Root Bone Bestowed, Entering the Blood Refining Realm

Li Qiming's heart stirred.

He looked at number 1.

[1. Vice Hall Master of Sand Water Gang: Identity/Rare]

["Sand Water Gang" was one of the three major dock gangs. It held considerable power. By becoming a Vice Hall Master, you would have the chance to learn the Sand Water Gang's ultimate art, Sand Dragon Single Blade Slash.]

[*Identity Entries required a certain degree of plausibility. More often, the host needed to "disguise" and "act," or their cover would be blown. Bear the consequences yourself.]

"This..."

Li Qiming pulled at the corner of his mouth. He understood now. This Identity Entry wasn't nearly as awesome as he'd imagined. It came with all sorts of restrictions... He immediately found Identity Entries rather useless, at least at his current stage. Picking it would be a waste.

He could only look at number 2.

[2. Vice Hall Master's Half-Year Income: Wealth/Precious]

[After deducting the protection fees, entry fees, and other payments required by the hall, a Vice Hall Master's income for half a year was around fifty taels.]

"Hiss—he's a high-income earner."

Li Qiming sucked in a cold breath. His monthly wage as a menial was only three hundred copper coins.

The other's half-year income felt like it was nearly equal to several decades of his earnings.

Li Qiming couldn't help feeling tempted.

No matter what world it was, money might not be omnipotent, but without money, one couldn't get anywhere.

However... he still looked at number 3.

[3. Ape Arm Wasp Waist: Root Bone/Epic]

[You possess the Root Bone aptitude "Ape Arm Wasp Waist." This will raise your Root Bone aptitude to a certain standard, making you more suited to martial arts.]

"Just when I was dozing off, someone brought me a pillow. Vice Hall Master, what a good death!"

The moment he saw Entry 3, Li Qiming's heart surged with excitement. While eating earlier, he'd been worrying about how he could explain learning martial arts without any Root Bone aptitude.

Who would've thought that halfway through his meal, a Root Bone would die its way right to him!

What was there to hesitate over?

With a thought, he directly chose number three.

Learning martial arts and growing stronger were the most important things to him right now in this world that devoured people without even spitting out their bones. Nothing else came close.

As he selected the "Ape Arm Wasp Waist" Entry, the bones, muscles, and meridians throughout his body immediately began undergoing extremely subtle changes.

"Crackle, crackle!"

The first sound came from his spine, like a string of firecrackers. Then waves of numbness spread through his limbs and bones.

Beneath his gray menial's robe, Li Qiming's body was being reborn, as if genetically modified. The hidden genetic flaws in this body were being dramatically improved and filled in under the control of a mysterious force.

His muscles became more balanced, his arm span grew by three inches, his shoulders broadened, his waist narrowed, and his legs lengthened. His entire body brimmed with flexibility.

That physique gave him strength while making him even more agile.

"My body is different... It feels like some kind of shackle has been undone?"

At that moment, Li Qiming had an indescribable feeling. His body seemed much lighter, yet its substance felt heavier.

After tidying up the front hall, Li Qiming found some time to head to the menials' back courtyard and begin practicing martial arts.

He slowly performed a set of Tiger Roar Fist.

This fist technique, which he had practiced for a full three months, suddenly gave him many new insights at this moment.

Every move and stance felt completely different from before, as far apart as south and north.

Threads of Blood Qi coursed through his body before finally gathering in his arms. His arms visibly reddened.

Li Qiming could feel his Blood Qi clearly increasing.

"So this is what it feels like to have Root Bone aptitude?"

He slowly withdrew his technique and looked at the data panel:

[Tiger Roar Fist (Entry Level) 5/100]

Seeing that the Tiger Roar Fist, whose experience value hadn't budged after days of bitter practice, had gained five experience points in just a brief moment, Li Qiming was utterly stunned.

He hadn't even been serious just now. He'd merely practiced casually, yet he had improved so easily?

"Could it be... I've already become a genius?"

Li Qiming murmured softly.

Suddenly, his heart stirred. He took out the "Fine Essence-Nurturing Pill" from his clothes.

Before, Li Qiming's aptitude had been poor. Even if he rashly consumed it, the medicinal power would have leaked away in vain. Now that he possessed Root Bone aptitude, and this Fine Essence-Nurturing Pill was so valuable, keeping it would only invite trouble. He might as well take it now!

