3: Brother-in-law, my "skillful" move was a bit too strong!

Clouds and mist swirled around as the towering primeval trees, which blotted out the sun, emitted a damp and decaying scent.

Beneath their feet lay a thick layer of fallen leaves; stepping on them produced a dull rustling sound, masking the hurried footsteps of the three people fleeing in panic.

Luo Yan followed closely by Jiang Linfeng's side, one hand tightly clutching the corner of his clothes.

Having experienced last night's earth-shaking upheaval and... unforgettable pleasure, although the young girl's cheeks still bore a lingering blush, her eyes held less hesitation and more trust and attachment.

Her steps were light, showing none of her former physical weakness.

Her originally pale skin appeared lustrous and healthy under the dim light of the dense forest. As she moved, her slender yet subtly powerful waist swayed slightly; under her somewhat oversized coarse cloth dress, the increasingly full chest line and perky curves were faintly discernible.

This was the most direct change brought about by the Physique Optimization Fluid, though she hadn't fully realized it herself.

However, the atmosphere within the group was slightly odd.

Luo Zheng, who was leading the way, walked with urgent strides. His tattered clothes could not hide his numerous scars, yet his back remained as straight as a steel spear, exuding the vigilance of a lone wolf and... a lingering sense of awkward discomfort.

His gaze would involuntarily drift toward a smooth, neat, finger-long tear on the left forearm of his sleeve.

Every time he looked at it, the muscles at the corner of his eye couldn't help but twitch.

A faint, lingering prickling sensation—as if he had been sliced by an invisible blade—and a slight stagnation in his Meridians still remained at his fingertips.

Recalling his Brother-in-law Jiang Linfeng's face, which always wore a dazed and innocent expression, and that nonsense about 'the after-effects of the Breakthrough being too strong, hands and feet not listening to commands'... Luo Zheng took a deep breath of the air smelling of decaying leaves and earth, forcibly suppressing the stormy waves in his heart.

He was at the first level of innate realm.

Although his Realm wasn't high, he was considered an outstanding talent among the younger generation of the Luo family, and he possessed a certain level of insight.

The tear on his sleeve was as smooth as a mirror with no frayed edges; it was definitely not caused by an ordinary blade or a tree branch!

It was the result of some extremely sharp, extremely concentrated power penetrating it in an instant! It even felt a bit like... the legendary invisible Sword Qi!

But his Brother-in-law, Jiang Linfeng?

Yesterday, he was still a piece of trash who struggled even to Breakthrough to Quasi-Innate. Even if he claimed to have reached the Great Perfection of Quasi-Innate (which was ridiculous enough in itself), that meager trace of Internal Energy... Luo Zheng had intentionally sensed it several times during their flight. The fluctuations of the Great Perfection of Quasi-Innate were indeed there, as steady as a tortoise, with no abnormalities whatsoever!

How could he possibly emit such a sharp power that made even his Soul tremble?!

Could it... really just be an extremely coincidental loss of control? At the moment of Breakthrough, did a trace of the surging energy in his Meridians leak out because it wasn't controlled, and just happened to prick him?

This coincidence was too terrifying! Was this Brother-in-law some kind of super jinx who had descended by piercing through the barriers between planes?!

"Brother... is your injury really okay?"

Luo Yan asked in a low, worried voice as she looked at the unsightly tear on her brother's arm.

That tear was too conspicuous on his tattered sleeve.

"It's just a flesh wound, no big deal," Luo Zheng replied in a muffled voice, without looking back.

He didn't dare look back; he felt that looking too much at his sister's radiant face and the smiling 'jinx' of a Brother-in-law beside her would be bad for his heart.

Jiang Linfeng was very satisfied with the current effect. Invisible posturing was the deadliest!

Keeping his Brother-in-law in this dazed state of 'crap, this Brother-in-law is a bit sinister but I can't find proof for now' was very beneficial for his future plans to cause more trouble.

