Stone Moving

It was the end of Si Hour, and the blazing sun hung high in the sky.

"Whoosh!"

Jiang Chen, drenched in hot sweat, withdrew his fist and straightened.

He leaped down from the Plum Blossom Stakes and came to the water vat in the shade, gulping down Well Water.

The cool Well Water flowed into his body, bringing him immense comfort.

[Realm: First Qi and Blood Gate Stage 17%]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, his Blood Qi had only increased by 3%.

That was the role resources played.

Without Blood-Qi Soup to assist him, he could not maintain even a 1% increase in an hour.

"Junior Brother Jiang, you've condensed martial Blood Qi?"

At that moment, Sun Wu, who had been keeping an eye on Jiang Chen, walked over.

"I only condensed it a few days ago."

Jiang Chen nodded, unsurprised that Sun Wu had sensed it.

When a martial artist stood in a stance, their martial Blood Qi would boil along with them, making it easy for others to sense.

"Since you've condensed Blood Qi, you should learn the Stone Moving Method."

Sun Wu did not ask further and said with a smile.

The White Ape Stance allowed martial artists to stimulate their Primordial Energy and refine martial Blood Qi.

The Stone Moving Method, on the other hand, used Stone Locks, stone steles, and similar objects to help martial artists control their Blood Qi.

A martial artist's strength in battle depended entirely on their martial Blood Qi.

And how much power their Blood Qi could display depended on how well they controlled it.

A martial artist who had mastered their Blood Qi could easily crush another martial artist who was not very proficient with Blood Qi, even if they were in the same realm.

The Stone Moving Method was the easiest Blood Qi mastery technique to learn. At the same time, it laid the foundation for the Second Qi and Blood Gate.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Sun."

Jiang Chen followed Sun Wu toward the area piled with Stone Locks.

"By the way, Senior Brother Sun..."

Along the way, Jiang Chen took the opportunity to ask about methods of improving bone aptitude.

"Improving bone aptitude?"

"Heh, whether a person's bone aptitude is strong or weak is decided in the womb. If it could be improved after birth, wouldn't geniuses be walking everywhere?"

Hearing Jiang Chen's question, Sun Wu laughed.

In this world, only a very small number of people possessed martial bone aptitude and could embark on the martial path.

And among those with martial bone aptitude, the vast majority possessed only the most ordinary bone aptitude.

That was why people with good bone aptitude were treated like treasures wherever they went.

Zhou Yuqing's attitude earlier had been a clear example.

After learning that Jiang Chen's bone aptitude was ordinary, she had lost all interest in him.

"Then besides Blood-Qi Soup, are there any better auxiliary secret medicines?"

Since his bone aptitude could not be changed, he could only turn to secret medicines.

That was also why he had not drunk Blood-Qi Soup at home that morning.

"There is, actually. Our martial arts school has specially made Blood Ginseng Powder."

"The medicinal effects of Blood Ginseng Powder are several times stronger than those of Blood-Qi Soup. However, ordinary disciples cannot take Blood Ginseng Powder."

Sun Wu explained.

"Why? Because of the price?"

Jiang Chen asked.

"Blood Ginseng Powder is indeed much more expensive than Blood-Qi Soup. One dose costs five taels of silver. But that's only a secondary reason. The main reason is that its medicinal effects are too potent."

"If someone can't completely absorb its effects after taking it, the medicinal power will accumulate in their body and form Medicine Toxin. Therefore, only people with good physiques can use Blood Ginseng Powder."

Sun Wu explained the principle behind it.

"Medicinal power... physique..."

Jiang Chen's thoughts began to stir.

Physique and bone aptitude were two entirely different things.

The quality of one's bone aptitude lay in the speed at which they stimulated Primordial Energy. The better their bone aptitude, the faster they could stimulate Primordial Energy.

In other words, their cultivation speed would be faster.

The strength of one's physique, meanwhile, encompassed the limbs and bones, the internal organs, the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and so on. It was like how some people were born sturdy while others were born frail.

Although his bone aptitude was ordinary, his body was fairly strong. That did not mean his physique was poor.

If he could withstand the medicinal effects, his cultivation speed would increase several times over.

"Junior Brother Jiang, watch closely."

When they reached the Stone Lock area, Sun Wu picked up a stone block, held it at the center of his arms, and swung it up and down.

The stone block, weighing several hundred catties, floated and moved fluidly in his hands. There was not the slightest sign of strain.

Buzz~

As Jiang Chen memorized Sun Wu's movements, the Myriad Dao Chart radiated divine light:

[Myriad Dao Chart]

[Dao Master: Jiang Chen]

[Realm: First Qi and Blood Gate Stage 17%]

[Technique: White Ape Stance]

[Martial Art: Stone Moving Method 0%]

Immediately afterward, a Martial Art section appeared on the Myriad Dao Chart.

"This Stone Moving Method is actually a martial art?"

