Zhou Tong Practices Swordsmanship

The entire venue fell silent. No one dared believe the outcome.

"Junior Brother Zhou... won?"

Mo Qi stared at Zhou Muyun standing on the platform and murmured in disbelief.

The next moment, he cried out in wild joy, "Junior Brother Zhou is the tournament champion! A disciple of our Greenwood Martial Hall took first place!"

The Greenwood Martial Hall disciples instantly erupted in earth-shaking cheers.

"Senior Brother Zhou, well done!"

"Junior Brother Zhou studied diligently and trained bitterly. It finally paid off."

"I want to learn from Senior Brother too."

Ripples stirred in Leng Ni's beautiful eyes. He had actually done it.

Bai Yu's eyes widened as well, but the next second, resentment flooded through him.

Why! I was clearly Master's final disciple. I was clearly the most dazzling person in the martial hall.

This glory should have been mine!

In an instant, Zhou Muyun became a thorn in his eye and a splinter in his flesh!

Long Qian, Song He, and all the Soaring Cloud Martial Hall disciples could not believe it either.

Zhang Chong had actually lost? His opponent had defeated him fair and square.

Bitterness filled their faces. It seemed Zhou Muyun's way through the trials had never been luck.

The martial hall masters were stunned for a long while before coming back to their senses and congratulating Li Qingliang.

"Remarkable, truly remarkable! Brother Li, you've trained an excellent disciple!"

"First Bai Yu, then Zhou Muyun. Brother Li, you truly have good fortune."

"Brother Li, if you still say Zhou Muyun isn't your secret weapon, we truly won't believe you."

Li Qingliang listened to their flattery and responded politely, though there was a hint of high spirits on his face.

"You flatter me, gentlemen. My disciple has always trained hard, so this can be considered some return for his efforts."

Yet he was still shocked inside.

The youth who practiced bitterly in the martial hall every day, known as a blockhead, overlapped with the victorious youth on the arena.

Even he had to marvel. For someone with merely middling bones and talent to reach this point was truly extraordinary.

"So be it. Consider it a bit of tempering for Chong'er. Beyond the heavens are other heavens, and beyond men are other men."

After a long silence, Feng Tengyun sighed inwardly.

Besides, no matter how strong one was in the Organ Refinement Realm, if one did not break through to the Blood Exchange Realm, one ultimately amounted to nothing.

"Brother Wan, does this 'King of Luck' under my tutelage catch your eye now?"

Li Qingliang had not forgotten Wan Ting's mockery, and now he struck back at just the right moment.

Wan Ting's expression turned ugly. No matter how many reasons he had, they all looked pale and powerless before a championship.

The man had taken first place. What else was there to say?

Thus, he fell silent for once, able only to curse inwardly, Li Qingliang, count yourself lucky!

Next, Feng Tengyun spoke on behalf of the martial hall masters.

First, he thanked everyone for supporting the tournament. Second, he reaffirmed that Zhou Muyun's first place was beyond dispute.

In the stands, Zhou Muyun, who had already stepped down from the arena, felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

"The precious medicine is finally mine."

With Mo Qi and Leng Ni's help, his wounds had been bandaged as well.

Perhaps due to the recovery power brought by the Silver Blood Realm, he felt he could recover in three days at most.

Body cultivation techniques really were excellent. The better one trained, the better!

Afterward, Feng Tengyun and the other hall masters came before Zhou Muyun.

"Well done!"

Li Qingliang stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and praised him.

Feng Tengyun handed Zhou Muyun the box containing the precious medicine and explained its origins.

"This medicine is called Blood Spirit Grass. It is a precious medicine that has grown for five years, discovered by several of us hall masters in the Ten-Thousand-Mile Marsh."

The Ten-Thousand-Mile Marsh was an enormous marshland within Great Xia, bordering several regions. Rare treasures, precious medicines, ferocious beasts, and savage birds were countless within it.

It was both a paradise for martial artists searching for treasures and a burial ground for martial artists.

Zhou Muyun opened the box and saw a blood-red medicinal herb inside. It resembled ginseng and bore several crimson leaves.

Even a light sniff left one feeling refreshed and at ease.

As expected of a precious medicine grown for five years, Zhou Muyun praised inwardly.

Feng Tengyun continued, "This medicine's potency is rich and powerful. It should be taken together with several medicinal ingredients that balance it out.

But I believe Brother Li should have all of them, so I will not elaborate further."

"Of course. Muyun, come back to the martial hall with me later. I have some things to give you as well."

Li Qingliang took over, and even the way he addressed Zhou Muyun had become a little more intimate.

Zhou Muyun naturally understood why. In the end, strength represented everything.

As the Martial Hall Tournament came to an end, everyone gradually departed.

Zhou Muyun followed Li Qingliang back to Greenwood Martial Hall and entered the rear courtyard.

He sat on a stone stool and waited while Li Qingliang went inside to fetch something.

Before long, Li Qingliang emerged carrying quite a few items.

