Discovering a New Continent!

Inside the vault. Liu Long soon spoke up, "Is a lot of mysterious energy congested in your body right now? Feeling uncomfortable?" Li Hao nodded. That was certainly true. This batch of mysterious energy felt harder to digest, and compared to the energy from the jade sword, the mysterious energy in the vault was somewhat different—specifically, it dissipated much slower. One had to realize that with the mysterious energy drawn from the jade sword, if Li Hao didn't digest it after absorbing it for a short while, it would dissipate very quickly. Of course, that had benefited Black Panther. So, although Li Hao had absorbed a great deal last night, more than half had actually gone to waste, sucked up by Black Panther. That fellow seemed even better at absorbing it than Li Hao. This time, having taken in two units, Li Hao hadn't dared to circulate the Five Animals Breathing Art, so he hadn't actually absorbed that much. If it had been the jade sword's mysterious energy, it should have spilled out of his body by now and dissipated. Yet here, it hadn't. Li Hao could feel that more than half still remained inside his body, unabsorbed. Strange! At this moment, Li Hao also found it bizarre. Were these two kinds of mysterious energy different? Was recycled energy somehow easier to store? He couldn't figure it out! While he was still pondering, Liu Long suddenly bellowed, "Since you haven't absorbed it yet, why are you just standing here? Get over there and practice your martial arts! Are you waiting for this precious mysterious energy to dissipate?" "..." Li Hao said nothing and immediately ran outside. A roaring Liu Long was quite terrifying; it was best not to provoke him. *** The fitness area. The equipment here was far more plentiful than at home. Although Li Hao felt that these two units of mysterious energy were unimpressive—small in quantity and hard to digest—he still promptly began practicing the Five Animals Art to avoid waste. Personally, he felt wasting a little wouldn't matter, but the moment he remembered that he had no idea how many more times he could draw mysterious energy from the jade sword, he quickly abandoned that thought. According to his teacher, the mysterious energy on a supernatural item was finite. It would all be depleted soon. Right now, he had to cherish every bit. He began practicing the Ape Art once more! Leaping, bounding, ape fists, grabbing gymnastic rings and swinging through midair, leveraging momentum to leap about... Gradually, a strange expression appeared on Li Hao's face. The mysterious energy he had just absorbed seemed to only now be activating! "Hah!" Li Hao let out a low grunt, veins bulging across his face. A sudden, unbearable agony washed over him, accompanied by a feeling of twitching convulsions. Li Hao thought something had gone wrong with him and that the mysterious energy was crazily tearing his body apart. Just as he was about to call for help, he heard Liu Long shout from the side, "Don't stop, keep going! The mysterious energy is only now taking effect!" "The greatest effect of mysterious energy is destruction!" "Rebirth through destruction! It constantly tempers your flesh, your bloodlines, your bones... forcing you through tribulation, to be born anew from death!" "..." Li Hao was in agony! That's not right! The thought flashed through his mind. Something was off—completely off. Rebirth through destruction? No, it wasn't like that. The jade sword's mysterious energy that he had absorbed had nothing to do with destruction. If he absorbed too much, it simply dissipated; it didn't destroy his body. Instead, it nourished it. Yes, in Li Hao's perception, the two were different. Completely different! The mysterious energy in the jade sword was gentle and pure, but the energy he had just absorbed was far too violent! "Boss... it hurts... Is there a problem..." Liu Long barked angrily, "What fucking problem could there be? Mysterious energy is just like this! Practice properly! Two units of mysterious energy are worth a fortune! If you dare waste them, I'll make you pay!" "We paid an enormous price to seize this mysterious energy! Li Hao, if you don't make a major improvement, you'll die on our next mission!" Li Hao let out a pained roar. It really hurt like hell! It wasn't that he feared pain; he just wanted to tell Liu Long that something seemed off. Why was it like this? Boom! Overcome with agony, Li Hao ceased practicing the Ape Art and switched to the Tiger Combat Art. The Tiger Combat Art was more ferocious! It was also better for venting his pain. Bang! A sandbag went flying from a single punch. The next punch followed in a flash, blasting the sandbag apart! Li Hao erupted