#54Effects, ConflictsAI Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2-instruct-0905
Chapter Six – Effects and Conflict
After polishing off the two fresh plates Xiao Hong brought, Zhao Liuyun's stomach still felt hollow; he raised a hand and ordered two more.
He kept reading the skill description.
[Class Skill: Power Focus (By coordinating the muscles, the entire muscle group concentrates its force, allowing bursts of strength far beyond the norm)]
Reading Taiwanese novels is awesome.
As expected, the skill leaned toward the physical—toward raw power.
Yet Zhao Liuyun's gaze lingered on the four words "coordinating the muscles."
Back when he first studied [Adjustment], he'd wondered: "What if I let the muscles move themselves to massage away fatigue?"
Later he realized force originating inside the muscles is training; only when it comes from outside is it massage.
By pairing Controlling Crane Catching Dragon with spirit poweroscillations, he finally turned [Adjustment] inward.
But now… the idea he'd once shelved reappeared in another guise.
Zhao Liuyun stilled his breath and focused, trying to will those normally uncontrollable muscles into motion—
the extensibility granted by [Dexterity] worked wonders: muscle fibers rippled like a gentle tide!
And the muscles already under conscious control responded even faster.
Marveling, he sensed that the signals driving the muscles, like the demon dragon silver pupil's sight, stemmed from mental force.
mental force carried commands, pulling at every fiber like silken threads.
A flash of inspiration struck him—
setting aside other uses, this meant body training could also be done by making the muscles move themselves.
If he could devise a matching regimen, he could temper his physiqueanytime, anywhere… As a physician who knew the human body inside out, Zhao Liuyun felt confident.
A trip to the lavatory and two more plates of food later, the gnawing hunger finally eased.
He turned his calm gaze to the Panel.
[physique: 28]
One point came from two months of forging and Medicinal Baths.
Six points from [Steel and Iron Bones]—one more than [Strong and Sturdy] had given.
Still rather low for a twenty-eighth-ranked Spirit Master.
Moments like this made Zhao Liuyun truly envy Huo Yuhao.
A four-hundred-thousand-year beast Spirit Bone forging his body—finishing in one step what other Mental System Spirit Masters couldn't achieve in a lifetime.
The bone's effects were staggering; while coveting it, Zhao Liuyun had already chosen his target—
Ah Yin's Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.
Never mind its miracle of limb regrowth; a hundred-thousand-year bone's power to remake the body was temptation enough.
The only problem: no opportunity in the short term.
Tang San was still at Nuoding Academy, Tang Hao long since expelled from Clear Sky Sect. With nowhere else to go, he must be shuttling between Ah Yin and the academy.
Heading there now risked running straight into him.
He had to wait—wait for Tang San to leave for Suotuo City or Heaven Dou City.
In the former, Tang Hao would show and thrash Zhao Wuji;
in the latter, Spirit Douluo were plentiful, Dugu Bo the Titled Douluostood guard, and the Sword & Bone Duo appeared now and then.
To protect Xiao Wu, Tang Hao wouldn't dare leave lightly.
That would be Zhao Liuyun's best chance to seize the Spirit Bone!
Besides Spirit Bones, another shortcut to boost physique existed—
Whale Glue.
Zhao Liuyun had thought of the physique-boosting, side-effect-free Whale Glue long ago.
Currently sold only as an aphrodisiac, its price wasn't exorbitant.
Yet it came from the sea, from massive, hard-to-hunt whale Spirit Beasts, and was rarely found inland.
The Ye Family specialized in medicinal wares and medicine; surely they had some.
Unfortunately this shop mainly handled herbs from Star Dou Great Forest, not coastal specialties.
And Zhao Liuyun's present persona made it awkward to ask outright.
Weighing everything, he decided to wait.
The Medicinal Baths were enough for now.
Once he opened a new training method—or became closer to the Ye Family—he could bring up Whale Glue.
For now… free food, drink, and baths were probably part of the test.
