Chapter 20: Grasping Qi And Blood, Meng Yue’s Scheme
Amidst the astonished praise of the disciples behind him, Hong Yuan returned to the backyard. His childhood dream was now fulfilled, and his mood was exceptionally pleasant and joyful.
It was just that his back of the head inexplicably throbbed with phantom pain, causing him to sigh softly.
After days of relentless training, Hong Yuan’s root bone had strengthened by another sliver.
Each improvement in root bone was a comprehensive growth of physique, not limited to a single aspect. It could even promote an increase in comprehension to a certain extent.
After all, essence, qi, and spirit complement each other; when qi is full, spirit is naturally sufficient.
Hong Yuan’s strength had increased significantly. The earlier act of stirring the water bucket and effortlessly tossing a stone ball weighing over fifty jin several feet was merely a minor display of skill, not his full power.
However, Hong Yuan also clearly felt that the speed of his root bone’s growth was gradually slowing down.
Two slivers in the ‘Biwu Immortal Realm,’ one sliver after arriving at the Yang Family Martial Arts School and training for just one day, and this fourth sliver took several days of training.
It is expected that the difficulty of improving root bone and even comprehension will only increase in the future. Training alone is too inefficient; it’s unknown how much time it would take.
Hong Yuan had no extra time to waste. He had to reach the pinnacle of martial power and hold supreme authority within his lifetime to open the 【Great Year Blessed Land】.
“To accelerate progress, training cannot be neglected, but I still need to employ technology and ruthless methods!”
Hong Yuan thought to himself.
Technology: Spiritual Pills and Elixirs!
Ruthless Methods: Tempering the physical body and temperament through combat!
As he was thinking this, a line of small flying mosquito text appeared before Hong Yuan’s eyes.
（The persistent training has strengthened the will… Stirring the water jar fulfilled a childhood dream, bringing joy and a slight growth in temperament. Comprehension +1 sliver.）
【Root Bone: 4/100】
【Comprehension: 5/100】
Suddenly, a warm sensation, like a trickle of water, flowed into Hong Yuan’s mind and rushed towards the crown of his head. The distracting thoughts in his mind vanished, leaving his mind clear and tranquil.
Hong Yuan seized this opportunity, and with a thought, immediately entered a state of meditation.
The practice of meditation can be done anytime, anywhere; it does not require a specific location or a particular posture.
It’s just that ordinary people generate many distracting thoughts, and to enter a meditative state, they must seek a comfortable and quiet environment, use special postures of the Guiding Technique, and even bathe and burn incense to have even a slight chance of clearing their minds.
Just entering a meditative state is this difficult, let alone perceiving the unseen and intangible qi and blood through meditation, and even imbuing qi and blood with direction and form, which is even more difficult than ascending to heaven.
However, Hong Yuan’s initial state was already top-tier talent, and now with the addition of five slivers of comprehension, he far surpassed ordinary individuals. With his mind’s intent, he quickly entered a state of empty tranquility.
“Qi and blood… where is the qi and blood?”
Hong Yuan’s consciousness in the void opened its ‘eyes,’ and instantly he saw streams of qi flowing within his five internal organs and throughout his limbs and bones, winding like snakes, and as fine as silk.
He saw it, clearer than any time before.
Hong Yuan’s mind was calm and peaceful, not becoming excited or agitated by this. His thoughts were like a clear spring, undisturbed by ripples.
He imagined his consciousness as an invisible hand, slowly reaching out. The qi flows, like snakes and silk, trembled at first, seeming to disperse and retreat, but ultimately they were held firm by the invisible hand.
The next moment, he grasped.
Hong Yuan acted as if he had found an amusing toy, using his mind-formed invisible hand to guide the qi and blood to flow towards his fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, waist, organs, and legs in various directions, as if they were his own limbs, obeying his will.
Controlling qi and blood, success!
“Hoo… breathe…” Hong Yuan slowly exhaled, then used his breathing method to drive the qi and blood, and soon entered the state.
Each breath and exhalation from the ‘Tiger Roaring Breathing Method’ was like issuing commands, directing the movement of qi and blood.
The breathing method is the commanding center, and qi and blood are like soldiers.
The breathing method controlling qi and blood is like marching in a battle.
To successfully use the breathing method to condense scattered qi and blood into one unified force, channeling it in a single direction to form ‘True Force,’ is to win a battle.
Conversely, it is to become defeated soldiers and suffer backlash!
‘Should I make a concerted effort and directly attempt to enter Force?’
Hong Yuan pondered, feeling he had a considerable chance.
“Senior Brother, Senior Brother Hong…”
Just then, a shout came from the front courtyard. A youth with a bulbous nose stood at the corridor entrance, peering inside.
Hong Yuan’s thoughts were interrupted, but he didn’t get angry. This wasn’t some profound enlightenment; once the opportunity passed, it would be extremely difficult to find it again.
