With a “poof” sound, the blade went deep into the flesh.
Jin Sheng had just lifted his long sword, intending to block, but it was too late.
“Cough, cough!”
Jin Sheng spat out blood, looking down at the long sword embedded in his throat, his face filled with disbelief. A Second Grade Martial Artist from the later stage of the body refinement realm was actually killed by a guy who only relied on brute strength.
Poof!
Li Dao suddenly pulled out his sword, shaking off the blood on the Dark Iron Sword.
The system’s voice echoed in his ear as expected.
[Enemy killed, gained attributes: 1.54]
It should be said that a true expert deserves the reward. Even just a tenth of the attribute points was 1.5 times more than that of an ordinary person.
If it weren’t for killing several guards earlier and gaining a large number of attributes, he might not have been able to deal with the Captain of the Guards, Jin Sheng.
Jin Sheng’s death left the surrounding guards like headless flies, looking at each other, completely unsure of what to do.
Run!
After a brief moment, this was the only thought remaining in their minds.
However, how could Li Dao let these opportunities slip by?
He lifted his Dark Iron Sword without mercy and began massacring the remaining guards around him.
Even if these northern barbarians gave up resistance, he still wouldn’t go easy on them.
Although Li Dao was once a wastrel aristocrat in the imperial capital before his memory recovery, he knew enough about the Northern Barbarians and their enmity with the Da Qian Dynasty.
In Northern Barbarian lands, everyone, whether old or young, male or female, harbored hatred toward people of the Da Qian Dynasty. Every year, countless people were abducted from the borders of the Da Qian Dynasty, and since the Northern Barbarians had almost every man and woman as a soldier, this collective guilt was spread to every single Northern Barbarian.
“Spare me!”
“I have a wife and children, please, spare me.”
“Don’t kill me, I surrender.”
At this moment, Li Dao’s heart was as cold as the Dark Iron Sword in his hand.
One incense stick later.
There were only corpses scattered on the ground around him, with no one left alive.
At the same time, his previously depleted available attributes had been replenished significantly.
[Owner: Li Dao]
[Physique: 18.07 (Can undergo metamorphosis)]
[Available attributes: 4.63]
“Add points.”
Looking at the note behind the Physique attribute, Li Dao tried adding points, only to find that the available attributes didn’t add to his Physique as usual.
Instead, the three words “Can undergo metamorphosis” that had appeared behind the Physique attribute flickered.
Does he need to complete this metamorphosis first?
However, metamorphosis didn’t sound simple. He couldn’t possibly undergo it here.
“Let’s wait until we get back.”
Turning off the panel, Li Dao began searching for Xu Hu and the others.
Since he had exited far from his battle with Jin Sheng, he wasn’t sure what was going on over there.
But there shouldn’t be any problem. Though both Xu Hu and Little Madman were seriously injured, after he lured away the strongest Captain of the Guards, it would be easy for them to protect themselves against the remaining guards.
…
“Old Ghost, did you drain all of them dry?”
Shen San looked at the last guard suddenly gasping and dying, surprised.
Old Ghost, feeling satisfied with his harvest, replied, “I never kill. I left them with a breath, but they just couldn’t hold on.”
In his eyes, as long as he didn’t directly drain them dry, it wasn’t considered killing.
As for how they died afterward, that was none of his business.
Having spent enough time with Old Ghost, Shen San was no longer surprised.
He kicked the fallen Prince of the Lost Cloud Tribe to the ground and said, “Why don’t you just drain this guy too? After all, we were here to kill him.”
“He?” Old Ghost glanced at him and said, “This guy has a lot of problems, full of poisons. Though he looks young, his body is completely wasted due to excessive indulgence. I can’t be bothered, you do as you wish.”
“Fine.”
Shen San looked at the Prince of the Lost Cloud Tribe and directly said, “Alright, time to send you on your way. But don’t worry, I’m not like Old Ghost, I don’t enjoy torturing people. One little slice of my knife, and I guarantee you’ll leave in peace.”
The Lost Cloud Prince’s mentality broke. He wanted to live, not die painlessly.
Looking at the approaching dagger, he immediately kneeled on the ground and begged for mercy. “Spare me! I’m the Third Prince of the Lost Cloud Tribe in the Northern Barbarians. If you kill me, my father will never let you off.”
