Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

Lu Chen settled down at the yam shop.

The position Wang Shouyi assigned him was that of a guard.

This is also the most common task that newcomers to the yam business are responsible for.

The yam shop had been operating in Chixia County for many years. With the Wang family's brand name as a guarantee, and many martial arts experts working at home, ordinary hooligans and ruffians dared not cause trouble.

So all the guards did each day was patrol back and forth between the front hall, the back yard, and the storeroom a few times.

If the alchemy room is set up for alchemy, several people should be stationed near the alchemy room to prevent unauthorized personnel from approaching.

If valuable medicinal materials are brought into the warehouse, someone will guard the warehouse entrance and wait for the accountant to finish counting them before a designated person locks and seals them.

For Lu Chen, this job was quite easy.

In the early morning, he would first stand in the courtyard for half an hour on the coiled dragon stance, waiting for his qi and blood to slowly circulate throughout his body before putting on the blue martial arts outfit that Wang Ji had prepared for him, hanging up his waist tag, and going to the backyard to check in.

Wang Ji's guards numbered more than twenty.

They were all martial arts practitioners at the initial stage of Blood Refining, from various places in Chixia County, and some were even household slaves trained by the Wang family themselves.

The head of the guards was named Zhao Yiting.

At the age of thirty-one, he became a minor martial artist through the Blood Transfusion Technique.

This person comes from the Panshi Martial Arts School in Chixia County and has been working in the yam business for five years.

When Lu Chen first met him, Zhao Yiting was practicing the Rock-Solid Kung Fu in the backyard.

This is a completely different exercise from Panlong Zhuang Gong. It emphasizes immovability like a mountain and stability like a rock.

If one cultivates successfully, one's qi and blood will sink into one's muscles and bones, and one's body will become as solid as a mountain. It is not good at changing shapes, but it is extremely good at defense and head-on confrontation.

Although Lu Chen observed it once, he had no intention of learning it.

He has already mastered the basics of the Panlong stance training, so there is no need for him to learn other stance training methods. Not only would it be a waste of time, but it would also reduce the efficiency of his qi and blood cultivation.

However, Zhao Yiting is not the most skilled in the yam business.

The true pillar of the yam business is Qiao Yuan, a martial artist who has mastered the Blood Transfusion Technique.

Lu Chen had been working there for several days and hadn't seen him yet.

Qiao Yuan's status in the yam business was completely different from that of Lu Chen and other nominally employed martial artists.

He was supported by the Wang family, and the medicinal materials he needed for martial arts training were supplied by the Wang family free of charge. Moreover, the Wang family would give Qiao Yuan 10% of their monthly profits.

Normally, he doesn't need to worry about the affairs of the yam business. Only when it's a matter of life or death for the Wang family will they ask him to step in.

It was precisely because of his presence that, despite the Huang family's constant suppression of the Wang family over the years, they never dared to completely break ties.

"Lu Chen, you will guard the alchemy room today. Master Ge Ye is refining a batch of Qi-Strengthening Pills. Remember, do not disturb him without his summons!"

After roll call, Zhao Yiting assigned Lu Chen his guard duties for the day.

"Solidifying Essence Pill? Doesn't Master Ge usually refine Blood Qi Powder?" Lu Chen asked, a slight thought crossing his mind.

Zhao Yiting said, "The Guyuan Pill was specially made by Master Ge for Senior Qiao. Senior Qiao has been honing his skills at the Great Perfection of Blood Transformation for many years and is preparing to break through to the peak of Blood Transformation."

"The Qi-Strengthening Pill has the effect of strengthening the foundation and nourishing the vital energy, which is of great help to martial artists in breaking through realms and stabilizing their qi and blood."

"With it, Senior Qiao's chances of breaking through will greatly increase."

"Oh, Senior Qiao is going to attempt to reach the peak of Blood Transformation?" Lu Chen asked in surprise.

If a martial artist who has mastered the Blood Transformation skill is enough to hold down a place, then a martial artist at the peak of the Blood Transformation skill is practically the ceiling of combat power in Chixia County.

If Qiao Yuan can break through to the peak of the Blood Transformation Realm, the situation between the Yam Shop and the Huang Family will suddenly reverse. The Yam Shop will have the opportunity to overpower the Huang Family and take back the industries and markets that have been constantly eroded by the Huang Family over the years.

Zhao Yiting said very seriously: "This matter is of great importance, so do not spread it around."

Lu Chen nodded: "I know what's important."

"but……"

Zhao Yiting then pondered and said, "The path of martial arts is fraught with difficulties, and the further one progresses, the harder it becomes to break through to a higher realm. Even with the help of the Qi-stabilizing pill, Senior Qiao's chances of success may not exceed 50%."