However, more importantly for now was to help this Brother-in-law improve his strength!

This was the future pillar of the Human Race, his wife's biological brother, and an important fighter and cover!

The stronger Luo Zheng became, the more safely he could hide behind him and 'have many children and much fortune'.

[Ding! Sensed that the important plot character Luo Zheng has 'damaged Foundation and depleted blood qi'.]

[Long-term mission issued: Guardian God Cultivation Plan!]

[Objective: Assist Luo Zheng in repairing his Foundation and improving his strength, making him the host's sturdiest shield and overt combat power!]

[Current sub-mission: Resolve Luo Zheng's blood qi depletion issue and help him stabilize the first level of innate realm.]

[Mission Reward: Increase in Luo Zheng's favorability; Unlock the nourishing effect of the 'Source Spirit Body' for non-Bloodline targets; Basic Body Refinement Technique (Optimized Version) *1 (To be gifted to Luo Zheng).]

"It's here!" Jiang Linfeng rejoiced inwardly. The System was truly considerate! Unlocking the 'Source Spirit Body Nourishment' reward was likely the key to him giving Luo Zheng, and even other non-heroine personnel, 'special treatment' in the future!

He quietly scanned Luo Zheng. The powerful perception of the Source Spirit Body (passive) allowed him to clearly 'see' the residual internal bleeding and hidden injuries between Luo Zheng's organs, as well as the tiny hidden cracks in his Meridians caused by forcibly pushing for a Breakthrough into the first level of innate realm. All of these were continuously draining his life force!

"Brother-in-law," Jiang Linfeng suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the dense forest.

Luo Zheng paused and looked back vigilantly: "What is it?"

"We can't just keep running like this," Jiang Linfeng analyzed solemnly. "You have injuries and you're pushing yourself too hard."

"Ahead is the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountain, which is full of unpredictable dangers. If we encounter a wild beast or a Yao Beast, none of the three of us will have it easy."

He paused, fumbling in his robe (the System space) to pull out a crumpled object that could barely be identified as a porcelain bottle, with a few drops of liquid sloshing inside.

"This is some 'Rejuvenation Powder' I secretly stashed away when I was a Menial Worker in my hometown."

"It's said to be an old recipe for supplementing blood qi, boiled from wild boar internal organs."

"Although its origin is a bit dirty, the effect is alright. I see your face is pale and your aura is a bit weak. Why don't you... give it a try?"

Jiang Linfeng handed the bottle over with a look of sincerity, as if he were sharing some ancestral treasure.

Looking at that dirty, broken bottle which was also stained with suspected unknown filth, and then hearing the phrase 'boiled from wild boar internal organs,' Luo Zheng's face instantly turned three shades greener, and his stomach churned.

Luo Yan also covered her small mouth, looking at her husband with an odd expression.

"You... drink it yourself!" Luo Zheng squeezed the words out from between his teeth.

This Brother-in-law was indeed a bit sinister! From Luo Yong's sudden death to that eerie tear, and now this 'Wild Boar Internal Organ Powder'... was he bound to filthy objects and bizarre events?!

"I don't need it."

Jiang Linfeng said as if it were a matter of course, "After my Breakthrough just now, I feel full of strength! My blood qi is very vigorous! Look at me!"

As he spoke, he even made a show of moving his limbs, and his movements were indeed very agile—nonsense, could someone at the Tenth Level Great Perfection of Xiantian Realm not be vigorous? He was so vigorous he could practically spit fire!

Luo Zheng almost choked. He was now starting to believe that this Brother-in-law might have encountered some heaven-sent stroke of luck or misfortune that caused an unknown mutation during his Breakthrough, turning him into a bizarre piece of trash who was 'stronger but perhaps not very bright'?

"Brother, my husband means well..." Luo Yan persuaded softly.

Although the bottle was indeed... hard to describe, she instinctively felt that her husband would not harm her brother.

