Four in the afternoon.
Qin Shuang returned to the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School.
"Junior Brother Qin, using Qi and Blood Soup to help with your training really can speed up tempering your blood vitality. But you haven't even reached the entry level in Fierce Tiger Fist, so you can only buy one bowl every three days. Drink too much and your body won't be able to handle it... Besides, one bowl of Qi and Blood Soup costs two taels of silver."
Senior Brother Liu Hao looked at Qin Shuang as he spoke.
As the senior disciple of the Martial Arts School, he made a little profit from every bowl of Qi and Blood Soup he sold. But the soup's medicinal power couldn't disperse properly and could cause nosebleeds, and it was relatively expensive, so he had to make that clear beforehand.
"Then I'll buy one bowl for now!"
Qin Shuang hadn't expected that he could only buy one bowl every three days. He had to settle for the next best thing and start with a single bowl.
"Come with me."
Liu Hao said this to Qin Shuang, then headed toward a three-courtyard compound behind the Martial Arts School. A sign above its entrance read "Medicinal Cuisine House."
Qin Shuang followed him. Dozens of yards from the compound, he caught the strong scent of Chinese herbs. They passed through a round archway, and Liu Hao told Qin Shuang to wait in the front courtyard while he took two taels of silver inside.
A short while later, Liu Hao came out carrying a two-handled porcelain bowl, five inches tall. He handed it to Qin Shuang and cautioned him, "Junior Brother Qin, this is the Qi and Blood Soup. When you get home, drink it in several portions. Start with a sip, then practice Fierce Tiger Fist to spread the medicinal power and temper your blood vitality. Once the medicine's effects have worn off, drink a little more and keep training... Don't drink it all at once."
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother!"
Qin Shuang took the porcelain bowl and thanked Liu Hao. "It's almost closing time, so I'll come back to practice tomorrow."
"Mm."
Liu Hao nodded. Qin Shuang carried the bowl in a small cloth bag and walked out of the Medicinal Cuisine House.
The Martial Arts School was closing for the day. The disciples who didn't live there finished their practice and headed home.
"Must be nice to have money. First day practicing and he's already got Qi and Blood Soup to help him! I'm jealous!"
"Yeah! If I could get a bowl every three days, I'd be at least at the Blood Vitality Like a Tiger level by now!"
"Just look at him. He's obviously rich..."
Qin Shuang had barely stepped out of the Medicinal Cuisine House before a group of young men and women spotted him. Their envious voices reached his ears.
"If he can't get Fierce Tiger Fist down, drinking more Qi and Blood Soup will just be a waste..."
Jin Qiao'er watched Qin Shuang leave the Martial Arts School with a portion of Qi and Blood Soup and shook her head.
She knew that after taking the medicinal soup, he needed to practice Fierce Tiger Fist to spread and absorb the medicine, then refine his blood vitality. If Qin Shuang didn't work hard to master the fist technique, the soup would do very little to strengthen his blood vitality.
Absorbing even two-tenths of its medicinal power would be impressive.
"He insisted on buying it. There wasn't much I could do."
Liu Hao spread his hands, looking helpless.
His family wasn't well-off, and selling a bowl of Qi and Blood Soup earned him a little extra to support his training. Besides, he'd already told Qin Shuang what he needed to know.
[You stroked Tiger Hide +1 time!]
[You stroked Tiger Hide +1 time!]
Qin Shuang left the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School and pulled the piece of tiger hide from his shirt. Stroking it as he walked east along East Gate Street, he thought, I'm still four bowls of Qi and Blood Soup short of advancing Fierce Tiger Fist from proficient to mastery... Looks like I'll have to buy it from an apothecary.
Qingzhou City had three major apothecaries: Tong Ren Tang, Hundred Herbs Hall, and Apricot Grove Spring. Each had dozens of branches spread across the city.
A hundred yards east along the street where the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School stood was an Apricot Grove Spring branch.
"The Qi and Blood Soup prepared by our apothecary is the best in the whole city for refining blood vitality! Our prices are fair, and we never cheat our customers!"
"Two taels and five mace of silver per bowl!"
"Young man, how many would you like?"
Qin Shuang tucked the tiger hide back into his shirt and entered Apricot Grove Spring Medicine Hall. When a roughly fifty-year-old apothecary heard that he wanted to buy Qi and Blood Soup, he immediately came forward with a warm smile.
"Two taels and five mace per bowl?"
Qin Shuang cursed inwardly at the outrageous price. He'd heard that apothecaries charged more than the Martial Arts School, but he hadn't expected the difference to be so steep. And they called this a fair price?
Still, he decided to grit his teeth and buy it to meet the requirements for advancing Fierce Tiger Fist to mastery.
Liang Chang would come to demand payment in eight days. He had to use the Simplification System to strengthen himself as quickly as possible.
