Chapter Thirty-Five: Extraordinary Potency

Returning to the dormitory, Gao Wu first took a hot shower. He was not particularly afraid of the cold, but the dampness all over his body was uncomfortable.

After changing into clean pajamas, Gao Wu sat on his bed and took out the Flying Squirrel Serum. The dormitory was not particularly secure, so he only brought one vial of Flying Squirrel Serum and one vial of neutralizer.

According to the old man, truly wealthy people would have custom-made serums tailored to their own genetic profiles. Clearly, Song Mingyue did not have the means for such luxury, so the standard neutralizer she provided was less effective.

But Gao Wu did not intend to use the neutralizer. As Song Mingyue had explained, while the neutralizer reduced the serum’s harm to the body, it also diminished its efficacy.

With the Book of Infinite Merit allowing him to observe his own state in detail, and the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra to cleanse his body and mind, he could accurately test the effects of just a single dose of Flying Squirrel Serum.

If the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra could not counteract the negative effects of the serum, it would not be too late to use the neutralizer then.

As with his first injection of Blood Dragon Serum, Gao Wu began by injecting two milliliters of Flying Squirrel Serum.

The intramuscular injection took effect almost immediately. Within a minute, Gao Wu felt a tingling, indescribable comfort at the injection site, which quickly spread throughout his body.

Soon, he was enveloped in a tingling sensation inside and out.

It was hard to describe—like having someone vigorously scratch an itch, slightly uncomfortable yet profoundly satisfying.

The sensation dug deep into his bones, organs, and even his skull.

After the intense pleasure faded, Gao Wu felt light as if he were ascending to the clouds. The world seemed to vanish, leaving only the true existence of himself—his body, his spirit, and the endless, overwhelming pleasure.

He lingered in this hazy state for quite some time before regaining clarity.

His first instinct was to look at the syringe in his hand, feeling a powerful urge to inject the remaining eight milliliters immediately—he could not wait another second.

But his reason suppressed this urge; such an intense compulsion was clearly abnormal.

Gao Wu did not open the Book of Infinite Merit. Instead, he silently recited the mantra: "Azure Dragon soars to the heavens, Qi rises from the east; ten thousand scales form its armor, its life is boundless..."

Azure light transformed into the shape of a dragon, weaving and flying within Gao Wu’s body.

After reciting the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra ten times, Gao Wu finally regained his composure, dispelling the emptiness that followed the intense pleasure.

He summoned the Book of Infinite Merit and discovered his lifespan had decreased by seven days—this from just two milliliters, even after reciting the mantra ten times! If it were an ordinary person, a single vial of Flying Squirrel Serum might reduce their life by two or three years.

Was the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra ineffective? Gao Wu was perplexed. This was, after all, a neuroactive serum intended for martial artists—why was it so potent?

Was his mastery of the mantra insufficient to cleanse the serum’s neurological side effects?

After considering for a while, Gao Wu steeled himself and injected the remaining eight milliliters into his body.

Anyway, since things were as they were, he was determined to see just how dangerous the Flying Squirrel Serum could be. With a lifespan of a hundred and thirty years, losing a few years was bearable.

The tingling, euphoric sensation surged over him like a tidal wave, many times stronger than before.

When Gao Wu returned from the clouds to reality, he felt an overwhelming emptiness, as if there was no meaning in living at all.

Only another injection of Flying Squirrel Serum could give life purpose.

Fortunately, Gao Wu retained basic rationality. He knew that a storm of hormones was battering his brain, affecting not only his senses but even disrupting his ability to think.

At its core, humans are creatures governed by hormones. All higher reasoning stems from neural tissue in the brain, and it is easily influenced by various hormones.

It was said that only those at the level of Martial King could escape the limitations of the flesh and maintain independent and stable will.

Gao Wu recited the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra dozens of times, finally restoring his mind to calm and serenity.

Looking again at the Book of Infinite Merit, his lifespan had dropped by a hundred and nineteen days.

Calculating at that rate, ten vials of Flying Squirrel Serum would cost him three years of life—trivial for him.

In less than two years, his Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra would be upgraded again, and by then, he should be able to recover the lost lifespan.

