Rock Tiger Stage, Power Boost

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Inside the martial arts hall's quiet room.

As the internal heat gradually weakened and vanished, Chen Feng looked at the status panel, particularly focusing on the skill progression of Giant Tiger Technique.

[Giant Tiger Technique: Rock Tiger (20%) +]

"Did I really break through directly to the Rock Tiger level?" Chen Feng was a bit surprised.

He then moved his body.

A series of cracking sounds followed, and he could clearly feel his skin, tendons, and bones all advancing to a new level.

His physical attributes rapidly strengthened, and the corresponding stats were reflected on the panel.

[Strength: 12.1 → 13.0] 

[Agility: 11.3 → 11.8] 

[Constitution: 12.2 → 13.4] 

[Willpower: 11.6 → 12.0]

"A 3.0 attribute increase…" Chen Feng focused and was a bit surprised.

This far exceeded the effects of any skill he had trained before.

Especially his constitution, which had increased by 1.2 points directly!

"So this is the power of body strengthening…"

He slightly lowered his head, looking at the muscles on his arms.

Thanks to his Perception Talent, he could clearly feel that his skin and muscles had become firmer, as if a layer of tough keratin had formed.

TL/N: Keratin is a protein that helps form hair, nails and your skin's outer layer (epidermis).

"Am I bulletproof now?"

"No, but it's getting close."

Chen Feng had a strong intuition that, perhaps because of the synergy of his other skills, his constitution had surpassed that of ordinary people and even exceeded the normal Rock Tiger level.

As long as vital spots like his head and heart were not hit, small-caliber bullets probably wouldn't pose much of a threat to him.

"Moreover, the improvement in my constitution also indirectly boosted my other attributes, especially strength."

He clenched his fists, and they cracked loudly.

Chen Feng felt it was surreal because he could clearly feel that his strength had increased by nearly 100 kg, approaching the professional level of 350 kg.

Everything was steadily improving, and the effects of Giant Tiger Technique were better than he had expected. It truly lived up to the name of a martial arts true technique.

This made him look forward to breaking through to the Fierce Tiger level as soon as possible, achieving true brute strength and becoming bulletproof!

"Also, Flame Tiger Stance..."

His gaze shifted to another skill on the panel.

[Flame Tiger Stance: Tiger Roar (21%) +]

After consuming the secret medicine, the progression of Flame Tiger Stance also surged.

Although it wasn't as rapid as Giant Tiger Technique, it had still increased by 20%, a full one-fifth.

"Maybe it's because both martial arts focus on tempering bones and flesh…"

Chen Feng had a rough guess, then turned his attention to the two remaining items of interest.

He was curious to try and see how many light orbs the two skills would require for further progression.

"Upgrade!"

Instantly, the two Limit-Break Points were used one after another, and the progress of Giant Tiger Technique and Flame Tiger Stance increased again.

[Giant Tiger Technique: Rock Tiger (28%) +] 

[Flame Tiger Stance: Tiger Roar (29%) +]

"That's it?"

Chen Feng squinted. One Limit-Break Point only raised the progress by 8%.

In other words, if he wanted to break through to the Fierce Tiger level or reach the "Tiger Might" stage of body cultivation…

He would need to consume at least nine more Limit-Break Points for each skill.

And that didn't even include Explosive Fist.

"It looks like tonight, I have to enter the Dream Realm and find that branch of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall," Chen Feng thought to himself, feeling a vague sense of urgency in his heart.

His encounter at the hospital yesterday had left an impression on him, and those two bodyguards who had injected enhancement drugs made him even more frustrated.

Without the need for martial arts, they could reach a professional level just by injecting drugs multiple times.

If they weren't crushed beneath his feet, then what's the point of practicing martial arts?

After finishing his training for the day, Chen Feng stood outside the martial arts hall, opening the blue sedan's door.

He had promised Lin Hao that he would go to the boxing club in the afternoon.

"Don't you need to go to the supermarket anymore?" Lin Hao asked from the driver's seat, aware of Chen Feng's previous job at the supermarket.

"Mm." Chen Feng nodded lightly, sitting in the passenger seat, not wanting to explain further.

Knowing Chen Feng's personality, Lin Hao didn't press the issue.

He reminded him to buckle up, and quickly stepped on the gas, heading straight for the bustling district.

As they approached, various holographic projections became clearer. Chen Feng looked up to see a dolphin leap into the air, splashing waves.

