Challenging the Martial Hall

Before Shopkeeper Wang left, he handed Lu Chen six taels of silver on the spot.

The heavy silver landed in Lu Chen's palm, and his heart gave a slight tremor.

This was the first time he had earned such a sum through his identity as a martial artist.

Shopkeeper Wang had not brought the Blood-Qi Powder with him, so he told Lu Chen to report to the Yam Herb Shop in three days, when he would give it to him.

After Wang Shouyi left, Lu Chen did not immediately think about how to spend the six taels of silver. Instead, he first returned to his quarters in the inner courtyard.

The vial of Blood-Qi Powder his master Qin Wuhe had given him yesterday still sat quietly on the wooden table.

The white porcelain bottle was small, yet it was worth two taels of silver.

He pulled out the stopper and poured out the pill.

The pellet was no bigger than a fingertip, dark red throughout, with faint, fine patterns on its surface. Up close, it smelled spicy with a hint of bloody sweetness, like dried beast blood mixed with the medicinal scent of old ginseng, red peony root, and other herbs.

"I heard Senior Brother say that this pill is an excellent medicine for strengthening one's qi and blood and assisting Blood-Moving cultivation."

"All Blood-Moving Realm martial artists take it to bolster their own qi and blood."

Lu Chen did not hesitate. He tipped back his head and swallowed it.

He had only just entered the Blood-Moving Realm. His qi and blood had only just been born and were still weak.

This pill was perfect for helping him stabilize his realm and lay a solid foundation.

Not long after the pill entered his stomach, it melted like a ball of fire within him.

At first, it was merely warm. Then waves of heat surged forth, spreading from his chest and abdomen to every limb and bone. The thread of qi and blood he had only recently cultivated seemed to awaken under the medicine's power, faintly throbbing at his heart.

Lu Chen did not dare delay. He immediately went into the courtyard and assumed the Coiling Dragon Stance.

His feet spread apart, the soles planted firmly into the ground. His waist and hips slowly coiled and turned, driving his entire spine to rise and fall like an azure dragon coiling around its body.

With every inhale and exhale, his chest and abdomen swelled and contracted, as though thunder rumbled within...

Following his senior brother's instructions, he used the stance to slowly rein in the medicine's power.

When he inhaled, the heat sank into his lower abdomen.

When he exhaled, his qi and blood circled through his chest and abdomen before slowly returning to his heart.

Round after round.

The medicinal power of the Blood-Qi Powder was more concentrated and more tyrannical than Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup. If it was not dispersed through the stance, it would rampage through the body, leaving one feverish and restless, even causing blood to flow from the mouth and nose.

Sweat soon beaded across Lu Chen's forehead.

His legs ached and swelled, his shoulders and back felt heavy, yet his chest grew hotter and hotter.

That thread of qi and blood, once as fine as a wandering strand of silk, gradually stabilized under the nourishment of the medicine. It was no longer as elusive as it had been when he first broke through.

An hour later, Lu Chen slowly withdrew from the stance.

His clothes were soaked through with sweat, but his complexion was far rosier than before.

The medicinal power of that Blood-Qi Powder did not fade quickly like Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup. Instead, it settled deep within his flesh and blood like a warm bed of coals, continuously nourishing the qi and blood that had only recently been born.

He clenched his fist.

His palm was hot, the muscles and tendons subtly swelling, and his strength had grown heavier by several degrees.

"This Blood-Qi Powder is several times more effective than Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup."

"Just one pill can equal several days of my hard work!"

Lu Chen marveled to himself.

No wonder martial artists could not cultivate without pills.

Training stances and moving qi and blood were entirely different matters with medicinal assistance and without it.

Then he glanced at the transparent light screen before him:

[Coiling Dragon Stance Art: Minor Accomplishment]

[Progress: 201/500)]

"The stance art is divided into four realms: Beginner, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection."

"With each advancement, the efficiency of moving qi and blood increases severalfold."

"Next, I can cultivate the stance art to Major Accomplishment as soon as possible, accelerate my accumulation of qi and blood, and become a Minor Blood-Moving martial artist sooner."

A martial artist at the initial Blood-Moving Realm was nothing remarkable in Scarlet Cloud County. Even those with extremely poor talent could break through eventually with the aid of various pills and the accumulation of time.

But raising a martial artist to Minor Blood-Moving required far more resources than the initial Blood-Moving Realm.

Many families in the county town, such as the Huang Family, could raise batches of martial artist servants at the initial Blood-Moving Realm themselves.

Yet not one of them was willing to pour money into raising Minor Blood-Moving martial artists this way.

The return on investment was too low.

