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Chapter 687: Emberblood
Chapter 687: Emberblood
The next day.
On the training ground.
"Those who can manipulate their blood and qi, step forward!"
Coach Xiong’s gaze swept over the group of young men and women.
Xun Heihu took a deep breath and stepped forward, under the shocked, surprised, and envious gazes of his companions, including Zhao Daniu.
At that moment, he noticed that the girl he often sneaked glances at, the one with a great figure, had also taken a step forward.
"Xun Heihu, Jiang Dayan… stand in the White Deer Stance!"
Before Xun Heihu could think more, Coach Xiong’s voice rang in his ears.
He subconsciously obeyed the command, stepping into the White Deer Stance, his body lightly swaying as if a fawn were leaping gracefully through the forest.
At the same time, a large hand pressed against his abdomen: "Circulate your blood and qi!"
Xun Heihu immediately focused on his blood and qi, guiding it toward his abdomen.
"Very good. You can indeed manipulate your blood and qi, which means you can start refining and consuming pills to attempt the next level."
Coach Xiong withdrew his hand, looking quite satisfied.
Beside him, a female coach also withdrew her hand. Her cold, scarred face showed no emotion as she said, "Passed."
Xun Heihu and Jiang Dayan exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of relief.
"Those who remain, continue practicing the White Deer Stance. You two, follow me."
Coach Xiong led Xun Heihu and Jiang Dayan to another training ground.
There, about twenty young men and women were already present, all of whom had previously broken through in their training.
Xun Heihu noticed that Ye Fengchun was among them.
However, the genius Wei Chigang, whom everyone had been talking about, was not there.
Coach Xiong brought the two to the new location and left, while the cold, scar-faced female coach remained. "My surname is Yu. You can call me Coach Yu… Xun Heihu, Jiang Dayan, I will teach you a method to circulate blood and qi through your digestive system to aid in digesting the Copper-Lead Pill. Those who can manipulate their blood and qi will receive one pill daily… You have nine months to train. If, after nine months, you still haven’t broken through after taking the pills…"
"Will we be kicked out?" Jiang Dayan interrupted.
"No, you will develop stomach problems and be poisoned… Without a skilled healer, even if you manage to survive, your life will be miserable."
Coach Yu said, "If you regret it now, it’s not too late."
"I won’t regret it."
Jiang Dayan’s resolve was firm.
In comparison, Xun Heihu seemed ordinary.
"Good, I like your resolve. If you can break through, you can become my disciple."
Coach Yu forced a grim smile. "But your name is too common. I don’t like it. If you become my disciple, you’ll have to change your name to Jiang Yuyan…"
Xun Heihu nodded repeatedly, feeling that the new name sounded much better.
Coach Yu glanced at him. "You don’t need to think about it. I don’t take male disciples…"
'Actually, I could be called Yu Hu.'
Xun Heihu gave Jiang Dayan a wistful look, suppressing the budding affection.
After practicing the blood and qi circulation method for a while, he glanced at Coach Yu and then approached Ye Fengchun. "Why isn’t Wei Chigang here?"
"Wei Chigang?"
Ye Fengchun, a slender boy who looked like a monkey, smiled bitterly. "He’s a true genius from a noble family. He broke through the Copper Gate three days ago and became a genuine Ninth-Rank Martial Artist… He doesn’t need to train with us anymore. Instead, he can become a disciple of a coach and train independently… Sigh, Coach Yu says he will definitely develop internal strength and join the Five Animals Sect. Compared to him, we’re just…"
Xun Heihu remained calm. He already had a true treasure and never felt he couldn’t catch up.
After a day of serious training, he took a peculiar pill and returned to his new dormitory.
Apprentices who had developed blood and qi took pills daily and needed a quiet space for their training. Therefore, his dormitory was moved to a separate hut, which, though small, offered better privacy.
He lay on his bed and soon fell asleep.
In the True Martial Realm.
"Copper-Lead Pill? You really brought it in?"
Xun Heihu stared at the tiny, copper-colored pill in his hand, his mouth agape.
"Since this place can store flesh and blood, it can also bring in pills…"
Fang Xing chuckled. For him, who had long mastered the boundary between reality and illusion, the distinction was quite blurred.
"Moreover… consuming a pill here will have the same effect as taking it in the real world. Similarly, you can consume the blood and flesh of ancient fierce beasts within the True Martial Realm…"
With a wave of his hand, the Copper-Lead Pill landed in his palm. "This pill contains lead and copper, along with various herbs… If you take it for several months without breaking through, it will be very harmful, even for a martial artist."
Fang Xing flicked the pill, and it landed in Xun Heihu’s hand. "What’s your decision?"
Xun Heihu didn’t hesitate, stepping into the White Deer Stance and swallowing the Copper-Lead Pill.
'It tastes of copper and a bit sweet…'
He felt the changes in his abdomen and immediately began to circulate his blood and qi to digest the pill.
