Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

When a person is first born, essence forms first. As essence forms, the brain and marrow are produced. Bones become the framework, vessels become the conduits, tendons become the strength, flesh becomes the walls, and skin becomes firm, allowing hair to grow. When grains enter the stomach, the pathways of the vessels open, and blood and qi circulate.

Blood and qi are the foundation for martial artists to practice martial arts.

The strengthening and weakening of the physical body all stem from "blood and qi."

In youth, "blood and qi are not yet abundant"; in adulthood, "blood and qi are vigorous"; in old age, "blood and qi decline."

Previously, Qiu Zhen had not encountered any opportunities, and his finances were tight. Breaking through to the "Martial Master" realm seemed distant and unattainable. Faced with life's difficulties, he had once placed his hopes of becoming a "Martial Master" on "entering adulthood."

He thought of emulating Manager Kang of the Qingmu Pharmacy, serving a Martial Master, and striving for the "Martial Master" realm during the "vigorous blood and qi" stage of adulthood.

This was considered a great opportunity for most people with ordinary talent who were willing to work hard to achieve "Martial Master" status.

Achieving "Martial Master" status in one's late twenties or around thirty years old meant limited potential.

However, it could change one's life and allow one to live extremely comfortably in a rural town.

Qiu Zhen was not yet fifteen years old, still in the "blood and qi not yet abundant" stage, but at this moment, he was full of vigor and boundless energy.

"Blood and qi surging."

Qiu Zhen murmured in his heart. With inner observation, he was fully aware of his body's condition.

Blood and qi surged, boiling through all the meridians.

The first level of the Five Animal Frolics of the Medicine King, which he had longed for, was now mastered.

He had thought he would be extremely excited at this moment, but after taking this step, his heart was unexpectedly calm.

Luck and unexpected events can bring excitement and surprise.

But he was fully aware of his process of becoming a "Martial Master" and controlled it from the heart.

Hard training, adventure, and fighting fierce beasts...

Everything was within his control.

Becoming a Martial Master brought him not only physical transformation and powerful strength but also a transformation of the heart, a spiritual strength derived from controlling his life and destiny.

"Today I know, my fate is in my own hands."

Qiu Zhen's thoughts were clear, and his heart was incomparably happy.

In his joy, he wanted to find someone to share his happiness with.

Carrying a giant object weighing a thousand pounds, he slowly turned his head and saw the little fox following closely behind.

Bai Shu was carrying a bamboo basket and a woodcutter's knife on its back. Perhaps sensing Qiu Zhen's gaze, it stood upright in a human-like manner. It didn't look like a spirit fox from the mountains but more like a little person.

Seeing Qiu Zhen looking over, the half-section of yam it was holding in its mouth fell onto its fox paw, and it held it up with both hands, offering it over.

"Ying ying ying ~"

Qiu Zhen was slightly stunned.

These days, he had been talking to Bai Shu every day, communicating with it.

In casual conversation, he had mentioned that his martial arts life practice was about to be completed, and he only needed a precious medicine or two or three months to cultivate his martial arts to fruition.

Bai Shu must have heard these words.

Just now, it had suppressed the monster's instinctive impulse towards "spiritual herbs and precious medicines" and refrained from eating it.

"You eat it, I've already broken through."

"Ying ying ying ~"

Bai Shu was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately ate the yam without saying a word, devouring it greedily.

Even though it felt itchy and uncomfortable all over, it still ate with relish.

Qiu Zhen smiled brightly, his mood becoming even better.

"Bai Shu, you carry the bamboo basket and woodcutter's knife back to Qiu Zhen Valley. I'll carry the prey back to the city and take the first step of my life to ascend to the heavens."

After saying that, Qiu Zhen carried the giant beast weighing a thousand pounds and strode towards the outside of the forest.

Not long after.

On the official road leading to Qingmu Town.

"Dad ~ Dad, a big... a big fierce beast! A big fierce beast!"

"How can there be a fierce beast on the official road? What are those forest patrol martial artists doing?"

In a carriage on the official road, a middle-aged merchant turned pale with fright upon hearing his son exclaim about a fierce beast and immediately looked in the direction his son was pointing.

Immediately, his face became even more astonished.

He saw a young man dressed in coarse brown clothes, looking poor, carrying a giant wild boar beast several times larger than himself on his shoulder, his steps steady. Each step seemed like the stride of a giant elephant, kicking up dust and creating a rumbling sound.

The young man didn't show any signs of strain on his face, appearing to be handling it with ease.

"Martial Master, this young man has become a Martial Master."

The middle-aged merchant was greatly shocked. He could see that the fierce beast Wild Boar King had died from three arrows to the forehead, but carrying a thousand-pound beast on one's shoulder was something only a "Martial Master" could do.

