How Did Shi Wen Temper His Blood and Qi? Junior Brother, Can Someone Like Me Really Make It?

"Is that you, kid?"

Zhou Heling recognized the person blocking her, and her expression instantly darkened.

Back when this kid had tried to bribe Yan Kai for a spot in the Boat Gang, she had looked down on the handsome young man. She often gave him trouble, openly and behind his back, and even let Outer Courtyard disciples pick on him.

Unfortunately, all the kid did was train.

He barely interacted with anyone, making it impossible for her to target him.

Then the Xingshui Gang had run into trouble, so she had stopped paying attention to him. She hadn't expected him to dare stand up for Li Tiezhu.

"Damn it, I'm already in a foul mood, and you're sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong?"

Zhou Heling slapped at Shi Wen's face. Though she used only a fraction of her strength, that slap could probably have knocked him senseless!

Shi Wen neither dodged nor flinched. He raised a palm to meet hers.

Their palms collided with a dull thud, like two iron arms slamming together. Their clothes ballooned from the force, as if struck by a gale.

But what happened next was beyond anyone's expectations.

The scrawny Outer Courtyard disciple was unharmed. Instead, Zhou Heling staggered back four or five steps. Her arm bent and burst with a crack, and a broken bone pierced straight through her flesh. Bright-red blood dripped to the ground!

Zhou Heling stared blankly, unable to believe it.

Shi Wen was just as astonished. Afraid of killing Zhou Heling, he hadn't even used his blood and qi, let alone his full strength. He hadn't expected to break her arm anyway.

Was she really that fragile?

A commotion erupted throughout the Outer Courtyard.

The disciples stared at Shi Wen in shock, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets!

What was going on?

An Outer Courtyard disciple had broken an Inner Courtyard disciple's arm?

How was that possible?

Unless...

Shi Wen had tempered his blood and qi!

Zhou Heling quickly recovered her senses and exclaimed in shock, "You've tempered your blood and qi?"

Her face was full of astonishment.

But she soon reined in her earlier cruelty and aggression.

Without a word, she set the broken bone back in place, tore a strip of cloth from her clothes to bind it, then went to the infirmary to tend to her wound.

Zhou Heling had actually left without causing any more trouble or even making a threat!

Compared to her earlier aggression, she seemed like an entirely different person.

The stark difference between how she treated Inner Courtyard and Outer Courtyard disciples left the latter gaping in disbelief.

"Even if Senior Brother Shi has tempered his blood and qi, how could he have broken Senior Sister Zhou's arm? What happened?"

Someone asked in confusion.

A disciple whose family elders were martial artists spoke quietly from among the crowd. "You don't know? Blood-Tempering Realm martial artists are stronger than ordinary people, and when they circulate their blood and qi, they can unleash dozens of times their usual destructive power. My uncle is a martial artist. Without using his blood and qi, he's only a little stronger than an ordinary person. But once he uses it, he can break metal with his bare hands!"

"Senior Sister Zhou probably didn't expect Senior Brother Shi to have tempered his blood and qi. She was caught off guard, so she was injured."

"But an injury like that will heal in a few days for a martial artist..."

After the explanation, the Outer Courtyard disciples finally understood.

But soon, an indescribable ache welled up in their hearts, and envy crept into their eyes as they looked at Shi Wen.

Who wouldn't be jealous?

When Qin Heng had broken through to the Blood-Tempering Realm in such a short time, most people had only teased him about how envious they were. Deep down, they thought he was a born genius, so it was only natural for him to reach the Blood-Tempering Realm!

But what about Shi Wen?

His family was poor, his physique was ordinary, and he wasn't a genius. What right did he have to temper his blood and qi?

Why couldn't they be the ones to temper their blood and qi?

After Zhou Heling left, an eerie silence settled over the Outer Courtyard. Everyone looked at Shi Wen with complicated expressions.

"Junior Brother Shi, congratulations! I knew you could do it!"

Li Tiezhu's pale face was alight with excitement as he congratulated Shi Wen. "I always thought you had great insight. I didn't expect you to make it before me. Congratulations!"

"And thanks to you for sparring with me back then, Senior Brother. You helped me a lot."

Shi Wen smiled in reply, showing no arrogance despite his changed status.

To be honest, Li Tiezhu really had helped him.

Without all those sparring sessions with Li Tiezhu, he would have had no experience fighting for his life. Even with martial skills, he would have been beaten to death!

Shi Wen helped Li Tiezhu over to the grand chair.

It was the very seat where Zhou Heling had been lying earlier. Li Tiezhu didn't dare sit down, but Shi Wen said, "It's fine. Let her come after me if she dares."

Li Tiezhu couldn't refuse, so he sat.

As he chatted with Shi Wen, his deathly pale face occasionally flushed.

After a while, Li Tiezhu sighed. "Congratulations, Junior Brother Shi. Now that you're a martial artist, you can make a place for yourself in Black Cloud County. I'd been thinking I'd help you join the Xingshui Gang and earn some money once I became a martial artist first. But the gang is gone, and so am I."

"A couple of days ago, someone caused trouble at the docks and injured several Fist Academy disciples. Senior Sister Zhou told me to deal with it. I didn't expect that man to lose and then ambush me, breaking my ribs. They pierced my lung, and it'll cost a lot to treat."

"I was so close to tempering my blood and qi, too. I never thought..."

As he said this, a desolate look crossed his face.

His eyes reddened despite himself. In a voice only he could hear, he mocked himself: "Junior Brother Shi, tell me, can someone like me really make it?"

"I believe you can, Senior Brother Li."

Shi Wen handed Li Tiezhu the money pouch at his waist. "Senior Brother Li, I don't have much here, but it should help you through this emergency. Take it for now."

