One wrong step, and the enemy might be unharmed, but your own foot could very well break. Lu Lin gathered a strand of Star Power and slowly circulated it around the hidden Bai Acupoint. Once he was familiar with the pathway, he guided the Star Power into the acupoint. Lu Lin screamed out in pain. "Damn, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" He was in so much pain that he was forced out of his Inner Vision state, and the strand of Star Power naturally dissipated. At this moment, he couldn’t focus on anything but the searing pain. He clutched his foot, crying out repeatedly. It was too agonizing. He had never imagined that channeling Star Power into the hidden Bai Acupoint would unleash such a degree of torment. This pain struck his Spirit directly, and Lu Lin found it almost unbearable. He could endure the pain of a simple cut. In the past, when Mi Yan’s spear had blasted his left arm apart, Lu Lin had still attacked the Kongming White Ape without a change in expression, even before dealing with his injury. Lu Lin wouldn’t dare claim he was impervious to pain, but his tolerance was certainly higher than that of an ordinary person. But this time, he was truly in agony. It was the kind of pain that reached deep into his Spirit. The mere thought of it is terrifying, Lu Lin shuddered. Fortunately, while this searing pain was intense, rapid, and overwhelming, it also subsided quickly. After only ten seconds or so, the pain had vanished. Looking at the Inch Tick secret manual he had flung to the ground, Lu Lin still felt a lingering fear. Do I still want to cultivate this? His mind immediately started making excuses. I’ve already cultivated four Star Martial Arts: the Golden Body Sutra, Ten Steps Kill, Inch Step, and the Soul Splitting Skill. That’s an increase in strength, attack power, speed, and spiritual power. It’s practically an all-around enhancement; there’s really no need to learn something like Inch Tick. He especially recalled how easily Guan Kuang had handed him the Inch Tick manual that afternoon. Guan Kuang probably hasn’t cultivated it much himself, Lu Lin guessed. He was likely too afraid to continue with the subsequent acupoint techniques, so he just decided ’out of sight, out of mind.’ Lu Lin’s mind kept conjuring reasons to stop. But for some inexplicable reason, he still wanted to try again. "I’m such a glutton for punishment!" Lu Lin cursed, picking up the Inch Tick secret manual once more. After reading it several more times, he finally noticed a line of tiny script at the very bottom of the page: *This technique must not be cultivated by those lacking a steadfast will. Minor attempts will result in unbearable pain; severe attempts can lead to mental collapse.* These two sentences were written indistinctly, almost as if intentionally obscured. Guan Kuang himself had suffered immensely. He had managed to cultivate three moves, enduring unimaginable pain and torture, only to discover this warning afterward. Unlike Lu Lin, he didn’t possess an Inner Vision ability that allowed him to easily locate acupoints anytime, anywhere. During his initial cultivation, Guan Kuang had failed countless times, channeling Star Power to incorrect locations, which resulted in even more excruciating pain. The mere memory of it was... uniquely piquant, to say the least. This time, Lu Lin remembered to bite down on something to prevent himself from biting his tongue if the pain flared up again. Preparations complete, Lu Lin entered his Inner Vision once more. He located the hidden Bai Acupoint. Star Power circled it. Just before thrusting it in, Lu Lin hesitated for a split second. I hope the pain is a little lighter this time. He drove the Star Power in. With a prolonged howl, Lu Lin was instantly jolted out of his Inner Vision state. "Damn it! Damn it all!" "It’s too damn painful!" Lu Lin rarely swore, only when he truly couldn’t bear something. In this much pain, it would have been a miracle if he hadn’t. Moreover, Lu Lin felt this wave of pain was even more intense than the first. The door to his room was knocked, and Zhou Ziqiang’s voice called out, "Mr. Lu? Mr. Lu, are you alright?" "I’m... fine, fine," Lu Lin managed, his voice somewhat weak. "Oh, that’s good then." Zhou Ziqiang departed. When Lu Lin had first cried out, Zhou Ziqiang hadn’t heard it clearly, mistaking it for a sound from outside. But that last scream, he had heard distinctly—it was Lu Lin. There was nothing else amiss in the room, so Lu Lin’s screams indicated he must be in genuine, severe pain. It makes sense, Zhou Ziqiang thought. Mr. Lu’s Cultivation is so high, and his ability improves so rapidly. To become a Third-level Martial Artist in just one month, starting with a Star Vein initial refinement of only 0.78%, must have required enduring immense hardship. With this in mind, Zhou Ziqiang resolved, I, on the other hand, have a starting refinement of 0.83%. In terms of Talent, I’m actually slightly better off than Mr. Lu. If he works that hard, then I must work hard too! Cultivation! As long as it doesn’t kill me, I’ll train to death! Leaving aside Zhou Ziqiang, who rededicated himself to cultivation with unyielding spirit, Lu Lin waited for this new wave of pain to subside, a psychological shadow looming over him. He suddenly remembered Guan Kuang’s subtle expression when he gave him the secret manual that afternoon, along with the words, "Fend for yourself." Why ’fend for yourself’? Lu Lin had initially thought Guan Kuang was advising him to get along well with Guan Yue. Now he understood: Guan Kuang was telling Lu Lin to fend for himself while cultivating Inch Tick. He sucked in a sharp breath. This Guan Kuang... how could he be so malicious? Lu Lin even suspected, Could it be that he wanted me to die from the pain of cultivating Inch Tick? If that happened, Guan Yue would have no one she liked, and perhaps Guan Kuang thought his life could return to its original state? He hadn’t expected Guan Kuang, with his thick brows and big eyes—usually a sign of straightforwardness—to harbor such convoluted thoughts. Lu Lin’s stubborn streak flared up. You want to use this to make me give up cultivating Inch Tick? If I let you get your way, how could I ever show my face again? A man has to be tough on himself! Lu Lin gritted his teeth, his resolve hardening. This time, I’m going all in. No matter how painful it gets, I *will* endure it. Cultivating Inch Tick was, in principle, very simple: one technique corresponded to one acupoint. As long as he could achieve Enlightenment of the acupoint and infuse the first wisp of Star Power within it, the cultivation of that move would be considered successful. After that, it was just a matter of practice and familiarization. Lu Lin took a deep breath and entered his Inner Vision state once more. The hidden Bai Acupoint. He thrust the Star Power in. The resulting agony was far more excruciating than the previous two times, yet Lu Lin gritted his teeth and bore it. Persist! Hold on! Forcing himself to endure the pain emanating from the depths of his Spirit, Lu Lin finally managed to channel a wisp of Star Power into the hidden Bai Acupoint. Instantly, he felt a surge of heat radiating from his right big toe. This heat, like boiling magma erupting from a volcano, appeared abruptly. It then quickly flowed from the hidden Bai Acupoint through the entire right half of his body. Now, Lu Lin’s left side was at a normal body temperature, while his right side felt as if it were at least 50 degrees Celsius. Fortunately, he was a Star Core Warrior; even a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius was not enough to harm him. As this wave of heat swept through him, Lu Lin felt his Star Power increase by a sliver. The earlier, endless agony transformed into a sensation of ease and comfort. It made Lu Lin almost want to roar to the heavens in triumph. Success! I finally succeeded! An excited expression lit up Lu Lin’s face, but less than three seconds later, a sudden thought struck him. Wait... there’s still the left foot!