Translator: AnubisTL
After claiming the titles of First Fist of Qing Province and Qingzhou's First Hammer in quick succession, Li Qing had unknowingly become one of the most formidable figures in the Jianghu.
From that moment on, the name "Fierce Tiger" resounded throughout the Jianghu.
As his reputation spread, everyone knew that a young martial artist had emerged who was absolutely not to be trifled with. He kept a genuine tiger by his side and possessed top-tier skills in both boxing and hammer techniques.
Currently, five young martial arts stars were shining brightly in the Jianghu. The world speculated that one or two of these five rising talents would undoubtedly reach the Grandmaster Realm!
A Transformed Strength Grandmaster!
It had been countless years since a new Grandmaster had emerged from the Jianghu, a testament to how difficult it was to reach that level.
Many wondered which of these young martial artists would be the first to break through to the Grandmaster Realm.
Some favored the Green Rainbow Heroine, who wielded the Qing Hong Sword and held her ground in the Imperial Capital, defeating two Inner Strength experts.
"That Green Rainbow Heroine's weapon is undoubtedly a Peerless Divine Weapon. Witnesses to the battle in the Imperial Capital saw the Qing Hong Sword cleave through the weapons of the other two Inner Strength experts!"
At such a young age, Qian Hong had already mastered a Magical Weapon. Many were certain she would reach the level of a Transformed Strength Grandmaster in her lifetime!
Of course, when discussing Peerless Divine Weapons, the conversation inevitably turned to the most renowned of them all: the Demon Blade Red Lotus.
Recent investigations had confirmed that the Purple Lotus Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect, who had been relentlessly pursuing Ning Yuan across the land, wielded the sect's legacy Divine Weapon, the Demon Blade Red Lotus!
"That Purple Lotus Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect is no simple matter. To be able to wield the Demon Blade Red Lotus openly in the Jianghu indicates a deep connection with the sect's mysterious Sect Leader. It's even possible she'll become the next Sect Leader of the Nine Lotus Sect!"
For fourteen generations, every Sect Leader of the Nine Lotus Sect, except for the second, had been a Black Lotus. This was an open secret.
However, the fact that the Demon Blade Red Lotus, a legacy artifact, was already in the Purple Lotus Protector's possession spoke volumes.
Besides her, both Star-Stealing Divine Thief Ning Yuan and Chaos-Seeking Demon Lord Qi Kang were also highly regarded, considered to possess the potential to become peerless Grandmasters.
"Don't forget the Fierce Tiger, who shook Qingzhou. He's known as both Qingzhou's First Hammer and First Fist of Qing Province—such a Martial Artist is truly rare."
"That's true. It means the Fierce Tiger has reached the pinnacle of both hammer and fist techniques. Mastering two Martial Arts to such a degree makes it highly likely he could ascend to the Grandmaster Realm."
In short, everyone had their own reasons to believe in their chosen young Martial Path stars. Each rising star had countless accomplishments worth discussing.
However, Li Qing paid little attention to all this.
He had rushed back to the Imperial Capital day and night for a single reason: summer had arrived!
Three years!
The Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine, buried in the earth to brew, had aged for three full years. Now, it was finally time to unseal it!
With a heart pounding with excitement, Li Qing returned to the Imperial Capital and went straight to his blacksmith shop without stopping anywhere else.
"After enduring three springs, summers, autumns, and winters, and harnessing the earth's energy of each season to refine the Five Venoms' toxins, allowing them to harmonize with the medicinal power of the herbs... this jar of wine is finally ready to drink!"
Li Qing's voice was filled with excitement. He hadn't even dared to use any tools, instead digging the small jar of Medicinal Liquor out of the courtyard with his bare hands.
The jar held roughly the equivalent of three jars of wine and was still covered in a thick layer of dirt.
After confirming it was intact, Li Qing couldn't help but grin, his lips curving into a delighted arc.
This wine could dramatically enhance one's Martial Art skills, even breaking through bottlenecks. It was an absolute treasure beyond price.
In terms of value alone, it surpassed even the Tiger Bone Nourishing Wine!
Li Qing carefully carried the jar back to the Blacksmith Shop and then broke the clay seal.
The Medicinal Liquor's aroma was incredibly potent, mixed with the sharp tang of strong liquor. Just a whiff was enough to make one feel slightly dizzy.
In the stillness of the summer night, Li Qing poured himself his first glass of Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine.
The liquid was a deep amber, like liquid amber itself, mesmerizing to behold.
Li Qing, already a lover of wine, couldn't help but swallow hard. Without hesitation, he downed the entire glass of Five Poisons Wine in one gulp.
