'It's only been a little over half a month. How has... Junior Brother Ji's Qi and Blood grown so much?'
Lu Hongyu was a little awkward at first, but after stealing a few more glances, a sudden shock struck her heart.
She had reached Great Success in Marrow Refining and was already an expert in the Bone Tempering Realm.
Although she had only refined Iron Bones and lacked the method to achieve Silver or Golden Bones, she was still a long way from her Force penetrating the marrow and becoming impervious to blades and spears.
Still, she was an experienced practitioner.
Martial Artists in the Bone Marrow Refining Realm were still building their foundation with External Skills, so there weren't many ways to conceal or disguise their progress.
As long as they mobilized their Qi and Blood, a glance or two was all it took to see the details and clues of their cultivation.
Moreover, ever since Ji Xiu had moved into Lu Manor, Lu Hongyu had seen and interacted with him frequently, growing increasingly familiar with him.
She was naturally crystal clear on what his capabilities were when he had first arrived.
There was an old saying.
Three years for Marrow Refining, ten years for Bone Tempering, a lifetime for Skin Refining!
Were these just empty words?
According to common sense, taking a single Ninth-Grade, Mortal-grade Pill or Medicinal Powder meant to aid Blood Nourishing...
...and refining it with Pile Skills would, at best, save a month of hard work. Besides, biting off more than one could chew was a real danger.
For the average Martial Artist's Pile Skill, spending three to five days to completely refine the medicinal properties of a single Pill was already considered quite good.
Even for a practitioner who took pills daily and soaked in medicinal baths with every meal...
...consuming tens or even hundreds of taels of snowflake silver every day...
...it would probably still take them two or three months to achieve Great Success in Blood Nourishing and advance to Muscle Forging.
The Sword-carrying Guests of Lu Manor received a monthly stipend of thirty taels, along with two types of Pills suitable for their current stage, whether it be Blood Nourishing or Muscle Forging.
If they dedicated their entire stipend and all resources to themselves, while also training relentlessly, it would be normal for them to achieve success in Blood Nourishing in about half a year to a year.
But Ji Xiu's Qi and Blood was bulging, as if it were volcanic magma about to burst through his skin. One look was enough to tell that he had already grasped his Qi and Blood, completing half the process.
Once he could circulate his Force to control his blood, making it as dense as mercury and lead, and could leave deep footprints on the bluestone slabs with every step...
...he could begin Muscle Forging!
And in Lu Hongyu's eyes, given his current level of attainment...
...how could that step be far off?
This was what was so abnormal!
In that moment, amidst her shock, Lu Hongyu forgot her shyness.
Unable to restrain herself, she took a few steps forward, and her slender fingers couldn't help but reach out and gently poke Ji Xiu's muscles.
"You... how did you cultivate?"
"You've already succeeded in Blood Nourishing?"
"From the looks of it... another month of cultivation and you'll be able to start Muscle Forging!"
"Unbelievable..."
Ji Xiu, having just been cultivating his Qi and Blood, felt his body stir. A vigorous, restless flame seemed to be slowly igniting within him.
He watched as the woman before him shed her usual heroic and valiant demeanor.
Instead, she wore a shawl, her dark hair was tied up, her alluring eyes were captivating, and the touch of her soft fingertips made his own eyes narrow slightly. He paused, then said:
"It is all thanks to Master Lu's support. Without the Leopard Embryo Pill and the Tiger Blood Powder to aid me, it would have taken me much more effort to succeed in Blood Nourishing."
The sudden sound of his voice startled Lu Hongyu from her thoughts.
Coming back to her senses, she felt the sensation still lingering on her fingertips—the scorching heat of his skin, under which his blood seemed to surge. For a moment, her heart began to pound in her chest.
In all her years, this was the first time she had ever done something so forward, and she felt a wave of panic.
As Ji Xiu spoke in a calm, unhurried tone,
Lu Hongyu whipped her hands behind her back with a SWISH, as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. Out of Ji Xiu's sight, her fingers fidgeted together, her eyes darted about, and her mind was a complete blur.
"It was only two Ninth-Grade Pills. They're standard issue for all the Sword-carrying Guests in the manor. How come none of them showed this kind of Innate Talent during their Blood Nourishing?"
"It's because you, Junior Brother, possess extraordinary aptitude and train relentlessly. Without both of those, you wouldn't have been able to succeed in Blood Nourishing so quickly."
In the late autumn morning, the dawn broke late.
It was the very moment separating night from day.
Fragments of crimson light from the horizon sprinkled down, illuminating Ji Xiu through a hazy mist.
He brought two fingers together, fastened the button of his training clothes, and let his hair fall over his shoulders. White steam billowed from his body, its afterglow lingering for a long time. His eyes were as dazzling as a lion's, only gradually calming and turning inward after a good while.
The sight caused a faint blush to spread across the pale, delicate skin of Lu Hongyu's neck, visible just below her furry collar.
Realizing Ji Xiu's gaze had fallen upon her, she intentionally coughed twice and put on a serious expression.
"Ahem, ahem!"
