10: Evolutionary Bull Power

The broken wooden door closed behind him, cutting off the street's clamor and the scent of blood.

Lin Jingyu's colossal physique made the cheap room in the “Youcai Inn” seem even more cramped.

He walked up to the wobbly stool but didn't sit down, instead dropping a bulging coarse cloth package from his waist onto the greasy small table with a thud.

A corner of the package came undone, revealing several sharp wolf fangs stained with dark red blood and faintly shimmering with dark light—they were the tusks of the Demonic Wolf Leader from outside the city.

A strong, lingering smell of blood immediately permeated the air.

"System." Lin Jingyu thought.

[host]: Lin Jingyu

[Realm]: Body Refining Realm Eighth Layer

[evolution points]: 123

[Cultivation Techniques/Martial Skills]:

Iron Sand Palm (Mastery) → Monument Splitting Hand → Earth Splitting Palm...Vajra Shield (Proficiency) → Indestructible Vajra Divine Art → Star Body Tempering Method...(0/500 Deduction)

Savage Bull Strength (Beginner) → Great Strength Bull Demon Fist → Dragon Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique...[Item]: Demonic Wolf Tusk x N

His gaze locked onto the Savage Bull Strength. Strength!

After the Vajra Shield provided solid defense, he needed a more ferocious, pure strength capable of crushing everything!

The sensation of tearing apart the Demonic Wolf in the depression outside the city was still fresh in his palm, but it wasn't enough!

Facing stronger enemies and larger Demons, he needed a more fierce burst of power... "Deduce the Savage Bull Strength, directly to Beginner! Consume 100 evolution points!" Lin Jingyu's intention was decisive.

[Command Confirmed! Consuming 100 evolution points! Starting Deduction of Savage Bull Strength]

[Deducing... 1%... 10%... 50%... 100%!]

[Deduction Complete! Savage Bull Strength has been mastered!]

Buzz—!

The moment the notification sound fell, a sense of power completely different from the Vajra Shield suddenly erupted from deep within Lin Jingyu's body!

It was no longer the molten-gold heaviness, but like an Ancient Vicious Beast suddenly Awakening from slumber... His entire body's knotted muscles swelled violently and tightened as if being inflated.

A dull roar, like muffled thunder rolling or a Savage Bull's low bellow, came from deep within his bones!

The air in the entire room seemed unable to withstand this pure power pressure, emitting an overwhelmed hum!

"Moo—!"

A low, deep roar of a Savage Bull, seemingly originating from the depths of the Primordial Era, uncontrollably vibrated out from deep within Lin Jingyu's throat... The sound was not loud, but it carried a penetrating force that made the wolf fangs on the table tremble slightly and caused dust on the window frame to scatter down.

The adjacent room instantly fell silent; the neighbor, who had been scared witless last night, even held their breath.

Lin Jingyu felt as if his body had transformed into a volcano about to erupt!

His Qi and Blood surged like the Yangtze River, washing through his entire body!

Every muscle and every major tendon was filled with explosive power!

This feeling of strength was wilder and more direct than the defensive sensation brought by the mere Vajra Shield... He subconsciously clenched his fists.

"Crunch! Crunch!"

His finger bones rubbed together, producing a grating sound like Refined Iron being squeezed!

The surging power beneath his skin was practically bursting out of his body... [Ding! Savage Bull Strength Deduction Complete!]

[Physical Body Strength, Explosive Power, and Stamina greatly enhanced! Total Qi and Blood volume significantly increased!]

[host Realm Breakthrough! Body Refining Realm Eighth Layer → Body Refining Realm Ninth Layer!]

[Tendon and Bone Strength, and Power Control enhanced!]

Boom!

A more formidable sense of power, as if having broken free from the final shackles, swept through his entire body!

Body Refining Ninth Layer! Only one step away from the Meridian Opening Realm!

Lin Jingyu suddenly opened his eyes, and the phantom image of a Savage Vicious Beast seemed to flash deep within his pupils.

He lowered his head to look at his hands, feeling the torrent of power surging inside him, almost ready to explode.

Unlike the Vajra Shield's solidity, this power was full of aggression and destructive intent!

He walked to the center of the room and punched the air without any fancy movements!

"Whoosh—!"

Where the fist edge passed, the air was instantly compressed and torn, letting out a sharp, piercing sonic boom!

A visible white Qi Wave briefly formed in front of his fist before violently exploding!

It was merely the force of the punch... "Strength..." Lin Jingyu looked at his fist, his eyes blazing with light.

This was merely the Savage Bull Strength at the Beginner stage.

If he deduced it to a higher Realm, or even evolved it into the Great Strength Bull Demon Fist or the Dragon Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique... what kind of world-destroying might would that be?

On the panel, the evolution points had dropped from 125 to 25.

Deducting the next level of Vajra Shield required 500 points, and deducting the next level of Savage Bull Strength required 200 points; these few evolution points were utterly inadequate.

His gaze swept over the Demonic Wolf Tusks on the table, and Lin Jingyu's eyes turned cold.

This small "harvest" was far from enough!

The Southern City Training Ground; noon was approaching.

He needed new "resources," and he also needed... new Cultivation Techniques!

