Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Over the next few days, Xia Dong didn't rush out, but instead stayed indoors, further verifying her conclusions from multiple perspectives.

He tried to force himself to stand up even when he was extremely tired, hungry, or even deliberately disrupted his breathing rhythm while running. Without exception, as soon as the bell rang in his mind, his body would be taken over by that mysterious "law" and instantly return to the most perfect white crane posture with incredible subtle adjustments.

The sensation of energy within the body is as smooth as a swimming fish, never causing any discomfort.

Having fully grasped the domineering nature of "one certificate for eternity," Xia Dong suppressed the urge to immediately go outside to search for profound martial arts or forbidden demonic techniques.

"A tall building rises from the ground, and the foundation of this physical body is the key." He sat quietly on the bed, pondering.

Although he can only practice this inferior Crane Form Stance at present, it does not mean that the Crane Form Stance will become a mere decoration after it is "perfected".

"One certificate for eternity" locks in one's "comprehension" and "realm" of this martial art, but it does not lock in the physical limits of this physical body.

As long as enough energy is injected, this flawless stance training can still be like an extremely precise waterwheel, continuously refining his qi and blood.

Fifty taels of silver and the few high-quality ginseng roots sent by the Qin family were his best firewood at the moment.

The next morning, Xia Dong went to the pharmacy and bought a bunch of common medicinal herbs to help improve blood circulation. He also went to the butcher shop to order fresh meat for the day. Back in the courtyard, he cut off a small piece of the old ginseng given to him by the Qin family and simmered it in a clay pot with the other herbs for an hour.

After swallowing that bowl of ginseng soup, which was as thick as ink and had a pungent, bitter smell, Xia Dong felt as if he had swallowed a piece of burning charcoal in his stomach in less than half a cup of tea.

The violent drug's power transformed into a torrent of heat, violently assaulting his limbs and bones. His skin instantly flushed a terrifying red, veins throbbed on his forehead, and warm liquid seemed about to well up in his nostrils.

If it were an ordinary martial arts school student, they would be terrified at this moment. At best, they would suffer a stroke and become seriously ill; at worst, their meridians would rupture.

Xia Dong remained calm. He endured the tearing pain in his body, walked to the dry well in the courtyard, bent his legs slightly, touched the ground with one foot, and spread his arms out slowly like crane wings.

clang.

A distant chime resonated deep within my mind.

The perfect crane-shaped stake is complete.

The violent and unruly medicinal power within his body was like a mad wild horse, instantly harnessed to the strongest and most suitable reins.

The originally faint "qi" transformed into a tireless millstone under the operation of the perfect stance, grinding, absorbing, and digesting the medicinal power brought by the old ginseng bit by bit, and then precisely delivering it to every inch of muscle and every bone.

The medicine was perfectly absorbed.

This is the terrifying digestive power under the blessing of "one certificate for life".

For the next month, Xia Dong's courtyard was immersed in a monotonous yet efficient cycle.

Boiling medicine, eating meat, and practicing standing meditation.

The fifty taels of silver were spent like water, in exchange for meat and medicinal herbs. As for the few old ginseng roots left by the Qin family, they were gradually devoured by him as the days went by.

Each time he practiced standing meditation, his breathing became deeper and longer than before. The sweat no longer splattered on the blue bricks, but turned into a thin white mist that rose from the top of his head.

As his Qi and blood continued to grow stronger, Xia Dong pushed the Crane Formation exercise, which originally only sought to "regulate Qi and blood," into a state he had never imagined in his previous life.

One month later, on a clear autumn morning.

Xia Dong stood shirtless in the courtyard, slowly ending his practice and exhaling a long, stale breath. The breath, like a gray-white sword, shot more than three feet into the cold air before slowly dissipating.

He looked down at his body. The once thin and frail scholar's physique had completely vanished. In its place were extremely well-proportioned muscles, streamlined like a cheetah's. Beneath his skin lay a resilience and explosive power beyond his years.

The "qi" in my body, which was originally only as thick as a hair, is now like a warm stream, flowing continuously through my limbs and bones. Even without deliberately practicing standing meditation, it is constantly nourishing my internal organs.

Xia Dong walked to the courtyard wall and casually pried off a hard half of a blue brick.

He remained expressionless, then suddenly clenched his fingers and exerted force.

"Snap!"

With a muffled thud, without using any fancy moves, he crushed a corner of the blue brick with the pure finger strength nourished by his blood and qi. Rough stone dust fell down between his fingers.

Health-preserving standing meditation, beyond perfection, elevates the physical body to this level!

Xia Dong was both surprised and satisfied with her progress.

If he were in his previous world, he would probably be able to compete for a boxing championship at his current level.

The key point is that it didn't take him long.

"This is indeed a world where cultivators exist, which is why I've transformed so quickly. In this world, simply practicing the Crane Stance has such great benefits; I wonder what the effects would be if one cultivated the martial arts secrets and profound immortal techniques of this world?"

Xia Dong did not become complacent because of her physical transformation; instead, she yearned even more for immortal arts.

Does not having spiritual roots mean you can't cultivate immortality?

He didn't believe it.

There must be a way!

Without the bronze bell, Xia Dong might have resigned himself to his fate, but with the bronze bell, he firmly believed he could find a way.

Besides, he has never been one to give up easily.

Moreover, as his Qi and blood increased, Xia Dong vaguely sensed that the Crane-shaped Stake had the potential for further development.

What lies beyond the perfect crane-shaped stance?

Xia Dong felt a sense of anticipation.

He could even sense that he was only a thin veil away from breaking through the "perfection" of the Crane Formation and stepping into a new realm.

However, this requires more resources.

However, he is now facing some financial difficulties due to his martial arts training.

Next, he needs to figure out how to make money.

The imperial examination system in this world is similar to that of the Ming and Qing dynasties in the previous world, but there are also differences in details.

For example, a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination did not need to go to the prefectural or county schools to study.

To be precise, being a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examination at the county level) was more like a status symbol, granting some privileges that placed one above ordinary people, but nothing more.

Of course, there are many ways for scholars to make money.

For example, it was much more convenient for scholars to go out than for ordinary people. In addition, the status of a scholar was very useful in cases involving lawsuits or other local matters.

After thinking it over for a long time, Xia Dong was about to go and investigate the market to see what kind of business he could do to make money quickly.

The old steward of the Qin family has come again.

"Is this a letter from your young lady? And she also brought me something?"

Xia Dong was greatly surprised.

Actually, the apology last time was already good enough, but I didn't expect to gain anything new.

To be honest, although the Qin family broke off the engagement, their sincerity was indeed considerable.

So Xia Dong didn't care about this at all.

Moreover, even if the Qin family doesn't break off the engagement, given his family's wealth, he wouldn't have the money to marry this young lady.

I can't very well become a live-in son-in-law.

After exchanging pleasantries, Xia Dong saw the old butler off and then opened the letter.

The letter contained apologies, followed by a wish that Xia Dong would focus on the imperial examinations and pass with flying colors as soon as possible. Additionally, Miss Qin hoped he would find a respectable woman to marry quickly and continue the Xia family line.

In addition, Ms. Qin mentioned that the gift she gave him was a spirit stone, which she told him to use as a pillow when he slept, as it would help him with his studies.

Spirit Stone?