"Qi Blood Forging Body is a realm in our martial arts training. Even if I tell you, a scholar like you might not understand."
The big man replied.
"I am very interested in martial arts. Please, warrior, enlighten me on the specifics."
Su Que bowed and said.
Although martial artists can kill scholars with a single punch, scholars have always looked down on martial artists, considering them merely as brawny people.
This enthusiasm from Su Que immediately aroused the big man's fondness for teaching.
"Alright, scholar, I'll tell you!"
"The first realm martial artists must enter is the Qi Blood Realm."
"What this realm requires is Qi Blood Forging Body."
"First, you must make the Qi Blood in your body surge and boil."
"There are several methods to make Qi Blood surge and boil."
"Cultivating inner strength, taking medicine, medicinal baths, relying on others' True Qi, etc., can all make Qi Blood surge and boil."
"And the method most martial artists adopt is cultivating inner strength."
"The other methods are mostly used as supplements."
"Cultivating inner strength, which we martial artists call 'Celestial Human Furnace Building'."
"Executing inner strength feels like building an oven within, causing Qi Blood to surge and boil."
"Then, you move the Qi Blood to train the skin, flesh, muscles, bones, and viscera of the body!"
"And the Qi Blood Realm is divided into five levels!"
"The first level is called [One Blood Refining Skin]."
"Once past this realm, the skin becomes extremely resilient, and strength exceeds that of ordinary people!"
"The second level is called [Second Blood Refining]."
"Past this realm, the body's strength surpasses that of common beasts; one punch can break trees!"
"The third level is called [Three Bloods Muscle Strengthening]."
"Past this realm, the muscles are flexible and strong; one punch can shatter rocks!"
"The fourth level is called [Four Blood Bone Forging]."
"Past this realm, the bones are extremely hard; one punch can break Iron Armor!"
"The fifth level is called [Five Blood Refining Viscera]."
"Very few achieve this realm, less than one in a thousand."
"It's said that reaching this realm touches upon higher levels of martial arts, able to match a thousand-member army in Heavy Armor!"
The big man swallowed and continued:
"What's wrong, scholar, stunned by what you heard, aren't you?"
"I've just outlined the basics; the finer details are no less complicated than the books you read daily!"
Su Que nodded and began to ponder his own level of strength.
With his current ability to shatter rocks with a punch, his realm in terms of strength is at the "Three Blood" level.
However, as his Seven Injuries Fist realm progresses, his Five Viscera are becoming increasingly resilient and powerful.
Though he hasn't cultivated inner strength, he's already prematurely trained his Five Viscera.
This means his current level of strength might be even more formidable than "Three Blood."
Moreover, according to the big man, martial artists initially must practice inner strength.
Big Beard surely practiced inner strength to reach "Three Blood."
If I practice inner strength, I'll become even stronger.
"Warrior, are there realms beyond the Qi Blood Realm?"
Su Que asked the big man.
The big man scratched his head, "I'm merely a Second-Blood Martial Artist; those realms are beyond the reach of most martial artists, and I've never heard of them."
Boom!
While Su Que and the big man were chatting, suddenly a deafening bang erupted from ahead.
It was the White Lotus Monk's duster clashing with Big Beard's Eight Diagrams Saber.
The Qi Force at the collision point formed a gust, spreading outward.
Their battle was intense; even the disciples behind couldn't intervene despite wanting to help.
"This White Lotus Demon can fight back and forth with Big Beard, seems he's a Three Blood Martial Artist too!"
The big man remarked while watching.
Su Que focused intently on the front.
This was the first time he'd seen a fight between two Three Blood Martial Artists.
His Talent Value was currently at 12 points; his enlightenment remarkable. Even without joining the fight personally, he gained insights just by watching.
Swish!
Suddenly, he saw the White Lotus Monk wave his duster.
The duster's tail swirled like a Flood Dragon emerging from the sea, wrapping around the Eight Diagrams Saber.
Big Beard wanted to retract the saber for another swing, but it was firmly held by the duster.
In an instant, White Lotus Monk and Big Beard entered a state of mutual contest of strength.
Su Que's sharp eyes noticed the White Lotus Monk subtly shake his wrist, emitting a barely perceptible white light from the center of the duster.
Big Beard's eyes suddenly widened, he violently turned his head, yet just as he moved, his body inexplicably shivered.
"Looks like White Lotus Monk unleashed some sort of hidden weapon hitting Big Beard!"
Su Que silently assessed.
"You..."
Big Beard glared at White Lotus Monk, barely getting a word out.
The White Lotus Monk gave the duster a pull, and the Eight Diagrams Saber, tightly held by Big Beard, flew out of his hand.
A piece of skin and flesh was torn from Big Beard's palm along with the saber, his right hand immediately dripping with blood.
"Master!"
Seeing Big Beard's weapon leave his hand, his disciples behind hurriedly grabbed the Eight Diagrams Saber, rushing up.
White Lotus Monk discarded the Eight Diagrams Saber tangled with the duster, then lunged forward.
The scattered duster suddenly generated a spiraling force, forming a spiral, piercing straight towards Big Beard's chest.
The White Lotus Monk's hidden weapon was poisoned; after being hit, Big Beard's reactions slowed drastically.
As White Lotus Monk's move struck, Big Beard couldn't evade, his chest was immediately dented by the duster.
He spewed blood with an "Aah," staining his chest.
He flew backward, crashing into two disciples behind.
Those two disciples were severely injured, ribs broken from the collision.
Seeing White Lotus Monk victorious, the White Lotus Sect members rushed towards Big Beard's disciples.
Soon, Big Beard and his disciples were completely wiped out by the White Lotus Monk and his followers.
For a moment, the street was strewn with bodies, fresh blood forming streams.
The onlooking townsfolk, seeing the sudden end of lives desperately struggling moments ago, were terrified.
After slaughtering, the White Lotus Sect members, with feigned compassion, recited incantations incomprehensible to the bystanders over the bodies.
A while later, they finished the incantation, then swung suonas, rang bells, chanted doctrines, swaggered away.
Afterward, the constables from the Government Office came forward, loaded the corpses onto carts, and transported them to the Chaotic Burial Mound outside the city.
The gathered townsfolk dispersed, some resuming their stalls.
From then on, they feared the White Lotus Sect even more.
Su Que also dispersed with the townsfolk.
"The Government Office dared not intervene, only appearing after the White Lotus Sect members left to gather the bodies."
"The world really is chaotic, the Court can't be depended on."
"To live in peace, one must rely on oneself!"
Su Que murmured inwardly as he walked away.