Immortal Martial: Sweeping Across Two Worlds from Reality, Part 7

His gaze was not fierce enough to seize the soul, his explosive power when pouncing was insufficient, and the strength in his arms and palms needed further tempering.

When he flipped, he had used too much force and nearly twisted his waist.

Clearly, his body coordination was lacking as well; he could not be rigid, nor could he be supple.

As for the final scissor, he had performed even worse.

Perhaps after transporting his qi and blood, practicing the Tiger Form Three Styles again would let him grasp its deeper mysteries.

Seeing Jiang Shu truly close his eyes and assume a stance, Little Fatty Zhou Yang curled his lips and spoke to the new apprentices on the other side. "Training martial arts is too hard. Bro, how are you so amazing..."

Little Fatty's words did not stir the slightest ripple in Jiang Shu's heart.

He held his stance, breathed, and practiced his fists.

Only after continuing for two hours did he stop. He returned to his padded coat and closed his eyes to rest briefly.

He always remembered that this was Pingling County.

Not the safe Mystic Star.

He had to ensure his qi and blood remained abundant, so that every punch and kick could unleash his best state at any time.

What was more, he had something important to do tonight.

Until dusk, Elder Qiu did not emerge again, and the apprentices gradually left the courtyard one by one.

"Brother Jiang, make sure you visit the restaurant when you get the chance."

After greeting Jiang Shu, Little Fatty Zhou Yang patted Han the Big Guy. "Brother Han, come on. I'll take you to the restaurant today. Once you're familiar with it, you can go by yourself in the future. Just give them my name!"

"Young Brother Zhou, I'd better not go. Even at cost price, I might not be able to afford it..."

"Ah, Brother Han, so what if you can't afford cost price? You can buy on credit. Think about it—you've joined the martial arts school now. If you don't have enough meat to replenish yourself, won't it take ages before you reach the Qi and Blood Transportation Stage? But if you go to our restaurant now and eat meat, you can reach the Qi and Blood Transportation Stage early. Once you can transport your qi and blood, then circulate it through your whole body step by step, when you truly become a Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist, would you still lack this little bit of money for meat?"

"That does seem right..."

"Of course it is!"

The voices of Little Fatty and Han the Big Guy grew farther and farther away.

Jiang Shu closed his eyes, held his stance, and breathed.

A panel slowly appeared.

Jiang Shu--

Horse Stance: Minor Success (565/1000)

Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance: Beginner (35/1000)

Hungry Tiger Breathing Method: Beginner (35/1000)

Tiger Form Three Styles: Beginner (12/1000)

Two Worlds Traversal Countdown: 00:40

"This world's martial path must hold even more wondrous things. Stance work and breathing methods may only be the foundation."

With the Proficiency Panel, he knew his own level of cultivation better than those apprentices did.

The Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance was indeed more profound than the Horse Stance. Merely reaching Beginner allowed him to sense qi and blood.

According to the Proficiency Panel's calculations, Beginner meant Qi and Blood Sensing, Minor Success meant Qi and Blood Transportation, Major Success meant Full Body Vital Energy Circulation, and completion would bring him precisely to the Skin Grinding Realm.

But how was one meant to cultivate the realms above the Skin Grinding Realm?

And just how mysterious were the realms above?

Jiang Shu raised his head and looked to the sky.

Dark clouds shrouded the city, and the slanting sun sank beyond the hills.

The distant sky seemed blanketed by mist, impossible to see clearly.

A cold gust blew past. He put on his padded coat, tucked away the lime powder and electric baton, and walked out of the Inner City.

Outer City.

The hour of the Rooster.

The houses along the streets had mostly shut their doors. Within and beyond the alleys, only a few restaurants and gambling dens still glowed with lamplight.

Under those dim lights, Jiang Shu removed his wig and stepped on his own shadow toward Green Grass Alley, one step after another, slow and unwavering.

At this moment.

The moon was dark.

The wind was high.

A fitting night for murder.

Those who ate meat were bold and fierce.

For martial arts practitioners who had not yet formally stepped onto the martial path, meat was a cultivation resource!

