As Fei Long Tan Yun Shou's upgrade progressed, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Ren Yuanhao's face.
This was the technique that had been with him the longest, and it had saved him from danger several times.
However, he had no concept of how to advance his techniques.
At this moment, the system's voice instantly turned joyous.
"Not bad, you've finally entered the intermediate stage. This is a big step in your life."
"But this 1% bonus feels rather insignificant. The base stats are just too small."
"Be content. It's good for ordinary people to reach a base stat of '4', and you, through sheer coincidence, have reached 20!"
"So, what are my current stats?"
"Stat Report:
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Intelligence: 5
Magic Energy: 1
Luck: 6
Fei Long Tan Yun Shou (Intermediate), Bi Hai Chao Sheng Jue (Low-level), Xi Xing Da Fa (Novice.
Report complete."
Ren Yuanhao shook his head with a wry smile. He had thought that after consuming the snake gall and resting for over ten days, his stats would at least recover to 90%, but it turned out otherwise.
Just then, he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right, System Sister, I seem to have a memory gap. Ever since Uncle Qiu died, my memories have gradually blurred. I only remember fragmented bits of fighting the snake and taking its gall."
The system hesitated for a moment. After all, it involved Su Xing's peculiar abilities. Therefore, the system had no intention of telling Ren Yuanhao for the time being and merely used some excuses to brush him off.
"Host, don't underestimate yourself. Your stat points are merely suppressed temporarily. What you need now is a cultivation technique that can regulate your breathing and energy. Once your internal energy flows smoothly without obstruction, your stats will return to their peak."
"Even Bi Hai Chao Sheng Jue can't guide it through..."
"No, it's not that it can't guide it through, but rather it can't gather so much Qi all at once. Every technique has its limit. For you, Bi Hai Chao Sheng Jue has reached its limit and can no longer contain the Qi within your body. However, the technique you just imprinted can!"
Ren Yuanhao could only force another wry smile.
"It's a pity I can't understand it at all. The content is too profound and obscure."
"Can't understand? No problem, I have medicine specifically for fools!"
The system's words were like a thunderclap, and Ren Yuanhao's eyes gleamed with greed.
"That's right! I can use points to exchange for medicine that increases intelligence! Sister, how many points do I have left?"
"After deducting the 200 spent on imprinting, you have 800 remaining."
"Then what are we waiting for? I want to exchange for medicine to increase my intelligence! I want to become stronger!"
Ren Yuanhao was in a state of extreme excitement. Unexpectedly, the System Sister immediately poured a basin of cold water on him.
"I'm sorry, but your points are still insufficient to exchange for medicine that increases intelligence."
"What the hell? Not enough? Aren't the other stat points worth 200 points each?"
"Due to the extreme difficulty in improving intelligence, the cost of the medicine is too high. It requires 1000 points to increase it by one point, and the inventory is limited."
"That's so expensive! It's equivalent to one million per point!"
"Expensive for a reason. Consider this: if the Lionheart Group and those who fled back to the United States to continue their Mandala gene research were to get the opportunity to increase their intelligence, what would happen? And think about what truly changes this world?"
"It's wisdom."
Ren Yuanhao's throat felt a little dry. The thought of those madmen obtaining this intelligence-enhancing drug made him believe that the research speed of the Mandala gene and artificial humans would absolutely skyrocket.
"Exactly. Albert Einstein, recognized worldwide as the most intelligent person, if his intelligence were converted, it should have reached a terrifying 20 points or more. To be honest, if there were such terrifying existences among those lunatics, this world would have been destroyed long ago."
"Hearing you say that, I feel like a muggle. I need to earn points!" Ren Yuanhao was like a monkey injected with adrenaline, except without the red hindquarters.
"Here, don't say I didn't give you a chance. I'm going to activate the DiDi dating console and start taking orders, okay?"
...
Xia Family Mansion, Yun Jin City
Xia Xiaomo stood in her small room, lifting the transparent glass window and gazing into the distance. The sea of flowers in the park undulated, and the air was filled with a rich floral fragrance. Meanwhile, the grand and ancient aerial structure hung in the air like a dark cloud. The Royal Griffin seemed poised to awaken at a specific time, its sharp talons and claws ultimately destined to strike the world.
She nervously shifted her gaze back, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid.
At that moment, a rough knocking sound, like the frantic firing of firearms, arrived, and she could even feel the scorching blast wave. Xia Xiaomo's hair billowed and danced with the blast wave, like silk.
She tidied up the slightly faded and ill-fitting long evening gown she was wearing and nervously went to open the door.
As the door opened, a maid's uniform was the first thing that entered.
"Yo? You really consider yourself a member of the Xia family?"
The person who burst through the door was an aunt who looked approachable. She stepped forward two or three times and was about to tear off the evening gown Xia Xiaomo was wearing.
"Quick, take it off! This maid's outfit is what you should be wearing. As an illegitimate child, don't disgrace the Xia family, okay?"
The aunt slammed the door shut and, pushing and shoving, tried to crudely strip Xia Xiaomo's clothes. Xia Xiaomo struggled for a moment, but her delicate and thin body could not withstand the aunt's pushing. Her legs went weak, and she bumped against the edge of the bed. A long bruise immediately appeared on her fair arm!
The aunt snorted coldly, her hand gripping Xia Xiaomo's slender arm with considerable force, her fingernails almost digging into Xia Xiaomo's tender skin.
Xia Xiaomo's eyes drooped with tears, and the more painful her expression became, the more twisted and excited the aunt's face grew. The force of her grip seemed to be stimulated, increasing with each moment, as if she wanted to vent the reprimands and scoldings she had received daily onto this even more humble and weak body.
"Brat, what good is it if you're born so pretty? The master who doted on you is already on his sickbed and might not wake up. Your brothers and sisters are here to 'educate' you, so this brat knows some Xia family etiquette!"
The aunt's laughter became extremely distorted, her crow's feet like evil tridents, as if she were facing a demon!
The stinging pain in her arm did not make her consciousness grow more muddled; instead, it made her even more lucid. She could feel the pain of fingernails embedding into her flesh bit by bit, yet she had no strength to resist at all.
Fortunately, the aunt's "education" did not last long. Before leaving, she directly ripped Xia Xiaomo's only evening gown to shreds, revealing flashes of snow-white skin.
"Listen, you must obediently wear this for the banquet tonight. If you dare to disobey, I'll let you taste my real methods!"
The aunt slammed the door shut like a tigress.
The torn evening gown hung on Xia Xiaomo, but she felt as though it wasn't the clothes that were torn, but something called self-respect.
"If only I had a reliable boyfriend... that would be wonderful."