[Absorbable energy detected. Absorb?]
As soon as he opened the glass bottle, the system prompt appeared. But Lu Lin didn't absorb the energy right away. Instead, he took a Level 2 Monster Core from the bottle and let the system absorb it.
In an instant, Lu Lin's Simplification Points increased by 8.
"Hm?"
Lu Lin furrowed his brows. The result didn't seem to match his expectations. He'd thought a Level 1 Monster Core would provide one Simplification Point, so it would've made sense for a Level 2 Monster Core to provide five or ten. But getting eight left him baffled.
He'd have to try again.
"Absorb."
This time, his Simplification Points increased by only 6.
The third Monster Core added 9 points.
The fourth added 8.
The fifth added 9.
The sixth through tenth each added 7.
The eleventh added 6, and the twelfth added 10.
After tallying them up, Lu Lin had gained a total of 98 Simplification Points, bringing his total to 114.
After this round of testing, Lu Lin noticed a pattern: the shinier a Monster Core's surface, the more Simplification Points it could provide. The one that had provided 10 points had a smooth exterior, as if it had been specially polished.
But Lu Lin knew no one would waste their time polishing Monster Cores.
It was probably because they'd been buried underground for different lengths of time. The energy inside them had degraded to varying degrees. A Level 2 Monster Core could theoretically provide 10 Simplification Points, but those with insufficient energy could only provide 6 to 9.
If that was true of Level 2 Monster Cores, the difference would be even more pronounced with Level 1 ones.
[Points: 114.4]
[Points: 114.9]
These Level 1 Monster Cores had been buried underground for who knew how long, and each one provided only a fraction of a Simplification Point. Lu Lin couldn't be bothered to test them one by one, so he simply absorbed the entire bottle—nearly two hundred cores—all at once.
[Points: 205.7]
Seeing his points finally surpass 200, Lu Lin felt some of the tension leave him.
He'd been worried he wouldn't have enough points to simplify Mad Ox Strength Fist and would have to ask his dad for that Level 3 Monster Core.
His dad had only found one Level 3 Monster Core in more than twenty years of work. He regarded it as a lucky charm and always kept it close. Unless absolutely necessary, Lu Lin didn't want to take something so precious from him.
[Master: Lu Lin]
[Level: Advanced Martial Trainee]
[Techniques: Golden Bell Shield (simplified), Fourth Layer (57/10000); Mad Ox Strength Fist (can be simplified), Second Layer]
[Points: 205.7]
Seeing the words "can be simplified" light up again beside Mad Ox Strength Fist, Lu Lin simplified it without hesitation.
[Mad Ox Strength Fist simplified. Please check, Master.]
Just as it had with Golden Bell Shield, the system soon transmitted the simplified cultivation method for Mad Ox Strength Fist into Lu Lin's mind.
But...
Wasn't this cultivation method a little too bizarre?
Mad Ox Strength Fist had thirty-six movements. All Lu Lin had to do was make a mooing sound every time he performed one while practicing.
Thirty-six movements meant he'd have to moo thirty-six times for each full set. This... this was way too embarrassing.
Still, the Simplification System was a huge help to Lu Lin. Since his bedroom door was locked, why not... try practicing?
Once the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't shake it. Lu Lin checked the lock and made sure the door was bolted.
He pushed the table and chairs aside, not caring when Lu Qi's books fell to the floor, and began practicing the fist technique.
"First form: Mad Ox Exhales."
"Moo~"
He threw a punch and imitated a cow in as low a voice as he could manage.
[1/100]
It really worked.
Then he'd keep going.
"Second form: Mad Ox Tosses Its Head."
"Moo~"
[2/100]
As Lu Lin practiced, his proficiency in Mad Ox Strength Fist kept rising. The set had thirty-six movements, so he only needed to practice it three times to advance the technique to the third layer. By then, he'd have a punch force of 1,500 kilograms.
