Condensing Qi and Blood

Early morning, the small courtyard.

Chu Ming rose early. After reaching Great Success in the Tiger Python Force, he felt his body grow significantly stronger and his energy levels rise.

After finishing the meat porridge brought by Xiao Shan, he began practicing the Wind-Slapping Palm in the courtyard.

[Progress (Great Success): 89]

90... 91... 92... 99

[Progress (Perfected): 1/100]

The power of a Perfected-level palm technique is several times stronger than at Great Success...

With just a single strike, a smile appeared on Chu Ming's face.

"Time to practice the Tiger Python Force again."

[Tiger Python Force]

[Progress (Great Success): 23/100]

23... 24... 25...

Most of the day passed quickly. As Chu Ming practiced in the yard, Xiao Shan waited nearby, serving tea, pouring water, and wiping away his sweat.

While practicing, he activated his Sword Gourd Spiritual Sense to look within his own body.

Ever since the Tiger Python Force reached Great Success, a warm, deep red current the thickness of a silver needle has appeared in my blood. It looks like it's formed from condensed vital energy...

Under the nourishment of this deep red current, my body is recovering at a noticeably faster rate. The speed at which I break through blocked meridians has increased significantly, and my meridians are being widened imperceptibly.

After observing for a moment, he withdrew from his internal state.

"I'll ask Steward Fang when he returns."

He guessed this was the power of vital energy and that it was harmless to his body, but he certainly needed to clarify it with the person who taught him.

By dusk, Fang Xiao returned from outside.

"Xiao Shan, take these medicinal herbs and boil them into a soup."

"Understood, Grandpa Fang."

As Xiao Shan left, Fang Xiao looked at Chu Ming: "Young Master, have you forgotten any movements? Does this old servant need to demonstrate them for you?"

"No need." Chu Ming ceased his Tiger Python Force movements and sat down on a stone stool to rest. "Steward Fang, what is the origin of this Tiger Python Force? For the past two days of practice, I've felt a warm current flowing through my blood within my meridians."

When Fang Xiao heard the first half of the sentence, a smile had just appeared on his face, but upon hearing the second half—especially about the warm current flowing in the blood—his expression shifted violently.

"Young Master, what did you just say?"

"What is the origin of the Tiger Python Force?" Chu Ming asked unhurriedly.

"Not that part!"

"I keep feeling a warm current flowing through my blood within my meridians?" Chu Ming asked, puzzled.

"Yes!" Fang Xiao exclaimed sharply, as if he had heard something truly shocking. "Young Master, you actually feel a warm current in your meridians?!"

"Mm."

"..." Hearing such a calm reply, the wrinkles on Fang Xiao's face couldn't help but tremble. "Young Master, the appearance of a warm current in the meridians means the Tiger Python Force has reached Great Success!"

Great Success in the Tiger Python Force?

Chu Ming's heart stirred. On the panel, it did indeed show the Tiger Python Force as Great Success.

But even so, there was no need for the steward to be this flustered.

Fang Xiao took a deep breath, steadying the shock in his heart: "Young Master may not know, but the Tiger Python Force is the foundational technique of the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. Once practiced to Great Success, one will feel a warm current in their blood. Among martial artists, this current is known as the power of vital energy."

"Oh?" Hearing this, Chu Ming became interested.

It really was the power of vital energy!

The things this steward taught him were actually the foundation of a body-forging technique.

Although he didn't know how powerful the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique was, he could tell from the man's shocked expression that he had apparently made a breakthrough.

He had read quite a bit about what vital energy was in travelogues; it was related to the strength of martial practitioners.

Combined with the experience from his past life, he knew that the power of vital energy was extraordinary.

However, he didn't know much about the specific situation in this world.

"In a mere ten days, the Young Master has reached Great Success in the Tiger Python Force and condensed vital energy..."

Fang Xiao tried to remain calm, but the thought that such an impossible feat had occurred right before his eyes made his own blood boil.

Is this the kind of genius who can comprehend a palm technique out of thin air just by striking at the wind?!

But even "genius" wasn't enough to describe the Young Master's achievement.

He considered himself to have seen many talented martial artists, but compared to the Young Master... there was simply no comparison.

