I was told I'd be a late bloomer, but I was born with the potential to achieve great things!

"Special physique, immortal spiritual root...directly sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and refine it for one's own use."

Without the corresponding techniques, it's ultimately difficult to make a judgment.

In the courtyard, Zhou An looked at the black blood flowing from his arms, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, and got up to walk towards the well.

A month ago, he would have used his strength to treat the waste blood as a hidden weapon, either to hit trees or to shoot it into the soil.

However, after hearing about the secret techniques of blood magic and learning that the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect had a method of extracting spiritual roots from martial artists more than eighty years ago, these waste blood could no longer be disposed of so casually.

Although there was no trace of the Demonic Sect in Ningshan City, he had to develop a good habit of not easily exposing his blood to others.

Even useless waste blood.

"Today we're dealing with waste blood; from now on, we'll have to learn how to deal with essence blood."

Zhou An picked up a wooden bucket full of well water and immediately poured it over his head.

"Next time the black market opens, I'll have to ask Rabbit Face and Tanuki if they can get my hands on Blood Techniques or cultivation methods that allow you to directly sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

Then comes the method of concealing one's aura.

After washing away the blood and debris from his body and changing into clean clothes, Zhou An went to the chair in the courtyard and lay down.

As he watched the blood-stained water stains spread into the soil, he took a small piece of reddish ginseng from his treasured box and put it in his mouth.

Blood ginseng.

The finest ginseng is so potent that if an ordinary person were to ingest it directly, they would be too weak to handle it and would experience nosebleeds. Even if they did buy it, it was often used to prolong their lives.

However, if a martial artist consumes it, it can greatly enhance their own qi and blood strength.

However, the price is extremely high.

A ten-year-old blood ginseng, no more than the length of an adult's palm... costs as much as eight hundred taels.

"I have no problem with the cultivation technique, but if I have enough blood ginseng, I can greatly shorten the time it takes for me to exchange blood."

As Zhou An chewed the blood ginseng like a radish, he thought to himself.

Each time a martial artist at the Visceral Realm undergoes a blood transfusion, their physique and vital energy are enhanced.

However, without sufficient resources, even if Zhou An mastered the Five Elements Form and Intention Boxing to perfection, he would still be ranked more than a year away from being recognized.

After all, the further we go, the more time we will need.

Because each blood transfusion is a complete transformation based on the original foundation, rather than adding water little by little.

Techniques can improve efficiency, but the physical body is the foundation.

"After three blood exchanges, one can try to grasp the core and condense internal energy, but the quality of this internal energy is too low, it's just common stuff."

Without a great stroke of luck, or without obtaining a method to improve one's internal energy level, there is almost no chance of reaching the Innate Realm.

After five blood transfusions, the accumulated internal energy will become more profound, allowing one to rise to the upper echelons and potentially break through to the Innate Realm on one's own.

According to the words left by the old sect leader, such a person could already dominate a region in the prefectural city.

As for five times or more!

Each additional blood transfusion increases the chance of breaking through to the innate level.

Nine blood transfusions.

As long as I don't die young, my subsequent cultivation will proceed smoothly, and reaching the Innate Realm will be a certainty. That is my goal.

With golden skin, jade bones, and crystal-clear blood, one can prove the body of an immortal.

Thinking of this goal, Zhou An licked his lips, and his gaze towards the blue sky and white clouds became obscure.

"Looks like we still need to find a way to take down He Lao Er of the Black Tiger Gang."

They continued to try various methods to get money from the manager, Li Shanming, and the Seven Mysteries Sect.

Zhou An had also considered it, but the premise was whether the sect leader, who had recently used the sect's resources to help him pass the ghostwriter's review, could still come up with the money.

"I can't just keep taking. It's time for me to contribute to the Seven Mysteries Sect... Otherwise, I won't be able to ask again in the future."

Thinking of this, Zhou An got up from the chair.

While practicing the Five Elements Form and Intention Fist to refine the medicinal power of the Blood Ginseng, he also conceived and pondered a safe method in his mind.

A few days later, Zhou An approached the steward, Li Shanming.

He mentioned that he plans to wear a human skin mask and go out to hone his skills for the next period of time.

It is hoped that the Seven Mysteries Sect will closely monitor the Black Tiger Gang's main strongholds and investigate whether any of the experts within have secretly left.

This will help determine the defensive strength of the Black Tiger Gang's gambling den in Qing Shi Town and prevent them from being caught off guard.

Manager Li Shanming was very satisfied with Zhou An's caution and agreed without any hesitation.

To this end, he was also taught a breathing technique called "Turtle Breathing Technique" to conceal his aura, making it easier to hide his figure and evade pursuit.

According to Li Shanming, this technique is very difficult; martial artists at the Skin Polishing Realm can only cultivate it to the point of concealing their breath.

To reach the pinnacle of cultivation, one must thoroughly master the transformation of internal energy.

Even he only managed to cultivate the basics of the Transformation Force and reach the Great Perfection level after half a year of bone tempering.

Zhou An had no doubt about Li Shanming's words.

Because the other party had no reason to deceive him, they simply hoped that he would stay in the city for a while longer while practicing the Turtle Breathing Technique.

Therefore, to accommodate Li Shanming's good intentions, Zhou An did not tell him that he had mastered the Turtle Breathing Technique to perfection in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Manager Li is a good person; there's no need for him to suffer frequent setbacks.

In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed.

The blood ginseng was already empty, and Zhou An had been paying attention to Qing Shi Town for a long time, and had secretly gone there many times, pretending to be a gambler and checking the surrounding environment.

Zhou An remained calm and did not rush to make a move; he was waiting for an opportunity.

Even though the internal organs have an advantage over bone forging, one cannot be careless in the slightest.

black market.

"The secret method of blood magic?"

Hearing Zhou An's request, the rabbit-faced stall owner and the raccoon dog stall owner looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Never heard of it?"

Zhou An, wearing a dog mask, frowned.

I've heard of it, but I've never seen it.

The rabbit-face stall owner shook his head and said very simply.

"A martial artist's foundation lies in his qi and blood. If you truly wish to find this secret technique, I fear you will have no choice but to travel to the prefectural city."

Zhou An sighed and turned to leave.

Ultimately, it was just a black market in Ningshan City, and it was already quite remarkable that a cultivation technique at the Internal Organs Realm could be found there.

Hoping to find the secrets of blood magic here is a bit of a pipe dream.

"After waiting a few more days and receiving the money from the Black Tiger Gang's Green Stone Gambling House, I can focus on my cultivation."

Then I'll find an opportunity to go to the prefectural city to search for blood magic techniques and cultivation methods for the Innate Realm.

……

He's gone.

Watching Zhou An's departing figure, the raccoon dog stall owner's eyes flickered behind his mask.

Do you think he might be the same person as last time?

Does it matter?

The rabbit-faced stall owner retorted with a confident look.

"Donkey Face and the others are dead. Whether it was Gong Jiang of the Seven Mysteries Sect who killed them or this person who killed them, I won the bet."

Upon hearing this, the raccoon stall owner glanced at the rabbit-face stall owner, his lips twitching behind the mask, and said slowly.

"Rumor has it that Feng Buping, the Blood Fiend Sword Master, possesses the ability to feed his sword with blood, which is related to a secret blood-based technique..."

"He's not Feng Buping, otherwise he wouldn't have come here to ask us."

The rabbit-face vendor shook his head.

"What if Feng Buping hasn't left yet?"

"What do you know?"

The rabbit-faced man frowned and looked at the raccoon stall owner.

.......