Chapter 79

(Thought for a moment, decided to write another chapter. It's not easy for everyone to wait for updates.)

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Fourteen days passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, Zhao Futu lived like an ordinary person, doing what he needed to do every day. Occasionally, he would go online, chat, take a walk, and spend time with Aunt Lan. He also helped with the store's business, handling inventory and deliveries, which he could now manage with his improved physical strength. The two young girls had been looking at him with rather strange expressions lately, and Zhao Futu wasn't sure if they had noticed anything unusual. However, he had always been very careful and never casually displayed his abilities in front of others. As for those who had completely disappeared, their bodies were still in Zhao Futu's private space, and there would be no trace of them left in this world.

If he had any free time, Zhao Futu would watch movies or look up information. He didn't want to be too idle, but he also didn't want to be overly busy.

In the nightmare space, life and death were unpredictable. There was no need to push himself too hard. If he spent every moment of his life in a hurry and still ended up dying in the space, that would be truly tragic!

— A bowstring cannot be too taut.

During the day, he did what ordinary people should do. At night, he continued his old routine, practicing the Silver Cross Sword Technique in the neighboring villa area after dark. With his enhanced senses, he could detect when someone was approaching and easily scale the walls with one hand, without worrying about being discovered. He usually practiced until around midnight, then returned home to meditate. Sometimes he would sit until dawn, and other times he would sleep at two or three in the morning.

After breaking through the Life Gate, he was now in a stabilization period, which could last a long time, even up to ten years!

This was a process of compensating for deficiencies in his constitution. At this level, his body would be completely transformed, and he would be immune to all diseases. Perhaps due to the nightmare space, his progress might be faster, but that was only because his constitution and vitality had improved. In reality, the Inner Alchemy Technique could not be enhanced through survival points. It seemed that the space's enhancement ability also had its own rules!

After Zhao Futu broke through the Life Gate, his innate abilities were comprehensively upgraded:

Inner Alchemy Technique [True] — This technique cannot be enhanced through the space and must be cultivated by the owner.

Branch Ability 1: Breathing Technique Level 5 (Locked Skill) — In the breathing state, the user's life recovery ability is enhanced by 500%. [Note: The breathing technique focuses on the dantian.]

Branch Ability 2: Meditation Level 5 (Locked Skill) — In the meditation state, the user's energy recovery ability is enhanced by 500%. [Note: Meditation focuses on the zhuqiao.]

Branch Ability 3: Small Circulation of Alchemy (Locked Skill) — Permanent +1 Spirit, +1 Perception, +1 Will, +10 Energy, +1 Resistance to Abnormal States.

Branch Ability 4: Great Circulation of Alchemy (Locked Skill) — Permanent +5 Spirit, +5 Perception, +5 Will, +50 Energy, +5 Resistance to Abnormal States.

Branch Ability 5: Three Flowers Gather at the Crown (Active Skill) — When activated, the user's Spirit, Perception, and Will are each increased by 10, consuming 10 energy points per second (1 point of Intelligence equals 10 energy points).

At the same time, the user has a +10 innate resistance to abnormal states caused by secondary attributes, which is a domain-based resistance.

...

Comprehensive Evaluation — While the Inner Alchemy Technique in reality cannot greatly enhance one's basic abilities, it can significantly strengthen various secondary abilities.

...

After breaking through the Life Gate, if Zhao Futu had a decade to accumulate and settle, even if it wasn't as exaggerated as in legends, he could definitely achieve something like forming a relic if he were to switch to cultivating the Buddhist path.

Of course, he had no interest in Buddhism.

The biggest difference between reality and stories is that there is no sudden leap in level after a breakthrough. The key in reality is accumulation. Even after a breakthrough, a long time is needed to accumulate, and many special abilities form gradually over time, such as relics. This is mentioned because it is a relatively reliable analogy.

Otherwise, it would be too fantastical.

...

