Lu Yuan sat still on the soft cushion for a while, adjusting himself to an optimal state.

Then he got up and took a reddish-brown sandalwood box from the drawer of the bedside table.

He opened it. Inside lay a crimson pill, resembling fruit leather. He picked it up, casually tossed it into his mouth, and chewed.

A few seconds later, Lu Yuan's breathing became slightly heavy. A reddish hue faintly appeared under his fair skin, then gradually deepened. Following this, wisps of heat began to rise from Lu Yuan, turning him as hot and crimson as a cooked prawn.

[Spirit Crane Body]!

Lu Yuan didn't hesitate and immediately assumed the starting stance of the Spirit Crane Body.

Starting from the first movement, he went right through to the one hundred and twenty-sixth. The Spirit Crane Body body cultivation technique, taught to him by Lin Zhiquin, was now fully mastered by him.

Lu Yuan kept repeating the entire set of movements, interspersing it with boxing techniques, leg skills, and clawing movements. The heat emanating from his body grew more and more intense, almost forming a visible white mist. The room echoed with the sound of bones creaking. At first, the sound was very subtle, then it grew increasingly clear. On first hearing, it sounded like many jade pieces colliding in a container, carrying a pleasant, melodious quality.

This continued until the redness on Lu Yuan completely disappeared.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!—

Accompanied by a series of crisp cracks, Lu Yuan relaxed his body, letting his hands hang naturally, standing motionless.

With a calm expression, he pulled up his profession panel.

[Name: Lu Yuan]

[Age: 17]

[Strength: 16]

[Agility: 16]

[Physique: 17]

[Intelligence: 17]

...

[Profession: Fighter LV7 (1490/6400)]

[Basic Professional Skills:

...

Basic Palm Skill LV5 (Max)

Basic Finger Skill LV5 (Max)

Junior Professional Skills: Advanced Leg Skill LV4 (588/800)

Advanced Fist Skills LV4 (657/800)

Advanced footwork LV4 (12/800)

...

Intermediate Professional Skills: Crane-shaped Pile LV5 (Max)

Advanced Professional Skill: Spirit Crane Body LV3 (379/400)

Crane-shaped Fist LV3 (68/400)

Crane-shaped Step LV2 (156/200)

Crane-shaped Claw LV2 (121/200)

Crane Strength LV2 (189/200)

....]

Compared to ten days ago, his Strength and Intelligence attributes had each increased by 1 point. These two attribute points came from the Basic Palm Skill and Basic Finger Skill, which he had finally maxed out.

Now, Lu Yuan's basic punch strength had reached nearly 1,500 kilograms—a ton and a half. The range of his Spiritual Power detection had surged to nearly thirty meters.

Precisely because his intelligence was as high as 17 points, Lu Yuan's comprehension of Martial Arts could be described as meteoric. In the past, when Lu Yuan claimed to others that he was a "Martial Arts genius," he felt somewhat unsure deep down. Now, however, he was brimming with self-confidence.

Zhao Qiancheng, the second kin, taught him the Crane Sect's core claw technique, the Crane-shaped Claw. Zhuang Xiujie, the fourth kin, taught him the core Leg Skill, Crane-shaped Step. (Technically, the Crane-shaped Fist Lin Zhiquin had taught him was also called Crane-shaped Strike.) After merely a glance at these two techniques, which were high-ranking professional skills on the [Fighter] panel, he had them memorized. After practicing them a few times, his body naturally mastered them.

Leaving aside how his martial aunt and uncle were nearly dumbfounded, Lu Yuan himself distinctly felt his Martial Arts comprehension had significantly improved.

The latent bonus from high intelligence is like the firm willpower shown when one resolutely refuses the temptation of beauty...

The more he increased his intelligence, the more Lu Yuan could feel the various benefits it brought. If one's body is like a treasure chest filled with endless treasures, then the brain is undoubtedly the core area of this treasure chest.

I have a rough idea of both the Claw Skill True Skill and Leg Skill True Skill now, and it's not far from grasping them naturally...

