9 Surging Vital Energy and Blood!

At night.

Due to the flourishing black market, the southern part of the city was bustling with activity.

Many people frequented this area, but it was strange that many of them concealed their identities with black veils or masks.

Lu Changsheng was also wearing a black veil.

After all, this was the black market, a place filled with all sorts of people, and those who came here preferred to remain anonymous, hence the disguises.

Lu Changsheng strolled through the black market.

The vendors here didn't shout to advertise their wares; they silently set up their stalls along the road.

However, the goods on display at these stalls shocked Lu Changsheng.

For example, there were some potent truth-serum drugs, as well as deadly poisons.

These items were contraband, and pharmacies wouldn't dare to sell them openly. Yet here in the black market, they were brazenly displayed for sale.

Moreover, many people seemed unfazed, indicating that they were accustomed to such sights.

Lu Changsheng spotted an exquisite dagger.

He had been thinking about buying a dagger for self-defense. After all, his Tiger Pouncing Hands were best suited for small, compact close-quarter weapons like daggers.

But he hadn't had the chance to go out and purchase one until now.

In this black market, the most abundant goods for sale were weapons.

Lu Changsheng approached a stall and inquired, "How much is this dagger?"

The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a weathered face. He had a scar on his face, and his hands were calloused.

"This dagger is forged from refined steel, five taels of silver each, no bargaining."

"Five taels of silver?"

Lu Changsheng was taken aback; it was quite expensive!

However, Lu Changsheng picked up the dagger and tested it. While it might not be the sharpest, it was indeed sharp.

"Here, five taels of silver. I'll take one dagger."

Lu Changsheng handed over the money without hesitation.

After all, it was for self-defense, a matter of life and death, so he naturally wanted a good-quality weapon.

Having purchased the dagger, Lu Changsheng continued his search.

He was looking for martial arts techniques.

In this vast black market, there weren't many vendors selling martial arts techniques.

But Lu Changsheng eventually found one.

He arrived at a stall where the vendor was a woman wearing a veil. While he couldn't see her face, her figure and attire suggested she was quite young.

"Do you have martial arts techniques here that go beyond the first level of body refinement, such as bone strengthening or organ cultivation techniques?" Lu Changsheng inquired.

"We do have bone strengthening and organ cultivation techniques, but we don't openly display them. If you're interested, be prepared to pay a significant amount of silver. Those techniques are very expensive!"

The vendor replied coldly.

Lu Changsheng understood. Techniques related to bone strengthening and organ cultivation were likely not only costly but also had questionable origins, hence the secrecy.

"How are these martial techniques sold?"

"One martial technique costs ten taels of silver, and the price is non-negotiable."

"Ten taels of silver?"

Lu Changsheng couldn't help but feel that everything in this black market was expensive.

The martial techniques on display here were mostly lesser-known ones. For instance, there were Zhao Family's Long Fist, Thirteen-Legged Kick, Iron Sand Palm, and so on. Some of these techniques were even familiar to Lu Changsheng, belonging to the more common martial techniques.

However, these martial techniques were similar to his Tiger Pouncing Hands; once mastered, they could potentially increase his Insight by 2 points.

"Do you have twenty-one martial techniques here?" Lu Changsheng pointed to the techniques on display at the stall.

"You want all of them?"

The vendor was somewhat surprised, lifting her veil to carefully scrutinize Lu Changsheng. Although she had claimed not to negotiate on the price, purchasing all of them at once was a different matter.

"Alright, I'll sell all of them to you for two hundred taels of silver."

The vendor considered for a moment and agreed. After all, these martial techniques were quite ordinary, and encountering such a generous customer was rare.

Lu Changsheng handed over the two hundred taels of silver.

He didn't have much silver left on him.

"A trip to the black market cost me over two hundred taels of silver; money flows like water."

Lu Changsheng sighed.

He had spent nearly half of the five hundred taels of silver he brought back from the mountains.

However, he had spent the silver wisely, investing in his martial training.

The twenty-one martial techniques he purchased would keep him busy for a long time.

Once he mastered all twenty-one techniques, his Insight would likely experience a significant boost.

The money was well spent!

After spending lavishly on martial techniques, Lu Changsheng noticed several pairs of eyes locked onto him.

"Heh, this guy has deep pockets; he must have more silver on him."

"He spent over two hundred taels on martial techniques; he probably has several hundred taels more."

"This fat lamb is ours to follow closely."

A few figures followed him surreptitiously.

