Eliminated, 100,000 Treasure Coins for a Pound of Meat? Minor Achievement, Breakthrough into the Blood-Tempering Realm!

Li Tiezhu smiled. "Junior Brother Shi, I think you're a good person. I'll recommend you to Senior Sister Zhou and the others in a bit. Then you and I can work together and look out for each other."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Li."

Shi Wen clasped his hands in gratitude.

Li Tiezhu smiled without saying anything, then left to chat with a few Outer Courtyard disciples.

Before long,

the whole Outer Courtyard was abuzz with the news.

Many people stopped practicing and gathered in groups of three or five to discuss it.

Soon, someone came out from the Inner Courtyard.

They set up a table beneath the banyan tree.

Several Inner Courtyard disciples sat at the table with an air of importance. Among them were Yan Kai, whom Shi Wen had met before, Zhou Heling, and the genius disciple Qin Huan. They chatted and laughed, clearly planning to hold a selection meeting there.

The one at their head was a young man with a large frame.

His name was Sun Mingting. They said he was an expert in the Blood-Coagulation Realm and the leader of this little circle. He was also one of the Inner Courtyard's Top Ten Disciples, ranked tenth!

"Li Tiezhu, Zhao You, Yang Chenghuan, come over."

Li Tiezhu and two sturdy young men who were close to tempering their qi and blood strode over with their heads held high, under the envious gazes of many Outer Courtyard disciples.

Shi Wen said nothing and simply kept practicing.

"Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters..."

After Li Tiezhu and the others greeted them respectfully, Sun Mingting and the rest leaned together and discussed the matter.

They soon agreed on the standard for the next round of selections: the candidates should look tall and imposing, preferably with fierce expressions, and be able to command respect.

Soon, several tall, fierce-looking disciples from the Outer Courtyard were chosen.

Each of them was eager to try, their faces alight with excitement.

But they were still a few people short.

So, after discussing it, they agreed on another standard: they would select Outer Courtyard disciples who were fairly skilled at boxing.

Sun Mingting looked at them and said, "Li Tiezhu, Zhao You, Yang Chenghuan, you've all been in the Outer Courtyard for a long time. Anyone you'd recommend?"

Zhao You was quick-witted and immediately recommended several people.

Yang Chenghuan was taciturn. He shook his head to indicate that he had no one in mind.

As for Li Tiezhu, he recommended, "Senior Brother Sun, I know a junior brother named Shi Wen. He's good at boxing and works hard. I recommend him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Tiezhu hurriedly waved Shi Wen over.

Under the envious gazes of many Outer Courtyard disciples, Shi Wen walked over and clasped his hands in greeting to the Inner Courtyard disciples.

"Shi Wen?"

Sun Mingting sized him up. Seeing his gaunt, emaciated frame, he had no intention of choosing him. "What do you think?"

Yan Kai glanced at Shi Wen and said with a smile, "This young man works hard. It wouldn't hurt to give him a chance."

"Mm. What about the rest of you?" Sun Mingting looked at the others, his expression calm, clearly dissatisfied.

"He's too frail. He'd bring shame on our Fist Academy. We're there to represent the Fist Academy and put on a good front. What would it mean to send a beanpole over?"

Zhou Heling shook her head, and Wei Shan did the same, indicating that they wouldn't agree.

The genius Qin Huan merely glanced at him before looking away, not even deigning to notice such a nobody.

Their responses knocked Shi Wen out of the running.

Yan Kai argued with them for a bit, but there was no changing the outcome, so he fell silent.

The Outer Courtyard disciples who had been chosen, as well as those who had not, looked at Shi Wen with mocking eyes.

In the end, Shi Wen became the laughingstock of the Outer Courtyard.

One after another, they mocked him for dreaming the impossible, their laughter ringing without end.

Shi Wen didn't feel much of anything. He returned to his usual spot and silently practiced his boxing. Li Tiezhu, meanwhile, sneaked over and apologized to him, looking very guilty.

The day's classes ended.

Shi Wen was still the last disciple to finish practicing. As usual, he tidied up the scattered equipment in the Outer Courtyard.

Then he went home.

For some reason, Old Shi wasn't there.

After waiting a long while, Shi Wen went out to look for him, worried. He happened to run into Old Shi on his way back.

"Dad, you're back? Let's eat."

"Mm."

Old Shi's eyes were red and swollen, and his clothes were covered in dust. He looked utterly worn out.

He had looked like that for the past few days.

Over the past few days, Shi Wen had carefully probed his mother and learned that his father had gone to the old family home to get back the money his grandfather had borrowed.

But seeing his father come home looking dusty and disheveled every day, he knew things weren't going well.

"A-Wen, take this money. You're practicing martial arts now, and there are plenty of things you'll need money for. Don't you dare scrimp on yourself."

Old Shi suddenly took out a money pouch and handed it to him.

After giving the money to Shi Wen, he seemed relieved of a heavy burden. But when he turned away, his back looked as if it had bowed even further.

