Chapter 8: Eight Treasures Blood-Tonifying Concoction!

Eighty percent of the herbal medicine shops in Nanyang City belonged to Miaoshou Garden, so naturally, Lu Changsheng wouldn't go to one of those shops to get his medicinal meals. By doing so, he would risk exposing himself. Instead, he sought out a privately owned herbal medicine shop.

The shopkeeper was a modest local physician, making a living by diagnosing patients, prescribing remedies, and selling herbs to support his family. When Lu Changsheng walked in, the physician asked warmly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Lu Changsheng shook his head and said, "I'm not here for a consultation. I’m here to buy medicine."

"Oh? Do you have a prescription?"

"No. I want to buy medicinal meals for martial training."

"Medicinal meals?"

The physician’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before he nodded. "For martial training, the key is to strengthen the blood qi. In Nanyang City, the most famous medicinal meals come from Miaoshou Garden.

"However, I do have an ancestral recipe that is no worse than theirs. It’s called the Eight Treasures[1]Blood-Tonifying Concoction. It is made of eight precious herbs and is greatly beneficial for strengthening blood qi in martial training. However, being an ancient recipe, it is naturally expensive. Are you willing to part with your silver for this?"

Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. "Is it truly more effective than Miaoshou Garden's medicinal meals?"

"Of course. I've run this herbal medicine shop here for years. Would I lie to you?" the physician said rather confidently.

Lu Changsheng nodded. That much was true; a family-owned herbal medicine shop wouldn't dare ruin its name with false remedies.

"How much for the Eight Treasures Blood-Tonifying Concoction?"

"Nine silver taels for one portion, which lasts three days," the physician said.

Lu Changsheng's brow furrowed. "Nine silver taels? Miaoshou Garden’s medicinal meals cost only seven silver taels per portion."

"But mine works better!" the physician replied with confidence.

Lu Changsheng was at a loss. It was unlikely that the man would dare lie about such matters. The price was indeed steep, but this was still better than attempting to buy from Miaoshou Garden.

"Fine. I'll take two portions to try," Lu Changsheng finally said.

The physician was pleased. He knew that once martial practitioners began using medicinal meals, they often became long-term customers.

After purchasing the concoction, Lu Changsheng headed straight out in search of a martial arts centre, as there was nowhere else more suitable for learning new techniques. Soon, he came across one called the Crane Martial Arts Centre.

As soon as he stepped inside, he was warmly greeted by a middle-aged man. "Here to learn martial arts? The Crane Martial Arts Centre is one of the largest in Nanyang City, with many experts among our ranks..."

The man went on boasting, but Lu Changsheng paid him no mind. He noticed an inner room where someone seemed to be instructing students.

After a moment of thought, Lu Changsheng asked, "May I have a look?"

"Of course."

The middle-aged man led him into one of the centre’s rooms. It was spacious, with twenty to thirty disciples inside. A burly man was demonstrating a martial technique.

"This is Master Meng. His Vajra Fist is fierce and domineering, unmatched by any opponent," the middle-aged man introduced proudly.

Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the man's boastful claim. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Master Meng.

When Master Meng threw a punch, a fearsome surge of blood qi radiated from him like rolling waves of heat. It felt as though the whole room was brushed by a warm breeze.

So this is blood qi,

Lu Changsheng thought, noting how formidable Master Meng's blood qi was. The man slammed his fist into a massive boulder, shattering it instantly. Indeed, Master Meng possessed strength capable of splitting stone!

The disciples all stared wide-eyed, their gazes filled with something between awe and envy.

Master Meng gave a faint smile and said, "See that? This is the power of blood qi! The first realm of the Dao of martial arts is Body Tempering, which is divided into three stages: Blood Strengthening, Bone Tempering, and Organ Refinement. The essence of these three stages is to temper the body for a solid foundation. The stronger your foundation, the greater your future achievements in martial arts will be.

"Above Body Tempering lies the realm of Divine Strength. By stepping into that realm, you replace your marrow and change your blood, and thus divine power is born. Once you reach that, you'll be on a completely different level from ordinary people. Take me, for example, after decades of training, I've barely reached Bone Tempering, still far from Organ Refinement. I'll never reach Divine Strength in this lifetime, but if you build a strong foundation, you might yet have a chance."

