Unlocking the treasures of the human body and enhancing physical strength—this was exactly what Xiano desired most at the moment. Hesitating for even a second would be a disservice to his own body, so he immediately added it to his shopping cart.
As for the last item...
[Peter Griffin's Jeans]
[Type: Equipment]
[Price: 500 Points]
[Description: Wearing these will slightly reduce intelligence and may increase the likelihood of others viewing you with hostility.]
[Seller's Note: Also suitable for big appetites.]
The effects of this item were somewhat interesting, but the value for points wasn't great. After a brief consideration, Xiano shook his head, deciding it wasn't worth wasting points on something like this.
He submitted his shopping cart and checked out.
This time, the items that appeared were quite appealing. In total, he purchased four items, spending 3,500 points.
His remaining balance was 39,525 points, which was still quite substantial.
...
After closing the trading market, Xiano opened his inventory and first took out the black training suit that could adjust its weight.
The default initial setting was the lowest at 1KG, similar to ordinary athletic wear.
It fit perfectly on his body, offering excellent elasticity and breathability while maintaining high flexibility.
The comfort was remarkable. After a few simple stretches, he immediately began adjusting the weight.
"It's better to start cautiously and take it slow. Let's try 250KG first..."
Thud!
A dull sound echoed as the pressure on his body suddenly increased. Xiano's body sank slightly for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and stood firm.
He did a set of handstand push-ups, jogged a lap around the courtyard, and used Shave a few times between the wooden stakes—
His landing points were still precise, though his speed had slowed just a bit.
"Not enough. Far from enough."
Xiano shook his head. A 250KG load might have been somewhat challenging for him before he set sail, but now, he could adapt to it quickly, and it didn't provide much of a challenge.
He continued to increase the weight bit by bit.
300, 350... all the way up to 500KG.
Finally, Xiano felt the sensation of every movement requiring significant effort, as if he were walking through a thick, viscous liquid.
Yet, it wasn't to the point where his muscles couldn't handle it.
He had found the perfect balance.
"Let's set it at this number for now."
Xiano was quite satisfied with the current effect.
After a while, once he had fully adapted to this pressure and could train as if it were nothing, he would start increasing the weight further.
Next, he opened the Copper Head manual.
After a quick read-through, he thought for a moment and decided to start practicing it alongside Iron Body.
Both were physical techniques focused on tempering the body, and they shared some compatibility, so practicing them together wouldn't cause conflicts or delays.
However, in terms of training methods, the two had some fundamental differences.
While the name Copper Head might seem simple, the Flesh Furnace Method it belonged to was a genuine internal cultivation manual.
It leaned more toward insight and technique, requiring not only intense physical training but also continuous study and comprehension of its mysteries to truly master it.
As for Iron Body, in comparison, it was purely an external technique, and its training method was much more straightforward and brutal.
As the only defensive skill among the Six Styles, its principle was to control blood flow, concentrating it in the muscles to enhance hardness.
To achieve this, in addition to increasing muscle strength through various daily physical training, the most crucial aspect is specialized anti-impact training!
In layman's terms, it involves continuously striking the body with various hard instruments to gradually enhance the ability to withstand blows.
When the Navy and CP departments train for this, they pair up and take turns hitting each other with wooden sticks, alternating when one gets tired, and repeating the process.
In other words, to ensure the efficiency of Iron Body training, one cannot do it alone; a training partner is essential.
Fortunately, Xiano currently has no shortage of people around him.
The processing workshop won't be operational until next year, and for now, the refugees he brought over only have tasks in the orange grove to handle, leaving them relatively free.
He could select a few strong young men from among them daily to accompany him in Iron Body training.
Xiano dislikes procrastination; once he makes a decision, he acts on it without delay.
Thus, after a whole morning of practicing "Copper Head," it was time for "Iron Body" training in the afternoon.
—Man-Scar and the "Fat Bandit," who had once been punched into a tree by Xiano, were brought to the training ground, each holding a hardwood stick, nervously looking at Xiano.
"Sir, just to confirm, I didn't mishear, did I?"
Man-Scar looked at the stick in his hand, swallowing hard, "You really want me to hit you with all my strength, five hundred times?"
"Mm, start with the back, but it's not just five hundred; that's just the first round, in case you get tired and can't continue."
Xiano stretched his back muscles and instructed, "After five hundred hits, Fat Cow will take over, and you can rest. When Fat Cow gets tired, you'll switch again."
Fat Cow was the name of the "Fat Bandit," a bit simple-minded, who nodded eagerly upon hearing this: "Okay! Got it, boss!"
"But..."
Man-Scar was still hesitating.
Only after Xiano turned and glared at him did he finally dare not delay, gripping the hardwood stick tightly and smashing it down on Xiano's back.
Xiano had already steadied his stance, calming his mind, and according to the secrets mentioned in the Iron Body manual, he accelerated the blood flow in his back muscles as much as possible, awaiting the impact.
Thud, a dull sound, and Man-Scar's palms were somewhat numb from the vibration, immediately feeling uneasy again—had he used too much force?
"Hmm?"
Xiano turned back, looking displeased, "I told you to use all your strength, why are you holding back? It's like a tickle, I can't feel a thing!"
Man-Scar gritted his teeth, this time finally using all his strength, smashing down hard, and seeing Xiano didn't turn back, immediately followed up with another strike, and then another—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The dull, drum-like sounds continued incessantly in the orange grove, but they didn't last long; after about twenty or thirty swings, the hardwood stick suddenly snapped with a crisp crack, breaking into several pieces.
"Ah?"
Man-Scar raised the small remaining piece of the stick in his hand, dumbfounded.
This was the hardest wood he could find in the entire Corbo Mountains!
And yet it only lasted this long before shattering like this?
Xiano also sighed, turning to look at the scattered fragments with a headache.
His current muscle strength was indeed very high; using a wooden stick to strike his body really couldn't have much effect.
"Throw the stick away."
Xiano turned his gaze to Fat Cow, "Try using your Spiked Club."
"Huh?"
Even someone as simple-minded as Fat Cow was stunned by this. Man-Scar couldn't help but interject, "Sir, Fat Cow's Spiked Club weighs around sixty to seventy kilograms. It's a genuine combat weapon."
"No problem, I like this weapon."
Xiano stared at the massive Spiked Club, which was almost as tall as he was, and grinned. "Consider it an early adaptation to the Thunder Bagua."
"Alright, but... shouldn't we blunt the sharp edges a bit?"
Man-Scar hesitated before asking.
Fat Cow's Spiked Club had numerous spikes. If left unmodified, a few hits might be manageable, but after hundreds of strikes in a single round, wouldn't one be riddled with holes?
Xiano nodded; the suggestion was reasonable.
After a while, the spikes were modified.
Man-Scar and Fat Cow took turns, like blacksmiths forging a weapon, continuously swinging the Spiked Club at Xiano's back.
Xiano's expression remained stoic, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Occasionally, when the pain became unbearable, he would grimace, but he quickly suppressed it.
Did it hurt? Of course, it did. But if he couldn't endure even this level of pain, how could he grow stronger quickly?
In his eyes, there was a nearly mad anticipation. This was it! This was exactly what he needed!
—Under the enhancement of the statue and training gear, continuously subjecting his body to high-intensity forging, day after day. Once he mastered both the Iron Body and Copper Head, what level of physical strength would he achieve?
(End of Chapter)