Turning Point

Cui Yao was a man of swift action, demonstrating as he spoke.

He was a seasoned Martial Master who had always been responsible for teaching the Flying Tiger Escort Agency's men to cultivate martial arts, possessing extensive experience.

When he demonstrated, his explanations were simple and clear, and his guidance to disciples was always to the point, often leaving them with a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Just by listening to him teach the Tiger Form Fist's stances, Li Cunxiao knew that the hundred taels of silver for the ticket were truly worth every penny.

Things like martial arts manuals could be bought with money, but the key was having a teacher who could impart the knowledge based on each disciple's condition, tailoring the instruction to the individual.

After all, everyone's body was different. The same movement that was correct for someone else might be wrong for oneself, and vice versa. In such cases, only an experienced master could provide hands-on adjustments.

The introductory stance for this Tiger Form Fist was called the Tiger Form Stance, and what they, the disciples, were learning was the static stance, also known as the "Dead Horse Stance."

As the saying goes, "Without stance and footwork in practicing fist, a house has no pillars."

This step was about solidifying the lower body and, through special rhythmic breathing, guiding Blood Essence and sensing it. The moment one could sense Blood Essence, they had officially begun learning Tiger Form Fist.

Li Cunxiao knew this opportunity was hard-won and dared not slacken in the slightest. Following Cui Yao's instructions, he pushed his head upwards, stretched his neck upwards, touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth, and tucked his chin in.

He channeled spirit through his eyes, placed his hands on his hips, broadened his chest and abdomen, drew his Dantian inwards, sank his hips and qi, lifted his perineum and tightened his belly, and gripped the ground with his toes.

Every part of his body was exerting force, and at the same time, there was a pulling tension between the upper and lower parts. In less than ten minutes, he was already sweating profusely, his legs trembling.

Despite this, he gritted his teeth and persevered, doing his best to ensure his movements didn't deform.

Looking up, he saw the other dozens of men were in the same situation, exerting themselves silently. The quiet training ground was filled only with the sound of heavy, panting breaths rising and falling.

After another quarter of an hour, Cui Yao finally called for a break, but it was only long enough to catch their breath. The men then began practicing lifting stone locks to build strength.

Holding the horse stance and lifting stone locks – this was the entirety of the morning practice for the men.

As the sky began to faintly lighten, Cui Yao gave an order, and strong men brought several buckets of yellow medicinal soup. Each man received a bowl, no more, no less.

Li Cunxiao's hands and legs were already feeling weak and numb from practice. After a bowl of the soup, the bitterness was followed by an immediate surge of warmth, bringing a comfort to his limbs akin to soaking them in hot water.

However, this feeling lasted less than a minute before quickly dissipating.

"Is this the escort agency's Vitality Replenishing Soup?"

It was Li Cunxiao's first time drinking such a remarkably effective medicinal soup. To his surprise, Qin Yu, standing beside him, pouted upon hearing his words.

"Get real. How could we possibly get the Vitality Replenishing Soup? This is just water boiled from the medicinal dregs of the Vitality Replenishing Soup."

"What?"

As Li Cunxiao marveled in his heart, a look of longing appeared in his eyes.

If the water boiled from the dregs had such an effect, then the original soup must be...

Qin Yu had arrived a month before Li Cunxiao and had already touched the threshold of Sensing Qi. Seeing him holding a pair of ten-jin stone locks while in the horse stance just now, it was clear he was also trying to stimulate his Blood Qi and break through the barrier soon.

At this moment, he was holding his medicinal bowl, his hand trembling slightly, clearly having practiced intensely. After drinking the bowl of soup, his raised right hand finally steadied.

"Here, see that courtyard? The people inside are all in the Controlling Qi realm. The Vitality Replenishing Soup is for them."

Li Cunxiao followed his gaze and saw a group of youths bowing to a middle-aged man who looked very much like Cui Yao.

The youths were wearing training clothes, and each of them had fair and rosy skin, clearly the children of wealthy families.

As for the man, he was clearly the other Great Escort of the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, Cui Yao's elder brother, Cui Wei.

"When will I be able to control Blood Qi and learn combat techniques and weaponry?"

Not only Qin Yu but also more than eighty percent of the men looked over with longing. However, when Qin Yu turned back, he found Li Cunxiao had already put down his bowl and was heading towards the woodshed, so he quickly chased after him.

"Hey, don't you want to get into that courtyard?"

"What's the use of wanting? Let's finish today's work first."

