Inner Court, Breakthrough, Major Circulation of Blood Qi (4200 words combined)

"Huh?"

"Instructor Cui? Internal Cultivation Method?"

He Bi was momentarily bewildered.

He recognized both words individually, but when put together, he didn't understand.

"Brother Li, didn't you just finish an escort mission?"

What qualifications did an escort who had just completed his first mission have to learn an Internal Cultivation Method?

Li Cunxiao retorted, "Do you know what happened at the County Yamen yesterday, Brother He?"

The County Yamen?

He Bi suddenly realized that after Li Cunxiao left yesterday, something must have happened that allowed him to get access to the Internal Cultivation Method ahead of schedule.

He didn't even consider the possibility of Li Cunxiao lying.

This sort of thing couldn't be hidden, and besides, Li Cunxiao wasn't the type to brag, which was something He Bi admired about him.

'Before, when Brother Li broke through to the Controlling Qi realm, Escort Leader Cui Yao visited Escort Leader Cui Wei's courtyard, but it clearly didn't work out. Now...'

'Could it be that Brother Li has gained the favor of Chief Escort Zhang?'

He Bi was startled and couldn't help but look up, carefully sizing up the young man in front of him.

Unfortunately, people's eyes couldn't speak. He only saw the usual calmness on his face, not a trace of arrogance.

But besides Zhang Lishi, who else had the qualification to break the rules and impart the method?

"I don't know how many hours I'll be cultivating martial arts today. Our exchange of experiences might have to wait a bit, so I ask for your understanding, Brother He."

"No problem, go ahead. We can catch up over drinks tonight."

After Li Cunxiao's back disappeared through the inner courtyard gate, the smile on He Bi's face immediately turned serious. He turned around, left the escort agency, got into a carriage, and hurriedly ordered, "Go home now! I need to find someone to ask what exactly happened at the County Yamen last night!"

"It seems Murong Bai has blocked the news, otherwise, Zhao Xiaoyi's embarrassing incident would have spread throughout the city overnight."

"But that's fine too. That kind of reputation isn't beneficial to me right now. Being undeserving of my reputation will surely bring disaster."

"What if someone tries to curry favor with Xie Donglai by pleasing him? My situation would be precarious."

Thinking of this, Li Cunxiao also secretly felt fortunate that he had sent his younger brother to the Zhang Manor.

The residence of this renowned martial arts expert in Chuqiu was undoubtedly one of the safest places at the moment.

As for himself, he needed to seize this period of peace to quickly improve his strength.

By the time he reappeared in the public eye, he would at least have broken through to the Second Realm, the Muscle Realm, and would no longer be an insignificant figure who could be pushed around.

With this thought, his steps quickened. Upon entering the inner courtyard, someone had already received instructions and led Li Cunxiao further inside.

Next to the long corridor was a smaller martial arts training ground, where the number of people was visibly much smaller than outside.

These dozen or so youths all looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, visibly younger than Li Cunxiao.

Against the backdrop of their silk clothes, the arrogance on their fair faces was even more pronounced.

Li Cunxiao glanced at them and then looked away. It was the group of young masters who were pointing and gossiping about his retreating figure.

"Who is this person? Why haven't I seen him at the gathering?"

"He looks unfamiliar. Perhaps he's the offspring of some nouveau riche from the outer city."

"No, look at his escort attire. Is he from the outer courtyard?"

"Oh, so he's a country bumpkin."

As soon as this was said, all dozen of them let out a scoff. Only one person stood before a wooden post, completely ignoring the surrounding chatter.

A powerful surge of Blood Essence emanated from him. Beneath his skin, there seemed to be a faint bulge that was moving along his meridians – he was actually performing the Major Circulation of Blood Qi.

"You've all guessed wrong," someone suddenly spoke after the laughter subsided, a strange smile on their face.

"This person isn't just any ordinary country bumpkin. Yesterday at the County Yamen, not only did he fight five against one, but he also..."

Seeing the other person make a grasping motion, everyone gasped.

"Han Xiaoqi, how do you know about this?"

"My uncle is the chief clerk at the County Yamen. What could possibly be hidden from me?"

"Why did Zhao Xiaoyi offend him so badly to be so ruthless?"

"That's hard to say. It seems related to the Demon Cultists the County Yamen arrested. Chief Escort Zhang was also present at the time..."

Bang!

The sound of the wooden post exploding startled the youths. They looked back to see the young man who had been quietly practicing slowly retracting his reddened and hardened right fist. In an instant, his arm returned to its normal thickness.

"Ye Chengxiao, if you have something to say, just say it directly. Don't make those ambiguous movements."

The teenager called Han Qilang looked displeased. The person next to him gently pulled him, but he forcefully broke free.

Ye Chengxiao glanced at him indifferently upon hearing this, turning to leave without looking back, his arrogant attitude clearly displayed on his face.

Han Qilang, enraged, flushed red and shouted:

"Stop right there and explain yourself!"