Lu Changsheng’s eyes lit up. By listening to Master Meng, he had gained a basic understanding of the Dao of martial arts. For the first time, he learned about the first realm, Body Tempering, and its three stages. In addition, he understood that a strong foundation was the key to advancing to the second realm—Divine Strength.

So Master Meng is at Bone Tempering. No wonder his blood qi is so strong. I'm still only at the Blood Strengthening Stage... A long way to go.

"Well? Impressed by Master Meng? As long as you pay silver taels, you can become his disciple right away," the middle-aged man beside him said with a grin, mistaking Lu Changsheng's thoughtful expression for consideration.

But Lu Changsheng simply turned to leave. "I only came to ask if I can purchase some manuals for martial techniques."

"Manuals for martial techniques?" The middle-aged man gave him a careful look, then shook his head and said, "Our Crane Martial Arts Centre does not sell those. However, if you truly wish to buy them, there is a place you can go."

"Where would that place be?" Lu Changsheng asked.

Instead of answering, the man merely smiled.

Lu Changsheng understood instantly and took out a tael of broken silver[2]from his robe, slipping it into the man’s hand. Only then did the man look satisfied.

"You can go to the black market in the southern part of the city at the Hour of the Boar[3]. The black market has everything. As long as you have silver taels, you can buy anything, including martial techniques."

Lu Changsheng committed this to memory. He left the Flying Crane Martial Arts Centre, but he had no intention of relying solely on one person's word. Over the next while, he discreetly made further inquiries through various channels, and what he heard was largely the same as what the man had told him. With that, Lu Changsheng finally felt assured, and he quietly waited after returning to Miaoshou Garden.

Given that there was still some time before nightfall, he decided to try the Eight Treasures Blood-Tonifying Concoction. He measured out one-third of the concoction and dissolved it in hot water before drinking it. Almost at once, he felt as though a ball of fire had ignited in his belly.

Without hesitation, he used the Great River Blood Fortification Art to circulate his blood qi through his body.

Usually, circulating his blood qi yielded little effect, but this time was different. With each cycle, a wave of warmth surged from the fiery core in his belly, spreading rapidly through his body. His reservoir of blood qi swelled at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Excited by the apparent result, Lu Changsheng kept circulating his blood qi again and again.

This time, he lasted several hours. Normally, he could only persist for an hour before his body ached and swelled unbearably, but this time, he only stopped when the swirling heat in his belly dissipated completely.

"

Hah

, this Eight Treasures Blood-Tonifying Concoction truly works wonders!" Lu Changsheng exclaimed. "Just one use has given me more blood qi than months of training. I've gained almost half of what I already had!"

Lu Changsheng clenched his fists, feeling the strength surge through every part of his body. At last, he understood why martial practitioners relied so heavily on medicinal meals.

The difference in progress was worlds apart. No wonder so many people often said, "poor in letters, rich in arms." Training in martial arts required such meals for swift advancement, but they were far from cheap. Those without wealth could scarcely even dream of walking the martial path.

"I must keep using the Eight Treasures Blood-Tonifying Concoction," he muttered to himself. "The only downside is the steep price..."

Lu Changsheng ended his practice session and glanced at the sky. It was almost the Hour of the Boar.

"Time to move."

Lu Changsheng left Miaoshou Garden and made his way toward the southern part of the city, where the black market awaited.

1. 八珍 (Bazhen), a classical term in traditional Chinese medicine that refers to the Eight-Treasure Decoction (八珍汤), a famous restorative formula. It combines two foundational prescriptions, the Four Gentlemen Decoction (四君子汤) for qi tonification and the Four Substances Decoction (四物汤) for blood nourishment, into a single potent blend. "八珍" is a medicinal recipe composed of eight precious spirit herbs or ingredients, used to replenish vitality, restore balance, and strengthen both body and cultivation foundation. ☜

2. This refers to fragments of these larger ingots, sometimes found fused with other materials from shipwrecks or deliberately broken for smaller transactions.

Here’s

what it looks like. ☜

3. 亥时 (hài shí) is one of the twelve traditional double-hour periods in the Chinese Earthly Branch timekeeping system, corresponding to 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM in modern hours. Each period is associated with one of the twelve zodiac animals, and 亥 is represented by the Boar (Pig), hence the name. ☜