Phew~~
In the courtyard, Qi Yu exhaled a breath of foul air, then rose and began practicing the "Coiling Body" and "Tongue Flick" forms of Spirit Serpent Fist.
"Coiling Body" focused on gathering power in an instant and using stillness to control motion. It was a defensive stance;
"Tongue Flick," on the other hand, concealed deadly intent. It shifted from stillness to motion, hiding an opportunity to attack.
Tap... tap... tap...
Qi Yu moved through the courtyard with his fists held in position, his body prowling like a snake, winding and twisting as he moved.
This dynamic technique was far more difficult than standing still in stance training.
After a long while, his strength gave out, and he stopped.
He was panting heavily, and even his inner shirt had turned clammy.
As for the muscles all over his body, they ached and throbbed, giving him the sensation that the very texture of his flesh had been torn apart.
He had finally seen the truth clearly. Whether in comprehension or natural constitution, he was genuinely at the level of a spoiled wastrel. Money had blinded his comprehension, while wine and women had worn down his constitution.
He suddenly thought of Chu Xiao.
A youth like Chu Xiao had clearly been tempered through hardship. He had braved wind and rain and traveled everywhere, allowing his constitution to grow through constant tempering, while his comprehension had also been awakened amid suffering.
He had heard... that Chu Xiao had only one older sister to depend on, so... Chu Xiao must have experienced life-and-death partings as well, carrying a breath of bitter rage in his heart.
Compared to himself... he had lived in silken clothes and fine food, indulging in sensual pleasures. After merely practicing seriously for a few days, he had earned everyone's praise, a delicate flower blooming in a greenhouse.
The laws of this world were such that every gain came with a loss.
"Young Master..."
"Young Master!"
As he was thinking, A Bi ran in from outside, her hands gripping both handles of a small pot, her cheeks flushed.
Qi Yu sniffed and caught the scent of medicine.
"Didn't we already have Essence Replenishing Soup today?"
"Reporting to Young Master, this is the Blood Activating Secret Soup Madam specially sent over.
"Madam instructed that after stewing, this soup can be stored for three days. Each time before practicing martial arts, warm up a little, then drink a bowl before training.
"No more than two bowls a day.
"As for the Essence Replenishing Soup... Madam said it can be stopped."
"Blood Activating Secret Soup?"
Anything bearing the word "secret" was a private formula.
And as a major medicinal-herb family, the Qi Family naturally had its own channels for obtaining herbs and prescriptions.
Who knew where Madam Liu had acquired this secret soup?
A Bi placed the small pot in the center of the stone table in the courtyard.
Qi Yu approached and lifted the lid.
The soup was clear, tinged with a faint crimson hue, and its aroma carried a trace of sweetness.
He inhaled deeply several times. He felt wisps of warmth seep into his limbs and organs with every breath, and even his fatigue seemed to lessen by a fraction.
"Pour me a bowl."
A Bi immediately answered. Beaming, she took a celadon bowl from the pearwood tray, carefully ladled in a spoonful, then lowered her head to blow away the heat before offering it up with both hands. "Young Master, be careful, it's hot."
Qi Yu took the bowl and sipped. The flavor was quite good, with a faintly sour berry taste.
He quickly drank it all.
As soon as he finished, he felt a wave of warmth surge through his entire body.
The warmth was dense and continuous, like countless tiny streams flowing through his flesh and blood, repairing those torn muscles.
More wondrously, the medicinal soup carried a faintly stimulating aftertaste, making his whole body seem to burn. Even little Qi Yu grew faintly hot.
"This..."
Qi Yu clenched his fists. His body felt filled with strength, as though he had endless energy to spend.
"This is way too miraculous..."
He wasted no more time. He immediately rose and practiced Spirit Serpent Fist again.
Once...
Twice...
Three times...
This time, he practiced more smoothly than ever before.
His qi and blood burned, steam rising from his sweat like a boiling pot of water. Every movement and every punch sent a layer of outward-surging white mist rippling through the depths of winter, sketching the contours of the impact.
This time, his muscles no longer ached. Instead, the more he practiced, the more comfortable he became. Each move and form seemed to be pushed forward by the medicinal power, flowing as naturally as water finding its channel.
The more Qi Yu practiced, the more astonished he became.
With something this good, wouldn't the Qi Family's martial artists have long since become invincible?
But immediately afterward, he understood... How could this secret medicine possibly be mass-produced?
Its cost-effectiveness was probably abysmal.
It was only because his mother was willing to throw money at it that she had prepared this secret medicine for him.
His comprehension might be mediocre, and his constitution might have been hollowed out by wine and women, but he had money—and he had a mother.
This Blood Activating Secret Soup was definitely more advanced than Essence Replenishing Soup.
The poor relied on mutation, while the rich relied on technology. In another world, it turned out... things were still more or less the same.
By the time he finished, he was drenched in sweat, yet Qi Yu felt incomparably comfortable, with the sensation of having used up his strength in one thoroughly satisfying burst.
Only then did he notice an elderly man standing in the corner of the courtyard. He was lean, with hair lightly frosted white.
The old man wore a black felt hat and a brown cotton shirt, with a leather medicine pouch hanging from his waist. His hands were folded inside his sleeves.
Qi Yu recognized him. He was Master Zhang from Hui Chun Medical Hall in the inner city.
