Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 395 - Beaten Until the Body Gives In (1)

"Between the Wild Beast level and Savage Beast level life vibration energy, I now have around six hundred units," Cassius murmured as he sat cross-legged in the afternoon sunlight. The pale green curtains were half-drawn, allowing light and a gentle breeze to drift into the room.

White Aster's frail body was only 1.75 meters tall and thin as a bamboo stalk. Cassius wasn’t satisfied with it at all, even if the face was pleasant. He always believed that only a sufficiently strong body with solid, powerful muscles and limbs as resilient as steel could contain the Qi and soul of a strong person. The stronger the body, the more confidence and poise one could possess.

Yet this ordinary physique limited Cassius immensely, making him feel as if his soul was wrapped in tofu. All it would take was a single hit, and he could shatter into pieces. This was unacceptable. Cassius resolved to consume a massive amount of life vibration energy to enhance his physical strength.

However, Cassius had never attempted to elevate a body with zero foundation to the pugilist level in such a short time. He would have to proceed carefully.

"Let's start by testing with two portions of Wild Beast level life vibration energy..."

Cassius stripped off his clothing, revealing his thin frame. He was so skeletal that each vertebra along his back was visible. Wearing only a pair of black training pants, he positioned himself in the center of the room.

Straightening his back, he placed his hands on his knees.

"Alright... let's begin."

He exhaled deeply, and allowed two portions of life vibration energy from his Dantian to flow through his organs, muscles, and skin like an invisible liquid. His entire body tensed as his pores opened and heat surged through him. Wisps of white vapor rose from his body.

Five minutes later, the mist gradually dissipated, and Cassius's figure became visible again. His blue eyes remained calm, unaffected by the slight pain from the bodily enhancement he had just endured.

"This is roughly equivalent to two or three months of foundational Basic Combat Arts training..."

Cassius felt the improvement in this body, his gaze flickering slightly.

"Too minor an upgrade; let's jump straight to ten portions."

He exhaled a breath of warm air and closed his eyes again. A second later, his entire body trembled as his fair skin visibly reddened, as if he had been boiled alive. Droplets of sweat poured down from his chest, nose, and chin, soaking the floor beneath him.

Cassius's body slowly became more muscular within a cloud of white steam, his frame broadening as his bones crackled. Changes that would normally take years were condensed into mere minutes.

Hiss...

He exhaled a long breath through his nostrils, and his breath formed two streaks of white gas like two winding snakes. Cassius opened his blue eyes and flexed his back. His joints emitted a series of crisp popping sounds as his strength returned. He sat for half a minute, then decided to push his body further with a boost of thirty units.

Since his body was now capable of withstanding greater stress, Cassius paid no mind to the pain of stacking so many units. If a top-tier combat artist's Qi and willpower couldn't bear such minor discomfort, he might as well abandon his training altogether.

"Thirty units of Savage Beast level life vibration energy, commence enhancement..."

Splash~

A faint rushing sound filled Cassius's body as the life vibration energy instantly flooded every part of his body. Initially transparent like water, it turned to flames, igniting his body from the inside out.

His body felt like a roaring furnace, scorching him from within.

Splat, splat, splat...

Cassius's pores suddenly flushed red as capillaries beneath his skin burst, causing blood to seep through. He looked like a man drenched in blood; his body couldn't withstand the intensity of the enhancement.

"What a useless body... can't even handle a minimal upgrade!" Cassius's bloodshot eyes opened abruptly.

At that moment, White Aster's body was like an inflated balloon on the verge of bursting, with energy still pouring in.

Bam!

A dull sound echoed in the room as Cassius struck his left chest with a heavy punch. The blow landed with precision, dissolving a condensed cluster of life vibration energy in his chest and allowing it to spread throughout his body.

If the life vibration energy could be evenly distributed, White Aster's body wouldn't explode. Cassius's method was simple: beat the body until it complied.

Bam, bam, bam! Bam, bam, bam!

A relentless rhythm of punches filled the air as Cassius continued to pound away at his body. Blood splattered on the floor, bed, table, and walls. The metallic smell of blood permeated the room.

It would have looked like a brutal crime scene to an outsider.

Cassius's body was covered in cracks that spiderwebbed across his skin. The red muscle fibers beneath were faintly visible, oozing blood. Despite his battered state, his eyes remained deep and calm, unaffected by pain or fear.

He didn't stop his fists.

Twenty minutes later, White Aster's body finally submitted under Cassius's relentless pummeling.

He was now encrusted in dried blood, yet his condition was excellent. Enhanced by life vibration energy, he had grown from 1.75 meters to 1.8 meters in height. His musculature had also become defined. He was not exactly burly, but he now had broader shoulders and solid legs. His six-pack hinted at his core strength, and his arms were strong and lean.

With a leap, Cassius pressed his hands against the ceiling, barely avoiding hitting his head. As he landed back down, he prepared to test other aspects of his strength, but then he heard a knock at the door.

The familiar voice of Rose, the young girl, rang out. "Mr. White Aster, as you requested, I've found two suitable White Dazzling-ranked team tasks. I brought the mission details..."

Cassius nodded as he took a step toward the door. Then he paused, grabbed a bathrobe, wrapped it around himself, and went to open the door.

The door clicked open, and Rose stepped inside. The heavy scent of blood made her wrinkle her nose, her gaze sweeping over the living room as her eyelids twitched. The floors, furniture, and walls were all speckled with fresh, glistening blood stains.

"What..." Her mouth hung open until a hand was extended in front of her.

"Hand me the mission details."

"Oh..." Rose handed him the documents, still taking in the room. Cassius took the papers and his bathrobe fell slightly open, revealing his blood-encrusted torso.

Rose screamed, eyes wide with horror. "Mr. White Aster, what happened to you?!"

Cassius glanced over the mission file, then looked at Rose.

"Just my usual training; I got a little off track."

Rose opened her mouth to respond but ultimately stayed silent. Internally, she was skeptical. That level of bleeding? Could it really just be an accident in training? It seemed far more like an extreme case of overusing Qi.

Besides, wasn't White Aster supposed to be a master of illusions? Illusionists train with mental energy, so the worst side effect would typically be a splitting headache, not bleeding. And this was no ordinary amount of blood! If she didn’t know better, she could honestly believe they'd slaughtered a pig in here.