Technique Fusion

"It worked."

The Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique began evolving on its own...

But before long, the smile on Chu Ming's face froze.

"It isn't evolving..."

In his mind, the lake formed by the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique and the stream formed by the Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique weren't connecting—they were merging!

The stream of the Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique flowed into the lake of the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique at a swift but steady pace.

This wasn't something he was consciously guiding. Rather, with the aid of Mastery and Integration and Drawing Inferences, inspiration and insight had emerged naturally in his mind.

When the little stream had dried up completely, the once-calm lake began to boil, countless bubbles rising to the surface.

Those bubbles represented the conflicts and incompatibilities being eliminated as the two techniques merged.

As the bubbles gradually dwindled, the words [Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique] on the panel began to change.

[Tiger Python Blood-Refining Technique: Vital Blood (Great Accomplishment)]

[Progress: 7/100]

At the same time, a nascent seventh strand of Qi and Blood Power took shape in his blood.

An unexpected bonus.

"I never thought evolution would turn into fusion, and the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique would become the Tiger Python Blood-Refining Technique: Vital Blood..."

Chu Ming looked at the words "Vital Blood" in the name. He had a feeling that the technique he'd mastered was no longer the same. If he kept evolving and merging it along this path, perhaps he could...

"Evolve a Bone Strengthening Realm technique!"

From Fang Xiao, he'd learned that even in the Tiger Armor Army, only those who had rendered great service could obtain a Bone Strengthening Realm technique.

If he could evolve one himself, it would solve the problem of having no suitable technique for his future cultivation.

After a moment, Chu Ming reined in his excitement and stopped evolving the technique, then turned his attention to another book.

"Blood Claw Hand."

At dusk, the Teahouse Owner in Wheat Valley Alley had seemed to use this martial skill.

There wasn't much to it, only ten pages or so, and he soon finished reading it. The Blood Claw Hand martial skill appeared on the panel as well.

It was his second martial skill, after the Wind-Slapping Palm.

But instead of practicing the Blood Claw Hand, he closed his eyes, picturing the moves of both martial skills in his mind.

If techniques could be merged and evolved, could martial skills be merged too?

Mastering a high-level technique or martial skill was surely better than mastering a pile of low-level ones.

About a quarter of an hour later, he slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint in their depths.

"The martial skills merged successfully."

The Wind-Slapping Palm and Blood Claw Hand disappeared from the panel, replaced by a new martial skill.

[Blood Wind Palm (Beginner)]

[Progress: 1/100]

Chu Ming got to his feet and walked outside. Night was falling, and Xiao Shan was cooking in the kitchen.

He stood in the middle of the courtyard. His Qi and Blood surged within him, instantly gathering in his palm.

Bang—

He struck out with his palm.

The sound of it ripping through the air rang out.

It was several times more powerful than the Wind-Slapping Palm at perfect mastery!

Merging the martial skills had indeed been the right call.

"Young master?" Xiao Shan came out at the sound, still holding the leaves she'd picked. She looked puzzled, unsure what had made that noise.

"Young... master?" another voice called, somewhat hoarse.

Fang Xiao, just back from the yamen, stood dazed at the courtyard gate.

He'd seen that palm strike clearly. It hadn't been driven by physical strength, but by... Qi and Blood Power!

A Qi-and-blood martial skill!

Martial skills themselves weren't divided into those that used Qi and blood and those that didn't. It was the martial artists who used them who differed.

With the same martial skill, some could only use physical strength. The more skilled could draw on Qi and blood to enhance their physical strength, increasing the skill's power.

But some could directly channel Qi and blood into their martial skills. Those were Qi-and-blood martial skills.

Qi-and-blood martial skills didn't just have the power of the martial skill itself. They could also throw an opponent's Qi and blood into disarray, or even block their ability to call upon it.

That was what made Qi-and-blood martial skills truly astonishing.

He knew how to use them, too.