With that thought, Li Qiming no longer hesitated and swallowed it outright.

Boom!

The pill entered his body, and a powerful yet gentle force erupted within him!

So swollen! So uncomfortable! And yet so damn good!

Li Qiming knew that this was the perfect time to practice!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The young man's figure began wildly practicing martial arts in the dilapidated little courtyard.

Bolstered by the "Fine Essence-Nurturing Pill" and the "Ape Arm Wasp Waist" Root Bone, Li Qiming felt his martial strength growing madly.

He immediately immersed himself in it, utterly captivated and unable to pull himself free.

He practiced himself mad. He practiced himself obsessed.

Suddenly, Li Qiming's arms turned scorching hot, then a sharp pain struck, as though some thin membrane had been broken through.

Rushing!

His arms turned crimson, and the sound of Blood Qi flowing came from within them.

The Blood Qi throughout his body changed from hair-thin strands into streams as thick as chopsticks.

At that point, the Ren and Du Meridians opened.

Tiger Roar Fist reached Minor Accomplishment.

Li Qiming had transformed in a flash into a genuine early-stage Blood Refining Realm martial artist!

In the blink of an eye, night fell, and the restaurant closed.

"Boss, Shopkeeper Wang is back. He wants you to come to the front hall," a menial said outside the door.

"Alright."

Li Qiming replied.

Only then did he wake from his fist practice. The last trace of medicinal power from the "Qi Nourishing Pill" in his body also completely dissipated at that moment.

He looked at the panel.

[Tiger Roar Fist (Minor Accomplishment) 25/100]

With "Ape Arm Wasp Waist" plus the "Fine Essence-Nurturing Pill," he had improved so rapidly in just one day.

"I didn't expect it to be dark already. I thought only an hour had passed."

The feeling of his strength soaring by leaps and bounds throughout his body was far too intoxicating. It felt as though time itself had vanished.

Li Qiming pushed open the door and headed toward the front hall.

What did Shopkeeper Wang want with him?

After the martial artists' battle during the day, people had died in the restaurant. Though everything had been cleaned up, the tables, chairs, teacups, and other items had all been smashed. Other than a solid wooden counter that remained intact, the entire restaurant hall was completely empty.

Shopkeeper Wang stood by the counter with his hands behind his back.

He was over sixty this year, his face covered in wrinkles. In another year or two, the Martial Hall would probably dismiss him.

"Shopkeeper, you called for me?"

Li Qiming walked over, lowered his head slightly, and spoke respectfully.

"Mm... Here's ten taels of silver. Tomorrow, go to Carpenter Liu's and get some tables and chairs. Just make them exactly like the previous ones."

Shopkeeper Wang tossed him a bulging money pouch containing ten taels of broken silver.

"This... understood." Li Qiming nodded.

He was somewhat curious. When martial artists broke things, who paid for them? Those ten taels couldn't possibly have come out of Shopkeeper Wang's own pocket, could they?

As if sensing his thoughts, Shopkeeper Wang chuckled and said:

"The one who died in this hall today was the deputy leader of a Sand Water Gang hall. The martial artist who killed him was from the Black Gang, a gang that had only recently risen to prominence."

"This Black Gang had only just arrived in Dragon Spring City, yet they acted extraordinarily high-profile, fearing no one. They seemingly didn't even care about the Yamen."

"Still, they had to give Dragon Roar Martial Hall some face. Their deputy leader took the initiative to come and pay one hundred taels of silver in compensation."

"So that's how it was."

Li Qiming nodded thoughtfully.

If the restaurant hadn't had the Martial Hall backing it, who would have dared ask that Black Gang martial artist for even a single copper coin over what happened today?

Yet under the Martial Hall's intimidation, their deputy leader had directly come to pay compensation.

That was the deterrent power of a major force!

Li Qiming felt even more strongly that the Dragon Roar Martial Hall behind Laifu Restaurant was indeed a thigh worth clinging to!

"Alright, get some rest early," Shopkeeper Wang said.

Li Qiming nodded and turned to leave.

At the instant he turned around.

Shopkeeper Wang abruptly looked back. His yellowed, clouded eyes suddenly widened as he stared at Li Qiming.

The wrinkles on his old face spread open layer by layer. His mouth fell open as he said in astonishment:

"You've entered the Blood Refining Realm?"