with frenzy, veins bulging all across his body. *** To the side. Yun Yao watched, nodding slightly, and said softly, "His foundation was laid very well! The New Book of Five Animals truly is Old Yuan's proprietary secret art. Even though Li Hao hasn't reached the Ten-Slayer realm, his physical constitution is extraordinary! If an ordinary person absorbed two units of mysterious energy, even if their blood vessels didn't burst, they'd certainly bleed from the seven facial orifices and suffer compressed internal organs... Aside from swollen veins, he seems largely fine." This constitution was definitely close to that of a Ten-Slayer martial master. In fact, there was hardly any difference. Liu Long also nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "This fellow... his body really is quite good! Is the New Book of Five Animals truly that potent? I've read it before; it seemed useful only for cultivating the mind and body. Can building a foundation really achieve this kind of result?" "Perhaps it's a confidential version!" Yun Yao smiled. It was hard to say. She glanced at Li Hao again, an odd look in her eyes. There were things she wanted to say, but she held her tongue. She could vaguely sense that Li Hao had absorbed some mysterious energy before—not just now, but previously. Yet if he had absorbed mysterious energy, Li Hao hadn't seemed to advance much. Crucially, Li Hao showed none of the signs of ruptured blood vessels that typically followed absorbing mysterious energy. Even if only capillaries had ruptured, one could still tell to some extent. In her view, Li Hao might have absorbed some, but perhaps only a tiny wisp. "Mysterious energy from a supernatural item? The kind with an extremely miniscule amount?" That was indeed a possibility. *** Meanwhile, out in the gym, Li Hao's roars echoed. "Roar!" Like a ferocious tiger descending the mountain, tiger claws lunging for the heart, he struck out with a claw. With a loud crack, he snapped a wooden post in two! Li Hao was stunned himself! How was this possible! He had absorbed two different kinds of mysterious energy. The jade sword's was more abundant, gentler, and purer—perhaps first-hand mysterious energy. Yet the boost it gave him had definitely not been this massive. The Demon Hunting Squad's mysterious energy possessed immense destructive power. It surged madly through Li Hao's body, making his striking power far greater, more ferocious, and more brutal! The first night, Li Hao had drunk an equivalent amount of mysterious energy and experienced virtually no improvement. Today was his third time absorbing it, yet he actually felt the improvement was even more violent than when he had absorbed a huge amount last night. Beside him, Liu Long's eyes lit up. "Good!" "Li Hao, keep going! It seems your efficiency in absorbing mysterious energy is quite good. Two units of mysterious energy should be enough to elevate you straight into the Ten-Slayer realm!" Li Hao didn't have time to think deeply about it right now. The mysterious energy inside him had yet to be fully absorbed. Furthermore, it was still thrashing around violently. He had to keep venting it. "Roar!" Another furious roar echoed like a tiger howling in the forest. This was one of the moves of the Tiger Combat Art—a sonic attack... Naturally, it hadn't had much effect in the past, merely serving to build momentum. Today, when Li Hao roared, it truly produced the illusion of a ferocious tiger descending the mountain and roaring across the forest. The sound made everyone's ears ache! In the next moment, Li Hao clenched both fists and slammed them into the ground! Bear Combat Art! The Bear Combat Art within the Five Animals Art maximized the advantages of sheer strength. At this point, Li Hao no longer confined himself to the Ape Art, cycling through the five animal arts one after another. The Ape Art was his forte, while the others were somewhat less familiar, but Li Hao didn't care anymore. Venting! He had only the urge to vent! Bang! Bang! Bang! A series of loud booms rang out as the strength of his entire body focused into his hands. The Bear Combat Art emphasized arm strength, the Tiger Combat Art required balance across all four limbs, and the Ape Art prioritized leg strength. Liu Long watched intently without blinking, feeling surprised once again. He murmured, "This constitution... is really impressive! Absorbing two units of mysterious energy, this fellow might actually step into the Ten-Slayer realm in no time!" It was rather unbelievable. Of course, not impossible, but Li Hao's foundation was simply too good. Even now, he showed no signs of bleeding from his seven facial orifices. This was exceedingly rare! It proved that