Rhythm of the Monster

Chapter 9: Insight Points

For several days, Apophis stuck to his routine, repeating the same tasks every day. One day, after recalling all his scientific knowledge, he finally maxed out his Science Knowledge bar. Before he could make a move, a series of system messages, visible only to him, flashed across his vision.

[You have gained insight from continuously recalling scientific knowledge. You have learned the skill: Focused Perception Lv1.]

[Your comprehension has increased. Insight Point +1.]

"Science really is no joke," Apophis muttered to himself. "But what is this Insight Point?"

He quickly opened his green system screen.

[Host: Apophis]

[Species: Python (Adult)]

[Status: Monster Evolve (40/100)]

[Lifespan: 3/60]

[Length: 9 meters (Upgradable)]

[Racial Skill: Constricting Force Lv2 (Upgradable)]

[Science Knowledge Lv2: 0/100]

[Cultivation Technique: Demon Qi Absorption Method (Basic) (Upgradable)]

[Skill: Focused Perception Lv1]

[Skill: Strength Enhancement Lv2]

[Potential Points: 1]

[Insight Points: 1]

Apophis' eyes lit up. His cultivation method could be upgraded?

It was well known that most cultivation methods available to wild beasts were crude and basic. Unfortunately, cultivation techniques were rare in the world of cultivation. Most were guarded secrets passed down within specific sects, and unless you were part of a sect, learning advanced techniques was nearly impossible. To make matters worse, as a monster, Apophis was at the bottom of the cultivation world's hierarchy. If he encountered any righteous cultivators, they would likely try to exterminate him on sight, let alone share their methods.

But to his surprise, this system allowed him to upgrade techniques directly. This was a huge advantage.

"So, I can use Insight Points to upgrade my Essence of the Abyss..." Without hesitation, Apophis mentally commanded, "Upgrade the Demon Qi Absorption Method."

The text on the screen shifted.

[Cultivation Technique: Essence of the Abyss (Common) (Upgradable)]

[Insight Points: 0]

As the words changed, a memory appeared in his mind—a more refined version of the technique. It wasn't vastly different from the basic one, but it added a visualization practice during cultivation.

Though the method was now labeled "common," Apophis felt a slight pang of disappointment. "Common probably means it's just an average technique among monster cultivators. So the one I was using before must've been extremely basic."

"But then again," Apophis mused, "it makes sense. Why would Fiora have given me anything valuable? She must've considered the basic technique as worthless."

Still, he reminded himself not to be too greedy. Cultivation techniques were hard to come by. Many monsters could spend centuries, even millennia, trying to improve their methods. And that was only for those with natural talent. Monsters with average comprehension might never get past the basic techniques in their entire lives.

A valuable cultivation method was a rare treasure.

However, there were exceptions. From the memory he had just gained, Apophis learned about "True Spirits"—powerful creatures like dragons, phoenixes, and three-headed hounds. These beings had high-level cultivation techniques sealed within their bloodlines. Once their bloodline memories awakened, they would naturally inherit these techniques.

In short, being born with a powerful bloodline gave monsters an enormous advantage.

For Apophis, there was no sign of any bloodline memories, which meant his ancestors were probably just ordinary pythons. Still, with the system and his scientific knowledge, there was hope for his future.

As for the new skill, Focused Perception, its description read: "Temporarily enhances the host's observation skills, allowing the detection of fine details."

It didn't seem too impressive, but Apophis figured, "It's free, so I can't really complain."

He glanced at the requirements for the next level of scientific knowledge and was shocked to see that it required 1,000 points—ten times more than before.

Exhausted, Apophis settled down and soon fell asleep.

The next morning, Apophis awoke to the soft light of dawn. Crawling out of his rocky den—now a much larger crevice due to his size—he found a suitable place and slithered up to a massive boulder. Coiling his body on top, he began absorbing the morning Qi from the rising sun.

As he cultivated, he visualized a massive golden bird with brilliant wings spanning a thousand miles and eyes that gleamed like stars. This visualization was part of the upgraded technique, and Apophis was thrilled to find that he was now absorbing several times more Qi than before.

When the sun fully rose, he eagerly checked his system screen.

[Status: Monster Evolve (43/100)]

"Ten points increase in one session? That's ten times more than before!" Apophis marveled. No wonder advanced techniques were so highly sought after. It was clear that low-level monsters stood no chance against those withsuperior techniques.

For the next few days, Apophis immersed himself in his new routine. Each morning, he absorbed the sun's Qi and then went on patrol around the area. With his body now over nine meters long and his powerful muscles, even wild boars fled at the sight of him.

Apophis' scent had spread across the local forest, causing most animals to avoid him entirely. This made hunting more challenging, forcing him to travel further to find food. Yet, the vibrant birds, quick rabbits, and the fat fish in the river had become delicious meals that he craved more than ever before.

As time passed, Apophis realized he was slowly becoming more like a true python.

One morning, while absorbing the Qi of the rising sun, Apophis suddenly remembered his unused skill, Focused Perception. He had yet to try it out. Without hesitation, he activated the skill.

Immediately, all surrounding noises—the wind, the rustling leaves—faded away. In Apophis' mind, the only thing that remained was the brilliant sun, and the golden bird from his visualization became even more vivid.

He remained in this heightened state for nearly twenty breaths. When he finally deactivated the skill, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. His head throbbed, his eyes ached, and he collapsed onto the boulder, too tired to move.

For over an hour, he lay there, slowly recovering from the strain. When the discomfort finally subsided, he checked his system screen again, and the result shocked him.

[Status: Monster Evolve (71/100)]

Just yesterday, his evolution progress had been at 66. In other words, using Focused Perception had increased his progress by fifty points—five times more than his usual training rate.

"If this continues, I'll complete my Monster Evolve in no time!" Apophis thought, excitement bubbling within him. But remembering the intense fatigue and side effects, he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. Pushing himself too hard could be dangerous.

This version incorporates the Monster Evolve concept and sets the stage for Apophis to gradually evolve into a powerful black dragon, maintaining logical continuity with the prior chapters.