C8 Spicy Palm(2)

Submerge your hands in chili-infused water for ten minutes at a time, persistently, until your hands acclimate. Then, graduate to chili powder or even more potent spirit medicine. Striking an enemy, the pungent chili essence infiltrates through the skin, causing swelling, inflammation, and excruciating pain.

"Has someone lost their mind? Who concocted this absurd martial art? And it's getting rave reviews, a five-star rating? Touted for beauty enhancement and treating split-stream urination?"

Wang Yan ranted and raved, but after his tirade, he ironically left a five-star review himself. He couldn't be the only one duped; failing to draw more people in would be a disservice to the legacy of his predecessors' tall tales.

Wang Yan shelved the Spicy Palm technique for the time being. This worthless martial art—what was the point? Was it only good for cooking without adding chili?

"The real issue now is my inadequate Soul Strength and the lack of money," he mused.

His father was pressuring him to engage with Ruan Mei, but Wang Yan's aspirations lay elsewhere. In a world overrun by ferocious beasts, power was the currency of survival.

Without sufficient strength, wealth could be plundered, loved ones could drift away, and even life itself could slip through his fingers.

Thus, Wang Yan's priority was to become formidable. Only then would he contemplate his career and matters of the heart.

"Enough of that. Time to enhance my physique before venturing into the wild to hunt ferocious beasts."

Given his present capabilities, hunting down a Level 3 ordinary ferocious beast wasn't overly challenging. The death of such beasts sometimes yielded soul fragments, and their carcasses could be sold for a tidy sum.

If he hunted prolifically, Wang Yan could amass wealth swiftly, propelling him towards a comfortable life.

Upon accessing the System Store, Wang Yan paused, taken aback.

"What's this? New items?"

A semi-transparent list materialized before him, a welcome surprise.

Soul Fragment - Particles: A minuscule chance exists that these form upon the death of a Rank 4 or higher ferocious beast. Using them can increase Soul Strength by 0.2 points, with a maximum of 3 points. They require 500 points to acquire.

Capsaicin: Extracted from the Devil's Pepper, it boasts an extremely high level of spiciness. It requires just 1 point to acquire.

Even though it's another soul fragment, the potency of these granules is double that of the powder, with the cap raised from 2 points to 3.

In comparison to a total Soul Strength of 222 points, these hardly seemed impressive.

However, there was no choice. Items that could enhance Soul Strength were regulated, and difficult to procure even with ample funds.

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

The chili pepper extract, on the other hand, was quite intriguing.

It was dirt cheap and incredibly potent, an obvious bait to lure Wang Yan into trying it.

Such a ploy might deceive the average Joe, but who was Wang Yan? He was a man who faced the world with a bold, unflinching gaze!

Since it was so affordable, why not give it a shot?

After redeeming 5 units of capsaicin with his points, Wang Yan dabbed a bit on his finger and popped it into his mouth.

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

Shaking from head to toe, Wang Yan was filled with regret. Why did he recklessly decide to taste it?

Ruan Mei burst through the door just in time to witness Wang Yan's tear-streaked face, her own face draining of color.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

"I'm sad for you. Short stature, small chest. Not the brightest, with more problems than one can count."

Ruan Mei: "???"

After a stunned silence of a full thirty seconds, Ruan Mei delivered a solid kick to Wang Yan's chest.

Her blood boiled with anger!

She had shown such concern, only to be met with mockery!

Enough was enough; there was no holding back now!

Seizing a handful of capsaicin, Ruan Mei flung it at Wang Yan.

Not to be outdone, Wang Yan, still in tears, retaliated by tossing chili powder in Ruan Mei's face.

And so, both of them wept.

Their cries were loud and heart-wrenching.

...

As it turned out, despite its seemingly ridiculous appearance, the Hot Fist technique, when practiced with a highly spicy substance, could indeed produce remarkable results.

Over the next stretch of time, Wang Yan embarked on his personal enhancement journey. He offloaded two sports cars and a collection of frivolous luxuries, pouring all the proceeds into purchasing Eastern Divine Qi. Since constitution attributes are crucial for defense, recovery, and meeting the stringent requirements for bonding with high-quality spirit beasts, it was a clear priority for improvement.

The hodgepodge of items fetched over 70 million, still falling short of the value of a single sports car. Second-hand items could never command the original price; to do so would only reveal the seller's lack of integrity. Wang Yan invested every penny into Eastern Divine Qi, quickly boosting his constitution attribute to 80 points. He traded the toxins accumulated in his body to the system for 100 points.

The gains from the spirit medicine had their limits, diminishing as he progressed. Wang Yan estimated that at 100 points, it would lose all efficacy. However, it's worth noting that throughout history, Wang Yan might be the sole individual capable of consuming such a quantity of spirit medicine without perishing.

Once his constitution hit the 100-point mark, he'd be equipped to handle the bloodline shock from a leader-grade spirit beast. If he was going to commit, he wanted only the best. Henceforth, any spirit beast he acquired had to be at least of leader quality. In battle, Green would unleash the dragon's might, a force unmatched except by another leader.

Facing an enemy with a normal, elite, and leader-grade spirit beast each, Wang Yan's trio of leaders rendered the fight pointless. With his funds depleted, Wang Yan's progress had to pause.

Post-dinner and shower, Wang Yan stretched out on his bed, ready to pick up some missions from the Beast Tamer Association after a good night's sleep. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon ascended, silence enveloped the darkness, punctuated only by the soft whispers of breath in the room.

That night, Wang Yan was lost in a dream about a beauty—a persistently vexing beauty. Her skin was supple, her waist delicate, and her features strikingly aloof. Despite the chill on his skin, her fervent passion ignited a blazing fire within him.

Just as he was about to grab his spear and leap onto his horse, the dream abruptly ended.

"Damn it!"

Wang Yan couldn't hold back a curse as a sudden unease washed over him.

Something was on him!

Realizing this, Wang Yan was drenched in a cold sweat.

To avoid startling whatever it was, he suppressed the impulse to roll away and cautiously reached for the switch.

Click!

The harsh light flooded the room, revealing Green nestled against his chest. Wang Yan's feelings were a tangled mess.

He was deep into a dream, on the verge of the climax, and then he woke up?

Waking up was one thing, but to discover the slick object from his dream was actually a snake?

And why was it outside when it should have been in the special realm of the Soul Contract?

"Hiss! Hiss!"

Green seemed to sense Wang Yan's awakening, lifting its head and tenderly licking his chest with a tongue that left its gaze looking dazed.

Wang Yan, "???"

Since when did a snake's expressions become so nuanced, even dazed?

"If only you were a woman! I'd enhance your bloodline, you'd boost my physical attributes, we'd support each other. I'd treat you well forever, and you'd never betray me."

Wang Yan stroked Green's head, sighed in resignation, and turned off the light to go back to sleep.