A few days later, the reward from the Public Security Bureau finally arrived.

In the main hall of the front courtyard, several bailiffs from the Public Security Bureau respectfully presented a brocade box and a wooden crate.

"Lord Su, these are the goods and rewards you redeemed from the Merit Pavilion. The brocade box contains a fifty-year Crimson Flame Vermilion Fruit and three stalks of top-grade wild ginseng. The wooden crate holds ten bolts of Yun Jin and three hundred catties of Red Essence Earth Dragon Pork. Please inspect them."

Su Yu reached out, took the most exquisite little brocade box, and instructed, "Li Da, take inventory of the other items and move them to the storeroom."

He opened the brocade box.

A searing wave of heat washed over him. Inside lay a thumb-sized fruit, translucent and crystalline, the color of a ruby. A faint shimmer of fire seemed to dance across its skin, and it exuded a sweet, intoxicating aroma.

’A Crimson Flame Vermilion Fruit, a rare treasure that ripens only once every fifty years. It truly lives up to its name.’

A flicker of amazement crossed Su Yu’s eyes. This thing grew in places rich with terrestrial fire and contained an incredibly pure Yang and Qi. In terms of medicinal properties, even a fifty-year Lingzhi or ginseng couldn’t begin to compare.

After seeing the bailiffs off, Su Yu couldn’t suppress the burning anticipation in his heart and went straight back to his quiet room in the Inner Courtyard.

’First, I’ll eat it!’

Su Yu took out the Vermilion Fruit and swallowed it in one gulp.

The moment the skin broke, scorching juice flowed down his throat like lava, seeming to set his meridians ablaze wherever it passed. The immense torrent of heat then exploded in his stomach, transforming into a surging essence that rushed madly toward his limbs and bones.

[Breakthrough Point Progress +5%]

[Breakthrough Point Progress +5%]

...

’What potent medicinal power!’

Su Yu didn’t dare to delay. He immediately stood up and began practicing the Black Stone Body Forging Skill.

An hour later, the torrent of heat dissipated. Su Yu was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled from the water, yet his spirit felt more vigorous than ever.

[Breakthrough Points]: 1 (Progress 75%)

"A single fruit actually increased my progress by a full 20%!" Su Yu couldn’t help but take a deep breath and marvel.

’I still have three stalks of wild ginseng left. Based on past experience, one fifty-year wild ginseng can increase my breakthrough progress by about 10%. It looks like I’ll be able to accumulate 2 Breakthrough Points in the next few days!’

...

For the next three days, Su Yu continued his extravagant training.

A stalk of wild ginseng every day, supplemented with large amounts of Exotic Beast Meat—this money-burning cultivation method finally bore fruit.

In the Martial Arts Arena, Su Yu finished the final set of the White Ape Fist and felt the last trace of medicinal power vanish from his body.

Before his eyes, the long-awaited line of ink-wash text finally appeared:

[Breakthrough Point Progress +2%]

[Breakthrough Points]: 2 (Progress 1%)

’Finally, 2 points! I can break the limit again!’

Su Yu summoned his panel, his gaze falling upon the White Ape Six Transformations.

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Six Transformations (Limit Broken 1 time) (Trait: Heart Monkey Clarity) +

[Trait]: Heart Monkey Clarity. When cultivating any ape-type Martial Arts, Skill Level acquisition speed is doubled, and it is easier to comprehend the core principles of the art.

’The first breakthrough gave me comprehension, allowing my cultivation speed to advance by leaps and bounds. This second time costs a full 2 points. What kind of qualitative change will it bring?’

With a mix of apprehension and anticipation, Su Yu focused his mind on the "+" sign and pressed it.

’Break the limit!’

...

[Martial Arts White Ape Six Transformations second limit break successful. 2 Breakthrough Points consumed.]

[You have obtained a new breakthrough Trait: Violent Ape Blood Fury]

[Trait]: Violent Ape Blood Fury. Actively awakens the Violent Ape Boiling Blood state, furiously burning the body’s energy and causing the heart to beat wildly. For a short period, attributes such as strength, speed, and defense are doubled.