Zhao Liuyun accepted every benefit without refusal, keeping the favors in mind… Three days passed, and after daily meals cooked from century-old Spirit Beast meat, the fierce hunger brought by his rapidly rising physique finally quieted.
Outside the window the sun shone and a gentle breeze blew—perfect for keeping his earlier promise.
After asking Meng Yan's leave, and with one Spirit King and one Spirit Ancestor as guards, he found Ye Lingsi hard at her studies: "Lingsi, come on, I'm taking you out to play today."
"Yay, yay~!"
Ye Lingsi cheered, relief pouring from every word.
Zhao Liuyun understood at once.
She didn't especially want to go out.
Born into comfort, she'd surely strolled Soul Hunting Town before?
It offered only snacks and general stores—hardly thrilling.
The little girl simply wanted to skip her lessons and grab some leisure.
Just like students in his past life who feigned sickness to skip class.
But—
from the corner of his eye he caught Meng Yan's chilly gaze, and he chuckled inwardly.
A spanking would fix that itch.
Once they returned, the girl would learn her lesson.
Yet seeing her carefree, innocent bounce, she was the type who forgot pain with the next treat.
"Whee!" The moment they stepped outside, Ye Lingsi revived, looking every which way, eyes full of wonder.
Zhao Liuyun gently took her hand so she wouldn't get lost.
Behind them the two taciturn guards followed.
"Come on, Brother Liuyun, I'll take you to eat something yummy." Ye Lingsi licked her lips and pointed down the street.
"Over there first—there's a skewer stall that smells amazing."
Knowing she was simply greedy, Zhao Liuyun smiled warmly. "All right, whatever you want."
One gold coin per skewer—rather pricey.
But the meat was top-grade Spirit Beast, grilled to perfect doneness.
The charcoal's scorch, the fat's richness, the cumin and chili's fire… an assault of irresistible aromas.
One bite: crisp outside, succulent within, juices overflowing—utterly unforgettable.
Anyone hunting in Star Dou Great Forest could afford it; the stall was packed and business boomed.
Zhao Liuyun bought six skewers, eating as they walked, hand in hand with Ye Lingsi.
The two guards would settle the bill themselves.
"More, more—there's a place with great soup over there!" Ye Lingsibounced along, mouth full.
Zhao Liuyun chewed slowly, smiling. "Easy, no one's snatching it from you."
A frivolous voice suddenly cut in.
"Fair and tender, bright and lively—what a cute little girl. Come on, tell big brother your name."
"Brother Liuyun…" Ye Lingsi looked up, tightened her grip on his hand.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here." He shielded her behind him.
He signaled the guards to hold back and turned a cold gaze toward the speaker.
A short, squat little Fatty stood there.
Close-cropped hair, beady eyes, two rat-like mustache hairs twitching as he spoke—thoroughly sleazy.
Young in years, yet his gaze was lecherous, a Spirit Grandmaster… Disgust flashed through Zhao Liuyun. "Which uncultured toad dares croak here?"
"You're the toad, damn it!"
The sleazy Fatty bristled, spirit power surging, clearly about to summon his Spirit.
"Remember this—my name is Ma Hongjun, the Phoenix Spirit!"
He shouted it loud, afraid no one would hear.
Zhao Liuyun frowned; it really was the debauched Fatty of rumor.
They said he spared no one from six-year-olds to eighty-year-old grannies…
Fresh from some village and never been beaten, huh!
A soft radiance bloomed in his palm—Moon Secluded Epiphyllum, bright as moonlight.
Spirit Master fights were common; the crowd simply backed away, clearing a ring.
Zhao Liuyun's first spirit ring flashed the moment the sleazy Fatty's Chicken Spirit merged with him.
"First Spirit Ability: Stop Conflict!"
A violet light flickered.
Thud!
To the onlookers' cries of shock, the lecherous flaming chicken fell flat, his momentum gone.
Close-range meant mental force needed little aiming.
Powered by [Combat Instinct], the instant hit almost never missed.
Yet Zhao Liuyun felt no triumph; he merely murmured to the Spirit Ancestor guard:
"They have backers—hurry and invite Senior Meng here."