Fierce Tiger Fist Mastery, Blood Vitality Like a Tiger [Seeking Support!]

4:00 PM.

Qin Shuang returned to the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School.

"Junior Brother Qin, using Qi and Blood Soup to assist in your fist training can indeed speed up the tempering of your qi and blood. However, since you haven't mastered the Fierce Tiger Fist yet, you can only buy one bowl every three days; you won't be able to handle more than that... Besides, one bowl of Qi and Blood Soup costs two taels of silver."

Senior Brother Liu Hao looked at Qin Shuang and said.

As the senior brother of the martial arts school, he earned a small profit from every bowl of Qi and Blood Soup sold. However, because the medicinal potency of the soup could not be easily dispersed and could cause nosebleeds if taken in excess, and because it was relatively expensive, he felt obligated to make the situation clear beforehand.

"Then I'll start by buying one bowl!"

Qin Shuang hadn't expected that he could only buy one bowl every three days, so he had to settle for the next best thing and start with one bowl first.

"Follow me."

Liu Hao said this to Qin Shuang, then headed toward the back of the school, walking toward a three-section courtyard with a plaque that read 'Medicinal Cuisine House'.

Qin Shuang followed behind. While still dozens of feet away from the courtyard, he could already smell a strong scent of traditional Chinese medicine. After passing through a circular archway, Liu Hao told Qin Shuang to wait in the front courtyard while he took the two taels of silver and went inside.

A short while later, Liu Hao emerged carrying a five-inch-tall, two-handled porcelain jar. He handed it to Qin Shuang and cautioned, "Junior Brother Qin, this is the Qi and Blood Soup. After you go back, drink it in several sittings. Take a sip first to disperse the medicinal power while practicing the Fierce Tiger Fist to temper your qi and blood, then wait until the medicinal effect has been consumed before drinking a bit more to continue your training... Don't drink it all at once."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother!"

Qin Shuang took the porcelain jar, thanked Liu Hao, and said, "It's almost time for the school to close, so I'll come back to practice tomorrow."

"Mm."

Liu Hao nodded. Qin Shuang carried the small cloth bag containing the porcelain jar and walked out of the Medicinal Cuisine House.

At this time, the school's closing hour had arrived, and the non-resident disciples were finishing their training one after another to head home.

"He's really rich. On his first day of training, he can already afford Qi and Blood Soup! I'm so envious!"

"Yeah, if I could have a bowl of Qi and Blood Soup every three days, I would have reached the level of Blood Vitality Like a Tiger by now!"

"You can tell at a glance he's a wealthy kid..."

As soon as Qin Shuang walked out of the Medicinal Cuisine House, he was spotted by a group of boys and girls, and their voices, filled with envy, reached his ears.

"If you can't master the Fierce Tiger Fist, drinking all that Qi and Blood Soup is just a waste..."

Jin Qiao'er watched as Qin Shuang walked out of the school gate with his portion of Qi and Blood Soup, shaking her head.

She knew clearly that after consuming the medicinal soup, one needed to practice the Fierce Tiger Fist to disperse and absorb the medicine and condense their qi and blood. For someone like Qin Shuang, who hadn't put in the effort to master the fist technique, the efficiency of converting the soup into qi and blood would be extremely poor.

Being able to absorb even twenty percent of the medicinal potency would be considered decent.

"He insisted on buying it, so there's nothing I can do."

Liu Hao spread his hands, looking quite helpless.

His family background was not wealthy. Selling a bowl of Qi and Blood Soup allowed him to earn a little to supplement his cultivation; after all, he had said everything that needed to be said.

[Stroking Tiger Hide +1 time!]

[Stroking Tiger Hide +1 time!]

Qin Shuang walked out of the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School, pulled the piece of Tiger Hide from his chest, and began stroking it as he walked toward the east side of East Gate Street, lost in thought. To advance Fierce Tiger Fist from Proficient to Mastery, I still need four bowls of Qi and Blood Soup... It seems I have no choice but to go to a pharmacy to buy them.

Qingzhou City had three major pharmacies: Tong Ren Tang, Hundred Herbs Hall, and Apricot Grove Spring. Each of these pharmacies had dozens of branches spread throughout the city.

Following the street where the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School was located and heading east for a hundred meters, he arrived at a branch of Apricot Grove Spring.

"The Qi and Blood Soup prepared by our pharmacy has the best effect for condensing qi and blood in the entire city! The price is also very fair, honest to all customers!"

"Two taels and five mace of silver per bowl!"

"Little brother, how many do you need?"

Qin Shuang tucked the Tiger Hide into his chest and walked into the Apricot Grove Spring pharmacy. An old apothecary, around fifty years old, saw him and immediately stepped forward with enthusiasm upon hearing he wanted to buy Qi and Blood Soup.

"Two taels and five mace a bowl?"

Qin Shuang cursed inwardly at how black-hearted they were. Although he had heard that the pharmacy's prices were higher than the martial arts school's, he hadn't expected them to be this much higher. This was what they called a fair price?

However, for the sake of meeting the requirements to advance Fierce Tiger Fist to Mastery, he decided to grit his teeth and buy them.

