Chapter 12 - 11: Qi Blood Transport, Exhaling Arrows

Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Qi Blood Transport, Exhaling Arrows"Elder Li, I heard Zhao Tai ran into a tough character in Bicao Lane. They say he was beaten to death and then burned." "That’s not the half of it. The coroner said he was burned so badly they could only tell his skull had been smashed. Serves him right! But that tough character is out of luck too; someone saw he had short hair. Now, everyone from the Poison Tooth Hall is scouring the outer city for a strong man with short hair." "Well, while the Poison Tooth Hall is busy looking for the murderer, could you ask the folks at the Escort Agency to do me a favor? If they just show their faces and you go back to sweeping at the Escort Agency, wouldn’t that be better? It’s too easy to get bullied over at the Poison Tooth Hall." "How could I do that? I’ve been there for over ten years, so I do have some connections. But I can’t use those favors so casually. Working for the Green Snake Gang, emptying chamber pots and sweeping floors, isn’t like fighting and killing. No one will die. It’s fine even without money; this old man still has some savings." "Favors should be saved for when real trouble hits; there should always be somewhere to turn for help. Little Brother Jiang, this old man has had too much to drink today and is talking too much... In this world, following Teacher Qin won’t get you far. You need to practice martial arts, eat meat. Since Teacher Qin is leaving anyway, Little Brother Jiang, if you want to learn martial arts, this old man will take you to the Escort Agency tomorrow and have a guard teach you a few moves..." "Even if you don’t learn much, being physically stronger means you’ll get sick less often. Medicine is expensive these days..." It was unclear if Elder Li was a lightweight or if the wine Jiang Shu had brought was too strong. Elder Li then laid his head on the table and fell asleep. Jiang Shu looked at the dilapidated little hut, carried Elder Li to the bed, and covered him with a quilt. He left the small hut. 「In Qu She Alley.」 It was deserted and silent. The cold moonlight shone on Jiang Shu. He took off his padded jacket, practicing the Tiger Form Three Techniques: Pounce! Lift! Slice! After his clash with Zhao Tai, his mind was in turmoil. KILL! KILL! KILL! But killing just one Zhao Tai was far from enough! Hall Master Zheng was still out there! The Poison Tooth Hall was still out there! The Green Snake Gang was still out there! Elder Li still had to empty chamber pots for him. And one day, I myself might be targeted again. Nothing had actually changed! How could I truly clear my mind and break free from these shackles? The only way is to keep fighting, keep training, to increase my own strength as quickly as possible! Jiang Shu threw a punch! Qi Blood Sensing, Qi Blood Transport, the great circulation of Qi and Blood throughout my body! After three months of martial arts training, I’ve only achieved Qi Blood Sensing! Too slow! My progress is too slow, painfully slow! My sights absolutely cannot be set on Xuanxing. On Xuanxing, my current Realm, despite its slow progress, is enough to establish a solid foundation. If things go smoothly, I might even compete for a place at an academy. During the college entrance examination, I could shock everyone and become the top student in the entire school! But what use is that? A Martial Artist! I must become a Martial Artist! Only by becoming a Martial Artist can I truly establish a foothold in Pingling County! A translucent panel appeared in his mind. Under the moonlight, Jiang Shu practiced his stances, breathing exercises, and punches over and over again. No points to add. Then... I’ll just have to grind it out! Drenched in sweat, the piercing cold wind couldn’t dampen Jiang Shu’s fervent martial spirit. He seemed to enter a state of sudden enlightenment. Pounce! Lift! Slice! He executed each technique from different angles, simultaneously circulating the Hungry Tiger Breathing Technique. I’ve finally discovered the biggest difference between the Hungry Tiger Hole Sitting Stance and the Hungry Tiger Breathing Technique compared to the Horse Stance. It’s not that they’re harder to get started with or have a higher potential. Rather, the Hungry Tiger Hole Sitting Stance and the Hungry Tiger Breathing Technique require one to harbor killing intent! Physical coordination is certainly important. But without that killing intent! Even if I used the panel to max out my skills, I might not be able to unleash my greatest power! Having ten-tenths of strength