C8 Thickskinned Palm(2)

Spicy Palm Technique: Submerge your hands in chili-infused water for ten-minute sessions. Persist until your hands adapt, then graduate to chili powder or even spicier herbal concoctions. Striking an enemy, the fiery essence infiltrates their skin, inducing swelling, inflammation, and excruciating pain.

"Have they lost their minds? Who's the moron that came up with this martial art? And it's got a bunch of idiots slapping on five-star reviews? Claims of beauty enhancement and fixing a split stream? Ridiculous."

Zhou Mu ranted furiously, yet despite his tirade, he too left a five-star rating.

He couldn't be the only one duped; he had to rope others in, or else how could he live up to the legacy of his predecessors' tall tales?

Dismissing the Spicy Palm Technique as a worthless trick, Zhou Mu pondered its purpose. Was it only good for spicing up dishes without the need for actual chilies?

"The real issue is my lack of soul intensity and the absence of money," he mused.

His father was pushing for an engagement between Zhou Mu and Qi Xiang, but his heart wasn't in it.

In a world overrun by fiend beasts, power was the currency of survival.

Without it, wealth could be plundered, loved ones could drift away, and even life itself could slip through one's fingers.

Thus, Zhou Mu's priority was to become formidable. Only after achieving strength would he entertain thoughts of career and romance.

"Enough of this. Time to enhance my physique, then head into the wilds to hunt fiend beasts."

Given his current capabilities, taking down a level three fiend beast was well within reach.

The demise of these creatures sometimes yielded soul fragments, and their carcasses could fetch a good price.

If he hunted prolifically, wealth and prosperity would soon be his.

Upon accessing the system store, Zhou Mu was momentarily taken aback.

"What's this? New items?"

A semi-transparent list materialized before him, piquing his curiosity.

Soul Fragment, Granule: There's a slim chance of obtaining this from a fourth rank or higher fiend beast upon its death. Using it boosts soul intensity by 0.2 points, with a maximum increase of 3 points. It requires 500 points to acquire.

Capsaicin: Sourced from the fiery Devil Pepper, it boasts an extreme level of heat. Only 1 point is needed for purchase.

The Soul Fragment, in granule form, is twice as potent as the powder, with the cap increased from 2 points to 3 points.

Yet, in comparison to a total soul intensity of 222 points, these items hardly seem significant.

But there's no alternative; items that enhance soul intensity are regulated, and even with money, they're tough to acquire.

The few that do make it to the outside world are only available on the black market, at exorbitant prices.

The Capsaicin, however, is somewhat of a curiosity.

It's cheap and highly effective, clearly baiting Zhou Mu to give it a go.

Others might have been tempted, but Zhou Mu? He's the man who faces the world with unabashed confidence!

Since it's inexpensive, why not give it a try?

After redeeming points for five units of Capsaicin, Zhou Mu dipped his finger in it and tasted it.

Instantly, his pale cheeks flushed crimson, and large tears rolled down uncontrollably.

Shaking all over, Zhou Mu was filled with regret. Why did he recklessly decide to taste it?

Qi Xiang entered just in time to witness Zhou Mu's tear-streaked face, her shock evident.

"Brother, what happened to you?"

"I'm feeling sorry for you. Short in stature, small in chest. Not the brightest, yet full of troubles."

Qi Xiang stood there, dumbfounded.

After a long, silent half-minute, Qi Xiang delivered a swift kick to Zhou Mu's chest.

It was infuriating!

She was so concerned for him, and he repaid her with mockery!

Enough was enough; she couldn't stand it any longer!

Seizing a handful of Capsaicin, Qi Xiang flung it at Zhou Mu.

Refusing to be outdone, Zhou Mu, tears and all, tossed the chili back at Qi Xiang's face.

And so, both of them ended up in tears.

Their cries were loud and heart-wrenching.

...

It turns out that, despite its seemingly absurd appearance, Spicy Fist can be quite formidable when practiced with substances of high spiciness.

Over the following period, Zhou Mu embarked on his self-improvement journey.

He sold off two sports cars and a collection of unnecessary luxuries, pouring all the proceeds into purchasing Eastern Divine Pills.

Physical attributes are crucial for both defense and recovery, as well as being a strict requirement for contracting high-quality spirit animals. Therefore, he prioritized enhancing his physique.

He managed to sell a mishmash of items for over seventy million, which still didn't match the value of the sports cars.

But that's the nature of the second-hand market; you can't expect to sell used items for their original price. Doing so would only indicate a lack of integrity on the seller's part.

Zhou Mu invested all his funds into Eastern Divine Pills, quickly boosting his Constitution to 80 points. He traded the toxins accumulated in his body with the system, earning 100 points.

However, the benefits of these spirit medicines were ultimately finite, diminishing with each use.

Zhou Mu estimated they would lose their effectiveness entirely once his Constitution hit 100 points.

But on the flip side, Zhou Mu was likely the only person throughout history who could consume such an amount of spirit medicine at once without perishing.

Once his Constitution reached 100 points, he'd be capable of withstanding the bloodline shock from a leader-grade spirit animal.

Having committed to this path, he intended to secure only the best.

From now on, any spirit animal he dealt with had to be at least of leader quality.

In battle, Gator would unleash its dragon's might, a force no enemy could match unless they were leader-grade.

Facing a normal, an elite, and a leader-grade spirit animal, Zhou Mu countered with three leaders of his own, rendering the fight almost trivial.

With his funds depleted, Zhou Mu's progress had to pause for the time being.

Post-dinner and bath, he lay in bed, planning to visit the Animal Whisperer Union the next day to pick up a few assignments.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon ascended, silence enveloped the darkness, punctuated only by the soft cadence of breathing within the room.

That night, Zhou Mu dreamt of a captivating beauty—a woman with skin like satin, a slender waist, and a cool, stunning visage.

Despite the chill of her touch, her intense ardor ignited a fiery passion within him.

Just as he was about to grab his spear and mount his horse, he abruptly woke from the dream.

"Damn!"

Zhou Mu couldn't help but let out an exasperated curse, quickly realizing something was amiss.

There was something on him!

Upon this realization, Zhou Mu broke out in a cold sweat.

To avoid startling the creature, he stifled the impulse to roll over and flee, carefully extending his hand to flick the switch.

*Click!*

The harsh light flooded the room, revealing Gator with its head pressed against his chest, stirring a mix of emotions within Zhou Mu.

He had been dreaming, and just as things were getting interesting, he woke up?

So he was awake, but the smooth object he'd felt in his dream was a snake?

And why was it outside when it should have been in the special space provided by the Soul Contract?

"Hiss hiss!"

Gator seemed to notice Zhou Mu's awakening, lifting its head and gently licking his chest, its gaze becoming hazy.

Zhou Mu was baffled.

Since when did a snake's expressions become so rich and hazy?

"If only you were a girl, how great would that be! I'd enhance your bloodline, you'd boost my physical attributes, and we'd support each other. I'd always treat you well, and you'd never betray me."

Zhou Mu stroked Gator's head, sighed in resignation, turned off the light, and went back to sleep.