It seemed like a real scene, but upon closer inspection, the splashing waves turned into light dots, clearly the creation of virtual technology.

"Is it like this in Central City too?"

Suddenly, Chen Feng asked, moved by the thought.

Lin Hao, who was driving, paused for a moment.

"Well, how do I put this? The difference is huge. It's like two different worlds."

He explained briefly: "In terms of virtual technology, this place only has holographic projections, but in Central City, memories and consciousness can be backed up. Some people can even clone themselves and be revived."

Chen Feng's gaze sharpened at the mention of this.

"Consciousness backup? Cloning and revival? Has Earth's technology advanced to this level?"

"Otherwise, how could they call it the New World?" Lin Hao said with a sigh before mentioning Chen Feng's sister.

"Your sister is about to go to Central City too, right?"

"Mm."

"You don't need to worry about her. Although it's a little different there, everything is under the laws of the Red Nation."

"Your sister is a high-end talent in a research institute. She'll definitely enter official training, with protection from agencies like the Safety Bureau."

Hearing his explanation, Chen Feng felt a bit more at ease.

But then, he realized something.

"You seem to know a lot about Central City?" Chen Feng asked, tilting his head toward Lin Hao.

Lin Hao fell silent for a moment before forcing a smile.

"Who doesn't have a story?"

There was a hint of helplessness and complexity in his voice. Chen Feng knew he didn't want to talk more, so he nodded lightly and didn't ask further.

The atmosphere in the car became quiet until, after about ten minutes, the car slowed down. Lin Hao parked in an open-air parking lot.

"We're here, this is it."

Chen Feng looked up, seeing a large shopping mall with multiple floors.

People came and went, with four floors of space.

Clothing stores, jewelry, restaurants, cinemas, and more were all inside.

"Our club is on the second floor, right next to a gym."

"I interviewed three boxing coaches yesterday. One is a bit of a troublemaker, with about a Level 2 professional skill. He's demanding, and a little hard to manage."

"There's also a nearby combat club. They sent someone over yesterday, and I feel like they might cause trouble."

Leading Chen Feng to the elevator, Lin Hao shared a few more details, returning to his usual smiling expression.

"So, since you're here today, you can stretch your muscles a bit."

"So, these guys will know that our club has someone backing it up."

Amidst Lin Hao's teasing, the elevator reached the second floor.

The two of them stepped out, and Chen Feng quickly saw the boxing club right next to the gym.

It covered several hundred square meters, with a glass door on the outside, allowing a clear view of the inside.

The floor was covered with smooth soft mats, with dumbbells, barbells, and other small fitness equipment, along with several leather punching bags placed upright or hanging.

Inside, more than ten people were practicing boxing, and at the front desk, there was a young woman in a suit and skirt.

At the center, on either side of the glass door, there were potted plants, and above the door, the sign read: 

Hao Feng Boxing Club.

Chen Feng's gaze sharpened, and he turned to look at Lin Hao in surprise.

"What are you looking at? I told you, we're partners, 50/50."

"The shares and the name are the same!" Lin Hao said matter-of-factly. Chen Feng gave a helpless smile.

Then, following Lin Hao, he walked toward the club. The young woman at the front desk hurriedly put away her phone and snacks from the desk.

"Hello, Boss!"

Her voice was somewhat melodic, and she was quite good-looking—an oval face, big eyes, delicate features, and light makeup.

"Hmm."

Lin Hao lightly nodded, pretending not to notice her goofing off on her phone.

He pointed to Chen Feng beside him and introduced, "Let me introduce you."

"This is the other shareholder I mentioned to you, our head boxing coach, and my partner, Chen Feng."

"This is the front desk employee, Zhou Xiaoli, and there's also Xu Xiaoxiao, who rotates shifts with her."

Zhou Xiaoli looked curiously at Chen Feng.

His tall and strong build made her look up to him. He was dressed in black, calm and indifferent, making people feel a sense of pressure.

"Hello, Coach Chen!"

She quickly said respectfully, and Chen Feng felt somewhat uncomfortable with the title.

But seeing the situation, he nodded slightly in response.

"Hehe."

Lin Hao secretly smiled, rarely seeing Chen Feng act like this.

They continued walking, soon entering the spacious training area.

"I've divided the club into a few areas. This is the most basic practice area. Anyone can come to practice as long as they register, but equipment and time are limited, it's just a trial operation."

