorm.
Lin Chen had originally planned to warn Fatty that the date was off. After all, Hu Xiaoling was dead, so what was the point of going on a date?
But seeing how full of anticipation Fatty looked, and how carefully he'd prepared for the date, Lin Chen couldn't bring himself to spoil things for him. Besides, Hu Xiaoling was already dead. The worst that could happen was that Fatty got stood up; he wasn't in any danger.
Lin Chen took a sip of water and was about to search online for information about Mutated Creatures when a knock came at the door.
"Fatty Shen, did you forget...?"
Lin Chen thought Fatty had come back, but when he opened the door, he saw a Square-Face Man and a young man standing outside the dorm. A murderous aura hung around them.
They were clearly no ordinary people!
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