The pouch held a ten-tael banknote and some loose silver.

He usually carried it for emergencies, and it should be enough to cover Li Tiezhu's medical expenses.

Li Tiezhu refused several times.

Then he accepted the pouch. He figured it wasn't much money and that he could repay Junior Brother Shi for the favor later.

The two chatted for a while.

Li Tiezhu left, staggering as he carried the light pouch.

But the Outer Courtyard's attention had already shifted away from him.

The disciples still hadn't recovered. Each of them wore a conflicted expression and kept sneaking glances at Shi Wen.

An eerie silence filled the entire courtyard through lunchtime.

First Qin Huan, and now Shi Wen. Both had become martial artists after joining the Fist Academy only about half a month earlier. How could that not shake them?

They couldn't understand what made Shi Wen succeed!

Was it just because he had trained so hard?

During that time, Zhou Heling returned after bandaging her wound. She saw Shi Wen asleep in her chair.

Her expression darkened, but she swallowed her anger.

He had taken an Outer Courtyard disciple's chair and was resting in it, but she didn't pick a fight with him.

She might have been aggressive and a bully who preyed on the weak, but she wasn't stupid.

She had been through that stage herself. She knew how agonizing and unbearable it was to temper one's blood and qi.

For a poor country boy to manage it, he must have shed more sweat and blood than anyone could imagine. He must have been fearless, ruthless, and daring in his training.

She didn't want to provoke someone like that.

For once, Shi Wen didn't train during the midday break. He rested in the grand chair.

When the break was over,

Shi Wen finally got up and headed for the Inner Courtyard, under the complicated, envious gazes of many Outer Courtyard disciples.

The Inner Courtyard wasn't large, only about a hundred square meters.

It was separated by just one courtyard wall, yet that wall kept countless Outer Courtyard disciples outside.

For countless people, the one time they had entered the Inner Courtyard was when they first came to study under a master. After that, they might never set foot inside again for the rest of their lives!

There weren't many people in the Inner Courtyard, or perhaps they hadn't gotten up yet.

The Fist Academy wasn't large, but its Inner Courtyard disciples received generous benefits. The Inner Courtyard also had private rooms for them to live in.

Wei Shan yawned as he went to the well to draw water and wash his face.

The moment he saw Shi Wen, his eyes widened in surprise. Then he glared and shouted, "You little punk! Who said you could come in without announcing yourself? If you need something, go tell Zhou Heling and have her speak for you. What are you, to think you can come to the Inner Courtyard?"

Wei Shan had joined later than Zhou Heling, so technically he should have called her Senior Sister.

But he called her by name, which made it obvious that Zhou Heling had been kicked out of their little circle.

Shi Wen's eyes narrowed, but his face remained expressionless. He ignored Wei Shan.

If Wei Shan had asked politely, Shi Wen would have answered. But what was this attitude?

He had already revealed that he'd tempered his blood and qi. If he still put up with this, all his training would have been for nothing.

"Damn it, what are you putting on airs for?"

Wei Shan was furious. He lunged forward with the Full Bow Stance, then used Follow-Step Lift and Prop Punch. His body was like a powerful bow drawn to the full moon, and his movements boomed with dull, violent force!

A beastlike roar erupted from Wei Shan's throat.

The Prop Punch shot straight for Shi Wen's chest. He didn't use his blood and qi, but he didn't hold back either!

"Good!"

Shi Wen dodged to the side and closed in, his iron shoulder crashing forward like a blow that could shake the land. He sent Wei Shan flying. Wei Shan hit the ground hard, stars flashing before his eyes.

"Damn it, you're asking for death!"

Humiliated, Wei Shan's eyes turned vicious. Blood and qi surged into his legs as he charged at Shi Wen, opening with a killing move.

He didn't believe he could lose to this kid.

He had only been knocked flying because he'd just woken up with a muddled head and had been careless enough to take the Iron Mountain Lean head-on.

"Lion Opens Mouth!"

"Cross Fist!"

"Overlord Lifts Tripod, Crotch Kick, Prop Punch, Sky-Piercing Cannon..."

A series of explosive, close-range impacts rang out in the Inner Courtyard!

Wei Shan was like a raging beast. Every move carried a vicious killing intent, and bricks shattered beneath his Charging Step. His muscles surged, and he struck with the terrifying destructive power of a human machine.

Each punch and kick seemed forged from solid iron, thundering through the air!

His killing moves rolled forth like rumbling thunder!

The Outer Courtyard disciples who had gathered to watch were frightened out of their wits by each deadly strike.

No wonder Senior Brother Wei had spent half a year in the Inner Courtyard as a Blood-Tempering Realm expert. His Baji Fist was terrifying! Any one of his moves could beat them half to death!

But laymen watched for the spectacle, while experts saw the skill.

Shi Wen's breathing was steady. He hadn't struck back, yet he seemed completely at ease.

By contrast, the seemingly savage Wei Shan had been breathing hard after his short burst of attacks. He couldn't muster any more strength and was stuck in an awkward position!

This Outer Courtyard disciple named Shi Wen really wasn't simple.

His fighting experience was remarkably seasoned.

Knowing he couldn't beat an Inner Courtyard disciple head-on, he kept dodging and wearing down his opponent's blood and qi.

"As expected, this kid isn't simple. If we fought to the death, I'd probably have to pay a price to win!"

Zhou Heling murmured to herself as she watched from the doorway.

Shi Wen had more or less figured out Wei Shan's moves. He stopped dodging, ready to strike him lightly and put an end to this farce.

Li Qianqian came out just then, her gaze icy. "Stop it. Don't make a scene!"