Chapter 75

"Being poor really means having no dignity at all!"

Because of poverty, Qin Shi hesitated for half a second before firmly refusing.

He couldn't help but feel that this bunch of Martial Artists were truly perverted.

Injecting Energy Liquid into the rectum to promote bodily absorption... how could they come up with such an outrageous idea?

If experiencing the Ultimate Insult can lead to a breakthrough in Realm.

I reckon the lunatics of this world are probably starting to swarm out in droves.

"Teacher Liang, although I've said we should be frugal, we're not poor to this extent."

Let's just use the normal method; a slightly weaker effect doesn't matter much."

Qin Shi spoke with a sincere tone.

Afraid that Lao Liang intended to force growth too quickly and make him endure humiliation for no reason.

"Fine. Then we'll use the most conventional syringe injection."

Lao Liang played with the sealed iron can, feeling rather uncomfortable in his heart.

This bottle of Level 4 Energy Liquid bearing the "United Pharmaceutical" trademark was almost the highest-quality strong Resource available on the open market.

Not only was the price expensive, with a minimum consumption level of several hundred thousand, but it wasn't something you could buy just because you wanted to.

As one of the top three pharmaceutical giants in Dongxia, United Group has always had an annoying hidden rule.

Similar to the allocation sales of luxury goods in Qin Shi's previous life.

The supply of Energy Liquid from Level One to Level Seven cannot be purchased directly; one must start from the lowest level and accumulate spending to raise their purchase qualification.

Roughly speaking, it's like buying ten bottles of Level 1 Energy Liquid before qualifying to purchase Level 2 Energy Liquid.

"Thinking about it this way, following me since childhood was indeed a bit of a grievance for you."

Lao Liang went upstairs, feeling slightly sour in his heart, as if his family couldn't afford to send a child with good grades to University.

"If Hengzhou is unsealed, I can apply for a Subsidy from above."

Now I'm alone, with nothing, delaying my Disciple from becoming a great talent."

Returning to the Dormitory, Lao Liang took out a full box of various injection syringes from the drawer and skillfully sterilized them.

Over a hundred milliliters of Level 4 Energy Liquid was divided into twelve tubes, laid out one by one.

Lao Liang opened his mouth:

"Take off your clothes."

Qin Shi obediently did as told.

Immediately after, Lao Liang used a black Oil-based Pen to draw twelve Marks consecutively on the surface of his Disciple's strong and uniform muscles.

"Xiao Shi, you have already broken through the Qi Refining Stage, and your Constitution far exceeds that of students your age."

So for the Energy Liquid injection, it's best to inject into the connection points of the twelve Large Tendons, which can achieve a tempering effect."

Qin Shi nodded.

As the saying goes, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure.

Fortunately, he came to seek advice from Lao Liang; otherwise, if he drank it like soda, gulp gulp gulp, wouldn't it be a waste?

"Teacher Liang, is there anything else to pay attention to?"

Qin Shi asked.

"The process is relatively simple; just relax. Sit still and don't move."

Lao Liang flicked the syringe with his finger, the clear and transparent deep blue liquid rippling with light, truly Handsome.

"By the way, it might... hurt a little."

The needle tip pierced the Skin, stabbing into the Large Tendon connection point, tough as a python twisted into knots.

"Hurt? I don't think... damn it!"

Qin Shi's voice stopped abruptly.

At the beginning of the Energy Liquid injection, his muscles swelled slightly, with a bit of numbness and soreness, without too much stimulating reaction.

But as Lao Liang pushed the syringe, the deep blue liquid was slowly injected; not long after, it was like pouring molten red-hot iron into his body.

Burning his Five Viscera Six Bowels, blood vessels and flesh, the pain was extreme!

"Don't be nervous, this is invigorating the blood, making your blood boil, unblocking the whole body; you can think of it as preheating the engine before starting a car."

Perhaps Qin Shi's Consciousness was blurred; he always felt Lao Liang's voice was drifting and unclear.

His whole body's Skin turned red and swollen, like a cooked large shrimp.

His body temperature was shockingly hot, close to around forty-five degrees.

This was already a high fever that a normal Life Form could hardly bear.

For ordinary people with Qi Life Force of seven or eight points, their brains would probably be bubbling like boiling water right now.

The second tube, third tube, fourth tube...

Lao Liang didn't inject very fast; each time was separated by about three or four Minutes.