Upon hearing this, Shen San sneered. “Third Prince, do you recognize us?”
“N-No…”
“If you don’t recognize us, how do you expect your father to recognize us? Killing you, no one will know it was us.”
The Lost Cloud Prince: “…”
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he quickly said, “Wait, listen to me.”
“You don’t look like officials. You’re from the martial world, right?”
“So what?”
“If you’re from the officials, I’d have nothing to say, but if you’re from the martial world, then someone must have used some conditions to make you come kill me.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Seeing a glimmer of hope, the Lost Cloud Prince quickly said, “How much did they offer you to kill me? I’ll double it… No, I’ll offer ten times the price. As long as you spare me, I’ll give you ten times the price, how about it?”
Just as Shen San was about to respond, a voice suddenly came from not far away.
“Do you think you can offer fifty lives to make up for it?”
Shen San turned around and, seeing only Li Dao, his face lit up. “Boss?”
Seeing that it was just Li Dao, he quickly asked, “Did the expert die?”
“He’s dead.”
“Haha, I knew you could do it, Boss. That guy really screwed me over earlier.”
Shen San couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
On the other side, the Lost Cloud Prince felt a tremor in his heart when he heard Li Dao’s words.
Before, he had still hoped that Jin Sheng might return to save him, but now, he had completely given up.
Li Dao glanced at Xu Hu and Little Madman nearby, noticing that their injuries had mostly healed. He was slightly surprised.
Upon seeing Old Ghost, he immediately realized who was responsible.
He couldn’t help but say, “Old Ghost, your medical skills are far more reliable than your poison skills.”
Old Ghost wasn’t embarrassed by the teasing and straightforwardly replied, “My medical skills have always been more reliable than my poison skills.”
Li Dao nodded, then turned to look at the Lost Cloud Prince. “Is this the mission target?”
Shen San nodded. “I was just about to deal with him.”
Poof!
In the next moment, the Dark Iron Sword pierced the Lost Cloud Prince’s chest.
The Lost Cloud Prince looked down at the sword in his chest, his face filled with disbelief. He had still wanted to negotiate, so how had he died so quickly?
But it was all too late. He had already sensed his life slipping away.
A few breaths later:
[Enemy killed, gained attributes: 0.06]
Li Dao: “???”
He looked at the dead Lost Cloud Prince, confused.
How useless could this guy be to give him such a small amount of attributes? It was even less than the starting physique he had at the beginning.
“Forget it, even a mosquito is still meat.”
It’s not like I can return the attributes.
Meanwhile, Shen San, who had just regained his composure, was stunned. “You killed him just like that?”
Li Dao retorted, “What, should I keep him for the New Year?”
Shen San: “…”
The next moment, he suddenly walked over to the body of the Lost Cloud Third Prince and began rummaging through his clothes.
“What are you doing?”
Li Dao was startled by Shen San’s actions.
This guy already looked sleazy enough—could he be… a homosexual?
Without looking back, Shen San chuckled, “Kill the man, loot the body. Can’t waste it.”
He fiddled with something, then took a string of beads from the Lost Cloud Third Prince, raising his head to ask, “Boss, these beads are of pretty good quality. Do you want them?”
Li Dao then understood that this was just Shen San’s bad habit.
“You can keep them for yourself.”
Shen San didn’t hesitate, decisively stuffing the beads into his own clothes, then continuing to search the Lost Cloud Third Prince’s body.
Li Dao glanced at Old Ghost and the others and said, “Let’s rest for a while, and then head back to Changgu Town in half an hour.”
After saying that, he found a clean spot and sat down to rest.
Killing so many people, it would be a lie to say there was no mental burden. After all, he wasn’t a born murderer.
So, he needed to calm his emotions and avoid becoming a real killer.
Half an hour passed quickly.
As the sky had not yet fully brightened, Li Dao led the group back to Changgu Town.
…
In the main military tent of Changgu Town.
Wei Yun stared, dumbfounded, at the five people in front of him. “Did you kill everyone in the Lost Cloud Third Prince’s entire squad?”
He had only asked them to try to assassinate the Lost Cloud Third Prince, not to wipe out the entire squad. Was this really necessary?
