Marvelous Effects

The three women were both shocked and frightened.

Yu Qingqing and Lin Biling were especially shaken by how close they'd come to disaster.

After all, it was because of the Blood Blade Sect that they had fled to Crow Mountain City.

Huang Shengnan also knew something about the mastermind who had turned Crow Mountain City into an inner and outer city.

The Blood Blade Sect's disciples roamed the martial world using extreme violence, burning, killing, and looting.

They were a demonic sect whose name struck terror into everyone throughout Red Maple Prefecture.

In this region, only the Clear Wood Sect could just barely keep the Blood Blade Sect in check.

They could never afford to provoke the Blood Blade Sect:

"Don't let this get out.

If word leaks, none of the four of us will escape.

As for the Bounty Pavilion's wanted notice, it has to stay up.

We don't know any 'Leng Yifeng of the Blood Blade Sect.' We only know he's a lecher."

Li Yun glanced at Huang Shengnan, who was relatively calm, and nodded inwardly.

No wonder she could help the Huang Family manage some of its businesses.

She certainly had the bearing of someone who could take charge.

After this, Huang Shengnan no longer felt like hunting.

The four discussed matters for a while. Once they had dealt with the corpse, they rode back to Crow Mountain City.

Subduing Tiger Martial Hall.

After returning, Li Yun trained as usual.

Only after nightfall, when he returned to his room and shut the door, did he take out the day's spoils.

He set the bottles and jars aside for now and first picked up the three booklets.

Blood Blade Technique contained the forms and methods of attack. Its moves were strange and vicious, all about speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness.

Remembering how Leng Yifeng had fought two people at once, Li Yun decided he would have to spend time properly learning the blade techniques.

Of course, he wouldn't neglect Tiger Subduing Fist because of it.

After all, Fu Huaixing had said that fist techniques and stance training complemented each other.

Bone Shifting Technique claimed that, once mastered, it could shift every bone in the body to protect vital areas.

Clearly, Leng Yifeng hadn't mastered it.

And he'd probably taken an interest in the technique's added ability: changing one's build, which made it easier for him to seduce women.

Introduction to Poisons recorded some of the more common poisons.

After Li Yun carefully read it through, a flash of golden light passed through his mind.

[Introduction to Poisons: +1]

[Introduction to Poisons (Uninitiated): 1/1000]

This was great stuff—practically essential for travel and daily life.

Li Yun decided to set aside some time each day in his training schedule to read Introduction to Poisons.

Looks like I'll have to move out. It'll be hard to hide my practice of Blood Blade Technique and Bone Shifting Technique otherwise.

The next day.

Li Yun had taken some Blood Replenishing Powder and was practicing his stance in a corner, building up his qi and blood.

Yu Qingqing found him and handed him a box, deliberately lowering her voice.

"Junior Brother, this is the prize Miss Huang mentioned yesterday.

But it isn't a Young Blood Ginseng. It's a two-year-old Blood Ginseng in excellent condition."

A two-year-old Blood Ginseng in excellent condition?

Ever since he'd heard Fu Huaixing's words that day, Li Yun had looked into it.

A Blood Ginseng like this cost at least two hundred taels of silver.

He hadn't expected Huang Shengnan to be so generous.

He wondered if she meant it to take the place of the two-hundred-tael reward from the Bounty Pavilion, so he wouldn't be tempted to claim it.

Li Yun didn't refuse such a fine gift. After all, he really had saved them.

"Thank you, Senior Sister.

Sorry for the trouble, but could you thank Miss Huang for her generous gift on my behalf?"

Yu Qingqing looked puzzled.

"I understand thanking Miss Huang, but why are you thanking me? I only helped carry something."

"Of course I should thank you, Senior Sister.

If you hadn't taken me along yesterday, how could I have gotten something this valuable?

And the Bull Bow, too. How could I not thank you for such a generous gift?"

Yu Qingqing had been grateful to Li Yun and hadn't asked for the Bull Bow back. Li Yun hadn't stood on ceremony and had accepted it.

"Speaking of that, I should be the one thanking you.

If you hadn't come along yesterday, the consequences..."

Yu Qingqing shuddered at the thought.

Thank goodness they'd escaped disaster.

But then she thought of Lin Biling, and her expression brightened.

"Junior Brother, you have no idea. Afterward, I teased that little tramp mercilessly.

She couldn't get a single word out and could only stew in anger."

"Then congratulations, Senior Sister. You got to knock her down a peg..."

Li Yun didn't understand this sort of fake sisterly affection.

All he wanted now was to eat the Blood Ginseng and turn it into qi and blood as quickly as possible.

He nodded, then put on a questioning expression.

"By the way, Senior Sister, can I take this Blood Ginseng at the same time as Blood Replenishing Powder?"

"It won't interfere, but after you take it, you should start practicing your stance right away.

That way, you can draw as much qi and blood from the Blood Ginseng as possible."

Yu Qingqing had eaten Blood Ginseng before, so she immediately told Li Yun a few things to keep in mind.

When he heard her say that eating it raw wouldn't affect its potency, Li Yun opened the box and prepared to eat it.

The moment he opened the box, a fresh, herbal fragrance washed over him.

It mingled the crisp scent of plants with a faint sweetness, filling his nostrils.

A Blood Ginseng lay nestled inside, its roots plump and its color a deep red, like congealed fat.

Li Yun lifted it to his mouth and bit down.

Its tender, crisp flesh broke apart with a snap. Sweet juice burst across his tongue, carrying a faintly bitter herbal taste before sliding down his throat and into his belly, fresh and smooth.

Within a few breaths,

warmth began to rise in his stomach. It started as a spark, then spread like a prairie fire, flowing through all his limbs and bones.

Li Yun didn't dare delay. He immediately sank his waist and elbows, drew in his chest and straightened his back, then began practicing his stance with abdominal breathing.

Wherever the warmth passed, there was no burning pain. His whole body felt at ease, and even his pores seemed to open in that moment, greedily absorbing the medicinal power.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance: +1]

[...]

Seeing Li Yun practice, Yu Qingqing said no more and turned to leave.

This scene fell into the eyes of those in the Inner Courtyard who were keeping a close watch on Yu Qingqing.

Their hearts shattered.

The senior sister they admired had actually brought Li Yun a gift?

Had she fallen for him?!

They had already made up their minds: the next time they sparred with Li Yun,

they would teach him a harsh lesson.

Immersed in the sensation of his qi and blood surging faster and faster, Li Yun didn't notice that he'd been marked for trouble.

Even if he had, he wouldn't have taken it too seriously.

The angrier these people got, the faster his fist techniques improved.

He couldn't have asked for more.

He held the stance for several hours.

The sky gradually darkened.

At last, Li Yun felt the medicinal power in his body slowly fading.

Only then did he look at the information in his mind.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance (Initiated): 2336/5000]

One Blood Ginseng had the effect of practicing his stance for half a year without Blood Replenishing Powder.

It seemed Blood Ginseng truly had a remarkable effect on building up qi and blood in the Body Tempering Realm.

That claim wasn't just a rumor.

Li Yun's heart burned with excitement.

With his silver, he could afford at least two Blood Ginsengs.

Wouldn't Bright Force be within reach, then?

He didn't need to be like everyone else.

After their qi and blood were full, they still had to comprehend "the burst of rigid force."

They had to condense their qi and blood throughout their bodies, then unleash fierce, outward force, their movements cracking like firecrackers.

That was what they called "breaking through the barrier."

But Li Yun only had to build up his qi and blood to the limit.

Then,

his muscles and bones would sound together, and force would arise of its own accord.