As for eating meat or vegetables, it can only restore temporarily reduced lifespan back to the upper limit. Once that limit is reached, eating more is useless.

Just like now—even if I eat another bear paw, my lifespan remains at 233 days; it won’t increase.

Otherwise, if you could keep eating Iron-Arm Bear, wouldn’t that mean you could live forever?

As for the +0.01 from laughing heartily, and maintaining a regular routine, these can also break through the upper limit. So, not staying up late, keeping a cheerful mood, even looking at beautiful women, can prolong your life... it’s true.

In my previous life, I must have died young because I was too busy with work and had no time to look at beautiful women...

Cooking the remaining bear paw, salting it, and hanging it on a rope to dry, Henry Clark let out a sigh of relief.

Looking at the time, it was already past midnight. I had planned to sleep early, but after fussing around, it got late again...

I fetched a foot basin and soaked my feet for a while, washing away the fatigue of the night. Only then did I lie down on the bed and quickly fall into a deep sleep.

When I woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.

I hurriedly washed up and rushed to the cafeteria, only to find they were about to close.

After getting a meal, Henry Clark frowned.

Tea eggs, steamed buns, soy milk—even though they could still extend his lifespan, the effect was now negligible, almost to the point of being ignored.

No need to guess, it must be because of eating the bear paw...

It’s easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but hard to go back.

After eating such a nourishing thing, ordinary food has no effect anymore.

After breakfast, I returned to my quarters.

Now that I had both lifespan and time, my eyes finally fell on the last option.

Stolen Opportunity: Qing Emperor’s Longevity Art, Tiger-Walking Fist (Perfection).

The gap between Perfection and Mastery is like a chasm. It’s not something you can break through just by facing danger; it requires understanding the moves and comprehending the artistic conception.

“Looks like... I really did exchange lifespan for martial arts skills...”

“Let’s try...”

With a thought, I recalled last night’s situation. A route for circulating energy slowly appeared in my mind.

-1, -3, -4, -6, -5...

As true energy traveled along this path, my lifespan visibly decreased. At the same time, it was as if a fierce tiger descending the mountain appeared in my mind, roaring forward, seemingly able to tear apart anything in its way.

Imitating this feeling, Henry Clark leapt more than ten meters, landing in the courtyard like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey. Before he even arrived, a gust of air swept the fallen leaves on the ground more than ten meters away.

Luckily, there was no one outside the room, or else they would have thought a real tiger had pounced over.

“Perfection level?”

Just now, while circulating the technique, not only did I break through to Perfection, I even advanced another level, reaching the highest state—Perfected, comparable to the creator of this martial art!

No one in the clan has ever reached this level until now...

However... while progress in martial arts is exciting, if using it once consumes so much lifespan, I definitely won’t dare to use it recklessly in the future!

Thinking it over, I performed it two more times and found that only the first time did that special artistic conception appear in my mind. After that, it was gone.

Therefore, only the first time caused a significant loss of lifespan. Later uses, though they still reduced lifespan, were within an acceptable range.

Moreover, as I used it more and more, as long as I wasn’t injured, my lifespan wouldn’t decrease at all.

“What if I change it to increase lifespan?”

I tried to modify the Tiger-Walking Fist again, but like the cultivation method, it couldn’t be changed at all.

Makes sense.

Martial arts are offensive techniques. As long as you attack, you’ll lose lifespan, and the more powerful the attack, the greater the loss. Making it increase lifespan... would go against the laws of nature, so it’s impossible.

No wonder my lifespan was instantly emptied yesterday, almost dying on the spot—it turns out I had accidentally activated a route that reduced lifespan.

“With this method, can I quickly master martial arts? And even upgrade them to Perfection?”

Martial arts training usually takes years of hard work with no shortcuts, but I... seem to have found one!

As long as I’m willing to trade my life for it... not to mention Minor or Major Accomplishment, even Perfection doesn’t seem hard...

Maybe... this is what’s called ‘stealing the opportunity of heaven’!

But... does this method only work for martial arts, or can it be used for any skill?

Thinking of this, Henry Clark took down a few pieces of salted bear paw and ate them. After restoring his lifespan, he packed a few more pieces in his pocket. Just as he was about to go to the Martial Arts Hall, he heard a knock at the door.

Opening the door, Henry Clark was stunned by the figure standing outside.

His father, Thomas Clark.

Why is he looking for me at this hour? Could it be...

Did he find out that the person laughing loudly on the mountain yesterday was me?

Chapter 013: Peak of the Qi-Nourishing Realm

Thomas Clark’s eyes showed a gentle look, and he smiled slightly. “What, are you going to block me at the door and not let me in?”

“How could I...”

Quickly stepping aside, Henry Clark asked with a hint of doubt, “Father, did you need something from me?”

“Can’t I come see my son if there’s nothing?”

With a wry smile, Thomas Clark sighed, “I know you want to break through to the Body Tempering Realm as soon as possible and have been training hard, but breakthroughs don’t happen just because you will them to. They require the right mindset and opportunity. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”