On his way home, Xu Wuyi felt a spring in his step. It was as if he were walking on clouds, yet his feet felt firmly planted on the ground.
He pushed open the door to his home to the familiar, fragrant aroma of dinner.
When his parents saw him, they asked their usual questions, concerned about whether he liked the food and if he was too tired from his studies.
Xu Wuyi suppressed the excitement surging within him. He ate and chatted as usual, not mentioning the Qi Blood Potion.
It wasn't that he wanted to hide it; he just didn't know how to bring it up. He was also afraid they would worry, or feel that he owed an enormous debt of gratitude.
The saying goes that children from poor families mature early, but in essence, it's pressure that forces one to grow. Xu Wuyi's family couldn't be considered poor, but he had long since understood the financial pressure that came with practicing Martial Arts.
A mature man must be able to keep things to himself and bear his responsibilities.
After dinner, Xu Wuyi immediately returned to his room and locked the door. Only then did he take out the metal box again, carefully retrieving a vial of the Qi Blood Potion.
He read the instructions carefully, committing every precaution to memory.
"After the first dose, it is recommended to engage in continuous Body Refining for over four hours to maximize the absorption of the Potion's effects."
A training session of no less than four hours was impossible for Xu Wuyi to do at night, and it wasn't appropriate at school either. He could only take it at home.
Winter break started the day after tomorrow. Xu Wuyi now understood why Teacher Wang had chosen this moment to give him the Potion.
Two days later, winter break began, and Xu Wuyi's training entered a new phase.
The day's work begins at dawn. At five in the morning, Xu Wuyi was already standing punctually in his training room.
His home had a small training room. Other than being clean and tidy, it was completely bare, with no training equipment or aids. But Xu Wuyi had trained this way since he was a child, so he was more than satisfied.
After mentally preparing himself, Xu Wuyi picked up a vial of the Qi Blood Potion, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp.
The liquid had no odd taste. Instead, it was strangely warm and sweet. As it slid down his throat, it rapidly transformed into a surging torrent of heat that exploded violently, rushing toward every corner of his body!
"Urk!"
Xu Wuyi let out a muffled grunt. He felt as if all the blood in his body had begun to boil in an instant. A vast wave of Energy, far beyond anything he could have imagined, rampaged through him. His skin visibly flushed red, and his veins began to bulge.
The intense feeling of Energy made him dizzy. His body was brimming with power that had nowhere to go.
'I can't waste it!'
'Not a single drop!'
He grit his teeth, enduring the discomfort and the feeling of being bloated with Energy, and as quickly as he could, he assumed the Starting Form of the Basic Body Refining Technique: Holding the Essence and Guarding the One.
This time, it was completely different!
The Qi and Blood that usually required intense concentration to guide slowly was now, swept along by the Potion's Energy, a raging flood bursting through a dam. It roared and surged forward along the paths of the Cultivation Technique.
With every movement, he could feel his Qi and Blood surging in response. The resulting ache and heat were dozens of times more intense than usual!
This was a level of training efficiency far beyond what he normally experienced!
Xu Wuyi completely lost track of time and forgot his fatigue. He practiced the Basic Body Refining Technique frantically, cycling through its nine forms again and again.
Fueled by the Potion's effects, his stamina felt endless, and his Spirit was also exceptionally energized.
Anyone else in this state would have found their movements losing form, diminishing the effectiveness of their training.
But thanks to his recent practice, Xu Wuyi's strict adherence to the Standard Actions had become almost second nature. Even now, his movements remained precise.
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 15]
[Basic Body Refining Technique—Current Realm: Entry Level (1.2%)]
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 32]
[Basic Body Refining Technique—Current Realm: Entry Level (2.8%)]
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 61]
[Basic Body Refining Technique—Current Realm: Entry Level (4.5%)]
The numbers on the panel ticked up at an unprecedented speed.
Before today, Xu Wuyi's daily limit for the Basic Body Refining Technique was about 40 repetitions.
And that was only when he first grasped the rudiments of 'Intention' and received a temporary boost.
But now, thanks to the Qi Blood Potion, he had surpassed his previous full-day's progress in just one or two hours.
However, as the first powerful wave of the Potion's effects was absorbed, fatigue began to set in.
