"Activate, [Absolute Focus]."
When Lu Yuan activated [Absolute Focus] this time, he immediately felt a sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced. His application of the textbook knowledge he had mastered reached an unprecedented degree of thoroughness. When a problem was presented before him, the relevant formulas, theorems, and rules rapidly sprang into his mind, combining into various solutions at lightning speed.
It was even more pronounced with language subjects. With just one glance, large passages of foreign text would instantly appear in his mind, translated into his familiar native tongue.
If any outsiders had been present, they would surely have been shocked at the speed with which Lu Yuan solved problems. It was as if he didn't need to think at all. After reading a problem, the answer would appear on the paper as a matter of course.
DING—
Like the chime of a microwave signaling it had finished heating, Lu Yuan emerged from the [Absolute Focus] state. A faint wave of fatigue washed over him, yet he felt better than he had after any previous session.
The alarm didn't go off. Hasn't it been an hour yet? Lu Yuan checked his phone, a slightly surprised expression on his face. The effect of Lv. 2 [Absolute Focus] was even better than he had anticipated. Homework he had estimated would take an hour and a half was completed in just forty-five minutes—all done within a single class period. His efficiency had doubled!
And...
RUSTLE— RUSTLE—
Lu Yuan quickly flipped through the homework and exam papers he had finished. Although he had no answer keys for comparison, he had an extremely strong intuition. The accuracy of this homework must have increased!
Lv. 2 [Absolute Focus] had plunged him into a deeper state of concentration than before. In this state, his intelligence attribute, 10 points higher than an ordinary person's, seemed to be fully unleashed. Even if others have an intelligence of 10, their thinking speed and other aspects definitely can't compare to mine. Lu Yuan was confident of this.
He checked his progress panel. The accumulated notifications brought another small surprise. The professional experience gained every ten minutes has increased to two points! The basic skill experience gained each time has almost doubled?! The Experience Points earned in forty-five minutes were not less than what he usually gained in two hours. Efficiency doubled, and experience gain doubled!
This was undoubtedly great news for Lu Yuan. It meant his leveling speed had also doubled!
I need to see if this effect applies to the [Fighter] profession as well... Lu Yuan couldn't wait for his stamina to recover. He immediately took his training mat to the living room.
[You have focused on professional training for ten minutes. Experience Points +2]
[Your skill, Initial Body Forging, has improved. Experience Points +4]
[Your skill, Initial Body Forging, has improved. Experience Points +6]
...
After completing two sets of strength training, Lu Yuan was satisfied with the feedback. The Experience Points gained under the [Fighter] panel had also doubled. Absolute focus applies to any professional field. Indeed, concentration is the ultimate cheat!
After two sets of strength training, Lu Yuan began practicing the Basic Leg Skill he had just learned that morning. The sensation was even more distinct this time. As he practiced, scenes of Lin Zhiquin demonstrating the movements in class replayed in his mind like a movie, crystal clear, every detail vividly recalled. Under Lv. 2 [Absolute Focus], Lu Yuan's control over the muscles in various parts of his body also seemed to have improved. In the past, when he practiced on his own, there was always a slight feeling of "easy to watch, difficult to execute." Now, it was much better. He could recall the movements mentally, learn about seventy to eighty percent by watching, and achieve forty to fifty percent proficiency when he tried them himself. This was already quite remarkable. After all, Lu Yuan was no martial arts prodigy blessed with extraordinary talent and comprehension. All he could do was strive his utmost and focus.
Lu Yuan then devoted his full attention to training. During school days, he only had a few hours at night for Martial Arts practice. With a rare two-day weekend свободен, he naturally had to make every second count. Lu Yuan created a training and rest schedule, carefully controlling the duration of each session based on his physical condition. He was determined that the situation where he had trained until he was so sore he could barely walk would not happen again. Excessive practice would only slow his progress.
The afternoon flew by as he trained with intense focus.
During dinner, Lu Xinghua returned home, looking even more exhausted and worse for wear. Lu Yuan was worried but said nothing. A few days ago, news had come from the hospital that his grandfather's stroke surgery might be delayed for another couple of days. During this period, he had more than once overheard his father, Lu Xinghua, on the phone, pleading with people to borrow money. Even though he had lived two lives, Lu Yuan's heart still ached. He wondered if the thousand-plus yuan he had hidden in his parents' wardrobe had been found. But even if it had, that small sum wouldn't solve much.
School, the martial arts dojo... A breakthrough in either field could alleviate the pressure our family is facing. I need to work even harder... Only by desperately studying and training could Lu Yuan somewhat dispel the profound sense of helplessness in his heart.
The evening was also spent training. During this time, his sister Lu Jing made a video call. It was past eight in the evening in Burnt Rock City, but still light in Xixu. Munching on dry hardtack and sipping water, Lu Jing told Lu Yuan that her archaeology team was close to uncovering the entrance to the temple ruins. They estimated they could begin exploration within two days. Unfortunately, her lack of experience meant she wasn't qualified to be among the first group to enter.
Lu Yuan listened to her complaints and was about to offer some comfort when, with an abrupt cut, the video call ended due to a poor network signal. He tried calling back, but the call wouldn't go through. He had no choice but to give up.
By eleven at night, just before bedtime, Lu Yuan's [Fighter] profession panel had updated:
[Fighter Lv. 2 (81/200)]
[Basic Professional Skills:
Initial Body Forging Lv. 3 (2/400)
Basic Fist Skill Lv. 2 (153/200)
Basic Leg Skill Lv. 2 (89/200)]
His profession experience had increased by over seventy points. Initial Body Forging had gained over sixty points, reaching Lv. 3. Basic Fist Skill had increased by nearly a hundred points. The Basic Leg Skill, which he had focused on, saw the largest gain of almost two hundred points, directly breaking through to Lv. 2, with its experience bar (89/200) already nearly half full.
After Initial Body Forging reached Lv. 3, the difficulty of gaining Experience Points has clearly increased. Sometimes, after a full set of training, I only gain one or two points. Is it because my constitution has improved?
After showering, Lu Yuan lay on his bed wearing only boxer shorts. The curtains were open, allowing the light from the streetlamps outside to filter in, and he could hear the occasional sound of cars passing.
It seems I need to increase the intensity of my strength training. To do that, I'll need equipment. I'll go to the martial arts dojo to train after school every day next week. Looking back, Lu Yuan felt his decision to directly add attribute points to constitution had been a bit hasty. The optimal way to allocate points for maximum return would have been to wait until the strength and constitution gains from Initial Body Forging started to diminish before adding them.
After Initial Body Forging advanced to Lv. 3, he clearly felt the muscles in his thighs, calves, arms, chest, and abdomen become firmer, and his skin seemed more elastic. He felt like an iron ingot that, under continuous hammering, shed some of its impurities and became denser and more solid.
He opened the reading app on his phone and randomly selected a novel to browse.
At eleven twenty-five, the light from the phone on Lu Yuan's bed went out; he had already fallen asleep.