At the mention of this, Shen San became animated. “All the credit goes to Boss. He wiped out nearly a hundred guards on his own, and even killed the Second Grade Guard Captain. The rest of us were just here for the ride.”
Hearing this, Old Ghost sneered. He wasn’t sure who was the real “ride-along,” but there were some things at his age that he couldn’t be bothered to comment on.
“Oh!”
Wei Yun looked at Li Dao in surprise. “You could even handle a Second Grade expert?”
Li Dao casually replied, “Maybe because that person was a fake.”
He glanced at Old Ghost beside him, considering that the guy was a First Grade expert.
Old Ghost: “???”
Wei Yun replied, “Even if he was a fake, your performance was still impressive.”
“Among the Second Grade martial artists, being able to break through a hundred armor is already considered a very strong expert.”
“Though the guards you faced weren’t elite soldiers, they were still decent, so you don’t have to be so modest.”
Li Dao shrugged and chose not to say more.
To him, the more low-key he was, the better.
Seeing that Li Dao didn’t want to continue, Wei Yun didn’t want to make things awkward either. He spoke up, “After all the troubles last night, you must be tired. Go get some rest.”
Shen San spoke up, “I say, Wei Commander, don’t tell me you’re just sending us back to the death row, huh?”
“How could that be? You all helped me a great deal. I’ll make sure each of you gets your own separate tent to rest in.”
Shen San showed a satisfied smile. “Now, that’s more like it.”
The five of them walked out of the main military tent. Under the lead of a soldier, they quickly arrived at five tents connected together.
Shen San and the others instinctively looked towards Li Dao.
“Pick any tent. Rest up, then we’ll complete the next two tasks.”
After saying this, Li Dao walked into the middle tent.
The other four exchanged glances and each chose a tent to enter.
Li Dao entered his tent and saw a bed, with many foods placed on the table beside it.
He didn’t walk over to the food, but instead sat cross-legged on the bed.
In his heart, he silently muttered: “Panel.”
[Owner: Li Dao]
[Physique: 18.07 (Can undergo metamorphosis)]
[Available Attributes: 4.63]
He glanced at the words “Can undergo metamorphosis” and hesitated for a moment before decisively confirming with his thoughts.
The next moment, he felt a jolt throughout his entire body.
A strange tearing sensation started from within.
It wasn’t just the tearing of his flesh; it felt as though every single cell in his body was being ripped apart—an indescribable sensation.
At the same time, information about the transformation of his physique appeared in his mind.
The information in his mind revealed that when a person’s physique reaches a certain point, they hit a limit. At this point, to break through the limit, one must enhance the potential of their body.
For cultivators, reaching a certain limit allows them to break through with true energy, thereby undergoing a fundamental transformation, akin to a large breakthrough in their cultivation.
However, Li Dao was different. He couldn’t rely on true energy since he had none in his body. He needed to break through this limit purely through his physique.
This kind of breakthrough was hard for most people to achieve, but because he had the system, it was easy for him—he just needed to add points, and the rest was about enduring the pain of the breakthrough.
If he couldn’t even endure the pain, then he didn’t deserve to have the system.
Although this transformation process was painful, it also had unique benefits.
Each time he underwent metamorphosis, a specific function of his body would undergo a special transformation, bringing him unexpected benefits.
Understanding how the transformation worked, Li Dao clenched his teeth and endured the pain.
The system was his secret, and he didn’t want anyone to know about his abnormal condition.
But the pain grew more intense, and gradually, he became numb to it.
Time passed slowly.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Dao felt the pain slowly begin to subside.
At the same time, he noticed changes happening to his body.
It felt like… transformation was beginning.
Was it… his skin?
Li Dao sharply noticed that it was his skin undergoing the changes.
At this moment, his skin seemed to be undergoing a transformation, displaying changes that he couldn’t quite understand.
However, no matter how much it changes, this should be a good thing for him.
If there were anyone present at this moment, they would notice that Li Dao’s skin was gradually darkening.
A dozen minutes later.
At this point, the pain in Li Dao’s body completely disappeared, and he understood that his transformation was complete.
“This is…”
Li Dao looked down and found that his skin had completely turned dark black. As he was surprised, he realized that this seemed to be just a layer of dead skin, with his real skin underneath it.
He directly reached out and tore at the layer of dead skin.