But that was a finishing move he'd only grasped after decades of martial arts training.

How long had the young master been training?

"Steward Fang, you're back." Chu Ming lowered his hand and looked over calmly.

Fang Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked exhausted, but he seemed relaxed overall, with a strange, dazed look about him.

It seemed the matter at the Catching Yamen had been settled.

"Xiao Shan, is the food ready?" He rubbed his stomach and turned to ask.

"Almost, almost." Xiao Shan hurried back into the kitchen with the leaves and continued cooking.

About a quarter of an hour later, one fragrant dish after another was brought to the table.

Chu Ming was truly hungry. As soon as the food was set out, he announced that they could eat.

When they were nearly finished, Fang Xiao, who'd been quietly wondering about it all along, could no longer hold back.

He first took a sip of soup and swallowed the food in his mouth, then drew a light breath, doing his best to keep from looking too astonished.

"Young master, when I came into the courtyard just now, I saw you use a palm technique with impressive power. Did you infuse it with Qi and Blood Power?"

"Probably." Chu Ming kept his head down and continued eating.

"Young master, have you figured out a Qi-and-blood martial skill?"

"A Qi-and-blood martial skill?" Chu Ming paused, then continued eating. "I suppose so."

Suppose so?

That was exactly what it was.

Although Fang Xiao had prepared himself, hearing the answer with his own ears still made his heart race.

The young master's martial talent far surpassed anything he'd imagined.

"By the way, there's something I should tell you." After a few bowls of rice, Chu Ming felt he'd more or less filled his stomach. Only then did he look at Fang Xiao and Xiao Shan.

"I'm planning to go to Baiyuan Academy tomorrow."

At his words, Xiao Shan, who'd been eating slowly, froze. Her small hand holding the chopsticks hung stiff in midair, and she felt something hot welling up at the corners of her eyes.

"I'll go serve the soup." Xiao Shan fled in a panic and didn't come back for a long time.

Fang Xiao sighed inwardly, but didn't say anything more about it.

He went quietly into his room and took out a bundle.

"There are fifteen taels of silver here, along with two months' worth of medicine. Take them with you tomorrow, young master."

"Tomorrow, a few friends of this old servant happen to be going back to Baiyuan County. You can travel with them, and they'll look after you."

Chu Ming looked at the bundle, took out the silver, and said in a low voice, "I don't need the silver. I'll take the medicine. Thank you, Steward Fang, for looking after me all this time."

"Young master, you'll need money at Baiyuan Academy."

Chu Ming shook his head. "I have enough."

Yuan Chengji and the Teahouse Owner had contributed more than ten taels of silver. That would last him a long time.

"Young master..." Fang Xiao tried to persuade him again, but Chu Ming took the medicine and walked out of the main room. He stopped in the doorway and looked at Xiao Shan, who was huddled in a corner, sobbing.

He glanced at her once, then went back inside.

The next day, on a path outside Willow Town.

Xiao Shan and Grandpa Fang stood side by side, watching the carriage gradually grow smaller in the distance.

"Grandpa Fang, why couldn't the young master take me with him?" Xiao Shan's eyes were swollen and red.

"The young master is protecting you."

"Why are you crying? Grandpa Fang is still here."

"Besides, the young master is going to study at Baiyuan Academy. It's not like he won't come back."

"With his talent, he'll pass the civil service exams in two or three years at most. Then you'll have to serve the young master again."

"Really?"

"Really."

Inside the carriage heading to Baiyuan County.

Chu Ming sat inside with little luggage: a few changes of clothes and a thick volume of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy. Shao Pengshu sat outside, driving the carriage.

Behind them was another carriage, loaded with things and carrying two people: Tan Hong and Hou Wuchun.

Most of the things had been forcibly loaded by Hou Wuchun's mother—food, daily necessities, and all sorts of other things.

In the carriage ahead, Shao Pengshu drove while chatting with Chu Ming about strange things.