Jiang Chen became interested. He hefted a Stone Lock weighing over a hundred catties and began practicing. The martial Blood Qi in his body circulated along with his movements.

The essence of the Stone Moving Method did not lie in tempering one's strength, but in mastering one's Blood Qi.

Once one's Blood Qi reached the point of moving as freely as one's heart desired, it meant the Stone Moving Method had reached perfection.

Thud~

As Jiang Chen moved the Stone Lock, an ethereal figure emerged in the Myriad Dao Chart once again.

At once, insights into cultivating the Stone Moving Method continuously surged into his mind.

His movements, which had originally been quite clumsy, quickly became practiced.

[Stone Moving Method Experience +1]

[Stone Moving Method Experience +1]

[Stone Moving Method Experience +1]

Compared to the White Ape Stance, cultivating the Stone Moving Method was much simpler. He could increase his experience by 1 point in almost two or three breaths.

"Sure enough, Junior Brother Jiang's comprehension is extraordinary!"

Seeing Jiang Chen grasp the essentials of the Stone Moving Method so quickly, Sun Wu became even more convinced that Jiang Chen possessed extraordinary comprehension and had merely been held back in the past.

If he had not been held back, then with such astonishing comprehension, even with only ordinary bone aptitude, he should have entered the Second Qi and Blood Gate long ago—within half a year at most.

At that moment, a handsome youth in blue robes, holding an invitation, emerged from the Inner Courtyard corridor surrounded by several martial arts school disciples.

"Hm?"

When the blue-robed youth saw Jiang Chen practicing the Stone Moving Method, he halted.

"Junior Brother Jiang, what is it?"

Seeing this, the martial arts school disciples looked over curiously.

"Is that... Jiang Chen?"

"Didn't he go mad after trying to curry favor with Junior Sister Wang and run into an evil spirit...?"

Those disciples recognized Jiang Chen as well. After glancing at Jiang Xuan, they stopped discussing him.

Although Jiang Xuan had barely interacted with Jiang Chen over the past six months, they were still members of the Jiang Clan. It was better not to discuss him in front of others.

"The Stone Moving Method? Has he condensed Blood Qi?"

Jiang Xuan's attention, however, fell on the Stone Moving Method Jiang Chen was practicing, and he was quite surprised.

Over the past six months, Jiang Chen had either hovered around Wang Qingzhu flattering her or fooled around with Zheng Hao and the others. He had barely cultivated at all.

Logically speaking, with Jiang Chen's ordinary bone aptitude and such indolence, he should not have been able to condense Blood Qi.

Could it be that Jiang Chen's parents had given him some special forbidden medicine so he could show off before the clan?

If that was truly the case, then Jiang Chen's martial path had been completely severed.

"Let's go."

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze and left indifferently.

Although they came from the same clan and had entered the martial arts school at the same time, from the moment their bone aptitudes had been tested, he and Jiang Chen had already belonged to different worlds.

Moreover, Jiang Chen had willingly fallen into depravity, making him even less worthy of Jiang Xuan's notice.

"Whoosh!"

After cultivating for two incense sticks, Jiang Chen was drenched in hot sweat and set down the stone block.

His martial Blood Qi had been exhausted, his physical strength had reached its limit, and his stomach rumbled loudly.

Compared to the White Ape Stance, the Stone Moving Method was much more tiring and consumed an enormous amount of physical strength.

[Martial Art: Stone Moving Method 80%]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, the Stone Moving Method's progress advanced rapidly.

At this rate, he would soon reach perfection as long as he practiced once or twice whenever he had free time.

"Junior Brother Jiang, go eat first."

Sun Wu checked the time and went to the Thousand Fragrance Pavilion for the banquet.

The other disciples on the Practice Field dispersed in twos and threes as well.

After drawing water to wash himself, Jiang Chen arrived at the martial arts school's dining hall.

At lunchtime, several long lines stretched through the dining hall.

Because their cultivation and family wealth differed, the disciples' meals differed as well.

Simply put, those from wealthy families ate better, while those from poorer families ate worse.

As the martial arts school disciples lined up, two tall, slender figures entered the dining hall.

"Junior Sister Wang is here!"

"Junior Sister Wang really gets prettier the more you look at her!"

"In our martial arts school, aside from Senior Sister Zhou, Junior Sister Wang is the prettiest!"

"If you ask me, judging solely by appearance, Junior Sister Wang is even a cut above..."

The graceful figure leading the group had a slender waist, long hair draped over her shoulders, and bright eyes and pearly teeth. Even her complexion had clearly been carefully tended, drawing the gazes of the disciples.

Female disciples were already scarce in the martial arts school. Most of them were broad-shouldered and powerfully built, with rough skin—practically male disciples in another form.

Naturally, such a beautiful girl captivated the hot-blooded male disciples.

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Chen turned around and recognized the two of them.

The one in front was Wang Qingzhu, the female disciple he had constantly chased after to curry favor with.

The female disciple beside Wang Qingzhu was her close friend, Zhao Xiaoyue.