Wrapping the wolf fangs back up and tucking them into his bosom, Lin Jingyu pushed open the door.

The corridor outside the door was empty, and the neighbor's door was tightly shut, clearly intimidated by the powerful "bull bellow" from moments ago.

He strode downstairs.

Shopkeeper Zhao Youcai was huddled behind the counter. Hearing the footsteps, he looked up and met Lin Jingyu's eyes, which still held a hint of fierce aggression. He shivered in fright and nearly slid off his stool.

Lin Jingyu didn't even glance at him, walking straight out of the inn and merging into the increasing flow of people on the street.

Target: Southern City Training Ground!

Noon was approaching, and the Southern District of Black Stone City was much noisier than usual.

Many young people, sallow and thin but with eyes full of desire or apprehension, along with some wealthy scions dressed better and accompanied by guards, were all flocking toward the same direction—the Southern City Training Ground.

Lin Jingyu's tall, colossal figure stood out in the crowd like a crane among chickens. The strong, lingering scent of blood on him and the invisible pressure after his power Awakening caused nearby pedestrians to instinctively keep several steps away, forming a small vacuum around him.

Whispers arose around him... "Hiss... This person has such heavy Killing Intent! Did he just come back from outside the city?"

"Look at that physique... Tsk tsk, he must be at Body Refining Seventh or Eighth Layer, right?"

"So what if he's Body Refining Seventh or Eighth Layer? Instructor Wang of the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall is a Meridian Opening Realm Expert! His Eagle Claw Technique can shatter Bluestone Slabs with a single claw!"

"Exactly, Bone Structure and Comprehension Ability are the key! With only dead muscle, he probably won't even pass the first round..."

Lin Jingyu paid no attention, his steps steady and powerful.

With every step, the ground seemed to bear a weight far exceeding that of an ordinary person, emitting subtle vibrations.

His Physical Body, infused with the Nascent power of the Savage Bull Strength, walked like a Vicious Beast wearing human skin.

Just after turning a street corner, the clang of blacksmithing and rough discussions emerged from the "Wang's Blacksmith Shop," more heated than in the morning.

"Li Laosi, you're well-informed, will the Wang Family really send people this time?" It was the loud voice of the Blacksmith Wang Tiechui.

"Absolutely true!" A slightly sharper voice confirmed, "My brother-in-law works at the City Lord's Mansion and heard it himself! Steward Wang Fu of the Wang Family Third Branch, along with two clan guards, arrived at the teahouse next to the training ground early this morning!"

"It seems the Wang Family really wants to pick some good prospects from this Selection of Disciples to enter the Clan School! If one can catch the Wang Family's eye, that would truly be a step up to heaven!" Another voice was full of envy.

"Heh, dream on!" Wang Tiechui's voice carried his usual temper and disdain. "The Wang Family's threshold is even higher than the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall! Not only must you have Superior Bone Structure, but you must also have a clean background, preferably with some local Foundation! People like us, the 'mud legs,' even with good Bone Structure, they might not even look at us!"

"Alas, this world..." The sharper voice sighed. "But speaking of which, Instructor Wang's Eagle Claw Technique is truly formidable. I saw him practice it; with one claw, a wooden post as thick as a bowl was directly pierced with five holes! That Finger Strength, tsk tsk..."

Instructor Wang? Eagle Claw Technique? Wang Family Steward?

Lin Jingyu's steps didn't pause, but the corner of his mouth curled into an extremely cold arc.

Finger Strength? Piercing a wooden post?

He raised his right hand and slowly closed his five fingers.

A Dark Golden Sheen beneath his skin interwove with the ferocious power of the Savage Bull Strength, and his finger bones emitted slight crackling sounds.

He felt that his current grip could easily crush that so-called bowl-thick wooden post into dust!

The Southern City Training Ground was already in sight.

On a dusty open ground, people were milling about, making it exceptionally noisy.

A simple wooden platform was erected at the front of the open ground. Several Martial Arts Hall Disciples, dressed in Gray Tight-Fitting Attire with Fierce Tiger Patterns embroidered on their chests, were maintaining order, their eyes haughtily scanning the crowd below.

Behind the wooden platform, the window of a Private Room in a two-story teahouse was open. Vaguely visible were several well-dressed figures leaning on the railing, looking down at the crowd below with leisurely postures and a condescending scrutiny.

One of them, a slightly plump middle-aged man with a Chevron Mustache, was holding a teacup and whispering something to two robust guards beside him, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the youths in the training ground who looked to have decent physiques.

Wang Fu? Wang Family Steward?

Lin Jingyu's gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto the slightly plump figure in the teahouse's Private Room, and then sweeping past the arrogant Martial Arts Hall Disciples on the platform.

His colossal body parted the crowd like a reef parting water, walking straight toward the front of the training ground.

The Dark Golden Sheen flickered faintly beneath his skin, and the Savage Bull Strength roared and surged throughout his body.

Bone Structure? Comprehension Ability? Threshold?

He wanted to see how long the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall's Eagle Claw Technique and the Wang Family's "favor" could last before his hands, which could tear apart Demonic Wolves and contained Indestructible Vajra and Savage Immense Power.