Perfected Skin Tempering

Lu Shaolin quietly raised his guard against the forest behind him.

Because he had left in a hurry earlier, Lu Shaolin had not brought a fishing net.

But he did not care much. After all, his strength had improved greatly.

After digging the sand pit a little deeper, Lu Shaolin waited quietly for nightfall.

An hour later, the sky gradually darkened.

Lu Shaolin took a live chicken from the sack, tied it to a rope, gripped its neck, and carried it to the riverbank. With one slash of his blade, blood gushed out and dripped into the river.

Throwing the carcass into the water, Lu Shaolin crouched in the sand pit, gripping the rope.

Before long, a River Demon poked its head out and rushed toward the riverbank.

Lu Shaolin used the same trick again, luring the River Demon to within three meters of the pit.

He then leaped out of the pit and thrust his spear fiercely, piercing straight through the River Demon's chest. He stepped forward and kicked it to the ground, pulling out his spear in one smooth motion.

Afraid that the River Demon was not dead, Lu Shaolin charged forward again and drove his spear downward, piercing through its eye socket!

He touched the River Demon's sharp claws and gained one Source Point.

Kicking the River Demon's corpse behind the sand pit, Lu Shaolin resumed fishing for River Demons.

As live chickens were slaughtered one after another, Lu Shaolin killed River Demons one after another as well.

After the ninth live chicken was thrown into the river, he waited half an hour, yet no River Demon surfaced.

Lu Shaolin smacked his lips. Could it be that he had fished all the River Demons out of this area?

After waiting another half hour and confirming that no more River Demons would emerge, Lu Shaolin reluctantly put away the rope.

After some thought, he threw the rope into the pit and buried it.

As for the eight River Demon corpses, Lu Shaolin tossed them all into the Blackwater River. Though he did not know what beast had dragged away the bodies before, he could not leave them for it this time.

Lu Shaolin then picked up his spear and ran toward the small fishing village nearby.

It was still the same household as last time, still the same cowshed. Lu Shaolin even greeted the big water buffalo.

It was just that it was already very late, so the buffalo only cracked its eyes open slightly.

Lying down on the pile of hay, Lu Shaolin summoned the system panel.

The displayed information was:

Name: Lu Shaolin

Source Points: 8.8

Martial Realm: Skin Refinement Mid-Stage

Cultivation Method: Wild Bull Force (Second Layer)

Martial Skills: Three Absolutes Spear (Perfected), Eight Extremes Fist (Minor Mastery), Mad Demon Staff Technique (Not Initiated).

Looking at the 8.8 Source Points displayed on the system panel, the corners of Lu Shaolin's mouth curled up as joy filled his heart.

This was all strength!

Once he returned to the county town and had a hearty meal, he could reach Perfected Skin Tempering, and the Mad Demon Staff Technique could be initiated as well.

Closing his eyes, Lu Shaolin began to rest.

Not long after he fell asleep, dawn arrived.

Lu Shaolin rolled over and got up, climbed over the courtyard wall, and headed for the county town.

It was still the same mutton soup flatbread shop.

When Lu Shaolin entered, the waiter clearly recognized him and hurried over to greet him.

Lu Shaolin directly found a seat in a corner.

Although he did not care about other people's stares, being watched still did not feel very comfortable.

He had the waiter bring him five bowls of mutton soup flatbread first, then waited quietly.

Before long, five bowls of mutton soup flatbread were placed on the table.

Lu Shaolin summoned the system panel. Looking at the plus sign behind Reckless Bull Force, he willed it and tapped it.

The plus sign blurred for a moment. Then the Second Layer behind Reckless Bull Force became the Third Layer, and the plus sign after it turned gray and could no longer be tapped.

His Source Points also became 5.8.

The Martial Realm section changed to Perfected Skin Tempering!

A powerful hunger instantly rose in his stomach, and Lu Shaolin grabbed his chopsticks and began eating.

After five bowls of mutton soup flatbread went down his throat, they rapidly transformed into nutrients that nourished his entire body with the system's assistance.

