A Powerful Tonic

The buns and mutton his little aunt had sent over had long since gone into his stomach, yet Xu Qing still felt empty inside.

This bowl of glistening braised pork had come at exactly the right time.

Qin Liang came over carrying his bowl. Besides rice and greens, it was piled with a bun and two pieces of mutton, heaped to the brim.

Xu Qing gave him the dirt-stained meat and bun. Qin Liang could not bear to finish them all at once, so he planned to save them and savor them slowly.

"Junior Brother Xu, you're being treated way too well, aren't you? You're already getting to eat the academy's meat?" Qin Liang shoveled down a mouthful of rice, his cheeks puffed out as he grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.

Xu Qing placed a piece of braised pork in his bowl and smiled. "Maybe the academy saw how hard I trained, and the kitchen took pity on me."

"Cut the crap!" Qin Liang stuffed the meat into his mouth in one bite, grease nearly splashing from the corners of his lips as he shouted through a full mouth. "Senior Brother Chen must have seen you knock Xu Qing flat today and decided to look after you specially."

"You have no idea—your punch today was damn satisfying! Xu Qing usually strutted around like he owned the world, but this time he finally fell flat on his face!"

Xu Qing did not respond, merely lowering his head to eat.

The braised pork had been stewed until it was tender enough to melt in his mouth. The sauce was rich and fragrant, and with steaming white rice, every bite filled his mouth with oil.

He ate carefully, swallowing each mouthful slowly.

He knew what this bowl of meat meant. It was not charity, nor was it pity. It was recognition—recognition he had hammered out punch by punch.

The bowl of braised pork was soon gone. He had eaten especially well today, and his stomach felt warm, as though a little brazier had been stuffed inside.

Before he could return the bowl, Auntie Zhang from the kitchen came over carrying a large porcelain bowl. It contained a dark brown medicinal broth, steam curling upward with a sharp, bitter herbal scent.

"Give me your bowl." Auntie Zhang smiled and handed him the medicine, concern in her voice. "This is medicinal broth. It's a little bitter, so drink it while it's hot. Drink slowly—don't choke."

"What?!"

The words "medicinal broth" caught Qin Liang in his throat. A grain of rice went down his windpipe, and he immediately broke into a violent fit of coughing, his face flushing red.

Without even bothering to wipe his mouth, he stared wide-eyed at the porcelain bowl, disbelief written all over his face. Even his voice went shrill. "It really is medicinal broth?!"

That shout was like a stone thrown into a tranquil pond.

The entire training ground fell silent for an instant, then erupted.

Everyone turned to look in unison.

Some stood up, craning their necks to peer toward Xu Qing, unable to hide the envy in their eyes. "It really is! It's the same stuff Senior Brother Wu and the others drink!"

"That smell is unmistakable! Vitality and Blood Soup! No mistake about it!"

"One bowl of Vitality and Blood Soup... costs at least an ounce of silver..." Someone counted on their fingers, growing more tongue-tied the more they calculated. "Good heavens, if he drinks a bowl every three days like the inner academy senior brothers, that's ten ounces of silver a month! That's more than my father earns in half a year!"

"He's worth the price," someone said sourly, though there was little confidence in his voice. "If you could train the Five Elements Fist to minor mastery in three days, you could have it too."

"..." The man opened his mouth, then fell silent.

Qin Liang sat beside Xu Qing, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.

He stared blankly at the bowl of medicinal broth, then at Xu Qing. His throat bobbed several times before he finally forced out, "Junior Brother Xu... when you make it big someday, don't forget your brother here..."

Xu Qing smiled but said nothing. He lifted the medicinal broth and brought it to his lips.

Bitter.

Before he even drank it, the herbal fumes entering his nose had already left a bitter taste at the root of his tongue.

He took a deep breath, tipped back his head, and swallowed a large mouthful.

The instant the broth entered his mouth, Xu Qing nearly spat it out.

Bitter! Far too bitter!

The bitterness seemed alive, spreading from the tip of his tongue all the way to its root, flowing down his throat and coating his entire esophagus.

It was as if someone had stuffed a handful of bitter coptis into his mouth, then forced down a bowl of water, the bitterness surging from his mouth straight to the crown of his head.

He wanted to cough, but held it back, forcing that mouthful of medicinal broth down.

His features scrunched together, his brows twisted into knots, and tears were even squeezed from the corners of his eyes. His whole face contorted.

Qin Liang grimaced beside him. "Is it really that bitter?"

Xu Qing had no time to answer him.

But the instant the medicinal broth reached his stomach—

A warm current rose from within.

It was as though someone had lit a brazier in his belly. First, his lower abdomen became pleasantly warm, then the heat crawled up along his spine, spreading all the way to his shoulders, arms, and fingertips.

Even the top of his head grew faintly warm. Every pore on his body seemed to open, and he felt so comfortable he nearly moaned.

Xu Qing lowered his head and looked at his hands. His fingertips had turned slightly red, and the calluses on his palms seemed to be burning. The torn skin and flesh from yesterday's punching sent waves of tingling sensation through him, as if something were repairing those tiny wounds. It was itchy, warm, and soothing.

He was stunned.

So this was the power of medicinal broth?

He had only ever heard that children from wealthy families needed to "nourish" themselves when practicing martial arts, but he had never known that nourishment felt like this. It was not the satisfaction of being full and well-fed, but strength radiating outward from the very marrow of his bones.

It was as if his entire body had been cast anew, brimming with power. He wanted nothing more than to rush out and throw a hundred punches right now.

He took another sip.

This time, it was not as bitter.

Or rather, the bitterness was still there, but the warm sensation was so powerful that the bitterness had become bearable.

A third sip, then a fourth...

The bowl of medicinal broth was quickly drained. Xu Qing set it down and let out a long breath of turbid air.

That breath carried the scent of medicine, along with a faint warmth, drifting through the air of the training ground.

He felt as if a tiny spark had been lit within his dantian—not fierce, but enduring. It burned warmly, sending wave after wave of heat through his limbs and bones.

Strength seeped from the cracks of his bones throughout his body. Even his fingertips were hot.

Qin Liang leaned closer, staring longingly at the empty bowl. He sniffed at the lingering medicinal scent, his tone carrying a trace of resentment. "What did it feel like? Was it really that nourishing?"

Xu Qing thought about it, then answered seriously with one word. "Bitter."

Qin Liang: "..."

"But." Xu Qing looked down at his palm and slowly clenched his fist. His knuckles cracked sharply, and it seemed as though fire burned in his eyes. "After drinking it, my whole body is full of strength."

Qin Liang looked envious. He drew back his gaze and chuckled softly. "Junior Brother Xu, the whole academy saw how you were treated today. Zhou Wen was sitting in the corner with his bowl just now, poking at his food with his chopsticks for ages without taking a single bite. Watching him made me feel bad for him."

Xu Qing did not care in the slightest about Zhou Wen or Xu Qing.

What he cared about was this—that bowl of medicinal broth, that bowl of meat, had been given to him by the martial academy. The academy had put thought into him and spent silver on him. He could not let them down.

"Eat your food." Xu Qing smiled, patted Qin Liang on the shoulder, handed the bowl to Auntie Zhang, then turned and went back to his room to change into his training clothes.

Then he strode toward the training ground.