155: Friendly exchange

The five-colored crystal core, newly born in this world, flowed ceaselessly; the pure Life Energy and evolutionary aura it emitted not only nourished Lin Luo's entire body but also gently moistened the adjacent, azure-green spiritual cultivation core, thread by thread.

The spiritual cultivation core, which had originally been silent and even somewhat dim due to the incompatibility of the world's rules, did not continue to decay under the infiltration of this vigorous and positive Life Energy; instead, a warm, moist luster faintly appeared on its surface, and its internal structure seemed to be undergoing a very slow yet steadfast transformation and adaptation.

Different paths leading to the same destination; all streams return to the source.

Lin Luo realized this in his heart and was quite satisfied with this unexpected joy.

Having obtained the results he wanted to test and initially verified the effectiveness of his new power, he no longer lingered.

With a slight movement of his mind, the five-colored crystal core in his Dantian flared with brilliance!

He stepped lightly, and his whole body was launched like a projectile from an invisible cannon, soaring into the sky with a roar!

The speed was so fast that it left a fleeting trail of light in the night sky, accompanied by a low sonic boom.

The night wind whistled past his ears, and the scenery on the ground rapidly shrank and receded.

In just a few breaths, the outline of the distant research institute was already clearly visible.

In an instant, Lin Luo had safely returned from the vast Black Grass Plains to the sky above the brightly lit research institute, his figure landing silently on the windowsill of his room as light as a feather, his breathing steady, as if he had just gone out for a stroll.

A night of quiet cultivation.

When Lin Luo walked into the dining hall the next morning, everyone's gaze instantly converged on him.

Director Mansam patted his smooth head, his ox-like eyes looking Lin Luo up and down, and clicked his tongue in wonder: "Kid Lin, one night not seen, how come you look like a different person?"

Everyone immediately gathered around.

Sunny's ubiquitous "hair tentacles" once again probed over stealthily, wanting to "taste" Lin Luo's current aura.

But this time, it was not blocked by Lin Luo's Divine Sense as before, but was gently stopped by a layer of warm, soft, yet exceptionally tough five-colored halo, unable to penetrate even a fraction.

Lin Luo grinned at Sunny, his eyes filled with teasing: "Sunny, this hair of yours... you really don't want it anymore, right?"

Sunny hurriedly laughed it off and retracted his hair tentacles: "Don't, don't, don't! I had a fight with that robot from the Gourmet Association yesterday, and I've already broken quite a bit; I can't afford any more losses."

Toriko went straight for it, squeezing Lin Luo's arm and shoulder muscles, and suddenly exclaimed: "Whoa! Solid enough! One night not seen, and your muscle density is ridiculously high, isn't it? Did you compress your body?"

Director Mansam pushed Toriko aside, reached out to touch Lin Luo's arm himself, sensed it carefully, and shook his head: "No traces of acupuncture, no signs of anesthetic compression, and the muscle mass hasn't decreased... This is the current state of his body itself."

Coco didn't get hands-on like them; he just adjusted his glasses, a purple light flashing in his eyes.

Although Lin Luo now appeared slim and well-proportioned, even thinner than before, and not as burly and tall as Toriko and the others, Coco's "Electromagnetic Vision" told him—the seemingly "frail" Lin Luo before him had a Life Magnetism Field intensity and a level of inner energy terror that far exceeded yesterday's!

Tina was on the side, her eyes sparkling, and she couldn't help but say: "This look... it looks even more handsome. Without those exaggerated, bloated muscles, and not so tall as to be oppressive, everything is just right, very... pleasing to the eye."

To be precise, Lin Luo's current lean, upright, and reserved appearance really struck the heart of her aesthetic preferences.

Tina's remark immediately drew Toriko's dissatisfaction, and he puffed out his cheeks and yelled: "Hey, what do you mean by that!"

Tina hurriedly waved her hands to explain: "Toriko, of course you're very handsome too! Your muscles are super stylish! It's just... I personally prefer Lin Luo's current type!"

Her face flushed slightly, and she spoke quite frankly.

Rin, who was nearby, immediately voiced her support for Toriko, her tone firm: "I prefer Toriko's type!"

Sunny, unwilling to be left out, tossed his head dashingly, letting his elegant, flowing long hair trace a beautiful arc, and asked confidently: "What about me? Isn't my beauty worth appreciating?"

Tina looked at Sunny's flawless, delicate skin, full and smooth face, and the gorgeous aura radiating from him, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart: This person's skin is so good it makes all girls envious, and he is super exquisite... it's like he comes with his own filter and beauty effects!

However, when it comes to the type for dating... Tina silently clasped her hands together in her heart: Sorry, Mr. Sunny! Your beauty is too dazzling and "artistic," and is better suited for appreciation on the runway or in magazines!

Her gaze quietly turned to the other side, to the quietly smiling Coco.

A tall, upright figure, a calm and handsome appearance, and those purple eyes behind the glasses, both deep and gentle, gave people an inexplicable sense of security.

It feels especially gentle and reliable...

If she really had to choose a dating partner from this group of outstanding guys—Tina's cheeks burned slightly, and her gaze involuntarily drifted between Lin Luo and Coco—she would probably, possibly, maybe... only hesitate between these two, right?

Director Mansam also shamelessly crowded over, pressed his thick arm onto Sunny's head, opened his big mouth to reveal shiny teeth, and laughed heroically: "The old man here is also very handsome, right."

