Xu Li's Blood Condensation, Testing Sharpness on a Snowy Night

As dawn broke, Wang Yue rose and headed straight for Steward Hu's residence. Following Wang Hu's instructions, Steward Hu had prepared breakfast for him, along with the daily Blood Nourishing Soup.

"Young Master Wang Yue, breakfast is just ready. Please sit," Steward Hu said as he arrived, serving the meal. On the table was a large plate of braised meat, two white steamed buns, and a bowl of steaming soup. "This is the Blood Nourishing Soup just brewed by the pharmacy. Drink it while it's hot; it's best for replenishing qi and blood."

Wang Yue didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down and ate ravenously. The large plate of meat was quickly finished, and then he picked up the Blood Nourishing Soup and drank it all in one go. As the soup went down, a warm current flowed from his throat into his dantian, slowly nourishing his meridians. The emptiness he felt after cultivating the Blood Dragon Secret Method yesterday had dissipated considerably.

"Thank you, Steward Hu," Wang Yue said, putting down the bowl and cupping his hands in thanks.

"It's all thanks to Brother Hu's arrangements. You don't need to be so polite, Young Master."

Steward Hu waved his hand with a smile. "Tell me what you'd like to eat tomorrow, and I'll make sure to have it prepared."

Wang Yue nodded and turned to walk towards the backyard.

Back in the backyard, Wang Yue didn't start practicing his punches immediately. Instead, he found a secluded corner, sat down cross-legged, and focused on circulating the breathing technique of the Harmonious Flow Fist. He wanted to restore his qi and blood to their peak before attempting to cultivate the Blood Dragon Secret Method.

As he inhaled, the cold wind carrying snow particles surged into his nostrils but was transformed into a gentle airflow by the breathing technique.

As he exhaled, the qi and blood within his body circulated slowly, nourishing his limbs and bones like a flowing stream.

After about half an hour, Wang Yue opened his eyes, feeling the abundant qi and blood within him. He even felt that the total amount of qi and blood had slightly increased.

"This Blood Nourishing Soup and the meat really work!" Wang Yue rejoiced inwardly. Previously, when practicing the Harmonious Flow Fist, it took months to feel a slight increase in qi and blood. Now, after only a few days, there was a noticeable change. "Not to mention the help of the Blood Dragon Secret Method. It truly lives up to its reputation as a sect's secret transmission!"

He pondered inwardly: The most important thing now was to eat more and practice more, using resources to build a foundation of qi and blood, and to condense the first level of the Dragon Lock as soon as possible.

For the next few days, Wang Yue followed his routine diligently. In the morning, he drank Blood Nourishing Soup and ate meat. During the day, he circulated the breathing technique to restore qi and blood and studied the move variations of the Blood Dragon Secret Method. At night, he practiced the secret method diligently in the shadows, making steady progress.

Meanwhile, outside Changyun County, in a desolate forest, a blood-soaked figure slowly rose from the snow. Beneath his tattered robes, wounds continued to bleed.

"Cough, cough..." Li Fang clutched his chest, gasping for air, his eyes filled with unwillingness and anger. "In the Zhao Kingdom, who doesn't revere and worship me, Li Fang? Yet I was ambushed by a bunch of scoundrels!"

He recalled the battle before, gritting his teeth. "Crimson Blood Grandmaster, Soul Severing Saber Ji Yue, and a few other unknown individuals... If I hadn't fought desperately to break through, I would have been dismembered!"

However, with a change of thought, a cold sneer appeared on his face. "Fortunately, I managed to break Crimson Blood's Red Cloud Cauldron and obtained fragments of the Blood Cloud Bead. It counts as completing the master's mission."

As he spoke, Li Fang reached into his robes, intending to confirm if the fragments were still there. But as he touched it, his face changed drastically – his robes were empty. Where were the fragments of the Blood Cloud Bead?

"Where's the item...!!!" Li Fang's voice suddenly became sharp, and his eyes erupted with crimson light. "Where are my Blood Cloud Bead fragments!!"

He frantically searched his clothes but couldn't find even a corner of the fragments. In a moment of agitation, his qi and blood surged in reverse, and he roared into the empty forest, "Crimson Blood! It was you! I'm going to kill you! Hahaha, kill, kill, kill!!"

His shrill cries echoed in the snowy forest, only to be met by the intensifying wind and snow.

At noon that day, it began to snow heavily in Changyun County. The wind howled, and a thin layer of snow accumulated in the backyard training ground.

Wang Yue was still circulating his breathing technique in the corner. Meanwhile, Xu Li, not far away, suddenly drew everyone's attention. He stood in the snow, eyes closed, and the snowflakes around him were pushed away by an invisible force.

