[Haha, you are too naïve!]
The system mockingly laughed before speaking in a serious tone,
[If you want to break through to the supreme mage or possibly to even higher levels, you not only need strong magic foundations but also a strong body. Most people are ignorant of this and that's why there aren't many supreme mages on this continent.]
"Is that so?"
Max murmured, subtly nodding his head in agreement because he knew it was right since even back on earth, people used to say that if you wanted to achieve big things, you first need to have a strong and healthy body and mind.
[Of course. Now, even if we don't think that far, you would still need to strengthen your body to keep your flawless foundations that I bitterly helped you create. Furthermore, if you can cultivate this technique to reach level 2 before the war, the chances of your survival would shoot up manifolds. So, don't waste more time start working.] System added.
"Alright. I'll cultivate this." Max nodded before suddenly saying, "By the way, I'm curious about something."
[What is it?] System asked in an indifferent voice.
"I've checked the system shop before and know this skill isn't there? Not only this technique, but also that blood elemental spell you gave to Amara isn't there."
Saying this, a mocking smile appeared on his face as he continued, "Since you wanted to rely on the system to recover, shouldn't you have been a little sincere and added everything you have in it? Or could it be that you think your life is worth less than these spells?"
[Cough! Of course, my life is worth more than anything else. I must've forgotten to add them there since I was in a hurry when I created the system.]
System awkwardly coughed before coldly saying, [Furthermore, even if they were in the system shop, do you think you could access them without several tens of millions of lust points, huh? Now, stop saying irreverent things and get to work. You can't stay in the blood pool indefinitely if you forgot.]
"Yeah, yeah." Max chuckled and then changed the topic, saying with a serious expression, "This technique is quite complicated. I don't think I can comprehend it soon enough. So, are you going to help me cast it?"
The system was silent for a moment before saying, [Even if I want, I can't help this time because I never learned this technique. So, you are on your own. However, you don't need to worry. I believe you can comprehend at least the elementary section of first level in less than half a day.]
Max raised his brows in surprise when he heard this. Why was the system so confident in him? Could it be because his intelligence points had reached 100 or was it because of something else?
Shrugging, he stopped thinking about it. Closing his eyes, he started carefully reading the first level of [Barbarian god physique].
Time slowly passed and four hours quickly passed by.
Max's brows were tightly furrowed and sweat was trickling down his forehead while he felt that his mind was going to short circuit. Despite this, he didn't stop his comprehension.
After an hour later, his entire body was drenched in sweat and was gently swaying. It seemed he was going to faint anytime now.
Max could feel this and knew if he fainted now, the mana-blood energy seals sealing his pores would lose their effect and more blood energy would enter his body, causing it to explode.
However, he clenched his teeth and ignored everything, solely focusing on comprehending the first level. He could feel he was just a step away from having the elementary understanding.
A while later, he was trembling uncontrollably and his consciousness was brink of blanking out.
Phew!
Just then, he exhaled a stale breath and opened his eyes. Although he was both physically and mentally drained, there was a bright glint flashing in his eyes because he managed to gain an elementary understanding of the first level.
"Let's start temper…" He murmured and prepared to circulate the technique to temper his body with the refined blood essence. However, before he could even complete the sentence, his eyelids grew heavy, and he lost consciousness.
Shua!
Just as he was about to fall into the blood pool, an invisible energy enveloped him, stopping pool's raging blood energy outside.
[Good job, kid.] System's voice sounded before everything went silent.
In the pool, Amara, Ashroth and the demon elder had their eyes close and continued to cultivate. Occasionally, they would stop to take a rest.
Strangely, when they glance at Max, they would see him sitting cross-legged outside the pool when in reality he was hovering above the pool. This was the same for Orlan in the main hall above. He also didn't find any anomaly. Needless to say, this was system's doing.
…
After one later, Max finally regained his consciousness.
"Huh? I didn't die?" He mumbled groggily before realizing that the system had helped him.
"Thank you, old man." He gratefully said.
Splash!
In response, the energy surrounding him vanished, and he fell into the pool.
The blood energy rushed into his body like a raging tide and started wreaking a havoc.
"Oh, shit!" He cursed and hurriedly mobilised the refined blood energy and sealed off his pores. After that, he started refining the unadulterated blood energy.
Because he had acted almost immediately and sealed his pores after falling into the pool, only a small amount of blood energy entered his body, which he completely refined after just two hours.
"Let's start the body tempering now." He said and circulated the [Barbarian God Physique]. Immediately, the refined blood energy, which still had some traces of violence, became tame and started to merge into his body.
The internal injuries he had incurred before rapidly healed. As the blood energy continued to merge into his body, all of his internal organs, blood and bones started strengthening.
He could feel his body becoming stronger by the second.
"This is amazing!" He exclaimed in ecstasy.
Unfortunately, it only lasted for a few seconds before all the blood energy depleted and the technique was forced to stop.
