Time flew by, and before long, a month had passed.
Shen Mu made the trip between the inn and Firewood Gang headquarters every day. Wind or rain, he never slacked off in his Body Tempering.
Whenever he finished digesting the beast meat, Shen Mu immediately bought another portion.
However, to avoid attracting the attention of anyone with an agenda, Shen Mu didn't limit his purchases to the meat shops run by Firewood Gang. He also bought from shops run by other factions.
"Gurgle, gurgle~"
After completing another day of Body Tempering, Shen Mu's stomach rumbled again.
Over the past month, he had successfully digested a full ten pounds of ungraded beast meat.
By now, surging blood qi had long since built up inside him, coursing through his body. His lean frame had also begun to reveal lean, bronze-colored muscles after a month of Body Tempering.
In his mind, the root of the Martial Dao Tree had been completely filled with scarlet blood qi, transforming from an illusory form into a solid one.
"It's time to break through to the First Stage of Boiling Blood."
Shen Mu murmured to himself.
"Gather the qi of the Heavenly Origin, enter Tiantu, pass through Xuanji, invert the stars, strengthen the blood and qi, open the profound gate..."
Following the Body Tempering Formula, he guided the blood qi through his body. Then it burst open with a roar, swept through his blood vessels in every direction, and nourished the flesh throughout his body.
Every inch of his muscles seemed to be parched earth at last blessed with rain, greedily absorbing the endless stream of blood qi pouring into them.
Shen Mu could clearly feel his flesh growing tougher and stronger under the wash of that surging blood qi.
"Break through for me!"
"Crack!"
It was as if a barrier inside him had shattered. His blood and qi surged and boiled, and a powerful sense of strength flooded his entire body.
From the bare skin of Shen Mu's upper body rose a fine mist of blood-colored sweat, making him look as if he were bathing in a crimson fog.
Shen Mu was intoxicated by the feeling. He could clearly sense that an impassable gulf now separated him from ordinary people.
It was a strength that could kill a man with the slightest gesture.
"Brother Shen, did you just break through?"
The sudden scene made Luo Tao's eyes widen. He blurted the words out in shock.
Mao Shouzhuo guided them for half an hour each day, then they continued their Body Tempering on their own at the Martial Arts Arena.
After Mao Shouzhuo had spent a long time tempering his body, blood-colored sweat mist would rise from his skin, drawing envious looks from the gang members gathered around the arena.
Only after reaching the First Stage of Boiling Blood did this strange phenomenon appear.
Now the same thing was happening to Shen Mu. Didn't that mean he had successfully broken through to the First Stage of Boiling Blood?
Mao Shouzhuo, who was practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique to temper his body, heard Luo Tao's cry and turned to look.
"How is that possible?!"
When he saw the blood-colored mist rising from Shen Mu, Mao Shouzhuo's eyes widened too, his face full of astonishment.
In his view, an ordinary person needed at least three months to reach the First Stage of Boiling Blood.
But after only a month, Shen Mu had already succeeded in advancing to the First Stage of Boiling Blood?
Could he have taken Blood Qi Pills?
The thought immediately sprang into Mao Shouzhuo's mind.
Like beast meat, Blood Qi Pills were rich in blood qi.
They also nourished blood qi several times faster than eating beast meat.
However, Blood Qi Pills were expensive. A single pill cost as much as five taels of silver, yet provided about as much blood qi as one pound of ungraded beast meat.
Thus, aside from the wealthy and powerful, ordinary people generally couldn't afford this costly way to improve their blood and qi.
But Shen Mu had advanced to the First Stage of Boiling Blood in just one month.
Mao Shouzhuo immediately assumed that he must have been secretly taking Blood Qi Pills to improve his blood qi. Otherwise, there was no way he could have reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood in a month.
Everyone at the Martial Arts Arena stopped their Body Tempering in unison and looked toward Shen Mu. Their expressions were a jumble of bitterness, envy, and jealousy.
Mao Shouzhuo kicked a stone toward the middle of the arena. It whistled through the air straight at Shen Mu.
Shen Mu had just recovered from the joy of advancing to the First Stage of Boiling Blood. He looked at the incoming stone, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He understood that Mao Shouzhuo was using this to test whether he had truly reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood!
