Chapter 61 - 60: [Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training]
Ten minutes later, a notification chimed on his phone.
[I Don’t Sell Fake Manuals, I Sell Antiques]: "Hey there, I found it. The Fire-refined Golden Body comes from the Fire Worship Sect, which originated in Persia and has a long and storied history. Their ancestors created an ultimate technique called the Holy Fire Divine Skill.
"The Holy Fire Divine Skill is divided into an Inner and an Outer Scripture, and the Fire-refined Golden Body is the Inner Scripture. According to records, very few have ever managed to master the Fire-refined Golden Body. If you force your training, you will inevitably suffer the fate of self-immolation.
"So, a certain generation’s Sect Leader of the Fire Worship Sect found another way and began the practice of ’power transference.’ Because the Holy Fire Divine Skill is passed down through a single lineage, the energy is from the same source and won’t conflict.
"Therefore, each new Sect Leader receives a power transference from the previous one, achieving a ’shieldless’ Golden Body and an ever-increasing level of power. Honey, your power is too strong right now. You can’t keep training.
"Otherwise, I’m afraid there’s a real danger of self-immolation. You have only two paths before you. The first is to go to Persia, find the current Sect Leader of the Fire Worship Sect, and have him perform a power transference for you. That will let you reach the ’shieldless’ Golden Body realm in one fell swoop."
[Once Dreamt of Roaming the World with a Sword]: "..."
What else could He Xiaotian do besides send a string of ellipses?
’Go to Persia and find the Fire Worship Sect? Are you kidding me?’
’Setting aside whether I could even find them, even if they do exist, are you sure their Sect Leader can perform a power transference for me?’
’In the modern world, an old man who can leave a palm print on a bluestone slab can be called a grandmaster.’
He Xiaotian had no hope at all for this so-called Sect Leader of the Fire Worship Sect.
’Heck, if I went, I might end up having to perform a power transference for the current Sect Leader instead.’
The online shop owner cackled in front of their computer.
’That’s what you get for being a smartass with me!’
’Mastered it? Even developed Inner Strength? The nerve of you.’
[Once Dreamt of Roaming the World with a Sword]: "What’s the second option?"
[I Don’t Sell Fake Manuals, I Sell Antiques]: "Keep training and stacking armor. Once your body is tough enough to withstand self-immolation, you naturally won’t have to fear it anymore. Honey, I have the Golden Bell Shield and the Iron Cloth Shirt right here. I’ll sell them to you for a discounted price of 45,000. How about it?"
[Once Dreamt of Roaming the World with a Sword]: "No thanks. I have a copy of the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training. I’ll come find you after I’ve maxed it out."
[I Don’t Sell Fake Manuals, I Sell Antiques]: "..."
This time, it was the seller’s turn to send a string of ellipses.
’You’re insane!’
Meanwhile, He Xiaotian took out the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training manual.
"Scan."
[DING! A relatively complete manual has been discovered. Spend 100 Experience Points to complete it?]
"Spend."
[Experience Points: 23,500
Functions: Scan, Enhance, Store
Martial Arts: Fire-refined Golden Body - ∞ (Superb: Supreme Heaven-Burning... Expand↓), Iron Sand Palm - 0/500+ (Mastered: ...Expand↓), Eight Steps Chasing Cicada - 0/1,000+ (Outstanding: ...Expand↓), Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/100+ (Uninitiated)]
He Xiaotian then began to frantically mash the ’+’ button.
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 100/100+ (Uninitiated) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/300+ (Initiate)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 300/300+ (Initiate) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/500+ (Beginner)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 500/500+ (Beginner) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/1,000+ (Adept)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 1,000/1,000+ (Adept) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/3,000+ (Proficient)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 3,000/3,000+ (Proficient) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/6,000+ (Mastered)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 6,000/6,000+ (Mastered) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 0/12,000+ (Perfected)]
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - 12,000/12,000+ (Perfected) -> Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - ∞ (Outstanding: ...Expand↓)]
He clicked the ’Expand↓’ button, and the full description of this Horizontal Training technique appeared before his eyes.
[Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - ∞ (Outstanding: Inner Strength +50, Strength +8, Hardness +8, Explosive Power +5, Bone Hardness +10.)]
He had raised it by seven consecutive levels, spending a total of 22,900 Experience Points.
He had worked so hard to earn 75,000 points, and in one fell swoop, he was back to square one.
The bonuses provided by the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training were clearly quite small.
This showed that its grade was lower than the Fire-refined Golden Body.
[Experience Points: 600
Functions: Scan, Enhance, Store
Martial Arts: Fire-refined Golden Body - 0/50,000 (Superb: Perfect-Grade Supreme Heaven-Burning... Expand↓), Iron Sand Palm - 0/500+ (Mastered: ...Expand↓), Eight Steps Chasing Cicada - 0/1,000 (Outstanding: ...Expand↓), Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training - ∞ (Outstanding: ...Expand↓)]
The infinity symbol for Fire-refined Golden Body had disappeared, replaced by a cost as high as 50,000 Experience Points.
Presumably, this "Perfect-Grade Supreme Heaven-Burning" realm was what the online seller had called the "shieldless Golden Body."
Unfortunately, while he might have had a chance before, after spending all those points, he could only stare at it helplessly.
Did he regret upgrading?
Not really. At least he now had storage space and could carry his sledgehammer with him at all times.
If he ran into an emergency, he could immediately whip out the hammer and smash his enemies.
It wasn’t like another giant crocodile was going to pop out of the bottom of the Pu River.
But wasn’t there still that unknown thing at his school?
Besides, he could still go check out the Nine Dragon Pillar.
In any case, here in Shanghai, there was definitely no shortage of Experience Points.
Unlike Z County, that godforsaken place.
’Six hundred Experience Points left... no use saving them. Might as well just use them up.’
As he thought this, he focused his mind and tapped the ’+’ on the Iron Sand Palm.
The 500/500 bar filled instantly, and the characters began to blur.
[Iron Sand Palm - ∞ (Perfected: Strength +3, Impact +3, Sharpness +3, Crushing Force +3, Hardness +3, Searing +5.) Note: The attribute bonuses in parentheses apply only to the hands.]
’Searing +5?’
He Xiaotian pulled the Iron Sand Palm manual out of his nightstand.
He wanted to figure out where that "Searing +5" came from.
After a moment, he found the source.
Fourth Form, Iron Sand Burns the City: A storm of sand-like palm wind, carrying the searing Inner Strength of the Flame Divine Skill, incinerates objects on contact. It turns deadwood to ash, melts gold and bends iron. Its killing power is unstoppable, its edge impossible to parry.
Although he wasn’t practicing the Flame Divine Skill, the Inner Strength produced by his Fire-refined Golden Body also belonged to the Fire Series.
’An unexpected bonus. Not too shabby.’
He Xiaotian stood up, his legs a little weak.
’Sure enough, because my power has greatly increased and my body has transformed, I don’t turn into a skeleton anymore when I instantly upgrade a martial art to the top level. At worst, my legs just get a bit wobbly and my body feels weak.’
"Xiaotian, time for dinner—"
His mother stood at his bedroom door, looked at her son’s pale face, and asked quizzically, "Are you malnourished again?"
He Xiaotian quickly stood up and raised his hands to prove his innocence.
"No, I just didn’t sleep well last night."
"Wait, did you get taller again?!"
His mother stared at her two-meter-tall son, her mind reeling.
’How did my boy get even bigger and stronger in just one night?!’
’Don’t tell me he’s still going through growth spurts after becoming a superman?’