Mastering the Killing Blade Technique had also brought Gu Yang to another realization.
As it turned out, not all techniques could be fused together.
For instance, the Azure Dragon Dance and the Life-Slaying Saber showed no sign whatsoever of merging.
Presumably, the two techniques simply were not compatible.
There might have been other reasons as well, but Gu Yang could not analyze any further possibilities.
After all, he had learned only three skills so far, and skill fusion had occurred just twice. He simply did not have enough samples to draw upon.
Rather than letting these uncertainties entangle his thoughts, Gu Yang pondered them 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 his stance training for another hour before going home.
Once his stance training began, time flew by.
Soon, an hour had passed. As Gu Yang drew in his stance and rested, he noticed something was off.
The progress was far too slow...
Over that hour, without resting for a moment, he had practiced the stance art four or five times, yet he had received the proficiency +1 prompt only once.
At this rate, even if he devoted all his time to stance training, he could only gain around five proficiency points a day. It would take nearly three months to achieve Blood Qi Condensation.
But Hong Tao had already reminded him that neither the saber technique nor the Azure Dragon Dance could be neglected.
That would delay his Blood Condensation even further.
After frowning in thought for a while, Gu Yang decided to exchange for a packet of Qi and Blood Powder tomorrow and try taking it.
Since medicinal pills existed, they must have their value. Besides, he had listened to Wang Qi mention Qi and Blood Powder all day, and his curiosity had long been piqued.
Having made up his mind, Gu Yang did not linger any longer. He immediately pushed open the door and left.
The Martial Academy's Trial Disciples had essentially 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 used to enter and leave the Martial Academy each day.
Leaving the Cultivation Room and heading toward that secluded Training Ground, Gu Yang soon spotted a single-leaf gate of refined iron.
This was where Trial Disciples entered and exited the Martial Academy.
Wang Qi had personally brought him to try it during the day. One needed to unleash a thousand pounds of force to push it open, which was why no guards had been stationed here at all.
With his long saber on his back, Gu Yang strode over, pressed his palm against the gate, and suddenly exerted force.
"Creak—"
The iron gate opened in response, revealing a narrow gap.
Gu Yang seized the moment and darted through in a flash.
Tianshu Ward, one of the Martial Academy's three wards.
Beyond the iron gate was a wooded area within Tianshu Ward.
Of Wan City's Sixteen Wards, the Martial Academy occupied three alone—Tianshu, Tianquan, and Tianxing. Their territory was half again as large as that of the government and garrison's two wards, and they lay right at the city's center. From this, one could see the Martial Academy's authority and standing in Wan City.
Walking through Tianshu Ward, Gu Yang's eyes were nearly dazzled.
Wearing this martial uniform, he could enter the nine wards where ordinary people lived without obstruction.
However, the wards occupied by the Martial Academy, the government, and the garrison were off-limits to non-residents unless they had pressing business.
Thus, this was also Gu Yang's first time seeing the inside of Tianshu Ward.
Exquisite! Luxurious! Magnificent!
Compared to Nine Bends Ward, Tianshu Ward was practically paradise on earth.
The streets were broad and immaculate. As far as the eye could see stood spacious three-courtyard residences, each far apart from the next. Living within were Martial Academy masters, instructors, and other staff, along with their families.
Although Wang Qi had said that the Martial Academy owned all these residences, that occupants could not sell them, and that the houses would automatically be reclaimed upon leaving the Martial Academy, Gu Yang's heart was still filled with longing.
The home his family rented not only required them to share a courtyard with two other households, but was also cramped and narrow. All four of them were squeezed inside, making it terribly stifling.
If possible, he truly wanted to move into a better home.
Unfortunately, that proposal had been jointly opposed by Gu Dashan and Gu Mother.
In Gu Mother's words, the house was perfectly fine as it was, so why move? No matter how much money they had, they could not squander it so casually.
As he looked at one grand residence after another, he continued toward the exit.
Before long, Gu Yang walked out through Tianshu Ward's main gate.
Then, at the guards' station by the gate, he registered his information as a Trial Disciple before turning toward Nine Bends Ward.
"Did you bring the money?"
"This time, us brothers admit defeat. Here are the fifty taels of silver you wanted. You gave your word—you won't come looking for trouble with us again, right?"
"Don't worry. You two aren't even worth my attention."
"..."
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.
Though he had money now, he had no intention of returning it to Qin Hu.