Wang Yue opened his eyes and saw a faint redness appearing on Xu Li's skin. His brow furrowed, and he immediately got up and quickly moved forward, standing guard beside Xu Li. He knew this scene too well; Xu Li was about to condense blood!

Xu Li seemed oblivious to this and continued to practice the Harmonious Flow Fist, his movements, footwork, and breathing technique perfectly integrated, flowing smoothly. With every punch, a faint fluctuation of qi and blood emerged.

The surrounding disciples practicing martial arts gradually gathered around, pointing and murmuring. Wang Yue saw this and quietly retreated a few steps, leaving space for Xu Li.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, Xu Li's eyes snapped open, and a long roar echoed through the backyard, shaking the accumulated snow from the ground.

"Brother Xu, you... you've entered the Blood Condensation stage?" a side-branch disciple reacted first, his voice filled with shock and envy.

"Truly amazing!" another chimed in. "Brother Xu, you must be the first in our backyard to reach Blood Condensation, right? You're even stronger than those direct descendants with the surname Wang!"

Xu Li's expression faltered, and he subconsciously looked at Wang Yue, his eyes filled with complexity. He knew that Wang Yue had already reached Blood Condensation but had never announced it.

Wang Yue stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled, "Congratulations, Brother Xu, on successfully condensing your blood."

Xu Li opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. He simply nodded vaguely, responding to the congratulations from those around him. The side-branch disciples of the Wang clan watched from a distance, not approaching. Only those who lived with him, like Wang Shun, stepped forward with smiles to offer their congratulations.

Even as the moon rose, many people in the backyard were still inspired by Xu Li's breakthrough into Blood Condensation and practiced in the wind and snow, eager to break through themselves.

When everyone had dispersed, leaving only Wang Yue and Xu Li, Wang Yue stretched his limbs and began to practice the Harmonious Flow Fist.

In the falling snow, his figure rose and fell like a spiral. The wind from his punches stirred up a flurry of snowflakes. His punching speed was so fast that only blurry shadows could be seen. Each punch carried a whistling sound as it cut through the air, striking the snowy ground and creating fine sprays of snow mist.

Xu Li watched from the side, his shock growing with every passing moment. Finally, he couldn't help but shake his head. Although he had just reached Blood Condensation, he could feel that the gap between himself and Wang Yue had reached a point where he couldn't comprehend it.

"Could my martial arts talent really be this poor?" Xu Li couldn't help but doubt himself.

A moment later, Wang Yue stopped and turned to look at Xu Li, raising his hand with a smile. "Congratulations, Brother Xu, on your initial success in Blood Condensation. This should clear the obstacle for entering the Martial Academy. With Uncle-Master Wang's help, your entry into the Martial Academy is practically guaranteed."

Xu Li gave a shy smile and scratched his head. "Compared to Brother Wang, I'm still far behind."

He paused, a hint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "How about we spar a little? Please don't hold back, Brother Wang, and let me see just how big the gap is."

Wang Yue pursed his lips. In the past few days, he had drunk five bowls of Blood Nourishing Soup, and the ten variations of the first form of the Blood Dragon Secret Method had been mastered. The three strands of qi and blood within him had also increased to four, and his strength had improved.

"Alright," Wang Yue agreed, nodding. "Please."

Xu Li's expression immediately turned serious as he assumed the starting stance of the Harmonious Flow Fist. "Please guide me!"

"Whoosh!"

Wang Yue attacked first, his fist aimed directly at Xu Li's chest. His speed wasn't particularly fast, but it blocked all of Xu Li's escape routes.

Xu Li didn't dare to be careless and threw a punch to block. Their fists collided with a muffled "thud." The pain of flesh hitting flesh transmitted through, and Xu Li's fighting spirit surged. He began to counterattack.

However, after only a few exchanges, Wang Yue realized that even without mobilizing his qi and blood, relying solely on his physical strength and the proficiency of his fist techniques, he had several times managed to intercept Xu Li's punches and even heavily injure him.

This was the same martial art, but the vast difference in proficiency created an overwhelming gap.

After a few more exchanges, Xu Li gradually became breathless, his movements slowing down.

Seeing this, Wang Yue added a little more force. He struck Xu Li's fist with his own, not only shattering his stance but also sending him staggering back two steps, landing him in the snow.

"Amazing..." Xu Li sat in the snow, gasping for air, his voice filled with admiration.

Wang Yue smiled faintly and reached out to help him up. "Go back and rest. You've just started Blood Condensation, don't overexert yourself."

The two chatted for a few more sentences in the snow, mostly about the Martial Academy, before Xu Li turned and headed back inside.

Wang Yue watched Xu Li's retreating figure and nodded. He had been guiding Xu Li quite a bit during this period. He then turned and walked into the shadows of the backyard, as he still needed to continue cultivating the Blood Dragon Secret Method.