Shi Wen glanced into the pouch and couldn't help being stunned.

There were a full thirty-two strings of copper coins inside!

Holding the money, Shi Wen recalled how haggard and grief-stricken Old Shi had looked just moments ago. His nose stung.

From the memories of the body's former owner, he knew his father was not favored. It was easy to imagine how much his father had gone through to get this money back from the old family home.

"I have to train the foundation skill to minor achievement, then see if I can get attached to one of the gangs and earn resources for my cultivation."

Shi Wen's expression was resolute.

The next morning, Shi Wen arrived at the Fist Academy early.

First, he found Li Qianqian and paid an additional string of coins for unlimited medicinal soup for the month.

Then he went to ask Yan Kai how to nourish his body.

Shi Wen had a feeling that the Foundation Skill he practiced was different from everyone else's. Once he trained it to minor achievement, something unexpected would happen!

"Senior Brother, here are the two strings of coins I owe you."

Shi Wen returned the money to Yan Kai, surprising him. Shi Wen was the first person ever to borrow money from him and pay it back.

"It wasn't much money. Junior Brother Shi, you don't have to be so formal."

"Senior Brother, a debt is a debt. I have to pay it back."

"Fine, you're an interesting fellow."

Yan Kai smiled. Once he learned why Shi Wen had come, he said, "You've come to the right person. My family runs a merchant association, and it just so happens we deal in the things you want to buy."

"If you want to nourish your body, you should buy dried beast meat and medicinal powder. They're the most nourishing. Blood-Tempering Realm martial artists rely on dried beast meat and medicinal powder to maintain their bodies every day. Otherwise, how many meals would they have to eat to keep from getting hungry?"

"So martial artists usually rely on dried beast meat and medicinal powder to keep themselves going."

"Besides, people who are close to developing qi and blood need to eat these things to fuel their bodies. Otherwise, it's very difficult for qi and blood to form. Even if they forcibly nourish it into being, it'll drain their bodies."

"Senior Brother, do you have any recommendations?" Shi Wen nodded, seeming to understand.

"My family sells Stone Raw Meat. It's cheap but effective. It's made from exotic beast meat and prepared using a special method. It can sustain a martial artist's body. It sells for around eight strings of coins per pound on the market, but since we know each other, I can sell it to you for five. As for medicinal powder, we have Blood-Nourishing Paste, which is specifically meant to nourish the blood. It's made with herbs that are all at least ten years old. One dose costs two strings of coins. That's the cheapest kind."

Yan Kai was usually carefree, but he was very serious when explaining a product.

"That expensive?"

Shi Wen was taken aback.

Pork currently sold for around a hundred copper coins per pound on the market. Five strings of coins per pound came to about five thousand copper coins!

Converted into Treasure Coins, wouldn't that be 100,000 Treasure Coins?

How could Shi Wen not be shocked at the thought of meat costing 100,000 Treasure Coins per pound?

He had never even dared to imagine such a thing before!

"This really is very cheap. You can ask around at the market, Junior Brother. I couldn't help you get a spot representing the academy yesterday, so I feel bad. That's why I'm giving you a better price. Otherwise, if you wanted to buy it, you'd have to pay at least seven strings of coins per pound."

Yan Kai said earnestly, "If you go and buy it yourself, you really will have to pay full price. There aren't many discounts."

"Thank you, Senior Brother. Please buy me five pounds of Stone Raw Meat and three doses of Blood-Nourishing Paste."

Shi Wen handed the money pouch to Yan Kai.

Yan Kai glanced inside and looked a little surprised. "Junior Brother, five pounds of Stone Raw Meat and three doses of Blood-Nourishing Paste only cost twenty-eight strings of coins. Why did you give me twenty-nine?"

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother. Please have some tea on me." Shi Wen spoke earnestly. After all, he and Yan Kai weren't close, and it was only right to offer someone a little something for running an errand.

"Ha ha ha, no need. Really, you don't have to."

Yan Kai burst into laughter, took out the string of coins, and handed it back to him. "If I ever run into trouble, you can come help me, all right?"

Yan Kai said this without expecting to get anything in return.

Little did he know that one day Shi Wen would truly help him and save him from death!

"Then thank you, Senior Brother."

Shi Wen silently took the money back and went to practice again.

His heart was full of feelings.

Thirty-two strings of coins had been spent in the blink of an eye. Martial arts really were for the rich!

Without money, you still wanted to be a martial artist?

Stance work, Charging Step, Face-On Palm, Mountain-Splitting Palm, Iron Mountain Lean, Silk-Reeling Burst Fist, Prop Punch, Heart-Piercing Elbow...

Shi Wen performed a full set of foundation skills in one smooth flow.

In his hands, each killing move shifted with exquisite precision, linking together with practiced ease!

After finishing his set, Shi Wen took a deep breath and looked at his palm.

[Extreme Seal]

[Baji Fist Introductory Foundation: Entry (49/50)]

"One more time, and I can train the foundation skill to minor achievement. But I have to wait for Senior Brother Yan's supplies to arrive before I try. Otherwise, I might drain my body!"

