Perfection

The next day.

Jiang Chen followed his routine and trained relentlessly.

He rose early and trained for six hours, then spent another six hours practicing the stance in the afternoon.

With the help of Blood Ginseng Powder, his martial Blood Qi had risen at a gratifying pace, reaching 68%.

At this rate, he would break through again tomorrow morning and reach the late stage of the First Qi and Blood Gate.

The sky gradually darkened.

By evening, many disciples had left the martial arts school for home.

Jiang Chen went to the dining hall for dinner and ordered another serving of Blood Ginseng Powder.

"That kid drinks Blood Ginseng Powder every day. He must have at least a few dozen taels of silver on him."

Several figures watched from nearby, their eyes red with envy. They were Zheng Hao and his companions.

They had thought Jiang Chen's grueling training was just for show and that he would soon fall back into his old ways.

But judging by the past two days, Jiang Chen seemed to have truly turned over a new leaf.

What made them even more envious was how much Jiang Chen spent each day.

Between Blood Ginseng Powder, meals, and everything else, he spent at least six taels of silver a day.

That alone showed how deep his pockets were.

If they could get their hands on that money, they could pay off their gambling debts.

"Jiang Chen, it's already evening. Why are you still drinking Blood Ginseng Powder?"

Luo Yang approached with his meal. When he saw the Blood Ginseng Powder, he couldn't help speaking up.

Even if Jiang Chen had a sturdy constitution, he couldn't keep putting himself through this.

If drinking Blood Ginseng Powder so often left Medicine Toxin in his body, the loss would outweigh the gain.

"I can't help it. I wasted too much time these past six months. If I want to catch up, I have to push myself hard."

Jiang Chen gulped down the hot soup.

Blood Ginseng Powder deserved no small share of the credit for his rapid progress.

"By the way, Zheng Hao and the others have been keeping an eye on you."

As they ate and talked, Luo Yang glanced at Zheng Hao's group in the distance and warned him.

"I know."

Jiang Chen had noticed, of course.

Ever since he had turned them down, Zheng Hao and the others had kept showing up.

No need to ask—they were up to no good.

But as long as he stayed inside the martial arts school, Zheng Hao and the others could only stand there and stare, whatever they had in mind.

Anyone who resorted to violence inside the school would have their martial arts crippled.

"I heard they've been asking around for loans these past few days. Keep your guard up, or someone might club you from behind."

Luo Yang spoke in a hushed voice.

Zheng Hao and his companions usually spent their time either in brothels or gambling dens. If they had set their sights on Jiang Chen, they were probably after his money.

"They'd better not try anything."

Jiang Chen smiled, not particularly concerned.

Zheng Hao and the others had entered the Second Qi and Blood Gate long ago, but they were only so strong.

At his current pace, Jiang Chen would reach perfection in the First Qi and Blood Gate tomorrow.

Even if cultivating the Second Qi and Blood Gate proved harder, it would not take him long to break through.

When that happened, handling Zheng Hao and the others would be easy.

After all, he had fought a hundred battles in his previous life and had a wealth of experience in deadly combat.

If Zheng Hao and the others dared provoke him, he wouldn't mind sending them on their way.

"Luo Yang, why didn't you go home today?"

After finishing his Blood Ginseng Soup, Jiang Chen realized something and asked.

If he remembered correctly, Luo Yang disliked the martial arts school's shared sleeping quarters and went home every day.

"These past few days, the gangs in the East District have been fighting each other nonstop. I don't know what's gotten into them. Dozens of people have died in Willow Catkin Ward alone."

"To be safe, my father told me to stay at the martial arts school."

Luo Yang sounded rather helpless.

White Cloud County was divided into five districts: east, south, west, north, and the Main City District.

Each district was further divided into wards of varying sizes.

Even the smallest ward was more prosperous than the towns outside the city.

And where there were more people and more factions, conflict and strife naturally followed.

"I heard the turmoil in our East District has something to do with the city lord leaving office."

"Jiang Chen, doesn't your Jiang Clan have ties to the City Lord's Mansion? Have you heard anything from inside?"

Seeing that Jiang Chen did not seem very interested, Luo Yang asked out of curiosity.

"Do you think the clan would tell someone in my position that sort of thing?"

Jiang Chen gave a light laugh.

He had only Ordinary Bone Aptitude. The clan had never placed much hope in him.

Among the Jiang Clan's younger generation, probably only Jiang Xuan had access to the real inside story.

"That's true."

Luo Yang nodded.

