Pills Worked Better After All

The Killing Blade Technique reaching Entry Level also made Gu Yang realize something else.

It turned out that not all cultivation arts could be fused with one another.

For instance, Azure Dragon Dance and the Life-Slaying Saber showed not the slightest sign of fusion.

Presumably, the two skills simply were not compatible.

There might have been other reasons, but Gu Yang could not analyze any further possibilities.

After all, he had learned only three skills so far, and skill fusion had occurred merely twice. There simply were not enough samples for reference.

Rather than letting these uncertainties entangle his thoughts, Gu Yang pondered briefly before resuming his practice of the Blood Nourishing Stance Art.

Stance training could not be interrupted for even a single day. Although the Martial Academy's evening bell had already rung, he still decided to practice for another hour before heading home.

Once the stance training began, time flew by.

Soon, an hour had passed. As Gu Yang withdrew his stance to rest, he noticed something was off.

The progress was far too slow...

Over that hour, he had practiced the stance art four or five times without stopping, yet he had received the proficiency +1 notification only once.

At that rate, even if he devoted all his time to stance training, he could only gain around five proficiency points each day. It would take nearly three months to condense Blood Qi.

But Hong Tao had already reminded him that neither his saber technique nor Azure Dragon Dance could be neglected.

That would delay the time needed for Blood Condensation even further.

After frowning in thought for a while, Gu Yang decided that tomorrow, he would exchange for a packet of Qi and Blood Powder and try taking it.

Since medicinal pills existed, they naturally had their value. Besides, he had listened to Wang Qi go on about Qi and Blood Powder all day, and his curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.

Having made his decision, Gu Yang did not linger. He immediately pushed open the door and left.

The Martial Academy's Trial Disciples had basically been completely separated from the other disciples.

This was reflected not only in their training grounds and cultivation resources, but even in the routes they took in and out of the Martial Academy.

Leaving the Cultivation Room, Gu Yang headed toward the remote Training Ground. Before long, he spotted a single-leaf gate made of refined iron.

This was where Trial Disciples entered and exited the Martial Academy.

Wang Qi had personally shown him yesterday that the gate could only be pushed open by unleashing a force of a thousand jin. That was why there were no guards stationed here at all.

With his long saber on his back, Gu Yang strode over, pressed his palm against it, and suddenly exerted force.

Creak—

The iron gate opened in response, revealing a narrow gap.

Seizing the moment, Gu Yang flashed through it.

Tianshu Ward, one of the Martial Academy's three wards.

Beyond the iron gate lay a stretch of woodland within Tianshu Ward.

Of Wan City's Sixteen Wards, the Martial Academy alone occupied three—Tianshu, Tianquan, and Tianxing. Its territory was half again as large as that of the government and garrison combined, and it sat at the very center of the city. From this alone, one could see the Martial Academy's power and standing in Wan City.

Walking through Tianshu Ward, Gu Yang was nearly dazzled by everything he saw.

Wearing his martial uniform, he could enter the nine wards inhabited by ordinary citizens without obstruction.

But in the wards occupied by the Martial Academy, the government, and the garrison, non-residents were forbidden from entering without important business.

Thus, this was Gu Yang's first time seeing the interior of Tianshu Ward.

Exquisite! Luxurious! Grand!

Compared to Nine Bends Ward, Tianshu Ward was practically paradise on earth.

The streets were broad and spotless. As far as the eye could see stood spacious three-courtyard residences, each set far apart from the next. Those living inside were Martial Academy staff such as masters and instructors, along with their families.

Although Wang Qi had said that the ownership of these residences belonged to the Martial Academy, that residents could not sell them, and that the houses would automatically be reclaimed once they left the academy, Gu Yang's heart was still full of yearning.

The house his family rented not only required them to share a courtyard with two other households, but was also cramped and narrow. Their family of four was packed inside, making life terribly stifling.

If he could, he truly wanted to move into a better home.

Unfortunately, that suggestion had met with joint opposition from Gu Dashan and Gu Mother.

In Gu Mother's words, the house was perfectly fine to live in, so why move? No matter how much money they had, they could not squander it so casually.

As he looked over the rows of grand residences, he continued toward the exit.

Before long, Gu Yang walked out through Tianshu Ward's main gate.

He then registered his information as a Trial Disciple with the guards at the entrance before turning toward Nine Bends Ward.

"Did you bring the money?"

"This time, my brother and I admit defeat. Here are the fifty taels of silver you wanted. You gave your word—you will not trouble us brothers again, right?"

"Relax. You two are not even worth my notice."

"..."

It was the truth, but it really hurt...

After a dreamless night, Gu Yang entered the Martial Academy through Tianshu Ward's iron gate early the next morning, then headed straight for the Small Pharmacy.

Although he had money now, he had no intention of paying Qin Hu back.

What a joke. Did Qin Hu even lack those ten taels of silver?

Gu Yang knew perfectly well that what Qin Hu wanted was not money.

The place Wang Qi called the Small Pharmacy was a two-story pavilion without even a signboard. It was called the Small Pharmacy only to distinguish it from the pharmacy in the rear courtyard that served all disciples.

Entering the pavilion, Gu Yang saw an elderly man in a moon-white robe seated behind the counter, his hair and beard both snow-white. The old man was savoring a yellowed book with great care.

Gu Yang could not read, but he could recognize pictures.

