One Blood Change, Becoming a Martial Artist

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

Each impact was accompanied by piercing, bone-chilling pain and a humming resonance from deep within his bones.

Wang Yuan's body trembled violently, and fine beads of dark, murky blood seeped from his skin.

These were impurities from the depths of his bone marrow being forcefully expelled.

Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone revealed its heaven-defying nature at this moment.

Its far superior strength and resilience allowed his meridians and bones to withstand the impact of the rampant Blood Essence without collapsing.

The vast, sea-like foundation of his Blood Essence provided a continuous source of power for this Blood Change.

The medicinal liquid's energy was constantly absorbed into his body, transforming into the force needed to break through bottlenecks.

Wang Yuan held onto a single point of clarity in his mind, dedicating all his focus to guiding his Blood Essence.

Panshi Fist's Blood Essence was the main force, while Chasing Wind's Blood Essence assisted, the two complementing each other.

Time crawled by amidst the extreme agony.

He didn't know how long had passed, perhaps an hour, perhaps several hours.

Just as Wang Yuan felt his will about to be extinguished by the intense pain.

"Crack!"

It was as if an invisible, solid barrier within him was violently shattered by the torrent of Blood Essence, which had gathered all his strength.

Rumble!

A new, purer, hotter, and more vibrant Blood Essence, filled with vitality and immense power, surged through his entire body like a breached river.

All the previous agonizing pain vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable sense of comfort and power.

His bones emitted a unified resonance, like the low growl of a tiger or leopard, with faint dragon roars.

The murky blood on his skin was pushed away by the newly formed Blood Essence, revealing a more lustrous, subtly metallic sheen beneath.

His muscles became denser, his major tendons taut like bowstrings, containing terrifying power.

The dark green medicinal liquid in the wooden tub had become much lighter in color, its essential energy almost completely absorbed.

Wang Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of sharp light disappearing in an instant, like lightning in the dark night.

He slowly clenched his fist, feeling the surging, boundless, and several times stronger Blood Essence within him.

Panshi Fist: Minor Accomplishment!

Chasing Wind Leg: First Layer, Major Accomplishment!

One Blood Change, successful!

He had officially stepped into the ranks of Martial Artists!

Outside the quiet room, Zheng Shan, who had been guarding him, sensed the powerful aura of a first-layer Blood Change Martial Artist emanating from within.

A look of relief finally appeared on his face, and he stroked his beard, nodding slightly.

This child, achieving Blood Change in seven days, his future is boundless!

One day later.

The autumn chill deepened.

Outside the laundry room in the backyard of the Zhang Manor in the inner city, the morning air was already somewhat biting.

Wang Yu pulled her hands, purple from the cold and covered in small cracks, out of the icy soapy water.

She couldn't help but bring them to her mouth, exhaling a puff of white breath, trying to draw in a trace of warmth.

She wore a patched-up old padded jacket, yet it still couldn't fully ward off the autumn chill.

Before her lay a mountain of silk and satin belonging to the masters of the Zhang Manor.

She had to wash and dry all of it before dawn.

If she was slightly slow, or occasionally paused for a moment due to fatigue or the cold.

The sharp, malicious scolding from the female steward, who wore a thick padded skirt and had her hands on her hips, would immediately rain down on her:

"You lazy girl! What are you spacing out for? Trying to slack off, are you?"

"This is the Eldest Miss's favorite Brocade Skirt! If you damage it even a little, you couldn't afford to pay for it even if you sold yourself!"

"Hurry up! Haven't you eaten?"

"Dawdling like this, if these clothes aren't done today, no one eats!"

Wang Yu could only grit her teeth, lower her head further, and scrub even harder.

The icy water mixed with the soap liquid seeped into the cracks on her hands, causing waves of piercing pain, but she was long accustomed to it.

However, occasionally, in the gaps between the pain, her thoughts would involuntarily drift.

The changes in her family over the past week had been too great.

Her younger brother, Wang Yuan, seemed to have grown up overnight. He had... changed in a way that made her feel a little unfamiliar, but mostly, she felt pride and peace of mind.

He had brought back gleaming silver, dozens of taels!

He told their parents and her not to go out to work and toil anymore, saying he would take care of the family from now on.

Their parents were naturally overjoyed and relieved, but like her, how could they accept living at home, relying entirely on their son and younger brother?

They still did odd jobs, just not as desperately as before.

And Wang Yu still woke up early every day, walked the long road, and came to the inner city's Zhang Manor to do the arduous laundry work.

She thought, every little bit she earned counted.

Her brother's martial arts training, she heard, was extremely expensive. She couldn't be a burden to him.

"Sigh..."

A sigh, barely audible, rose from the bottom of her heart.

"Wang Yu, you lazy brat! Slacking off again?"

The sharp-tongued female manager had, at some unknown time, paced behind her again. Seeing her movements slow slightly, she immediately flew into a rage.