Jiang Chen might have gathered Blood Qi, but he was only at the First Qi and Blood Gate—not even as far along as Luo Yang. Naturally, the Jiang Clan would not place much importance on him.

"I'm off."

Once the Blood Ginseng Powder took effect, Jiang Chen hurried to the Practice Field.

He trained until Zi Hour before ending his day's grueling practice.

[Cultivation: First Qi and Blood Gate · Middle Stage 84%]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, his cultivation was drawing ever closer to the late stage of the First Qi and Blood Gate.

A few more hours of training tomorrow, and he would break through again.

The next day, at Si Hour.

Boom!

As Jiang Chen stood in the stance with a calm mind, his martial Blood Qi surged once more. It became a rolling current of heat that swept through every limb and bone.

Vast vitality filled his entire body.

[Cultivation: First Qi and Blood Gate · Late Stage 0%]

The cultivation entry on the Myriad Dao Chart changed.

"Three hundred jin of force!"

Jiang Chen clenched his fist. Feeling the abundant martial Blood Qi within him, he could not hide his smile.

It had been less than ten days since his spiritual awareness had awakened.

In less than ten short days, he had gained such formidable fighting strength.

How could he not be excited?

Given enough time, he would reach the peak of martial arts one day!

"Keep going!"

After throwing a few punches through the air, Jiang Chen settled his thoughts and entered a focused state in the stance.

Now that he had reached the late stage of the First Qi and Blood Gate, it was time to use his martial Blood Qi to temper every limb and bone.

In the blink of an eye, noon arrived, and the blazing sun hung overhead.

[Cultivation: First Qi and Blood Gate · Late Stage 8%]

Jiang Chen drew his fists back and straightened up. Feeling the Blood Qi surging within him, his eyes shone like stars.

At the middle stage of the First Qi and Blood Gate, he could only take on a few grown men.

Now that he had entered the late stage, he could easily put down a whole group of them.

A breakthrough in cultivation brought more than increased strength; every aspect of the body transformed.

More importantly, at his current pace, he would reach perfection in the First Qi and Blood Gate tomorrow.

By then, all his Primordial Energy would be awakened, and his overall fighting strength would soar again.

Events unfolded just as he expected.

On the third day, at dusk.

Boom!

A deep, lingering ancient tone echoed through Jiang Chen's mind.

[Myriad Dao Chart]

[Dao Master: Jiang Chen]

[Technique: White Ape Stance · Perfected]

[Cultivation: First Qi and Blood Gate · Perfected]

[Martial Art: Stone Moving Method · Perfected]

The Myriad Dao Chart shone with Dao light, and the cultivation entry changed.

"Finally, perfection!"

Feeling the powerful Blood Qi surging within him, Jiang Chen's heart stirred.

His Primordial Energy had been fully awakened.

From today onward, he would enter a new stage of cultivation.

"Senior Brother Sun."

With that thought, Jiang Chen hurried out of the Practice Field and went to the Inner Courtyard to find Sun Wu.

"You've reached perfection in the First Qi and Blood Gate?"

Sun Wu had just finished meditating. When he heard Jiang Chen's words, he struggled to take them in.

Hadn't Jiang Chen said he had only just gathered Blood Qi when he returned to the martial arts school a few days ago?

How long had it been? He had already perfected the First Qi and Blood Gate?

Even if he drank Blood Ginseng Powder every day, wasn't that astonishingly fast?

"Senior Brother Sun, forgive me."

Seeing Sun Wu's reaction, Jiang Chen spoke, then drove his fists at him in a rapid flurry.

Thud, thud, thud...

Sun Wu came to his senses and blocked with one hand, effortlessly neutralizing Jiang Chen's attacks. He looked like he was playing with a small child. They were on entirely different levels.

So this was the True Martial Realm!

The instant they made contact, Jiang Chen's heart stirred.

His attacks struck Sun Wu's hand like stones sinking into the sea, unable to raise the slightest wave.

There was no need to ask: Sun Wu had already reached the True Martial Realm.

No wonder he could teach on his master's behalf.

"He really has perfected the First Qi and Blood Gate!"

When Sun Wu saw Jiang Chen throw dozens of punches without the slightest change in his expression, his eyes lit up.

At perfection in the First Qi and Blood Gate, one gained not only three hundred jin of force and stronger defense, speed, and reflexes, but astonishing endurance as well.

Judging by Jiang Chen's performance, he had indeed fully awakened his Primordial Energy and refined it into martial Blood Qi.