I picked up attributes in Swallowing Star.

Luo Yuan browsed the martial arts forum for a while, which broadened his horizons considerably. He realized that there were so many intricacies involved in martial arts, but many of the opinions there were just one side's story, so he didn't take them seriously.

"Let's check out the online store."

Luo Yuan tapped the wireless keyboard touchscreen and entered the online store page.

Suddenly, a variety of detailed item categories appeared on the huge screen on the wall of the audio-visual room. Luo Yuan selected 'Secret Manuals' and clicked 'Attack Type' three times. Immediately, photos of the actual manuals, along with their names and prices, appeared on the screen.

"Apocalypse", Category: Gun Technique. Rating: Ultimate. Price: 1000 billion Chinese Yuan (full price), 500 billion Chinese Yuan (half price, requirement: four-star contribution points).

"Ninefold Thunder Blade", Category: Blade Technique. Rating: Ultimate. Price: 1000 billion Huaxia Coins (full price), 500 billion Huaxia Coins (half price, requirement: four-star contribution points).

……

"Phantom Blade Technique", Category: Blade Technique. Rating: SS Rank. Price: 10 billion Huaxia Coins (full price), 5 billion Huaxia Coins (half price, requirement: 3-star contribution points).

……

"Mist Sword", Category: Swordsmanship, Rating: S-rank. Price: 30 billion Huaxia Coins (full price), 15 billion Huaxia Coins (half price, requirement: three-star contribution points).

……

……

Without hesitation, Luo Yuan bought the first three levels of the "Nine-fold Thunder Blade" and spent 100 million yuan of his reimbursement credit at half price. It was a great deal, as the set of sword techniques came with top-notch movement and guiding techniques. He decided to use the remaining 100 million yuan to buy equipment. Moreover, the first four levels of the "Nine-fold Thunder Blade" would cost 250 million yuan at half price, which he couldn't afford right now.

At the bottom of the webpage, there is a prominent red warning: "The Ninefold Thunder Blade is an ultimate sword technique. It is extremely difficult to master and even more difficult to learn. Countless martial artists around the world have chosen this sword technique, yet none have even mastered the first level. Please consider carefully before choosing this sword technique!"

Luo Yuan looked at the prompt and was a little doubtful. He should be able to cultivate it, but he wondered if he could find the corresponding attributes of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade.

Luo Yuan then opened the weapon list page and quickly found the 'Blood Shadow Battle Blade No. 2' series.

血影战刀2号系列，A1型号——价格：10万华夏币（全价）5万华夏币（半价，要求：贡献点1点）

血影战刀2号系列，A2型号——价格：50万华夏币（全价）25万华夏币（半价，要求：贡献点1点）

……

...Series 2, Model A5—Price: 600 million Huaxia Coins (full price), 300 million Huaxia Coins (half price, requirement: one-star contribution points)

……

Luo Yuan gritted his teeth and bought the A9 model Blood Shadow Battle Blade, which could be used against high-level lord-level monsters. He spent 5000 million Chinese Yuan at half price. Next, he also bought a high-quality backpack, a high-quality combat communication watch, a B6 model shield, and a complete set of D9 series combat uniforms. Calculating that he still had 2000 million Chinese Yuan in reimbursement credit left, he decided to buy a few throwing knives in case of emergency.

After looking around for a while, Luo Yuan finally bought six 9-series throwing knives. If he was strong enough, the 9-series throwing knives could definitely hurt high-level lord-level monsters. At half price, it cost him 2000 million Chinese yuan, and now he had spent all of his 2 million yuan reimbursement allowance.

Looking at his remaining 20 million Chinese yuan in start-up capital, he was a little conflicted about what else to buy. After thinking for a while, he decided to save it for future use.

In fact, Luo Yuan had considered buying gene serums, but after reading the instructions, he gave up. Although these low-level gene serums could temporarily boost a martial artist's strength, it would be difficult to increase it further once the effects wore off. It was like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, which was very detrimental to their future development. Only martial artists whose strength had reached its limit and who had no hope of further improvement would use them.

However, he saw a discussion about Dragon Blood on the martial arts forum. It is a rare potion that can improve physical fitness. Using it can greatly increase cell activity and make one's strength jump by at least two levels. It is worth 800 billion, which is much better than picking up attributes.

P.S.: Dear gods, please give me rewards, monthly tickets, and add this to your favorites. I, Luo Yuan, am completely convinced.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 24 Ninefold Thunder Knife

"Luckily, it wasn't my money that was spent." Luo Yuan grinned.

Although it cost 2 million Chinese Yuan in one go, Luo Yuan didn't regret it. He knew that martial artists spent a lot of money on weapons and other items. However, they could earn a lot of money by hunting powerful monsters in the future, which was why people said that martial artists were a high-income group.

The next morning.

In the private garden of Luo Yuan's house in Mingyue Residential Area, a stranger arrived.