Take this Tiger Python Force, for instance; it was the body-forging technique of the Tiger Armor Army that kept the Xirong Prefecture in awe. It had been a hundred years since the method was introduced to the barracks, yet the fastest anyone had reached Great Success was one month.

With a body just recovered from a major illness, a damaged foundation, having only watched it twice, in less than ten days, and with little medicinal aid—he had reached Great Success in the Tiger Python Force!

Fang Xiao looked at his young master, the disbelief in his eyes practically written across his face.

No, it was no longer just disbelief; it was the expression of someone witnessing something utterly incomprehensible.

"Once the Tiger Python Force reaches Great Success and condenses blood energy, one can practice the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique to condense even more blood energy, tempering the physical body and even repairing your damaged foundation, Young Master."

"Damaged foundation?" Chu Ming raised an eyebrow, realizing something.

"You must have guessed it, Young Master. Although you survived that severe illness a few days ago, your physical foundation was severely depleted. Under the previous circumstances, you would have had at most half a year to live. This is why this old servant has always refused to let you practice martial arts."

"But the Madam's spirit must be watching over you; you have survived a great disaster and are destined for good fortune. To think that with such a broken body, you have achieved Great Success in the Tiger Python Force!"

A broken body... why does that sound so strange...

"Please wait a moment, Young Master. This old servant will go fetch the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique."

A moment later, Fang Xiao returned, excitedly holding a manual, which he placed solemnly before Chu Ming: "Young Master, this is the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. When I was young, I was a soldier in the Tiger Armor Army of Xirong Prefecture."

"The Xirong Prefecture Tiger Armor Army?" Chu Ming looked at Fang Xiao with slight surprise.

The Great Qin Dynasty consisted of thirteen prefectures, and the Tiger Armor Army of Xirong Prefecture fought on the frontiers year-round; every single soldier had experienced the brutal slaughter of the battlefield.

For this old steward to have retired alive, his strength was clearly not simple.

"The Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique is a military tempering method, exceptionally domineering. When the Tiger Armor Army practices it, it must be paired with specific medicinal decoctions."

"The Tiger Python Force is merely the introductory method for the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. Since you have just condensed a strand of blood energy, Young Master, it is best to keep practicing until you reach perfection. When the blood energy within your blood becomes more robust, it will be safer to practice the Body-Forging Technique then."

"Perfection in the Tiger Python Force is the entry point for the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique, where the first complete strand of blood energy is condensed within the body."

"Once you reach that stage, Young Master, you will be able to use that blood energy to repair your physical foundation and subsequently strengthen your body, officially stepping into the ranks of martial artists."

So, a complete strand of blood energy is enough to be called a martial artist?

Chu Ming's eyes flickered as he asked in a deep voice, "How is the strength of a martial artist divided?"

"That brings us back to the number of condensed strands of blood energy." Fang Xiao chuckled softly: "Practicing the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique allows for the condensation of a total of twelve strands of blood energy; this is the Blood Activation Realm."

"The body of a Blood Activation Realm martial artist gradually strengthens as the number of blood energy strands increases. The first three strands enhance a martial artist's strength, the fourth strand improves resistance to strikes, and after the ninth, the body's strength, speed, and other attributes are comprehensively elevated."

"And beyond the Blood Activation Realm?"

"Don't be impatient, Young Master. Let this old servant have a drink of water." After gulping down a pot of tea, Fang Xiao continued: "If one can successfully condense twelve strands of blood energy, the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique is considered complete. At that point, to advance further, one requires a more sophisticated tempering method—the Bone Strengthening Technique."

"Blood energy is exceptionally profound. The Blood Activation Realm focuses on strengthening the flesh; after condensing twelve strands, the excess blood energy can be used to reinforce the martial artist's tendons and bones, which is the Bone Strengthening Realm."

"Martial artists at this realm are already very difficult to kill with ordinary blades or spears."

"Bone Strengthening..."

Chu Ming fell into deep thought; the division of martial strength in this world was quite easy to understand.

"Is Organ Refining after Bone Strengthening?" he ventured to ask.

"Heh heh, you are correct, Young Master. The realm after the Bone Strengthening Realm is indeed the Organ Refining Realm. Organ Refining martial artists possess extremely tenacious vitality and can be immune to most poisons."

"And after Organ Refining?" Chu Ming asked again.