After the breakthrough, Zhao Futu's Breathing Technique and Meditation were further enhanced, with recovery effects reaching 500%. This almost meant that in non-combat situations, he could recover his health and injuries at the speed of using a military bandage. One of his previous abilities, 'Cultivator,' was replaced by a new one, 'Three Flowers Gather at the Crown,' an active skill that temporarily increases his Spirit, Perception, and Will by 10 points when activated.

A terrifying skill!

The only drawback was the high energy consumption.

10 energy points per second, with his total energy, he could sustain it for about ten seconds.

With his current Intelligence of 11 (18 with equipment), he could maintain it for 18 seconds without using the Scouting Skill.

Just enough for a burst of combat.

...

Following the same steps, Zhao Futu focused his mind and silently called out to the nightmare space as he stepped onto the stairs. A ghost-headed bronze door appeared before him, different from the last time he saw it. The door now had more intricate patterns and strange carvings, making it look more impressive.

Zhao Futu entered the space and stayed in the room for a while before heading to the square.

"Hmm? Why does it feel like there are more people?" Zhao Futu frowned and noticed that the number of contractors in the square had increased significantly. Previously, there were at most two thousand, but now there were at least four to five thousand.

These people looked like newbies, suggesting that the nightmare space had absorbed a new batch of contractors during this time.

"Did the space absorb a new batch of newbies?" Zhao Futu slowly walked into the market area, where everything he had listed for sale before he left had been sold.

Two bandit outfits netted him 3000 survival points and two F-grade soul crystals. The deep blue tiger-head chain arm guard earned him 6000 survival points and one E-grade soul crystal. Because he found that enhancing abilities later on required a lot of soul crystals, Zhao Futu sold these items to exchange for soul crystals.

As a result, he now had 18000 survival points, one E-grade soul crystal, and two F-grade soul crystals.

To upgrade a basic skill from Level 5 to Level 6 required 3000 survival points and one F-grade soul crystal. The cost from Level 6 to Level 10 was the same, totaling 15000 survival points and five F-grade soul crystals.

The income from selling the equipment was enough to enhance his basic melee skills to Level 10.

Although it was a comprehensive enhancement, he prioritized his core combat style, which was melee. Therefore, it was best to focus on strengthening his most proficient area.

He also learned the "Grass Walking" technique.

However, Zhao Futu did not spend survival points to upgrade it, mainly because the name of this lightness technique was not impressive, though its effects were decent:

"Grass Walking (Lightness Technique) [Beginner Level]: Increases the contractor's movement speed by 10%, reduces the user's weight by 10 kilograms when using the technique, reduces the damage from falling, and passively increases the user's reflexes by 1%. Consumes 1 energy point per second."

The effects of this lightness technique were decent, but since it was at a low level, the enhancement was limited. However, the energy consumption was low, only 1 point per second.

Additionally,

It seemed that the nightmare space had a quirky sense of humor. The enhancement levels for Eastern martial arts were not indicated by levels.

The levels he could currently check were: "Beginner Level — Slightly Proficient — Intermediate Level — Advanced Level — Master Level — Supreme Level!"

A frustrating level system, Zhao Futu felt a lot of pressure after seeing it.

...

At the entrance of the trading area, there was a message about a large team selling information for 100 survival points per copy, which was related to the Gold-level main mission. Zhao Futu casually bought a copy and flipped through it. There wasn't much useful information for him, but the core points were three.

First, the Gold-level main mission was not a killing scene, and contractors could not fight each other.

Second, the side missions assigned to contractors for this Gold-level main mission were determined by the number of scenes they had experienced. The fewer scenes they had experienced, the easier the side missions would be.

Third, all contractors would be randomly placed.

...

At this point, there were over 5000 contractors gathered in the square, with 30 minutes left before the Gold-level main mission began. Zhao Futu checked the time and immediately entered the skill enhancement hall, upgrading his basic melee skills to Level 10.

He then spent 3000 survival points to buy military rations, leaving him with no survival points left.

{Piaotian Literature}