"How could that be?"
Nangong Wan'er shook her head, then continued, "While you were out, two more groups came to investigate. When they saw the door was locked, they gave up."
"Also, I spotted a thug on the third floor, skulking around not far from the restaurant."
"A thug skulking around?"
Qin Shuang thought of Liang Chang. A glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "After my family's restaurant went under, Liang Chang, a hall master of the Flying Eagle Gang, produced a written IOU and claimed my family owed him a thousand taels of silver. That thug was probably sent by him to keep an eye on me."
"You're at the peak of the Blood Condensation Realm. I have a bottle of Tiger Blood Pills here. Take it and see if you can break through into the Bone Forging Realm."
At Qin Shuang's words, Nangong Wan'er considered it for a moment, then pulled a palm-sized White Porcelain Bottle from the bundle beside her and handed it to him.
She had picked up these Tiger Blood Pills while searching the bodies of her enemies after killing them.
At her cultivation level, the pills wouldn't do much for her. Giving them to Qin Shuang and helping him improve his strength was a good use for them.
"Huh? A whole bottle of Tiger Blood Pills?"
Hearing Nangong Wan'er's words, Qin Shuang's eyes widened. He clasped his hands and thanked her.
He hadn't been able to buy Tiger Blood Pills at any of the three medicine halls. He never expected Nangong Wan'er to have some on her.
Just when the mountains seemed to have no path through, a willow-shaded village appeared.
And what's more,
the medicine halls didn't even sell these Tiger Blood Pills. Nangong Wan'er had given him a whole bottle, and it had to be worth a fortune!
"Don't mention it. If you can advance to the Bone Forging Realm, you'll be better able to help me evade the search."
Nangong Wan'er waved a hand.
"Miss Nangong, make yourself at home here. If anyone comes searching, I'll handle them!"
Qin Shuang thumped his chest as he spoke to Nangong Wan'er.
"Mm. I'm going to cultivate. You go take care of your own business."
Nangong Wan'er nodded to Qin Shuang. After speaking, she flashed away to the third floor.
"There are actually twelve!"
Qin Shuang untied the red cloth-wrapped wooden stopper from the White Porcelain Bottle. A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.
Delighted, he poured ten Tiger Blood Pills into his palm, examined them, then tossed them into his mouth.
[Tiger Blood Pill +1] [Tiger Blood Pill +1] [...] [Condition met: ten Tiger Blood Pills.]
As he swallowed the Tiger Blood Pills, system notifications kept ringing in Qin Shuang's mind.
[Promotion conditions after simplification: 1. Stroke Tiger Hide 100,000 times (current: 17,768 times); 2. Ten Tiger Blood Pills (complete)]
"Not bad. It's three in the afternoon now, and I still have over eighty-three thousand strokes to go. I'll pull an all-nighter tonight. By tomorrow, I should have mastered Fierce Tiger Fist. Then it'll be the end for that Qi fellow!"
Qin Shuang looked at the panel in his mind, anticipation in his eyes.
He went to the kitchen, holding the piece of Tiger Hide in his left hand and stroking it over and over, while in his right hand he held the spatula he'd bought. He set to work making chives stir-fried with pig's blood.
The fine-holed Bamboo Birdcage holding the dragonfly sat off to one side.
[Stroke Tiger Hide +1 time!] [Watch Dragonfly Flight +1 minute!] [...]
As Qin Shuang stir-fried the pig's blood, the system's notifications sounded in his mind.
Before long,
the chives and pig's blood were ready. Qin Shuang set aside a bowl for Nangong Wan'er, then picked up his own bowl and dug in.
The taste was nothing special, but for the sake of Blood Rage Saber Art, he forced himself to finish it.
[Condition met: one bowl of pig's blood.] [Blood Rage Saber Art: (Beginner; practice ten times daily to reach proficiency in three months)] [Promotion conditions after simplification: 1. Kill a pig; 2. Eat ten bowls of pig's blood]
Just then, three system notifications rang in Qin Shuang's mind.
"To advance Blood Rage Saber Art to the proficient stage, I need to kill a pig and eat ten bowls of pig's blood?"
