Martial Artist

A heavy rain had fallen over Yang City. The sky was gloomy, and the breeze carried a chill.

In the open space outside the dormitories in the Inner Courtyard of the Four Seas Escort Agency, the best time to train after lunch had arrived. Everyone else was practicing the Nourishing Life Technique at the Training Ground, while only Jiang Ping was here.

Huff, huff, huff...

Bare-chested, Jiang Ping practiced the Nourishing Life Technique. Vigorous Blood Qi coursed through his veins. Though the weather had turned cold, he felt no chill at all. Instead, his body felt like a furnace on the verge of erupting, faintly poised to explode.

He was about to break through and transform into a Martial Artist. That was why he had chosen to train here.

At this moment, Jiang Ping felt the Blood Qi within him surging at every instant. Even if he stopped using the Breathing Technique of the Nourishing Life Technique, he could not stop his Blood Qi from churning.

Buzz, buzz.

As he neared the Martial Artist realm, his Fist Force had long since surpassed five hundred jin. Every punch he threw carried a powerful gust of Wind Force, imposing and oppressive.

To put it bluntly, Fang Yong, who was publicly acknowledged as number one in Fist Force, might not be able to withstand even one of his punches. Even if one punch failed to kill him, two would definitely be enough.

Looking at it on a larger scale, let alone Fang Yong, even the Top Five in Fist Force combined probably would not be enough for him to fight.

Jiang Ping wanted to fight ten of them.

And the reason he had made such progress today was still because of his extraordinary talent.

Even without the Purple-Gold Fate, he could still have become a Martial Artist quickly!

From the very first day he discovered his own talent, Jiang Ping's cultivation had advanced a thousand miles a day. Yet less than half a month had passed before he neared the Martial Artist realm.

And that was while practicing the Nourishing Life Technique, famed for being difficult to cultivate. If he had begun with a Stance Technique instead, how fast would he have progressed?

Suddenly!

As Jiang Ping trained, he felt the Blood Qi throughout his body boil violently. His heart beat powerfully, so loudly that he could even hear its thumping.

His furnace-like body seemed to erupt in an instant, and streams of Blood Qi continuously sprang forth.

He clenched his fist.

Wave after wave of Blood Qi surged into his arm, while something like Thunder Sound seemed to rumble inside Jiang Ping's body.

Moreover, an inexplicable thought arose. He seemed to have calculated the force produced by that clenched fist.

"Over a thousand pounds!" Jiang Ping murmured, disbelief on his face.

He understood that he had broken through. He had officially become a Blood-Qi Martial Artist.

A Martial Artist "internally refined a breath of Qi and externally trained muscles, bones, and skin." Jiang Ping's current state meant that his Internal Refinement of his own Blood Qi had been initially completed, and his physical qualities had begun to transcend the bounds of ordinary people.

A powerful sensation surged through him. Jiang Ping was absolutely certain that he could punch Fang Yong to death.

And the signs of a Blood-Qi Martial Artist were not limited to obvious strength. His control over his body had also changed in subtle ways.

At this moment, he could clearly sense the flow of his Blood Qi. Through it, he could perceive every part of his body—from the pulsing of his five viscera and six bowels and the surging blood supplied by his heart, down to his four limbs and hundreds of bones and the blood flowing through his vessels.

That was why he could estimate his own Fist Force.

The key point was that he no longer needed to use the Breathing Technique of the Nourishing Life Technique to mobilize Blood Qi naturally. The Blood Qi in his body rose and fell with his thoughts, obeying him freely.

In other words, Jiang Ping could unleash his greatest strength in an instant. As long as he wanted to, he could do it.

"Now, I'm frighteningly powerful!"

Excitement filled Jiang Ping's eyes.

He had finally become the Martial Artist he had dreamed of for six years.

It was like having a dream for six years, only for it to suddenly come true one day. Such joy, such a sense of accomplishment, was beyond words.

Huff, huff.

With no one around, Jiang Ping experienced the power of a Blood-Qi Martial Artist a little longer. He only felt the Blood Qi within him rolling endlessly, every casual movement carrying an indescribable gust of Wind Force.

