Early morning, the small courtyard.
Chu Ming rose early. Since reaching mastery in Tiger Python Force, he felt much stronger, and his energy had improved as well.
After eating the meat porridge Xiao Shan had brought him, he practiced the [Wind-Slapping Palm] in the courtyard.
[Progress (Mastery): 89]
90...91...92...99
[Progress (Perfection): 1/100]
"The palm technique at the perfection level is several times more powerful than at mastery..."
After striking out with a single palm, Chu Ming smiled.
"I'll practice Tiger Python Force some more."
[Tiger Python Force]
[Progress (Mastery): 23/100]
23...24...25...
Most of the day passed quickly. While Chu Ming practiced in the courtyard, Xiao Shan waited nearby, serving tea and water, and wiping away his sweat.
As he practiced, he activated [Sword Gourd Spiritual Sense] and looked inward.
"Ever since Tiger Python Force reached mastery, a dark-red, needle-thin stream of warmth has appeared in my blood. It looks like Qi and Blood Power condensed together..."
"Nourished by this dark-red stream, my body is recovering more noticeably. The speed at which I'm breaking through blocked meridians has greatly increased, and my meridians have quietly widened quite a bit."
After observing for a moment, he withdrew from the state of inner vision.
"I'll ask Steward Fang when he gets back."
He suspected it was Qi and Blood Power. It didn't seem harmful, but he should certainly ask the person who taught him about it.
By dusk, Fang Xiao returned from outside.
"Xiao Shan, take these medicinal herbs and boil them into a decoction."
"Of course, Grandpa Fang."
Xiao Shan left, and Fang Xiao turned to Chu Ming. "Young master, have you forgotten any of the movements? Would you like this old servant to demonstrate them?"
"No need." Chu Ming put away the Tiger Python Force movements and went to sit on a stone stool to rest. "Steward Fang, what's the origin of Tiger Python Force? Over the past two days of practice, I've kept feeling a warm current flowing through my meridians along with my blood."
Fang Xiao's face had just begun to brighten at the first part of his question, but when he heard the second part—especially that a warm current was flowing through his blood—his expression changed abruptly.
"Young master, what did you just say?"
"What's the origin of Tiger Python Force?" Chu Ming asked unhurriedly.
"Not that!"
"I keep feeling a warm current flowing through my meridians along with my blood?" Chu Ming asked, puzzled.
"Yes!" Fang Xiao cried out. He looked as if he'd heard something utterly astonishing. "Young master, you really feel a warm current in your meridians?!"
"Mm."
"..." At Chu Ming's calm reply, even the wrinkles on Fang Xiao's face seemed to twitch. "Young master, a warm current appearing in your meridians means Tiger Python Force has reached mastery!"
Tiger Python Force at mastery?
Chu Ming's heart stirred. The panel did indeed show that Tiger Python Force had reached mastery.
But even so, surely the steward didn't need to lose his composure like this.
Fang Xiao took a deep breath, steadying himself from the shock. "Young master, you may not know this, but Tiger Python Force is the foundation of the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. Once practiced to mastery, you'll feel a warm current in your blood. Among martial artists, this current is known as Qi and Blood Power."
"Oh?" Chu Ming's interest was immediately piqued.
So it really was Qi and Blood Power!
What the steward had taught him was actually the foundational method of a Body Forging Technique.
He didn't know how powerful the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique was, but from the other man's astonished expression, it seemed he had already gotten the hang of it?
He'd read plenty about Qi and Blood Power in travel journals. It was tied to the strength of martial men and martial artists.
With the knowledge he'd gained in his previous life, he could also tell that Qi and Blood Power was no ordinary thing.
But he knew little about the specifics of this world.
"In just ten days, young master has reached mastery in Tiger Python Force and condensed Qi and Blood..."
Fang Xiao tried to calm himself, but the thought of witnessing such an impossible feat with his own eyes made even his blood boil.
Was this the genius who had practiced palm strikes against thin air and comprehended a palm technique out of nowhere?!
And yet, even "genius" didn't begin to describe the young master's achievements.
He considered himself well acquainted with many exceptionally gifted martial artists, but compared with the young master... there was simply no comparison.
