Blood Ginseng

"Hmm? Jiang Chen is back?"

The Zhao Xiaoyue who was walking beside Wang Qingzhu spotted Jiang Chen with exceptionally sharp eyes.

"Jiang Chen?"

Wang Qingzhu followed her voice and looked over, somewhat surprised.

Wasn't Jiang Chen supposed to have encountered evil spirits in the Cursed House, with his life and death still uncertain?

But with that healthy, glowing complexion, he certainly didn't look like anything had happened to him.

"Qingzhu, he really treats you well. The moment he returned to the martial arts school, he queued up to buy food for you."

Zhao Xiaoyue was rather envious.

Among Wang Qingzhu's many admirers, Jiang Chen was definitely the most devoted.

Unfortunately, his talent was simply too poor. He had been studying at the martial arts school for half a year, yet still hadn't condensed Blood Qi. There was no way Wang Qingzhu would take a fancy to him.

"Every day, he either buys food or sends things over. He's of no actual use at all."

Wang Qingzhu's expression was cold. She had entered the martial arts school to hook a rich husband, not to bother with an ordinary nobody like Jiang Chen.

Despite saying that, she still habitually found an empty seat and waited for Jiang Chen to bring over the food.

Zhao Xiaoyue glanced at Wang Qingzhu with even greater envy, then went to queue by herself.

"One bowl of Blood Ginseng Powder."

Soon, it was Jiang Chen's turn in line. Besides a meal packed with nutrition, he also ordered a bowl of Blood Ginseng Powder, spending several taels of silver.

Afterward, he carried the food to an empty seat and began wolfing it down.

A few days ago, even after standing in his stance for an entire day, he hadn't felt this hungry.

This showed just how great the drain on his stamina was from cultivating the Stone Moving Method.

That was only natural.

Cultivating the Stone Moving Method consumed martial Blood Qi.

And martial Blood Qi was, in essence, the body's energy.

Naturally, the more martial Blood Qi one consumed, the greater the toll on one's stamina.

"He..."

Watching Jiang Chen eat on his own, both Wang Qingzhu, who was waiting for him to bring her food, and Zhao Xiaoyue, who was still in line, froze.

Jiang Chen had actually ignored Wang Qingzhu and started eating by himself?

What was he trying to do?

"What's with Jiang Chen today? Why didn't he go curry favor with Junior Sister Wang?"

"He was probably hit hard a few days ago and realized that flattering her was useless."

"Junior Sister Wang is still waiting for him to bring her food. Isn't he making her lose face by doing this?"

"What, are you feeling sorry for her? Why don't you deliver the food yourself? Maybe she'll be moved and take a fancy to you."

"Forget it. Jiang Chen fawned over her for half a year without success. I'm not going to humiliate myself..."

Hearing the cafeteria disciples' discussion and feeling their gazes, Wang Qingzhu's expression gradually turned ugly. She then rose with a cold face and walked straight out of the cafeteria.

"Qingzhu, wait for me."

Zhao Xiaoyue came to her senses and hurried after her. As she left the cafeteria, she glanced back at Jiang Chen.

As a result, Jiang Chen was merely burying his head in his food, completely unreactive to Wang Qingzhu's name.

"Jiang Chen, I think Junior Sister Wang is furious. Aren't you going to hurry and coax her?"

At that moment, a sturdy figure carrying food sat down.

"What does her being angry have to do with me?"

Jiang Chen glanced at the newcomer.

It was Luo Yang, the son of a merchant from one of the nearby streets. He had also joined the martial arts school in the same intake.

However, Luo Yang had long since entered the Second Qi and Blood Gate and had hopes of breaking into the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

"Brother, have you finally come to your senses?"

Luo Yang was extremely surprised by Jiang Chen's words.

The two had originally been on good terms. When they had first joined the martial arts school, they would occasionally discuss their experiences with stance training.

But after Jiang Chen became infatuated with Wang Qingzhu and started fooling around with Zheng Hao and the others, the two had gradually stopped associating.

Who would have thought that Jiang Chen had actually come to his senses?

"I nearly died. Naturally, a lot of things became clear to me."

Jiang Chen casually made up a story.

Still, this excuse was quite fitting. It could explain why he had suddenly changed so drastically.

"You should've been like this sooner. Whether it's Wang Qingzhu or Zheng Hao and the others, they all treat you like a sucker. You're the only one who never saw through them."

Luo Yang patted Jiang Chen on the shoulder, delighted by his change.

Grrrrr.

After finishing his meal, Jiang Chen picked up the Blood Ginseng Powder and drank it down.

Soon, the fiery medicinal power pierced through his stomach wall and spread throughout his five viscera and six bowels, his limbs and bones. His entire body visibly flushed red, while wisps of heat rose from his pores.

"The medicinal effect is terrifyingly strong. No wonder one dose costs five taels of silver."

With his mind turned inward, Jiang Chen could clearly see the powerful medicinal energy boiling inside his body.

The Blood-Qi Soup was like a docile kitten in front of the Blood Ginseng Powder.