Seeing the trust in his sister's eyes and then looking at Jiang Linfeng's foolish expression as he held up the bottle with a 'I won't stop until you drink it' look, the veins on Luo Zheng's forehead throbbed. He really wanted to slap that broken bottle away!

But... the depletion of blood qi was a fact. Having forcibly squeezed his potential to raise his Realm, and then being wounded and hunted by that group of bastards from the collateral branches, his body was about to collapse!

He urgently needed to replenish his blood qi, even with the lowest quality tonic!

Wild boar internal organs... damn it! He'd just treat it as an ordinary low-grade blood qi medicinal powder! No matter how disgusting, it was more important than his life!

"Give it here!" Luo Zheng practically snatched the bottle, unscrewed the equally greasy stopper, and an indescribable smell—thick with herbs yet mixed with a certain bloody, rank odor—instantly rushed into his nostrils!

Ugh!

Luo Zheng's face went pale. Forcing down the urge to vomit, he closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and poured the few drops of thick, cold liquid into his mouth!

"Brother!" Luo Yan was startled.

The imagined disgusting taste did not come. The liquid melted upon entering his mouth, turning into an extremely pure and gentle yet life-giving warm current!

This warm current was like the meltwater of early spring, instantly sliding into his stomach and then erupting violently!

Buzz!

Luo Zheng felt an unimaginable surge of vitality instantly erupt from his Dantian!

Like a burst dam, it instantly washed through his entire body! This power was gentle yet overbearing; wherever it passed, his bones and muscles hummed in unison!

The stubborn internal bleeding and hidden injuries within his organs were instantly dissolved by this warm current!

The tiny hidden cracks and burn marks in his Meridians were rapidly repaired, nourished, and closed, like parched earth moistened by spring rain!

His blood qi, which had been depleted due to heavy injuries and the forced Breakthrough, was growing and filling up at a rate visible to his own senses!

An unprecedented sense of fullness and power filled his entire body! It was as if even the fatigue after being wounded had been swept away!

"Ugh... ugh... ha!" Luo Zheng suddenly widened his eyes, a sharp light exploding from his pupils!

He couldn't help but let out a suppressed, hearty low growl!

The muscles on his body rose and fell in uncontrollable tremors, and his skin even emitted an extremely faint yet real layer of white mist, a sign of abundant vitality!

Within a few breaths, the medicinal power had already circulated through his entire body!

He could clearly feel that his originally somewhat unstable First Level Innate Realm had completely stabilized, and it even seemed as if his Foundation had been further fortified! His body felt lighter and more powerful than ever before!

This effect... was a hundred times stronger than any high-grade mortal tonic he had ever used! No! It was a level of purity that simply couldn't be compared! It was domineering! It defied logic!

What kind of bullshit Wild Boar Internal Organs Powder was this? If this was made from wild boar guts, then those 'precious pills' he had taken before, supposedly refined from rare medicinal herbs, weren't even fit for pig feed!

Luo Zheng turned his head abruptly, his gaze like two unsheathed sharp swords, fixed firmly on Jiang Linfeng's harmless, slightly expectant face!

The origin of this stuff was definitely suspicious! This Brother-in-law... definitely had a massive problem!!

"How is it, Brother-in-law? I told you it would have some effect, didn't I?" Jiang Linfeng had a 'please praise me' expression on his face. "Do you feel a bit warmer?"

"..." Luo Zheng's Adam's apple bobbed violently. Looking at his Brother-in-law's face, countless thoughts exploded in his mind; his worldview was undergoing an unprecedented shattering and reconstruction.

He was now one hundred percent certain! Jiang Linfeng was hiding a massive secret! His strength? It might far exceed his imagination! But why hide it?

Why play the fool? Why give this 'divine medicine' such a disgusting packaging like 'wild boar internal organs'? Was it to avoid exposure? Or was there some other unspeakable secret?