"However, since you're so talented on the Martial Dao, Junior Brother... it means my recent efforts to delay things and 'run all over the place' for you weren't in vain."
She deliberately emphasized those last two points, making sure Ji Xiu took notice.
He understood then that his peaceful days of collecting a stipend without any duties were all thanks to the care of the manor's young lady.
"All the work at Lu Manor revolves around the business of this sprawling Fire Kiln."
"There are hundreds of shops of all kinds within the Fire Kiln. Some are our manor's own establishments, while others are shops opened by other wealthy families and merchants."
"This place supports over ten thousand households. If not for the fact that the shops themselves hire a few Martial Artists who are Entering the Realm to serve as registered Fire Kiln Stewards,"
"our manor's so-called 'Three Hundred Guests' would be worked to death and still wouldn't be able to manage everything."
"Those shopkeepers are essentially 'tenants' who pay money and rent to Lu Manor."
"And Lu Manor, in turn, acts as the 'manager' that maintains order throughout this vast district."
"The Guests are the 'Guard Team'."
"When trouble arises with the Fire Kiln business, the Government Office generally doesn't get involved, leaving it for Lu Manor to handle."
"And this is the duty of the regular Guests and the Sword-carrying Guests."
"But these tedious, trivial matters are extremely time-consuming and interfere with one's Cultivation."
"Furthermore, most of these jobs are in places related to 'Iron Refining,' 'coal mining,' and 'weapon forging'—filthy, choking environments where it's impossible to calm your mind and practice martial arts..."
"But after running around for over half a month, I've finally found a suitable post for you!"
Her eyes lit up:
"Inside the Fire Kiln, in the easternmost section, there's a 'Medicine House.' An Alchemy Master lives there. I heard that at his peak, he refined a Half-Step Qi Pill!"
"In the entire five-hundred-li territory of Anning County, he would be considered one of the 'Honored Guests.' The only reason this Alchemy Master chose to settle here is because our Fire Kiln was built on a site with abundant Earth Fire."
"Even so, my father had to pay a steep price."
"And the reason our Lu Manor can provide Ninth-Grade Pills to the Sword-carrying Guests every month is precisely because we have this highly sought-after Alchemy Master in the manor."
"Naturally, a person of his stature requires Guests to be stationed around the 'Medicine House' to stand guard and prevent any accidents."
"I've made inquiries. This master has a reclusive personality and doesn't pay much attention to people, so I got this assignment for you."
"This way, you'll have some peace and quiet when you go there during the day!"
'An Alchemy Master?'
Ji Xiu suppressed the restlessness in his heart, and a flicker of light suddenly passed through his eyes:
"Thank you, Senior Sister, and the Manor Master, for holding me in such high regard."
"Then... can I learn Alchemy from him?"
During this time, ever since he began Blood Nourishing, Ji Xiu had come to deeply understand the importance of resources.
Even though he practiced a Superior Pile Skill and had the blessing of the Primordial Daoist Talisman to greatly accelerate his Cultivation speed, the reason his progress had surged today... was the 'Leopard Embryo Pill' and the 'Tiger Blood Powder.' One had helped him break through the Blood Nourishing bottleneck, while the other had helped him achieve success in it. Their contributions were undeniable.
He had previously inquired about them. This kind of Ninth-Grade, Mortal Grade Pill, even one for Blood Nourishing, cost twenty to thirty taels per pill or packet.
How could he possibly afford that!
If he were to imitate a Hunter and enter the five-hundred-li Mountain Dao, let alone whether he could find the necessary herbs, the sheer danger and the lost Cultivation time from the round trip were enough to make him dismiss the idea.
Now, upon hearing Lu Hongyu's words, his eyes flickered as his thoughts began to race.
Ji Xiu's question took Lu Hongyu by surprise, and her brow furrowed slightly:
"Well... Father had the same idea before, but the apprentices he sent over could only watch the master light the furnace, open the kiln, and do odd jobs."
"The master also took many notes, but they were all chaotic and confusing, and he never taught anyone. He just let them be. After sending three or four batches of apprentices, Father gradually gave up on the idea."
"In the field of Alchemy, if a master doesn't guide you for several years, you'll never become a 'Mortal Grade Pill Master'."
Ji Xiu became lost in thought after hearing this.
'Is that so...'
'But, just because others can't understand or learn it...'
'...doesn't mean that *I* can't.'
Thinking of the 'Primordial Daoist Talisman,' Ji Xiu's heart burned with excitement.
'This is my true foundation, the key that unlocks all arts!'
'As for all these businesses and jobs in the Fire Kiln...'
'...whether it's Iron Refining, collecting rent, or watching over territories, they're all just fleeting glories.'
'Being surrounded by followers, showing off in front of others—it all looks impressive.'
'But...'
'Can any of that help me on the smooth path of the Martial Dao, help me soar to the very peak, break through Bone Tempering, Skin Refining, and even cross the threshold to become a 'Qi Cultivation Grandmaster'?'
'None of it can.'
'And I... what I want to learn, what I want to do...'
'...is to learn an art that will last a lifetime!'