Special Effect: Snake Form (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Two pieces of inferior Ghost Jade, totaling seven skill points.

Adding those to the remainder from before, the skill point column on the Martial Dao Panel now steadily displayed a "12".

Fang Shuwen clapped the dust off his hands and summoned the Martial Dao Panel once again.

[Name: Fang Shuwen]

[Attack: 4; Defense: 4; Vitality: 2; Spirit: 2]

[Technique: First Set of Body-Strengthening Fists (Proficient)]

[Special Effects: None]

[Skill Points: 12]

Glancing over the panel, Fang Shuwen took out the Soaring Snake Counter-Scale Copper Plate and looked at the vertical pupil on the back.

He flipped the copper plate over, and almost at that instant, a light screen popped up before his eyes.

[Fusion-compatible item detected]

[First Set of Body-Strengthening Fists (Proficient) + Exotic Soaring Snake Counter-Scale → Soaring Snake Fist (Proficient)]

[Fusion cost: 10 skill points]

[Proceed with fusion?]

Fang Shuwen's gaze lingered for a breath on the word "Proficient" following Soaring Snake Fist.

It remained at the Proficient level after fusion without losing any mastery; that was reassuring, meaning the skill points wouldn't be wasted.

Although ten skill points was a painful price, the name Soaring Snake Fist alone suggested it was far superior to common goods like the Body-Strengthening Fists.

"Fuse."

The moment the thought settled, Fang Shuwen felt as if his spine had been pierced by a red-hot iron rod.

It wasn't pain; it was searing heat.

Burning from his tailbone all the way to the back of his head, his entire spine trembled violently.

Immediately after, a more violent surge of heat exploded from his chest, rushing through his meridians like magma toward his limbs and bones.

His muscles twitched intensely, and his skeleton emitted a dense series of crisp cracks.

Not just one or two, but a continuous string, like a long strand of firecrackers set off on New Year's Eve.

His mind was in even greater turmoil.

The images of the thirty-six figures practicing the Body-Strengthening Fists were torn apart by a barbaric force, replaced by the phantom of a giant snake coiled in the void.

The snake was pitch black, its scales flowing with dark golden patterns, and a pair of vertical pupils looked down at him coldly.

The giant snake lunged at him.

But the next moment, before the snake's body could bite down, it seemed to suffer a blow from some unknown force, twisting and transforming into a set of fist techniques.

Every move and stance carried a flavor of primal ferocity.

The fists were like snake heads, the palms like snake tails; as he twisted his waist and turned his hips, his spine moved like a giant python coiling, the force exploding from the soles of his feet, traveling up the spine to the knuckles, striking in a tricky and bizarre arc.

He didn't know how much time had passed before all the images dissipated with a roar.

Fang Shuwen opened his eyes abruptly, gasping for air, drenched in sweat.

"This fusion actually allowed me to 'see' a sliver of the exotic Soaring Snake's soul!"

"I truly wonder how powerful this snake was when it was alive!"

He looked down at his own hands.

The veins on the back of his hands were slightly raised, and his knuckles seemed to have become a bit more slender.

Most noticeably, his skin was significantly fairer than before.

It looked even better than the hands of the hand models he had seen at conventions before he transmigrated.

Clenching his fist, his knuckles cracked, the sound crisper and denser than before.

But the greatest change wasn't in strength, but in his sinews and bones.

"The degree of torsion and the resilience of my sinews and bones have both improved; it almost feels inhuman!"

Fang Shuwen tried turning his head, shoulders, chest, and waist in succession.

His body was able to achieve near-inhuman angles.

It truly felt like the boneless flexibility of an exotic snake.

But anyone who underestimated this change would surely suffer a great loss.

"The range of my body's torsion has nearly doubled; by utilizing waist power this way, the explosive force should be even stronger!"

Fang Shuwen sensed it slightly and casually threw a punch.

The direction and angle were the same as his previous strikes, with no difference.

The technique for exerting force remained the same as before.

His torso twisted, and his right fist shot straight out from his waist.

The fist tip tore through the air with a crisp "crack," sharper and more piercing than when he practiced the Body Strengthening Fist.