Countless questions were blocked in his chest; Luo Zheng only felt his mouth go dry.

He wanted to question him directly, to tear off this Brother-in-law's disguise and see the truth!

But reason told him he absolutely couldn't do that! Someone who could casually take out such 'divine medicine' and was shrouded in mystery—once they fell out... Moreover, seeing his sister's appearance, she was already deeply in love with him... Ultimately, Luo Zheng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing all his shock, doubt, and desire for knowledge into the deepest part of his heart.

He only gave Jiang Linfeng a look with incredibly complex eyes. In that gaze, there was shock, confusion, and wariness, but ultimately, there was more of a heavy, somewhat awe-struck recognition.

He slowly squeezed out two words, as if using up all his strength:

"Thank... you."

He no longer asked what the medicine was, nor did he dwell on how bizarre Jiang Linfeng's power was.

He began to learn to look at this formerly 'trash' Brother-in-law through a different lens.

As long as he could protect Yaner, as long as he didn't harm Yaner... it didn't matter what kind of monster or god he was!

With the help of this divine medicine, the priority was to recover as quickly as possible and even become stronger!

Receiving Luo Zheng's complex gaze, Jiang Linfeng chuckled inwardly.

The 'playing the fool' strategy was a huge success! The mysterious powerhouse persona was preliminarily established! Luo Zheng's loyalty and wariness both increased simultaneously!

Just then, deep in the dense forest, an area with even thicker, pale yellow miasma became faintly visible.

"The Miasma Zone is ahead!" Luo Zheng's expression turned solemn as he clenched his fists. "We must be careful and bypass the core of the miasma!"

Although the miasma on the outskirts of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range wasn't extremely poisonous, inhaling too much could still make one's head spin and limbs go weak.

He was just about to step forward and plan a route—

When Jiang Linfeng suddenly stopped. His gaze seemingly inadvertently swept across a dark corner to the left where vines were entangled and giant trees intertwined, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

The powerful perception of the Source Spirit Body picked up an extremely faint, cold aura filled with greed and killing intent!

"Hmm?" Seeing Jiang Linfeng stop, Luo Zheng followed his gaze.

That area had more fallen leaves and was darker; it was eerily quiet.

He sensed carefully, but aside from the sound of wind blowing through leaves, there was nothing... Wait!

Just as Luo Zheng was about to investigate further—

"Roar—!"

A roar full of bloodthirst and greed suddenly exploded! The dense vines on the left burst apart instantly!

A foul wind rushed towards them! A massive black shadow, like a cannonball, carrying a suffocating, rank demonic wind, lunged at the three of them—no, to be precise, it lunged at the target emitting an alluring, pure life aura!

Luo Yan! To a Yao Beast, the pure life energy of the Source Spirit Body was no different from a lighthouse in the dark! She was a superb 'humanoid spirit medicine'!

It was a hideous Yao Beast with the body of a tiger but the tusks of a wild boar, covered in pitch-black, sharp quills! A Tusked Boar Demon!

Judging by its violent Demonic Qi fluctuations, it was at least at the peak of the Early Stage Second Grade! Comparable to a human expert at the second or third level of the Innate Realm!

"Yaner, watch out! It's a Tusked Boar!" Luo Zheng's eyes nearly split from strain! Ignoring Jiang Linfeng's previous strangeness, the blood and Qi in his body, recently strengthened by the medicine, erupted. He was about to throw himself forward recklessly to block this fatal blow for his sister! But the Tusked Boar was too fast! The distance was too short!

Luo Yan's face turned pale with fright, but instinct made her subconsciously grab Jiang Linfeng's arm, as if it were her only safe harbor.

In that lightning-fast moment!

No one saw how Jiang Linfeng moved!

He seemed to have merely been 'startled' by this sudden attack, subconsciously grabbing Luo Yan's arm to pull her behind him.

At the same time, his originally empty right hand swung back and to the side! The movement was somewhat exaggerated, like a panicked flailing when trying to catch one's balance during a fall!

