36 Hua Hanying Returns, and They Feast on Tiger Meat

As the weather turned colder, Qingning County, in the southeastern region, was bound to be swept by fierce winds and heavy snow every year in mid-October.

Over the past few days,

the Manor had issued padded coats. Wearing one kept them considerably warmer.

The daily morning drills had not been canceled. Li Xian sprinted through the snow, leaving everyone else behind. He finished his three laps early, yet still did not stop.

His breathing was long and steady, and his Qi and Blood showed no fluctuations. He ran through the snow as if on level ground. Then, in a single instant, his speed surged, and each stride felt lighter.

[Skill: Running]

[Proficiency: 1950/3000 Major Accomplishment]

[Description: Tread on snow as you run, ride the wind as you go. You have comprehended the characteristic of "Treading Snow."]

The snow was soft, like cotton batting spread across the ground. With every step, a foot sank into it. That meant the ground offered no firm footing, making it hard to run with any force.

His speed could not increase any further.

That was the greatest obstacle to running through snow.

The "Treading Snow" characteristic treated the snow as a slippery surface, using deft force with every step.

Instead of crushing the snow beneath him, he used its softness to slide forward. This saved him more strength while letting him move faster.

Li Xian's mind stilled. In that instant, his speed increased by a full seventy percent.

"When it comes to running through snow... even the wild beasts in the mountains probably can't outrun me."

In the Estate Guard Compound, Pang Long had ordered people to brew Warming Body Soup. Each guard returning from the morning run drank a bowl, quickly warming up.

Then they began practicing in the courtyard.

Li Xian's Clearwind Leg and Four Directions Fist improved steadily each day.

As it neared the hour of the Snake,

Pang Long suddenly strode toward everyone, looking delighted.

"Hahaha, you're in luck. Hua Hanying killed a mountain tiger yesterday."

"You'll benefit from it. There'll be tiger meat to eat today, heh heh. This is a rare delicacy. The mountain tiger is king of the forest beasts. Eating it strengthens your sinews and bones."

Pang Long's thick brows lifted as he grinned.

His features were rough, and his brows, eyes, mouth, and ears were all large, making his expressions obvious. He could not hide what was on his mind.

He was genuinely happy.

"Eagle Lord? Eagle Lord is back?"

The guards exclaimed in surprise.

Hua Hanying was a Grade-A House Guard.

The Madam owned tens of thousands of mu of good farmland, along with mulberry fields, tea gardens, and other properties. Some guards were sent away from the Manor to keep watch over one place for long periods.

They were there to deter petty villains.

"Hahaha, looks like you all still remember me."

As he spoke, a tall man emerged from behind Pang Long with a hearty laugh.

This was Hua Hanying, truly one of the most prominent figures among the guards.

His brows were like handsome mountain peaks, and he carried himself with great pride. As he looked over the crowd, he made no effort to hide his sense of superiority.

"Hanying, you only come back once in a long while. Show everyone what you can do?" Pang Long said with a laugh.

Seeing the guards' admiration, Hua Hanying was pleased. He was also eager to show off his martial arts, so he said, "Then I'll have to make a fool of myself."

He walked into the crowd and assumed a stance.

His martial arts were well-practiced, and his fundamentals were solid. A single move was enough to show that he was no weakling.

Suddenly, he leaped into the air and slashed fiercely at the ground with a claw. With a loud BOOM, snow burst several zhang into the air, drawing a chorus of gasps.

"Eagle Lord, we admire you!" The guards all cheered.

But when they looked more closely, they were even more astonished.

The snow had been cleared away in a patch, revealing yellow-brown earth. A scorched smell rose from the soil, and the inside of the claw marks had been burned black...

"Eagle Lord, your Fire Eagle Claw is truly formidable."

"If that claw struck a person, who could withstand it?"

"Eagle Lord is invincible."

Among the crowd, Li Xian nodded to himself. That claw really was impressive.

From the height of the strike to its force, its angle, and the use of Inner Qi, it was the strongest he had seen apart from Pang Long.

"Now that my Four Directions Fist has reached Major Accomplishment, I can see some of the subtleties."

