Mo Xixi, His Cousin, Sneaking Food at Midnight

By the time Jiang Yuan woke up, it was already midnight.

His entire body was covered in blood, sweat, and black grime. He was ravenously hungry, yet he could feel a blazing force surging within him.

Before he could think about his current situation—

Grrr.

His stomach let out a fierce protest, followed by an overwhelming sense of weakness.

"I can't take it anymore. I'm starving. I'm about to starve to death."

Jiang Yuan forced himself out of bed and went to the living room. Tao Chunru was already asleep. Seeing the table piled high with food, Jiang Yuan immediately began wolfing it down.

In less than ten minutes, he had cleaned every plate.

"Half full."

After eating, he went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet to wash off the grime, and opened the system panel at the same time.

Immortal Body Tempering Technique (SSS): A total of thirty-one forms. Purges impurities and tempers the body. Uses the body as a furnace and vital energy and blood as undying fuel, refining every cell into an Immortal Particle. When the body's density is cultivated to its limit, the body becomes immortal glass, a chaotic universe forms within, the flesh crosses the galaxy, and even if stars perish, I remain indestructible.

Hiss...

Jiang Yuan sucked in a breath.

"I actually created an SSS-grade body tempering technique?"

He found it utterly unbelievable.

"Chen Hao said before that the strongest breathing method publicly recognized in the country was the SS-grade Stellar Breathing Method, created by a Demigod."

"I've never even heard of an SSS-grade breathing method. The Martial Artist Association headquarters probably doesn't even have one."

"It looks like the Supreme Analysis talent is even more terrifying than I imagined." Jiang Yuan clicked his tongue.

After all, this was the product of a hundred-thousand-fold increase in comprehension.

"I'll give it a try."

Filled with anticipation, Jiang Yuan closed his eyes. While cold water poured over him, he performed the first form of the Immortal Body Tempering Technique in the bathroom.

This body tempering technique was extraordinarily difficult. Aside from having an absolute understanding of the breathing method, one also needed perfect control over every muscle in the body to vibrate one's own vital energy and blood.

With every movement, the vital energy and blood throughout the body had to vibrate dozens or even hundreds of times. There could not be the slightest mistake.

It was countless times more difficult than the Bedrock Body Tempering Technique. Even if it were handed to a Demigod, they would likely need years of study and insight before they could begin cultivating it.

Jiang Yuan attempted to cultivate it and only gradually grasped the trick after failing thirteen times, successfully completing the first form.

The instant he succeeded—

Jiang Yuan's entire body began trembling violently. Invisible pressure descended from all directions, while his insides felt as though they were being scraped by blades and seared by flames. Even his marrow seemed to be burning.

Hot! So hot!

Painful! So painful!

Every pore on his body opened. Scorching heat rose from him and, upon meeting the cold water, turned into white steam with a hiss, filling the bathroom with mist.

"Fuck! Why does it hurt so much?!"

Jiang Yuan gritted his teeth and held on. Every second felt like a year. A massive amount of sweat mixed with blood and black impurities seeped from his pores, only to be swiftly washed away by the water.

Ten seconds later.

Jiang Yuan stopped cultivating and braced himself against the wall, gasping for breath.

He rested for a full five minutes.

Only then did Jiang Yuan recover. Still shaken, he revealed a bitter smile.

"I almost thought I was going to die."

When he checked his attribute panel, Jiang Yuan could hardly believe his eyes.

Strength +1, Speed +1.

The results from ten seconds surpassed what Jiang Yuan had gained from training desperately for an entire month!

"I can't even hold the first form for ten seconds right now. If I master all thirty-one forms... how fast will my growth be?"

Jiang Yuan muttered.

With the Blessing of the bug-level skill from the [Martial God] class, combined with the continual improvement and tempering of the Immortal Body Tempering Technique—

He did not even dare imagine how terrifying his body would become after he became a warrior, killed monsters to level up, and continuously raised his attribute points. Would his vital energy and blood eventually become cosmic tides? Would his flesh cross the galaxy, immortal and indestructible?

Just thinking about it was exhilarating!

Grrr.

His stomach protested again. The food he had just eaten had already been completely digested. Cultivating a breathing method of this level naturally consumed a great deal of energy.

Jiang Yuan hurriedly ordered takeout.

"One Black Feather Chicken Pot."

"Grilled Thorn Pig Trotter."

"Moon Shadow Rhino Steak."

"The Silver Fish Set Meal looks good too."

They were all nutritious monster meats, and naturally, they were expensive.

After placing the order, 3,902 yuan was deducted.

Jiang Yuan felt a little heartbroken.

A few minutes later.

Jiang Yuan quietly made his way to the balcony. A small blue Sky Shuttle was parked outside, and the delivery person was a girl wearing a helmet and a delivery uniform.

"Chi Le Me Delivery, at your service."

"You ordered the takeout, right?" the delivery girl asked.

"That's me."

After Jiang Yuan took the food, the delivery girl smiled at him.

"You're a college entrance exam candidate, right? Good luck on the exam. My name is Lei Na. Remember to leave a five-star review."

"I've got to go. I still have another order to deliver."

With that, she twisted the throttle and shouted, "Blessing, accelerate!"

A force covered the Sky Shuttle, and it instantly transformed into a streak of blue light that vanished from Jiang Yuan's sight.

"An acceleration-type talent..."

Jiang Yuan understood.

That delivery girl had probably been a Class-Transferred Warrior, awakened with an acceleration-type talent. Its sequence rank was likely not low, either.