Blood qi surged inside him, stirring an urge to let it out.
"Ha!"
The blood qi flowed into Shen Mu's right arm. The moment the stone drew near, he drove out a heavy punch.
"Bang!"
A dull crash rang out as the stone exploded beneath Shen Mu's fist, sending fragments flying in every direction.
After seeing this, no one present doubted that Shen Mu had truly reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood.
"I never thought you'd reach the First Stage of Boiling Blood in just a month. Congratulations, congratulations."
Mao Shouzhuo walked over. His usual cool expression was gone, replaced by a broad smile.
Now that Shen Mu had reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood, he stood on equal footing with Mao Shouzhuo. Once his registration was complete, he could become a full member of Firewood Gang. Mao Shouzhuo naturally couldn't treat him with the same condescension as before.
"Shen Mu owes this to Instructor Mao's careful guidance!"
Shen Mu clasped his hands and smiled.
"Haha, I only did what I was supposed to. Your success in reaching the First Stage of Boiling Blood is inseparable from your own hard work."
Mao Shouzhuo shook his head, then changed the subject. "Now that you've reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood, you can drop the word 'outer' from your status and become a full member of Firewood Gang. You'll receive a monthly salary of one tael of silver, along with two pounds of ungraded beast meat. If you later advance to the Second Stage of Boiling Blood, your salary will change accordingly!"
"But the sun's about to set. Come back tomorrow morning, and I'll take you to register and collect your identity token."
Shen Mu nodded and smiled. "Then I'll trouble you, Instructor Mao."
"Nothing to it."
Mao Shouzhuo waved a hand, his tone unusually courteous.
Reaching the First Stage of Boiling Blood earned one Firewood Gang's recognition. Mao Shouzhuo was only at the First Stage himself, so he naturally hoped to build more connections within the gang.
Especially since Shen Mu had reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood in just a month. At this rate, it might not be long before he surpassed Mao Shouzhuo.
Adding flowers to brocade could never compare to sending charcoal in a snowstorm.
There was still a difference between earning someone's friendship while they were weak and gaining it after they had grown strong.
"That's enough Body Tempering for today. Everyone, head back and take care to consolidate today's training and nourish your blood qi."
Mao Shouzhuo looked around and spoke loudly.
"Yes!"
The others answered in unison and dispersed, their faces complicated.
"Brother Shen, I really didn't expect you to reach the First Stage of Boiling Blood so quickly."
Luo Tao walked out of Firewood Gang alongside Shen Mu, his expression troubled.
He wasn't one to think too much, but seeing Shen Mu reach the First Stage of Boiling Blood still left him feeling deeply conflicted.
The two of them had started Body Tempering on the same day, yet after only a month, they had been left far behind each other.
"I was just lucky."
Shen Mu smiled. "Tao, your day will come too."
Shen Mu's encouragement lifted Luo Tao's spirits.
That was right. Sooner or later, he would have his day too.
Now that Shen Mu had reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood, Luo Tao needed to work even harder and try to catch up with him as soon as possible.
"By the way."
As if remembering something, Luo Tao asked, "Tomorrow's the day we collect the firewood fees. Brother Shen, what do you think?"
Now that Shen Mu had advanced to the First Stage of Boiling Blood, his status had quietly changed.
If Shen Mu didn't join them in collecting the firewood fees, Luo Tao would be left to go alone.
The thought made him a little uneasy. Those woodcutters weren't easy to deal with. Could he collect the fees by himself?
Shen Mu thought for a moment, then smiled. "I've just reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood, so I was planning to take a day off. Let's still go collect the firewood fees together tomorrow."
Wang Jin had looked out for him before. Although Shen Mu had now reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood, he still planned to visit him, at the very least to treat him to a meal and thank him for his past kindness.
"Thanks, Brother Shen."
Luo Tao's eyes lit up. Then he asked tentatively, "Brother Shen, how about drawing a skull on my chest this time?"
Shen Mu: "..."
Before he reached the Boiling Blood Stage, a few tricks like that wouldn't have hurt.
But now he'd already reached the Boiling Blood Stage. Would those woodcutters still dare to cause trouble?
Otherwise, what would have been the point of advancing?
Before you continue