Potion

Medicinal Solution

Fang Mo stepped into the dining hall of Tiger Might Martial Arts School, unable to stop a strange feeling from rising in his heart.

The dining hall was cleverly divided by transparent glass into three distinct areas, each serving its own purpose in perfect order.

In the outermost section, eight long tables seated the front courtyard students, with a little over twenty youthful faces; the middle section had five long tables for the elite students of the rear courtyard. Though fewer in number, every one of them carried an extraordinary presence.

At the very back stood a single long table. Guan Lie, the school master, sat at its head, surrounded by five elite disciples, among whom was Miao Ping.

"Junior Brother Fang, over here!" Ding Zhiyuan called from a corner. Seated at a table, he waved Fang Mo over. Five others sat with him, and none of them looked particularly welcoming toward Fang Mo's arrival.

Fang Mo walked over. Ding Zhiyuan pointed at the plentiful dishes on the table. "Help yourself. Eat as much as you can!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ding." Fang Mo smiled and nodded, then politely greeted the other senior brothers. In return, he received only the faintest of nods.

He did not mind. His attention was drawn to the stir-fried cauliflower and braised pork with radish on the table. He filled a bowl to the brim, sat beside Ding Zhiyuan, and began wolfing it down. A morning of training had left him so hungry his chest was practically stuck to his back.

"Junior Brother Fang, how does the Tiger Subduing Stance feel?" Ding Zhiyuan asked as he ate.

"So-so."

Fang Mo swallowed a mouthful of rice. "There are some parts I don't understand. I'd like to ask Senior Brother for guidance."

"No problem. We can go over it after lunch," Ding Zhiyuan readily agreed.

Warmth stirred in Fang Mo's heart. Ding Zhiyuan was far easier to get along with than the other disciples. He quickened his pace of eating; he still had training in the afternoon and could not waste time.

In the inner hall, Guan Lie's eating motion abruptly paused. His gaze passed through the transparent partition and landed on Fang Mo, his brows unconsciously drawing together. Turning to Miao Ping, he asked calmly, "Miao Ping, how has this Fang Mo been performing?"

Upon hearing this, Miao Ping hurriedly set down his chopsticks.

"Master, he's quite hardworking. He mastered the Tiger Subduing Stance in a single morning and has been holding the stance the whole time!" He glanced at Fang Mo, lowering his voice slightly. "However, his constitution is too poor. I've observed him all morning, and he still hasn't managed to complete even two cycles of Heavenly Cycle Breathing."

Guan Lie gave a soft "Mm" and did not ask further.

Seeing this, Miao Ping understood. Master was not particularly concerned about Fang Mo; he had merely asked in passing. He picked up his chopsticks again and continued eating.

That afternoon, Fang Mo sought Ding Zhiyuan's advice on holding the stance. Ding Zhiyuan held nothing back, emptying the contents of his bag to teach him everything he knew, before retreating into the cool central hall. Fang Mo, meanwhile, ignored the blazing sun and remained steadfast in his stance, drenched in sweat. Every drop seemed to speak of his unyielding determination.

The disciples in the central hall watched him and occasionally let out mocking snickers. In their eyes, Fang Mo's efforts were completely futile.

As Guan Lie walked out of the dining hall, he saw Fang Mo persevering beneath the scorching sun, and his face darkened. "What right do you have to mock him?" His voice was icy. "Even someone with ordinary aptitude is working this hard. You, with your talent, are so slack—are you worthy of it?"

The disciples were cowed by the school master's rebuke. They no longer dared to rest and hurried back to their training spots.

As they passed Fang Mo, their eyes were filled with resentment.

Yet Fang Mo seemed not to notice at all. He was completely immersed in his own world of cultivation.

Every breath he took seemed to resonate with heaven and earth. Sweat poured from him like rain, yet it could not extinguish the blazing fighting spirit in his heart. The moment he successfully completed his second cycle of Heavenly Cycle Breathing, it was as though thunder exploded within his body, and an unprecedented, surging power suddenly awakened.

His blood began to boil, like scorching lava racing through his veins, bringing a burning sensation from within. Yet it was not pain, but the herald of a transformation.

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Fang Mo could clearly feel that his Qi and Blood Power had risen at that moment. Though it might not be enough to change things at the root, to him, it was an incomparable improvement—one that gave him firmer, stronger confidence.

Night fell, and the students gradually left. The martial arts school became empty.

Ding Zhiyuan came over and said to Fang Mo, "Junior Brother Fang, stop training. You've trained all day. Go back and rest early. You can't push your training too hard, or you might damage your foundation."

Fang Mo wiped the sweat from his forehead and revealed a tired smile. "Thank you, Senior Brother Ding. I'll go back after one more round."

Ding Zhiyuan nodded and was about to leave when he suddenly turned back. He took a bottle of medicine from his robes. "Junior Brother Fang, take this. Soak in it when you get back—it'll ease your fatigue, and your muscles won't be so sore tomorrow."

Fang Mo hurriedly tried to refuse, but Ding Zhiyuan insisted. "Take it. Consider it a loan from me. Just buy some tomorrow and pay me back."

Fang Mo was deeply moved. This Ding Zhiyuan was truly someone worth befriending. "Then I'll accept it for now. Thank you, Senior Brother Ding."

Ding Zhiyuan waved a hand and turned to leave.

Watching his departing figure, Fang Mo silently vowed that he would repay this favor someday.

Late at night, all the students had long since left the martial arts school.

Fang Mo finished his final round of training. His entire body was exhausted, but his spirit had never felt more fulfilled.

Dragging his weary body home, he headed for the house Yue Jian had rented for him near the martial arts school. It was only two or three li away, a small courtyard with its own entrance.

In the dark stretches of the street, wandering hooligans could be seen from time to time. But upon seeing Fang Mo's martial arts school uniform, no one came forward.

Cigarette embers flickered in the dark alleys, and miserable screams rang out now and then.

Fang Mo turned a deaf ear, dragging his heavy legs onward.

Where martial arts flourished, other problems were bound to follow. When knights wielded force to defy the law, it was only inevitable.

Things were still relatively normal during the day, but once night fell, darkness belonged to the gangs large and small throughout Yunyang, with all manner of crimes emerging one after another.

He could barely manage himself right now. Where would he find the strength to manage others?

Fang Mo returned to the small courtyard and opened the gate. The pitch-dark yard stirred a sense of loneliness within him, but he immediately cast the thought out of his mind.

After closing the courtyard gate and returning to his room, he barely even wanted to eat. All he wanted was sleep. Still, he forced himself to fill the bath with hot water.

Following Ding Zhiyuan's advice, he poured in the green liquid. The bath instantly turned dark green, and the fragrance of medicine filled the air. As he soaked within it, Fang Mo felt a warm current seep through his skin, soothing every tense muscle. In the end, he could no longer resist his drowsiness and fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he stood amid a field of ruins. Blazing flames raged all around him, while a fierce tiger roared in the sky, its cry shaking the four wilds.

He felt a force awakening within him—a powerful force that made his heart tremble. Throwing back his head, he let out a long roar. A ring of golden light suddenly surged around his body, containing boundless power.

When Fang Mo woke, the sky was just beginning to brighten. He felt brimming with vitality, as though last night's exhaustion had never existed.

He rose to his feet and found his body lighter than before, his blood and qi flowing more smoothly. He knew he had made a breakthrough. Though it was still not enough for him to look down upon all heroes, at the very least, he had taken a solid step forward on the path of martial arts.

Fang Mo got dressed and opened the courtyard gate. Sunlight fell across his face. He took a deep breath, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.

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