And in this 'panicked' backswing, the tip of his right middle finger 'coincidentally' grazed the incredibly rough, gnarled bark of a nearby ancient tree that was two arm-spans thick!

Screech—!!!

An extremely faint sound, yet clearly caught by everyone (and the beast) present, like cloth being easily torn, rang out!

Immediately after, a scene that Luo Zheng would never forget in his life unfolded!

The palm-sized area of old bark that Jiang Linfeng's fingertip had 'grazed,' along with the thick wood fibers beneath it, were silently reduced to microscopic dust as if scraped by the sharpest divine weapon! It vanished completely, revealing the pale, smooth tree core beneath!

An invisible, incredibly concentrated sharp force seemed to be born out of thin air. Following the edge of that smooth tree core, it shot out with a 'whoosh,' spinning through the air!

Puff!

Squelch!

In the next second, the mid-air, ferociously imposing Second Grade Yao Beast, the Tusked Boar, had its massive body jerk violently!

Its massive, iron-hard head, filled with tusks, suddenly developed an extremely fine crack where it met the neck, without any warning! It was as if it had been strangled by an invisible strand of hair! Then—

Thump!

The dull sound of a heavy object hitting the ground! The massive boar head rolled on the ground like a ripe fruit, its hideous expression still frozen in the excitement and confusion of the hunt!

The severed neck was as smooth as a mirror; not a single drop of blood sprayed out, as if the wound had been instantly cauterized and sealed by an invisible force!

Meanwhile, the massive headless body continued to crash down toward Luo Zheng due to its momentum!

Luo Zheng: "..."

He remained in his rescue posture, as if petrified, his eyes bulging so much they almost popped out of their sockets!

He stared fixedly at the boar head on the ground, then snapped his gaze to the 'graze' on the tree trunk that was so smooth it made one's scalp tingle!

Finally, his gaze shifted tremblingly and slowly to Jiang Linfeng's face, which was currently written with 'Holy shit! What the hell did I just do?', 'terror', and 'confusion'.

The forest was dead silent.

Only the rustling of wind through the leaves remained.

Luo Yan looked blankly at the beast's head on the ground, which had died with its eyes open, then at the mark on the tree, and finally at her husband. Her large eyes were filled with the same confusion and... a little bit of fear?

Jiang Linfeng swallowed hard, looked at his seemingly ordinary middle finger, and squeezed out a 'panicked' smile that looked worse than crying. He spoke tremblingly to his dumbfounded Brother-in-law:

"Bro... Brother-in-law... I'm telling you... I just wanted to steady myself... but my hand slipped... and it seems my finger was cut by this old bark..."

"This bark... is too damn sharp, isn't it?!!"

Thump!

This time, Luo Zheng wasn't pressed down by any pressure.

He felt that his battered heart finally couldn't take the impact of these successive, increasingly ridiculous 'accidents' and 'coincidences'. His legs gave way, and he sat directly onto the soft fallen leaves.

He looked at Jiang Linfeng, then at the Yao Beast, then at the tree bark.

His brain had completely crashed.

This Brother-in-law... he wasn't just weird!

He was simply... a walking natural disaster?! Or the kind that came with built-in causality strikes?!!

Wild Boar Internal Organs Powder... a boar demon cut to death by tree bark... does this world... still have laws?! Is there any logic left?!!

Jiang Linfeng was laughing his head off inside, but he worked hard to maintain a 'terrified' and 'ignorant' expression on his face.

[Ding! Luo Zheng's perception of the host has been refreshed! Tags 'Humanoid Natural Disaster', 'Absolute Powerhouse', and 'Might be a bit slow-witted (Pending)' have been generated! Host's Invisible Flexing Achievement: Entering the Hall! Reward obtained: Luo Zheng's Favorability +5! Current Favorability: 65 (Awe-struck Ally)!]