By the time the tenth tube was injected, Qin Shi was sweating profusely, his lips were dry and cracked, and he looked like he was about to dehydrate.

The salt had dried up, almost forming a thin "shell" on the surface of his Skin.

"Feeling like being roasted over a fire, or braised in a pot."

The process of injecting Energy Liquid was like cooking, and Qin Shi himself was the main ingredient.

Constantly being pan-fried and braised, occasionally flipped over, ensuring crispy outside and tender inside, melting in the mouth.

"Actually..."

Lao Liang said:

"Normally speaking, the injection should be divided into twelve times, but that would easily waste the Drug Effect. Xiao Shi, can you still hold on?"

"Thank you, Master Liang, for telling me so promptly."

Qin Shi's forehead veins jumped.

I've already taken so many needles; even if I can't bear it, I must bear it!

"The last needle! Here it comes!"

Lao Liang smiled; he had great confidence in his own Disciple.

Relying on his tough physique from childhood training, he could fully support it!

It's just a mere Level 4 Energy Liquid.

Back when he was a private, he drank Level 7 Energy Liquid like a beverage, two cans a day, feeling refreshed.

The only side effect was excessive excitement, unable to sleep all night.

"Hiss! Old Liang, you really pit your Disciple!"

Twelve needles pierced into his body, and Qin Shi suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Extremely high body temperature and frantic sweating caused puffs of white smoke to rise from the top of his head.

At first glance, it was simply like Three Flowers Gathered at the Top.

"Injecting twelve needles at once is like running a 3A game on a mining card; I can almost smell the faint aroma of roasted brain flowers."

Qin Shi bit his cheek tightly, twelve Blood-Colored Major Tendons bulged, like pythons coiling around his body, shocking to behold, hideous and terrifying.

Although he could choose the cheating option of 【Deep Sleep】, for his first time absorbing Level 4 Energy Liquid, there was no need to avoid it.

"It's just a bit of wind and frost... Achievement activated, Instant Refinement!"

Qin Shi stayed awake, perceiving the powerful digestion brought by 【Overgrowth】.

Every cell in his body seemed to be restless, eagerly craving to swallow every bit of nutrition.

The twelve Large Tendons, almost bursting the skin, were tightly bound by the Mortal Body, like suppressed pythons.

As the flesh writhed, sometimes opening, sometimes twisting, like bamboo nodes cracking, emitting crisp "crack crack" sounds.

A few minutes later, after frantic heat dissipation, Qin Shi's body temperature gradually declined, returning to normal.

The twelve Blood-Colored Major Tendons' color settled down, gradually darkening, revealing a pitch-black metallic texture.

Like segments of hard refined steel, covering the body in a flexible state.

"My life force is wildly increasing, surging, greatly increasing!"

Qin Shi exhaled turbid Qi and opened his eyes.

But his vision was no longer concrete scenery, but a continuous, river-like "Qi".

Only to see it running everywhere, circulating, passing through the inside and outside of the human body, constructing a complete shape.

Baring teeth and claws, head raised and eyes glaring!

Like a great flood dragon treading the rivers and pressing down on the mountain peaks!

"The rivers are my breath, the mountain peaks are my flesh and blood."

Qin Shi's Inner Vision was clearer and more certain than before.

The red-and-white interlaced skin tone of his whole body was moistened and nourished by the vigorous breath of the great flood dragon, gradually transforming toward purple.

"The tender Qi Sense like a baby's turned purple; what does this represent? Is the physique intensity higher?"

Qin Shi pondered, as he breathed evenly, Qi Sense circulated through the heavens.

Among them seemed to be strands of light points flowing down, like dandelions scattering seeds, falling to the position three inches below the navel.

He had heard Lao Liang say that in ancient times it was called "dantian", and in modern times, it is called the human body's golden ratio point.

"Am I going to cultivate 'Inner Force'?"

Qin Shi was amazed; the light points followed the Qi Sense circulation and increased more and more, finally condensing into an oval "Seed" the size of a fingernail.

"Life force breaks through twenty points, Qi Sense gathers, nurturing the True Seed."

Lao Liang spoke at the right time:

"It can restore injuries, energy, and accelerate digestion and absorption to a certain extent.

From Amateur Eighth Rank to Third Rank, all you have to do is one thing: constantly nourish it, nourish it until it thrives, nourish it until it flourishes!"

Cheng Ze drove back to the red brick house near the Factory Area; he did not look left and right, but directly opened the door with a key.