"You drank Blood Ginseng Powder?!"

Seeing Jiang Chen's appearance, Luo Yang was greatly startled.

Blood Ginseng Powder could only be consumed by people with sufficiently strong constitutions.

Had Jiang Chen gone mad?

"I'm leaving first."

Jiang Chen quickly left the cafeteria and arrived at the Practice Field, where he assumed the White Ape Stance.

Before long, stimulated by the Blood Ginseng Powder, Primordial Energy began seeping out continuously at a speed far surpassing that of the Blood-Qi Soup.

His martial Blood Qi rapidly circulated, refining that pure energy and constantly growing stronger.

"Although the medicinal power of the Blood Ginseng Powder is fierce, it isn't impossible to absorb it over the course of a day."

Jiang Chen carefully observed the medicinal power within his body.

At that moment, the advantage of maintaining Stance Sense became apparent.

Each time he triggered Stance Sense, he could stimulate Primordial Energy once, and the medicinal power of the Blood Ginseng Powder would be absorbed once as well.

By triggering Stance Sense constantly, he could stimulate Primordial Energy without pause.

Naturally, the medicinal power of the Blood Ginseng Powder could also be absorbed moment by moment.

If he couldn't maintain Stance Sense and his cultivation process kept breaking off, the speed at which he absorbed the medicinal power would be greatly reduced.

Under the scorching sun, time flew by.

The Hour of the Goat.

The disciples who had finished their midday rest gradually arrived at the Practice Field.

When they saw Jiang Chen, who had already been standing in his stance for some time, many disciples secretly shook their heads.

Martial cultivation required a balance between work and rest.

By charging ahead so fiercely like Jiang Chen, he would wear himself down before long.

"Martial Blood Qi?!"

Luo Yang, who had also arrived, sensed the surging martial Blood Qi within Jiang Chen and was extremely astonished.

Hadn't Jiang Chen barely cultivated at all ever since becoming infatuated with Wang Qingzhu?

How long had it been since they last met? He had actually condensed Blood Qi?

What miraculous medicine had he eaten?

After watching for quite a while, Luo Yang came back to himself and went to an empty area to cultivate his fist technique.

Low, heavy fists echoed through the air.

Amid the feverish cultivation, another hour passed, bringing them to the Hour of the Monkey.

"Hah!"

In the open space, Luo Yang, who had been practicing the White Ape Fist until his head was drenched in sweat, withdrew his fists and straightened his body.

"Jiang Chen is still standing in his stance? Stance Sense?"

When he saw Jiang Chen still standing in his stance, Luo Yang blinked again.

Being able to stand in the stance and cultivate continuously meant that Jiang Chen had comprehended Stance Sense.

In other words, Jiang Chen hadn't condensed martial Blood Qi with the help of external forces?

No.

Even after comprehending Stance Sense, it was impossible to stand in a stance continuously for nearly two hours.

When he had been at the First Qi and Blood Gate, he had considered himself lucky if he could maintain his stance for half an hour.

"Hm?"

Luo Yang was still deeply puzzled when his gaze suddenly sharpened. He then furrowed his brows.

Several figures with languid, swaggering postures had arrived at the edge of the Practice Field.

The burly leader was Zheng Hao, Wang Qingzhu's cousin.

If Jiang Chen becoming infatuated with Wang Qingzhu meant that he had merely set one foot into a quagmire,

then getting mixed up with Zheng Hao and the others meant he had been completely dragged into the mire.

Zheng Hao and the others had joined the martial arts school two or three years ago and could be considered veteran disciples.

By rights, veteran disciples like them should have left the martial arts school and sought their own livelihoods after failing to enter the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

But Zheng Hao and the others had remained.

They stayed at the martial arts school not to practice martial arts, but to recruit and befriend other disciples.

Some disciples had decent talent but ordinary family backgrounds. They would accept support from other factions, then join those factions after leaving the martial arts school.

There were quite a few people like Zheng Hao in the martial arts school.

"Huh? Has this kid changed his ways? He's actually cultivating?"

After arriving at the Practice Field, Zheng Hao and the others quickly spotted Jiang Chen.

Seeing him standing in his stance and cultivating in a complete reversal of his usual behavior, they were all extremely surprised.

If Jiang Chen had been his usual self, he would have come looking for them as soon as he returned to the martial arts school.

"No! He's comprehended Stance Sense, and he's even condensed Blood Qi?!"

After waiting for a long while, Zheng Hao finally realized what was happening. He looked at Jiang Chen in astonishment.

"How did he manage that?"

The others were also filled with surprise.

They knew Jiang Chen's situation like the backs of their hands.

Just a few days ago, Jiang Chen had only just reached the entry level in the White Ape Stance. How had he comprehended Stance Sense and condensed martial Blood Qi already?

Wasn't this speed too fast?

If condensing martial Blood Qi could still be forced along by relying on cultivation resources, then Stance Sense depended purely on comprehension.

Jiang Chen's comprehension was actually this high?