Raising the thin bamboo strip she used to measure cloth and also to whip them, the laundry women, she unceremoniously swung it fiercely towards Wang Yu's back.

"Slap!"

The bamboo strip whistled through the air as it fell.

Wang Yu, terrified, squeezed her eyes shut and hunched her shoulders, bracing for the familiar burning pain.

However, the anticipated pain never came.

A hand with distinct knuckles, adorned with a white jade thumb ring, steadily caught the falling bamboo strip.

"Stop."

A gentle yet authoritative voice rang out.

Wang Yu's eyes flew open in astonishment, and she looked up.

She saw a young master, dressed in a dark blue silk robe, with a handsome face and a refined demeanor, standing beside her at some unknown time.

This person was none other than the Eldest Young Master of the Zhang Manor, Zhang Mingyuan.

Behind him followed several servants with respectful expressions.

When the female manager who had attacked saw it was the Eldest Young Master, she was scared out of her wits.

The bamboo strip in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter. Her face instantly turned ashen, and she collapsed to her knees with a thud, kowtowing like she was pounding garlic:

"G-Great Young Master, please forgive me!"

"This servant... this servant just saw her slacking off and wanted... wanted to teach her a lesson..."

Zhang Mingyuan didn't even glance at her.

His gaze fell upon Wang Yu's hands, which were purple from the cold and covered in cracks and swelling. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He then looked at Wang Yu's face, which was thin from long hours of labor and malnutrition, yet couldn't hide her delicate features.

He turned to the female manager kneeling and begging for mercy, his tone indifferent but carrying a chilling undertone:

"Bullying the weak and resorting to beatings and scolding at the slightest provocation. Since when did the Zhang Manor have such rules?"

"You, go to the accounting office, collect your wages for this month, and you don't need to come back anymore."

The female manager felt as if struck by lightning, collapsing limply to the ground, unable to even utter a word of pleading.

Only then did Zhang Mingyuan look at Wang Yu, who was still somewhat dazed and at a loss, a smile as warm as a spring breeze appearing on his face:

"Your name is Wang Yu, isn't it?"

"From now on, you will be the manager of this laundry room."

"Your wages will be doubled. You won't have to do this heavy laundry work anymore; you only need to be responsible for supervision and management."

"Ah?"

Wang Yu was completely stunned, her mind a blank slate.

"M-Manager? Her?"

"And double wages? This... how is this possible?"

Zhang Mingyuan seemed to notice her fear and confusion. His smile grew even gentler, and his voice lowered slightly, carrying a perfectly appropriate level of respect:

"Miss Wang, there's no need to panic."

"I've heard that your younger brother, Wang Yuan, is a heavenly gifted prodigy. He cultivated the Panshi Fist to the Beginner level in just seven days and has already been taken as a True Disciple by Academy Head Zheng Shan. His future is limitless."

"I admire your younger brother and have long wished to befriend him, but I've never had the opportunity. Today, by chance, I've been able to offer a small token of my effort. I hope Miss Wang will not refuse."

"If there's a chance, please put in a good word for me, Miss Wang, and allow me to pay your younger brother a visit."

After speaking, he didn't wait for Wang Yu to respond. He gave her a slight nod and turned to leave with his attendant, his demeanor elegant.

Until Zhang Mingyuan's figure disappeared behind the moon gate, Wang Yu was still as if in a dream, unable to snap back to reality.

She... was already a manager?

Just because... her brother, Wang Yuan?

Meanwhile, the laundry room had already exploded.

The female workers, who usually toiled alongside Wang Yu and occasionally bickered over trivial matters, all stopped their work and looked at Wang Yu with complex, indescribable gazes.

Envy, jealousy, disbelief...

"Wang Yu... how did she become a manager?"

"Who knows? She's usually a silent type, only knowing how to bury her head in washing clothes..."

Those who were slightly better informed lowered their voices and revealed with a sour tone:

"What do you guys know? She has a good brother!"

"I heard her brother, that Wang Yuan, is now a True Disciple of Academy Head Zheng of Panshi Fist Academy. He's quite a remarkable person!"

"Academy Head Zheng of Panshi Fist Academy? My heavens... that's a top figure in the outer city!"

"No wonder... no wonder Eldest Young Master Zhang was so polite to her and even made her a manager... He clearly wants to curry favor with her brother through her!"

"Tsk, tsk, if her brother were to visit our Zhang Manor personally, even the Master would probably come out to greet him!"

"We should be more polite to Manager Yu from now on..."

Listening to the hushed but clearly audible discussions around her, and feeling the gazes of admiration or awe.

Wang Yu slowly lowered her head, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

For the first time, through the drastic change in her own circumstances, she truly felt the power and status her brother Wang Yuan now possessed.

Brother... has really changed.

If you can't find the book by its title, you can try searching for the author. Maybe the name has been changed!