Night settled quietly over Dragon Yuan Mountain.
The winds had grown colder, carrying with them the faint chill unique to high altitudes. The courtyard outside Lin Sheng's residence lay still beneath the pale moonlight. Shadows stretched across the stone ground, unmoving like silent watchers.
Inside his room, dull impacts echoed repeatedly.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
Lin Sheng's figure moved through the dim light, his bare feet planted firmly against the ground. His body twisted, shoulders turning, waist driving forward as his fist shot out in a straight line.
Each strike was direct.
Heavy.
Without hesitation.
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 81%]
The translucent interface flickered faintly within his vision.
Lin Sheng did not stop.
His breathing remained controlled.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Strike.
The rhythm stabilized.
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 84%]
A thin layer of sweat coated his skin.
His arms felt slightly sore.
But his movements were becoming sharper.
More precise.
This was the advantage of the chip.
Not talent.
Not enlightenment.
But perfect correction.
Every angle.
Every degree.
Every shift of muscle.
Nothing was wasted.
Nothing was inefficient.
"Again."
His foot slid forward slightly.
Weight transferred.
Waist turned.
His fist exploded outward.
Bang!
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 88%]
A faint ripple traveled through his arm.
From fist to wrist.
From wrist to elbow.
From elbow to shoulder.
Then downward into his core.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Force transmission is improving."
This was not described explicitly within the manual.
But the chip had already broken it down.
Every strike was not merely a movement.
It was a chain.
A system.
A complete structure of force.
And now he was beginning to understand it.
Time passed.
The moon climbed higher into the sky.
His strikes did not slow.
If anything, they became faster.
More stable.
More natural.
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 91%]
Lin Sheng stepped back.
Then forward again.
Another punch.
Bang!
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 93%]
A faint tremor ran through his arm.
Not instability.
But power.
Unrefined.
Yet undeniably present.
He stopped briefly.
His chest rose and fell steadily.
Sweat dripped from his chin onto the ground.
But his expression remained calm.
"...Almost."
He raised his arm again.
Adjusted his stance slightly.
The chip projected a faint overlay before his eyes, correcting posture, aligning joints, and optimizing motion.
Then he struck again.
BANG!
The sound was sharper this time.
Heavier.
Cleaner.
[Vajra Fist Accuracy: 97%]
Lin Sheng froze momentarily.
Then slowly lowered his fist.
"...Close to proficient."
In a single night.
If someone else witnessed this, they would never believe it.
Even talented martial practitioners required weeks or even months to reach this stage.
But Lin Sheng had crossed that gap within mere hours.
"...Again."
He did not stop.
Did not celebrate.
Did not hesitate.
Because he understood something clearly.
This was not mastery.
This was only the beginning.
By the time dawn arrived, the courtyard had changed.
Small cracks had appeared across the stone floor.
Shallow.
But noticeable.
Lin Sheng stood at the center of the courtyard, breathing slowly.
His arms trembled faintly.
His muscles ached.
His body was exhausted.
But his eyes remained clear.
Focused.
The interface appeared once more.
[Vajra Fist Technique]
[Proficiency Level: Proficient (Complete)]
[Accuracy Stabilization: 95%]
[Estimated Advancement: Mastered achievable within 5–7 days]
Lin Sheng exhaled slowly.
"...Done."
Two days.
It had only taken two days.
He looked down at his hands.
"...This body..."
It was still weak.
Still far from powerful.
But now it possessed direction.
"Crystal."
[Yes, Host]
"...Analyze physical improvement."
[Analyzing...]
A brief pause followed.
Then the results appeared.
[Constitution Increase: +2.8%]
[Muscle Density: Slight Improvement]
[Explosive Output: +12%]
Lin Sheng nodded slightly.
"...Acceptable."
The improvement was not dramatic.
But it was real.
And more importantly, repeatable.
He rolled his shoulders slowly.
A faint stiffness remained within his muscles.
"...Still too fragile."
If he pushed himself harder, he risked injury.