’Violent Ape Blood Fury?’

Su Yu’s interest was piqued. ’This Trait seems to be an active transformation combat ability. It looks very powerful.’

’Let’s try it!’

Su Yu walked to the center of the Martial Arts Arena, took a deep breath, and composed himself.

"Violent Ape Blood Fury, activate!"

THUD!

The first strange sound came from his chest cavity.

It was the sound of his heart contracting violently, as heavy as if someone were beating a war drum.

Immediately after, a demonic crimson instantly flooded Su Yu’s normally black-and-white eyes. The whites of his eyes vanished, leaving only endless brutality and coldness.

His body temperature suddenly soared, an unnatural flush rising to the surface of his skin. Visible white steam even began to rise from his body.

THUD! THUD! THUD-THUD!

The violent beating of his heart made him feel the power inside his body exploding!

Strangely, his muscles didn’t bulge and swell like they would with a typical explosive Secret Skill. Instead, they bizarrely contracted and tightened, clinging closely to his bones. He actually looked even leaner than usual.

But within this seemingly frail body now flowed a terrifying power capable of tearing anything apart!

Besides the terrifying strength, Su Yu’s senses were also changing. The world around him seemed to slow down.

The sound of the wind, the falling leaves, even the chirping of distant insects—everything became incredibly clear.

He looked at the Black Iron Stake in the corner, the one meant for Second Acupoint Martial Artists, and his body moved slightly.

SWOOSH!

With no running start and no building up power, he appeared before the stake as if he had teleported, his speed so fast that not even an afterimage was visible.

He threw a simple punch.

BAM!

The stake, as hard as iron, was pierced straight through by that one punch! The violent Power exploded from within, and the entire stake instantly shattered into countless splinters!

"Not enough!"

In his Violent Ape state, Su Yu seemed to have a natural craving for destruction. The rampaging power in his body demanded release!

His figure blurred again, and in an instant, he was before the thicker, harder Ironwood Stake used for testing the strength of Third Acupoint Martial Artists.

He threw another punch.

BOOM!

The Ironwood Stake, buried three feet deep in the ground and weighing several thousand catties, was struck by the terrifying force, leaving a horrific dent several inches deep in its surface!

"Not enough! Not enough!"

With crimson eyes, Su Yu let out a furious roar. For a moment, he was like a true Ancient Fierce Ape, his fists raining down on the Ironwood Stake like a violent storm.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

The Ironwood Stake, which even a Third Acupoint Martial Artist would find difficult to destroy, was ultimately uprooted by his savage fists and sent flying seventy to eighty feet away!

CRASH!

The Ironwood Stake collided with another one in the distance with a tremendous bang, then crashed to the ground, kicking up a gray cloud of dust.

The enormous noise made Li Da, who was guarding the gate in the distance, jump in fright. He glanced over and his jaw dropped in shock.

’Lord Su is like a violent ape! His aura is terrifying!’

...

However, a quarter of an hour later...

The wild thumping of Su Yu’s heart came to an abrupt stop, and the crimson in his eyes receded like a tide.

The Violent Ape Boiling Blood state had ended!

His head swam. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The next second, a wave of unprecedented weakness swept through his entire body.

As if his spine had been ripped out, Su Yu’s vision went black. His legs gave out, and he staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.

’What’s happening... hungry... so hungry...’

A fire seemed to be burning in his stomach—an alarm signaling that his body’s energy had been depleted and it was beginning to cannibalize itself!

Every muscle cried out in agony, every cell screamed for energy.

He trembled, parting his pale lips, and hastily shouted, "Li Da! Quick! Get me something to eat!"

Luckily, Li Jin, who was guarding the gate, had been watching the area. When he heard the shout, he turned to look and was scared out of his wits.

