Unexpected Gains, Premium Blood Replenishing Pill

A warm breeze arrived overnight, quietly dispelling the lingering chill from the past few days. The morning sun streamed through the clouds, casting a soft glow on the green bricks of the Martial Academy.

After breakfast, Wang Yue arrived at the training grounds punctually. His Qi and Blood had recovered by a small margin after yesterday's cultivation, and he intended to continue refining the Harmonious Flow Fist today, aiming to reach perfection as soon as possible.

However, the moment he stepped onto the training grounds, his steps halted. On the open ground on the east side, Wang Qishan stood amidst a group of men in fine silk robes, conversing in low tones.

Wang Yue was not unfamiliar with this group. They were all disciples from affluent families within the Wang Clan. They rarely appeared at the Martial Academy's training grounds, usually cultivating in private residences or attending social functions. Wang Yue had only seen them a few times since arriving at the Martial Academy.

What caught his attention even more was the woman standing behind Wang Qishan.

She wore a snow-white fox fur coat, the fur soft and fluffy, making her complexion appear even fairer.

She paired it with a dark ink-colored long skirt, its hem embroidered with dark golden cloud patterns. Her feet were clad in black boots with golden threads, the tips adorned with tiny pearls. With every movement, she exuded an air of nobility entirely different from the other Martial Academy disciples.

"It's the beloved daughter of the county's garrison commander, Lin Fang." Wang Yue quickly found his answer.

He had seen Lin Fang once at the county market. At that time, she was accompanied by numerous guards, creating an impressive and memorable spectacle.

Wang Qishan soon noticed Wang Yue. He said something to the people around him, then quickly strode forward with a few of them. His gaze swept over Wang Yue, carrying a hint of scrutiny and an almost imperceptible trace of hostility.

"Wang Yue, I heard you not only defeated Daoling but also took Grandpa Wang Shuo as your master?"

Wang Qishan spoke first, his tone laced with surprise, as if he hadn't fully accepted the news. In his eyes, Wang Yue was merely a disciple from the back quarters, a collateral branch. Even with decent talent, he shouldn't have been able to defeat Wang Daoling, let alone become Wang Shuo's disciple. How dare he!

Wang Yue's expression was calm. He replied faintly, "I was merely fortunate enough to be valued by Master Wang, who gave me an opportunity to learn from him. It's nothing significant."

He could sense the unfriendliness in Wang Qishan's tone but had no intention of dwelling on it. His focus was solely on improving his strength, leaving no time for trivial matters.

Wang Qishan clearly paid no heed to Wang Yue's humility. Instead, he changed the subject, a forced smile appearing on his face. "Becoming a disciple is a significant event. When do you plan to hold the discipleship banquet? If you set a date, be sure to inform me. I have a substantial gift for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took out an exquisite jade bottle from his embrace and offered it to Wang Yue. "This is a high-quality Blood Replenishing Pill that I had someone purchase from the prefecture city of Spirit Seeking Prefecture. This bottle contains a full twenty pills, and their medicinal potency is three times that of ordinary Blood Replenishing Pills. You can use it during your cultivation."

Wang Yue's gaze immediately fell upon the jade bottle, a flicker of brightness in his eyes. He was no stranger to Blood Replenishing Pills; they had helped him recover quickly when his Qi and Blood were depleted. The bottle Wang Qishan held not only contained a large quantity but also possessed extremely potent medicinal properties.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony," Wang Yue said, without being overly polite. He reached out and took the jade bottle, opened the cap, and inhaled. A rich medicinal fragrance wafted towards him. Confirming it was genuine, he chuckled and cupped his hands towards Wang Qishan. "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Wang. I'll remember this favor."

Wang Qishan was slightly taken aback by his straightforward attitude, and his smile became somewhat strained. He hadn't intended to actually give him the Blood Replenishing Pills, merely using the excuse of "giving a substantial gift" to test Wang Yue's reaction. If Wang Yue had refused, he could have taken the opportunity to mock him a few times. But he hadn't expected Wang Yue to accept it so readily!

What made him even more frustrated was that his father had been mentioning Wang Yue constantly these days, praising his outstanding talent and promising future, even telling him to learn more from Wang Yue. This made Wang Qishan, who had always held himself in high regard, extremely resentful.

Today, he had come to the Martial Academy precisely to find an opportunity to provoke Wang Yue and dampen his spirit. But now, it seemed he was the one at a disadvantage.

"It's nothing. Consider it an early congratulatory gift for your discipleship."

Wang Qishan suppressed his displeasure and forced a smile.

Wang Yue noticed his unusual demeanor but didn't point it out. He cupped his hands again. "If there's nothing else, I'll head off to practice my punches. Goodbye."

With that, he didn't linger. He turned and walked towards the center of the training grounds, carefully tucking the jade bottle into his embrace. With this bottle of Blood Replenishing Pills, he could quickly recover the Qi and Blood consumed during future cultivation, significantly accelerating his progress.

Watching Wang Yue's retreating back, the smile on Wang Qishan's face vanished instantly, his expression turning grim. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white.

The finely dressed man beside him quickly advised, "Brother Qishan, don't bother with him. He's just a collateral disciple who got lucky."

"Exactly! When the Dragon Transformation Sect assessment comes, there will be plenty of opportunities to show him what true talent is!"

Wang Qishan took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and remained silent.

At this moment, Lin Wan'er, who had been standing behind him, stepped forward. Her voice was clear and carried a hint of impatience. "Alright, let's stop wasting time here. We still need to pay respects to the Three-Headed Buddha."

She paused, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes. "In a few more days, it will be the Buddha's grand festival. I heard that worshipping during this time every year can bring the Buddha's blessings and increase Qi and Blood limits. We can't miss it."

"Three-Headed Buddha?" Upon hearing the name, the gloom in Wang Qishan's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a hint of solemnity. "That's right, we should go pay our respects. Perhaps it can truly help my Qi and Blood advance further."

The surrounding disciples in fine silks also chimed in their agreement. The temple of the Three-Headed Buddha was established by the Zhao Kingdom three hundred years ago. Although the Zhao Kingdom later withdrew from the Three Buddhas Prefecture, now known as Spirit Seeking Prefecture, the temple was preserved.

Legend had it that the Three-Headed Buddha in the temple was extremely efficacious. Sincere worship not only granted wishes but also nourished Qi and Blood. Over the years, many influential people in the county would go to worship during the Buddha's grand festival, including many experts in the Energy Refining Realm.

"Let's go, we'll go now!" Wang Qishan no longer dwelled on Wang Yue's affairs. He turned and walked towards the outside of the Martial Academy, with Lin Wan'er and the other disciples in fine silks following closely behind. They soon disappeared beyond the gates of the Martial Academy.

In the center of the training grounds, Wang Yue naturally overheard their conversation. He stopped practicing his punches, looked up in the direction of the Three-Headed Buddha temple, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. "Three-Headed Buddha? Is it really that effective?"

He didn't believe in gods and buddhas in the first place, but the serious attitudes of Lin Wan'er and Wang Qishan made him hesitate. If it could truly increase his Qi and Blood limit, it might be worth checking out.

But then he thought, Wang Qishan and the others were all going to worship, and he might encounter them. He didn't want to get entangled with these people again, so he eventually shook his head and resumed the starting stance for the Harmonious Flow Fist. "Instead of relying on gods and buddhas, it's more practical to rely on my own cultivation."

We'll see later.

The sound of his fist wind echoed again.