Chapter 8: Brawny Body Enhancement

Early in the morning, Jiang Yan turned off his alarm and began preparing for the day.

“Hmm?”

While getting dressed, Jiang Yan noticed an alloy long saber placed on his table. To the right of the saber was a set of soft-gold armor that looked quite valuable.

Jiang Yan paused, swallowed a few times, and glanced toward Uncle Wang’s room.

Uncle Wang was a homeroom teacher and had already left for class at this hour.

Jiang Yan didn’t know what to say. He put on the armor, picked up the alloy long saber, and tested its weight with a few swings in the room.

The weight was just right.

It seemed Uncle Wang had already gauged his strength during their sparring session last night.

After living together for over a decade, that rough-and-tumble uncle had somehow become as meticulous as a woman.

Fully equipped, Jiang Yan headed toward the city gates.

This world was largely dominated by humans, but the fierce beasts outside the city were not to be underestimated. Every year, many people died in the wilderness, with wilderness hunters accounting for a significant proportion.

Wilderness hunting was widely recognized as the most lucrative profession, yet also the most life-consuming. One could earn hundreds of thousands in the morning and lose their life by the afternoon.

Among wilderness hunters, there was a common saying: “More dangerous than fierce beasts are people.”

In the wilderness, there were no dense surveillance networks like in the city. Even if you died out there, no one would investigate. Here, you could witness the darkest aspects of human nature.

“Please show your ID.”

A guard at the gate stopped him.

Jiang Yan took out his ID and handed it to the guard.

The guard glanced at it and frowned slightly. “Just turned of age?”

Jiang Yan smiled. “Yes, not even three months ago.”

The guard advised kindly, “You’re still a student, aren’t you? The world outside isn’t for you.”

Jiang Yan replied, “I have reasons I must go out.”

In an instant, the guard imagined: a seriously ill mother, a gambling-addicted father, a younger sibling in school, and a shattered him.

“Alright, stay safe.”

The guard let him pass and returned his ID.

Jiang Yan successfully left the city. This was his first time stepping outside the protection of the city, his first true encounter with this cruel world.

Generally, there were no fierce beasts near the city outskirts, as soldiers regularly cleared the area.

Jiang Yan ventured deeper.

Not far away, a red-eyed rabbit was crouched on the ground, eating grass.

Jiang Yan moved swiftly, lunging forward and driving the long saber through the rabbit’s body.

A single strike, instant death.

[System Log Updated]

You have slain a red-eyed rabbit. [Heaven Rewards Diligence] activated. Congratulations, your physical body has slightly improved.

Jiang Yan was delighted. “It really works.”

“Too bad it doesn’t drop Traits.”

Of course, Traits were special products of the Divine Martial Space. How could they exist in the outside world?

Jiang Yan calmly sheathed his saber, ignoring the red-eyed rabbit’s corpse.

He often saw red-eyed rabbits in the market. Due to their delicious meat, they were commonly served at dining tables, with each rabbit costing only a few dozen star coins.

He continued deeper into the wilderness.

[System Log Updated]

You have slain a red-eyed rabbit. Your physical body has slightly improved.

You have slain a big-horned ox. Your physical body has slightly improved.

You have slain a red snake lizard. Your physical body has slightly improved.

…

These creatures, with little desire to attack, could hardly even be considered fierce beasts. The improvements they provided to Jiang Yan’s physical body were minimal.

Jiang Yan began exploring according to the map he had downloaded on his phone.

Ten minutes later.

Jiang Yan raised the alloy long saber to his chest, warily eyeing the menacing black wolf before him.

“Swiftwind Wolf, both its pelt and fangs can fetch a decent price.”

This was Jiang Yan’s primary purpose for leaving the city—to hunt fierce beasts and earn big money.

Jiang Yan and the black wolf locked eyes, each sizing up and scrutinizing the other.

Awooo~

The black wolf let out a low growl at Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan swung his saber, pushing the “Basic Saber Technique” to its limits.

The black wolf no longer hesitated, roaring as it lunged toward him.

The saber tip clashed with the wolf’s claws, sparking brilliantly.

“You diligently fought the black wolf, gaining slight improvement in saber technique comprehension, slight improvement in combat skills, and slight improvement in physical body.”

Jiang Yan felt a surge of joy. Indeed, “Heaven Rewards Diligence” wasn’t some so-called leveling system where you kill monsters for experience.

Only when Jiang Yan put effort into something could he reap rewards. Simply killing a few rabbits wouldn’t make him stronger.

The more Jiang Yan fought, the more excited he became, continuously benefiting from “Heaven Rewards Diligence.”

“You diligently fought the black wolf, gaining slight improvement in saber technique comprehension, slight improvement in combat skills, and slight improvement in physical body.”

“You diligently fought the black wolf, gaining slight improvement in saber technique comprehension, slight improvement in combat skills, and slight improvement in physical body.”

…

Jiang Yan severed the black wolf’s front leg with a slash, then took advantage of its unsteady stance to thrust the saber upward.

Squelch!

The wolf’s head was split open from its chin to the top of its skull. Blood sprayed, drenching Jiang Yan.

He stared excitedly at the black wolf’s corpse, his chest heaving, feeling quite satisfied with the battle.

Just as he was about to collect the wolf pelt, several more black wolves in the distance caught the scent of their companion’s blood and rushed over.

“I forgot—wolves are pack animals.”

Jiang Yan wiped the red from his vision. The blood smeared across his face added a touch of ferocity to his originally handsome features.

Jiang Yan stood with his saber held horizontally, his gaze fixed intently on the several black wolves lunging toward him.

Fight!

“You diligently fought the black wolf, gaining slight improvement in saber technique comprehension, slight improvement in combat skills, and slight improvement in physical body.”

“You diligently fought the black wolf, gaining slight improvement in physical body.”

“You killed three black wolves, enhancing your perception of killing intent.”

“You killed four black wolves, improving your killing techniques.”

“You fought with increasing courage, strengthening your Savage Sturdy Body.”

The black wolves’ claws and fangs were sharp. In a one-against-many situation, Jiang Yan inevitably sustained injuries.

However, this triggered “Heaven Rewards Diligence,” slightly strengthening his Savage Sturdy Body—an unexpected boon.

Heaven rewards diligence, a prize for the hardworking.

“If I fight a few more times, could my Savage Sturdy Body evolve?”

After seeing the changes in his talent “Savage Sturdy Body” in the System Log following his Aperture Opening, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but entertain this thought.

Everyone’s talent after Aperture Opening differs, requiring evaluation at the Martial Artist Tower to assign a standard rating.

Humanity rates talents from highest to lowest into seven major categories: SS, S, A, B, C, D, and E.

But after actual combat, Jiang Yan realized his Savage Sturdy Body wasn’t weak, but it wasn’t exceptionally strong either. Although his physical defense had improved significantly, he could still get injured.

“Among the many talents, Savage Sturdy Body probably only ranks in the middle tier.”

“But it doesn’t matter. As long as I grind hard enough, as long as I put in enough effort, the [Savage Sturdy Body] will eventually undergo a [Metamorphosis] and become the world’s most powerful [Physique].”

If even holding the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] couldn’t grind out the strongest [Talent], then Jiang Yan might as well give up his title as the King of Grinding.

Bending down, Jiang Yan began to clean up the aftermath, stripping everything of value from the [Black Wolf]’s body.