Fang Xing watched Xun Heihu train in silence, thinking to himself, 'This Nine Provinces Martial Path is quite extreme… While it follows the path from the outside in, the lower three ranks are all hard techniques, but directly consuming metal pills, damaging the body to promote regeneration… Don’t they fear heavy metal poisoning in the end?'
Time passed day by day.
Soon, it was the ninth day, the last day of the three-month deadline.
Xun Heihu and his companions, who rarely got a break, came to the old training ground, looking at their pale-faced friends.
After three months, only a few could control their qi and blood.
Most apprentices had paid five hundred taels of silver for a chance to change their fate, but they could only go this far.
Coach Xiong's gaze was like a bolt of lightning as he scanned the remaining students. "Today is the last day of the deadline. Is there anyone who can control their qi and blood?"
After asking twice, a timid disciple finally stepped forward.
Coach Xiong took a step forward. "Perform the stake technique..."
He placed his palm on the young man and, after a moment, sneered and slapped him.
Slap!
The young man was knocked to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth, his face filled with disbelief.
"You used the Blood Surge Pill. Unfortunately, the subtle changes this drug induces in the qi and blood can fool ordinary martial artists, but not me."
Coach Xiong sneered again. "Do you think we from the One Temple, Two Sects, and Six Major Schools are like those ordinary martial arts schools and second-rate sects, who can be fooled by your tricks? Get out of here!!!"
His voice thundered as he spoke.
The eyes of the young men and women reddened, some of them breaking into tears as they were led away by the servants to collect their belongings and leave.
"Watch closely and remember this."
Coach Yu's clear and cold voice echoed in Xun Heihu's ear. "In the path of martial arts, this is the fate of the failures! If you don't want to be treated like this, you must keep improving... keep fighting!"
...
A moment later.
"Big Ox?!"
Xun Heihu found his friend.
"Sniff... five hundred taels! My father will kill me when I get back." Zhao Daniu cried, tears streaming down his face. "How many oxen do I need to sell for this..."
Xun Heihu fell silent, thinking about Zhao Daniu's family, who were landlords and raised many oxen...
After returning, he would probably inherit the family business and become the son of a landlord...
"Take care!"
He had so much to say, but in the end, he only bowed and clasped his fists.
"Uh-huh."
Zhao Daniu nodded and pushed something into Xun Heihu's hand. "I know I don't have the talent, and now that I've tried, I accept my fate. But you, Xun brother, have the talent, and you must continue... I heard that the further you go in martial arts, the more it costs. Keep this money, and take my share with you."
He gritted his teeth, picked up his bag, waved, and walked out of the White Deer Academy gates.
Xun Heihu looked at the heavy money bag in his hand and Zhao Daniu's retreating back, his hand clenching and unclenching...
...
Inside the True Martial Realm.
"I need to train harder, much harder!"
With each breath, Xun Heihu felt a faint current of energy forming.
"Big Ox has the money, but not the talent!"
"In Chuzhou, how many children have the talent but not the money... and end up starving by the roadside!"
"The five hundred taels my father gave me were hard-earned... I must rise to the top!"
Xun Heihu's breathing grew heavy as he began practicing ancient martial arts, move by move.
Gradually... he felt a surge of heat within his body.
It wasn't exactly qi and blood, but similar, carrying a more violent force that even made his eyes turn red.
"Is this... a breakthrough in ancient martial arts?!"
Xun Heihu felt a surge of joy, sensing his body growing stronger.
A powerful change was taking place within him!
"Good!"
Fang Xing appeared, watching Xun Heihu's bulging muscles, and nodded. "People misunderstand ancient martial arts because they lack the environment of ancient times and can't eat the top-tier ancient beasts... so they assume that the middle three ranks are the limit."
"But here with me, you can obtain the most top-tier ancient beast meat as a catalyst... combined with ten times the effort, the characteristic of breaking through bottlenecks, and finally, you have succeeded, awakening one of the twelve body anomalies—Emberblood!"
"Emberblood?"
Xun Heihu was a bit puzzled. "What does it do? Is it a Martial Bone?"
"Emberblood... as you've felt, it can be activated during combat, accelerating your blood flow and enhancing your overall strength, making you several times more powerful. However, it can also drive you into a frenzy and a killing rage. Since it originates from the bones, it can also be called 'Emberbone,' and it is indeed a Martial Bone, a top-tier one at that!"
Fang Xing commented, then added with a hint of regret, "I specially chose the meat of the Tri-Spear Boar and the Sky-Devouring Rat as catalysts, hoping to awaken the Glutton Stomach among the twelve anomalies... this ability greatly increases your digestive power, making the effects of medicinal dishes and pills far exceed those of ordinary people. While most people can only take one Copper-Lead Pill a day, with the Glutton Stomach, you could take two or three... Unfortunately, what you awaken is entirely a matter of luck. You're called Heihu, and it seems you're indeed quite ruthless..."
Xun Heihu felt like he was being scolded by the spirit, but he couldn't prove it.
(End of Chapter)
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