And injuries would only slow his progress.
He turned and walked toward the water basin.
Cold water splashed across his face, washing away sweat and fatigue.
But not the growing clarity within his mind.
A short while later, he stepped outside.
Morning light had already begun spreading across the mountain.
Birds chirped faintly in the distance.
The wind stirred gently through the trees.
As he walked down the stone path, something caught his attention.
Voices.
Not far ahead.
Three figures stood near a bend in the road.
Two boys.
One girl.
Their robes marked them as members of the Lin Family.
Lin Sheng slowed slightly.
Not out of curiosity.
But instinct.
"...Lin Shou."
He recognized one of them from the Spirit Testing Hall.
"...You should know your place."
The voice was sharp and mocking.
It belonged to the second boy.
Well dressed.
Confident.
Arrogant.
The girl stood slightly behind him.
Silent.
Hesitant.
"Yun'er has already made her choice," the arrogant youth continued.
"She won't waste her future on someone like you."
Lin Shou clenched his fists tightly.
His expression looked strained.
"...Su Yun... is that true?"
His voice was low.
Almost hoarse.
The girl lowered her head.
She did not answer immediately.
But her silence was already an answer.
The arrogant youth smirked.
"You heard her."
"She needs someone with a future."
"And you..."
His sneer deepened.
"Have none."
Lin Sheng watched quietly from a distance.
No emotion.
No reaction.
"...This is normal."
In this world, strength determined everything.
Affection.
Loyalty.
Promises.
All of it could be broken if power did not exist to support it.
Lin Shou stood there silently for a long moment.
Then he turned and walked away.
No shouting.
No struggle.
Only silence.
Lin Sheng shifted his gaze slightly.
"...Pathetic."
Not as an insult.
But as a simple statement of fact.
Without strength, even dignity was fragile.
He continued walking past them without stopping.
"...Irrelevant."
By the time he reached the Wu Pavilion, the city was already bustling with activity.
He entered.
The familiar calm greeted him immediately.
Old Liang sat behind the counter.
As always, half asleep.
"Old Liang."
Lin Sheng spoke casually.
"...Mm."
The same lazy response.
Lin Sheng placed the booklet onto the counter.
"Vajra Fist Technique. I'm returning it."
Old Liang opened one eye slightly.
"...Four days."
His gaze lingered briefly on Lin Sheng.
"...Fast."
Lin Sheng did not respond.
Old Liang reached out, took the booklet, and recorded its return.
Then he paused.
"...How far?"
His tone remained lazy.
But beneath it, something deeper was hidden.
Lin Sheng answered simply.
"Proficient."
Silence.
Old Liang's hand stopped for the briefest instant.
Then he resumed writing.
"...Oh."
The response sounded casual.
Too casual.
"...Picking another?"
Lin Sheng nodded.
"I want a movement technique."
Old Liang tilted his head slightly.
"...Right shelf. End row."
Lin Sheng turned and walked back toward the shelves.
His eyes scanned across the manuals until he found it.
Eight Step Cicada Movement.
He picked it up and flipped through it briefly.
Light.
Agile.
Focused on footwork, evasion, and speed.
"...Good complement."
He returned to the counter and placed it down.
Old Liang glanced at the manual.
Then at him.
"...Too many techniques wastes time."
Lin Sheng shook his head slightly.
"...I'll manage."
Old Liang stared at him for a moment.
Then closed his eyes again.
"...Suit yourself."
He recorded the manual and pushed it forward.
"...Seven days."
Lin Sheng picked it up.
Then paused.
"...Old Liang."
"...Mm?"
"...If I master this one, will you explain something to me?"
A faint smile appeared on Old Liang's lips.
Barely visible.
"...We'll see."
Lin Sheng did not press further.
He turned and left the pavilion.
Behind him, Old Liang slowly opened his eyes fully for the first time.
"...Interesting..."
His gaze lingered on the empty doorway.
"...Four days... proficient..."
He tapped the counter lightly with his finger.
"...Let's see how far you go, boy."