Take Tiger Python Force, for example. It was the Body Forging Technique of the Tiger Armor Army, which had earned renown throughout Xirong Prefecture. It had been in the army for a hundred years, yet the fastest anyone had ever mastered it had taken a month.
A body just recovering from a serious illness, its foundation damaged; only two demonstrations; not even ten days of practice; hardly any medicinal support—and Tiger Python Force had reached mastery!
As Fang Xiao looked at his young master, disbelief was written all over his face.
No, it wasn't disbelief anymore. He looked as if he'd witnessed something beyond all reason.
"Once Tiger Python Force reaches mastery and condenses Qi and Blood, you can practice the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique, condense more Qi and Blood, and temper your body. You may even repair the damage to your foundation."
"Damage to my foundation?" Chu Ming raised an eyebrow, realizing something.
"Young master must have guessed. Although you survived the serious illness a few days ago, your body's foundation was badly depleted. At the rate things were going, you would have had at most six months to live. That's why this old servant had always refused to let you practice martial arts."
"But your wife watches over you from the heavens. After surviving such a calamity, you were bound to enjoy good fortune. Even with your body in ruins, you've mastered Tiger Python Force!"
A body in ruins... why did that sound a little strange...
"Young master, wait a moment. This old servant will fetch the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique."
A short while later, Fang Xiao returned with a manual, his expression excited. He solemnly placed it in front of Chu Ming. "Young master, this is the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. When I was young, I served as a soldier in the Tiger Armor Army of Xirong Prefecture."
"The Tiger Armor Army of Xirong Prefecture?" Chu Ming looked at Fang Xiao with some surprise.
The Great Qin Dynasty had thirteen prefectures. The Tiger Armor Army of Xirong Prefecture had spent years fighting on the frontier, and every soldier had endured the brutal slaughter of the battlefield.
For this old steward to have retired alive, he must have been formidable.
"The Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique is the army's body-tempering method, and it is exceptionally domineering. When the Tiger Armor Army practices it, they need to take a special medicinal decoction as well."
"Tiger Python Force is only the entry method for the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. Since young master has just condensed one stream of Qi and Blood, you'd best keep practicing until you reach perfection. By then, the Qi and Blood in your blood will be stronger, and it'll be safer to practice the Body-Forging Technique."
"Perfection in Tiger Python Force is the entry point to the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. At that stage, you'll have condensed the first complete stream of Qi and Blood within your body."
"Once you reach that stage, you'll be able to use Qi and Blood to repair your damaged foundation and strengthen your body. That will mark your official entry into the ranks of martial men."
A complete stream of Qi and Blood was enough to make someone a martial man?
Chu Ming's gaze flickered. In a low voice, he asked, "How are martial men's strength levels divided?"
"That brings us back to the number of streams of Qi and Blood you condense." Fang Xiao smiled softly. "By practicing the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique, you can condense a total of twelve streams of Qi and Blood. This is the Blood Activation Realm."
"The bodies of martial men in the Blood Activation Realm grow stronger as they condense more streams of Qi and Blood. The first three streams increase their strength; the fourth improves their ability to withstand blows. After the ninth stream, their strength, speed, and other attributes all improve across the board."
"What comes above the Blood Activation Realm?"
"Don't rush, young master. Let this old servant have a drink of water." Fang Xiao drained a pot of tea, then continued. "Once you successfully condense twelve streams of Qi and Blood, you'll have perfected the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. To advance further, you'll need a more advanced body-tempering method—the Bone Strengthening Technique."
"Qi and Blood Power is remarkably mysterious. The Blood Activation Realm strengthens the body. After you condense twelve streams, any additional Qi and Blood Power can be used to strengthen a martial man's bones and sinews. That is the Bone Strengthening Realm."
"Martial men in this realm are very difficult to kill with ordinary swords and spears."
"The Bone Strengthening Realm..."
Chu Ming fell into thought. The divisions of martial strength in this world were fairly easy to understand.
"After Bone Strengthening comes Organ Refining?" he ventured.
"Heh-heh, young master, you're right. The realm after Bone Strengthening is indeed the Organ Refining Realm. Martial men in the Organ Refining Realm have extraordinarily tenacious vitality and can resist most poisons."
"What comes after Organ Refining?" Chu Ming asked again.
Before you continue