Leaving, Qi-Replenishing Soup

As time slowly passed.

Bear Form Stance, complete!

Ape Form Stake, complete!

Tiger Form Stake, complete!

Crane Form Stake, complete!

Deer Form Stake, complete!

Only after he finished the final movement did Lu Yuan successfully practice the Five Animals Fist one more time.

This time, it had taken nearly an hour, and it had also exhausted a great deal of his stamina.

Of course, the results of this practice had not disappointed him.

[Five Animals Fist: Perfected (Limit Not Broken: 1%)]

He first checked the Ancient Scroll. The Five Animals Fist had not only reached perfection, but its proficiency afterward seemed to have changed considerably as well.

He still had no idea what the words "Limit Not Broken" specifically meant or how to increase the proficiency. He would probably need to verify it in several ways.

Next, he checked the blood qi in his body. It had not only grown to ten strands, but the strands had also intertwined into a single mass.

This mass of blood qi should be enough to support a second round of Blood Qi Tempering and let him break through to the Hidden Energy Realm.

However, to make absolutely sure, he planned to prepare another medicinal soup that could quickly restore his blood qi.

After resting for a while and eating the free meat, Lu Yuan walked over to Chen Pi.

"Brother Chen Pi, I may not be coming back after today!"

Lu Yuan smiled at Chen Pi and spoke plainly.

Of all the outer-courtyard martial apprentices, he was closest to Chen Pi.

Not only had Chen Pi taught him the Five Animals Fist on his first day at Song Academy, but he had also looked out for him in the days that followed. Lu Yuan would naturally remember this kindness.

"Why? You've already learned the Five Animals Fist, and you've even picked up the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique. If you keep working hard, you may yet become a Bright Energy martial artist. You could even have a real shot at passing the Martial Examination someday!"

Chen Pi was taken aback, then stared at Lu Yuan in confusion.

Quite a few of the older apprentices had left Song Academy before, but either they had never managed to learn the Five Animals Fist or they simply couldn't afford to keep practicing martial arts. They had been forced to leave. But why was Lu Yuan leaving?

"I want to try a different path!"

Lu Yuan didn't elaborate. Then he smiled and added, "Brother Chen Pi, if you ever run into trouble, come find me!"

"So be it. Then I wish you a bright future!"

Seeing that Lu Yuan had made up his mind to leave, Chen Pi could only say that.

After a pause, he continued, "I'll go get Fang Chang for you!"

Without waiting for Lu Yuan to reply, he hurried into the Inner Courtyard.

Lu Yuan stood quietly where he was. Even if Chen Pi hadn't mentioned it, he would naturally have spoken with Fang Chang.

Before long, Chen Pi and Fang Chang came out of the Inner Courtyard one after the other.

"A Yuan, are you really leaving?"

Fang Chang furrowed his brows and asked Lu Yuan.

"Yeah. I feel like staying here doesn't mean much anymore!"

Lu Yuan nodded with a smile.

Unless he revealed his full abilities, caught Master Song's eye, and was taken on as a personal disciple—then entered the Inner Courtyard and received his full support, perhaps even competing with Fang Chang and Hong Lei for resources and the right to inherit Song Academy—there was little prospect of advancement if he stayed.

Besides, he had no intention of competing with Fang Chang for anything. He didn't think inheriting Song Academy was a good thing, either, and he was even less willing to risk his life in a duel six months from now.

If that was the case, he might as well leave early and take a better, straighter path.

"Your roots really do leave little room for further potential. Changing paths early isn't a bad thing. With your current level in the Five Animals Fist, you could earn a living escorting caravans for a security agency or guarding the homes of wealthy families."

Fang Chang gave Lu Yuan a long look before continuing, "I only hope that, whatever the future brings, our brotherly bond will last forever!"

Although he and A Yuan were closest, A Yuan's roots were too poor, and he wasn't as diligent as Chen Yong and the others. When the time came, he might not be able to help him much.

"It will!"

Lu Yuan nodded with a smile.

"My master told me to let you know that you don't need to say goodbye to him. Just take care of yourself from now on!"

Fang Chang glanced back at the Inner Courtyard, then lowered his voice and added, "He also said that you must never teach the Five Animals Fist or the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique to anyone else. Otherwise, he'll deal with you himself!"

"Understood!"

Lu Yuan's expression didn't change. He still nodded with a smile.

Master Song had never paid much attention to the outer-courtyard martial apprentices. They were free to come and go.

As for teaching the Five Animals Fist and the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique to others, Lu Yuan had never even considered it.

"When I take over Song Academy, you can come back and help me. I won't let you down!"

Fang Chang stepped closer and quietly asked, "A Yuan, could you lend me three taels of silver for now? I'll pay you back someday!"

Lu Yuan looked at Fang Chang in surprise. He hadn't expected him to ask for a loan.

Fang Chang was highly regarded by Master Song. Surely he didn't need to spend his own money on meat or medicinal supplements. Why would he need to borrow money?

Still, Lu Yuan didn't ask. He simply took out three taels of silver and handed them to Fang Chang.

If Fang Chang hadn't mentioned him back then, he wouldn't have been able to enter Song Academy for free, and he had no idea when he would have had the chance to encounter martial arts.

Nor would he have achieved so much in less than a month.

For that alone, three taels of silver were nothing.

"A Yuan, until we meet again!"

Fang Chang patted Lu Yuan on the shoulder, then turned and went back into the Inner Courtyard.

"Brother Lu Yuan, could you lend us some silver, too?"

Just then, several of the older martial apprentices suddenly gathered around him.

"I'm out!"

Lu Yuan waved them off and walked straight out of Song Academy.

"He really isn't coming back?"

Watching Lu Yuan's departing figure, Wu Yu asked in surprise.

"If he isn't, then he isn't. By the next time we meet, we'll probably be people from two different worlds!"

Chen Yong curled his lip.

Then he paid it no more attention and continued practicing diligently.

Although he had never once managed to beat Lu Yuan, which had always rankled, the thought that Lu Yuan had no future ahead of him made him feel a little better. His own prospects were boundless; he ought to set his sights higher.

After leaving Song Academy, Lu Yuan went to a pharmacy called Guangchun Hall.

"What can I get for you, young sir?"

The shopkeeper asked Lu Yuan with a smile.

"Do you have a medicinal soup that can quickly restore blood qi?"

Lu Yuan asked directly.

"Qi-Replenishing Soup. One dose is three taels of silver and can be taken in three portions. It'll quickly restore your blood qi for three days."

The shopkeeper hurriedly replied.

"I'll take one!"

Lu Yuan answered without hesitation.

Three taels of silver for one dose was indeed expensive, but his second round of Blood Qi Tempering was crucial. This wasn't money he could afford to save.

"Young sir, a Blood-Qi Pill costs twenty taels of silver each. It restores blood qi even faster and lasts longer, too. Would you like a few?"

The shopkeeper asked.

"Maybe next time!"

Lu Yuan shook his head. A Blood-Qi Pill worth twenty taels of silver would naturally be better, but he couldn't afford one for now.

Holding the medicinal herbs the shopkeeper had wrapped for him, he was about to leave.

"Young man, please wait!"

Just then, someone suddenly called out.