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Qin Shuang looked at the conditions for Blood Rage Saber Art, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
The slaughterhouse at the market usually butchered pigs in the morning, though sometimes they kept going until noon. The pig he'd watched them kill that morning had been the butcher's last one. To complete the task, he'd have to get up early and head to the slaughterhouse tomorrow.
Tonight was the perfect time to finish the requirements of stroking the Tiger Hide a hundred thousand times and watching Dragonfly Flight.
East City.
Good Fortune Casino.
"Xiao Guizi, still no sign of Jiyao?"
Liang Chang, dressed in a brocade robe, sat in a reclining chair, holding a steaming teacup. He frowned deeply as he looked at the thin young man before him and asked.
"Hall Master, I haven't seen him."
Chen Gui shook his head.
"That brat probably missed his wife again and ran home! Keep watching that Qin kid!"
Liang Chang sighed. His nephew really gave him no end of trouble. He'd gone home to sleep with his wife without so much as a word—he'd pulled that stunt several times before.
"Yes, Hall Master!"
Xiao Guizi nodded.
The next day, at noon.
[Stroke Tiger Hide +1 time!] [Stroke Tiger Hide +1 time!] [...]
In the backyard of Fusheng Restaurant, Qin Shuang held a small piece of Tiger Hide in his left hand and stroked it over and over. Every two breaths, a system notification rang in his mind.
[Ding! You have stroked Tiger Hide 100,000 times! Fierce Tiger Fist promotion condition met! Your Fierce Tiger Fist has reached perfection!] [Ding! Your Qi and Blood have surged. You have successfully advanced into the Bone Forging Realm!]
A quarter of an hour later, Qin Shuang suddenly felt his body shudder. A mighty surge of Qi and Blood burst from within him, and his bones crackled like popping beans!
At that moment,
Qin Shuang felt his strength surge. His whole body seemed ready to explode, and the world looked brighter. He could even hear a stray dog crawling behind the kitchen.
"Practice Fierce Tiger Fist first and temper your Qi and Blood!"
At that moment, Nangong Wan'er's voice rang in Qin Shuang's ear, sweet as an oriole's song.
"Okay!"
At her words, Qin Shuang immediately settled into a stance and unleashed the five moves in succession: Tiger Emerging from the Mountain, Fierce Tiger Pouncing, Tiger Tail Sweep, Fierce Tiger Rending, and Tiger Descending the Mountain. Fists roared through the backyard, which spanned more than three zhang!
Qin Shuang felt his Qi and Blood surging through him, as if a fierce tiger were roaring!
As his fists flew, a thin layer of blood-red mist appeared faintly over his body, like a gauzy robe. It looked extraordinarily mysterious!
"I've broken through into the Bone Forging Realm!"
Qin Shuang practiced Fierce Tiger Fist ten times before lowering his fists and standing still. He looked at his hands, satisfaction in his eyes.
Just think:
he'd practiced Fierce Tiger Fist for only two days, yet already brought it to perfection. And his strength had gone from that of someone who knew no martial arts at all to the Bone Forging Realm!
If Liu Hao, the senior disciple of Golden Tiger Martial Arts School, found out, he'd be so shocked his jaw would hit the floor.
"Let's see my perfected Grass on Flying lightness skill!"
Qin Shuang's heart stirred as he thought.
Last night, he'd completed the requirement of watching Dragonfly Flight for two hours.
He used Grass on Flying at the perfected stage, channeled force into his foot, and sprang up. Light as a feather, he pushed off the backyard wall, flashed upward to the second floor, and landed softly in the corridor.
Qin Shuang sprang up again and landed lightly in the courtyard. He leaped once more to the second floor, then bounded from the second floor to the third, having the time of his life.
"At last, my childhood dream of scaling walls and leaping across rooftops has come true!"
Feeling the formidable strength within him, Qin Shuang was thoroughly satisfied.
This was strength he could truly call his own!
"Tonight will be the end for that Qi fellow!"
Thinking of the bearded man surnamed Qi who'd pointed at him and cursed yesterday, Qin Shuang's eyes flashed with murderous intent. Having let that bastard live one extra day had torn at his heart. Tonight, he'd make the bastard pay back a hundredfold!
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