Anomaly in the Great Households

At night, Zhou Muyun followed the list Xu Rou had given him and sorted out all the medicines and silver.

Thirty Blood Qi Pills, two tubes of Blood-Tempering Paste, and fifty taels of silver in total.

Blood Qi Pills were an upgraded version of Qi-Blood Powder, with better medicinal effects.

Blood-Tempering Paste was likewise better than Body-Tempering Liquid, though it still fell far short of the Blood Crystal Stone Leng Tong had given him.

He only needed another hundred taels to pay off the debt on the house.

Zhou Muyun calculated that he should be able to scrape it together before the Martial Hall Tournament.

With so many useful cultivation medicines all at once, he would no longer need to worry about medicine for some time.

Moreover, he had not been injured when exchanging fists with Long Qian during the day, so he planned to continue training now and test these new medicines while he was at it.

The first was Blood-Tempering Paste.

It was a pale red ointment. Zhou Muyun spread it evenly over his limbs and torso.

Then he immediately began circulating the body-tempering method of the Seven-Colored Glazed Body.

Soon, an even fiercer stabbing pain than that of Body-Tempering Liquid swept through his entire body.

After training for so long, Zhou Muyun's endurance had grown much stronger.

He let sweat soak through his shorts and drip onto the ground, yet not a single cry of pain escaped him.

Stimulated by the ointment, the cultivation method circulated at breakneck speed.

Zhou Muyun felt the blood throughout his body rushing rapidly as well. Black, murky impurities slowly seeped from his pores, giving off a foul, fishy stench.

These were the impurities within his blood. The second stage of the Seven-Colored Glazed Body, the Iron Bone Realm, had the effect of cleansing marrow and refining bones.

[Seven-Colored Glazed Body—Iron Bone Stage (2/1200)]

[Seven-Colored Glazed Body—Iron Bone Stage (3/1200)]

Soon, half a shichen had passed, and the ointment had been completely absorbed and refined.

Zhou Muyun went to the well, drew a bucket of cool water, and washed the black impurities from his body.

Under the moonlight, even the skin that had been tanned from martial training had lightened by several shades.

He glanced at the increase in proficiency.

[Seven-Colored Glazed Body—Iron Bone Stage (20/1200)]

One tube of Blood-Tempering Paste could only add twenty points, yet it cost four times as much as Body-Tempering Liquid.

Then what if he used Body-Tempering Liquid himself?

With that thought, he took out a bottle of Body-Tempering Liquid and gave it a try.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the medicinal effect of the Body-Tempering Liquid had faded. He checked his proficiency again.

[Seven-Colored Glazed Body—Iron Bone Stage (22/1200)]

Seeing that one bottle had only increased it by two points, Zhou Muyun formed an idea.

As body tempering deepened, the supplementary medicines required would probably have to get better and better.

He decided that tomorrow, he would tell Leng Ni to replace the Body-Tempering Liquid with Blood-Tempering Paste.

After two rounds of body tempering, his qi and blood had been greatly depleted. Zhou Muyun took out a Blood Qi Pill and swallowed it.

The pill entered his stomach, and a gentle force of qi and blood instantly flowed through his five viscera and six bowels before filling his limbs.

His fatigue was swept away in an instant, his qi and blood brimmed full once more, and Zhou Muyun even felt more energetic than before his body tempering.

As expected of the enhanced version of Qi-Blood Powder, he sighed again.

Sure enough, no matter where one went, only money could recognize quality goods.

Without the Leng Household's support, and without being blessed with a Destiny Pattern, he feared that on this martial path, he would not have advanced even half an inch.

At that moment, it happened to be midnight. Zhou Muyun focused his mind on the panel.

[Heaven rewards diligence; there will surely be gains. Diligence Points are settled daily.]

[Bone Aptitude: Ding Middle (1/500)]

[Comprehension: Ding Upper (1/1000)]

[Willow Stake, Major Mastery (45/2400)]

[Flurry Fist, Minor Mastery (15/1200)]

[Seven-Colored Glazed Body—Iron Bone Stage (22/1200)]

[Diligence Points: 28]

Recently, an idea had taken root in his mind.

With the boost from all kinds of medicines, his martial progress was already not slow.

