Chu Fan stood in his room, sinking into a stance from his Twelve Forms Fist Pile Skills, as steady as an old tree with deep roots.
After regulating his breath for a moment, he slowly closed his eyes.
At first, he followed the Technique he had used to condense the first strand of Qi Blood, sinking his intent into his Dantian to stir the Qi Blood throughout his body.
Master Cao had once said that condensing the second strand of Qi Blood was far more difficult than the first.
As for the third strand, its difficulty was several times that of the second.
Only someone with abundant Qi Blood like Zhao Tianxing would start condensing the second strand the day after forming the first.
Anyone else would have to rest for at least three days, or even seven to eight, before daring to try.
Chu Fan wasn't sure if he would succeed tonight either.
But his Twelve Forms Fist had already reached Great Success, and his ability to circulate Qi Blood surpassed even Zhao Tianxing's.
He wouldn't be at ease unless he at least tried.
Chu Fan spent some time sensing the Qi Blood Power scattered through his limbs and bones. He then opened his eyes and slowly began to perform the Twelve Forms Fist.
As he moved through the fist forms, the thin wisps of Qi Blood Power were drawn toward his Dantian.
But as soon as they began to move, he felt something was wrong—
The few strands of Qi Blood inside his Dantian seemed to have grown sluggish.
No matter how he urged them, they only circulated slowly, showing no sign of merging.
'It's this difficult?'
Chu Fan's heart tensed.
When he condensed the first strand of Qi Blood, it had been mentally taxing, but nowhere near as stagnant as this.
He now felt as if his meridians were blocked by something unseen. Drawing forth new Qi Blood Power was like rowing a boat upstream; every inch of progress cost him several times the mental effort!
Not daring to slacken, Chu Fan immediately recited the Twelve Forms Fist Mantra to himself and increased his fist speed by thirty percent.
His shoulders and neck lowered slightly, hinting at the steady intent of the Bear Form;
His fingertips trembled, carrying the fluid grace of the Serpent Form...
After reaching Great Success in the Twelve Forms Fist, his control over the Qi Blood in his body had long since surpassed that of ordinary Martial Artists.
Intent followed form, and Qi followed intent.
Chu Fan silently circulated his Heart Method, gathering the scattered Qi Blood Power from all over his body and guiding it bit by bit toward his Dantian.
This new stream of Qi Blood Power was initially as thin as a thread, flickering in and out of existence within his meridians. The slightest lapse in concentration would cause it to disperse.
Thanks to his forceful suppression, this new Qi Blood barely managed to coalesce.
As more new Qi Blood joined in, the strand of Qi Blood Power struggling to form in his Dantian grew stronger.
Chu Fan focused his mind and calmed his breath. Using the wondrous state of Form and Intent Unity from his Twelve Forms Fist, he carefully guided this new strand of Qi Blood, like a craftsman carving unpolished jade, not daring to show the slightest hint of impatience.
The blood-colored moonlight streamed through the window and fell upon him, casting his figure in a somewhat uncanny light.
Only when the Qi Blood Power had successfully condensed to the thickness of a hemp rope did Chu Fan let out a breath of relief. He then began to circulate this strand of Qi Blood rapidly through his body.
His fist speed grew faster and faster...
Before, he had performed the Twelve Forms Fist to draw Qi Blood into his Dantian.
Now, he performed the fist forms to temper this newly, barely-condensed strand of Qi Blood.
If he made the slightest mistake at this stage, the Qi Blood would disperse, and all his previous efforts would be for naught!
After practicing the Twelve Forms Fist a few times in the morning, Chu Fan hadn't moved again until nightfall—all to let his body recover to its peak condition to condense this second strand of Qi Blood.
Tempering the new Qi Blood now was, for him, like taming an untamed wild horse.
The surging Qi Blood coursed through his body, and everywhere it passed, his meridians felt as if they would swell and burst!
He had never experienced such pain when condensing the first strand of Qi Blood.
It was as if a giant python was ramming and tearing through his meridians...
The slightest exhaustion or lapse in concentration, and he would have to start all over again!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Chu Fan's punching speed increased again, his fists cutting through the air with a piercing sound.
More than two hours passed...
Chu Fan was drenched in sweat, his hands and feet trembling slightly.
If not for his abundant Qi Blood and the foundation from his Great Success in the Twelve Forms Fist, he would have long since collapsed from mental and physical exhaustion and given up halfway!
'Just a little more!'
Chu Fan clenched his jaw and drew upon the first strand of Qi Blood Power already in his Dantian, slowly bringing it closer to the new strand.
Under his control, the two streams of Qi Blood Power first probed each other, then slowly intertwined—like two swimming dragons, coiling and weaving within his Dantian!
The process was still arduous.
