My stats are higher than yours!

How did he seize the opportunity to build up his strength?

and many more...

His previous attacks were stiff. Could it be that he had anticipated that his attacks would miss, so he used the momentum to feign an attack while dodging and pressing down to build up his strength, so that he could use the [Slow Burst] kick at the most unbelievable moment?

Is the attack's recovery animation used for charging?

What an ingenious idea!

Oh my god!

Such subtle maneuvers could never be improvised; they must have been planned in advance and then used during combat. Anyone who witnessed them would be astonished.

"I was only 20% sure I could pull off that move just now. Looks like I got lucky," Bai Shuodong said with a smile as he withdrew his foot.

In the [Slow Burst] state, his agility is greatly reduced, but his strength is greatly increased. In simple straight-line attacks, the explosive speed brought by pure strength is far more useful than agility. This straight kick is fast and fierce, and it is quite useful in fighting.

However, when facing Xia Yanxin, an intuitive monster, this technique is often detected by her, allowing her to react immediately and make the best response.

That guy doesn't need a reason to change his tactics; he just needs to "feel something's not right."

"Clap!"

Old Bi patted his clothes, brushing off the dust that had been kicked onto him, and said, "Your practical application of your talent and comprehension skills is indeed very strong, even stronger than I imagined, but your combat skills are still too weak."

"Oh?"

"It's good to have the habit of holding back your strength when thrusting with a spear, as it can play a significant role in subsequent combat. However, if you only know how to hold back your strength but don't know how to maximize the use of that strength, that's a flaw in your technique."

"Also, although your attacks are fierce, your footwork is too scattered. In long weapon combat, the foundation of your lower body directly determines how much force you can withstand and how fast you can attack. You should think about how to improve your footwork."

Old Bi paused, then said with a hint of disappointment, "Finally, paying attention to your opponent in battle is indeed very important. This allows you to anticipate their actions and respond accordingly during the battle."

"But the problem is, using Lion's Eye at full power, slow bursts whenever you can, and then immediately canceling them afterward, is incredibly taxing on your stamina and energy! This kind of high-intensity combat style is simply not something a normal person can withstand!"

"Your physical strength should be nearing its limit by now, right?" Old Bi continued to ask.

"The energy expenditure is indeed quite high, but it's perfectly fine, I can still continue fighting!"

Bai Shuodong smiled, his gaze returning to the head of student affairs, and then continued:

Do you have a goal?

Do you have a dream?

"Did you try your best to climb up? Do you know the difference between giving it your all and fighting to the death to climb up?"

"Now that she's already had an epiphany, I can't keep falling behind! This level... this is all I'm capable of... I can't accept the reality that my strength is only at this level!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Shuodong moved again, rushing towards the headmaster at lightning speed. His training spear danced gracefully in the battle, and he also used [Slow Burst] unexpectedly.

Sweat poured down like rain, completely soaking his clothes. Bai Shuodong's marksmanship and footwork were rapidly improving and becoming stronger during the battle.

However...

Bai Shuodong's movements became unsteady, a result of excessive physical exertion and his body's inability to support him. His lion's eyes became unfocused, and his beastly gaze was no longer clear. He also lacked the stamina to continue using slow bursts to launch surprise attacks.

However, he continued to fight, battling the headmaster who was deliberately controlling his strength as he sparred, his movements becoming increasingly skillful.

He began to think.

Without the Lion's Eye, how can I predict things using my own power?

Without a slow, explosive growth phase, how can I create opportunities for myself? How can I capitalize on those opportunities?

He said my steps were unsteady and my foundation wasn't solid enough, but why didn't I feel much weaker after exhausting myself? Was it because I controlled my energy expenditure, which changed my gait? What part of it did I change?

"Clang! Clang! Clang!..."

The two resumed their fight, and Bai Shuodong was increasingly suppressed. He was even shot in the back and fell to the ground, barely managing to get up several times.

He was panting heavily, his unsteady gaze fixed on the distance, his brain still racing, his body instinctively wanting to continue moving, but he had no strength.

Ah, I feel like I can't stand up, but at the same time I feel like I'm about to fly. This feeling is so strange, I can't even describe it in words. I feel so free! My mind and body are more active!

and many more...

Is that so?

Is that right?

I think I understand!

[Hint: Your long weapon perk level has been increased to level 2]

Chapter Twenty-Three: Is This Still Human?

'Tsk, this kid, he doesn't take care of his body at all. He's like a tireless fighting machine, fighting to the death as long as he can move... That's really bad for his body.'

Old Bi sighed, feeling a mix of emotions.

He was an educator who loved talent. In his battle with Bai Shuodong, he would always intentionally or unintentionally use just the right amount of spear technique to create barely noticeable openings, and then use these to help Bai Shuodong break through the limits of his skills.