And Bai Yu, because his bone aptitude was outstanding, trained even faster than Zhou Muyun and was valued all the more.

Comprehension was ethereal and elusive, but bone aptitude was solid and real.

Even when entering a sect, people would likely be divided into ranks and classes according to this.

Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding—Zhou Muyun planned to raise his bone aptitude to Bing as much as possible.

As for comprehension, he would consider it after improving his bone aptitude.

Withdrawing his gaze from the panel, Zhou Muyun took out the remaining Blood-Tempering Paste and tempered his body once again.

His training rhythm was now very fixed. During the day, he practiced Willow Stake and Flurry Fist; at night, he cultivated the Seven-Colored Glazed Body.

Gritting his teeth, he let sweat and impurities emerge as his body tempering proceeded steadily.

The autumn wind howled bleakly, stirring the golden willow branches in the courtyard. Like waves of willows rolling and tumbling, autumn filled the air.

Half a month had passed since his exchange of fists with Long Qian.

Zhou Muyun stood in the training ground, his feet rooted firmly into the earth as though they had grown there. His upper body swayed like willow branches drifting in the wind.

He had completely grasped the essence of Willow Stake. With patient polishing, he could advance steadily.

[Willow Stake, Major Mastery (270/2400)]

Beside him, Zhang Yu watched Zhou Muyun's form with a face full of admiration and began imitating him as well.

Not only him—even many of the new disciples in the courtyard were the same.

Born poor, outstanding in strength, and kind to others.

Zhou Muyun now enjoyed great prestige among the new disciples of Greenwood Martial Hall and had become a role model to many.

After completing a round of stance training, Zhou Muyun withdrew his movements and planned to rest for a while.

"Senior Brother Zhou, here's a towel for you. You're everyone's role model now!"

As always, Zhang Yu handed Zhou Muyun a towel to wipe away his sweat. Coupled with Zhou Muyun's genuine and earnest guidance, Zhang Yu was now practically Zhou Muyun's number one admirer.

"Junior Brother Zhang, how is your Willow Stake coming along?"

Zhang Yu's talent was indeed ordinary. In order to help him break through to the Tempered Bone Realm sooner, Zhou Muyun had advised him to focus solely on Willow Stake and set Flurry Fist aside for now.

As for becoming a role model, he understood it too. He had more or less tacitly accepted the thoughts and actions of these disciples.

Having come from poverty himself, he knew that everyone needed someone like him to look up to.

Or rather, a beam of light that illuminated their lives and let them see hope.

Study diligently and train hard, and eventually, something would come of it.

Though he himself had only achieved this because he had a Destiny Pattern.

"Not bad. I should be able to make a push for the Tempered Bone Realm by the end of the month!"

At the mention of the Tempered Bone Realm, Zhang Yu's face brimmed with excitement.

Seeing that expression, Zhou Muyun seemed to catch a glimpse of his former self.

His thirst for strength, his yearning for the future.

"Very good, Junior Brother. Let me tell you, when you attempt to break through to the Tempered Bone Realm, you must make sure to adjust yourself to your best condition..."

Zhou Muyun patiently told Zhang Yu all of his own experiences, pointing out the crucial details.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

After hearing him out, Zhang Yu hurriedly gave a deep bow in thanks.

The path of experience was immensely important, not to mention that Zhou Muyun had explained it in such detail.

"You're welcome. We are disciples of the same hall; we ought to help one another."

Just then, Leng Ni walked over. She wore a light-colored training outfit today, and there was a trace of irritation on her face.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I have something to discuss with you. Is now convenient?"

"Of course it is," Zhou Muyun replied.

Zhang Yu was perceptive as well. Seeing Leng Ni arrive, he stepped aside and continued training.

The two came to the resting area, and Zhou Muyun spoke first.

"Senior Sister Leng, what is it you wish to tell me? You seem somewhat troubled."

Leng Ni had not expected Zhou Muyun to be so observant. She froze slightly, then a bitter smile appeared on her face.

"Junior Brother Zhou, to be honest, I do have an important favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"I wish to ask Junior Brother to guard our medicinal herb shop in West Market. Would you be willing?"

Leng Ni rarely bowed slightly, her face carrying a pleading expression as she spoke.