Chapter 180: Talent: Heart Eye

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Talent: Heart Eye

Lin Qi slowly rose, looking at the message that popped up on the panel.

DRIP!

He let out a heavy breath, sweat dripping onto the floor as a smile touched his lips.

’Finally! I finally broke through 15%!’

With his Template Fusion Degree breaking past 15%, he had a feeling he was about to gain a new Talent.

He slowly rose to his feet and said,

"Little Chan, get ready!"

"Everything’s ready, Master!" Little Chan nodded.

Lin Qi sat down cross-legged as well, waiting for the transformation to begin.

[Your Template Compatibility has reached 15%. The transformation will begin in 10 minutes.]

BOOM!!

A moment later, Lin Qi felt a mysterious power flood his body, rushing into his brain with lightning speed.

Then, it felt as if a steel spike was being slammed into his brain by a Heavy Hammer.

"AHHH!!!"

In an instant, Lin Qi’s eyes shot wide open, bulging until they were laced with countless blood-red veins.

He clutched his head, feeling as if his skull was about to crack open. The pain was excruciating.

This time, the transformation wasn’t just physical—it was also happening to his brain, his very consciousness.

His body began its remodeling as well, but that was only a faint ache compared to the waves of intense agony radiating from his mind.

Even Lin Qi, who had long ago forged a will of steel, was forced to the floor. He clutched his head, gritted his teeth, and let out a guttural, bestial growl.

POUND! POUND! POUND!!

He felt a heavy booming erupt in his head, as if a Heavy Hammer was relentlessly smashing his brain to pieces, only for it to be rebuilt and smashed again.

’The pain... It’s unbearable!!!’

Every blow landed squarely on his nerves. His body was a web of countless nerve endings, where even the slightest tremor could trigger searing pain.

And now, it felt as if every single one of those nerves was being smashed by a giant hammer.

This was even more unbearable than any physical pain.

It was truly a fate worse than death.

Lin Qi had no way to alleviate the pain. He could only endure it in silence, praying for it to end soon.

"Master!!" Watching from the side, Little Chan clenched her fists, her face filled with anguish.

"Hhhh... Haaa..."

Finally, after an unknown amount of time...

The pain made Lin Qi lose all sense of the outside world. He felt he was at his limit before finally, everything went black.

...

「One hour later」

Lin Qi slowly opened his eyes. The first things he saw were the bright ceiling and the glowing energy-saving light fixture.

Slowly, his consciousness began to return.

’I was undergoing the transformation, but the intense pain in my brain was too much for my consciousness to bear. I passed out.’

As this thought crossed his mind, his gaze instantly locked onto the panel.

Sure enough, several messages had appeared.

[Your Fusion Degree has reached 15%. You have undergone a painful spiritual and physical transformation. You have gained a new Talent: Heart Eye.]

[Your physical Talent has increased. Your Comprehension has been strengthened. Your grasp of Martial Arts Skills has improved. Your aptitude for Spiritual Cultivation has skyrocketed.]

...

’The Heart Eye Talent!’

The next moment, as if in response to his thought, a block of information automatically surfaced in his mind.

[Heart Eye: The possessor gains keen powers of observation and Insight, and possesses a Talent for Spiritual Cultivation that far surpasses that of ordinary people.]

[Allows for the perception of subtle fluctuations in Spiritual Power, grants a unique Talent for controlling Spiritual Power, and enhances Perception Ability...]

Lin Qi’s eyes lit up. The Heart Eye Talent was incredibly powerful, and it directly strengthened his spiritual Talent.

From now on, his Spiritual Cultivation would be more effective, and his Spiritual Power would increase at a faster rate.

With this in mind, he was just about to try practicing a Spiritual Technique.

RUMBLE~

An intense hunger washed over him, and a wave of fatigue emanated from his brain. He immediately turned, strode to the side, and downed the Energy Potion on the desk in one gulp.

There were also energy drinks and a nutritious meal, already prepared and waiting in a thermal container.

