The blood-red little snake that Wang Sheng saw could be confirmed as the Qi-Blood Power he had condensed after becoming a Martial Artist.
But how could this Qi-Blood Power have startled his own "spirit"?
He finally felt the consequences of not having a master.
Without a master, when encountering such a situation, one wouldn't know what to do or understand what happened.
Wang Sheng could only grope his way forward. After much pondering and meditation, he finally came up with a reliable theory.
"Could it be because I don't know how to control the Qi-Blood?"
Theoretically speaking, to reach the level of a Martial Artist, one would need a corresponding Cultivation Technique, which naturally includes a method to control the Qi-Blood, avoiding such problems.
However, Wang Sheng had taken a shortcut, using the progress bar's assistance to practice the "Eight Pieces of Brocade" and reached the level of a Martial Artist; naturally, he couldn't control the Qi-Blood.
The Inner Core Skill's Hundred Days Foundation Building Method seemed to possess the ability of internal viewing, which is "Inner Vision."
But this process is complicated, and in his past life, Wang Sheng only wanted to focus on health preservation, not cultivation, so he did not delve deeply into it.
Yet, in his recent practice, he seemed to have naturally reached the realm of Inner Vision and thus saw his own Qi-Blood Power.
"However, it might not necessarily have been the rebellion of the Qi-Blood Power just now; it's also possible that my spirit was too weak and was startled by the Qi-Blood Power!"
In Chinese legends, spirits find it difficult to approach those with strong Qi-Blood and might even be directly annihilated.
Wang Sheng felt that he most likely achieved Inner Vision by utilizing his own spiritual power, and hence was startled by the Qi-Blood Power. To resolve such a situation, he had to find a way to control his Qi-Blood.
"It looks like I'll need to spend more time grinding again!"
In his past life, Wang Sheng only practiced Inner Core Skill for a short period of time. He didn't persist as he did with the "Eight Pieces of Brocade" for over ten years, so his level was very low.
"Inner Core Skill (Hundred Days Foundation Building): 3 (68%)"
The current level of his Inner Core Skill was only level 3, far from a Breakthrough.
Without a Breakthrough, it would just be an unremarkable health preservation method, only by breaking through could it unleash amazing potential.
But now, Wang Sheng was no longer in such a hurry.
He had already become a bona fide Martial Artist; even if he currently lacked martial techniques and couldn't control his Qi-Blood, he was still a bona fide Martial Artist.
He already had the initial power and wasn't at the mercy of others.
The Sun Family most likely wouldn't resort to using a Martial Artist to force him into a brothel for the same reason as before; the cost and the benefit did not match.
The chrysanthemums needed for delivery were almost ready, so there wasn't too much to worry about.
Thus, Wang Sheng would slowly continue with the progress of his Inner Core Skill. Of course, if he could control his Qi-Blood before the Sun Family's people came to collect the delivery, that would be even better.
"There's still half a jar of Tiger Bone Ointment left; I can continue to enhance my Qi-Blood."
After Foundation Establishment in Inner Core Skill, one needs to extract significant medicines from the human body to enhance one's realm, so the enhancement of Qi-Blood cannot be stopped.
"There's still half a month left, let's see what level I can achieve!"
Over the following half month, he entirely devoted himself to practicing and improving the "Inner Core Skill" and "Eight Pieces of Brocade."
With 24 hours in a day, he used eight hours for sleep—health preservers never skip sleep, even for cultivation.
The remaining 16 hours included one to two hours for settling meals. With the Tiger Bone Ointment, most of his body's needs could be met, but a health preserver cannot ignore nutritional balance, even if other aspects can be overlooked, diet could not.
Two more hours went into planting chrysanthemums, fulfilling the supply demands.
And he still had a full 12 hours left.
Because there wasn't much of the Tiger Bone Ointment left, he practiced Inner Core Skill for eight hours, and Eight Pieces of Brocade for four hours.
Wang Sheng was a highly disciplined person.
As for whether it got boring, not only did it not, every time he felt his Qi-Blood strengthen and the progress bar advance, he felt fully motivated.
One can clearly see progress, yielding remarkable gains; such achievements are addictive and never tiresome.
If left to do assembly line work and then earn a monthly salary of 3000, anyone would grow weary unless pushed by life's necessities.
Within such days, more than ten days passed, and Wang Sheng made significant advancements in his three martial arts techniques.
"Eight Section Brocade: Breakthrough +2 (6%)
Inner Core Skill (Hundred Days Foundation Building Method): 9 (86%)
Chrysanthemum Planting: Breakthrough +1 (96%)"
Among them, Inner Core Skill improved the most; in just over ten days, it advanced directly from level 3 to level 9 but, aside from the first time, it never displayed that initial introspection again.
Now it simply represented a basic method of health preservation.
Of course, what did level 9 signify?
Without a progress bar, Wang Sheng had spent over a decade and still hadn't reached 99.99% of level 9.
His body was thus very healthy, significantly stronger than his peers.
So what about level 9 of Inner Core Skill?
It certainly had significant benefits. The Inner Core Skill provided health benefits that incorporated many traditional Chinese medical theories to tune one's body to an optimal state.
This was Inner Core Skill's state without breaking through the ultimate limit to achieve miraculous effects.
Even though he had become a Martial Artist, he felt his body was noticeably stronger and more comfortable.
However, he still lacked the method to control his Qi-Blood.
"With 14% progress left, let's see if today brings success in achieving a breakthrough. Tomorrow is the delivery date!"
The chrysanthemums had been ready several days earlier.
Originally he was supposed to deliver them personally, but given his special circumstances, the Sun Family would specifically send someone to collect them, though it was unlikely to be a Martial Artist.
If he could get through tomorrow's ordeal, and the Sun Family didn't cause any troubles afterward, the crisis would essentially be resolved.
Hence, he needed to appear particularly strong tomorrow.
As for whether the Sun Family would think he'd gained a great fortune and come to seize it, ridiculous—he could barely protect his own integrity, let alone worry about such things.
Wang Sheng dedicated all his time today, apart from eating and sleeping, to practicing Inner Core Skill, all to push it to its breakthrough limit.
Hard work paid off for the dedicated, and in the hour before sleep, he finally broke through the limits of Inner Core Skill.
"Inner Core Skill (Hundred Days Foundation Building Method): Breakthrough +1 (1%)"
At the moment of the breakthrough, an abnormal movement occurred within Wang Sheng's Qi-Blood.
Since the condensation of Qi Blood Power, over the past ten or so days, this power had significantly strengthened.
In the instant of the Inner Core Skill breakthrough, this stream of Qi Blood Power slowly started moving.
Wang Sheng distinctly felt this power.
He could control the movement, and the Qi Blood Power would also slowly move on its own.
"Have I finally achieved it? If not, I was about to go to sleep!"
Now that he could control Qi Blood Power, Wang Sheng was a true Martial Artist, capable of using Qi Blood Power to enhance himself.
He walked outside, and by the light of the moon, found a grinding stone. Then, harnessing his Qi Blood Power, he tried to lift the grindstone with one arm again.
This time, it was much easier. With the help of Qi Blood Power, his strength had greatly increased.
With the self-moving Qi Blood Power, Wang Sheng knew this was a normal condition for Inner Core Skill and Hundred Days Foundation Building Method.
He was entering the next process of the Hundred Days Foundation Building Method.
Qi Rushing to the Disease!
(Two Chapters daily, updated on schedule, requesting follow-ups!!!)