But this doesn't mean he lacks his own opinions.

Being able to move and being able to train are two completely different things. Excessively forcing the body to fight will deplete the body's potential. In order to prevent Bai Shuodong from depleting his physical potential, Lao Bi directly knocked him down.

He looked at Bai Shuodong, who was gradually closing his eyes and losing consciousness, and murmured softly, "I have seen many geniuses. They do comprehend their special talents very quickly, and it is easy for them to break through the bottleneck of level 1 or 2 special talents. But that also takes time to realize. At least one or two months, right?"

"And this kid..."

"Isn't his skill improvement speed a bit too fast? The speed at which he accumulates skills and experience in battle is ridiculously fast, even two or three times faster than Xia Yanxin. After accumulating enough experience, he broke through directly without being blocked by the bottleneck at all."

"Even if you're in good form and your improvement speed is faster than usual, it shouldn't be this fast, right? This isn't like a normal student!"

"..."

Old Bi was silent for a while. He suspected that the child might have been possessed by someone, but he didn't seem like it. However, if he was being guided by an old man, his fighting style was wrong and didn't seem like someone with a master guiding him.

His fighting style is purely unorthodox, aiming to maximize his strength without any set patterns, and his flexibility in actual combat is also quite good.

It feels like it's just a matter of high talent.

"Hmm, let's check him while he's sleeping; that's the safest and most reliable way."

...

School clinic, in a private room

Soft light filled the room, and a pleasant incense scent permeated the air. This incense was no ordinary item; it was a spiritual treasure that could enhance self-healing speed and mental recovery efficiency simply by smelling it.

Bai Shuodong lay quietly on the hospital bed, his breathing long and steady, though his face was slightly pale and his muscles were habitually tense. Although he was already in the infirmary, his mind seemed to still be trapped in the battle he had just fought.

Even when he was asleep.

Old Bi stood quietly by the bed, his gaze shifting to the school doctor not far away, and asked, "How is he? Is he really alright?"

"No problem, no problem, I've said it so many times. My senses are my yardstick. I can tell whether there's a problem with his spirit and soul with just one glance. There's no need to keep asking like this."

The school doctor said impatiently.

The school doctor in the infirmary was not a woman as people might imagine, but a man in a white coat. He was tall and straight, with sharp eyes and a unique, indescribable air about him, and he was extremely confident in his judgment.

"I'm just worried about him. After all, a genius like him is one in a million, and what if something goes wrong..."

"Tsk!"

The school doctor smiled, tilted his head slightly, and asked, "So you injured someone?"

"This kid is reckless. If I don't knock him out, what if he overexerts himself? His body has already reached its limit, and I have to stop him."

Old Bi helplessly spread his hands and said.

"Overdraft? Are you kidding me?"

The school doctor laughed even harder, pointing at Bai Shuodong and saying, "This kid's physical condition is much better than you said. He's far from overdrawing his potential! Are you getting old? You can't even tell when your body is being overdrawn?"

"Ok?"

Old Bi frowned in confusion, then said firmly, "Impossible. I saw him fight until he was almost unable to move and could only move by willpower. His body couldn't possibly be that bad as you say. You can test it properly with instruments."

"Okay, okay, I'm really impressed by you."

The school doctor didn't argue with him, but simply took out a portable medical testing device from the storage space. The device looked small and might have some errors, but it was actually a professional medical testing instrument with a level 2 rating, and it was extremely accurate when testing students who had not yet reached that level.

He then pressed the detection button, and a pale blue beam of light shot out from the instrument, scanning Bai Shuodong. The blue beam scanned back and forth, completely scanning three times, but it failed to detect even a single red dot.

There's nothing wrong with my body!

Immediately afterwards, the instrument projected a virtual screen, displaying Bai Shuodong's various physical data at that moment, which changed in real time.

The school doctor glanced at the data, then turned to the screen and said, "All physical indicators are normal. It's just simple muscle fatigue and excessive mental exertion. There are no other problems."

"Now, what do you have to say?"

"Nothing to say."

Old Bi looked lost and bewildered.

He clearly felt that Bai Shuodong's body was nearing its limit during the previous battle, but why was there no problem at all?

This doesn't make sense, this isn't right!

The school doctor looked at Bai Shuodong, his casual gaze sweeping over him repeatedly. Although he appeared disdainful and unserious, he was actually quite meticulous and possessed excellent basic medical skills.

Shortly after, the school doctor's expression suddenly changed. He placed his hand on Bai Shuodong's body, closed his eyes to carefully sense and observe, and finally exclaimed in disbelief, "Holy crap! This kid absorbed the Laughter Factor! And he successfully suppressed it! Not a single drop leaked out!"