Sunny was pressed into a stagger by him, and after struggling to break free, he angrily tidied up his precious hair that had been messed up, while shouting in disgust: "Director! Can you even be associated with the word handsome?! Let me go!"

"These guys are really noisy!" Lin Luo looked at the laughing and playing crowd before him and shook his head with a smile.

He casually moved his shoulders and said frankly: "My strength has improved a little, and due to some coincidences, it turned out like this. However, I feel great now! Better than ever."

Toriko heard this, his eyes lit up, and he grinned to reveal his signature white teeth: "Oh? Sounds impressive! How about it, want to spar?"

Lin Luo was indeed moved; the newly acquired power surged within him, and a tickle to stretch his bones and muscles rose from his very marrow.

His gaze swept over the eager Toriko, the elegantly watching Coco, and Sunny, who was still heartbroken over his hair, and a confident arc curled at the corner of his mouth: "Alright. But... you three come together."

"The three of us together?"

"Calling us three out?!"

"Oh my! What a big tone!"

His arrogant "one against three" declaration immediately made the named people shriek.

Toriko was even more excited, rubbing his hands together, and immediately came over to shove Lin Luo: "Come, come, come! Let's go to the open space outside right now!"

"Mr. Toriko! Mr. Lin Luo hasn't had breakfast yet!" Komatsu hurriedly blocked in the middle, "If you want to spar, you have to wait until you've eaten, otherwise how will you have the strength!"

Lin Luo was pushed and swayed by Toriko, but he wasn't angry, just chuckled, reached out, and pushed back gently: "Komatsu is right, what's the rush."

It was just such a seemingly casual push, but it made Toriko's expression turn stern, and his body involuntarily staggered back a step.

He felt a force as steady as a mountain and as overwhelming as a flood coming, and he was completely unable to resist!

"Whoa—!" Toriko steadied himself, and instead of being annoyed, the Battle Intent in his eyes grew even stronger, "Interesting! It seems you've really become much stronger!"

He immediately changed his tone and urged, "Then eat quickly! After you're done, we'll have a good 'exchange'!"

Beast Fighting Arena!

Since it was not open to the public today, this arena for beast battles became the exclusive ring for the four men's "friendly exchange."

Lin Luo jumped lightly in the center of the arena to warm up, looking at the three people opposite who had already set up their stances and were waiting in battle array, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and he beckoned casually: "Come on."

Toriko attacked first! After all, this was not a life-and-death struggle, and Sunny and Coco tacitly did not immediately surround him, letting Toriko test him first.

With a charged punch, his fist, the size of a sandbag, carried a strong wind and smashed straight at Lin Luo's face! This was just an appetizer.

Lin Luo just tilted his head slightly, and the fist brushed past his cheek.

"Fork!" Toriko reacted extremely quickly, his left hand instantly transforming into a sharp fork shape with four fingers pressed together, swiftly stabbing toward Lin Luo's abdomen!

However, the expected sensation of penetration did not come.

Toriko only felt that his "fork" seemed to have poked into an invisible but extremely tough wall, and was firmly blocked outside Lin Luo's body, unable to advance an inch!

"Huh?!" Toriko was shocked and immediately wanted to pull back to retreat.

But Lin Luo's speed was faster! A large hand had already pressed onto Toriko's head, and a terrifying force that was completely impossible to resist came from the back of his head—

Bang!

Toriko was forced down by this power, his head pressed, and his face smashed hard onto the hard ground! A dull thudding sound echoed.

"Brutal!" Sunny watched from the side, his eyelids twitching.

Toriko was actually suppressed like this in a single encounter; this simple, crude, and power-filled fighting style was simply too "brutal"!

Coco's eyes narrowed, a purple toxic film instantly emerged around his body, and with a light flick of his fingers, several drops of concentrated paralytic poison shot toward Lin Luo like bullets!

Pfft, pfft, pfft!

The poison hit the warm, five-colored halo on Lin Luo's body surface, only causing a few ripples, and was then completely blocked and purified, failing to penetrate even a fraction.

"Sunny!" Coco said in a deep voice, "We must find a way to break that energy field outside his body first!"

Sunny nodded, his gorgeous hair instantly condensing into a giant fist, and with amazing speed and force, it smashed hard into Lin Luo from the side!

Boom!

Lin Luo was sent flying by this sudden blow, hitting the rock wall on the side of the arena heavily, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The dust settled, and Lin Luo brushed off the non-existent dust from his body, walking out of the indented rock wall easily, looking completely unscathed.

"Attacks of this level..." Lin Luo twisted his neck, making a faint clicking sound, and smiled at the grim-faced Sunny and Coco, "Right now, to me, this is simply painless."

On the viewing platform, Mansam was chugging wine while mumbling indistinctly: "What kind of beast's special medicine did Kid Lin eat? So powerful, Toriko and the other three tied together can't even get close!"

Tina completely ignored the Director's complaints, holding her camera and snapping away at the battle below, her face full of excitement: "Exclusive! This is exclusive news! An internal spar at the level of the Four Heavenly Kings!"

She didn't realize at all that the research institute would never allow such internal footage involving battle details and strength to leak out.

Mansam looked at the little girl's excited appearance and couldn't bear to pour cold water on her—such a disappointing matter could be dealt with when they left.