Lu Changsheng remained vigilant, sensing that he was being watched.

He knew that he had attracted attention due to his spending in the black market.

Although it was crowded here, people didn't dare to act rashly.

Lu Changsheng maneuvered through the crowd, skillfully losing those who were following him, disappearing into the night.

The figures watched Lu Changsheng's vanishing silhouette, cursing in frustration.

"Damn it, this kid is quite cautious; he managed to slip away."

"It's frustrating; we finally found a fat lamb, but it escaped."

"Let's hope for better luck next time, and let's be more cautious so that we don't lose another opportunity."

The group hurriedly returned to the black market.

"Phew..."

Lu Changsheng, having run all the way, returned to Miaoshou Garden.

"They probably didn't follow me."

The black market was a place of mixed characters and dangers; it was best to avoid it as much as possible.

"I need to continue improving the Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique. It would be best if I could advance to the third level. By then, my vital energy and blood will surely reach a very high level, and my strength will increase significantly. If I encounter danger, I won't be defenseless."

"Fortunately, these twenty-one martial techniques should keep me busy for a long time..."

Lu Changsheng removed his veil and returned to Miaoshou Garden.

Back at Miaoshou Garden, Lu Changsheng finally settled down.

He woke up early to practice martial arts, spent the day studying with Mozi, and identified medicinal herbs with Wen Lao in the evening. At night, he continued to practice martial arts.

His daily schedule was packed, leaving hardly any free time.

Though he was busy, he found his days fulfilling.

And Lu Changsheng's Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique continued to progress rapidly, with his vital energy and blood growing stronger each day.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

One day, during his monthly rest period, Lu Changsheng was in his room, manipulating his vital energy and blood.

"Boom."

In the next moment, a thunderous roar echoed within Lu Changsheng's body. His vital energy and blood visibly surged at an astonishing speed.

No, it wasn't just growth; it was an explosive surge.

It increased several-fold!

Vital energy and blood gushed forth, and the entire room seemed to "warm up."

"Swoosh."

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.

"Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique, completed; +3 Insight."

A line of small text appeared before Lu Changsheng.

"The Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique has finally reached the third level, achieving perfection. It can't progress any further. However, gaining +3 Insight is quite good; it's a third-tier martial art!"

Lu Changsheng murmured to himself.

The term "third-tier martial art" was a classification he had devised based on the number of Insight points gained when a martial art was completed.

Lu Changsheng found that the number of Insight points gained upon completing a martial art was determined by the technique's difficulty or depth of knowledge.

So he categorized martial arts based on the increase in Insight points.

For example, basic boxing, knife, sword, and other fundamental techniques only increased Insight by 1 point, making them first-tier martial arts.

On the other hand, martial arts like his Tiger Pouncing Hands, the Twelve Tanleg Strike, and Iron Wire Fist, which increased Insight by 2 points, were second-tier martial arts.

As for the Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique, which had just increased his Insight by 3 points, it was classified as a third-tier martial art.

It was the only third-tier martial art Lu Changsheng had encountered so far.

He had initially thought the Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique was a common technique often seen in Miaoshou Garden and therefore quite ordinary. But it turned out to be a third-tier martial art, making him underestimate its true value.

With the Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique completed at the third level, Lu Changsheng's vital energy and blood became exceptionally powerful.

However, he had an inkling that it might not be enough.

His vital energy and blood seemed to have room for further growth.

He recalled the words of Meng Shifu from the Feihe Martial Arts School.

"Increase the strength of your body in the three stages of body refinement. The stronger your foundation, the more likely you'll be to change marrow and blood, advancing to the Divine Power Realm!"

Currently, Lu Changsheng had strengthened his vital energy and blood using the Grand River Blood-Strengthening Technique, but he hadn't reached the limits of his vital energy and blood; there was room for significant improvement.

"Miaoshou Garden might have even stronger blood-strengthening martial arts, but they won't be accessible to apprentice disciples like me. Although I'm a medicinal apprentice, I still can't access Miaoshou Garden's core martial arts."

"If I want to continue strengthening my vital energy and blood, I need to find another way, preferably by training in other martial arts that can enhance my vital energy and blood, especially advanced ones."

"Last time in the black market, the female stall owner mentioned having bone strengthening and organ cultivation martial arts. If they have those, then advanced blood-strengthening martial arts should be available too."

Lu Changsheng's eyes sparkled with determination. It seemed he had to visit the black market once more.