After a week of diligent practice, Zhang Beixing finally maxed out the proficiency of Yue Family Consecutive Punches!
Once the proficiency was maxed, an '↑' upgrade arrow appeared behind Yue Family Consecutive Punches. Zhang Beixing tapped on it. A burst of white light erupted, enveloping Yue Family Consecutive Punches. Under the glow, the suffix of Yue Family Consecutive Punches began to distort, and the 'Proficiency Percentage' gradually faded away.
When the light dissipated, Zhang Beixing looked intently.
[Master: Zhang Beixing]
[Status: Moderately Fatigued, Minor Injuries]
[Power: 70]
[Constitution: 70]
[Spirit: 105]
[Ability Points: 1.1]
[Skill: Yue Family Consecutive Punches (Entry Level)+]
After the upgrade, the words inside the parentheses of Yue Family Consecutive Punches changed from the initial proficiency to Entry Level.
It seems like proficiency is equivalent to a learning process. Only after reaching one hundred percent do you preliminarily learn the skill, barely reaching Entry Level. It's like learning ancient poetry; currently, I've only just learned to read, but the deep meaning and content of the poems are still not clear.
At the same time, Zhang Beixing noticed that after the percentage disappeared, a "+" sign was in its place.
Could it be that it can add points now?
Looking at the plus sign that looked exactly the same as those behind the three-dimensional attributes, Zhang Beixing was somewhat surprised. Out of curiosity, he clicked on it.
Instantly, he saw his Ability Points, which had been at 1.1, shrink directly to 0.1!
And after Zhang Beixing added the point, Yue Family Consecutive Punches became [Yue Family Consecutive Punches (Entry Level+1)].
???
Seeing his Ability Points directly deducted by a whole point, Zhang Beixing was utterly bewildered, especially since adding a point to Yue Family Consecutive Punches merely added a perfunctory '+1' behind it, and it seemed like he got nothing out of it.
Son of a...
Zhang Beixing couldn't hold back anymore. He was about to ask if the System's mother was doing well.
However, before he could speak, an extremely awkward sensation spread throughout his body. That feeling was terrible: like getting a leg cramp while stretching, like his legs going numb while squatting on the toilet, or like a sneeze being stifled halfway.
In short, it was utterly frustrating and uncomfortable!
Zhang Beixing felt he had to do something, so he started to move the uncomfortable parts of his body.
But as he moved, Zhang Beixing realized his movements weren't quite right!
Wait, isn't this the Yue Family Consecutive Punches technique?
He bent his knee, raised his foot, covered inward with his left hand, and retracted with his right. Simultaneously, he bent his right leg without it touching the ground, his left hand covering his chest with the palm facing down, while his right arm externally rotated, piercing forward diagonally upward from in front of his chest, over his left wrist...
This is the 'White Snake Spits Out Its Tongue' move from Yue Family Consecutive Punches!
Only, he didn't know why, but the 'White Snake Spits Out Its Tongue' he was executing now felt different from before. It was like the difference between a loaded gun and an unloaded one! Although both looked threatening externally, their lethality was on completely different levels. One was flashy but useless; the other truly had power!
Is this the feedback from adding a point to Yue Family Consecutive Punches? By driving me to move through physical discomfort, it then allows me to grasp... Hiss, this is interesting! That means, in the future, by adding points, I can improve my mastery, power, and strength with this Skill. Wouldn't this be a shortcut, achieving more with less effort? Zhang Beixing muttered.
At that moment, he suddenly felt that the physical discomfort... wasn't so unbearable. If possible, he even wanted more of it! It would be best if it tormented him so much that he couldn't get out of bed the next day—that would be intense!
「Moments later.」
With a set of Yue Family Consecutive Punches completed, Zhang Beixing's discomfort also dissipated. Feeling his body return to normal, he smacked his lips, a bit unsatisfied. However, no matter how unsatisfied he was, that would have to wait. The most important thing now was that the recommended task that had been stuck for an entire week was finally completed!