The flyer deliberately pinched in the Doorway did not fall to the ground; it seemed no one had broken into the Home.

But Cheng Ze saw a long hair strand on the Carpet, knowing that Qin Lihao had sent someone over.

The secret door in the storage room was well hidden, and a layer of camouflage cover had been made on the surface.

He was not worried that Qin Zhijie and Luo Ji in the cellar would be discovered.

"It can't be delayed any longer."

Cheng Ze's footsteps were steady; as usual, following his daily living habits, he cleaned hygiene, cooked, and washed vegetables.

Then he used the remote control to turn on the TV, playing a monotonous and boring news program.

When it reached ten o'clock at night, he turned off the lights early.

"Brother Ze really doesn't look like someone in a Gang; he can drink and play when receiving clients normally, but in private his life is like a married homebody."

Jiang Hao, sitting in the car tailing him, lit a cigarette and shook his head with emotion.

He felt Hao Ge had thought too much; Brother Ze had been loyal to the Company all these years, how could he possibly kidnap Young Master Jie and demand a ransom?

Around four in the morning.

Cheng Ze opened his eyes and came to the cellar again.

He woke up the two "hostages" tied to chairs.

Before leaving, he deliberately dosed them with medicine, guaranteeing they would be relatively obedient.

"Brother Ze! Spare me... you and my Third Brother don't get along, why must you make an example of me!"

Qin Zhijie's severed wrist wound was wrapped in bandages, and after careful treatment, no infection or inflammation appeared.

Only this Qin Family Fourth Young Master's spirit was on the verge of collapse; a young master raised in luxury since childhood, encountering a ruthless bandit like Cheng Ze who chopped off hands without a second word, had truly been scared out of his wits.

"Don't rush, Jie Shao. There's still one day; let's see if Hao Ge feels distressed for this younger brother of his. If there's still no movement, I'll have to chop off another hand."

Cheng Ze's tone was gentle, but in Qin Zhijie's eyes it was like a demon, making him tremble with fear, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Brother Ji, what do you say? Jie Shao has great use, so I have to bandage his wound and keep him well-fed and watered."

He turned his gaze to Luo Ji, still with a face full of amiability:

"Hao Ge may not be willing to pay for the wild dogs under his command. Brother Ji, quickly think of a way; otherwise, I'll find it hard to persuade myself to keep you around."

Witnessing Qin Zhijie's hand being chopped off, Luo Ji was on tenterhooks the whole time; he wore a bitter face, almost crying:

"Brother Ze! Lord Ze! I really know I was wrong! All the funds in my bank account, my properties, the mistresses I keep... I'll give them all to you! Brother Ze!"

Luo Ji spoke incoherently, his mouth opening and closing, yet not knowing what he was actually saying.

"Even if you send your own wife over, I have no interest, Brother Ji. A friend's wife must not be mounted; I'm a man of jianghu loyalty."

Cheng Ze gave a light laugh:

"Hurry up and turn that brain, think seriously. You've followed Hao Ge for so long, he trusts you this much — is there any news that would interest me?"

Luo Ji's breathing was rapid, his brain like a CPU running at high speed, its fan about to spin out smoke.

Cheng Ze shook his head regretfully, picking up a meat-sawing knife from the wooden tub nearby.

Old Factory Street's temperature in early winter was extremely low; frozen meat took tremendous effort to cut through.

He turned and walked toward Luo Ji, the other's face full of terror:

"Brother Ze... I remember! The dock, the warehouse! Hao Ge has a batch of goods seized by the Inspection Department, inside is Nine Dragons Potion transported from Yincheng!"

Cheng Ze was unmoved:

"I don't work out, that stuff is useless to me."

Luo Ji swallowed hard, urgently adding:

"Besides those, there's also a piece of contraband! Qin Village Chief got hold of it, had Hao Ge deliver it to the Urban Circle's de facto number one, Chen Ruofu, as a congratulatory gift."

Sending contraband to the Urban Circle's actual top authority?

That Elder Brother of Qin Lihao, Qin Renying who serves as Mang Village Chief in Yincheng — has his brain fried?

Cheng Ze narrowed his eyes:

"Do you know what it is?"

Luo Ji tried hard to recall, stammering:

"Seems like teaching materials. Back when the Military Factory Explosion happened, the Dangyang Disciple School lost a portion of the original teaching materials distributed by the Martial Association..."

(Chapter End)