"Inside is the student area. Only those with a student card can enter. They can receive boxing training from the coach. There should be eleven people currently."

"And then there's the membership area. I set some thresholds, and specifically emphasized that your expert guidance, as the head coach, will be there. Of course, there aren't many people for now."

Lin Hao walked around, explaining everything actively.

Zhou Xiaoli followed along, occasionally helping Lin Hao with additional details or answering individual questions.

"It's quite good."

Chen Feng nodded gently, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

Although he wasn't knowledgeable about business, he could tell that Lin Hao must have put in a lot of effort and money to build this place.

Everything was clean, orderly, and well-organized.

The atmosphere was also quite good.

"Jab!"

"First, set up your fighting stance, keep both fists protecting your cheeks."

"When attacking with a punch, push off with your back foot, using your waist to power your shoulder, and deliver the punch with your shoulder."

The three of them reached the student area, where seven or eight students were practicing boxing.

There were both men and women, mostly under thirty years old.

A young coach was demonstrating actions at the front, while another coach was patiently correcting the students' movements.

However, this scene made Lin Hao frown slightly.

He looked over and saw another coach sitting by the window at the far side, looking down at his phone.

Short-cropped hair, probably in his thirties.

His breathing was steady, his complexion normal, and there wasn't a drop of sweat on him. His training clothes showed no signs of perspiration either.

"How long has Wang Cheng been resting?" Lin Hao turned to Zhou Xiaoli.

After a moment's hesitation, she answered truthfully, "He's... been resting the whole time."

"Are Zhang Ping and Chen Dong okay with that?" Lin Hao asked again.

"They had a match this morning. Zhang Ping and Chen Dong lost when they teamed up," Zhou Xiaoli answered honestly, not daring to hide anything.

Chen Feng narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, and Lin Hao frowned.

Soon, it seemed like others noticed.

All the students in the practice room stopped their movements, looking confused, and the other two coaches, including Wang Cheng by the window, all had similar expressions.

Everyone's gaze was now focused on them, and the atmosphere suddenly felt a bit awkward.

Lin Hao relaxed his frown, quickly exchanged a glance with Chen Feng, and then slowly walked forward.

"Haha, everyone, it's been just one day, and you're all looking more professional."

"Listen to the sounds, seems like our club has struck gold."

After a few lighthearted remarks, Lin Hao broke the ice, walking into the training area.

Zhang Ping, who was correcting movements, and Chen Dong, who was teaching in the front, both smiled and responded, calling him boss.

As for Wang Cheng by the window, he put away his phone but remained seated.

"Since everyone's talent is so good, our club must provide more professional guidance!"

"So, let me introduce this guy to you."

With a smile that drew everyone's attention, Lin Hao stood next to Chen Feng and said, "This is a professional-level fighter, the head coach of our club, Coach Chen Feng!"

His words were met with scattered applause.

Most of the students were still a bit confused, and a few of them looked at Chen Feng with skeptical expressions.

"Professional level?"

"He's so young, is that for real?"

"Is he stronger than Coach Wang?"

Low murmurs spread among the students, as many had seen Wang Cheng's deliberate display of strength in the last two days.

A punch generating 230 to 240 kilograms of force, the punching machine buzzing with the impact.

Except for lacking certification for now, he definitely had a professional level two ability.

"Wang Cheng!"

Seeing the strange expressions, Lin Hao smiled slightly and quickly called out to Wang Cheng, who had been sitting by the window with his arms crossed, seemingly watching the scene.

"Boss?" Wang Cheng responded indifferently from his seat.

"Come on, lend a hand to Coach Chen."

"Oh?"

With a slight frown, Wang Cheng stood up.

He was tall, about 1.85 meters, with broad shoulders and bulging muscles, resembling a strong man like Cao Tong.

There was a black tattoo on his left cheek and neck beneath his short hair. His features were ordinary, but he gave off an intimidating vibe.

Thud, thud!

His heavy footsteps approached, and he walked to a spot in front of Chen Feng, looking down at him from a short distance.

Although he was strong and somewhat stocky, he appeared quite young—at most 22 or 23 years old.

A professional at that age would come to a small club like this?

A thought flashed through Chen Feng's mind, and Wang Cheng stood with his arms hanging at his sides, his gaze lowered, his expression calm.

"Coach Chen, show us a few moves?"

(End of the Chapter)

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Read (MF) ahead on (pa treon. com/CinderTL) – Chapter 110.

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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.