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and Li Cunxiao had grown accustomed to life at the escort agency.

He woke up before dawn to practice, ending his morning training with a bowl of soup before starting his day's work.

As a man, his job was, in a word, to do everything. Apart from meticulous tasks like feeding the horses, which required dedicated personnel, he handled all other chores such as chopping wood, boiling water, and maintaining weapons.

In half a month, his Tiger Form Stance had gradually become more proficient, and he had begun attempting to hold five-jin stone locks to stimulate his Blood Qi.

While holding the stance, the faint sensation of qi between his chest, abdomen, limbs, and extremities gradually became more apparent.

The escort agents of the agency got to rest after each escort mission, while they, the men, only got one day off per month. After all, even government officials only had a ten-day break every ten days.

It was almost August 30th, and Li Cunxiao planned to use his day off to go to the pharmacy to buy some tonic herbs for Blood Qi, or perhaps the meat of ferocious beasts, to reach the Sensing Qi realm as soon as possible.

After all, reaching Sensing Qi in over half a month was only slightly faster than the other men in the agency, just a bit better than his roommates Run Dong and Qin Yu.

Those two had reached Sensing Qi seven or eight days prior and had already been taught the "living stance" and the combat technique "Tiger Form Eight Styles." Now, their morning practice involved sparring with other Sensing Qi realm individuals on the other side of the training ground.

Therefore, during this period, Li Cunxiao had actually become more familiar with another roommate, He Bi, who had not appeared before.

The latter had been delayed by some family matter, and it was said he had only been practicing martial arts for two or three days. Upon his return this time, he had faintly sensed qi in just four days, almost twice as fast as Li Cunxiao.

The latter was naturally lively and couldn't keep his thoughts to himself. Therefore, when Li Cunxiao subtly probed him, he could clearly sense that the other party's words were somewhat unnatural.

"Sensing Qi, Sensing Qi, either one's spirit is strong enough to perceive it."

"Or one's Blood Qi is so robust it's impossible to ignore."

"This realm, as long as you have money, you can pile your way into it. But He Bi seems to have some other, unmentionable methods..."

It was the day of his day off, also the end of the month when wages were paid. Li Cunxiao had arranged to take his younger brother shopping, and while waiting, he couldn't help but ponder quietly.

In truth, he had been trying to explore the mysterious Vajra Scepter in his mind.

But ever since Zhao Heishe, the Vajra Scepter had remained at a quarter of its "charging" state. Even when he found opportunities to help out in the butchery section of the escort agency's kitchen, there was no change whatsoever.

"I can't find any Demons for now. Do I really have to kill people?"

"I'll deal with the Green Snake Gang sooner or later, but one man can't fight many. Even with a surprise attack, it's best to weaken their Blood Qi first to be safe."

As for proactively provoking enemies and drawing his blade against weaker individuals...

Setting aside the fact that he disdained such actions, this kind of behavior itself carried immense hidden dangers.

Killing was a means, not an end. If one intentionally created enemies to boost their strength, they would eventually lose control. Once they made a mistake, it would spell utter disaster.

He still had family; he couldn't take such risks.

"Big Brother!!!"

Sensing the wind rushing from behind him, Li Cunxiao turned around and caught his lunging brother. But the moment they made contact, he quickly assumed a horse stance and asked in surprise:

"Little Brother, why have you gotten so much fatter?!"

Mu Cha, who was originally delicate with a melon seed face, was still handsome, but he had visibly rounded out.

"It's Que'er. She gave me so much delicious food, and also Madam and the Third Young Lady."

Mu Cha looked a little embarrassed, but Li Cunxiao felt much more relieved.

As long as he wasn't suffering, a little extra weight was fine.

"Oh right, Big Brother, I brought you some delicious food too."

Mu Cha looked around, then stealthily took out a pouch. Inside were strips of reddish-brown dried meat.

Li Cunxiao had intended to take his brother out for a good meal and hadn't eaten breakfast. Now, as a tempting aroma wafted to his nose, he instinctively grabbed a strip of dried meat and popped it into his mouth.

"Big Brother! You can only eat a little bit of this at a time!"

Mu Cha was startled and quickly spoke up. Li Cunxiao didn't understand at first, but the next moment, a surge of heat exploded from his abdomen. Its potency was several times stronger than the medicinal soup he usually drank.

Just as his expression changed, something else astonishing happened.

The light on the Vajra Scepter was growing.