"Serves him right!"
Seeing Liu Lishi's miserable state, Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu both felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
The two of them got back on their horses and returned to the Martial Arts Hall together.
They had expected Guo Wei to be back already, but Red Boy was nowhere to be seen in the stables. 'He must have gone somewhere to blow off steam,' they thought.
"Lay the carpet here."
"And these candles, along with this Eight Immortals table, put them all over here."
In the front courtyard, Guo Fang was directing a few students as they prepared for the next day's discipleship ceremony.
"Senior Sister, that bastard Liu Quan has already become Tie Zhennan's disciple. Junior Brother and I just got back from Liu Quan's home. Master was so furious with him that he stormed off, and we don't know where he went."
Hei Hu said angrily.
"What did you say?"
Guo Fang looked as if she had been struck by lightning.
"Senior Sister, what Hei Hu said is true. Liu Quan has taken Tie Zhennan as his master. The three of us saw it with our own eyes. Master probably just needs some time alone to cool down. You don't need to worry about him, Senior Sister."
Chu Lingguang said with a sigh.
"That bastard! How could Liu Quan do this?"
Furious, Guo Fang smashed the candles to pieces. Then, she picked up a pair of buckets and headed out of the Martial Arts Hall.
"Senior Sister, where are you going?"
Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu shouted at the same time.
"Don't worry about me. Just watch the hall."
Guo Fang said without looking back.
About four hours later, Guo Fang returned to the Martial Arts Hall drenched in sweat. She tossed two foul-smelling buckets down at the entrance to the laundry room.
Hei Hu couldn't help but ask around and soon found out what had happened. Guo Fang had taken the buckets to the vicinity of Liu Family Gully, bought two large buckets of manure, and splashed it all around the Liu Family's courtyard and house.
The villagers of Liu Family Gully all watched the spectacle from the sidelines, but no one dared to stop her. Even the people from Zhennan Martial Arts Hall didn't dare do anything to Guo Fang and could only leave quickly with Liu Quan in tow.
Liu Lishi's family of seventeen could do nothing but curse their fate.
After learning what had happened, Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu both gave Guo Fang a thumbs-up. 'Senior Sister is truly something else. She really has her own way of doing things.' It was far more satisfying than when Guo Wei had merely knocked out one of Liu Lishi's front teeth.
In the afternoon, Guo Wei returned to the Martial Arts Hall, leading Red Boy by the reins.
Seeing that Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu hadn't been slacking off—one was practicing his Spear Technique and the other his Archery—Guo Wei felt a measure of comfort. He took the bottle of Qi Blood Pills from his pocket and said to them, "Hei Hu, Lin Guang, come here."
"Master!"
"Master, you're back."
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. If something had happened to Guo Wei, how would they participate in the Daoist Examination?
"There are two Qi Blood Pills here. Each of you take one."
Guo Wei said as he poured out two pills.
He had originally intended to give the Qi Blood Pills to Liu Quan, but Liu Quan had broken his heart. Now, seeing Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu training so diligently, he suddenly felt he owed them something.
"Thank you, Master!"
Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu were both overjoyed. Magistrate Wang had previously explained the value of Qi Blood Pills, so they received them as if they were priceless treasures.
Fearing Guo Wei might change his mind, they popped the pills into their mouths the moment they got their hands on them.
Guo Wei gave a wry smile, seeing right through them. After giving them a few simple instructions on how to convert the medicinal power into Qi Blood Power, he was about to head back to his room.
"Master."
But Chu Lingguang stopped him.
Guo Wei turned around.
Suddenly, Chu Lingguang didn't know how to begin.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
Guo Wei said impatiently.
"Disciple has mastered the Basic Breathing Technique. I ask Master to bestow upon me a more advanced Breathing Technique."
Chu Lingguang said, mustering his courage.
He had originally planned to bring it up when Guo Wei was in high spirits after Liu Quan's discipleship ceremony. But now that Liu Quan had joined Tie Zhennan, Chu Lingguang had to find another opportunity. Since Guo Wei had just gifted them Qi Blood Pills, he figured it would be easier to ask him to teach the Breathing Technique now.