For now, the mantra could suppress the emptiness induced by the Flying Squirrel Serum and effectively curb its addictive nature.

For him, the risk of addiction was most terrifying. Losing a few years of life was not a major concern.

Suddenly, Gao Wu felt a powerful hunger, so intense that he grew dizzy, as if his stomach were a giant maw devouring his body.

Fortunately, Song Mingyue had prepared a premium Gold Ginseng Oral Solution for him. Gao Wu opened the bottle and drank it in one gulp.

As a hundred milliliters of the solution entered his stomach, the intense hunger was immediately suppressed, and all the anomalies in his body quickly vanished.

Soon, Gao Wu felt warmth coursing through his entire body, as if he were soaking in a hot spring—comfortable and relaxed.

He exhaled a satisfied breath, then sighed. Even a single injection required so much attention, demanding high-quality resources.

His natural talent was lacking, but he had an artifact in hand, and luck was on his side—he was being supported by a rich, beautiful woman!

Song Mingyue excelled in every aspect, though her demeanor was cold. As a friend, she was the best one could ask for, but as a wife, she would be far too dull.

If Song Mingyue truly wished to be with him, it would not be impossible—after all, her features were exquisite and her legs long...

Gao Wu let his thoughts wander for a while, then got up to practice the Nine Forms of the Dragon twice, followed by a session with the Wandering Dragon Sword.

The dormitory was cramped, so he had to be particularly cautious when practicing swordplay. Having just injected the serum, his movements were unpredictable, so after one set, he sheathed his sword.

Late at night, he practiced swordplay mainly because he loved this sword.

In Song Mingyue’s presence, Gao Wu had to restrain himself, but in the dormitory, he had no such reservations—he caressed the sword, utterly infatuated.

Even as he slept, he kept the sword by his pillow, grasping it as he drifted off.

The next morning, upon waking, Gao Wu felt clear-headed and invigorated.

His progress in the Nine Forms of the Dragon was swift, and the effect of sleeping with the Hidden Dragon technique continued to improve.

Without proper testing equipment, Gao Wu could not confirm whether he had achieved deep sleep, but each time he woke after a long rest, he felt a renewed vitality from within.

Regardless of whether it was deep sleep, it proved his sleep quality was excellent, allowing both body and mind to recover fully.

Opening the Book of Infinite Merit, he found his agility had increased by 0.1 points, reaching 7.9.

By calculation, his reaction speed and explosive power had improved by 5%, though the differences were hard to perceive in terms of senses or physical responses.

To gain 0.1 points overnight—the serum’s effects were truly rapid and powerful!

Checking his lifespan again, he saw it had dropped by another ten days. Clearly, as the drug took effect, its negative impact on his body increased.

After thinking it over, Gao Wu changed into his weighted suit. With his strength rapidly increasing, he had replaced the plates with two thick steel slabs, contoured to his body, much like oversized bulletproof armor, bringing the total weight to one hundred and forty kilograms.

He strapped the specially designed elastic sword sheath on the outside, adding another thirty kilograms.

Wearing his sports camera and taking the drone case, Gao Wu hurried out of the dormitory.

Leaving the school, Gao Wu accelerated continuously, reaching White Dragon Mountain in half an hour.

The weather was getting colder, and fewer youths came to the mountain to practice martial arts.

Martial artists’ bodies were resilient, but intense training placed enormous strain on them. Even youths who did not fear the cold needed to care for themselves, avoiding unnecessary wear and tear.

Only Gao Wu, relying on his robust constitution, dared to train at extreme intensity, ignoring the harsh weather altogether.

Standing atop the mountain, gazing down at the city below and the endless overlapping mountains, Gao Wu felt a surge of heroic spirit, though something was missing, leaving that spirit without an outlet.

Over the next few days, Gao Wu fell into a routine: training, injecting Flying Squirrel Serum, training...

On the weekend match day, facing a weak team, Gao Wu did not get a chance to play. He was unconcerned.

The Flying Squirrel Serum was rapidly enhancing his neural response and muscular explosive power; his strength was improving by leaps and bounds every day. He had no interest in fighting weak opponents.

He awaited the next home game on Sunday against First High School, eager to see just how capable Han Yang, the number one student in East River, truly was!