his physical constitution was already top-tier. Liu Long couldn't wrap his head around it: was the Five Animals Art truly that formidable? Even for Yuan Shuo, his physical foundation hadn't seemed that extraordinary, had it? "If the Five Animals Art is this effective at building a foundation, why has Yuan Shuo's health deteriorated worse and worse?" Liu Long murmured. "Could it be that he revised the New Book of Five Animals later on, and Li Hao learned a different version?" Yun Yao shook her head; she didn't know either. Li Hao's physical condition was visibly exceptional. "What a pity!" Liu Long suddenly sighed, shaking his head. "If Yuan Shuo had cultivated this version of the Five Animals Art in his youth, established such a foundation, prevented his physical condition from declining, and avoided racking up so many hidden injuries, he might have stepped straight into the Thousand-Battler realm! If he could have entered the supernatural realm from the Thousand-Battler realm... Yuan Shuo would be a titan in the supernatural realm today!" The more they watched, the more amazed they became. When Liu Yan came downstairs and saw Li Hao still throwing punches like mad, bounding about like an ape moments later, she was utterly astonished. "How long has he been going?" "Half an hour!" Hearing this, Liu Yan was shocked beyond belief. "He hasn't collapsed yet? That absorption efficiency is ridiculously high! I remember some past recruits—some took in just a tiny bit and collapsed on the spot, unable to move at all. Their absorption efficiency was shockingly low!" Some people suffered ruptured blood vessels after absorbing just a trace of mysterious energy, completely unable to continue absorbing, let alone digesting it. Li Hao, on the other hand, had been absorbing and punching for half an hour, taking in an unknown quantity of mysterious energy. His conversion rate was absurdly high. Liu Long was also stunned. After a moment's thought, he said, "Him practicing in the air like this won't do. Go spar with him to test his skills." "Me?" Speechless, Liu Yan looked at Liu Long and then at the beaming Yun Yao. She cursed inwardly—bullying me again! Oh well, she was the lowest on the totem pole here. *** Li Hao was still punching. In the next moment, a chuckle sounded by his ear: "Big Sister will spar with you!" Li Hao felt no fear. Only excitement! Bring it on! He was also feeling that continuing like this was exhausting. The mysterious energy in his body still hadn't run out; only a little over half had dissipated, leaving a smaller portion remaining. It was the perfect time to test his strength! "Captain Liu, watch out!" Feeling as though he had grown significantly stronger, Li Hao turned and attacked without hesitation! He wasn't worried about injuring anyone; everyone in the Demon Hunting Squad was formidable. Preemptive strike! "Black Tiger Steals Heart!" Li Hao shouted loudly. His hands formed tiger claws with bulging veins, lunging straight for Liu Yan's chest. "Little Li Hao, where are you aiming?" Liu Yan smiled charmingly, her body swaying as she slipped past Li Hao in an instant. Pushing her chest out, she flashed a radiant smile: "People are watching—don't go groping blindly!" Li Hao turned a deaf ear! His teacher had said that martial arts training required undivided focus without distraction. Don't entertain stray thoughts! "Soaring Ape Takes Flight!" Li Hao roared again, kicking off the ground and leaping into the air. Liu Yan chuckled. "Did you already forget the lesson about not leaving the ground?" This fellow had taken to the air again! That was a cardinal sin! Just as she reached out to snatch Li Hao down, Li Hao, having launched himself upward, suddenly borrowed momentum midair. His hands flailed like cat claws, lifting him another notch higher until he gripped a light fixture on the ceiling. The fluorescent tube was fragile, but Li Hao merely applied light force, gripping it and vaulting forward, sailing right over Liu Yan's head in the next instant. "Brilliant!" Yun Yao exclaimed softly, looking surprised. Liu Long also nodded and said in a low voice, "A secondary leap—borrowing momentum in midair to leap again. That's quite rare! Though... this is indoors. In the wild, there's no ceiling to bounce off of." Yun Yao smiled and said softly, "In the wild, he probably wouldn't do this." Regardless, Li Hao had remembered his previous lesson. Instead of being dragged down from midair by Liu Yan, he had vaulted over her, reaching to grab her from behind! For a newcomer, such adaptability was exceptionally rare! *** In the ring. Having leaped over Liu Yan, Li Hao spun around instantly and lunged at her back! Just as his hands were about to land, Liu