Skill Fusion

"It is done."

The Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique began to deduce autonomously...

But very quickly, the smile on Chu Ming's face froze.

"This is not a deduction..."

In his mind, the lake formed by the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique and the stream from the Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique were not connecting; they were merging!

The stream of the Blood Fiend Body-Forging Technique was flowing into the lake of the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique at a steady, unhurried pace.

This was not guided by his own will, but rather a natural burst of inspiration and insight triggered by the dual effects of Integration and Analogy.

Once that small stream completely dried up, the previously calm lake began to boil, and countless bubbles rose to the surface.

Those bubbles were the result of him purging the conflicts and mutual repulsion between the two techniques.

As the bubbles gradually decreased, the text on the panel for [Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique] changed.

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

[Progress: 7/100]

At the same time, within his veins, the embryonic form of a seventh strand of blood-energy condensed.

An unexpected joy.

"I didn't expect the deduction to turn into a fusion, transforming the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique into the Tiger Python Blood-Refining Technique: Vital Blood..."

Chu Ming looked at the suffix "Vital Blood." He had an intuition that the technique he now mastered was fundamentally different. If he continued to deduce and merge according to the current trend, he might be able to...

"Deduce a technique for the Bone Strengthening Realm!"

From what he learned from Fang Xiao, techniques for the Bone Strengthening Realm were rare; even within the Tiger Armor Army, only those who had rendered great service could obtain them.

If he could deduce one himself, he would solve the problem of lacking a suitable technique for his future cultivation.

After a moment, Chu Ming suppressed the excitement in his heart, stopped the deduction of the technique, and turned his attention to the other book.

"Blood Claw Hand."

In the evening, at Wheat Valley Alley, this seemed to be the martial skill the Teahouse Owner had unleashed.

The content of the martial skill was not extensive, spanning only ten pages, and he finished reading it quickly. The [Blood Claw Hand] martial skill also appeared on his panel.

This was his second martial skill after [Wind-Slapping Palm].

However, he did not practice the [Blood Claw Hand] immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes, and the moves of the two martial skills surfaced in his mind.

If techniques could be merged and deduced, could martial skills do the same?

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

After about half a quarter of an hour, he slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint shooting from his pupils.

"The martial skill, the fusion was successful."

On the panel, [Wind-Slapping Palm] and [Blood Claw Hand] disappeared, and a new martial skill appeared.

[Blood Wind Palm (Entry)]

[Progress: 1/100]

Chu Ming stood up and walked out of the room. The night was deepening, and Xiao Shan was cooking in the kitchen.

He stood in the center of the small courtyard, the blood-energy within his body surging, instantly condensing into his palms.

Bang—

He struck out with a palm.

A sound of air being torn apart rang out.

It was several times stronger than the perfected Wind-Slapping Palm!

Merging martial skills was indeed the right path.

"Young Master?" Xiao Shan came out upon hearing the noise, still holding some plucked vegetable leaves, looking confused about what that sound had been.

"Young... Master?" Another voice, somewhat aged, spoke up.

Fang Xiao, who had just returned from the yamen, stood frozen at the courtyard gate.

He had seen that palm strike clearly. It was not relying on physical strength to drive the palm technique, but rather... blood-energy!

A blood-energy martial skill!

Martial skills themselves were not divided into blood-energy types; only the martial artists who used them were.

With the same martial skill, some could only use physical strength, while more formidable ones used blood-energy to enhance their physical strength, thereby increasing the power of the martial skill.

But some could directly use blood-energy to empower the martial skill itself—this was what was known as a blood-energy martial skill.

A blood-energy martial skill not only possessed the inherent power of the technique but also caused the opponent's blood-energy to become chaotic, or even sealed the opponent's ability to mobilize their own blood-energy.

This was the truly astonishing aspect of a blood-energy martial skill.

He, too, knew a blood-energy martial skill.

That was a move he'd only grasped after decades of martial arts practice.

How long had the young master been training?

"Steward Fang is back," Chu Ming retracted his palm strike, his expression calm as he looked over.

Fang Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, and his face was weary, but his overall state was relaxed, with a strange daze.

It seemed the matter with the Catching Yamen was settled.

"Xiao Shan, is dinner ready?" He patted his stomach and asked, turning his head.

"Almost ready, almost ready," Xiao Shan, holding vegetable leaves, entered the kitchen to continue cooking.

After about fifteen minutes, fragrant dishes were served one after another.

Chu Ming was truly hungry, and as soon as the food was arranged, he announced they would eat.

When they were about halfway through the meal, Fang Xiao, who had been secretly guessing the whole time, couldn't hold back any longer.

He first took a sip of soup, swallowed the rice in his mouth, and then took a gentle breath, trying his best not to appear too surprised.

"Young Master, when I entered the courtyard just now, I saw your palm strike. Its power was not ordinary. Did you incorporate the power of Qi and Blood?"

"I suppose so," Chu Ming mumbled, continuing to eat.

"Has Young Master comprehended a Qi and Blood martial skill?"

"Qi and Blood martial skill?" Chu Ming paused, then continued eating, "Probably."

Probably?

It clearly was.

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

The young master's martial talent far exceeded his imagination.

"Right, there's something I need to tell you," after eating several bowls of rice, Chu Ming felt his stomach was sufficiently full, and then he looked at Fang Xiao and Xiao Shan.

"I plan to go to Baiyuan Academy tomorrow."

As soon as he spoke, Xiao Shan, who had been chewing slowly, froze. Her hand holding the chopsticks hung in mid-air, and she felt something hot wanting to well up from the corners of her eyes.

"I'll go get the soup," Xiao Shan rushed out in a panic and didn't return for a long time.

Fang Xiao sighed inwardly but didn't say much about it.

He silently walked into his room and took out a bundle from inside.

"Here is fifteen taels of silver, and two months' worth of medicinal soup. Young Master, please take them with you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, this old servant happens to have a few friends returning to Baiyuan County. Young Master can travel with them, and they can look after you."

Chu Ming looked at the bundle and separated the silver inside, saying in a deep voice, "I don't need the silver. I'll take the medicinal soup. Thank you, Steward Fang, for taking care of me all this time."

"Young Master, Baiyuan Academy requires silver."

Chu Ming shook his head, "It's enough."

Yuan Chengji and the teahouse owner had contributed over ten taels of silver, which would be enough for him for a long time.

"Young Master..." Fang Xiao wanted to persuade him further, but Chu Ming picked up the medicinal soup, walked out of the main hall, stopped at the doorway, and looked at Xiao Shan, who was sobbing in a corner.

With just one glance, he returned to his room.

The next day, on the small road outside Willow Town.

Xiao Shan and Fang Xiao stood side by side, watching the gradually shrinking carriage.

"Grandpa Fang, why can't Young Master take me with him?" Xiao Shan's eyes were red and swollen.

"Young Master is protecting you."

"Why are you crying? Grandpa Fang is here, isn't he?"

"Besides, Young Master is going to Baiyuan Academy to study, not to never return."

"With Young Master's talent, it will take at most two or three years to achieve official status. By then, you'll still have to serve Young Master."

"Really?"

"Really."

On the carriage heading to Baiyuan County.

Chu Ming sat inside the carriage. His luggage was not much, just a few changes of clothes and the thick book of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy. Shao Pengshu was outside, driving the carriage.

Behind them was another carriage, filled with many things and two people, Tan Hong and Hou Wuchun.

Most of those things were stuff Hou Wuchun's mother had insisted on packing – food, daily necessities, and a lot more.

On the front carriage, Shao Pengshu drove while talking to Chu Ming inside the carriage, saying some strange things.