That's right: Mad Ox Strength Fist was the legendary technique that could take someone straight to the Martial Artist realm without cultivating vitality. Each layer added at least 500 kilograms of strength.
From the first to the third layer, each added 500 kilograms.
Lu Lin had cultivated two layers, giving him a punch force of around 1,000 kilograms. The geniuses who passed the Martial Arts Examination had all cultivated Mad Ox Strength Fist to at least the middle of the third layer.
From the fourth layer through the sixth, each layer added 1,000 kilograms of strength.
From the seventh through the ninth, each successful layer added a different amount.
The seventh layer added 5,000 kilograms.
The eighth layer added 20,000 kilograms.
The ninth layer added 50,000 kilograms.
If someone managed to cultivate the ninth layer, Mad Ox Strength Fist alone would give them 79,500 kilograms of strength.
That level of strength was already close to that of a High-level Martial Master.
That was why plenty of people kept practicing Mad Ox Strength Fist even after becoming Martial Artists.
Soon, Lu Lin finished the first set. He looked at the [36/100] progress bar and nodded in satisfaction. He continued. He'd advanced Golden Bell Shield by three layers today, so he couldn't let Mad Ox Strength Fist fall behind. He had to give it his all!
Lu Lin began another round of practice in his bedroom.
Before long, he'd completed three sets. A thin sheen of sweat covered his body.
[Technique: Mad Ox Strength Fist (simplified), Third Layer (8/1000)]
Mad Ox Strength Fist had successfully advanced to the third layer, and Lu Lin's punch force had increased by 500 kilograms. He clenched his fist, felt the strength that far exceeded what he'd had before, and was overcome with excitement.
If he'd gotten the Simplification System a day earlier, he could've passed the Martial Arts Examination and entered university to study a Vitality Cultivation Method, becoming one of the chosen.
Although he was a little late now, Lu Lin didn't mind.
He might not be able to enter a top Martial Arts University to train in the future, but with the system, his dream of becoming a Martial Artist would soon come true.
The bedroom, however, was in a bit of a state. Lu Lin took a look, tidied up as best he could, and opened the door to go wash up.
Practicing Mad Ox Strength Fist in his room hadn't felt quite right. There wasn't enough space to move freely. Since he still had time, Lu Lin decided to practice some more at the residential area's fitness plaza.
If he practiced thirty more sets, he could advance Mad Ox Strength Fist to the fourth layer and gain a punch force of 2,500 kilograms. Tomorrow, he could go to the Martial Arts School and ask Li Jiangtao for a Vitality Cultivation Method.
Becoming a Martial Artist had always been Lu Lin's dream.
"Hey, bro, why are you coming out?"
The moment he opened the door, a dark shape toppled toward Lu Lin.
Lu Lin hurriedly reached out to steady Lu Qi. His younger brother had actually been eavesdropping outside while he practiced Mad Ox Strength Fist.
"It's fine. Just don't eavesdrop outside my door again."
After saying that, Lu Lin hurried into the bathroom to wash up. He greeted his parents, then quickly left.
Feng Ya Residential Area's fitness plaza.
Quite a few people of different ages and builds were already practicing here. Most were working on Mad Ox Strength Fist, while some women were practicing Spirit Snake Fist.
Watching the women practice made Lu Lin ponder.
Mad Ox Strength Fist aimed to increase a Martial Trainee's strength, but it lacked flexibility and agility. If he had enough Simplification Points, simplifying Spirit Snake Fist wouldn't be a bad idea.
But after seeing he had only 5.7 Simplification Points, Lu Lin chose to... lower his head and practice Mad Ox Strength Fist.
"Mad Ox Exhales."
"Moo."
"Mad Ox Tosses Its Head."
"Moo."
A strange scene unfolded in the fitness plaza. Everyone else practiced their moves with precise form, punctuating them with "Ha!" and "Hah!" Only Lu Lin kept mooing like an old ox.
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