Spirit Stones

For the next few days, Xia Dong did not rush to go out. Instead, he remained behind closed doors, thoroughly verifying his conclusions from multiple angles.

He attempted to force the Crane Stance while in states of extreme exhaustion, hunger, and even while deliberately disrupting his breathing rhythm during a run. Without exception, as soon as the chime of the Bronze Ancient Bell rang within his sea of consciousness, his body would be taken over by that mysterious "law," instantly returning to the most perfect crane posture through incredible micro-adjustments.

The trace of qi within his body flowed as smoothly as a swimming fish, never once going astray.

Having fully grasped the tyrannical nature of "Once Proven, Forever Proven," Xia Dong suppressed the urge to immediately head out in search of profound martial arts or forbidden demonic techniques.

A ten-thousand-story building rises from the ground; the foundation of this physical body is the root of it all, he thought, sitting quietly on his bed to calculate his next steps.

Although the only thing he could currently practice was this low-tier Crane Stance, that did not mean it would become useless once "perfected."

"Once Proven, Forever Proven" locked in his "comprehension" and "realm" regarding this martial art, but it did not lock the physical upper limit of this body.

As long as there was sufficient energy injected, this flawless stance could still act like an extremely precise waterwheel, continuously tempering his blood and qi.

The fifty taels of silver and the high-quality old ginseng roots gifted by the Qin Family were the best fuel he had at the moment.

The next morning, Xia Dong went to the apothecary to buy a pile of common herbs to assist with blood circulation, then went to the butcher to order fresh meat daily. Returning to the courtyard, he sliced off a small piece of the ginseng from the Qin Family and simmered it with the herbs in an earthen pot for an hour.

When that bowl of ink-thick, pungent, bitter ginseng soup hit his stomach, it took less than half a cup of tea for Xia Dong to feel as if he had swallowed a piece of burning charcoal.

The violent medicinal power transformed into a surging heat, rampaging through his limbs and bones. His skin instantly flushed a startling red, the veins on his forehead throbbed, and a warm liquid threatened to spill from his nostrils.

Had this been an apprentice at a common martial arts school, they would surely be terrified; at best, they would fall ill from the blood rushing to their head, and at worst, their meridians would rupture.

But Xia Dong's expression remained calm. Enduring the tearing, bloated pain in his body, he walked to the withered well in the courtyard, bent his knees slightly, stood on one leg, and extended his arms slowly like crane wings.

Clang.

A distant bell chime echoed deep within his mind.

The perfect Crane Stance, achieved.

The violent, unruly medicinal power in his body was like a wild horse, instantly fitted with the sturdiest and most fitting bridle.

Under the operation of the perfected stance, that originally faint trace of "qi" turned into a tireless millstone, grinding, devouring, and digesting the medicinal power of the ginseng bit by bit, then precisely transporting it to every inch of muscle and every segment of bone.

The medicinal power was perfectly absorbed.

This was the terrifying digestive power granted by "Once Proven, Forever Proven."

For the entire month that followed, Xia Dong's courtyard fell into a monotonous yet highly efficient cycle.

Brewing medicine, eating meat, and practicing the stance.

The fifty taels of silver flowed away like water, exchanged for meat and herbs. The old ginseng roots left by the Qin Family were also gradually consumed as the days passed.

With every stance, his breathing became deeper and longer than before. His sweat no longer splashed and shattered against the blue bricks; instead, it turned into a faint white mist that steamed off the top of his head.

As his blood and qi grew stronger, the Crane Stance—a health-preserving technique originally intended only to "regulate qi and blood"—was pushed by Xia Dong to a level he had never imagined in his previous life.

A month later, on a deep autumn morning.

Xia Dong stood shirtless in the courtyard, slowly ending his practice and exhaling a long, turbid breath. The airflow, like a grey-white sword, shot out more than three feet into the cold air before slowly dissipating.

He looked down at his body. The originally thin and frail scholar's physique had completely vanished. In its place were extremely well-proportioned, streamlined muscles like those of a leopard. Beneath his skin lay a toughness and explosive sense of power that did not belong to his age.

The "qi" in his body, which had once been as thin as a hair, was now like a warm, flowing stream, circulating endlessly through his limbs and bones; even when he wasn't deliberately practicing the stance, it was constantly nourishing his internal organs.

Xia Dong walked to the courtyard wall and casually plucked off a piece of a hard, broken blue brick.

With an expressionless face, he closed his five fingers and exerted force.

Crack!

With a muffled sound, without using any flashy techniques, relying solely on the pure finger strength nourished by his blood and qi, he had crushed a corner of the brick, and coarse stone powder fell through his fingers.

A health-preserving stance, beyond perfection, and his physical body had reached this height!

Xia Dong was both astonished and satisfied with his progress.

In his previous world, he would probably be able to compete for a boxing championship at his current level.

The key was that he hadn't used much time.

This is a world with cultivators, which is why I have such a rapid transformation. If practicing just the Crane Stance in this world yields such great benefits, I wonder what the effect would be if I practiced the martial arts secret manuals and profound immortal techniques of this world?

Xia Dong did not become complacent because of his physical transformation; instead, he yearned for immortal techniques even more.

Can one not cultivate without a spiritual root?

He didn't believe it.

There must be a way!

If Xia Dong didn't have the Bronze Ancient Bell, he might have resigned himself to fate, but with the Bronze Ancient Bell, he firmly believed he could find a way.

Besides, he had never been one to give up easily.

Moreover, as his blood and qi grew, Xia Dong faintly sensed that the Crane Stance still had potential to be further excavated.

What would lie beyond the perfection of the Crane Stance?

Xia Dong felt a sense of anticipation.

He could even sense that he was only a thin layer of window paper away from breaking through the "perfection" of the Crane Stance and stepping into a new realm.

However, this required more resources.

But he was already feeling the pinch due to his martial arts training.

Next, he had to find a way to earn money.

The imperial examination system in this world was similar to that of the Ming and Qing dynasties in his previous life, yet it differed in its details.

For instance, a Xiucai did not need to attend prefectural or county schools.

To be precise, the title of Xiucai was more of a status marker, granting a few privileges that placed one above commoners, but nothing more.

Of course, there were many ways for a Xiucai to make money.

For example, it was much more convenient for a Xiucai to travel than for ordinary folk, and their status was also quite useful when dealing with lawsuits or other local affairs.

After pondering for a long time, Xia Dong was just about to go out and survey the market to see what kind of business would be suitable for him to make money quickly.

The old steward of the Qin Estate arrived once again.

"This is a letter from your young lady for me? And she even sent things along?"

Xia Dong was greatly surprised.

Actually, the compensation from last time had already been generous enough; he hadn't expected any new gains.

To be honest, although the Qin Family had called off the engagement, their sincerity was truly not lacking.

Therefore, Xia Dong hadn't minded the matter at all.

Besides, if the Qin Family hadn't called off the engagement, he wouldn't have had the money to marry the young lady given his financial situation.

He couldn't exactly become a live-in son-in-law, could he?

After some polite pleasantries, Xia Dong saw the old steward off and then opened the letter.

The letter contained words of apology, followed by the hope that Xia Dong would apply himself to the imperial examinations and pass as a Juren soon. Furthermore, the young lady of the Qin Family hoped he would find a respectable woman to marry as soon as possible to carry on the Xia family line.

Beyond that, the young lady mentioned that the gift she sent was a spirit stone, advising him to sleep with it under his pillow, as it would be helpful for his studies.

A spirit stone?