The True Purpose of Monster Cores, Lu Lin, Are You Normal?

"Ah? Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in. I'm sorry. I didn't see anything, and I didn't hear anything."

Liu Weiran wanted to explain, but with something like this, the more you explained, the less it helped.

Lu Lin scrambled to his feet. "Miss, Brother Ren and I were just practicing."

"Practicing?"

Liu Weiran's hands, which were covering her eyes, parted just enough for her to peek through. Seeing that Lu Lin was indeed fully dressed, she lowered her hands.

But could she really be blamed?

The two of them had been talking so suggestively, Ren Tian was bare-chested, and Lu Lin had been lying on the Arena Platform looking utterly drained. Who wouldn't get the wrong idea?

"Haha, so you're Hall Master Liu's daughter? I can't believe how grown-up you've gotten since I last saw you a few years ago. Your name is... Liu Yuran, right? I saw you at your tenth birthday party."

Ren Tian was a loyal customer of Liu's Martial Arts School, so he knew a little about Liu Weiran.

Only...

"My name is Liu Weiran. Hello, Uncle."

Liu Weiran greeted him sweetly, but that one word, "Uncle," almost broke Ren Tian.

He was only ten years older than Liu Weiran. He'd attended her birthday party because his elders had taken him along, but he and Liu Weiran were the same generation, weren't they?

"Miss, what are you doing at West City Martial Arts School?"

Lu Lin saw how awkward Ren Tian looked and stepped over to change the subject.

It's all because of you!

Liu Weiran said that to herself.

"Nothing much. I gave you a few Monster Cores yesterday, remember? How did they work?"

"They worked! They worked great!"

The moment he heard "Monster Cores," Lu Lin perked up. "Miss, do you have any more?"

"No. My dad caught me taking those Monster Cores for you yesterday and said I'm not allowed to take any more."

Liu Weiran looked a little aggrieved.

She'd even been scolded by her dad, Qinglong, over it. It was all Lu Lin's fault. Qinglong had said she was putting someone else before her own family, but she wasn't!

"Oh, Monster Cores. Lu Lin, are those useful to you? Well, you've already advanced to Martial Artist, so I suppose you know what they're for."

Ren Tian chimed in, but his words left Lu Lin puzzled.

What did advancing to Martial Artist have to do with Monster Cores?

"What? You don't know?"

Seeing Lu Lin's bewildered expression, Ren Tian realized he'd guessed wrong. "All right, I'll explain. Monster Cores' real purpose is to help Martial Artists rapidly restore their Vitality Power in a short time."

"Of course, Monster Cores can't match Blood Replenishing Pills, Blood Nourishing Pills, or Blood Generating Pills when it comes to recovery. Their advantage is speed."

"As long as a Martial Artist's meridians can withstand the violent, chaotic energy inside a Monster Core, they can quickly recover some Vitality Power. But most Martial Artists, especially those who've only just reached Martial Artist grade, shouldn't try it lightly."

"If your meridians are too fragile and the energy in the Monster Core enters the flesh and blood of your body, then you'll end up like a..."

As he spoke, Ren Tian mimed a balloon gradually swelling bigger and bigger.

"Bang! You'll turn into a beautiful firework."

"This..."

Lu Lin hadn't expected Martial Artists to use Monster Cores like that.

But if Martial Artists could use Monster Cores to rapidly restore their Vitality Power, why were they sold in the marketplace—and so cheaply, at that?

Ren Tian couldn't answer that for him. Lu Lin would have to find out for himself.

"W-wait a second."

As Ren Tian explained, Liu Weiran listened intently. Her father, Qinglong, had never told her any of this.

She was his only daughter, and he doted on her. Qinglong would never want Liu Weiran pushed to the point where she had to use a Monster Core to restore her Vitality Power.

"What is it?" Ren Tian turned to look at Liu Weiran, thinking she had a question.

"Lu Lin, didn't you only get your Vitality Cultivation Method yesterday? You're already a Martial Artist today?"

Liu Weiran was full of question marks.

She hadn't reacted when Ren Tian first said Lu Lin had advanced to Martial Artist. Now she wanted to make sure she'd heard right.

"Yeah, I advanced yesterday." Lu Lin said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He'd never considered hiding it. At this stage, he had to show Qinglong how much progress he'd made and how talented he was. If only Qinglong would invest even more in him.

Thinking of the two footwork techniques he still needed more Simplification Points to learn, Lu Lin wished a whole pile of Monster Cores would come crashing down on him right now.

"But... but... didn't you choose the Thousand Layered Breathing Technique?"

"Yeah, I did. What's wrong with that?"

What was wrong? There was plenty wrong with that.

A lot wrong!

Yesterday, at headquarters, Qinglong had told Liu Weiran which techniques Lu Lin had chosen.

Dragon Roar Golden Bell Shield and Snake Step were one thing, but the Mysterious Grade Low Rank Thousand Layered Breathing Technique and the Mysterious Grade High Rank Sky Breaking Thirteen Slashes were techniques that hundreds of people at Liu's Martial Arts School had tested and verified as practically impossible to master.

The Martial Artists within the school weren't the only ones who'd tried. Martial Artists from the official forces in Dongshan City, including the City Guard and the Wu'an Bureau, had given them a shot, along with countless young prodigies who'd trained at Liu's Martial Arts School over the years.

If anyone had kept track, these two techniques would have been attempted by at least ten thousand Martial Artists and Advanced Martial Disciples. Yet not a single one had succeeded.

Why?

Why could Lu Lin do it?

Looking at Lu Lin, Liu Weiran suddenly felt like she didn't want to talk to him anymore.

"Forget it. Pretend I didn't ask. But you should go to headquarters today and get your Vitality tested. We need to tell my dad about this as soon as possible... No, I'll call him myself."

Liu Weiran spoke so hastily she could barely string a complete sentence together. She pushed the door open and hurried into the hallway to make the call.

In the training room, Ren Tian looked at Lu Lin with curiosity.

"Lu Lin, don't tell me what you just said was true."

"You started cultivating a Vitality Cultivation Method yesterday and advanced to Martial Artist today?"

"Yeah."

"Brother Ren, what's the problem? Isn't that how it works for all Martial Artists?" Lu Lin asked innocently.

"All Martial Artists? The hell it is!"

Ren Tian suddenly shouted, "Do you think you're normal?"

"You weren't even a Martial Artist, but you could still take a blow from me, a high-level Martial Artist."

"Fine, I'll chalk that up to your great talent and your knack for cultivating defensive techniques."

"But this is a Breathing Technique! Who can cultivate a Breathing Technique without needing half a month or twenty days? Those with less talent might need several months. But you mastered it in a single day and even condensed Vitality. Tell me, Lu Lin—are you normal?"

Lu Lin gave an awkward smile. "I guess... maybe I am a little abnormal."

Ren Tian felt crushed by Lu Lin's talent. Back in his day... Ah, never mind.

He walked into the changing room alone. "All right, let's call it a day. I doubt you'll have time to spar with me after this, but don't forget about tomorrow."

"While you're still growing, let your big brother enjoy bullying a genius for once."

"Haha."

Ren Tian had barely stepped into the changing room when Liu Weiran pushed the door open and rushed in. "Lu Lin, come with me. My dad wants me to take you to headquarters."