He had already grasped the qi and blood; attempting to enter Force was merely a matter of wanting to or not.
Yang Lie had also reached this level, but after more than ten years of training, he could only barely control his qi and blood, so he dared not easily take the next step, fearing that if he failed to enter Force, his qi and blood would scatter and injure himself.
Hong Yuan had no such worries. He had just grasped his qi and blood, yet his control over it was far more proficient than Yang Lie’s ten years of cultivation.
“What is it? Junior Brother Li?”
Hong Yuan strode out of the corridor to the front courtyard and looked at the bulbous-nosed youth speaking. The person’s name automatically surfaced in his mind: Li Hai!
Li Hai leaned forward, grinning, “Senior Brother Hong, you’ve been at this martial arts school for many days, diligently teaching us junior brothers. We can’t show no appreciation, so a few of us senior brothers discussed it and decided to host you tonight at Fu Yun Tower. We invite you to grace us with your presence.”
“You paid money to come to the martial arts school, and teaching you is my duty. Don’t be so polite. Alright, go back and train!” Hong Yuan waved his hand.
Seeing this, Li Hai quickly lowered his voice and winked, “Senior Brother, after we have a good meal, there’s more fun to be had. It’s said that Nuan Xiang Pavilion has a new arrival named ‘Xiao Shuang,’ whose beauty and talent are no less than the top courtesans in the prefecture city. With Senior Brother’s abilities, if you go, you’ll surely win her over and take her home.”
“Oh? Is she truly that outstanding?” Nuan Xiang Pavilion was the largest brothel in Yangquan County. Hong Yuan, upon hearing this, seemed to become interested.
“Senior Brother will not be disappointed if he goes,” Li Hai quickly replied. “Junior Brother dares to guarantee it. To be honest, Senior Brother, I secretly went a month ago. Just catching a glimpse of that Miss Xiao Shuang from afar made my heart feel like it was melting.”
“So, Junior Brother, you quite like that Miss Xiao Shuang?” Hong Yuan looked Li Hai up and down, somewhat surprised.
Li Hai’s face turned red, and he stammered, “This… this is just natural admiration, something everyone has.”
“Junior Brother, you truly make me see you in a new light,” Hong Yuan said, taking a breath.
“This… Senior Brother, I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
Hong Yuan looked at Li Hai with a smile, “Junior Brother, you like that Xiao Shuang, yet you want Senior Brother to go. If Senior Brother really wins her heart, how would Junior Brother feel?”
“Well, that Xiao Shuang is ultimately just a woman from a brothel. Senior Brother doesn’t need to worry too much,” Li Hai said.
“Junior Brother is truly magnanimous. Alright, when I have free time in the future, I will go visit Miss Xiao Shuang. During a night of passion, I will definitely ask Junior Brother to sing outside to liven things up, so that Junior Brother can feel a sense of involvement and fulfill our brotherhood.”
Hong Yuan patted Li Hai’s shoulder and changed the subject, “But not in the coming days. Go back now.”
Li Hai’s face stiffened at first, then as he heard Hong Yuan’s refusal and was about to persuade him further, Hong Yuan had already turned back to the backyard.
Li Hai couldn’t help but stomp his foot and returned to the training ground. His gaze shifted, and he spotted Meng Yue practicing at the jujube wood stakes in the corner.
He quickly approached Meng Yue. Before he could speak, Meng Yue, while still striking the jujube wood stakes with his fists and feet, had already lowered his voice and asked, “How is it? Did Senior Brother Hong agree?”
His words were slightly urgent, but Li Hai didn’t notice.
Meng Yue would not personally lure Hong Yuan out of the Yang Family Martial Arts School; if the assassination were successful, it would expose him.
However, he had been training at the martial arts school for the past two years and had recruited a few followers. Li Hai was one of them, though he didn’t know Meng Yue’s true identity.
Li Hai shook his head with a bitter expression, “Senior Brother refused.”
Meng Yue’s expression darkened, but he usually had a stern face, so it didn’t seem out of place. Instead, Li Hai asked, “The expenses at Fu Yun Tower and Nuan Xiang Pavilion are not low. Why does Senior Brother Meng have to spend so much?”
“What do you know?” Meng Yue snapped, scaring Li Hai into shrinking his neck.
Meng Yue quickly stopped his anger and suppressed his frustration, saying, “We train at the martial arts school, and Senior Brother Hong is the Master’s direct disciple, so naturally, he will be the future successor of the martial arts school. By currying favor with him, we can learn better Kung Fu…”
Without caring whether Li Hai believed him, Meng Yue waved him away. A heavy stone weighed on his heart. After practicing for another half hour, he retired early and left the martial arts school.
He would have to find another way to lure Hong Yuan out of the school.
