The Second Layer of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians

"Of course! 

I reached beneath Lilith's supple curves, wrapping one arm around her waist, gently lifting her onto the bed and arranging her comfortably before covering her with a blanket. After completing these tasks, I strode into the bathroom, eager to cleanse myself of the sweat that clung to my body. 

The opulence of the bathroom in Lilith's suite left me in awe; the luxurious bathtub, equipped with features such as massage, vibration, and even a surfing function, tempted me to linger inside indefinitely. After filling the tub with hot water, I reclined within, savoring the delightful caress of the streams against my skin. In a moment of inspiration, I recited a quick spell, summoning the Book of Demons into my presence. 

This massive tome, once burdensome, now felt insubstantial in my grasp, devoid of any confusion. Flipping to the section on abilities, I glanced at the progress of my nameless martial arts technique, astonished to discover it had reached a remarkable 100. Curious, I turned to the card section and activated the second layer of the "Eight Extraordinary Meridians" skill. Instantly, the card vanished. 

Overcome with excitement, I returned to the abilities page, where the description of my martial arts technique had transformed. The annotation now read: "The second layer of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, characterized by extremely vigorous internal power, with a progress rate of 0 and an inner strength of 1556/1556, imbued with a domineering chill during attacks." Back when I was training with the spiritual power cards, my nameless martial arts technique had already achieved a progress rate of 99, and my inner strength had surpassed 1200 points. However, the rate of improvement had begun to dwindle; no longer could I achieve an increase of eight points of inner strength in a single cycle. I hadn't anticipated that this night of wildness would yield such unexpected gains. 

Gradually channeling the second layer of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, I sensed the flow of time itself slowing down. It felt like an eternity passed before I completed this round of inner strength circulation. The similarly powerful yet even more chilling vital energy coursed through my meridians, filling every cell in my body with an exhilarating vitality, as though they had come alive, cheering for me. 

The peculiar vortex of vital energy in my dantian accelerated with each intake and release, causing the operation of my nameless martial arts technique to evolve from the monotonous first layer to exhibit slight variations in speed. When I opened my eyes, I found myself unable to move. To my astonishment, I discovered a layer of ice, two to three centimeters thick, covering the surface of the bathtub. This realization brought the meaning of the second layer's attribute—"imbued with a domineering chill during attacks"—to light. 

"So this martial art has this added benefit! What a stroke of luck! But I wonder if I'll have the chance to find the remaining incomplete cards. Mastering this technique to its fullest potential could make me extraordinarily rare, if not invincible! I'll surely surpass those horse-headed guards and winged demon apes one day!" Just as I contemplated whether to channel the enhanced nameless technique once more, I suddenly heard Lilith's exclamation. Thinking something might be wrong, I swiftly broke through the icy barrier encasing me and stepped out of the bathtub without a thought for my modesty. 

"Oh no! If we don't hurry back, we'll miss today's spiritual power training assessment!" 

Lilith, having had a restful night, looked rejuvenated. Upon seeing me emerge from the bathroom in the nude, her cheeks flushed crimson as she hastily pulled up the blanket to shield her chest, pointing to the scattered clothing on the floor. "Could you hand me those?" 

"Yesterday, not only did I see everything, but we also…well, you know. Why the sudden embarrassment?" I didn't quite understand Lilith's reaction, but I tossed her clothes over and dressed myself. Once dressed, I saw Lilith discreetly putting on her garments. When she unveiled the blanket to slip on her military boots, I caught a fleeting glimpse of her beauty; her delicate, fair feet glided into the boots, ten elegantly long toes pressing tightly together, their smoothness glistening like porcelain. 

"I've heard that boys often go through a phase where they are infatuated with older women. Why do I find myself wanting to keep Lilith by my side for a lifetime?" Shaking my head to dispel the thought, I reminded myself that as a high school student, the chance to reconnect with adventurous individuals from around the world was slim. Lilith belonged to a powerful organization, and I lacked the means to contend with such forces. 

Moreover, Lilith was merely leveraging my protection to secure her life; our relationship was purely transactional. Even if I desired more, she might not be inclined to form a lasting bond with a young man like me. 

"I suppose I'll just summon Lilith with a Beauty Summoning Card when needed." 

I initially thought that once Lilith was dressed, she would rush out with me, but to my surprise, she dashed back to the bathroom for a grooming ritual I couldn't fathom. Fortunately, being a mercenary, Lilith completed her tasks swiftly; within three minutes, she had tamed her tousled hair and applied a touch of makeup. When she saw me waiting, she smiled shyly and said, "Yesterday was quite wild; I just need to cover up a few marks." 

I shrugged indifferently and stepped out the door. Since this was a rare occasion, I had no time to check in on Julier. We were indeed running late, and even with the Red Spider helicopter, by the time we descended at the training camp, we saw everyone lined up, waiting for the bald instructor's address. 

"Alright! We will now assess your training results! 

Everyone, gather your spiritual energy!" Upon our return to the formation, the bald instructor, Veir, wasted no time and immediately began evaluating our progress. He held a device resembling a handheld telephone, passing by each person and uttering just two statements: "You pass... you fail!"