The Storm Gradually Rises
The next morning, outside the cave, before dawn had risen, Jiang Ming had already practiced the Tiger Subduing Fist seven or eight times.
Every time he practiced it, he could feel a certain exuberant Qi activity in his body, jumping for joy as if it could burst out at any time.
“If you only practice regular techniques three times a day, you won’t be able to feel this kind of Qi!”
Jiang Ming murmured to himself, “No wonder Master Zhou said that it would take three to five years to practice martial arts. It’s about perseverance and hard work. But this Tiger Subduing Fist is too overbearing and difficult to continue. It has too many flaws. However, perhaps it was because of this that the Tiger Subduing Fist could be passed down to the hands of the common people like Master Zhou.”
Jiang Ming paused for a moment, picked up the medicinal stew that had been simmered all night, and gulped it down. He even ate the medicinal herbs.
If this jar of medicinal herbs were to be sold, it would be worth six or seven taels of silver.
“As long as I can sense the blood Qi, everything will be worth it.”
Feeling the turbulent medicinal power in his body dissolve, as if a stream of heat was flowing in his limbs and bones, Jiang Ming’s eyes were burning, and he continued to practice the fist technique.
The sun rose and set, and the forest was silent. Only a lone figure was persevering in his training.
Late at night, the waning moon hung high in the sky.
Jiang Ming, who was practicing, suddenly turned red.
Sweat was rising from his skin, forming a white mist.
The blood in his veins surged like the wind, passing over the grassland and like thunder, splitting the endless darkness!
That wisp of Qi activity exploded out at this moment!
“I’ve finally sensed the blood Qi! It’s not even Qi. It’s a power that’s neither real nor fake that’s stored in the body. However, this blood Qi is like water and smoke in my body. I can’t control it at all.”
Jiang Ming sensed carefully and tried to throw a stone the size of a human head far away. His strength increased exponentially.
“Next, I’ll find Master Zhou to teach me the internal breathing technique. Only breathing techniques can control and integrate the blood Qi into the force.”
* * *
Peace Town was much quieter after fall.
The mountains were cold and quiet, especially in fall and winter. Every year, many old and weak people would be sent away.
However, people were still willing to stay here, far away from the city. Their lives were tough but stable.
A few unfamiliar faces were tucked away in the corner of the small bar. They were sitting with a few herb gatherers, their faces full of enthusiasm, and it was unknown what they were talking about.
“Hello, Ming!” Ah Fei greeted him with a smile. After a few months, he seemed to have changed a lot, and he seemed to have matured.
The other herb gatherers also greeted Jiang Ming one by one. The reputation of being a villain had not weakened to this day.
Last month, a few punks felt that Jiang Ming had taken advantage of Guo Heizi and wanted to seek revenge.
Alas, they ended up in the same state as Guo Heizi.
Jiang Ming nodded and walked to the counter, “Two glasses, please!”
“Wow, a rare guest!” Old Jiang teased as he drank.
“What’s going on?” Jiang Ming raised his brows. “What’s the situation?”
Old Jiang looked around and said in a low voice, “I don’t know what happened in the city during this time. However, many forces have sent people to Peace Town to recruit herb gatherers. Especially the Wang family. They even sent Miss Wang here personally. They do good deeds, give alms, and enthusiastically rope in herb gatherers daily. I even got a bowl of Miss Wang’s porridge to eat. A few of them have already left. They are working for the influential forces in the prefecture. I heard that they are going to the Cloudy Dream Mountain Forest to explore and pick herbs.”
Jiang Ming was stunned for a moment, and then he looked at Old Jiang. They both saw a trace of uneasiness in each other’s eyes.
No matter what happened, it would not be a good thing for Peace Town.
“I heard that their treatment is not bad. I don’t think anything bad will happen,” Old Jiang muttered. It was unclear whether he was comforting himself or Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming shook his head. When he was about to leave with the food and wine, Old Jiang suddenly said, “By the way, you have to be careful too. You’ve gathered a lot of herbs during this period of time and are famous in the town. They will probably recruit you.”
Jiang Ming stopped in his tracks and turned back to stand by the counter. He picked up the smoked tofu with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. Then, he drank the entire glass of wine in one gulp, wiped his mouth, turned around, and left.
“I have something to do at home. Therefore, I won’t be hanging around.”
Old Jiang was dumbfounded, and then he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “This little brat is really cunning.”
Then, his eyes flickered as if he was thinking about something.
* * *
“Master Zhou, teach me the breathing technique.” Jiang Ming went straight to the point.
Master Zhou was a little confused. “What’s the point of learning now? It’s useless.”
He didn’t even dare think that Jiang Ming had already sensed his blood Qi because even if he took great tonics and secret martial arts medicine every day, it would still be impossible.
Jiang Ming sighed. “Master Zhou, can’t you see that Peace Town is no longer peaceful? First, the herb gatherers kept disappearing and being killed. Now, those old men have changed their tactics and come to recruit them again. I’m terrified that if I get caught, I might not be able to come back. Let’s just learn what we can learn first.”
Jiang Ming didn’t say that he could already practice the breathing technique, but he didn’t lie. These were indeed his concerns.
“Besides, aren’t you getting older?” Jiang Ming asked mischievously at the end.
“Ah, I’m so angry!” Master Zhou was so angry that he almost stomped his feet, then he sighed, “It’s indeed not very peaceful. Fine, I’ll teach you today.”
Then, he returned to his room and took out a thin yellow book. This is the breathing technique’s outline. You have yet to sense blood Qi. Even if I demonstrate it to you today, it will be difficult for you to understand its essence. In the future, you can only refer to this book when you really practice it.”
“Thank you, Master Zhou!”
After a while, Master Zhou began to demonstrate the breathing technique.
Late at night, Jiang Ming left Master Zhou’s house and returned to his own home.
“What?” Jiang Ming stared at the broken wooden door and fell to the ground.
Under the moonlight, Jiang Ming saw a footprint on the wooden door.
“It seems like someone has already been here.”
Jiang Ming kicked the wooden door to the side. He didn’t think about who did it. He went home, picked up his herb-gathering equipment, and ran into the Cloudy Dream Mountain Forest.
“An invitation? I’ll just run away and not play with you, alright?”
Jiang Ming knew very well about those high and mighty old men. They might be kind initially, but if they couldn’t gather enough people, in the end, they wouldn’t be kind anymore. Herb gatherers would be kidnapped directly and face persecution.
“Catching only herb gatherers means that a large number of herbs are needed!” Jiang Ming was in the cave, holding a bowl of hot mushroom stew, eating slowly while thinking, “If it’s not a great plague, then it’s a war. The plague is normal, but war is troublesome.”