The young man named Ye Chengxiao paused, then turned back with a look of disdain and mockery evident in his eyes:

"From what I've seen of your martial arts, you're not even as good as that escort who just went in. With such meager strength, how dare you speak so boastfully about the County Yamen and the Chief Escort?"

After speaking, he turned to leave. Han Qilang's face was extremely ugly at this moment, but only after the other person had gone far away did he spit fiercely and curse under his breath:

"Just a side branch of the Ye family, what's he so proud of!"

Those nearby immediately chimed in with a tease:

"Why didn't you say that just now?"

"Nonsense! Even if he's a side branch, he's still a Ye. That's a family on par with the Xiao family and Murong Ping. My Han family can bicker all we want, but if it came to a real fight, win or lose, my father would never forgive me when I got home."

A burst of laughter erupted in the courtyard. When the laughter subsided, someone interjected:

"I heard Ye Chengxiao is already preparing to break through to the Muscle and Tendon Realm."

"Really?"

"It only took Ye Chengxiao a year to go from Sensing Qi to Blood Qi Perfection, and it's only been a few months since then."

"I also heard that Chief Escort Zhang personally summoned him a few days ago, maybe that's why..."

Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent, lost in thought.

Compared to the common folk from the outer city, they had better physical foundations due to ample nutrition since childhood, coupled with guidance from Martial Masters and broad knowledge. They often made rapid progress in the Sensing Qi and Controlling Qi realms.

However, once they entered the Blood Qi Circulation, the gap in talent began to show. Especially after rapid advancement, their daily progress suddenly became as slow as a crawling turtle. Many couldn't accept such a drop, and a significant number gave up halfway.

After all, for the common folk of the outer city, cultivating martial arts might be their only chance to change their fate. But for them, although cultivating martial arts was also very important, even if they failed, they still had family property to fall back on.

If the Blood Qi Realm was already like this, the Muscle and Tendon Realm, with its inherent risks, was even more daunting.

However, after a moment of silence, someone sneered:

"He's not the only genius in the world, you know. I think Chief Escort Zhang's Third Lady is on par with him."

"Even if Ye Chengxiao successfully advances to the Muscle and Tendon Realm, will he receive the Chief Escort's true teachings?"

"Moreover, if Ye Chengxiao can truly reach the Muscle and Tendon Realm at eighteen, then the one who should be worried isn't us, but the eldest son of the Ye family."

"...Alright, I've taught you the incantation and breathing techniques for Blood Qi Circulation. Take this meridian chart back and study it carefully."

"Also, this bottle of Leopard Fetus Pill..."

In the room, Cui Wei took out a palm-sized porcelain bottle from a drawer and solemnly instructed:

"Take one pill each time you practice. This Leopard Fetus Pill is a great tonic that can accelerate your Blood Qi circulation. Remember not to take too much, otherwise, it will cause Blood Qi Reversal. If your heart and lungs are injured at that time, you won't be able to practice martial arts for the rest of your life, and you'll be lucky if you don't end up a consumptive."

Li Cunxiao dared not be negligent. He took the porcelain bottle with both hands. He opened it and poured out a pill, which was about the size of a pinky fingernail, a black pill with a distinct spicy aroma.

Weighing it in his hand, there were about fifteen pills. This meant that if he circulated his qi once a day, it would only last for half a month.

"What, you think it's too little?"

As if sensing Li Cunxiao's thoughts, Cui Wei chuckled:

"It's already an exception for the Chief Escort to personally impart the Internal Cultivation Method to you. For anything else, you'll have to earn it yourself. The escort agency can give you a discount."

"The Internal Cultivation Method has been passed on to you, but don't think you can be like those young masters who do nothing but train."

"You are an escort. When it's time to escort, you still have to escort."

"The escort agency brothers don't know about Zhao Xiaoyi's situation. You need to show them your capabilities, do you understand?"

Li Cunxiao's expression turned serious upon hearing this.

The other party didn't need to say these words. Perhaps it was out of respect for Cui Yao, or perhaps the banquet last night had left him with a good impression.

Regardless, he cupped his hands and thanked him:

"Thank you for your guidance, Escort Leader."

"Go on, go on. If you have any questions, go ask my brother. Since the Chief Escort has already imparted the method to you, asking him is the same."

Seeing that the other party was seeing him out, Li Cunxiao did not linger. He went to the training ground, informed Cui Yao, and then returned directly to the newly rented courtyard.

Caressing the porcelain bottle in his hand, Li Cunxiao suddenly couldn't help but laugh.

It wasn't that he thought the pills were too few, but rather that he felt they were completely unnecessary.

Because for others, the Blood Qi Circulation that required painstaking effort was, for him, merely a flick of the wrist.

Sensing the Vajra Scepter emitting golden light, Li Cunxiao didn't rush to start. Instead, he picked up the meridian chart again, recalling the breathing incantation Cui Wei had just taught him.