Yan let out a low shout, and suddenly a long leg appeared before Li Hao's eyes! Liu Yan kicked backward without looking, as if she had eyes on her buttocks. Furthermore, her leg flexibility was beyond imagination. If an ordinary person kicked backward, their balance would falter, and they certainly couldn't kick high—hitting their own buttocks was about the limit. Yet Liu Yan seemed boneless in her thighs, kicking right up to Li Hao's face! Unbelievable! Li Hao truly hadn't anticipated this counterattack. He had factored in her dodging, turning, ducking... The only thing he hadn't foreseen was a sudden backward high kick! Smack! Unable to dodge in time, Li Hao took the tip of her foot squarely on the nose. Thwack! Nosebleed erupted instantly! Tears flooded his eyes at the same time. Stung by searing pain and soreness, Li Hao couldn't stop the tears from pouring out. Fuck! A curse echoed in his mind. Li Hao was furious—what a dirty move! He didn't just crouch down clutching his nose; having suffered a terrible loss, he refused to take it lying down. Liu Yan probably assumed that having kicked him, Li Hao would stop. Who would have thought that Li Hao, harboring the mindset that even if he suffered, he had to take a piece out of her in return, would keep going? The instant Liu Yan retracted her leg, Li Hao—with blood gushing from his nose, tears streaming down his cheeks, and his vision blurred—nonetheless lashed out with a vicious kick of his own. This time, he didn't kick high. It landed squarely on Liu Yan's butt! Liu Yan was in the middle of withdrawing her leg and resetting her posture; caught off balance, she couldn't evade at all. Taking the kick dead-on, she stumbled forward seven or eight steps before finally regaining her footing. Whirling around to glare at Li Hao, murder practically flashed in her eyes! Off to the side, Liu Long and Yun Yao were equally dumbfounded. Both stood speechless, the entire basement falling eerily silent. Even after taking a kick to the nose, Li Hao had actually countered! And... he had kicked Liu Yan right in the butt, sending her stumbling forward several meters. This... was something Liu Long had certainly never expected. "Li Hao!" Liu Yan's voice turned shrill. In the next second, Li Hao clutched his nose, dropped into a squat, and wailed in agony. "Ow! It hurts! Sister Liu, you broke my nasal bone..." A good chunk of her fury was instantly doused. Angry and exasperated, Liu Yan felt helpless. Broken nasal bone? She hadn't intended to injure him. Who told Li Hao to pull off that double jump and suddenly appear behind her? Her counterattack had been pure instinct, but... had she really broken it? Her kicks weren't weak! "I didn't mean to..." Halfway through, remembering Li Hao's retaliatory kick, Liu Yan grew infuriated again. At this point, Yun Yao stepped forward quickly, pulled Li Hao's hands away, and felt his nose. Soon, she smiled and said, "It's not broken. Nothing serious—you'll be fine after resting a bit!" "..." Li Hao looked at Yun Yao through tear-streaked eyes! Is this woman doing this on purpose? I know it's not broken! Didn't I just kick Liu Yan flying, and in an awkward spot at that? I was playing the victim! Why are you exposing me right now? Hearing this, Liu Yan's brows shot up. Just as she was about to flare up, Liu Long spoke in a commanding voice, "All right. Li Hao, well done!" With that, he turned to Liu Yan and said sternly, "You actually got kicked by a non-martial master's counterattack!" Liu Yan opened her mouth, but hesitated. Liu Long said gravely, "Liu Yan, you know full well how dangerous our line of work is! You've gotten complacent!" Liu Yan fell silent. Complacent? She felt somewhat wronged. She had pulled her punches because Li Hao wasn't an enemy and was still weak; she had been afraid of killing him. But... she truly had made a blunder just now, failing to dodge Li Hao's kick. If this had been during a mission, she would be dead! "I..." In the end, Liu Yan said nothing. Frustrated and helpless, she turned and walked away. Li Hao, his eyes still moist with tears, glanced at her, not daring to utter a peep. Ahem... there was still a large footprint on Liu Yan's rear! Liu Long said nothing either, pretending not to see it. Yun Yao took a look, smiled, patted Li Hao, and chuckled softly, "Very few people can make her swallow a loss in silence. You're full of surprises!" Li Hao smiled sheepishly; it wasn't like he had done it on purpose. Besides, in a spar, accidents were normal. I suffered way more, okay! *** A moment later, Li Hao had his nose treated. Liu Long looked at him with an odd expression as they sat facing each other, making Li Hao feel a little guilty. After a brief