"Mr. Luo Yuan, these are the manuals and equipment you purchased. You can open them using your fingerprint."

Luo Yuan took the several sealed alloy boxes handed to him. He ran his finger across the top of one of the boxes. "Beep! Fingerprint verification successful." An electronic voice sounded, and the box opened, revealing a book about one centimeter thick, with two CDs on it.

"Ninefold Thunder Blade." Luo Yuan looked at the name on the cover of the manual.

"Mr. Luo Yuan, please open it and take a look. After you confirm, please sign it." The delivery man smiled, but there was a hint of envy in his eyes as he looked at Luo Yuan.

The delivery man chuckled again, "According to the rules, I'll repeat myself... The copyright of the manual belongs to its creator. The copyright holder of the 'Ninefold Thunder Blade' manual is Thor! The purchaser only has the right to learn it, not the right to pass it on. Copying the manual, selling it privately, or teaching it is strictly forbidden. Anyone who violates this rule will be hunted down by the Extreme Martial Arts School, the Thunder Martial Arts School, the Underground Alliance, and the government army!"

Hearing the deliveryman's words, Luo Yuan nodded, but in his heart he was very envious of that Thor. He made a fortune just by selling intellectual property rights. Just this little notebook and two CDs were worth 100 million. It was like picking up money. And he wouldn't even let others teach him.

After the deliveryman left, Luo Yuan hurriedly went to the training hall and opened the manual "Ninefold Thunder Blade".

"Of all martial arts techniques in the world, none are invincible except speed."

"The faster your blade, the faster it reaches its limit, the more invincible you become." Luo Yuan saw the flamboyant handwriting as soon as he opened the homepage.

"The fundamental essence of my creation, the Ninefold Thunder Blade, can be summed up in one word—speed!"

Luo Yuan turned to the second page and continued reading.

"Why is it so fast, yet so powerful?"

"First of all, when your knife is so fast that your opponent can't even react, you can slit their throat before they even have a chance to swing their knife! Even if you only have one-tenth of their strength, their throat shouldn't be able to withstand your sharp blade. So, speed allows you to attack your opponent's weak points."

"Secondly, speed also makes your knife incredibly powerful."

"According to the energy calculation method—the attack power of a knife is equal to 0.5mv^2, which means that with a fixed mass, the faster the knife moves, the more terrifying the energy it contains! At a certain speed, even a jet of water can penetrate steel. A piece of paper can cut through steel!"

"Quickly, so the enemy won't have time to defend!"

"Speed ​​makes your blade indestructible! Whether you're looking at attacking weaknesses or sheer strength, making your blade fast is the best method!"

So it was a fast knife. No wonder it's so hard to master. A fast knife requires not only experience but also talent.

"The Ninefold Thunder Blade contains a complete movement technique called 'Flowing Light,' a complete guiding technique called 'Ninefold Chaotic Origin,' and a complete sword technique called 'Thunder Blade.' Among these three, the guiding technique is fundamental!"

"Only through guiding techniques can you possess a powerful physique!"

"Physical fitness is fundamental!"

"Swordsmanship and movement techniques are skills, which require repeated practice and comprehension!"

Unfortunately, Luo Yuan only possessed the first three levels of the guiding technique, movement technique, and sword technique, whereas originally each of these had nine levels.

The Ninefold Thunder Blade Technique is so powerful because of a unique way of generating force.

An ordinary person might swing a sword with all their might, perhaps using 100% of their strength! But a practitioner of the Ninefold Thunder Blade would only use 70% of their strength when swinging. After unleashing the first layer of force, they would strive to generate a second layer of force, also 70%. The two layers of force combined amount to 140% of their original strength!

The Nine-Layer Thunder Blade consists of nine layers.

The first level allows you to unleash an extra burst of hidden force, meaning you can exert 140% of your power!

The second level allows for the release of two additional hidden forces, unleashing up to 21% of the power!

The third level allows for the release of three additional hidden forces, unleashing up to 280% of the power!

……

The ninth level allows for the release of nine more layers of hidden force, unleashing seventy percent of the original power! That is, a full seven times the original physical strength.

Looking at the manual in his hand, Luo Yuan couldn't help but admire the genius of the Thunder God. This Nine-Layer Thunder Blade could multiply the power, somewhat like a critical hit. However, it was also very difficult to master. Just the first level required mastering all 18 sword techniques, and one also needed comprehension to grasp its essence.

Luo Yuan put down the secret manual and opened the other alloy boxes. Inside were an A9 Blood Shadow Battle Blade, six 9-series throwing knives, a B6 model shield, a complete set of D9-series combat uniforms, a high-quality backpack, and a high-quality combat communication watch. Because he had specifically emphasized the black and gold color scheme when purchasing the equipment, the equipment looked uniform in color, understated yet luxurious.