Only by eating meat could one strengthen qi and blood the fastest.

Jiang Shu had sensed this when his Horse Stance first reached Beginner. After attaining Qi and Blood Sensing, he craved meat without it ever being enough. More than a dozen large meat buns every morning only barely filled his stomach.

Fortunately, he was on Mystic Star.

Had he been in Pingling County, with the Outer City's scarce meat resources, his Horse Stance might at most have only reached Beginner even now!

Even he, with the Proficiency Panel, was like this—let alone the rest of the Outer City!

It could be said that in Pingling County's Outer City, aside from gang leaders, who had wealthy households supporting them from above and could draw upon the strength of an entire gang to provide for their martial training—

Other Martial Artists could only enter the Inner City and become retainers of wealthy households to obtain more meat!

Therefore, in the entire Green Snake Gang, the only person he needed to watch out for was the gang leader.

The Hall Masters and chief enforcers beneath him might also be martial arts practitioners with Full Body Vital Energy Circulation or Qi and Blood Transportation. But most likely had only the name; their surging qi and blood had probably long been worn away amid wine and women.

As for ordinary gang members, they might not even compare to laborers working at the docks.

One after another, they threw their weight around on the strength of their gang membership, yet their steps were unsteady and their fists powerless.

How many punches of his could such scum withstand?

With cloth covering his face, Jiang Shu imagined himself as a hungry tiger emerging from its cave. Every step nurtured his momentum.

In his previous life, he had died at thirty, and he carried a deep obsession with living long enough to see the ages pass.

But he knew even more clearly that longevity was only the goal. Without methods of slaughter, an immortal self would be nothing but a plump, tender lamb.

Turtles lived long.

But among the turtles at the market, how many truly lived long?

Only when great power belonged to oneself and one's methods did not rely on external objects could one seek true immortality!

Green Grass Alley.

The boundary where Pingling County's three Outer City gangs met, and a place famed for ecstasy.

Before he had even drawn near, lustful moans drifting from the small houses from time to time bored into Jiang Shu's ears like mosquitoes.

The sounds were like water poured into oil, instantly roiling his qi and blood.

Jiang Shu frowned. He truly had not expected this body of his to react so strongly.

Of course. Qi and Blood Sensing was ultimately only sensing.

Martial arts practitioners at this realm had vigorous qi and blood and were most fond of wine and women. If their will was not firm and they lingered in such places, at best their martial path would make no further progress; at worst, their qi and blood would decline, and all their strength would fall to the level of an ordinary person.

Only upon reaching the Qi and Blood Transportation Stage, when one could transport qi and blood throughout the body, could one barely resist the fires of desire in one's heart.

As long as one was not entangled in wine and women, one could transport qi and blood and adjust one's condition.

After taking two deep breaths, Jiang Shu suddenly looked toward the alley entrance.

Several women in shoddy padded coats stood at the entrance, their faces heavily powdered as they leaned against doorways and beckoned. Their skin was rough and somewhat dark. Their apparently curvaceous figures bore sagging that could not be concealed.

In the Great Jing Dynasty, commoners married early and had children early as well. Even the youngest women receiving customers in Green Grass Alley were already in their twenties.

No one knew how many sons they had borne.

As for those aging courtesans, their grandchildren probably came in heaps.

Sure enough, once he saw their faces, even the most seductive voices instantly became dull and flavorless.

Jiang Shu, a severe face connoisseur, snorted coldly and stepped into Green Grass Alley.

Third from the end, deepest in the alley—this Zhao Tai really knew how to pick a spot.

The hour of the Rooster was Green Grass Alley's busiest time.

There were not many courtesans outside the doors in the alley. Instead, gang members crowded over from other alleys, carrying wine jugs, their belches giving off a thick stench of alcohol.

"Say, if the women of Green Grass Alley are so energetic, why does Hall Master Zheng still like pretty boys?"

"Who the fuck knows? Good thing I'm built sturdy. Otherwise, if Hall Master Zheng said he had his eye on me, what the hell would I do?"