What a joke. Was Qin Hu short 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 with no signboard at all. It was called the Small Pharmacy only to distinguish it from the pharmacy in the rear courtyard that served all disciples.
Upon entering the pavilion, Gu Yang saw an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a moon-white robe, seated behind the counter as he carefully savored a yellowed book.
He could not read, but he could recognize pictures.
His gaze swept over the words on the page and landed on an illustration of a beautiful young woman in disheveled clothing. He instantly knew this was the sort of book decent 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, wondering whether he ought to speak and disturb the elder's refined enjoyment.
Fortunately, the old man sensed someone entering just then, raised his head, and met Gu Yang's eyes.
Seeing this, Gu Yang immediately stepped forward and said, "Sir, this disciple is Gu Yang. I have come to purchase 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 settle the bill."
The old man naturally set down the book in his hand and pointed toward the wall on the pavilion's left.
There, five rows of shelves were neatly arranged against the wall, filled with porcelain bottles, porcelain boxes, and paper packets. Gu Yang walked over and examined the medicine containers, unable to stop a thought from rising in his heart.
A bottle of Military Rations Pills cost eight 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 on a bottle of Military Rations Pills was a full four taels.
What did that mean?
Getting rich by reselling Martial Academy medicine?
"Tut." Shaking off that absurd thought, Gu Yang directly picked up a packet of powder wrapped in yellow paper, turned around, and asked, "Sir, is this Qi and Blood Powder?"
"That is Insect Repellent Powder. The Qi and Blood Powder is on the middle shelf—the one in red paper. Can't you read?"
The old man's voice rang out, making Gu Yang feel deeply embarrassed.
"Ah, all right."
He immediately put down the yellow packet at lightning speed, then picked up a red packet and hurried to the old man. "Sir, I would like one packet of Qi and Blood Powder."
"That will be five points." The old man answered without even raising his head.
"All right." As he spoke, Gu Yang pulled a stack of "banknotes" from his robes, drew out five, and handed them to the old man.
This was the physical form of Academy Credits. When Gu Yang had first received those hundred purple slips yesterday, he could not help marveling that the Martial Academy even used credit currency internally.
Leaving the Small Pharmacy, Gu Yang headed straight for the Training Ground he had visited yesterday.
Of the countless Martial Techniques, all required sufficient strength to display their power. Gu Yang knew 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 Blood Nourishing Stance, Azure Dragon Dance, and Life-Slaying Saber, he still placed stance training first in his heart.
Entering the Training Ground, Gu Yang found it completely empty. Wang Qi was not there.
However, 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 instant he began cultivating, Gu Yang immediately felt a clear difference.
His Blood Qi churned and slowly condensed.
The effect of the Qi and Blood Powder was even better than he had imagined. After practicing the stance art twice in succession, a line of small text suddenly drifted before his eyes.
Skill 'Blood Nourishing Stance' proficiency +1
Through Gu Yang's personal testing, he learned that the medicinal effect of Qi and Blood Powder could last for about a day.
After taking Qi and Blood Powder, his cultivation speed could already match what it had been during Strength Training.
As the sun set and the moon rose, Gu Yang drew in his stance and stood tall. He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. His eyes shone brightly, and his face was full of delight.
Skills: Blood Nourishing Stance Accomplishment (12/400); Azure Dragon Dance Accomplishment (96/1000), Life-Slaying Saber Level (1/100) Talents: Vitality Surge, Power Surge, Mighty Ox Strength.
Closing his eyes and concentrating, text emerged.
After a day of hard cultivation, his proficiency had increased by a full ten points. If he gave it his all and focused on practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art, he would need only a little over a month of diligent cultivation to reach perfection and achieve Blood Qi Condensation.
Unfortunately, a packet of Qi and Blood Powder cost five Academy Credits. He had only seventy-five credits left, enough to buy just fifteen packets at most. That was nowhere near enough to support his cultivation until Blood Qi Condensation.
Not to mention that he also 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 items needed for future excursions and training.
Since 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 all the credits needed for 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 all the disciples were enough to support their current cultivation, then how many 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 while, Gu Yang picked up the long saber propped beside him and began practicing the Killing Blade Technique again.
Before leaving yesterday, Hong Tao had already instructed him that tomorrow morning, he would inspect Gu Yang's progress in saber practice in that Cultivation Room and begin a new round of special training.
Tonight, he had to at least become familiar with all eighty-one forms of the saber technique.
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