"If that happens and I damage my foundation, it'll be difficult to cultivate in the future."

Shi Wen took a deep breath.

He didn't practice again.

Although he didn't understand why qi and blood would form when the foundation skill was only advancing to minor achievement, he didn't dare take the risk!

Yan Kai went out for a while and returned around lunchtime.

He handed Shi Wen a basket and explained how to use the contents.

Shi Wen opened it to take a look, and was a little surprised.

The Stone Raw Meat had a stony brown exterior and blue flesh. It had the chewy texture of beef jerky. He ate just half a piece of dried meat about the size of his thumb and chased it with a bowl of coarse tea; sure enough, his stomach felt as if it were stretching.

The Blood-Nourishing Paste was a blackish-red ointment wrapped in oiled paper, and it smelled like red dates and goji berries.

Each strip was about the size of a tube of toothpaste.

He dug out a little and put it in his mouth. Sweetness, like that of date candy, spread through his mouth, and the ointment slid down his throat like a warm stream.

Even a little bit made him feel quite invigorated.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Shi Wen clasped his hands gratefully. Yan Kai left without giving it a second thought.

After putting the supplies away,

Shi Wen silently practiced his stance work and sparred with Li Tiezhu, familiarizing himself with various killing moves.

During this time, Shi Wen learned from Li Tiezhu that Peace Lane had changed hands.

The Thief Gang, which had once run rampant there, had been wiped out by the Robbery Gang, and Chen Shuisheng, the leader of the Thief Gang, had disappeared.

Shi Wen practiced in silence, but his movements grew more polished and ruthless. Even Li Tiezhu struggled to keep up, and several times he nearly gave in and used all his strength to respond.

After classes, Shi Wen tidied up as usual.

On his way home, he bought ten pounds of coarse rice and two pounds of pork with both lean and fatty cuts.

He ate, then rested.

When night had fallen,

Shi Wen took the Stone Raw Meat and Blood-Nourishing Paste he'd bought that day to the backyard.

After taking a deep breath to calm himself,

Shi Wen began his stance work and practiced Charging Step.

Once he finished the final set of Foundation Skill,

[Baji Fist Introductory Foundation: Minor Achievement (1/100)]

Boom!

As the numbers on the Extreme Seal refreshed,

Shi Wen's expression changed drastically as he instantly sensed a great transformation taking place within him!

He fell into a state of tinnitus. The pounding of his heart and the sound of blood circulating through his meridians grew infinitely louder!

His skin and flesh burned all over, and his arms in particular hurt as if fine needles were jabbing into them.

It felt as though something were forcibly tearing the muscles from his body.

At the same time,

an extreme hunger erupted. His stomach cramped with such wrenching pain, as if someone were wringing his guts dry, that Shi Wen curled up on the ground and writhed. Sweat as large as beans soaked through his short jacket.

Eyes bloodshot, he lunged at the Stone Raw Meat and Blood-Nourishing Paste, desperately stuffing dried meat into his mouth.

Only after eating a third of the Stone Raw Meat in the basket and two strips of Blood-Nourishing Paste

did the hunger and cramps gradually subside.

After a long while,

Shi Wen finally came to his senses, a look of lingering fear on his face.

If he hadn't had the Stone Raw Meat and Blood-Nourishing Paste, and had instead recklessly increased his proficiency, he might truly have brought about dire consequences!

"Why did this happen? Wasn't the Foundation Skill supposed to temper qi and blood only after reaching great achievement or perfection? Why did I go through this process when I'd only advanced the Foundation Skill to minor achievement?"

"I can't believe I've already entered the Blood-Tempering Realm."

"This... is qi and blood?"

Shi Wen closed his eyes and silently sensed a thread of qi and blood, no bigger than an embroidery needle, moving around in his dantian.

As soon as he circulated his qi and blood, the muscles along his arms bulged like forged iron. His forearms swelled several times over. One punch left a hole the size of a stone in the edge of the old millstone beside him, yet his hand didn't hurt at all.

"Up!"

Shi Wen grabbed the upper millstone, which weighed a full 300 jin, and stood. It took a little effort, but he managed to lift it!

Only when the thread of qi and blood in his arms was exhausted did he lose the strength to hold it up, and drop the millstone to the ground.

Shi Wen panted lightly and ate two strips of dried meat to regain his strength.

He set the millstone in place, performed Heavenly Spring Treading, twisted his waist and hips, and instantly gathered all his strength into his elbow. At the same time, he unleashed that thread of qi and blood!

There was a sudden BOOM!

It was like a thunderclap splitting the still air. The 300-jin upper millstone was smashed clean in two by Shi Wen's elbow. The center, where his elbow had struck, shattered into stones of all sizes that clattered to the ground!

By contrast, Shi Wen was completely unharmed!

The crash also startled the neighbors on both sides awake. His parents were woken by it too, and only went back to sleep after Shi Wen had reassured them.