The new Qi Blood Power seemed to resist. Each time it merged with the old strand, Chu Fan had to use the Qi Blood circulation technique of the Twelve Forms Fist to forcibly harmonize them.
He constantly changed his stances: sometimes fierce like a Tiger Pounce to stimulate the Qi Blood;
Sometimes gentle and slow like a coiling serpent to dissolve the stagnation between the strands of Qi Blood.
After another incense stick's worth of time...
A faint humming sound suddenly emanated from within Chu Fan's Dantian.
The two strands of Qi Blood merged and then separated, unexpectedly forming a Tai Chi symbol!
A warm current rose from his Dantian and flowed to his limbs and bones. Wherever it passed, his meridians felt clear and open, and strength was born from within!
'I did it!'
A sharp glint flashed in Chu Fan's eyes.
He could clearly feel that the Qi Blood Power in his body was now several times stronger than before!
His control over the Qi Blood Power also grew more Skillful and Proficient!
He stretched his limbs and felt an inexhaustible strength coursing through his body.
With every gesture, he could clearly feel the Qi Blood surging within him, perfectly in tune with the intent and rhythm of the Twelve Forms Fist's techniques!
However, performing the fist forms and circulating his Qi Blood for so long had also left him depleted of Qi Blood and mentally drained...
If not for his Great Success in the Twelve Forms Fist and his superhuman ability to circulate Qi Blood, he probably would not have succeeded in forming the second strand tonight.
With that thought, Chu Fan found he didn't even have the energy left to test his new Qi Blood...
He collapsed onto his bed and was dead to the world.
「...」
「Early the next morning.」
The sound of BANG! BANG! BANG! from the courtyard jolted him from his sleep.
Chu Fan climbed out of bed, rested his hands on the windowsill, and looked out—he saw Zhao Tianxing grabbing stone locks and tossing them around.
'Is he nuts? Tossing stone locks around this early in the morning!'
Chu Fan couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Zhao Tianxing threw a stone lock on the ground, shaking Chu Fan's room so hard it seemed to tremble, before saying, "You're usually the first one up. Why are you so late today?"
'This guy also tried to condense his second strand of Qi Blood last night, so how can he still look so full of vigor?'
Chu Fan asked, "Did you manage to condense your second strand of Qi Blood?"
Zhao Tianxing laughed heartily. "Nope, I failed!"
'How can he be so happy after failing? He really is carefree...' Chu Fan couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Still, failure was to be expected.
Master Cao had already reminded them that it was best to rest for a few days after condensing the first strand of Qi Blood before trying again.
Even with his Great Success in the Twelve Forms Fist, he himself had nearly failed last night. Although he eventually succeeded, he still hadn't recovered—he was groggy, as if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights.
Zhao Tianxing waved his hand. "I'm heading out to practice archery! I'll rest for two days, then try to condense the second strand of Qi Blood again."
At this, he asked mysteriously, "Do you know where I'm going to practice?"
'Like I care where you practice...' Chu Fan ignored him and turned to leave.
But Zhao Tianxing wasn't about to give up. He chased him to the window and said, "I'm going to practice archery in the woods southeast of the Seven Stars Gang Sub-Branch—Senior Sister Qingxue practices her blade there every day!"
Hearing this, Chu Fan paused, glanced back at him, and said with a hint of resignation, "Go ahead then. Just be careful she doesn't slice you in two with her blade."
Zhao Tianxing chuckled, slung his bow and arrows over his back, and strode out.
「...」
Chu Fan splashed his face with cold water, which helped him feel a bit more awake.
After stretching his limbs, he walked into the courtyard and stood still.
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment First Realm, Blood Nourishing 99%]
Once he condensed the third strand of Qi Blood, the Blood Nourishing realm would be truly complete.
After glancing at the panel, Chu Fan clenched his right fist. Qi Blood flowed over his knuckles, faintly emitting a pale red halo...
This was clear proof of the great increase in strength after condensing the second strand of Qi Blood!
When the Qi Blood merged, it could twist the body's entire power into a single rope, a single Force...
That was why Martial Artists possessed such immense power, able to shatter tablets and crack stones with their fists and palms, and tear a tiger or leopard apart with their bare hands!
Chu Fan took a step back with his right foot and threw a series of punches into the empty air before him!
CRACK!
CRACK!
A clear, air-splitting sound exploded forth.
His fists seemed to compress and crush the very air as they cut through it!
He had only condensed a second strand of Qi Blood, yet it felt to Chu Fan as if he had crossed into a whole new level!
If condensing the first strand allowed him to arm-wrestle a black bear...
...then condensing the second allowed him to kill one with a single slap!
A flicker of anticipation flashed in Chu Fan's eyes, and he felt even more confident about his future on the Martial Dao.