Li Xian thought to himself.

"Hanying, you really have practiced Fire Eagle Claw to Major Accomplishment!" Pang Long came over and happily clapped him on the shoulder, praising him without reservation. "Very good, very good!"

"I should be thanking Commander Pang for cultivating me," Hua Hanying said with a faint smile.

"Have Mountain Wind Stronghold and Hongquan Gang made any moves lately?" Pang Long asked as he led Hua Hanying into the house.

"Hmph. What could that rabble possibly do?" Hua Hanying said coldly.

Pang Long paid little heed to the distinction between senior and junior. He poured Hua Hanying some tea, sat down casually, and continued:

"That place is a treasure trove. Some of the Madam's medicinal plants can only grow there. Only when you're there to hold down the fort can I feel at ease."

"Commander Pang, I understand," Hua Hanying said.

"Good. I've got some good news for you, too." Pang Long raised his brows and held out his palm. "Take a look. What do you think this is?"

"Empty as-" Hua Hanying examined it for a moment, then his pupils suddenly contracted. A wisp of white vapor was rising from Pang Long's palm.

This was...

One of the signs of the Bone Recasting realm, called "Palm Immortal Insight." It meant that those capable of this had, somewhere in the unseen, already grasped a trace of immortal opportunity.

Hua Hanying's throat bobbed. His heart churned like an overturned river as he asked, trembling, "Could it be... could it be that you..."

"Hahaha, I'm still a long way off. I've only taken a small half-step," Pang Long said, oblivious to Hua Hanying's reaction, simply delighted with himself.

"C-congratulations." Hua Hanying quickly lifted his teacup and took a sip, slightly relieved.

"Tiger meat isn't as delicious as I imagined."

Inside the Dining Hall,

the tiger meat was divided up and eaten. Grade-A House Guards could have the tiger claws, head, heart, gallbladder, and other parts, while Grade-B House Guards got the legs, penis, back, and other parts.

Grade-C House Guards ate the leftover cuts.

As for Grade-D House Guards, they had to fight over even the soup.

Only after the Grade-A and Grade-B House Guards had eaten their fill did the Grade-C House Guards get their turn to enter the hall for a meal.

Li Xian took a wooden bowl. The cook filled it with soup, with two large chunks of tiger meat in it.

"Thanks, brother." Li Xian grinned, took the bowl, and walked away.

The tiger meat was extremely tough. Anyone without strong teeth would probably have trouble chewing it. The flavor was also quite ordinary, with an indescribable fishy stench.

[You ate cooked tiger meat. "Consumption" proficiency +5]

But it was undeniably a highly nourishing food.

At fifteen, Li Xian's body could quickly make up for its previous deficiencies by eating this kind of beast meat.

The more he ate, the brighter his eyes became. With proper nutrition, he had strength after a full meal, and everything he did would be twice as effective.

By the end of the meal, Li Xian had drunk all the soup. He asked for a large white bun and wiped the bottom of his bowl clean, leaving not a crumb behind.

"Could I have another bowl?"

Li Xian shamelessly asked.

"You little glutton... All right." After a moment's hesitation, the cook ladled Li Xian another bowl of soup and added a tiger bone about the size of a fist.

The tiger bone contained marrow, a milky-white, gelatinous substance. It had been boiled until the meat came off the bone. Li Xian sucked hard, and it all went down his throat.

[Consumed tiger marrow. Strengthened Blood Qi, nourished the body. "Consumption" proficiency +6]

That mouthful was truly the essence of the essence.

After cleaning his bowl again, a wave of heat rolled through Li Xian's body. "Inner Qi" continuously welled up within him, gathering in his Dantian.

"'Consumption' enhanced the effects, helping me absorb more, and absorb it faster. And there's also... I was malnourished before, so the Inner Qi I cultivated couldn't grow."

"Now I've eaten my fill of tiger soup and tiger meat... making up for what I lacked before. So the Inner Qi is giving back to me?"

Over the course of this one meal, his Inner Qi had increased by thirty percent.

It seemed his eyesight and hearing had also become sharper.