He saw that Lord Su, who just moments ago had been like a god or a demon, was now pale as a sheet, his lips cracked and dry, looking as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind.

"My lord! What’s wrong?"

Li Jin rushed over to support Su Yu, only to find his lord’s body was frighteningly light and as cold as a block of ice.

"Food... food..."

It was only then that Li Jin understood. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Someone, quickly! Something’s happened to the Lord!"

Immediately, the sound of panicked footsteps approached.

Su Can, Li Da, Yaya, and the others came running at the sound.

"Second Brother!" Su Can, being a martial artist himself, recognized Su Yu’s condition at a glance. His face fell in alarm. "Second Brother, how did your Qi and Blood get so depleted!"

"Quick! Tell Mu Ying to stew all the meat and restorative supplements in the kitchen! And be fast about it!" Su Can shouted while pulling a Blood Amber Pill from his robes and stuffing it into Su Yu’s mouth.

The pill entered his stomach and dissolved into a warm current, replenishing a small amount of his energy.

"Third... Brother... go to the storeroom... get the Black Scale Blood Orifice Pills..." Su Yu managed to force out the words weakly.

"Okay! I’ll go right now!"

A short while later, Su Can returned with a porcelain vial in his hand. He hastily poured out several pills and had Su Yu take them.

As the several Black Scale Blood Orifice Pills were digested, the medicinal power gave him some support, and the encroaching darkness that threatened to make him faint finally receded a little.

Supported by the others, Su Yu sat down on a stone bench. Panting heavily, he waved a hand. "I’m fine now. You can all leave. Third Brother, you stay."

Although everyone was worried, they could only withdraw.

Su Can stood guard by his side, his eyes filled with concern.

After a moment, a set of hurried footsteps approached.

"My lord! The meat is here!"

Mu Ying ran over carrying a huge copper basin piled high with freshly cooked Red Essence Earth Dragon Porpoise leg bones, steaming hot and exuding a rich, meaty aroma.

GULP!

When Su Yu smelled the meat, his eyes practically turned green. His body’s instinctive craving overwhelmed all reason.

He grabbed a thigh bone as thick as his arm and, ignoring the heat, tore into it with his teeth.

RRRIP!

He ripped off a large chunk of meat and sinew and swallowed it directly without even chewing much.

One catty, three catties, five catties...

Su Yu was like a ferocious beast that hadn’t eaten in ages, devouring the meat in the basin like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

"Not enough! Go make more!"

Mu Ying jumped in surprise and hurried back to the kitchen. ’That was several dozen catties of Exotic Beast Meat! A normal Martial Artist would be stuffed after just two catties. What’s wrong with the lord?’

...

By evening, the smoke from the Su Mansion’s kitchen hadn’t stopped rising. Su Yu had devoured a full thirty catties of Red Essence Earth Dragon Pork before the maddening hunger finally dissipated.

BURP!

Su Yu slumped back in the stone chair and let out a satisfied burp, a trace of color finally returning to his face.

’That was close...’

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

’This Violent Ape Boiling Blood is truly powerful, but the side effects are just as deadly!’

’That feeling of having all my body’s energy reserves drained in an instant was like taking a stroll past the Ghost Gate. If I hadn’t stockpiled so much Exotic Beast Meat and so many pills at home, I’m afraid I would have become the laughingstock of Black Stone City for practicing myself to death by starvation.’

Su Yu then seriously replayed the transformation in his mind.

’My strength definitely more than just doubled a moment ago—it multiplied several times over!’

’In a fight between two people, even a slight, sudden increase in strength for one side is enough to change the outcome. But my transformation can multiply my strength several times over! Even for just a quarter of an hour, that’s enough to easily kill my opponent!’

’With a trump card like this, it’s not just about dominating the Second Acupoint realm anymore. I can cross ranks and slaughter Third Acupoint experts!’

’But just in case, from now on, I must carry restorative items like wild ginseng or high-grade pills on me at all times. Otherwise, the side effects after transforming will be enough to kill me!’