Still feeling that it was not enough, Lu Shaolin ordered another five bowls.

The waiter did not say a word and hurried into the kitchen, soon returning with another five bowls that he set on the table.

Lu Shaolin began eating again. After another three bowls went down, his stomach finally felt better.

Raising his head, Lu Shaolin looked at the grayed-out plus sign behind Reckless Bull Force on the panel and fell into thought.

By the usual pattern, five Source Points should definitely have been enough to advance to Tendon Tempering Early-Stage. But it was currently unclickable, which meant he lacked the subsequent cultivation method.

The system could not automatically deduce the following cultivation method!

Lu Shaolin looked at the Mad Demon Staff Technique on the system panel and tapped the plus sign after it.

The Not Initiated label behind the Mad Demon Staff Technique changed to Initiated.

A great amount of knowledge about the Mad Demon Staff Technique flooded into his mind, and hunger rose in his stomach again.

After finishing the remaining two bowls of mutton soup flatbread, Lu Shaolin looked at the panel again. His Source Points had dropped to 4.8.

He tapped the plus sign behind the staff technique again, and it changed from Initiated to Proficient.

Memories flooded into his mind once more, and his stomach grew hungry again.

Lu Shaolin waved the waiter over and told him to bring another three bowls of mutton soup flatbread.

The plus sign behind the Mad Demon Staff Technique on the system panel had also turned gray, making it impossible to increase further.

His Source Points decreased again, becoming 2.8.

Going from Not Initiated to Initiated cost one point, and from Initiated to Proficient cost two points. Then going from Proficient to Minor Mastery would cost three points.

The reason the Mad Demon Staff Technique could not be raised was probably that he did not have enough Source Points.

The waiter soon brought another three bowls of mutton soup flatbread, and Lu Shaolin began wolfing them down again.

After finishing the three bowls, Lu Shaolin leaned back in his chair and began to think.

Eating like this all the time was exhausting. He needed to see if there was something highly nourishing that could replace it.

Rubbing his stomach, he looked at the panel again. The detailed information had become:

Name: Lu Shaolin

Source Points: 2.8

Martial Realm: Perfected Skin Tempering

Cultivation Method: Wild Bull Force (Third Layer)

Martial Skills: Three Absolutes Spear (Perfected), Eight Extremes Fist (Minor Mastery), Mad Demon Staff Technique (Proficient).

After sitting for a little while, Lu Shaolin stood up and prepared to pay.

Just as he reached out his hand, there came a ripping sound, and the martial outfit beneath his armpit tore open.

Lu Shaolin tried to touch it, but another ripping sound followed. A huge hole opened beneath his other arm as well!

Lu Shaolin's face darkened!

Hearing the sound, the waiter walked over. When he saw the explosive muscles beneath Lu Shaolin's torn clothing, he could not help swallowing.

"Customer, do you need any help?"

The waiter spoke cautiously, afraid of angering Lu Shaolin.

"Find me a private room, then get me a larger outer robe. Here is the silver."

Lu Shaolin directly tossed him five taels of silver.

"Certainly, customer. Please follow me."

The waiter nodded repeatedly and led Lu Shaolin toward the back kitchen.

After arriving at a private room in the kitchen, the waiter turned and went out to find clothes, while Lu Shaolin inspected his own body.

If he had previously looked like a fitness competitor, then now he looked like a bodybuilding champion, much like the protagonist of Fist of the North Star from his previous life!

He seemed to have grown taller as well. He estimated that he was around 1.8 meters tall.

After waiting for a while, the waiter came in carrying a Daoist robe.

"Customer, this is the largest garment I could find. Would you like to try it on?"

Lu Shaolin took the clothes and put them on. They were still somewhat tight, but at least he could move around.

"Customer, this is the remaining silver."

The waiter handed over the silver. There were still more than four taels left.

Lu Shaolin took four taels and gave the remainder directly to the waiter as a tip.

Amid the waiter's repeated thanks, Lu Shaolin walked out of the shop.