"Could you make it a little cheaper? I only have five taels of silver, and I want to buy two bowls."
"I still need to leave myself some money for food."
Qin Shuang put on a troubled expression.
He was worried that buying too much at once would attract unwanted attention, so he planned to buy two bowls at each apothecary. Better safe than sorry.
"Well..."
The Thin Old Man gave Qin Shuang a once-over and said, "Then two bowls for four taels and nine mace. I can't go any lower!"
"Fine."
Qin Shuang pretended to wince as he took out five taels of silver and handed them to the Thin Old Man.
The apothecary brought out two porcelain bowls, gave Qin Shuang one mace of silver in change, and said, "Young man, you made the right choice coming to our apothecary! We also have better products, like Blood Vitality Pills and Blood Nourishing Pills... If you have any friends who need them, send them to Apricot Grove Spring!"
"Sure. If any of my friends need them, I'll send them your way!"
Qin Shuang nodded to the old apothecary, picked up the Qi and Blood Soup, and left.
Qingzhou City, East Gate Street, the back courtyard of Good Fortune Casino.
One-Eyed Dragon Liang Chang looked at his nephew, Liang Jiyao, puzzled. "What? That kid went to the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School? Did he have ten taels of silver for the entrance fee?"
"Yes, Second Uncle. I saw him pay the fee. But he stayed at the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School for less than half an hour. Then he went to the market and bought a piece of tiger hide from a hunter. At five in the afternoon, he went to Tong Ren Tang and Apricot Grove Spring to buy Qi and Blood Soup."
Liang Jiyao answered respectfully.
"He not only went to the Martial Arts School to train, but had enough silver to buy Qi and Blood Soup, too?"
The corner of Liang Chang's mouth curled up. He tapped the table with his index and middle fingers, then sneered. "Tomorrow, get a few thugs to shake him down and squeeze every last coin out of him. There are eight days left. If he can't come up with a thousand taels of silver by then, Fusheng Restaurant will be seized to pay the debt!"
Liang Chang could hardly wait.
He had forced Tang Xing to write the IOU and had held Tang Xing's hand down to make his thumbprint. The evidence was conclusive. If Qin Shuang refused to acknowledge it, Liang Chang could have him sent to the county yamen, and in the end, he would have to give in.
Over the years, Liang Chang had used this method to secure a lot of property for the gang. That was how he had risen to the position of hall master.
A mere youngster couldn't escape his grasp!
"As expected of you, Second Uncle! What a brilliant plan!"
Liang Jiyao's eyes gleamed as he flattered him.
"Pay close attention and learn. Your second uncle has high hopes for you!"
Liang Chang stood up, patted Liang Jiyao on the shoulder, and tossed him a booklet. "Here's Grass on Flying. Take it and practice whenever you have time! Go on!"
"Yes, Second Uncle! I'll get it done!"
Liang Jiyao took the booklet and tucked it into his shirt, his eyes full of anticipation. He said goodbye to Liang Chang and went straight to Fusheng Restaurant to keep an eye on Qin Shuang, so he could shake him down tomorrow.
Eight at night.
Fusheng Restaurant.
[You stroked Tiger Hide +1 time!]
[You consumed Qi and Blood Soup +1 bowl!]
[You...]
Qin Shuang stood in the kitchen at the back of the restaurant, stroking the tiger hide with his left hand and rubbing his round belly with his right. Five empty porcelain bowls sat on the stove in front of him. After buying two bowls of Qi and Blood Soup at Apricot Grove Spring Medicine Hall, he had gone to a Tong Ren Tang branch and bought two more. He'd come back and drunk all five bowls of soup.
[You stroked Tiger Hide a thousand times and drank five bowls of Qi and Blood Soup. Conditions met!]
[Your Fierce Tiger Fist advanced to mastery!]
[Your blood vitality has reached the Blood Condensation Realm's "Blood Vitality Like a Tiger"! Your blood vitality is now comparable to that of an adult tiger!]
At that moment, a notification appeared in his mind.
At the same time,
A mighty torrent of hot blood vitality flooded Qin Shuang's limbs and bones. Bathed in its warmth, every bone in his body grew stronger, crackling like beans popping. He clenched both fists and felt his blood vitality surge. His bones were sturdier, and his whole body brimmed with a savage strength.
His strength had increased at least fourfold!
He also found that his eyesight and hearing had doubled!
Most strikingly, the world seemed to have suddenly grown brighter. Even at night, he could see clearly—and could even hear an insect chirping two yards outside the window.
"Blood Vitality Like a Tiger?"
"Does that mean I'm as strong as a grown tiger now?"
Qin Shuang looked at the words "Blood Vitality Like a Tiger" on the system panel, his eyes bright with anticipation.
As far as he knew,
An adult tiger was seven or eight times as strong as an adult human. Did that mean his strength was now seven or eight times that of an ordinary person?
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