The air itself erupted with a series of hums!

Even without testing it, Fang Shuwen had a rough idea; although his strength hadn't increased significantly, the Snake Form special effect allowed his body to twist to a greater degree.

It was like drawing a bow to shoot an arrow; the greater the arc of the stretch, the greater the explosive power.

Fang Shuwen retracted his fist and stood tall, summoning the Martial Dao Panel once more.

[Name: Fang Shuwen]
[Attack: 4→5; Defense: 4→4; Vitality: 2→3; Spirit: 2→3]
[Technique: Soaring Snake Fist (Proficient)]
[Special Effect: Snake Form (Body like a snake, flexibility greatly increased)]
[Skill Points: 2]

Attack increased by one point, while Vitality and Spirit also gained a point each.

Although each individual stat only rose by one, his overall strength had increased by at least thirty percent.

Even though his Martial Dao realm hadn't changed, he was now strong enough to take on three of his former self before the martial arts fusion.

Hoo, not bad. It feels great. The skill points weren't wasted; it was worth it!

He had spent ten out of his twelve skill points, deciding to save the remaining two for now.

Fang Shuwen looked down at the copper piece in his hand; after the fusion, the patterns on its surface had vanished.

Furthermore, that strange sensation he felt upon touching it had also disappeared.

Fang Shuwen held it under the oil lamp to inspect it; the vertical pupil on the back had gone completely dim, turning it into an ordinary piece of copper that no one would glance at twice even if it were tossed on the street.

He casually set the copper piece on the table, preparing to run through the fist techniques a couple more times to familiarize himself with his newly changed body.

Suddenly, Old Fang's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Shuwen, Shuwen! Dinner is ready, come over quickly!"

There was an irrepressible joy in Old Fang's voice, audible even through the door panel.

Fang Shuwen replied, threw on his outer robe, and pushed the door open to head out.

In the courtyard, a spread had already been laid out on the stone table.

A steaming large clay pot sat in the center, and as the lid was lifted, the aroma of chicken mixed with the medicinal scent of star anise and cinnamon rushed into his nostrils.

Beside it sat a plate of stir-fried eggs, a plate of shredded radish salad, and a jug of yellow wine.

Old Fang was hunched over, arranging the bowls and chopsticks, while Hu Da walked out of the kitchen carrying a steamer of freshly steamed white flour buns, his apron still dusted with flour.

"Little Fang, come and sit!"

Hu Da set the steamer on the table, wiped his fan-sized palms on his apron, and greeted him with a hearty laugh.

Fang Shuwen walked up to the stone table, but he didn't plop down to eat like he used to.

He stood by the table and said to Hu Da with a smile:

"Uncle Hu, thank you for taking care of me all this time. Tonight, I'll have a few drinks with you."

Hu Da, who was wiping his hands on his apron, paused at these words.

He looked up at Fang Shuwen, then at Old Fang, his mouth agape, taking a long moment to collect himself.

"You child, why are you being so polite with your uncle!"

Hu Da laughed heartily.

But inside, his mind was reeling.

Little Fang had always been arrogant, never even lifting his eyelids when he saw servants like them.

Let alone calling him "Uncle Hu," it was already polite enough if he didn't complain about the smell of cooking oil from the kitchen.

What was going on today?

Not only did he address him properly, but he also wanted to share a drink?

Hu Da couldn't help but take a few extra looks at Fang Shuwen.

Upon closer inspection, he felt something was off.

Little Fang was still standing there, his frame looking thin, but there was an indescribable, hidden vigor emanating from that frame.

His posture was also straighter than before; he didn't have his usual slumped shoulders and hunched neck. His spine stood like a javelin, and his entire demeanor was completely different.

He had become—he had become like that instructor surnamed Liang who used to guard the manor!

How could this be possible?

Instructor Liang is a Bright Force martial arts master!

He is a renowned figure; even Master Zhao must treat him with courtesy upon meeting him.

As for Little Fang, Even if he has changed recently, how could he possibly compare to such a person!

I must have gotten smoke in my eyes and seen it wrong!