December 16, 2022
The Zhilong Strengthening Ointment was divided into two parts.
The first part was solid pills for oral consumption, each about the size of a soybean.
The solid pills were to be taken twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, with one pill each time.
The second part was a green powder for external use, known as the "Strengthening Powder."
The Strengthening Powder was to be used once every three days. To use it, one would dissolve the powder in hot water and soak one's body in it.
Mo Yu brought over the large wooden tub he usually used for bathing and filled it with hot water.
Then, he sprinkled the Strengthening Powder into the water.
In no time, the clear water turned into a murky, dark green liquid, bubbling and fizzing, looking quite eerie.
Mo Yu didn't rush to get in but first took a solid pill.
The solid pill's effect was to consolidate the body's foundation and nourish it.
The instructions in his mind mentioned that the Strengthening Powder caused intense pain when it took effect.
Thus, it was recommended to take the solid pill first to help alleviate the pain, especially when using it for the first time.
Mo Yu put the pill into his mouth, and as soon as it entered his stomach, he felt a cool energy surge from his abdomen, spreading to his limbs and bones.
It felt similar to the first time chakra flowed through his body.
However, unlike chakra, which gave a powerful and forceful feeling, this cool energy was much gentler.
It traveled through his muscles and meridians, like a series of delicate jade hands massaging his body, dispelling all his fatigue and exhaustion.
"Ah!" Mo Yu couldn't help but moan in pleasure.
Due to years of late-night work and malnutrition, his body had accumulated many hidden injuries.
Now, under the influence of the cool energy, Mo Yu could vaguely feel those hidden injuries slowly healing.
After enjoying the sensation for a while, Mo Yu didn't forget his main task and hurriedly got into the wooden tub.
"Ah!"
This time, the shout wasn't from pleasure but from pain!
It hurt so much!
It felt like his entire body was being stabbed by steel needles, and he instinctively wanted to jump out of the tub.
But remembering the immense benefits the medicine could bring, he forced himself to endure, relying on the willpower he'd developed over the years.
The instructions had said that the longer you stayed in the water, the better it was for your body.
Especially the first time—it was crucial to extend the soaking time as much as possible.
Thankfully, the solid pill began to take effect.
The cool energy spread throughout his body, counteracting the sharp pain caused by the external medicine.
Mo Yu's muscles became fiery hot and swollen, his heart raced faster and faster, and his ears buzzed as if he could hear the blood flowing through his body.
After ten minutes, the effect of the solid pill wore off, and the pain from the medicine intensified again.
Mo Yu's face turned red, and he gritted his teeth, holding on.
Whenever he felt like he couldn't bear it, he would think back to the past six years—how he had endured countless insults, how he had carefully worked to save money, enduring hunger and hardship.
"This medicine was bought with gold coins. I can't waste a single drop!"
Mo Yu's stubborn nature was triggered by the pain, and the more it hurt, the more he endured.
Time passed slowly. After half an hour, the potency of the Strengthening Powder started to fade, and the pain gradually subsided.
Another ten minutes later, the water in the tub returned to its clear, original state, with no trace of green left.
Mo Yu opened his eyes, his eyeballs bloodshot.
"Is it over?"
Mo Yu stood up and stepped out of the tub.
He looked at his hand, clenched it tightly, and a surge of strength seemed to flow from his body.
It wasn't the same power that the chakra gave.
This strength was rooted in every muscle, bone, and cell, a force that made him feel like he could punch through a boulder.
Mo Yu knew that this was a mere illusion, but it was a sign that his body had indeed grown stronger.
Walking to the mirror, Mo Yu saw that his body had gained noticeable muscle, although it wasn't yet fully developed, it was no longer the frail, weak form he had once been.
When he put on his clothes, Mo Yu realized that his pants were now a little shorter at the ankles. He quickly measured his height.
"I've grown two centimeters?"
Mo Yu was stunned.
"Is this medicine really that powerful?"
Excited, Mo Yu quickly realized that his height, which had always been a source of frustration for him due to malnutrition, had increased.
Height, once missed during the growth phase, could rarely be changed, and the thought of staying short for life had always bothered him.
But now, he finally had a way to change that, and it made Mo Yu even happier than becoming a Genin.
Mo Yu did a simple test to check his strength.
Things that he could barely move before, he could now lift easily.
However, the heavy green stone in the yard, which weighed over 200 jin (about 440 lbs), was still too much for him to move.
After venting his frustration, he calmed down.
"My physique should now be on par with other kids my age, and based on the effect of the Zhilong Strengthening Ointment, if I use it three more times, I should be no weaker than a regularly trained adult. After ten uses, I'll be as strong as a Taijutsu-focused Genin."
Lying in bed, Mo Yu felt so excited that he couldn't sleep.
So much had happened tonight.
First, he killed three people—strangely, even though it was his first time killing, he didn't feel any disgust.
Maybe it was because he had mentally treated those three people as monsters in a game.
Then, he became a Genin, improved his physique, and obtained three D-level ninjutsu.
He also integrated the Uchiha bloodline into his body, though he couldn't feel any changes yet.
"Right, I haven't used the Hell of Blade Mountain illusion yet."
This was something Mo Yu planned to use to help him open his Sharingan. Should he use it now?
"Forget it, tomorrow is the graduation exam. I'll rest well tonight, no need to rush."
Slowly, Mo Yu drifted off to sleep.
For the first time in six years, he had never slept so soundly.