[Detection: Master has completed the recommendation: Martial Arts Training.]
[Recommendation reward issued. Current Ability Points: 0.4.]
[Martial Arts Training progress updated. Current progress: 0/1.]
Hearing the System's words, Zhang Beixing felt completely refreshed.
Just as I thought! Maxing out the proficiency of Yue Family Consecutive Punches means I've basically learned the technique. Thus, the 'Martial Arts Training' recommended task is completed. This task giving 0.5 Ability Points was awesome! It immediately brought my current Ability Points up to 0.... Wait, what did it just say? Current Ability Points are 0.4? Shouldn't it be 0.6? Where did my 0.2 go?
Zhang Beixing, thrilled only moments before, suddenly realized something was wrong.
0.1 + 0.5 should equal 0.6. I had 0.1 left, and I remember the Martial Arts Training recommendation gave 0.5 each time, right? How did it become 0.3? Is this System trying to shortchange me?
"Damn System, you better not be pocketing my kickbacks!" Zhang Beixing demanded.
As usual, the System remained silent. Seeing this, for some reason, Zhang Beixing got a bad feeling. He couldn't be bothered to argue with the System now; he hurriedly pulled up the recommendation panel and looked closely.
The previously packed recommendation bar now only had a few lonely recommended tasks left:
[Recommendation: Martial Arts Training, Difficulty C, each completion of Yue Family Consecutive Punches rewards 0.3 Ability Points (originally 0.5)]
[Recommendation: Rhythm Running, Difficulty E, every ten kilometers run rewards 0.1 Ability Points (originally 0.5)]
[Recommendation: HIIT Fat-burning Routine, Difficulty D, every three completions reward 0.1 Ability Points (originally 0.2)]
[Recommendation: Left Foot on Right Foot, Difficulty S+, every time your left foot sends you flying ten meters, reward 10 Ability Points. (Unchanged)]
???
Seeing only these four recommendations, Zhang Beixing was baffled. Not until a moment later did he snap back to reality, puzzled.
"What... what's going on? Where are my other recommendations?" he exclaimed. "My jump rope and squats? My four-step breathing and diaphragmatic breathing? How come they're all gone?"
He had only looked away from the System for a moment. A single moment! And the recommendations were halved! Not to mention, the task rewards were significantly reduced. This... Could it be because all my attributes broke through 70? The previous exercises are no longer suitable for me, so this change occurred?
Zhang Beixing thought about what he had done today. The only thing that seemed related was his stats all reaching 70! What else could it be? It couldn't possibly be hackers infiltrating my System and stealing my recommendations. That's impossible! If hackers had that kind of tech, us scrawny folks wouldn't even need to work on our bodies; we'd have achieved mechanized Ascension and become cyber immortals long ago!
However, thinking about the reduction and disappearance of recommendations, it kind of made sense. As his overall physical condition improved, some exercises would indeed become less effective and no longer suitable. It's like a college student doing elementary school tests—would that offer any help to their college-level knowledge?
Still, Zhang Beixing had some regrets. He felt he should have first maxed out his proficiency in Yue Family Consecutive Punches while keeping his physical attributes in the 60s range. At that point, the Ability Points given for completing Yue Family Consecutive Punches wouldn't have been nerfed yet. He should have seized that opportunity to practice Yue Family Consecutive Punches several more times, get more Ability Points, and *then* raise his physical attributes to 70. That would have maximized his gains.
Sigh, forget it. What's gone is gone. Live and learn. Next time, I definitely can't be so reckless with adding points! Besides, the recommendations that disappeared were either unimportant to me or ones I never practiced anyway. It's actually good they're gone; it frees up space, and the recommendation panel looks less cluttered. The only troublesome thing is that I'll have to find new recommendations again.
However, relying solely on Yue Family Consecutive Punches, which gives 0.3 Ability Points per completion, doesn't feel like enough. Even if it were, that technique is hard on the body, and I'm not sure I can take it repeatedly! I need to find some recommendations that won't injure me, are moderately difficult, and also give a good amount of Ability Points!