When the Water Reaches, the Channel Forms

After returning from Gaolin County, Lu Chen had earned Qiao Yuan's esteem, and his standing in the Yam Herb Shop soared at once.

Shopkeeper Wang appreciated Lu Chen more and more, feeling that his original decision had been incomparably correct. This Lu Chen was worth far more than his price.

Afterward, under his arrangements, Lu Chen's duties guarding the compound were greatly reduced. Basically, it was only his turn to stand watch once every seven days.

He could freely arrange all the rest of his time himself.

Others worked six days and rested one; he worked one day and rested six.

After all, for Wang Firm, tasks like patrolling the compound and guarding the storehouse could be done by anyone. Lu Chen's value now was not in guarding the courtyard, but in growing stronger as quickly as possible.

If he could soon break into minor attainment in Blood-Shift, or even reach major attainment in Blood-Shift someday, it would mean far more to Wang Firm than having him guard the compound for a few extra days.

Some envied him, and some burned with jealousy, yet no one dared step forward to say anything.

After all, Lu Chen's current position had been earned one punch at a time.

It was an ordinary afternoon.

The sky was slightly overcast, clouds pressing low over Scarlet Cloud County. The sunlight could not pierce through, casting only a faint gray-white layer across the rear courtyard of the Yam Herb Shop.

It was already winter, and the weather had turned cold.

A thin sheet of ice had formed over the water vat beside the training ground. Several clerks passing by hunched their necks and tucked their hands into their sleeves, white breath spilling from their mouths in drifting puffs.

Most of the compound guards had gone to patrol the grounds or guard the storehouse, leaving the rear courtyard unusually quiet.

Lu Chen stood alone in the middle of the training ground, practicing the Coiling Dragon Stance Art as usual.

He had just swallowed a dose of Blood-Qi Powder.

At first, the medicine brought only a faint warmth to his stomach. A moment later, its potency seemed to be stoked by blazing coals, abruptly spreading from his abdomen through his muscles, joints, and blood vessels, coursing toward every limb and bone.

Lu Chen assumed his stance. His feet rooted like an ancient tree, his waist and hips sank, and his spine subtly braced. His whole body resembled an azure dragon coiled in the depths of a pool.

Just as the dispersed medicinal power was about to run wild, the steady force within his sinews, bones, and flesh coiled around it layer by layer.

Like an invisible net, it gradually drew the scattered currents of heat back onto their proper course.

Lu Chen's breathing grew increasingly rhythmic.

The dozen or so strands of qi and blood originally scattered throughout his body circulated more and more smoothly, faintly showing signs of gathering into form.

Lu Chen's heart stirred, but he did not force the process.

Over this period, he had never stopped taking medicinal baths or eating meat, and he had consumed Blood-Qi Powder on schedule as well.

His qi and blood grew richer by the day.

His foundation grew firmer by the day.

He had long touched the bottleneck of minor attainment in Blood-Shift, lacking only that final kick at the gate.

But Lu Chen was in no hurry.

As the saying went, when water filled to the brim, it overflowed; when melons ripened, they fell from the vine.

With his solid foundation, there was no need to force a breakthrough. He only needed to wait for the moment when the water reached and the channel formed.

He slowly exhaled.

His feet gripped the ground, his toes seeming to clutch the bluestone beneath them. His waist and hips sank further, while his spine stretched open vertebra by vertebra.

The last thread of medicinal power from the Blood-Qi Powder was drawn by the Coiling Dragon Stance, slowly flowing into his chest and abdomen.

The sensation was like the final drop of water falling into a pond.

The surface, once just shy of full, finally spilled over its edge.

Boom—

A faint tremor ran through the depths of Lu Chen's chest.

There was no earth-shaking sound.

Yet within his body, it was as though an invisible membrane had quietly torn open.

At that moment, the dozen or so strands of qi and blood fully converged.

The scattered currents of heat connected with one another, head to tail, becoming a steady, warm stream that completed a full cycle through his body.

That small stream flowed slowly from his chest and abdomen, traveling through his meridians toward his limbs and bones.

Wherever it passed, his muscles tingled faintly, his joints grew subtly warm, and his flesh felt as though it were being soaked in warm water, then slowly tempered by a fine flame.