Lu Yuan estimated that once he had practiced Crane-shaped Claw and Crane-shaped Step to LV3, the [Fighter] panel would show unlockable skills, indicating the corresponding Sure-kill Skills derived from their True Skills. This was because after he practiced Crane-shaped Fist to LV3, the words "(Temporarily Unavailable for Upgrade)" marked after [Crane Shadow Floating in the Air] had disappeared.

LV3 is a watershed, as always.

Spirit Crane Body is about to break through soon. Once Spirit Crane Body breaks through to LV4, Cultivating Bone can be considered initially accomplished, and I will officially enter the Viscera Training Realm!

In just ten days, Lu Yuan's Spirit Crane Body experience points had surged by over three hundred. He couldn't have achieved this just by relying on high intelligence; the main reason was that red pill he just ate, which resembled fruit leather.

That was the Crane Sect's Body Forging Secret Medicine, similar to the acupuncture secret medicine he had benefited from when he was in the skin-refining realm. This secret medicine was called the "Bone Refining Pill," and it was said to be quite valuable. The cost of manufacturing a single "Bone Refining Pill" could amount to an ordinary office worker's annual salary. Yet Master Liudao Yuan directly allowed him to eat them like snacks, basically catering to his every request without the slightest reservation. The treatment he now received was incomparably superior to when he was practicing martial arts with Lin Zhiquin.

Lin Zhiquin left in such a hurry. I wanted to secretly get some resources from Teacher for him, but I didn't even get the chance...

Lu Yuan knew Lin Zhiquin was short on money. He had originally planned to siphon some resources from Master Liudao Yuan and quietly help him out, but Lin Zhiquin left Weishan the very day the kin selection assessment finished. He said there was an urgent matter. Thinking of Lin Zhiquin's daughter, Lin Mo, who was in the hospital, Lu Yuan understood.

I've mastered the full set of Spirit Crane Body. While practicing Cultivating Bone, I actually started PracticeOrgans as well. But this PracticeOrgans is much more complicated than I thought...

Lu Yuan recalled what Zhuang Xiujie had told him—"The Viscera Training Realm primarily relies on Vigor. Simultaneously, the second stage of tempering bone, flesh, and skin also relies on Vigor. These two aspects are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The stronger the martial physique, the more Vigor it can generate. Conversely, more Vigor can be fed back to the physical body. Only when Vigor has been cultivated throughout the entire body can body forging be considered truly complete. This also signifies the Great Achievement of the Martial Master realm..."

In ten days, Lu Yuan's Crane Strength had risen from the original LV1 to its current LV2 (189/200). This was because of his rapid progress in Cultivating Bone, his enhanced physique, and the increase in his Qi and blood, which allowed his body to generate much more Vigor.

Now, when Lu Yuan unleashed his full power, Crane Strength could completely envelop his transformed fist. When he punched with Crane Strength applied, the lethality of his fist technique skyrocketed.

Of course, there's also the most important part... the cultivation of the Palace of Flesh.

Lu Yuan walked into the bathroom in his room. The bathroom was larger than his bedroom back at his house in Burnt Rock. He undressed, turned on the shower, and let the cool water pour over his body. There was a full-length mirror in the shower area.

In the mirror, Lu Yuan stood tall and stalwart, his physique robust and well-built. His originally slender and proportionate build had become more imposing after his Strength increased to 16, giving him a somewhat intimidating aura.

Lu Yuan stared at his reflection expressionlessly as his muscles suddenly began to slowly ripple and shift. Like liquid mercury, they flowed, forming distinct grooves...

In just a few breaths, his robust figure rapidly shed weight, soon reverting to its appearance ten days prior. However, the process didn't stop there; it continued.

In the end, Lu Yuan became "skin and bones," gaunt and emaciated. Even his cheeks and eye sockets sank deeply, making him look like a vagrant who hadn't eaten a full meal in half a year!

LV3 [Special Burst]!

Incredible muscle control!

When my muscles swell, they are like a magnificent palace; when they collapse, they are like a desolate landscape covered in withered grass...

Lu Yuan slowly spoke to his reflection in the mirror. His voice had changed too, sounding like the rasp of blades scraping against each other.

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