doesn’t mean having ten-tenths of combat power! "HOO!" Jiang Shu retracted his fists, slowly bringing his hands back to his abdomen. He lifted them slightly, then pressed them down. On the panel: Jiang Shu— Language/Writing of the Da Jing Dynasty: entry-level (998/1000) Horse Stance: small success (596/1000) Hungry Tiger Hole Sitting Stance: entry-level (230/1000) Hungry Tiger Breathing Technique: entry-level (230/1000) Tiger Form Three Techniques: entry-level (160/1000) Two Realms Shuttle Countdown: 00:00 Compared to before I transmigrated, everything except language and writing has improved. Especially the Tiger Form Three Techniques; it’s like they’ve entered an explosive growth period, with proficiency increasing by nearly one hundred points in just over a dozen hours. Jiang Shu finished his practice and slowly regulated his breathing. In the distance, the night watchman’s calls grew louder, then faded away. Back to the room, transmigrate. 「Xuanxing, seven o’clock in the morning.」 Jiang Shu slipped into a plain, cotton long-sleeved shirt and pushed open his bedroom door. Although Mom and Dad—one driving for Didi and the other running a store—seem to have flexible schedules, they earn every penny through hard work. They get up early and are out before six in the morning. As for my sister, she’s probably still lazing in bed. Especially in winter, she’s like an animal hibernating, unwilling to leave her warm cocoon before ten. Jiang Shu poured hot water from the thermos and drank two large cups on an empty stomach. He unlocked his phone, tapped on the ’Cao Yan Tuanzi’ avatar, and transferred another fifty yuan: "I’m off to practice martial arts. Order some takeout if you get hungry." Then he checked his balance. 2,222.3. Looks like it’s time to make some money... Jiang Shu put away his phone. With the ability to travel between two worlds, there are so many ways to make money. For instance, meat in Pingling County is extremely expensive, costing one qian of silver for a jin. One qian of silver is worth about fifty yuan on Xuanxing, but a jin of meat there only costs around twenty yuan. This simple transaction yields more than double the profit! Or consider this: in Pingling County, the exchange rate between silver and gold is ten to one, but on Xuanxing, it’s one hundred to one! If I take silver to Pingling County, exchange it for gold, then bring the gold back to Xuanxing and exchange it for silver... ten liang of silver as capital would become one hundred liang after just one round trip! But, as the saying goes, ’An innocent man gets into trouble for possessing a treasure.’ Without even being a Martial Artist, to dare deal in meat or gold in Pingling County... that would take immense, foolish courage. In the county seat, the county government, the prominent families, the gangs—which of them are saints? Who would tolerate someone else making a fortune right under their noses? In that world, without sufficient strength or backing, one must never reveal wealth disproportionate to one’s status. Only on Xuanxing... A thought flashed through his mind. Jiang Shu went to a breakfast shop and ate four steamer baskets of xiaolongbao, two youtiao, and a large bowl of meat noodles. The wind was biting cold. The moat surrounding the city, its last thin layer of ice having melted, rippled under the sunlight. This place was deserted in the early morning, rarely visited. A few meters away, the sound of traffic from the road filtered through the trees to his ears. He settled firmly into his Horse Stance. Practice Horse Stance by the city moat, go home and transmigrate, train the three-in-one cultivation of nourishment, practice, and combat at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall, transmigrate back, practice stances by the city moat. Replenish with meat, cleanse with water. Only three to four hours of sleep each day, three to four hours of rest. Fifteen hours of martial arts practice daily. 「Finally, after more than half a month.」 「The last day of February.」 「Morning, eight o’clock.」 Inside the park, Jiang Shu opened his eyes. It was as if water had suddenly reached its boiling point, the steam forcing the kettle lid open! With his body firmly in the Horse Stance, his Qi and Blood surged, heat rolling off him in waves. A small bulge appeared on his skin, moving with his will. Starting from his left chest, it circled his body, bit by bit. After a moment, Jiang Shu took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully. A long stream of white vapor shot out like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. Qi Blood Transport! Success!