More than ten minutes later, the desk was covered in empty meal containers, and the floor was littered with empty energy drink bottles.

"Little Chan, start cleaning up!"

"Yes, Master!"

Seeing that Lin Qi had recovered, Little Chan beamed with happiness.

Lin Qi glanced at the spot on the floor where he had just been lying, which was now marked by a pool of sweat.

His Martial Arts Uniform was also soaked through with sweat.

He changed into a clean Martial Arts Uniform and closed his eyes. A pleasant warmth spread through him as his bodily functions kicked into high gear, his stomach rapidly digesting everything he had just eaten.

Within his consciousness, it was as if an eye had taken form, and it now swept rapidly over his body.

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow. Things felt different.

It was like someone with an astigmatism putting on glasses for the first time; his Perception was completely different.

The rapid flow of his blood, the subtle flexing of his muscles, the stretching and contracting of his fascia, the workings of his organs...

His Perception had become clearer.

His Spirit hadn’t actually improved; this change was purely a result of his new Talent.

His eyes snapped open, and he rose to his feet.

He walked over to a metal cabinet, entered the password, and opened it. A large collection of resources was arranged inside: Qi and Blood Pills, Blue Marrow Potions, and a [Spirit Potion] filled with a yellow liquid.

He took out the Spirit Potion, uncapped it, and downed it in one go. It was faintly sweet, not much different from an ordinary drink.

Next, he took an Obsidian Stone and a Red Scroll from a metal box.

He placed both items on the floor and sat down cross-legged once more.

’Since this new Talent allows me to advance faster in my Spiritual Cultivation, then...’

Lin Qi let out a breath, his expression turning serious. He had a feeling that tonight, he might just succeed in his Cultivation of the *Hundred Calamities Atlas*.

He closed his eyes, concentrating his Spirit to connect with the Mastiff Dog Divine Intent within the Obsidian Stone.

BOOM!

ROAR~

The Mastiff Dog bared its fangs and brandished its claws, its appearance startlingly realistic and lifelike.

Lin Qi began to sketch it in his mind. Just over two hundred strokes were all it took. Soon, a vivid, lifelike Mastiff Dog had materialized.

The Mastiff Dog lunged forward, shattering the image of the Divine Intent.

Lin Qi observed the Mastiff Dog, then his Spirit formed tentacles that slowly merged into the creature’s body.

This time, he could feel the merging process was incredibly smooth, almost effortless.

At the same time, he felt waves of a cool sensation surge from his body up toward his brain.

His Consciousness Space trembled. Lin Qi felt a refreshing coolness in his mind as his Spirit was restored.

The speed of his integration instantly increased by a large margin.

A moment later, Lin Qi felt his Spirit merge completely with the Mastiff Dog, meeting no resistance.

In that instant, it was as if he had become the Mastiff Dog.

With a single thought, the Mastiff Dog sprang into motion, running wildly through his Consciousness Space, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. It had truly come to life.

Lin Qi was ecstatic. He had finally succeeded in controlling the Calamity Beast from his visualization.

He opened his eyes and looked at the Red Scroll. He undid the clasp and unrolled it.

The entire Red Scroll was made of a special material that felt soft like fabric yet looked like metal. As he pulled it open, he saw a painting of an Iron Spike Wild Boar, so vivid it seemed real.

As Lin Qi’s mind connected with the Scroll,

"GRUNT~ GRUNT~"

In a flash of silver light, the Iron Spike Wild Boar’s eyes opened. It instantly came to life, charging into his Consciousness Space like a battering ram.

Lin Qi, in turn, closed his eyes, instantly creating the Mastiff Dog through visualization and merging with it to engage the invading Iron Spike Wild Boar in a Life-and-Death Struggle.

Compared to the Iron Spike Wild Boar, he was far more agile.

Lin Qi knew that if he could successfully kill this Iron Spike Wild Boar, his Spirit would be massively enhanced.

...