Luo Yuan activated his mental power, and six black-gold Series 9 throwing knives flew to him and floated in mid-air. They looked mysterious and powerful. With a thought, he shot the six throwing knives directly at the metal target in front of him, and they pierced through it. The 6-centimeter-thick alloy target was like tofu, and it did not hinder the throwing knives at all.

"As expected of a 9-element throwing knife capable of killing lord-level monsters, it is indeed very sharp," Luo Yuan exclaimed.

"Ring ring~" Suddenly Luo Yuan's phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was a call from Chief Instructor Wu Tong.

"Hey, Chief Instructor Wu, what can I do for you?" Luo Yuan asked.

“Luo Yuan, you are now a martial artist. As instructed by Supervisor Zhuge, you will be assigned to a squad of warrior-level martial artists. This way, you will have easier access to training outside the base city, and your safety will be better guaranteed! I have also spoken to you about joining the ‘Fire Hammer Squad’ with Luo Feng, so that the two of you newcomers can look after each other,” Wu Tong’s calm voice came.

"Firehammer Squad? Okay, I got it."

Luo Yuan responded. He also wanted to join a powerful martial arts team to collect attributes. Luo Feng's mental attribute was pretty good, but he couldn't rely on that alone. He decided to go to the wilderness area to see if there were any powerful monsters with mental attributes. He needed to improve his strength quickly.

In the afternoon, Luo Yuan arrived at the first floor of the Extreme Club in casual clothes. The members of the Fire Hammer Squad had already booked a table for a welcome dinner for the two newcomers, Luo Yuan and Luo Feng.

"Luo Yuan, Luo Feng," Chen Gu said with a hearty laugh, raising his glass.

"Welcome to the Firehammer Squad! I'm your vice-captain, Chen Gu! From now on, I'll protect you if you're with me. But let me make this clear: the Firehammer Squad will give you opportunities to train and get used to fighting those monsters, but you also need to work hard yourselves and not always rely on other squad members for help. If you still can't adapt after the first mission... we'll have to kick you out of the squad."

"Yes, yes, we understand." Luo Yuan and Luo Feng nodded with smiles.

P.S.: Dear gods, please give me rewards, monthly tickets, and add this to your favorites. I, Luo Yuan, am completely convinced.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 25 Proficiency

After a brief introduction to the Fire Hammer Squad, Luo Yuan returned home.

Over the next few days, Luo Yuan spent his days collecting attributes at the Extreme Club and his nights in the training hall of his villa, practicing the "Ninefold Thunder Blade." The guiding technique within it, "Ninefold Chaotic Origin," wasn't too difficult. When combined with the Gene Origin Energy Method, the effects were most noticeable, and Luo Yuan's physical strength and improvement speed increased significantly.

However, Luo Yuan found the movement technique "Flowing Light" and the sword technique "Thunder Blade" of "Ninefold Thunder Blade" to be really difficult to learn. He originally had a movement technique at the microscopic level, but even after integrating it into "Flowing Light", he still hadn't reached the first level. As for the sword technique "Thunder Blade", he could only perform the 18 sword techniques of the first level completely, but he hadn't grasped the essence at all.

"Open the personal attributes panel," Luo Yuan thought to himself.

Name: Luo Yuan

Strength: Apprentice level (Intermediate Warrior)

Strength: 27000kg

Speed: 192 m/s

Defense: 27000 kg

Spiritual weight: 11000 kg

Evasion Technique: Subtle Level

Technique: Five Hearts Facing Heaven Method, Guiding Technique 'Ninefold Primordial Origin' (First Level)

Skills: Movement technique 'Flowing Light' (beginner), swordsmanship 'Thunder Blade' (beginner)

Looking at his attribute panel, Luo Yuan was taken aback. A new dodge technique level had been added, now at the microscopic level. It seemed that the panel was being updated, and the content was more detailed. The Nine-fold Thunder Blade technique had even been split up. But that was good, as it would more intuitively show his strength.

Luo Yuan spent the last few days collecting attributes and then practicing the top-tier guiding technique 'Ninefold Chaotic Origin' in conjunction with the Five Hearts Towards Heaven Method. His strength improved rapidly, approaching the level of a high-level warrior, and even his mental power was approaching the level of a mid-level warrior. It seems that cosmic energy also has an effect on improving mental power. However, he found that the attribute bubbles dropped in the warrior area on the second to ninth floors of the Limitless Hall were no longer sufficient for his needs.

After taking a shower, Luo Yuan changed into his training clothes and decided to go to the Limitless Hall to participate in the level assessment. He wanted to go to the tenth to nineteenth floors, where warriors of the general level stayed, and he should be able to find a lot of good things there.

Upon arriving at the Extreme Club, Luo Yuan directly requested a meeting with Wu Tong, the club's headmaster. He quickly received a response and went to Wu Tong's office.

"Luo Yuan, what brings you here today?" Wu Tong asked, pouring Luo Yuan a cup of tea.