When his gaze swept over the illustration amid the text—a beautiful young woman with disheveled clothes—he immediately knew this was the sort of book respectable people ought to read. The old man had excellent taste!

Seeing how completely absorbed the old man was, Gu Yang even hesitated for a moment over whether he should interrupt the elder's refined enjoyment.

Fortunately, the old man sensed someone entering at that moment and raised his head, meeting Gu Yang's gaze.

Seeing this, Gu Yang immediately stepped forward. "Sir, this disciple is Gu Yang. I have come to buy medicine."

"Mm. The medicine is on the shelves over there. Qi and Blood Powder is five points a packet, Military Rations Pills are eight points a bottle, and there is also Gold Jade Ointment... Detoxification Pills... Go take what you need, then come back to settle the bill."

The old man naturally set down his book and pointed toward the wall on the left side of the pavilion.

There stood five rows of shelves neatly lined against the wall, packed with porcelain bottles, porcelain boxes, and paper packets. As Gu Yang examined the medicines on the shelves, a thought could not help arising in his heart.

A bottle of Military Rations Pills cost eight Academy Credits, yet people outside were willing to pay twelve taels of silver for one. Since one Academy Credit equaled one tael of silver, the price difference for a bottle was a full four taels.

What kind of concept was that?

Getting rich by reselling Martial Academy pills?

"Pah." Shaking his head to cast off that ridiculous notion, Gu Yang picked up a packet of powder wrapped in yellow paper and turned to ask, "Sir, is this Qi and Blood Powder?"

"That is Insect Repellent Powder. Qi and Blood Powder is on the shelf in the middle—the packet in red paper. Can't you read?"

The old man's voice rang out, leaving Gu Yang deeply embarrassed.

"Ah, right."

He immediately set down the yellow packet at lightning speed, picked up a red one, and hurried over to the old man. "Sir, I would like one packet of Qi and Blood Powder."

"Five points," the old man replied without raising his head.

"Alright." As he spoke, Gu Yang pulled a stack of "banknotes" from his clothes, drew out five, and handed them to the old man.

This was the physical form of Academy Credits. When Gu Yang had received those hundred purple slips yesterday, he had sighed in amazement. He had never expected the Martial Academy to use credit currency internally.

Leaving the Small Pharmacy, Gu Yang headed straight for the Training Ground he had visited yesterday.

No matter how countless one's Martial Techniques were, they all required sufficient strength to display their power. Gu Yang understood clearly that cultivating the Blood Nourishing Stance Art was the foundation of the Martial Path.

Therefore, regardless of what advice others gave him, among the three skills of Blood Nourishing Stance, Azure Dragon Dance, and Life-Slaying Saber, he still placed stance training first in his heart.

Upon entering the Training Ground, Gu Yang found it completely empty. Wang Qi was not there.

But he did not care. After mixing the Qi and Blood Powder with water and drinking it, he began practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art.

The moment he began cultivating, Gu Yang immediately felt a distinct difference.

His Blood Qi churned, slowly gathering together.

The Qi and Blood Powder's effects were even better than he had imagined. After practicing the stance art twice in a row, a line of small text drifted before his eyes.

Skill "Blood Nourishing Stance" proficiency +1

Gu Yang's personal testing revealed that the medicinal effect of Qi and Blood Powder lasted for roughly one day.

After taking Qi and Blood Powder, his cultivation speed was already comparable to when he had been at Strength Training.

As the sun set and the moon rose, Gu Yang withdrew his stance and stood upright. He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. His eyes shone brightly, and his face was filled with delight.

Skills: Blood Nourishing Stance · Major Accomplishment (12/400); Azure Dragon Dance · Minor Accomplishment (96/1000); Life-Slaying Saber · Entry Level (1/100)

Talents: Vitality Surge, Power Surge, Mighty Ox Strength.

Closing his eyes and focusing, the words appeared.

After a day of arduous cultivation, his proficiency had risen by a full ten points. If he went all out and focused entirely on the Blood Nourishing Stance Art, he would need only a little over a month to diligently cultivate it to Perfected and condense Blood Qi.

Unfortunately, a packet of Qi and Blood Powder cost five Academy Credits. He had seventy-five credits left, enough to buy only fifteen packets at most. That was nowhere near enough to support his cultivation until he condensed Blood Qi.

Not to mention that he still needed to reserve credits for Military Rations Pills to nourish his body, as well as leather armor, Detoxification Pellets, Insect Repellent Powder, wound medicine, and other supplies needed for future excursions.

After breaking through to the Blood Condensation realm, Gu Yang could now digest one Military Rations Pill every two days. He had already eaten half the bottle awarded for placing in the top hundred of the Minor Competition.

"Academy Credits are completely insufficient!" After calculating the credits needed for all kinds of cultivation, Gu Yang could not help letting out a long sigh.

Of course, the initial hundred credits were bound to be insufficient. This was something the Martial Academy had designed from the very beginning.

If the initial credits advanced to the disciples were enough to support their current cultivation, then how many people would be willing to risk their lives by leaving the city to hunt Ferocious Beasts?

With every breath, his physical strength recovered in an endless stream.

After resting for a moment, Gu Yang picked up the long saber leaning nearby and began practicing the Killing Blade Technique.

Before Hong Tao had left yesterday, he had already instructed Gu Yang that tomorrow morning, he would assess Gu Yang's progress in saber practice inside that Cultivation Room and begin a new round of special training.

Tonight, Gu Yang had to at least become familiar with all eighty-one forms of the saber technique.