According to Cui Wei, it was only when one reached the Blood Qi Circulation and could unleash Blood Qi that the power of the Tiger Form Fist could be fully realized. The Tiger Form Fist at this stage was no longer called Tiger Form Fist, but Tiger Demon Fist.

This was because the heart and lungs were incredibly strong, transporting Blood Qi like opening a floodgate, gushing forth uncontrollably. The fighting style was ferociously powerful, like a mad demon, far beyond ordinary explosive techniques.

Li Cunxiao carefully reviewed it once, ensuring there were no omissions, before carefully putting away the scroll. He stripped off his upper garment and went into the courtyard, taking out some of the tonic herbs he had bought in advance, such as Polygonatum and wild ginseng.

After all, the previous breakthrough to Controlling Qi had not caused drastic changes to his body. Now, he was about to compress the process of gradually strengthening his heart and lungs into a very short period, and he was unsure if the Vajra Scepter could supplement the energy deficit.

With thorough preparation, Li Cunxiao assumed a horse stance, his expression suddenly contorted, his breathing instantly quickening. A peculiar rhythm emanated from his inhales and exhales, and at the same time, his body instinctively began practicing the Tiger Form Eight Styles.

As he practiced, he immediately noticed the difference in the breathing method. Compared to his usual breathing, the one Cui Wei taught him was clearly more compatible with the Tiger Form Eight Styles, but it also consumed physical strength more intensely.

Normally, he could fight for over half an hour, but now, after only a few minutes, his limbs felt sore and heavy, his Blood Essence surged wildly, and his skin felt hot. It was like the state he was in after consuming unprocessed Demon Meat, his entire being rapidly approaching its limit.

This sensation easily reminded him of the state described in the Pure Yang Sixteen Hands secret manual when performing the Demon Seduction Method: "internal and external attacks."

Could it be that the Tiger Form Fist, no, the Tiger Demon Fist, used this method to help practitioners adapt to extreme states in advance?

The thought flashed in an instant. Seeing that his heart, lungs, and Blood Essence activity had been fully mobilized, Li Cunxiao no longer hesitated. He gritted his teeth:

"Vajra Scepter, let me see your limit!"

The familiar cool energy once again flowed from the Baihui acupoint on the crown of his head, spreading throughout his body like the wind.

This time, not only did a large amount of experience and insights flood his mind, but a trace of coolness also entered his heart and lungs, enveloping and protecting them like ice silkworm threads.

Under this protection, his body felt as if its Gene Lock had been opened. A large amount of Blood Essence, along with the oxygen brought by his fierce breathing, rushed into his lungs like a river, and was then powerfully pumped out by his heart.

In an instant, Li Cunxiao's entire body swelled. He grew an inch taller, and his body became a size larger.

His already thick bones were covered in muscles as hard as bedrock, and large, dark-green blood vessels snaked across them like the gnarled roots of an old tree.

However, what was most terrifying was his face, which was dark red like dried blood clots, and his white teeth gleamed, resembling a man-eating fierce tiger.

A non-human form, its initial signs appearing!

Although his appearance was terrifying, Li Cunxiao's mind remained clear. However, with the surge of Blood Essence, a hint of excitement inevitably arose.

He inadvertently glanced at the stone bench in the courtyard, left by the previous owner. The upper part was smooth from frequent use, while the lower part was covered in patches of green moss from a few days of autumn rain.

His hand, like a bronze pillar, extended three fingers in a Tiger Claw posture and gripped it forcefully—

With a crack, accompanied by splashing debris, a palm-sized piece of stone was directly held in his palm!

Li Cunxiao was immediately startled.

Even though it was just ordinary bluestone, not granite, such power, capable of shattering stone, could it also shatter a person's head?

Skull-crushing strength?!

"No wonder First Escort Chief Cui said that once Blood Qi Perfection is achieved, one is no longer an ordinary soldier."

"If the strength has increased this much, the speed must have also improved. If this state could be maintained, in my previous life, I would have already been considered a minor superhuman."

Feeling the surging power within him, Li Cunxiao couldn't help but be somewhat intoxicated for a moment.

It wasn't about the status, fame, or money brought by martial arts; it was simply the thrill of life evolving that was enough to make one fall in love with it.

However, after only ten minutes, Li Cunxiao returned to his normal state, his face turning somewhat pale, his body feeling empty, as if it had been hollowed out.

He quickly picked up the prepared dried ginseng and swallowed it mixed with water. After five to six minutes, once the medicinal effects began to take hold, his complexion improved slightly.

"Even without fighting anyone, I could only maintain it for ten minutes. If I were actually fighting, the time would likely be halved."

"But the good news is that the Vajra Scepter's modification of the body doesn't require me to supplement energy. Is this Demon Meat's Malevolent Qi so miraculous?"

Even in his weakened state, Li Cunxiao could still feel that his heart was beating more powerfully than usual, and after his lungs were strengthened, each breath was more calm and relaxed.

In his mind, the Vajra Scepter once again turned a dim, grayish color.

The Demon Meat was almost gone. He needed to visit the Black Market again tonight.

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