C20 Grimwalker

Ding! You've successfully consumed 5,000 wealth value points. A skull has undergone Bone Tempering.

"Hmm?"

Meng Yang, seated cross-legged on the bed, was about to tap on the skull again when the message before him made him catch his breath in shock.

After double-checking to make sure he wasn't seeing things, Meng Yang rolled his eyes, nearly fainting.

"Damn, 5,000 wealth value points? Might as well just rob me."

With his eyes bloodshot, Meng Yang took several deep breaths to fight the impulse to gouge his eyes out.

He had suspected that as he grew stronger, whether breaking through levels or upgrading his martial arts, the cost in wealth value would increase. But he hadn't anticipated it would skyrocket by the thousands.

He had thought his nearly 20,000 wealth value points would last a while, but now he realized he had been far too naive.

Meng Yang's hand shook as it hovered in the air, too scared to make another click.

"So ruthless!"

Eventually, Meng Yang managed to let out a sigh of frustration.

With a face flushed red, he reluctantly moved his quivering finger to the plus sign on the Soul Stealing Palm.

It cost 1,000 wealth value points to increase the proficiency of the Soul Stealing Palm by 1,000 points.

"Damn, I think my blood pressure's spiking..."

Meng Yang's head felt heavy, and suddenly his vision was filled with countless black spots.

He struggled to breathe, his features scrunching together as if he were struggling with constipation.

Before the third level of the Soul Stealing Palm, each use only cost ten points, and the proficiency gained was a hundred.

But now, whether it was the influence of Bone Tempering or just sheer audacity, the system seemed to think Meng Yang was made of money, demanding a lion's share. His nearly 20,000 wealth value points were depleted by 6,000 in an instant, shrinking by nearly a quarter.

Meng Yang, with a look of utter disillusionment, slumped against the bed, staring out the window.

Only his clenched teeth and quivering lips showed signs of life; everything else about him screamed a desire for the end.

"I need to head over to the Martial Arts Pavilion," I mused.

"The assessment is tomorrow. I must learn a life-saving martial arts technique before it arrives."

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Meng Yang, with bloodshot eyes, made a beeline for the Martial Arts Pavilion, his expression warding off any would-be acquaintances.

Upon entering the bustling hall of the Martial Arts Pavilion, Meng Yang was taken aback by the crowd. Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. He turned just in time to see a figure hurtling out of a second-floor window.

The sight of the figure's bruised face and the way they sprawled on the ground in an awkward pose drew gasps from the Lin family disciples gathered around.

"You dare to challenge me before your martial arts have reached Great Completion? Do you really think I'm as weak as you?"

The deep, powerful voice, laced with immense spiritual energy, sparked a flurry of discussions among the onlookers. Meng Yang couldn't help but reflect on how gossip seemed to be a universal human trait, no matter the world.

"Isn't that Zhu Dabiao? He's had a rough time running into Deacon Wang."

"I heard he was trying his luck for tomorrow's assessment."

"He didn't have to go that far; he got hit so hard he wet himself."

"Many disciples have tried their luck before. Maybe they were getting on his nerves, and he decided to make an example out of one to scare the others."

Meng Yang cast a sympathetic glance at the young man being dragged away by the guards before stepping further into the Martial Arts Pavilion.

It was as grand as he had imagined, a three-story structure teeming with activity. The first floor alone housed over three hundred disciples without feeling crowded.

Besides the rows of books in the central hall, there were thirty rooms designated as practice areas.

After submitting his martial arts token, Meng Yang headed to the book section to make his selection. He had already decided on his approach: the flesh puppet for defense, the Soul Stealing Palm for offense, and now all he needed was a technique for evasion.

Considering that all the Lin family disciples were expected to participate in the assessment, having a martial arts style that emphasized agility seemed crucial with the increased numbers.

Meng Yang hadn't expected to find so many disciples with the same objective as his. On the first floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion, over half of the three hundred disciples were perusing books in the movement technique section. Clearing his mind of distractions, Meng Yang began his search. Yet, despite looking for quite some time, he couldn't find a movement technique that met his expectations.

As he was about to move on to the next row of bookshelves, something caught his eye, and he found himself rooted to the spot, unable to move. The name of the movement technique seemed as though it had been crafted just for him. "Grimwalker," he murmured, impressed by the commanding name.

Just as Meng Yang reached out to take the book, a pair of small, delicate hands beat him to it. Accompanied by a fragrant breeze, Lin Zitong, dressed in a floral frock with a ponytail swinging behind her, leaped into his view. The sight of her tiny canine teeth beneath her upturned lips sent a jolt through him.

"Ah, Miss Lin Zitong, you've become even more adorable since I last saw you," he complimented.

With a graceful smile that curved her eyes into crescent moons, Lin Zitong responded, "Not bad. The last time I saw you, you hadn't achieved Blood to Spirit Transmutation. Now you're on the verge of condensing your Martial Bone."

Meng Yang gave a slight bow, replying with a respectful smile, "I owe it all to you, Miss. Without your help, someone with my modest talents might not have reached this stage until next year."

"You have a way with words. So, you're interested in this movement technique?" Lin Zitong teased, batting her large, expressive eyes as she tapped the book she had claimed, giving Meng Yang an inquisitive look.

Meng Yang neither confirmed nor denied his interest.

"Don't be fooled by the name's boldness. The training is incredibly challenging, and you could end up crippling your legs. This type of martial arts, which demands self-harm for advancement, is beyond the reach of almost everyone in the Lin family, except for that one individual who can't feel pain," Lin Zitong warned. "I'm telling you this because I find you agreeable. Just so you won't have any regrets later on."

Lin Zitong, exuding an air of authority, gave Meng Yang's shoulder a pat like a seasoned leader and strode away, her ponytail swishing behind her.

Lin Zitong meant well, but Meng Yang had no intention of heeding her advice.

His approach to cultivation was unlike that of ordinary people; with sufficient wealth, everything would fall into place.

Wary of another well-meaning disciple coming over to offer guidance, Meng Yang pondered briefly before picking up the Grimwalker and heading to a secluded corner.

Once assured of his solitude, he studied the text as if it were a priceless treasure.

The Grimwalker, true to its name, was an illusionary movement technique of three steps.

This secret technique was divided into three layers.

The first layer, Wavy Waves.

The second layer, Wraithwalk.

The third layer, the Silence of Life and Death.

Upon achieving Great Completion, the three steps would merge into one, allowing him to travel to any place at will.

Without hesitation, Meng Yang began channeling his Qi and blood, his gaze fixed intently on the text.

He disregarded the cautions within the book, focusing solely on the technique.

It wasn't until the time it took for two incense sticks to burn had passed that the notification in his pupils ceased.

Only then did Meng Yang return the Grimwalker to its rightful place.

Ding! Successfully mastered the medium-grade yellow-level martial arts technique, Grimwalker.