There were only eight days left before Liang Chang would come to collect the debt. He had to use the Simplification System to improve his strength as quickly as possible.

"Can you make it a bit cheaper? I only have five taels of silver and I want to buy two bowls."

"I still need to keep some silver for food."

Qin Shuang said, feigning 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 pharmacy. Being cautious was never a bad thing.

"This..."

The thin, elderly man looked Qin Shuang over and said, "How about four taels and nine mace for two bowls? I can't go any lower!"

"Fine!"

Qin Shuang pretended to be pained as he took out five taels of silver and handed them to the thin old apothecary.

The old apothecary brought out two porcelain bowls, gave him back one mace of silver, and handed them to Qin Shuang, saying, "Little brother, you really made the right choice by choosing our pharmacy! We also have even better Blood Vitality Pills and Blood Nourishing Pills... If you have any friends who need them, feel free to introduce them to our Apricot Grove Spring!"

"Alright, if any friends are in need, I will definitely introduce them to you!"

Qin Shuang nodded at the old apothecary, picked up the Qi and Blood Soup, and turned to leave.

Qingzhou City, East Gate Street, the backyard of the Good Fortune Casino.

One-Eyed Dragon Liang Chang looked at his nephew, Liang Jiyao, who stood before him, his face etched with confusion. He asked, "What? That brat went to the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School? Could it be that he actually has the ten taels of silver for the entrance fee?"

"Yes, Second Uncle. I saw him pay the silver to enter, but he stayed at the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School for less than half an hour before heading to the market to buy a piece of Tiger Hide from a hunter. Then, at five o'clock in the afternoon, he went to Tong Ren Tang and Apricot Grove Spring to buy Qi and Blood Soup," Liang Jiyao said respectfully.

"Not only did he go to the martial arts school to practice boxing, but he also has silver to buy Qi and Blood Soup?"

A curve formed at the corner of Liang Chang's mouth. He tapped his index and middle fingers against the table and sneered, "Find a few thugs tomorrow to shake him down and squeeze his silver out of him. There are still eight days left. If he can't come up with one thousand taels of silver by then, Fusheng Restaurant will have to be used to settle the debt!"

At this moment, Liang Chang felt a surge of anticipation.

The IOU was something he had forced Tang Xing to write, and he had grabbed Tang Xing's hand to press the thumbprint himself. The evidence was ironclad. If Qin Shuang refused to acknowledge it, he could have him thrown into the county jail; he would have no choice but to agree in the end.

Over the years, he had used this method to acquire quite a few properties for his gang, which was how he had earned his position as a hall master.

A mere youth could not escape the palm of his hand!

"As expected of Second Uncle! What a brilliant plan!" Liang Jiyao's eyes gleamed as he flattered him.

"Learn well. I have high hopes for you!"

Liang Chang stood up, patted Liang Jiyao on the shoulder, tossed him a booklet, and said, "Take this Grass on Flying and practice it well when you have time! Go on!"

"Yes, Second Uncle! I guarantee I will complete the task!"

Liang Jiyao took the booklet, tucked it into his robes with a look of anticipation, bid Liang Chang farewell, and headed straight for Fusheng Restaurant. He prepared to keep an eye on Qin Shuang so he could shake him down tomorrow.

Eight o'clock at night.

Fusheng Restaurant.

[You have touched the Tiger Hide +1 time!]

[You have consumed one bowl of Qi and Blood Soup!]

[You...]

Qin Shuang stood in the backyard kitchen, his left hand stroking the Tiger Hide while his right hand rested on his round, bulging belly. On the stove in front of him sat five empty porcelain bowls. After buying two bowls of Qi and Blood Soup at Apricot Grove Spring Pharmacy, he had gone to a branch of Tong Ren Tang to buy two more, and upon returning, he had downed all five bowls.

[You have touched the Tiger Hide a thousand times and met the condition of drinking five bowls of Qi and Blood Soup!]

[Your Fierce Tiger Fist has successfully advanced to the Mastery realm!]

[The Qi and blood within your body have reached the 'Blood Vitality Like a Tiger' state of the Blood Condensation Realm! You possess the strength of Qi and blood comparable to an adult tiger!]

Just then, a notification popped up in his mind.

At the same time.

A surging, hot current of Qi and blood flooded Qin Shuang's limbs and bones. Under the nourishment of this heat, his bones became even sturdier, emitting a series of crackling sounds like popping beans. He stretched out his hands and clenched his fists, feeling his Qi and blood surging; his bones were stronger, and his entire body was filled with a sense of violent power.

His strength had increased by at least four times compared to before!

Moreover, he discovered that his eyesight and hearing had both doubled!

The most intuitive change was that the world suddenly seemed much brighter; even at night, he could see clearly, and he could even hear the chirping of small insects two zhang away outside the window.

"Blood Vitality Like a Tiger?"

"Does that mean my current strength is comparable to an adult tiger?"

Qin Shuang looked at the words 'Blood Vitality Like a Tiger' on the system panel, a look of anticipation in his eyes.

As far as he knew.

The strength of an adult tiger was seven to eight times that of an adult human. Did this not mean that his own strength had already surpassed that of an ordinary person by seven or eight times?