Master Zhang was a famous massage expert in Mount Wei City, specializing in treating hidden injuries to martial artists' muscles and bones. Qi Yu had no idea what favor Madam Liu had called in to make him personally come to their door.
"Young Master Qi, come inside. You've just finished practicing, so now is the perfect time for a massage."
Master Zhang said this as he approached.
The two of them then entered the heated room.
The charcoal fire inside was blazing.
Qi Yu removed his outer clothes and lay down. Master Zhang took out some medicinal ointment, applied it first, and then began kneading and pressing.
At first, Qi Yu's body was still tense.
Gradually... gradually... the combined effects of the medicine and the massage completely relaxed his muscles, and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier...
Then, he fell asleep in complete comfort.
When he woke, Master Zhang had already left, and only a faint medicinal fragrance remained in the room.
The sound of trickling water reached his ears. A Bi was adjusting the water temperature.
Steam billowed from the waist-high cypress bathtub. Leaves and medicinal powder floated on the surface, swaying gently with the ripples.
Qi Yu rose and stepped into the tub.
A Bi rolled up her sleeves. Her lotus-root-like arms reached into the tub, and her small hands took up a towel to wash his body.
Only after the water had cooled slightly did he rise, change into a plain white shirt, and collapse into bed.
He slept more comfortably than ever before.
Early the next morning...
"Continue."
After briefly eating a bowl of red-date and ginseng porridge, Qi Yu stepped into the courtyard once more and practiced Spirit Serpent Fist beneath the morning sun.
And so it went: practicing boxing, receiving massages, taking medicinal baths, sleeping deeply... repeating in an endless cycle.
One day, two days, three days...
On the fifth day, after Qi Yu had assumed his stance and practiced for a while, his vision suddenly wavered faintly, and the panel underwent a new change.
[Skill Point: 1] [Technique: Spirit Serpent Fist Training (1/4)]
After "Spirit Serpent Fist Training (1/4)" there was also a faint "+" sign.
Without hesitation, Qi Yu focused his thoughts and assigned that 1 Skill Point to the "+" sign.
In an instant, time seemed to freeze. The sensation of diligent cultivation surged into him. The ring of fat around his lower belly receded like the tide, while his arms and thighs contracted inward slightly. When he moved, he felt that his clothes had grown looser.
The farther one advanced in martial arts, the harder it became to practice.
Qi Yu spent another full eight days, practicing boxing at dawn and only resting after nightfall.
At last, his panel changed for the second time.
[Skill Point: 1] [Technique: Spirit Serpent Fist Training (3/4)]
"Add the point."
Qi Yu spoke inwardly.
As the point fell into place, he felt his qi and blood surge with vitality. His five fingers tightened, his body stretched, and his joints crackled softly like popping beans.
It was as though he had inexhaustible strength. His formerly soft waist and abdomen were taut as iron, and when he shook his arm, his sleeve billowed in the wind. It was actually half an inch shorter than before.
The panel also changed completely.
[Qi Yu] [Realm: Ninth Rank Leather Armor] [Combat Power: 9~9] [Skill Point: 0] [Technique: Spirit Serpent Fist Training (4/4)] [Blessing: None]
He had entered the Ninth Rank.
The combat-power data above his head had changed from its original "0~1" to "9~9."
He remembered that Old Gu, the coachman who drove his carriage, had a combat power of "7~13" without a weapon. Some Ninth Rank disciples from Spirit Serpent Martial Hall had lower limits of 5, 6, or 7, while Chu Xiao had been "8~8."
So that was how it was. With the same technique, some people practiced it full of flaws while others were merely average. Even after mastering it, there were still differences in strength, both high and low.
Others could neither see nor touch these differences. Only after fighting would they know. Yet he could see them directly through the combat-power data.
And assigning points... could make his cultivation flawless.
That evening...
As usual, A Bi prepared the medicinal bath.
She wore a moon-white maid's uniform and served the Young Master as he undressed. She helped him step into the tub, then gently rubbed his back in the warm medicinal water.
However, as her little hand continued to touch him, she felt that the body beneath it was exceptionally sturdy. With her eyes closed, she even felt as though she were touching a crouching beast.
A Bi's hand began to tremble. Her little face flushed completely red, and her heart pounded like a drum, each beat striking so hard that her breathing quickened.
The silent night, the red candle, the calming incense...
Her gaze darted about in panic, and she no longer dared look at the Young Master's powerful body.
After helping the Young Master bathe, she hurriedly curtsied and fled in embarrassment, like a startled fawn escaping back to the side room.
Early the next morning...
Morning light filled the sky, the thin mist gleamed gold, and faint tree shadows fell across the courtyard's bluestone paving.
Qi Yu did not practice as he usually did.
Instead, he sought out Old Gu.
"Old Gu, spar with me."
Old Gu was feeding the horses. Upon hearing this, he hurriedly dusted off his clothes and stood respectfully.
Today, he wore a dark-indigo narrow-sleeved shirt beneath a brown vest, a cowhide belt with a bronze beast-head buckle around his waist, and black trousers with tightened cuffs tucked into a pair of riding boots. The boots rose slightly high for ease of movement.
The old servant bowed and said with a smile, "Young Master, this old servant knows all about your wager with Madam. If you... want to fight this old servant, I wouldn't dare hold back. Are you planning to fulfill that wager today?"
Qi Yu said, "No. I just want to practice a little."
Before you continue