Setting them on the stone table, Li Qingliang slowly said, "Muyun, you truly gave your master a surprise. I have not shown you much care in ordinary days, and hearing my old friends praise you has made me feel somewhat ashamed."

Zhou Muyun hurriedly replied in a sincere tone, "Master, imparting your teachings is already the greatest kindness. Your disciple is more than satisfied."

Hearing this, the appreciation in Li Qingliang's eyes deepened, and he nodded.

"With those words from you, I feel even more guilty. Since you took first place, I naturally must show a token of my regard."

Li Qingliang pointed at the things on the table. "These bags of medicinal ingredients are to be taken with the Blood Spirit Grass. Remember, the Blood Spirit Grass can be decocted six times.

Each time, add two qian of these ingredients to balance the medicine's properties. That will better bring out its effects and prevent it from harming your body."

"These three precious medicines grown for one year and two hundred taels of silver were lost to me by Wan Ting. Since that wager arose because of you, they naturally belong to you."

"Lastly, these ten bottles of Foundation-Stabilizing Pills are a token from your master. I hope you reach the Blood Exchange Realm soon."

"Thank you, Master!" Zhou Muyun's eyes shone as he looked at the items on the table.

He had lost the Leng Household's support, yet gained so many medicines and so much silver.

It had resolved his pressing need.

Next, he only needed to return home, recover from his injuries, and train bitterly to break through to the Blood Exchange Realm as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Zhou Muyun voiced the doubt in his heart. "Master, what is the Blood Exchange Realm?"

Hearing this, Li Qingliang stood up and beckoned Zhou Muyun over.

"Try punching me."

Zhou Muyun clenched his five fingers into a fist and threw a punch at Li Qingliang.

Li Qingliang did not move, nor did he block.

The fist struck his shoulder solidly.

Yet Zhou Muyun felt as though he had punched a clump of cotton. The force he unleashed scattered like headless flies and was dissolved away.

"This... is Blood Exchange?" Zhou Muyun was somewhat stunned.

Crack.

The earth beneath Li Qingliang's feet split like a spiderweb, as though struck by a massive hammer.

"In the Blood Exchange Realm, the five viscera, six bowels, meridians, muscles, and bones are perfectly seamless. Old blood is exchanged for new blood, and the inner and outer body become complete.

One's force is flawless and whole, like a babbling stream, yet also like an ancient well and deep pool. It can be released and withdrawn at will. That is the wonder of Blood Exchange."

Zhou Muyun carefully savored its mysteries. So this was the Blood Exchange Realm?

Because he was injured and had gained quite a few things, Zhou Muyun returned home early.

Seeing Zhou Muyun enter with bandages wrapped around his hands, Xu Rou hurriedly rose, her eyes filled with concern.

"Yun'er, why have you gotten yourself hurt again? Don't you know how much it pains Mother to see it?"

"Mother, it's nothing. They're only superficial wounds. Oh, right, I took first place today!"

"First place?" Xu Rou's face was full of disbelief. She knew he had entered the competition, and she had told Zhou Muyun not to force himself. Being able to participate was already very good.

But she had never imagined that her son would actually take first place.

"Yun'er, are you telling the truth?" Xu Rou asked again to make sure.

"Mother." Zhou Muyun nodded seriously. "Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, go out and ask around later."

"Good, good, good." Xu Rou said "good" three times in a row, and her face immediately blossomed into a smile.

She did not know about anything else. She only knew that her son had taken first place, and that was a good thing.

"Brother, you're amazing!" Zhou Tong came out from the inner room as well. Clearly, she had heard the news.

"Why don't you teach me too, Brother? I want to become as amazing as you."

Zhou Tong had a lively personality. She usually enjoyed watching Zhou Muyun practice martial arts and often said that she wanted to learn as well.

Xu Rou did not oppose it, but Zhou Muyun felt sorry for her and worried she would suffer, so he had never stated his position.

"Brother, teach me!"

Zhou Tong stepped forward, wrapped herself around Zhou Muyun's arm, and shook it while acting coquettishly.

"Yun'er, teach your sister. Anyway, after suffering for two days, she may stop practicing."

Xu Rou understood Zhou Tong's temperament. Her enthusiasm usually lasted only three minutes, so she told Zhou Muyun to agree.

"Mother...!" Zhou Tong pouted, clearly disagreeing with Xu Rou's words.

Hearing Xu Rou and unable to withstand Zhou Tong's coquettish pleas, Zhou Muyun could only nod in agreement.

"Alright, alright, I'll teach you."

Because he recalled the sword manual he had obtained from Qian Jian before. It happened to be a Women's Sword manual.

Although he did not know it himself, he could simply give it to Zhou Tong to practice.

Just as Xu Rou said, Zhou Tong might give up after practicing for two days.

"Hehe, Brother, you're so good to me. I'll definitely learn properly."

Zhou Tong smiled like a blooming flower, her laughter as clear as silver bells.

"I'll be strict, so watch out."

"Alright, my brother-master."

The Zhou Household was filled with laughter and cheer, and Zhou Muyun enjoyed a rare moment of relaxation.

Little did he know that at this moment, the gears of fate began turning once more.