NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 87: Weight of a Thousand Pounds
Previously, Ling Yi could barely perform the eight forms of the "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Fist Stance" once from start to finish, or execute each form twice separately. Now, with a refreshing and fiery stream coursing through his body, he repeated the entire set a remarkable seven times in succession!
After finishing the routine, there was no trace of the usual exhaustion or breathlessness. Instead, he felt entirely invigorated, commanding every ounce of his strength at will. He could exert or withdraw his power with perfect ease, as his will dictated. His whole body felt incredibly comfortable, a pleasant transparency flowing through every part of him.
"This sensation~"
Ling Yi stood on the ground, its surface soaked with his sweat, looking down at his hands. "It feels as if I've mastered the 'Universe Shift' technique—"
By this time, his martial soul "Blue Silver Grass" had subconsciously withdrawn within him. Ling Yi's hands were white and slender, the thin calluses from wielding various weapons, like swords and spears, had vanished.
Clenching his right fist, he instinctively thrust his arm forward. His muscles tightened around his waist and abdomen, channeling power from his back, through his shoulders and arms, to his white fist.
"Bang—!"
A sudden explosion echoed in the thirty square meters of the tent.
Raising his hand, Ling Yi glanced at its surface, which was now smooth and resilient, like toughened leather. He murmured softly, "So this is 'Mingjin'?"
He shook his head, dismissing thoughts of the national martial arts system, and walked toward the weapons rack in the tent's corner.
Reaching out, Ling Yi picked up the topmost battle blade, feeling its weight in his hand. He squinted slightly and clutched the hilt with his left hand. His right hand then reached out again towards the weapon rack.
"Clang!"
A solid steel club, weighing over seventy pounds, was taken down and placed horizontally on his left arm, lightly nudging the blade's edge.
"Clatter!"
A heavy war axe, over fifty pounds, was laid flat on top of the steel club and battle blade, cradled together by Ling Yi's left hand at his side.
"Ding!"
Like the steel club, a steel spear weighing about sixty pounds was gently set on the three weapons already resting on his left arm.
Including the battle blade, all four weapons were crafted from refined iron mixed with several other materials, each forged five hundred times, collectively weighing just over two hundred pounds.
He tested the weight with his left hand, then swapped to his right. Ling Yi could sense that it felt significantly lighter than it would have in the past. He realized that his strength had increased considerably.
To understand specifically to what extent his power had grown, he knew he'd need to head over to the military forge camp later and weigh some large metal blocks.
At this moment, the initial estimation suggests his strength has exceeded nine hundred pounds.
In fact, Ling Yi harbors a speculation that would be unimaginable to others.
That is, his strength has now reached a thousand pounds!
More than a year ago, when he became a blacksmith and began cultivating the "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Fist Frame", his strength was nearly seven hundred pounds. As he progressed, every increase in strength became more difficult, and despite the sweat and supplements consumed, his strength growth slowed considerably.
Just a few days ago, he measured himself and found his strength was around eight hundred twenty pounds.
And now, it suddenly increased by almost one hundred eighty pounds?
With both hands forming fists by his waist, toes gripping the ground, and knees slightly bent...
The first form of "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Fist Frame"—Galloping Steed!
After a few breaths, Ling Yi calms the rapidly circulating soul power within him, a genuine smile spreading across his face, flushed from rising vigor.
The amplification effect of his "Soul Skill: Galloping Steed" is gone!
The soul technique 'Galloping Steed', derived from the ten-year white soul ring, has an amplification effect that is capped.
In Ling Yi's calculations, this cap is a thousand pounds!
Although the captain, Ma Huatao, who provided this soul technique, could only raise his own strength from over six hundred pounds to seven hundred plus when using this first soul technique.
Across the thousands of soul masters Ling Yi has encountered since his martial soul awakening, none with a ten-year soul ring have exceeded this thousand-pound limit.
It's as if an invisible shackle tightly binds the output ceiling of soul masters' techniques!
Lying down, closing his eyes, Ling Yi concentrated his spiritual energy, calming his mind, and began to sense the inner landscape of his body.
In an instant, a pure, flawless crystal figure appeared in Ling Yi's mind.
At this moment, Ling Yi was not in deep slumber but merely in a focused state of the 'Crystal Meditation Technique'.
His spiritual energy flowed along with his soul power through his meridians; his mind clung to the hot blood coursing through his veins. In the blue and red overlaying charts, separate yet entwined, appeared on the body's crystal surface.
After meticulously examining every inch of his body several times, Ling Yi ultimately confirmed his current state:
"Perfect!"
Even though Ling Yi had undergone intense training with "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Fist Foundation," pushing his physique beyond its limits, his body had been greatly fortified in the process. The damage inflicted on his muscles during that arduous process was now fully repaired by a mysterious force, leaving no lingering injuries or hidden wounds.
With confidence, Ling Yi opened his eyes, sat up straight, and then rose to approach his desk. From a small cabinet below, he retrieved a delicate, dark purple brocade box.
Upon opening the box, he revealed a white crystal orb, about the size of a human head.
This was a soul tool specifically used to measure the soul power of soul masters, one of the most fundamental variants. When the "Spirit Hall" officials traveled to the countryside to conduct martial soul awakening ceremonies for children of suitable age, they carried blue crystal orbs, which could measure up to a tenth-level soul power limit.
Through the "Blacksmith Association: Waterwood Principality Branch," Ling Yi had purchased this white crystal orb for twelve hundred gold soul coins. It could measure soul power up to the thirtieth level. Should the soul power exceed the thirtieth level, the orb would shatter instantly.
Ling Yi picked up the white crystal orb and channeled his internal soul power into it.
Suddenly, a point of white light brightened within the orb, quickly expanding in a very short span. In just the blink of an eye, it occupied more than half of the orb's space.
Ultimately, the white crystal orb, now filled with intense, dazzling white light, had over two-thirds of its space illuminated.
Ling Yi's eyes gleamed with sharp focus as he stared at the crystal orb, his mind racing. In an instant, he measured his soul power with precision:
Twenty-two levels and 23 percent!
(End of Chapter)