In fact, Qingmu Town was not lacking in Martial Masters. Upon closer inspection, the number of Martial Masters was quite considerable.

Hunting fierce beasts was also not a rare occurrence.

However, if the person hunting the fierce beast was a young man and he had become a Martial Master, then it would be a rare event that would cause a sensation throughout the town.

On the official road, people came and went, and carriages traveled endlessly.

The scene of the young man carrying a giant beast on his shoulder immediately attracted the attention of passersby, who followed behind him, gathering more and more people.

Seeing this, Qiu Zhen looked calm and unhurried, heading towards the densely populated Qingmu Town.

His path to cultivating immortality could not be revealed to outsiders, but his martial arts life practice could be displayed openly.

He had read many books and knew that achieving Martial Master status at a young age meant much greater potential than achieving it in middle age, and a much brighter future.

This time, shooting and killing the fierce beast Wild Boar King and joining the ranks of Martial Masters was the first step for him to stand out and make a name for himself. Only by fully displaying himself could he attract the attention of the Medicine King Valley.

A fisherman who catches a big fish will pass by his own home three times without entering.

And he was going to make a big splash - a town-wide tour to show off.

In Qingmu Town, in the An family's medicine-making courtyard.

After a month, An Kang brought a group of servants to this small courtyard again.

The An family's mansion had been finalized, and the books in the small courtyard had a place to be stored. His main purpose was to move the "books" and, by the way, to distribute the monthly salary to the medicine-making apprentices of the Medicine King Valley, so as not to make them wait anxiously.

Inside the small courtyard, An Kang directed the servants to move the books and held several cans of large coins in his hand to distribute the money.

Copper coins were divided into large coins and small coins.

Small coins were one wen, and large coins were ten wen.

One hundred large coins strung together was one string of coins, which was very heavy in the hand.

The An family was very generous with wages, and the monthly salary for each of the five people exceeded one string.

The four apprentices received their wages, and each of them was very happy.

Qian Youcai, needless to say, had never seen so much wages paid at once and was overjoyed. Even Kang Yaoming, Li Kui, and Liu Chun, who came from better backgrounds, were no exception.

After An Kang finished distributing the wages to the four people, he looked around. He had been wondering from the beginning why he didn't see Qiu Zhen. He just focused on the young master's books at first and didn't ask much. Now that he hadn't seen him for a long time, he couldn't help but ask:

"Where's Qiu Zhen? Where did he go?"

"This..."

The four looked at each other.

"Brother Zhen left suddenly because he had something to do. We don't know where he went."

"I see..."

An Kang nodded and didn't say much.

Today was an important day for paying wages, and leaving at this time must have been due to an emergency.

He was not a difficult person to talk to and had no intention of pursuing the matter.

"Let him go to the pharmacy tomorrow to collect his wages. You can stop working, that's all for today."

After saying that, An Kang led a group of servants, carrying the book boxes, and went out.

As soon as he went out, a boiling sound came from the street.

An Kang had good hearing and vaguely heard the words "fierce beast" and "young Martial Master" in the boiling and noisy sound.

"A good seedling?"

An Kang's eyes lit up, and he immediately became energetic.

In the countryside, a young man who can achieve "Martial Master" status is very likely to be a person with extraordinary talent.

Immediately, he ordered the servants to move the books back to the An family and then hurried to follow the crowd.

Along the way, many martial artists from martial arts schools and wealthy families also rushed to watch the excitement.

During this time, An Kang met Shopkeeper Liu and Manager Kang of the Qingmu Pharmacy.

"Shopkeeper Liu, Qingmu has good feng shui and is a place where outstanding people are born. According to passersby, it is a fifteen or sixteen-year-old commoner boy. Being able to become a Martial Master at such a young age is very promising."

"To think that I couldn't recruit such a good seedling under our Medicine King Valley. I'm ashamed, ashamed."

Shopkeeper Liu waved his hand, looking embarrassed.

As he spoke, Shopkeeper Liu quickened his pace by three points, feeling both expectant and curious, and a little regretful.

If the young man was from his Medicine King Valley, then he, the shopkeeper, would have made a contribution.

Outside the city market, people were crowded.

"Shopkeeper, it's our people."

The apprentice who had arrived at the scene earlier saw Shopkeeper Liu and his party, waved from afar, and was very excited.

"What do you mean our people?"

Shopkeeper Liu, An Kang, and Kang Zhuangyuan were puzzled.

"It's Brother Zhen, Brother Zhen hunted a fierce beast!"

As the apprentice shouted loudly, Shopkeeper Liu, An Kang, and Kang Zhuangyuan performed light work, quickly climbed up a large tree, and looked into the distance. They immediately saw the fierce beast and the young man in the crowd.

"Qiu Zhen, he... he is Qiu Zhen!"