Sweat was no longer just seeping from his pores; it streamed down his forehead, neck, and spine like a small creek, forming a puddle on the floor.
Xu Wuyi's workout clothes were completely drenched, clinging to his skin. Every movement was accompanied by a faint squelching sound.
His muscles began to ache in protest, and the mental high was gradually replaced by a tidal wave of exhaustion.
Xu Wuyi gritted his teeth. His body was screaming at him to stop and rest, but he refused.
'I can't stop!'
'I can't waste this!'
'The first dose is always the most effective!'
He bit his lip until he drew blood. The metallic tang mixed with the saltiness of his sweat, jolting his senses.
But Xu Wuyi's eyes only grew brighter, his focus sharpening. The outside world seemed to vanish, leaving only the ticking numbers in his sea of consciousness and the circulation of Qi and Blood within his body.
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 78]
...
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 89]
...
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 97]
...
Well over four hours had passed. By his ninety-seventh repetition, Xu Wuyi felt his consciousness begin to blur. His body felt as heavy as lead, and every lift of his arms, every turn of his torso, became excruciatingly difficult. He was moving on sheer willpower alone.
Ninety-eight!
Ninety-nine!
By this point, Xu Wuyi had forgotten everything else. He no longer had the strength to even look at the numbers on the panel; only instinct drove his movements.
'I can't waste this. I can't miss a single opportunity. I know my talent is average. To achieve anything, I have to work twice as hard as anyone else!'
Starting Form, breathing, guiding Qi and Blood... Done!
[Standard Repetitions Completed Today: 100.]
[Practice a technique one hundred times, and its true meaning shall be revealed!]
[Effective repetitions for the day have reached 100. You have received one instance of "Enlightenment".]
The very instant the numbers changed—
OMMM!
It was as if a great temple bell had been struck deep within his mind, or a clear spring was pouring down over his head!
Xu Wuyi was stunned for a moment, finally broken out of his frenzied state. He immediately became aware of a change in his sea of consciousness.
The Bronze Ancient Book suddenly flared with a brilliant light. A cool, clear, and indescribable torrent of understanding instantly swept over his entire consciousness!
Countless details from his past training in the Basic Body Refining Technique, the subtle sensations of his Qi and Blood circulating, every piece of guidance from Teacher Wang, even every stray thought from his spar with Han Mengmeng...
All these scattered bits of knowledge and experience collided, merged, and were synthesized at an unprecedented speed, washed over by this torrent of insight!
Sudden, complete clarity!
Many key aspects that had once been incomprehensible were now instantly clear. Xu Wuyi felt his understanding of this Cultivation Technique had reached a whole new level. When he thought back on his previous problems, he had the feeling that the answers were obvious all along.
He didn't know how much time had passed. When Xu Wuyi finally emerged from the state of Enlightenment, he found himself still holding his training posture. But his entire body felt clear and refreshed, as if he had been completely reborn.
The surging power from the Potion had been completely absorbed, converted into vast reserves of Qi and Blood that settled within him.
He checked the time. It was already past eleven in the morning, and his stomach was rumbling with hunger.
This training session had taken him over six hours.
He eagerly submerged his consciousness into his sea of consciousness.
[Martial Arts Diligence Record]
Martial Arts: Basic Body Refining Technique
Current Realm: Entry Level (20.5%)
Martial Arts Traits: Not yet unlocked
Assessment: Foundation stable. Showing gradual improvement.
20.5%!
Six hours of training, and his proficiency had skyrocketed from 0.8% by more than 19%!
'If I only count the number of repetitions, my progress should have been around 10% at most... In other words, that one 'Enlightenment' gave me almost another 10% of progress?'
'A single Enlightenment was even more effective than a precious vial of Qi Blood Potion!'
'Of course, that's just in terms of proficiency with the Basic Body Refining Technique. The Qi Blood Potion also provides a direct boost to my Qi and Blood.'
'But then again, the boost to my Qi and Blood is temporary. Proficiency in a Martial Art is something that's truly mine!'
'Practice a technique one hundred times, and its true meaning shall be revealed.'
'So the Martial Arts Diligence Record had this kind of effect, too?'