In the courtyard behind the Wang Clan ancestral hall, a few days earlier, Wang Yue had pleaded every which way until the clan chief agreed to let him enter the Essence Chamber whenever he wished.
Wang Hezheng had also warned him, "But remember, everything must have its limits. If I find any sign that you are greedily rushing ahead for quick results, your permission will be revoked immediately."
The child who cried got milk. If you did not voice your demands yourself, no one would solve them for you.
Pushing open the chamber door, Wang Yue was met by a rich surge of essence. He took a deep breath, strode into the small compartment he had used before, sat down cross-legged, and immediately began circulating the Blood Dragon Secret Method.
The nine streams of Blood Qi within him flowed swiftly through his meridians like a surging river. The surrounding essence was continuously drawn into his body, transformed into Blood Qi, and replenished the consumption from his cultivation.
His original plan had been to first bring the fourth form of the first level of the Blood Dragon Secret Method to beginner proficiency, then attempt to condense the tenth strand of Qi and Blood. Yet as essence continuously poured in, the Blood Qi within him grew fuller and fuller, faintly showing signs of condensing.
"What's going on?" Wang Yue was startled. He hurriedly focused his mind and tried to suppress the restlessness of his Blood Qi, but it was like wild horses breaking free of their reins, utterly beyond control.
Bzzz—
A low rumble came from within his body. Behind the ninth strand of Qi and Blood, a new strand slowly condensed. Like a tender shoot newly sprouted from the earth, it rapidly grew and stabilized under the nourishment of essence.
In less than half an incense stick's time, the tenth strand of Qi and Blood had completely taken shape, echoing with the other nine!
"I... I actually condensed the tenth strand of Qi and Blood?" Wang Yue's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. He had not even mastered the fourth form of the first level of the Blood Dragon Secret Method. How had he broken through already?
What he did not know was that the Blood Dragon Secret Method had never been a cultivation method meant for Blood Condensation Realm martial artists. It was a secret tome of a far higher level. Even if ordinary martial artists obtained it, they simply could not cultivate it, much less break through so quickly.
Yet relying on the physique granted by his top-tier innate foundation, along with his extraordinary comprehension of cultivation methods, he had forcibly shattered the realm restrictions of the method itself. His cultivation speed also far surpassed that of ordinary people. If those experts who had painstakingly studied the Blood Dragon Secret Method without making any progress learned of this, they would likely regard him as a heavenly being.
Just as he was reeling in shock, the tenth strand of Qi and Blood within him suddenly erupted with a warm current of energy. It spread through his meridians and across his entire body, like soaking in warm water, though it carried a faint prickling pain.
Wang Yue could clearly feel his bones trembling slightly, giving off faint crack sounds. The muscles beneath his skin constantly contracted and relaxed, as though undergoing a tempering.
"This is... my body being washed and tempered by Blood Qi?" Wang Yue suddenly understood. At last, he knew why Wang Hezheng had told him to condense his Blood Qi to its limit before condensing force. Once Blood Qi reached a certain amount, it could not only raise one's strength, but also nourish the body in return, temper the muscles and bones, and make one's foundation even more solid!
Moreover, because of his top-tier innate foundation, the benefits brought by this tempering were several times greater than for ordinary martial artists. When ordinary people condensed the tenth strand of Qi and Blood, they might only sense slight changes. But he could clearly feel every improvement in his body: his bones had become tougher, his muscles stronger, and his meridians had widened by several degrees.
Even his innate foundation seemed to be faintly nourished. Could this martial art alter one's innate foundation after birth?
He suppressed the excitement in his heart and continued circulating the Blood Dragon Secret Method, trying to completely stabilize the tenth strand of Qi and Blood while sensing the changes in his body.
After fully stabilizing the tenth strand of Qi and Blood and sensing the changes in his body for a while longer, Wang Yue slowly rose to his feet, pushed open the compartment door, and prepared to leave the chamber.
The moment he reached the chamber entrance, he saw Wang Hezheng standing in the courtyard, speaking quietly with a steward. A thick register lay on the stone table in the courtyard, densely covered in names.
"Clan Chief." Wang Yue hurried forward and bowed. He could sense that Wang Hezheng's aura remained unfathomable. Even after condensing the tenth strand of Qi and Blood, he still felt exactly as he had before in the other man's presence.
Wang Hezheng turned around and examined him for a moment. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes before understanding dawned on him. "It seems you gained something more in the chamber."
He could vaguely sense that Wang Yue's Blood Qi was more abundant than before. He had clearly broken through.
"Thanks to the clan chief's blessing, I was fortunate enough to condense the tenth strand of Qi and Blood," Wang Yue replied truthfully, without concealing it.
Wang Hezheng nodded without asking further, then changed the subject. "You should have heard about the recent changes in the clan, correct?"
Wang Yue's heart stirred, and he nodded. "I have heard a little. It seems the clan recruited a weaponsmith and an alchemist, then went to the countryside and nearby towns to recruit a large number of people to learn alchemy and forging. The clan even specially cleared out an area to settle them."
Though he had devoted himself to cultivating in the chamber these past few days, he occasionally heard the Martial Academy disciples discussing things and had learned something of the clan's new developments.
"That's right." Wang Hezheng sighed, his tone carrying a touch of helplessness. "It is just that matters have not progressed as smoothly as expected."
He explained, "Most of the newly recruited apprentices and rear-courtyard disciples are too physically weak. Master Liu said weapon forging required sufficient strength and physique, so he had them practice boxing first to build a foundation. But these people could not even master the most basic stances. Master Liu directly sent them back, saying that with such foundations, they simply could not learn weapon forging."
"With no other choice, we can only have the Martial Academy disciples try. You are one of the best among them, and your Blood Qi is abundant. You can go to Master Liu's place and try learning weapon forging. Even if you fail to learn it, it will still temper your physique and benefit your future condensing of force."
Wang Yue understood. So the clan chief wanted him to try weapon forging. He had no reason to refuse; after all, this was also doing work for the Lineage.
Wang Hezheng thought to himself that Fu Shuangyun's side was not faring much better either. He was extremely picky. From the newly recruited apprentices and rear-courtyard disciples to the Martial Academy disciples, he selected and discarded again and again, ultimately keeping only a few to teach Herbal Identification. He said the others were too impetuous in temperament and too poor in comprehension, unfit for alchemy.
"However, Master Fu also brought good news." Wang Hezheng thought that as long as the Wang Clan could help him gather the medicinal ingredients needed to refine Blood Replenishing Pills, Blood Condensation Pills, and Qi Unification Powder, once they were refined, he could sell the pills to the Wang Clan at extremely favorable prices. This would be of immense benefit to the cultivation of the clan's disciples.
"Rest assured, Clan Chief. I will report to Master Liu at once and learn weapon forging properly," Wang Yue promptly agreed, his tone respectful.
"Good." Wang Hezheng nodded in satisfaction. "Master Liu is at the forging workshop in the western courtyard. Just go directly there. Remember to be respectful. Master Liu may have a blunt temper, but he possesses real skill. Learning even a little from him will greatly benefit you."
"Yes!" Wang Yue bowed, then turned and headed toward the western courtyard.
As he walked, he calculated in his heart: weapon forging could temper his physique, and perhaps it could also improve his control over strength.
Besides, if he could build a good relationship with Master Liu, then when he forged weapons in the future, he might receive a suitable weapon before anyone else. That would also be no small help in increasing his strength.
With that thought, Wang Yue quickened his pace.
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