Chapter 81: The Power of the Talent

The ‘Enhancement Favor’ talent was real! He truly had received an extra enhancement opportunity. This meant that every time he advanced a level, it was functionally equivalent to gaining two levels for others.

Forcing himself to contain his joyful laughter, Su Li used the extra enhancement opportunity—granted by the talent—to enhance his muscles again. Compared to the other three relatively useless options, enhancing his muscles was the most worthwhile choice.

Muscle enhancement provided the maximum possible increase in strength. He needed strength; only powerful strength could defeat powerful enemies and yield better rewards.

Thinking of the sheer power and terror of the Nightmare Beast and the Corpse Mother, Su Li felt he still had too many deficiencies. He needed to become even stronger.

Following his selection, a new message immediately appeared in his mind.

“Muscle enhancement begins. Muscle Augmentation Type III upgraded to Type IV. Adds an extra 900 jin of muscle strength.”

This bonus enhancement opportunity, acquired through the talent, could not, however, trigger the ‘Enhancement Favor’ talent itself; only the primary enhancement gained upon leveling up had that effect.

Having chosen muscle enhancement twice in a row, every muscle in Su Li’s body was now changing. The Spiritual Source energy completely saturated every muscle fiber, making the muscles feel as though they were melting. A terrifying, unimaginable power continuously erupted from these muscles.

He even gained a tactile connection to his muscles. It was as if each muscle fiber had come alive and was as flexible as his fingers. He now had the clear realization that he could manipulate and control every muscle in his entire body at will.

Muscle Augmentation Type IV—four consecutive muscle enhancements—had reached an incredible level. A Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder gained a base strength of only 800 jin, yet Muscle Augmentation Type IV added an extra 900 jin of strength, surpassing the base strength of a Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder itself.

In the Muscle Augmentation Type IV state, Su Li could coordinate all his muscles. His maximum attack power now reached 1,700 jin. Compared to his previous 1,000 jin of force, a single advancement had boosted his strength by a full 700 jin.

This was nearly a double increase.

If Ding Longyun and Gong Xiao knew his current power level, they would be utterly terrified. The Level 4 Ding Longyun, who had never enhanced his muscles, had a current maximum strength of only 800 jin.

The Level 3 Gong Xiao, who had enhanced her muscles once, also had a maximum strength of 800 jin.

Now, the combined strength of Ding Longyun and Gong Xiao was less than Su Li’s alone.

Feeling the sheer raw power in his body—the ability to manipulate every muscle—was an amazing sensation. Muscle Augmentation Type IV not only enhanced his strength but also perfected his muscle control. He could, in a single breath, focus his strength in one area, contracting the muscles there to become hard as iron and boosting his muscle defense. Continuing this path of enhancement might eventually lead him to a point where even bullets couldn’t penetrate his muscle defense.

Just then, new information suddenly appeared in his mind.

“Muscles have received four enhancements, triggering the comprehension of Muscular Defense State. Defense capability can offset a maximum of 500 jin of attack force.”

Digesting and integrating this new piece of information, Su Li immediately understood that, in addition to his offensive muscle state, he had comprehended a new Muscular Defense State. The fact that the defense capability could offset a maximum of 500 jin of attack force meant that when he controlled his muscles to enter the defense state, any attack using less than 500 jin of force would be completely nullified by his muscular defense and unable to harm him.

If an opponent’s attack exceeded 500 jin—say, 1,000 jin—after the defensive offset, he would only suffer 500 jin of damage.

“Such an amazing change! If the opponent’s strength is low, I can just stand here and let them hit me without taking any damage?”

Su Li understood the implication and inwardly marveled at how the effect of muscle enhancement was becoming increasingly astonishing.

Su Li killed the Advanced Corpse Beast and successfully advanced to a Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder, followed by two consecutive muscle enhancements, causing earth-shattering changes in his body. On the other side, Gong Xiao also successfully killed the Advanced Corpse Beast with the scaly right arm, gaining one Spiritual Source.

She turned around and saw Su Li standing still, his face exhibiting a strange mixture of joy and shock, continuously changing, as if he had suddenly gone mad.

The Advanced Corpse Beast with the hardened right leg, which Su Li had thrown to the ground, had many broken bones, but it still managed to stagger up, trying to attack the motionless Su Li. However, its broken bones had twisted its body, and its attack speed was very slow.

Ding Longyun, enduring the pain, used the “Soul Devour” in his right hand to strike its head. The Advanced Corpse Beast rolled its eyes and collapsed silently, dead.

Ding Longyun gained a Spiritual Source, and a message immediately appeared.

“Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder: Spiritual Source 4/50”

This was the fourth effective Spiritual Source he had acquired since becoming a Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder.

The Advanced Corpse Beasts were unique. Killing one granted a Level 2 or Level 3 Spiritual Source Wielder one Spiritual Source, and Ding Longyun, a Level 4, still gained one Spiritual Source from killing it. Clearly, the strength of these Advanced Corpse Beasts was not uniform, and they differed greatly from ordinary Spiritual Source Beasts, making the normal rules for Spiritual Source yield unreliable for them.

With the Spiritual Source absorbed, Ding Longyun’s injured area immediately began to heal. The fangs that had pierced his face and chest were pushed out by the healing power, and Ding Longyun, gritting his teeth, pulled them out one by one.

“Su Li, why are you standing there stunned?” Ding Longyun asked, seeing Su Li motionless as if suddenly possessed.

On the edge of the roof, the five Low-Level Corpse Beasts had climbed onto the roof.

These Low-Level Corpse Beasts were not only weak, but the Spiritual Sources they yielded were now ineffective for them and even useless to the weakest among them, Xu Xuehui.

Gong Xiao immediately charged forward, not attacking their heads, but kicking out repeatedly, sending the recently climbed Low-Level Corpse Beasts tumbling one after another, back off the roof.

Hearing Ding Longyun call his name, Su Li finally recovered from the shock of his massive power boost. He smiled slightly at Ding Longyun and said, “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about whether we should throw more corpses down and try for a big haul tonight.”

(End of Chapter)