Refining Through Eating

"Impossible."

But after Qin Fang froze for a moment, he frowned, feeling that it was impossible.

Even with Wang Long's terrifying physique, he had not reached Bright Force.

And although Qin Fang had spent three months nurturing his body, compared to Wang Long, his physique was clearly still far inferior.

Even Wang Long had not yet reached Bright Force...

What right did he have to reach Bright Force?

...Then what was this Skin-Membrane Drumbeat?

According to his master, as long as one could steadily produce the "Skin-Membrane Drumbeat" while standing in the stance, one met the standard for Bright Force...

A hint of doubt surfaced in Qin Fang's eyes as he stared at the Panel with furrowed brows.

After a moment, a sudden guess came to him...

"Could it be... the effect of 'Eternal Fruit of Dao'?"

"Because the effect of 'Bones-and-Tendons Resonance' appeared once by accident during stance practice, Eternal Fruit of Dao recorded it. So... even though my physique is still far from Bright Force, I can, to some extent, achieve Bones-and-Tendons Resonance?"

Qin Fang thought it over carefully, then felt that his guess was probably right.

A careful comparison made it easy to see...

His master's Skin-Membrane Drumbeat sounded like a rolling war drum, deep and thunderous.

Qin Fang's Skin-Membrane Drumbeat... did have some sound, but it was clearly far, far quieter than his master's.

"This means my physique and strength are still nowhere near the level of Bright Force."

"That's right. Master said that besides stance, the fundamental method also requires strength."

"Because of the Panel, my stance skill has now entered the Initiation Stage."

"But my strength is still far behind."

"Only when the two combine to form Unified Force can one truly reach Bright Force..."

Only after figuring this out did Qin Fang let out a long breath...

"I knew it. How could Bright Force possibly be so easy to attain?"

"But the effect of Eternal Fruit of Dao is truly terrifying... According to Master, only when one's strength flows through every part of the body can one achieve Bones-and-Tendons Resonance. My stance skill has only entered the Initiation Stage, yet I have already grasped the feeling of strength flowing through every part of the body..."

"But after all, I have only entered the Initiation Stage. I've merely reached the level of Skin-Membrane Drumbeat... and because my physique is too weak, the sound is very faint."

"To perfectly achieve a true Skin-Membrane Drumbeat... my physique must improve."

"Then, once I reach the Minor Accomplishment Stage, I should be able to attain Thunderous Bones and Tendons..."

"And Great Accomplishment Stage... should be Blood-Qi Tide..."

An unprecedented anticipation appeared in Qin Fang's eyes.

A world unlike any he had known slowly unfolded before him.

Just then...

Grrr.

His stomach growled.

Qin Fang came back to himself, then exhaled deeply.

Haste makes waste. He should eat first.

He went into the kitchen and began cooking.

After finishing that meal, Qin Fang was a little dazed.

He had cooked his usual amount, yet after eating, he still felt unbearably hungry.

With no other choice, he hurriedly made a second meal... this time, he made even more than usual.

Only after finishing the second meal did he barely suppress the hunger.

...Had he become a rice bucket?

"No wonder they say cultivation is a process of training and eating... eating may even be more important."

The fundamental method was the hammer, food the fuelwood.

Only then could one forge one's physique!

After understanding this crucial point, Qin Fang slowly exhaled.

Then his eyes flickered.

He immediately thought of the Blood-Qi Pill...

After licking his lips, he took a deep breath.

He suppressed the urge to immediately eat a Blood-Qi Pill.

"Resources are not limitless. I still have more than a hundred taels of silver, but according to Master, one Blood-Qi Pill costs a full ten taels..."

"More than a hundred taels of silver is really only enough for a dozen or so Blood-Qi Pills."

"And I currently have no other source of income... I have to be frugal."

Thinking of this, Qin Fang felt a headache coming on.

On the night of the New Year, his master had told him many things, including about his Identity Plate.

The issue with his Identity Plate had not yet been resolved. He still had to wait.

...The Great Yu dynasty was extremely strict with household registration.

Without an Identity Plate, it would be difficult for him even to find work.

But his master had said he was thinking of a way...

"Before that happens, I need to cultivate and eat... so I must conserve my Blood-Qi Pills... I need to use them more efficiently."

"First, I'll see how many proficiency points I can gain in a day of normal stance practice without using a Blood-Qi Pill..."

He thought to himself...

A day quietly passed.

That night, Qin Fang lay on his bed, feeling waves of exhaustion wash over his body. Yet as he looked at the Panel, he fell into thought.

"Not even one point of proficiency increased... What is going on?"

Qin Fang frowned.

When practicing Flying Darts, even at the worst of times, he could gain at least ten or so proficiency points a day.

But this fundamental method... aside from the one point gained when it was entered into the Panel, he had practiced for half a day and gained nothing at all?

After thinking for a while.

He slowly exhaled.

"Tomorrow, I'll eat a Blood-Qi Pill and see the results."

He thought.

Early the next morning, he got up and came into the courtyard.

Specks of snow drifted down. It was snowing again today.

Qin Fang took a deep breath, took out the porcelain bottle, and poured out a Blood-Qi Pill.

"Pills..."

To be honest, it felt a little strange.

After all, he had never taken any kind of pill before.

And in his previous life, for well-known reasons, the word "pill" had become a symbol of "unscientific" and "ignorant."

But now, he was planning to take one.

...His master would definitely not deceive him.

Taking a deep breath, he placed a Blood-Qi Pill into his mouth.

Its medicinal scent filled his mouth and nose.

The instant his saliva touched the pill, it unexpectedly dissolved at once.

Qin Fang froze, then instinctively swallowed.

It was like swallowing a mouthful of liquid.

So miraculous?

It dissolved upon touching saliva?

Then he closed his eyes and felt for its effects.

Not long afterward, he sensed a warm, burning feeling suddenly rising from his abdomen.

It was faint at first, but after only a brief moment, it abruptly intensified!

In an instant, it swept through his limbs and bones, and his face flushed bright red!

"Such powerful medicinal force?!"

Qin Fang was greatly alarmed.

This was undoubtedly an experience unlike any he had ever had.

But in the next moment, he thought of something and hurriedly assumed his stance.

"Wild Ox Qi Force Stance!"

He threw himself into it wholeheartedly and began standing in the stance.

A strange burning sensation erupted from deep within his body. Qin Fang felt an endless stream of power that, during the stance practice, was gathered together by him. The sound of his skin membrane began to ring out. Amid those strange vibrations, his muscles and fascia seemed to grow scorching hot, as though seared by fire.

As though they were about to melt.

Within the pain was an indescribable comfort.

The feeling defied description. Qin Fang struggled to maintain his breathing and keep his stance skill steady...

He stood like that for nearly half a shichen.

At last, the force in his abdomen vanished without him knowing when.

Qin Fang also awakened from his stance practice.

The next instant, he felt an unprecedented sense of clarity and comfort wash over him.

He let out a long breath.

White mist gathered, and it traveled one or two feet before dispersing.

That breath... was unexpectedly long.

An unprecedented lightness spread through his entire body.

"This is..."

Qin Fang was stunned.

Then he instinctively looked toward the Panel.

Wild Ox Qi Force Stance (Low-Grade Fundamental Method) (Initiation Stage): 13/500

Qin Fang's eyes widened.

One Blood-Qi Pill... had actually increased his proficiency by 12 points?

This...

He blinked.

This was...

Eating?