Life was hard. Even warriors had to come out and deliver takeout...

Shaking his head, Jiang Yuan carried the pile of takeout back to his room.

Just as he was about to open the door—

The door to the room next to his opened. His cousin, dressed in pajamas, came out rubbing her eyes on her way to the bathroom. Their gazes met.

"That boy just now was pretty handsome." Lei Na rode her Sky Shuttle through the towering buildings as she thought to herself.

"Ordering that much monster meat... is he at a critical stage of tempering his vital energy and blood?"

Her wristwatch rang.

[You have an incoming call from the boss.]

"Answer."

"Lei Na, where did you run off to?" A cool female voice sounded.

"I'm delivering takeout."

"Why did you go deliver takeout again... A Level 3 Abyss was just discovered here. Get over here quickly."

"Hold on. I'll come as soon as I finish this order."

Inside Jiang Yuan's room.

He and his cousin Mo Xixi were digging into the takeout.

"Brother Yuan, keep it down. Don't let my mom hear us. She won't let me eat at night."

"Then why are you eating?"

"I-I couldn't resist. Also, you ordered way too much. Can you even finish it?"

"Don't worry. I'm hungry enough to eat a horse right now."

"...Who talks about themselves like that?"

"I'm full, I'm full."

Mo Xixi quickly finished eating. She lay on the bed, rubbing her little belly with a satisfied expression.

Looking at Jiang Yuan, who was still wolfing down food, she found it unbelievable. "Brother Yuan, you can really eat. You've already eaten so much, and you're still not full? Did you awaken some kind of black hole stomach today?"

"Oh, right. How did your class transfer ceremony go today? What talent did you awaken?"

She lay on Jiang Yuan's bed and asked curiously.

"E-grade. Assassin." Jiang Yuan did not even raise his head.

"E-E-grade? That's way too low." Mo Xixi was shocked, then looked at Jiang Yuan sympathetically. "I get why you can eat so much today. You're turning grief and anger into appetite. I understand."

Jiang Yuan: "..."

"But it's fine."

"As one of the new generation's geniuses, a future S-grade talent holder, and a rare-class user—"

Mo Xixi patted her modestly developed chest and declared proudly, "I, Devil King Xixi, will protect you from now on."

"Thanks."

"No need to thank me."

She did not stay in Jiang Yuan's room for long. Afraid that Tao Yufeng might discover her, she soon returned to her own room.

Jiang Yuan ate for another half hour before finally finishing all the takeout.

What would once have been enough food for an entire week now only left him seventy percent full. Every cell in his body seemed like a ravenous beast, craving nutrients and impossible to satisfy.

"My appetite is too huge now. It's partly because of the [Martial God] class, and partly because of cultivating the Immortal Body Tempering Technique."

"I need to find a way to make money."

Jiang Yuan thought to himself.

"I'll think about it tomorrow..."

He returned to his room and collapsed onto the bed.

Too much had happened today. His body and mind were already utterly exhausted.

The next morning.

Jiang Yuan stood shirtless before the bathroom mirror.

The young man in the mirror had handsome, well-defined features and flawless fair skin. His formerly black pupils had turned a faint gold, carrying a trace of majesty.

His medium-length black hair hung casually over his forehead in messy bangs. His eight-pack abs were faintly visible. Though he did not have much muscle, his entire body looked exceptionally well-proportioned.

Compared to after awakening yesterday—

After one night, his whole body seemed to have shrunk, and he had become noticeably thinner.

"I've lost quite a bit of weight. I seem to have gotten paler and shorter too."

Jiang Yuan had originally been 1.75 meters tall, but now he was only around 1.70 meters.

Jiang Yuan lightly clenched his fist and could clearly feel terrifying power flowing through his body.

"With my current strength, blowing up a truck with one punch in normal conditions shouldn't be a problem."

Jiang Yuan thought to himself.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to release that power, then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

While eating breakfast.

Jiang Yuan told his aunt's family about awakening an E-grade talent and class transferring into an Assassin.

Although his aunt Tao Yufeng and uncle-in-law Mo Lingfeng found it regrettable, they did not say much. They had seen Jiang Yuan's hard work over the years. Awakening talents was simply a matter of fate and could not be forced.

"What are you planning to do next?" Mo Lingfeng asked.

"I plan to train my body properly over the next month, take the college entrance exam, and try to get into a Martial Arts University," Jiang Yuan said.

Mo Lingfeng nodded slightly.

Tao Yufeng added, "Getting into a Martial Arts University would be good too. It'll be easier to sign with a guild after graduation."

They all thought Jiang Yuan meant getting into some third-rate Martial Arts University.

But only Jiang Yuan himself knew—

He meant the four top Martial Arts Universities in Great Xia.

Divine Martial University.

Kunlun University.

Civilization University.

Star Sea University.

The four Martial Arts Universities had been established one hundred and fifty years ago. They controlled a vast number of dungeon secret realms, equipment, skill manuals, cultivation methods, and various other resources.

As long as students who graduated from these four universities remained alive, none were below the fourth rank of warrior! The renowned figures who dominated their regions had mostly come from these four universities! It could be said that those cultivated by them were the backbone of Great Xia's resistance against the Abyss!

That was why these four universities held such an exalted status in Great Xia.

One had to rank at least among the top hundred in the province to enter one of these four universities.

In this world where the strong preyed on the weak, the college entrance exam tested only one thing in order to select those strong enough to survive in the Abyss.

Secret realm survival!

Kill monsters within dungeon secret realms to earn a score. The higher the score, the higher the ranking.

Simple and direct.