silence, Liu Long spoke: "Your physical foundation is excellent! Your absorption efficiency is remarkably high! Is the Five Animals Art you practice Yuan Shuo's revised version?" "I don't know." Li Hao shook his head. "Teacher taught me this from the very beginning. I don't know what version it is." "Do you know? Your foundation is no weaker than an ordinary Ten-Slayer." Li Hao looked surprised, displaying confusion. In his heart, however, he knew that he hadn't possessed such a good physique before. The only reason he had it now was because he had absorbed the mysterious energy from the jade sword—especially last night, when he had felt like he'd shrunk in height! He had been compressed! At this moment, Li Hao was also filled with countless questions. The jade sword's mysterious energy was different. It felt far too gentle, offering little in the way of tangible power increases. Yet it undeniably possessed effects that today's mysterious energy lacked. For instance... a massive enhancement in physical constitution! Having absorbed two units today, Li Hao discovered that almost none of the mysterious energy had been absorbed by his flesh; it lacked that nourishing quality. There was only destruction! Yes, destruction. It constantly tore apart his muscle tissues, washing over them again and again! And then, tiny wisps of energy leaked out to mend the tissues. The result of this process was excruciating pain! Of course, an overbearing power had also entered his body, granting him immense offensive strength! Two completely different types of mysterious energy! At this moment, Li Hao had an epiphany. The mysterious energy in the jade sword seemed to focus more on nourishing and building a foundation, whereas the Demon Hunting Squad's energy was what truly enhanced offensive combat power. They seemed to be entirely different varieties of mysterious energy! No wonder Black Panther and I absorbed so much without getting significantly stronger, though our bodies clearly improved—Black Panther's fur is practically dripping with oil! If it had been today's mysterious energy, Black Panther would probably have exploded after absorbing that much. And Li Hao wouldn't have fared much better! Nourishment... Li Hao understood now. While this nourishing mysterious energy might offer mediocre gains in immediate combat power, Li Hao felt it was unquestionably far more precious than what he had absorbed today. He couldn't speak of this! Not even on pain of death could he let this slip. Therefore, Li Hao didn't mind pushing the credit onto the Five Animals Art. Things should be fine on his teacher's end. Li Hao quickly said, "It's probably because Teacher is too formidable. Boss, do you mean my foundation is comparable to a Ten-Slayer's?" Liu Long considered it before saying, "Purely in terms of physical constitution, there's little difference! What remains is improving your strength and speed, along with gaining combat experience. Train hard, take part in a few actual battles... and you might truly become a Ten-Slayer martial master!" Continuing, he added, "Of course, all of this is ultimately bestowed by mysterious energy. Now do you understand how precious mysterious energy is?" Li Hao nodded vigorously! Understood! He definitely couldn't miss out on the Demon Hunting Squad's mysterious energy. Thinking of something, Li Hao hesitated and asked, "Boss, I noticed that while the mysterious energy destroys body tissue and heals it afterward, will it leave behind hidden injuries?" Liu Long glanced at him with a hint of appreciation. He nodded. "It will! Destruction and rebirth aren't that simple. It grants you greater power, but it also stimulates your potential, placing your body in a state of overdraft... That's why one must enter the supernatural realm as quickly as possible! Once you become a Starlight Master, you can slowly nourish your body. But to become supernatural, this is an indispensable step." Li Hao nodded. Yet inside, peculiar thoughts arose. He had sensed something different: some of the starlight energy absorbed from the jade sword last night still lingered in his body. Just now, when the mysterious energy was tearing his body apart, Li Hao had felt that gentle mysterious energy helping repair the damage. Overdraft? He didn't feel overdrawn at all! In fact, Li Hao had almost fully recovered by now, feeling neither overly exhausted nor in much pain. "Boss, are there limits to absorbing mysterious energy?" "Of course!" Liu Long explained. "Every absorption is an act of destruction. The power of mysterious energy is far too intense, damaging your body tissues. For a newcomer like you, absorbing it once a month is the limit; any more will severely harm your