[Nourishing Life Technique Eighth Level (0/200)]

He glanced at his Destiny and thought to himself:

"According to the Nourishing Life Technique, once I reach the Eighth Level, Blood Qi can leave the body by more than an inch and form a blood shield around the body. Though it cannot compare to Eighth Grade Skin Refining, it can barely block a blade or sword or two. Once Great Accomplishment is reached, the Blood Qi leaving the body becomes more like Blood Armor. Catching bare blades with empty hands would be no difficulty."

"But if I truly reach the Eighth Level later, I'll have to be more careful when using my strength. I need to hide my capabilities."

Jiang Ping's cultivation speed was too fast. He had originally thought he had barely opened a gap of one or two levels over the others.

Yet as the days passed, even the most outstanding Fang Yong had only reached the Third Level of the Nourishing Life Technique, while Jiang Ping had already become a Martial Artist. The gap was four levels. It did not seem large, but converted into time, it was probably even more outrageous.

Therefore, this kind of talent was best kept hidden. If others discovered it, it might not necessarily be a good thing; it could also bring disaster.

Jiang Ping had always adhered to one principle: if he possessed ten parts, he would show no more than three or four before others. His idol was "Han the Celestial Who Saves the Suffering and Relieves Calamity."

After becoming a Martial Artist,

Jiang Ping felt much more at ease.

This meant that he had gained a certain foothold in the Escort Agency and in Yang City. Likewise, he would have the tiniest shred of confidence on future Escort Missions.

"Blood Cultivation is actually a process of consuming Blood Qi. Martial Artists use Blood Qi flowing through the whole body to temper their physical qualities and generate more Blood Qi, but there will be depletion during the process."

"The higher the level, the more Blood Qi is needed. That is why cultivation stresses nourishing training through food. The more nourishing the food, the longer one can train, and the better the result."

"But as a Blood-Qi Martial Artist, I can train for longer periods now."

Jiang Ping thought to himself. Now that he was a Martial Artist, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Blood Qi Realm.

"Of course, the path of Martial Dao also requires a balance between exertion and rest. You can't force it."

Afterward, feeling somewhat tired, Jiang Ping stopped and returned to the dormitory to study the Flying Snow Saber.

In truth, his breakthrough with the Flying Snow Saber had come earlier than his breakthrough with the Nourishing Life Technique. He was now not only a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, but his Blade Art had also reached Minor Accomplishment, producing forty streaks of cold light.

But that was only the process. Saber Qi was the ultimate goal.

He had asked Escort Huang about it. The Flying Snow Saber Technique could produce Flying Snow Saber Qi. Once one reached that realm, Saber Qi could strike enemies eighty zhang away, killing as easily as taking something from a bag.

Jiang Ping had also heard that some blade arts held even more profound principles. Their Saber Qi could extend for a hundred zhang, with terrifying force.

But that was not something he could obtain. Having Saber Qi that reached eighty zhang would already be excellent. The Flying Snow Saber was also a powerful Fast Saber.

More importantly, although blade arts were strong, it varied from person to person. Not everyone could cultivate Saber Qi.

Those saber wielders who could master Saber Qi were all people of extraordinary talent. It would already be quite remarkable if Yang City had enough to count on five fingers.

Creak.

At that moment, the dormitory door suddenly opened, and several roommates entered one after another, preparing to take a short afternoon nap.

"Jiang, are you still practicing your blade?"

With an eager look on his face, Luo Tiegen saw Jiang Ping sitting by his bed and fiddling with a wooden blade, and could not help asking.

"Come to think of it, I didn't see Jiang at the Training Ground this afternoon either." Luo Da Niu also asked.

"Oh, I practiced my blade a little longer in the open space outside the dormitory. It's quieter here." Jiang Ping tucked the wooden blade beneath his bedding and answered casually.

"Jiang is truly diligent. Knowing that his Blade Art is slightly inferior to Fang Yong's, he doubled his training." Luo Tiegen still wanted to close the distance with one of the Top Five in Fist Force, but Jiang Ping acted as if he had heard nothing and did not wish to bother with him.

Seeing Jiang Ping's attitude, Luo Tiegen did not continue making a fool of himself. He returned to his own bed, though he still wore a smiling expression.

Luo Da Niu remained where he was, then suddenly recalled something. "Right, Jiang, you don't know yet, do you? Qian Dele also broke through to the Second Level of the Nourishing Life Technique. You should have seen that smug mouth of his..."

Bang!

Before Da Niu could finish speaking, the dormitory door that had just been shut was violently kicked open.

Sun Zheng strode in with his head held high.