Gulp
At first, Li Qing felt nothing after drinking the Five Poisons Wine. It was like swallowing a mouthful of lukewarm water.
However, Li Qing soon felt the effects of the wine.
Boom!
In the next moment, his thick Vital Energy surged and roiled violently, even without his conscious effort. It surged through his body like a raging torrent.
To describe it, his Vital Energy was like gasoline, and the sip of Five Poisons Wine he had just swallowed was like a spark. In an instant, it ignited his entire being!
Bloodshot veins rapidly spread across his eyeballs. His Vital Energy throbbed wildly, and his breathing grew heavy.
"Hmph!"
"This wine... is potent! Its medicinal power is terrifying!"
The surging Vital Energy relentlessly pounded against his flesh, bones, and tendons. After a moment of shock, Li Qing quickly regained his composure and began practicing the Golden Body Technique and his supplementary Turtle Breathing Art.
This state of frenzied Vital Energy was the perfect condition for martial training!
On this not-so-cool summer night, as his Vital Energy boiled, Li Qing, deep in his Golden Body Technique practice, began to emit white vapor.
If someone were to touch his skin now, they would find it scorching hot—a temperature no ordinary human could possess!
Li Qing paid no mind to the commotion. He suppressed his inner restlessness and immersed himself in refining the Golden Body Technique.
As a result, the Golden Body Technique, which had been progressing at an excruciatingly slow pace, began to advance at an astonishing speed.
Feeling this transformation, Li Qing couldn't help but marvel. No wonder they said the Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine could help Martial Artists break through bottlenecks in their Martial Arts. The secret lay within it.
For a Martial Artist, the most crucial aspect is undoubtedly their own Vital Energy. The potency of one's Vital Energy determines their potential on the Martial Path.
Having read the Grandmaster's Martial Dao Insights, Li Qing now understood the importance of Vital Energy even more deeply!
The Wei Family ancestor repeatedly emphasized in the scroll that a Grandmaster in the Divine Intent Realm must hone their Martial Path will and infuse their Martial Arts with Martial Intent.
To cultivate Martial Intent, one's Martial Arts must be practiced to the highest possible level, which is inseparable from one's Vital Energy.
Without sufficient Vital Energy, practicing Martial Arts is like practicing an empty shell. This is why it becomes increasingly difficult for Martial Artists to advance their Martial Arts as they age.
As one ages, their Vital Energy naturally weakens, making it difficult to sustain their Martial Art cultivation. Forcing oneself to practice could lead to a depletion of Vital Energy, even shortening one's lifespan.
This is why achieving the Grandmaster Realm requires the perfect balance of essence, qi, and spirit.
The Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine, which activates one's Vital Energy, naturally aids in breaking through Martial Art cultivation barriers.
Feeling the benefits of the Five Poisons Wine, Li Qing spent the entire night practicing the Golden Body Technique, unable to sleep. Or rather, his blood Qi was so agitated that sleep was impossible.
It wasn't until the next morning that the boiling Vital Energy gradually subsided.
Li Qing emerged from his deep cultivation.
Before he could even fully appreciate the changes within him, an unprecedented wave of hunger struck, nearly causing him to faint from starvation!
So hungry!
He rolled out of bed, but before he could take a few steps, he noticed his skin felt sticky.
"What..."
Li Qing stared in shock at the thin layer of grime covering his skin.
Isn't this the effect that's supposed to only occur after the legendary "Marrow Cleansing and Bone Marrow Purification"? How could it be happening to him now?
"It must be the Blood-Activating Wine and the Golden Body Technique," Li Qing muttered to himself, his eyes betraying unconcealed joy. "The latter, when cultivated to its peak, naturally triggers a complete marrow cleansing and bone marrow purification. The Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine seems to have merely accelerated this process."
Marrow cleansing and bone marrow purification—this wasn't just a tale from storybooks; it was a genuine phenomenon in the Martial Path!
Rumors occasionally surfaced in the Jianghu about Martial Artists who accidentally consumed a Spirit Fruit and subsequently underwent marrow cleansing and bone marrow purification, leading to a dramatic improvement in their Martial Arts. Some particularly rare and precious Superior Martial Arts even possessed this effect.
Regardless, undergoing marrow cleansing and bone marrow purification was an extraordinary blessing. Li Qing was overjoyed—he couldn't have been happier.
His gaze then turned even more fervent as he looked at the Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine. He had a premonition that if he consumed this small jar of wine for a year or so, he would undergo a truly profound transformation!
(End of the Chapter)
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