In the bamboo forest of the back mountain, Lu Qing was practicing the first nine forms of the Body-Nurturing Fist.
After more than a month of cultivation, his Body-Nurturing Fist had become incredibly proficient, turning into pure instinct. As he practiced, each movement and stance possessed a unique charm and artistic conception. It seemed brimming with vigorous vitality, such that merely watching him was a delightful and soul-refreshing experience. Even if Old Doctor Chen were present, he would undoubtedly be unable to suppress his admiration upon seeing Lu Qing's fist technique. This was because Lu Qing had developed his own unique understanding of the Body-Nurturing Fist, having completely mastered its first nine forms.
Lu Qing practiced the fist technique with total concentration. At the same time, he focused his mind and calmed his breath, carefully sensing the flow of Qi and blood within his body, searching for that sliver of opportunity for a breakthrough. At this moment, the Qi and blood within Lu Qing's body were several times more surging than when he had first entered the Qi and Blood Realm. As his Qi and blood surged, every move appeared slow, yet actually contained immense power, stirring the surrounding air currents and sending fallen leaves flying.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Lu Qing's mind. All at once, he grasped the secret to the circulation of his Qi and blood. In an instant, the Qi and blood throughout his entire body connected completely, forming a single entity that circulated without obstruction. Lu Qing's body shuddered as a sense of realization welled up from his heart.
"Qi and blood like a net, continuous and unending. I have finally reached the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm."
However, Lu Qing had reached the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm. The three realms of the Post-Natal Stage were the Qi and Blood Realm, the Bone and Muscle Realm, and the Internal Organs Realm. Each was divided into four levels: Entry, Minor Accomplishment, Great Accomplishment, and Perfection.
The hallmark of the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm was that the Qi and blood enveloped the entire body like an invisible net, interconnected and continuous, forming a single whole. With a mere thought, one could erupt with power at will, without needing to first condense the Qi and blood to release strength as before. Both endurance and explosive power were greatly enhanced.
For Lu Qing, the greatest obstacle to breaking through to the Minor Accomplishment stage was not the key to understanding the "Qi and blood like a net" concept, but rather the total volume of Qi and blood power within his body. As someone possessing a special ability, the one thing he did not lack was insight into martial techniques. Instead, the insufficiency of his internal Qi and blood power had always constrained his breakthrough. Now, with the daily refinement of one Blood-Replenishing and Qi-Boosting Pill, his Qi and blood power had finally reached a critical threshold. Breaking through to Minor Accomplishment was merely a natural progression.
With a flash of movement, Lu Qing came to a large, old bamboo tree and gripped the battle saber planted upside down beside it. A ring from the blade sounded, a cold light flashed, and the saber was drawn from its sheath. Returning to his original spot, a murderous aura rose from him as he began to practice the Four Directions Saber technique.
The saber light flared like flowing moonlight. With every strike, Lu Qing coordinated it with an eruption of Qi and blood, making the speed of the saber extremely fast. The blade cutting through the air drew fierce winds from all directions, kicking up countless withered bamboo leaves.
After finishing the nine forms of the Four Directions Saber, Lu Qing stood still, having ceased his movements. Feeling that he still had residual strength in his body, a look of joy appeared on his face. This Minor Accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm truly lived up to its reputation as a breakthrough point; it had not disappointed him.
Before the breakthrough, when he exerted his full power, he could only practice the Four Directions Saber up to the seventh form before running out of steam, as his insufficient Qi and blood power prevented him from continuing. But now, after completing a full cycle, he still had enough strength left that performing another round would not be a problem. Nine continuous forms, each strike erupting with full strength, unending and seamless. According to the records of the *Four Directions Saber*, his mastery of this technique had also reached the stage of Minor Accomplishment.
Sheathing his saber, Lu Qing prepared to go home. Having broken through two consecutive cultivation techniques to the Minor Accomplishment stage, he was in an excellent mood. He decided that once he returned, he would cook something delicious to celebrate properly.
As he walked back, Lu Qing was also contemplating his next cultivation plan. In terms of martial realms, he had now reached the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm; as long as he continued to strengthen his Qi and blood, reaching Great Accomplishment or even Perfection would likely not be far off. However, his supply of Blood-Replenishing and Qi-Boosting Pills was nearly exhausted, and it was time to ask his master to help refine another batch.
Although Lu Qing was now proficient at gathering and decocting herbs, he had not yet attempted to refine pills and had no experience in it. Otherwise, he could have refined them himself; after all, he was not lacking in ginseng.
A while ago, when Xiao Li moved into his house, Lu Qing had asked it about it. He then learned that in the mountains, Xiao Li had actually discovered more than one ginseng plant. Some were even not smaller than the two it had brought him. Upon hearing this good news, Lu Qing did not immediately have Xiao Li go and harvest them all. Instead, he let them continue to grow in the mountains, intending to dig them up himself when they were needed later. After all, every time Xiao Li dug up ginseng, there would be slight damage, which would marginally affect the medicinal properties. Furthermore, he had always wanted to go into the mountains to see what the actual growing environment of those herbs was like.
Having studied the *Classic of a Hundred Herbs* thoroughly, he had memorized the medicinal properties and appearances of many herbs. However, there was always a difference between books and reality; rote learning could not make a good physician—one had to achieve the unity of knowledge and action, combining theory with practice. Therefore, Lu Qing decided that once his master finished studying the *Qingnang Medical Classic*, he would ask to learn the refinement of Blood-Replenishing and Qi-Boosting Pills.
With those ginseng plants available, Lu Qing would face no obstacles in his cultivation within the Qi and Blood Realm. On the contrary, regarding combat martial arts, he needed to deliberate further. He had now practiced the Four Directions Saber to Minor Accomplishment, but the subsequent methods of exerting force required a body in the Bone and Muscle Realm to practice. Before stepping into the Bone and Muscle Realm, he had temporarily reached the limit of this saber technique and would find it difficult to make further progress. Thus, he needed to find one or two more combat martial arts to practice.
"I'll go to Master's place tomorrow to see if there are any suitable martial arts to practice," Lu Qing thought to himself. He remembered his master saying that, besides the three Bone and Muscle Realm techniques he had brought out before, he also collected some ordinary Qi and Blood Realm martial arts. Since he had nothing else to do, Lu Qing did not mind if those techniques were of a lower level; after all, he was currently only in the Qi and Blood Realm himself.
Having made his decision, Lu Qing's pace quickened. To celebrate his breakthrough, he planned to go back and cook some meat for a hearty meal.
As he descended from the back mountain and walked toward the rear of his house, Lu Qing suddenly heard a commotion, interspersed with several angry shouts, as if someone was arguing ahead.
*What happened?*
Startled, Lu Qing placed his cloth-wrapped battle saber through the rear window into the house, then circled around the building to the front courtyard. Upon arriving at the front, he saw a large crowd gathered, facing off in two groups.
One side consisted of the villagers from Jiuli Village. Old Man Zhang was shielding Xiao Yan behind him, while other villagers, such as the young man Wang Da'an, held farming tools like shoulder poles and hoes, their faces filled with agitation. Opposite them stood seven or eight burly men, standing there with an air of nonchalance.
"Didn't we agree that the debt Lu Ming owed you was settled? Why are you here again?" Old Man Zhang, shielding Xiao Yan, shouted angrily.