Thus, a Minor Blood-Moving martial artist held a status in Scarlet Cloud County far higher than one at the initial Blood-Moving Realm.

Those at the initial Blood-Moving Realm could only guard doors and protect courtyards.

But Minor Blood-Moving martial artists were already qualified to escort goods alone, guard shipments, hold down one side, or even seize a mountain and become the chief of a stronghold.

Their treatment, status, and say in matters were as different from those at the initial Blood-Moving Realm as clouds and mud.

"Once the stance art reaches Major Accomplishment, my qi and blood will accumulate faster. With the Blood-Qi Powder and those ten taels of silver, I wonder how long it will take to reach Minor Blood-Moving..."

Lu Chen set his goal. After resting briefly, he resumed practicing the Coiling Dragon Stance.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

It was the day he was to report to the Yam Herb Shop.

Lu Chen packed his belongings early in the morning. Just as he was about to leave, he heard shouting from the entrance of the martial hall.

"Who is Lu Chen? Get out here!"

The voice was loud, filled with undisguised fury.

The disciples practicing in the Martial Practice Yard all stopped and looked toward the gate.

Chen Chong frowned and walked out, with Lu Chen following behind him.

Outside Hidden Dragon Martial Hall stood seven or eight young martial artists dressed in gray fitted outfits. The two characters "Mighty Far" were embroidered on their chests. They were clearly disciples of Mighty Far Hall, another martial hall in the county town.

The leader was in his twenties, thin and lanky, with prominent cheekbones and gloomy eyes fixed fiercely on the martial hall's gate.

The people behind him were equally aggressive. Some folded their arms and sneered, while others displayed their fists. They had plainly come looking for trouble.

Chen Chong's face darkened. "People from Mighty Far Hall? What are you making such a racket for outside Hidden Dragon Martial Hall?"

The lanky young man sneered. "Chen Chong, I didn't come looking for you today."

Then his gaze swept over the crowd as he shouted, "Who is Lu Chen?"

Lu Chen was utterly baffled. He had no idea how he had provoked this group.

He looked toward Senior Brother Chen Chong, only to find the latter casting him the same puzzled look.

"Did you offend someone from Mighty Far Hall?" Chen Chong asked Lu Chen.

Lu Chen shook his head. "Senior Brother, I train at the martial hall every day. How would I have time to go out and stir up trouble?"

He then looked at the newcomers and said, "I am Lu Chen. May I ask what business you gentlemen have with me?"

The young man's eyes immediately turned cold as he gritted his teeth. "You're Lu Chen!"

A Mighty Far Hall disciple beside him instantly shouted, "Kid, you stole Senior Brother Liu's position, and you still dare pretend nothing happened?"

Lu Chen's brows furrowed slightly.

"A position?"

The young man stepped forward, his voice brimming with suppressed fury.

"My name is Liu Xiaolou, an inner courtyard disciple of Mighty Far Hall. That old bastard Wang Shouyi suddenly sent someone yesterday to tell me I was no longer needed!"

"So they took my rice bowl and used it to feed trash like you, who only just broke through!"

At those words, some of the Hidden Dragon Martial Hall disciples slowly put the pieces together.

"I heard Shopkeeper Wang of the Yam Herb Shop offered Senior Brother Lu an astronomical price—six taels of silver plus a dose of Blood-Qi Powder."

"That money would be enough to hire two or three initial Blood-Moving martial artists for positions."

"To hire Senior Brother Lu, Shopkeeper Wang must have kicked out this Liu Xiaolou from Mighty Far Hall. He saved that money and gave it to Senior Brother Lu instead."

"Haha, Mighty Far Hall has always been arrogant and overbearing, suppressing Hidden Dragon Martial Hall. Who would have thought one of their disciples would swallow such a huge humiliation today!"

"No wonder they came knocking."

Listening to the discussion around him, Liu Xiaolou's face turned even uglier.

He had held a position at the Yam Herb Shop for over half a year, earning three taels of silver every month.

For a martial hall disciple from an ordinary family, that was already an exceptionally good income.

He had originally relied on that position to buy medicine, nourish his body, and continue practicing martial arts. But Wang Firm had suddenly dismissed him, not only cutting off his income but also making him lose all face before his fellow disciples at Mighty Far Hall.

The more he thought about it, the more he hated it.

He could not afford to offend major merchants like the Huang Family and Wang Firm.

Nor could he do anything to Wang Shouyi.

So he could only vent this anger on Lu Chen.

"Lu Chen!" Liu Xiaolou pointed at him and said coldly, "Wang Firm gave you such generous pay, so let everyone see today whether trash like you is truly worthy of it!"

"Today, you and I must settle who is superior!"