Lu Chen could clearly feel the force throughout his body being reorganized.

It became more concentrated, smoother, and more responsive to his will.

In the past, his qi and blood had been threadlike. When throwing a punch, he had needed to deliberately guide it with his mind, marshaling each scattered strand of qi and blood into a combined force.

Now, his qi and blood flowed like a stream. Without even forming the thought, the entire current surged forth with his fist.

And it carried an unending reserve of follow-through force.

His fist force was no longer merely an instant burst, but could continue pressing forward.

This was minor attainment in Blood-Shift.

Qi and blood became a stream, circulating without cease.

Lu Chen was overjoyed, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes before vanishing.

He remained where he was, carefully sensing the changes in his body.

The stream of qi and blood in his chest circulated steadily, warm and enduring, washing over every muscle in his body again and again.

He could feel his strength rapidly recovering.

The exhaustion brought on by his stance work and boxing gradually dispersed as his qi and blood circulated. His legs no longer felt heavy, his shoulders and back no longer ached, and even the winter chill was pushed away somewhat by the warm current within him.

At the initial stage of Blood-Shift, after practicing boxing for a while and exhausting one's qi and blood, one needed to slowly regulate one's breathing to recover.

But now, with qi and blood circulating through his body like a stream, continuously refining the medicinal power accumulated within him and the food in his stomach, both his stamina and endurance had increased greatly, while his recovery speed had clearly become much faster.

Lu Chen slowly withdrew his stance, and a translucent screen quietly appeared before his eyes:

[Coiling Dragon Stance Art: Mastery]

[Progress: 512/1000]

[Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist: Mastery]

[Progress: 443/1000]

[Iron Thread Grappling Hand: Beginner]

[Progress: 266/300]

[Golden Ape Piercing-the-Forest Leg: Beginner]

[Progress: 52/300]

Lu Chen looked at the lines of records on the translucent screen, his heart strangely calm.

There was no wild elation, no shouting.

Only the grounded certainty that came after things had naturally fallen into place.

That night, Lu Chen told Shopkeeper Wang Shouyi that he had broken through to minor attainment.

"Excellent, excellent!"

"HAHAHAHA!"

Under the lamplight, Wang Shouyi looked at Lu Chen as though he had found a priceless treasure.

"This old man bet right, hahaha!"

Overwhelmed with joy, he came around the table and scrutinized Lu Chen closely.

Lu Chen merely stood quietly, but his aura was already different from before. His whole person seemed much more composed, and a faint warmth circulated with every breath, as though a warm stream were hidden within his body.

The more Wang Shouyi looked, the more delighted he became.

Back then, he had only offered a high price to snatch Lu Chen away because he did not want the Huang Family to form deep ties with the Hidden Dragon Martial Hall.

There had been an element of gambling in his decision as well.

After all, six taels of monthly wages plus a dose of Blood-Qi Powder far exceeded the worth of a martial artist at the initial stage of Blood-Shift.

But now, the potential and value Lu Chen had displayed were already far beyond what that little money could match.

"Lu Chen, it has only been two months, yet you have truly opened this old man's eyes!"

Wang Shouyi patted Lu Chen's shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

Lu Chen clasped his fists in thanks. "If not for Shopkeeper Wang valuing me and giving me Blood-Qi Powder and six taels in monthly wages, I would not have broken through so quickly."

Wang Firm paid him six taels per month, while the Chen Family provided four taels in support.

His monthly spending on martial training exceeded what other martial artists spent in three months, or even half a year.

Medicinal baths, dietary supplements, and Blood-Qi Powder—lacking any one of them might have slowed his advancement.

But Wang Shouyi said, "Those are merely supplementary. On the path of martial arts, what truly matters is one's innate talent."

"Which rich young master lacks money or medicine? Wang Firm has also spent heavily training martial artists before, yet few have achieved what you have."

"That is enough to show that your talent for martial arts is extraordinary."

"And you are still young, only sixteen. You can still take next year's martial examination!"

"You may have a chance to pass and become a martial licentiate!"

Clearly, Wang Shouyi thought very highly of Lu Chen.