"No more than 50%?" Lu Chen frowned slightly.

In his view, Qiao Yuan had already mastered the Blood Transformation Technique and honed his skills at this level for many years. Now, with the help of the Qi-Consolidating Pill, he should have at least a 70-80% chance of success.

Zhao Yiting saw through his thoughts and explained, "You haven't been involved in the Blood Transport for long, so you don't know how difficult it will be later."

"At the initial stage of Blood Refining, one cultivates a wisp of blood and qi, which is considered the beginning. At the minor stage of Blood Refining, the blood and qi flow like a stream, circulating throughout the limbs and bones. At the major stage of Blood Refining, the blood and qi are thick and heavy, like a great river, nourishing the muscles, bones, skin and membranes, making it difficult for ordinary swords and blades to easily injure the body."

"The peak of blood circulation is different."

Zhao Yiting's tone became a bit more serious.

"That requires truly refining one's qi and blood to perfection, allowing them to flow freely throughout the body and be controlled at will. At that stage, a martial artist's punch or kick can possess the force of three to four thousand jin, not only with greater explosive power but also with endurance far exceeding that of a fully accomplished martial artist, truly making them an invincible force!"

Lu Chen listened attentively.

Zhao Yiting continued, "Senior Qiao is now forty-eight years old, and has already passed the stage when his energy and blood are at their peak."

"In martial arts cultivation, the later the stage, the more talent is valued. Breaking through a realm is just a matter of a fine line. But if you don't have enough talent, you can't even touch that threshold."

As he said this, his tone became more complicated.

"Senior Qiao has been stuck at the Great Perfection of Blood Transformation for more than ten years. Now his Qi and blood are not as strong as they were in their prime. Even with the Qi-Strengthening Pill to consolidate his Qi and blood, he may not be able to break through that threshold."

"I see..." Lu Chen understood.

Qiao Yuan didn't break through at the peak of his energy and vitality, missing the optimal time. His hopes for a breakthrough later became increasingly slim, and even with the aid of elixirs, it was difficult to bridge the gap in his talent.

Zhao Yiting said with a sigh, "That's why geniuses are so highly valued by all the major powers."

As the saying goes, "If one thing goes smoothly, everything else will go smoothly."

"Those martial arts geniuses are more likely to reach their limits than ordinary martial artists like us. There are many examples of them overcoming numerous obstacles and soaring to great heights."

"And for ordinary martial artists, no matter how hard you try, you might only ever be stuck at the initial or minor mastery of the Blood Refining Realm..."

He looked at Lu Chen and said, "Shi Hao from your Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School was immediately bound to the Huang family by marriage as soon as he broke through to the next realm."

Why?

"Because what the Huang family values ​​is not his current initial stage of Blood Transformation, but his potential to reach the minor or major stages of Blood Transformation in the future, or even higher."

Lu Chen nodded.

This is the value of genius.

After saying that, Zhao Yiting didn't say anything more. He patted Lu Chen on the shoulder and said, "Go on, there can't be any mistakes at Master Ge Ye's place today."

"Please rest assured, Chief Zhao." Lu Chen solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute.

There are three alchemists in the yam shop. Master Ge Ye is the most skilled.

Therefore, Ge Ye's treatment at the yam shop was different from others; she had her own independent courtyard, which was heavily guarded on weekdays.

Lu Chenlai took over the shift from Zhao Tiezhu, the guard who had been on duty all night.

The latter stretched, greeted Lu Chen, and walked towards the martial arts dormitory without looking back.

His partner is Qian Ming, 20 years old, at the initial stage of Blood Transformation, and from Weiyuan Hall.

"So you're the one who defeated that good-for-nothing Liu Xiaolou?" Qian Ming asked casually when he saw Lu Chen.

Lu Chen nodded and looked at Qian Ming.

He was somewhat surprised.

Since Qian Ming came from the Weiyuan Hall, he should logically be on the same side as Liu Xiaolou. However, Qian Ming's tone was disdainful, showing no intention of standing up for Liu Xiaolou whatsoever.

Qian Ming seemed to see through his thoughts and said lazily, "Don't look at me like that. There are so many people in Weiyuan Hall, not everyone is on the same side as Liu Xiaolou."

He then added, "That good-for-nothing is not worth mentioning, but you should be careful, he has a cousin named Liu Heng."

"He's also on temporary assignment at Wang's company. These days he's been transporting medicinal herbs deep in the mountains. He'll definitely cause you trouble when he gets back."

"Oh?" Lu Chen was slightly taken aback. "Liu Heng?"

"Is he very capable?"

Lu Chen tentatively pressed for more information.

"This guy's wire grappling technique is pretty good; he's already quite proficient. You'd better avoid him," Qian Ming kindly advised.