Heart Full of Sharp Blades, Killing Intent Arises

"Panshi Fist... I guess I've reached the beginner stage.

In an instant, the entire inner courtyard fell silent.

Zheng Shan's gentle smile froze on his face, the words of encouragement and comfort stuck in his throat.

Shi Long, standing beside him, gaped so wide an egg could fit in his mouth, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

Even Zheng Ying, usually so cool and composed, suddenly covered her mouth with her hand, her beautiful eyes filled with utter shock and disbelief.

"You... What did you say?"

Zheng Shan's voice trembled with disbelief.

He lunged forward, his dry, strong palm clamping onto Wang Yuan's wrist. A pure surge of internal energy probed within.

The next moment, Zheng Shan's body convulsed as if struck by lightning, freezing in place!

He clearly sensed that deep within Wang Yuan's surging, vast, and powerful Blood Essence.

There was a wisp, though fine, yet incredibly condensed, of a unique airflow, darting about as nimbly as a swimming fish.

This... this was clearly the sign of reaching the beginner stage of Panshi Fist, successfully nurturing one's own Blood Essence.

Moreover, the purity of this wisp of Blood Essence far surpassed any newly initiated disciple he had ever seen!

"He... He really reached the beginner stage..."

Zheng Shan withdrew his hand, muttering to himself, looking at Wang Yuan as if he were a monster, his eyes filled with incomprehensible shock.

"One afternoon... just one afternoon..."

Hearing their master's direct confirmation, Shi Long and Zheng Ying stood there like wooden statues, their minds blank.

One afternoon to nurture Blood Essence and reach the beginner stage of the fist technique!

What a terrifyingly fast cultivation speed this was!

Was a High Grade Bone Structure truly this formidable?

Wang Yuan looked at his master and senior disciples, who were speechless with shock. He simply smiled slightly and said nothing more.

He knew this was just the beginning.

With Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone and the Talent Bead, his martial arts path was destined to surpass everyone's imagination.

This deathly silence lasted for several breaths.

Zheng Shan's chest heaved violently a few times as he forcibly suppressed the overwhelming shock.

He had lived for more than half his life and had never seen such monstrous talent!

Reaching the beginner stage in one afternoon? Who would believe it if told?

He suspected that even the direct disciples of the Three Great Families in the inner city, nurtured with all their resources, could not achieve such speed.

But he knew very well that young people were most prone to arrogance due to their talent, which was a great taboo in martial arts.

He had to admonish Wang Yuan, even if the admonishment sounded... unconvincing.

The shocked expression on Zheng Shan's face quickly vanished, and he put on a stern face again.

He snorted indifferently, stroked his nonexistent long beard, and said in a tone that was slightly reminiscent but actually guilty:

"Hmm... the speed is acceptable. It can be considered... not a waste of your bone structure."

"But do not become complacent. When I first learned this Panshi Fist, it only took me... hmm..."

"After observing for a moment, my Blood Essence was spontaneously generated, and it was a natural progression."

After saying this, even he felt a slight heat on his face.

He remembered taking half a month to reach the beginner stage himself...

Shi Long and Zheng Ying on the side twitched at the corners of their mouths, lowered their heads, and desperately suppressed their almost-bursting-out strange expressions.

Master's bragging... was just too outrageous.

Wang Yuan, with his sharp mind, naturally saw through his master's intentions and his forced composure.

He found it amusing inwardly but maintained a respectful demeanor:

"Master's talent is extraordinary. This disciple is far inferior and will certainly avoid arrogance and impatience, cultivating diligently."

Seeing Wang Yuan's respectful attitude, and that he showed no hint of pride despite reaching the beginner stage so quickly, Zheng Shan felt a bit more at ease and even more satisfied.

He turned to Zheng Ying and instructed, "Ying'er, go fetch that 'Nourishing Origin Soup'."

Zheng Ying responded and quickly returned with a warm jade bowl containing an amber-colored liquid that emitted a rich medicinal fragrance and a faint fishy smell.

It was clear that the essence of some demonic beast material had been added.

"Nurturing Blood Essence is only the first step."

"Afterward, you must continuously nourish and strengthen the Blood Essence with the power of medicinal herbs and stones, filling your body until it reaches its limit, before you can induce the Blood Essence to cleanse the bone marrow and complete the first Blood Change."

Zheng Shan explained.

"This bowl of Nourishing Origin Soup can help you stabilize your nascent Blood Essence and provide a slight boost."

"Drink it."

Wang Yuan accepted the bowl with both hands, thanked him, and without hesitation, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

As the medicinal liquid went down his throat, it was slightly bitter at first, then transformed into a warm current that flowed into his abdomen, spreading throughout his limbs and bones.

The black bead-shaped mark on his chest grew slightly warm. The newly formed Panshi Blood Essence seemed to be nourished, as if injected with vitality, like a small snake becoming more active, solidifying, and its total volume subtly increasing.

[Energy Absorption in Progress... Current Energy: (2/100)]

A vague sensation flashed through his mind.

A flicker of understanding crossed Wang Yuan's eyes.

As expected, after stepping into the martial path, the energy provided by ordinary food was far from enough. He had to rely on these medicinal ingredients and monster meat that contained rich essence.

The vast energy required for the Talent Bead's next awakening would also have to be sourced from this direction.

The night grew deeper, and the stars and moon appeared.

Wang Yuan bid farewell to his master and senior disciples and left the Panshi Fist Academy.

Walking on the gradually quieting streets, the night breeze blew against his slightly damp training clothes, bringing a hint of coolness.

But the nascent Blood Essence within his body flowed slowly, bringing waves of warmth.

He didn't immediately return to his home in Bluestone Alley.

In his mind, the arrogant and overbearing face of the rat-whiskered thug Song San from yesterday surfaced, along with the lecherous gaze he cast upon his sister, Wang Yu.

If the Senior Disciple Brother hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Now, his Panshi Fist had reached the Beginner level, nurturing his own Blood Essence, and he had officially stepped onto the threshold of a martial artist.

Coupled with the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone that granted him a physique far surpassing ordinary people, strength, and reaction speed...

"Black Tiger Gang's Song San..."

A cold glint flashed in Wang Yuan's eyes, like a cold bolt of lightning cutting through the dark night.

The Black Tiger Gang was powerful, and their leader, Zhao Hu, was a Blood Change realm martial artist. He couldn't confront him head-on yet.

But collecting some interest first, taking down this stray dog that always barked in front of him, might not be impossible!

It just so happened that he needed to familiarize himself with his own surging strength and also needed to test the power of Panshi Fist through actual combat.

Killing people was nothing in this chaotic world.

If he hadn't shown his talent in time and joined the Panshi Fist Academy, receiving Zheng Shan's protection.

The Wang family would probably have been destroyed by the Black Tiger Gang long ago.

This debt of revenge was not unavenged, but the time had not yet come.

His mind made up, Wang Yuan changed direction. Instead of heading home, he merged into the deeper night of the outer city.

Relying on the original body's memories and the keen senses brought by Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone, he moved through the alleys like a ghost, his target clear.

He also stopped by a roadside general store to buy a small bag of chili powder.

Wang Yuan then went to the vicinity of the gambling houses and taverns that Song San frequented to stake out.

Even the nascent Panshi Blood Essence in his chest circulated faster within his body.

Tonight, Wang Yuan was going to see blood.