"Are you sure you've mastered it?"
Guo Wei was incredulous.
Although the Basic Breathing Technique was the most fundamental Inner Power Method, and easy to begin, mastering it was not so simple.
"Disciple would not dare deceive Master."
Chu Lingguang nodded emphatically.
"Quick, perform it for me to see."
"Yes."
At Guo Wei's command, Chu Lingguang immediately began circulating the Breathing Technique, demonstrating the breathing process several times over. Guo Wei quickly noticed that Chu Lingguang's rhythm was much longer and more powerful than before. The air he inhaled seemed to reach his Yongquan Acupoint in a single breath, and the air he exhaled was able to concentrate the turbid qi. He had indeed reached the level of Great Success.
"Good, very good."
Guo Wei couldn't help but clap in approval.
The effects of a Breathing Technique were much harder to see than those of External Martial Arts. Chu Lingguang had already laid a solid foundation; his future Qi Blood growth would far exceed that of an ordinary person.
"Master, how come I've never learned this Breathing Technique of Junior Brother's?"
Hei Hu asked with a frown.
"Senior Brother, please don't misunderstand. This Breathing Technique was taught to me by an old beggar. Master previously instructed me that only after I had fully comprehended it could I study Master's own Breathing Technique like you."
Chu Lingguang explained.
"Junior Brother is truly a fortunate person, to just run into an old beggar who gives you a Breathing Technique."
Hei Hu said sarcastically.
"If you don't want the pill's medicinal power to go to waste, then hurry up and refine it."
Guo Wei snorted coldly.
"Yes."
Hei Hu was a bit distracted, afraid that Guo Wei would give Chu Lingguang special treatment.
"This Breathing Technique of mine is called the Tidal Breathing Technique. It is an Inner Power Heart Method created by a Martial Arts Grandmaster, based on the changing of the tides. Many in the Jianghu cultivate this technique."
Right there in the backyard, Guo Wei began to teach Chu Lingguang the Breathing Technique.
Following his guidance, Chu Lingguang slowly changed his breathing rhythm, trying to send the inhaled breath to other acupoints in his body and then guide the turbid qi out from his blood vessels.
If the Basic Breathing Technique merely circulated the inhaled breath along the main meridians, then the Tidal Breathing Technique made the breath travel through all the Eight Meridians, retaining it while simultaneously guiding the turbid qi out of the acupoints.
It was countless times more profound than the Basic Breathing Technique.
If Chu Lingguang hadn't already grasped the secrets of the Basic Breathing Technique, he wouldn't even be able to control his breath right now while practicing the Tidal Breathing Technique.
Let alone complete the entire process.
"Very good."
Guo Wei's smile grew wider.
With the foundation from his Basic Breathing Technique cultivation, Chu Lingguang was finally getting a head start on Hei Hu in learning a new technique.
"Follow your own rhythm and refine the medicinal power of the Qi Blood Pill."
Guo Wei reminded him.
At a critical moment in his Breathing and Exhaling, Chu Lingguang couldn't respond. He could only focus on not making any mistakes. He had even forgotten that he had taken a Qi Blood Pill just moments ago.
Guo Wei seemed to notice something. He sat to the side, quietly watching as Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu both circulated the Tidal Breathing Technique.
Inhale, exhale.
Chu Lingguang's chest swelled. He could almost see a notification on a panel, announcing the successful acquisition of the Tidal Breathing Technique. As he inhaled and exhaled, a warm current appeared in his chest.
The medicinal power of the Qi Blood Pill he had just swallowed was released at that very moment. Chu Lingguang felt his whole body heat up, and he couldn't help but quicken his pace.
Between one breath and the next.
OMMM!
A deep, rumbling sound, like distant thunder, emanated from his chest.
Guo Wei, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open, a look of delighted surprise on his face as he stared at Chu Lingguang.