health! At my level, it can be faster—once every three to five days... But then again, that assumes we even have mysterious energy to absorb!" Is that so? Li Hao didn't say anything more. He felt that even if he absorbed more right now, it wouldn't pose any problem. The mysterious energy on the jade sword is extraordinary! He realized this once again. Far too extraordinary! Black Panther had really lucked out. He had wondered why the dog was completely fine after absorbing so much; turns out the jade sword's mysterious energy possessed body-nourishing and healing properties. At this moment, Li Hao felt that the mysterious energy on the jade sword ought to be differentiated. It should be called starlight energy! It was fundamentally different from other mysterious energy. With this thought, Li Hao asked curiously, "Boss, if you and my teacher have absorbed large quantities of mysterious energy over a long period without breaking through, wouldn't you have accumulated tons of hidden injuries?" "That's normal!" Liu Long said nonchalantly. "If you advance, you'll naturally recover. If you don't... when the hidden injuries flare up, you die, and that's that! Hundred-Breaker martial masters already carry plenty of hidden injuries; I've never heard of a martial master whose body was completely unblemished!" "Can't the supernatural realm heal hidden injuries? If they were cured, wouldn't it be easier to advance?" "It's not that simple!" Liu Long shook his head. "Putting aside whether there is anyone in the supernatural realm who can heal injuries, even if someone could, they'd be a priceless treasure. Why would they heal you? Can you afford the price? Don't overthink it. You should be focusing on how to enter the supernatural realm and become a Starlight Master, not on healing injuries!" He assumed Li Hao was frightened! Li Hao, however, was thinking of something else. Teacher! His teacher was getting old, riddled with hidden injuries, and had likely absorbed mysterious energy many times, exacerbating his condition. He had often heard his teacher coughing in the past, thinking it was merely due to old age. Now that he thought about it, perhaps it was severe trauma left behind by absorbing mysterious energy, because his teacher's Five Animals Breathing Art made it easier to absorb mysterious energy! The more one absorbed without advancing to the supernatural realm, the worse the lingering hidden injuries became. What if... Teacher also drank a cup of starlight water? Could it treat his hidden injuries and allow him to advance to the supernatural realm? Li Hao truly had no intention of hiding things from Yuan Shuo, because his teacher treated him very well, freely teaching him secret arts without holding anything back. Besides, if Teacher truly could advance to the supernatural realm, that... might provide Li Hao with greater assistance and confidence in dealing with the Red Shadow! If one cup isn't enough, then two... or should I let Teacher draw some directly from the jade sword? Li Hao fell into deep thought. As for exposing the jade sword... he didn't worry that much about it. If it was exposed, so be it; with his teacher's intellect, he might have guessed it long ago. The jade sword... Right, I also have the stone saber! Even if Teacher really wants one, the jade sword is a family heirloom—how about giving Teacher the stone saber instead? Zhang Yuan was already dead. If it could help avenge him, Li Hao believed Xiao Yuan wouldn't mind giving away the stone saber. "Train hard!" Opposite him, Liu Long patted Li Hao on the shoulder, encouraging him, "Your foundation is solid. Try your best to completely digest the mysterious energy over the next few days and truly step into the Ten-Slayer realm! That way, your chances of survival will be much higher!" Time was running out. Li Hao nodded quickly, an unusual flicker of anticipation and hunger showing in his eyes! Anticipation of growing stronger, and hunger... for a bit more mysterious energy, the kind from the vault. Second-hand was fine too. When paired with the jade sword's starlight energy, this overbearing mysterious energy seemed to bring him even greater benefits! If there's more, I could give some to Black Panther too... Having consumed so much starlight energy, that fellow definitely won't die. Maybe I can train a Ten-Slayer dog? Li Hao swallowed hard. Black Panther was remarkably shrewd and sneaky; if kept hidden as a trump card, it might prove hugely useful. Unfortunately... there were only two units, and he had absorbed them both! At this moment, Li Hao realized that mysterious energy truly was wonderful and well worth its price. He no longer disdained it; he wanted more mysterious energy so badly!