The dead skin cracked open, revealing his true skin underneath.
Compared to his previous skin, his skin was now much whiter, but not excessively white—it was a healthy color.
However, that wasn’t what drew his attention.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that his skin was still as soft as normal, but the texture seemed to have changed.
Resilience!
That’s right, his skin had become much more resilient than before.
Li Dao quickly tore off all the dead skin from his body and found that every inch of his skin was the same.
“Panel!”
[Owner: Li Dao]
[Physique: 18.07]
[Available Attributes: 4.63]
As expected, the transformation was complete. The words in parentheses disappeared, but the panel didn’t show any specifics about how he had changed.
Should he try adding points?
Li Dao focused his thoughts.
[Owner: Li Dao]
[Physique: 22.70]
[Available Attributes: 0]
There was no change; it didn’t follow the idea he had imagined, where after his physique reached a certain level, adding points would require a double multiplier to improve. It was still just the same—add as much as he could, and his body would enhance by that much.
The familiar warmth flowed through his body, transforming his body and brain.
What was different this time was that, while his physique was strengthening, he noticed that his skin was undergoing a change that hadn’t happened before.
This should be the “special metamorphosis” the system had mentioned. However, it was unexpected that it had affected his skin.
“Is this… becoming more durable?”
Suddenly, it seemed like Li Dao had an idea in his mind.
He got up and grabbed the Xuan Iron Sword, which he had placed by his bedside.
Without hesitation, he gripped the sword and decisively slashed it across his left arm.
If it had been before, even with his physique being twenty times stronger than an ordinary person’s, the sharpness of the Xuan Iron Sword would have still caused a cut.
Because in his past life, he had learned a scientific explanation regarding the strength of the human body.
The change in a person’s body strength doesn’t significantly affect their ability to resist external force.
In other words, while a person with strong physique may have better resistance, this mainly comes from the muscle’s ability to cushion external forces, but injuries would still occur.
Some people have even scientifically calculated that for an ordinary person to withstand a bullet, their body would need to be at least a thousand times stronger than the average human body. (This is from an online source, not from the author’s random claim.)
Thus, it’s clear that unless the body’s strength reaches a terrifying level, it is still easy to be injured by external force.
Now, his next experiment was to test his skin’s ability to withstand external force.
As the Xuan Iron Sword slashed down, he didn’t feel the usual sensation of cutting into human flesh. Instead, it felt more like trying to cut tough leather with a blunt knife. The blade couldn’t penetrate at all.
When he picked up the sword to take a look, he noticed that there wasn’t even a white mark on his skin—only a red impression. With his recovery ability, the mark disappeared in a single breath.
As expected, this transformation of his physique had enhanced his skin’s strength and resilience.
Otherwise, with his previous skin, this slash would have definitely drawn blood and even damaged the underlying muscle.
Next, Li Dao began experimenting with how much force his skin could withstand.
Using the Xuan Iron Sword, a weapon that sharp, two times the normal human strength wouldn’t do anything.
Five times the normal human strength could leave a faint white mark on his skin, but it healed in the blink of an eye.
Ten times the normal human strength could barely scratch his skin, but such a wound, with his twenty-times recovery rate, would scab over and heal in no time.
Finally, when Li Dao used all his strength to strike his arm with the Xuan Iron Sword, he succeeded in embedding the blade into his muscle.
However, his high-density muscle tightly clamped the blade in place.
Keep in mind, this was all based on using the Xuan Iron Sword.
If it had been a regular blade, the blade might have even broken without causing him any harm.
With the current strength of his skin, he could rightfully claim to be impervious to swords and spears.
And this was only an experiment for sharp weapons.
Li Dao believed that his transformed skin had more than just these properties—it likely had even more miraculous aspects.
Of course, the most important thing was that after this transformation, his skin’s resistance to external force would increase along with the enhancement of his physique.
Then, Li Dao thought of a profound question.
What if, in the future, he gets appendicitis?
Of course, this question was just a random thought.
After all, he had a physique twenty times that of an ordinary person. Apart from strength, his resistance to viruses and bacteria would also be twenty times greater than the average person’s. So, what could cause him inflammation?
Moreover, even if inflammation did occur, his immune system would quickly heal it, and there would be no need for surgery.
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