This improvement seems minor, but for Su Mu, it is quite significant. Su Mu’s entire Gang Force is condensed from a full twenty-two strands of Power.
What might be a one percent reduction in loss for an ordinary Martial Artist is amplified several times for Su Mu. As Su Mu cultivates more Martial Arts in the future, this gap may even expand tenfold or more.
Time passed slowly, and the river of Qi and Blood surrounding Su Mu’s body became more solid and robust.
One zhang.
Two zhang.
Two zhang and eight chi.
"Phew!"
Sweat continuously seeped from every inch of his skin, only to be instantly evaporated by the high temperature of the Gang Force inside his body, forming puffs of mist. After a long time, Su Mu exhaled gently and slowly opened his eyes.
"The secondary blood exchange is complete. I wonder where a river of Qi and Blood two zhang and eight chi places me among other Martial Artists who have undergone a secondary blood exchange?"
Curiosity flashed through Su Mu’s mind. In his view, the scale of this river of Qi and Blood is likely closely related to the strength of a Martial Artist’s own Qi and Blood.
With a thought, Su Mu quickly entered into a state of Introspection. After the first blood exchange, his blood became more crimson; after this secondary blood exchange, the blood not only became more crimson but also thicker and heavier.
Su Mu formed a blade with his right hand, slicing across his palm, and a drop of crimson blood fell.
"Sizzle!"
The blood hit the ground with a sizzling sound, and the withered leaves of the locust tree on the ground visibly turned scorched black, spontaneously combusting without fire. Upon closer inspection, the flaming blood remained intact, resembling a bead of mercury.
Qi and Blood like mercury, remaining intact upon impact!
Su Mu’s eyes shone with surprise. Even he was somewhat shocked that after the secondary blood exchange, his blood had exceeded the normal human category, even stronger than some Demon Beast Blood!
"Much of this is likely due to the golden blood from the Sun Family Ancestor, consuming Fire Sparrow Blood... as well as the merits of the Five Elements Technique."
At the moment of breakthrough, Su Mu was extremely clear-headed, and he vaguely sensed that Qi and Blood like mercury is not something ordinary Martial Artists undergoing a secondary blood exchange can achieve.
Su Mu multitasked, feeding the stream of Comprehension to the Vast Qi while carefully sensing the changes after the secondary blood exchange.
"After penetrating the Five Viscera and completing the secondary blood exchange, and with the Five Elements Technique achieving Great Success, the reduction in Attribute Gang Force loss allowed my overall Gang Force to double with the amplification from the Five Viscera."
A doubling of power, far beyond Su Mu’s initial estimate of a fifty percent increase, directly doubling.
"There was also a surge in Qi and Blood; after reaching Qi and Blood like mercury, my overall Qi and Blood also doubled. Additionally, with the strengthening of the Five Viscera, my breath, physique, digestion of food, sustained combat capability, and other aspects have made significant advancements, something entirely incomparable to before!"
"If Wang Xuantian and the Lin Family Brothers were to resurrect, I wouldn’t need to engage in a hard battle. I alone could easily overpower all three!"
After carefully sensing the changes in himself, Su Mu couldn’t help but think to himself.
After taking a deep breath and calming his thoughts, Su Mu originally intended to estimate the resources and silver coins consumed by the first and second blood exchange but quickly shook his head.
Both the first and secondary blood exchanges involved the opportunities from the Five Elements Cyan Blood Pill, the Relic Light of the Arhat Realm, and a drop of golden blood from the Sun Family Ancestor, and were aided by the tempering of the Five Viscera.
The consumption of twenty Qi and Blood Pills accounted for only a small part, making it difficult to estimate the exact value.
"The medicinal power of the Cangxue Five Elements Pill has been completely exhausted, as have other opportunities... From now on, subsequent blood exchanges will rely on myself."
"With the transformation of Qi and Blood, it is either progressing or regressing; I need to refine more Qi and Blood Pills to strengthen and nourish my Qi and Blood. This time, about thirty thousand taels were spent, so I must start making money."
The following morning, Li Lu awoke early to continue brewing wine, completely unaware that three uninvited guests had been buried beneath the old locust tree in the courtyard the day before.
"Go to Qiancao Hall!"
Standing outside Qiancao Hall, Su Mu raised his eyes to the mysterious plaque of Qiancao Hall, his insights growing clearer in his mind.
"Mr. Cheng, you’re here. Please come in."
Lin Xue led Su Mu up the steps, her blue dress brushing against the wooden ladder, wafting a faint medicinal fragrance. She seemingly casually asked, "Mr. Cheng, just now you were staring at the plaque of Qiancao Hall, did you see something?"
"Miss Lin, you’re joking."
Su Mu shook his head, indeed not having fully comprehended the Qiancao Hall plaque yet, but not far off.
"This plaque, it turns out, is a story from my Pill Cauldron Pavilion. About five hundred years ago, a Pavilion Master of mine personally inscribed the ’Qiancao Hall’ with the essence of a hundred herbs as ink on his deathbed."
"Rumor has it that some Alchemic insights are hidden within, attracting many Pavilion Masters and Alchemy Masters from various counties to study it..."
"I should take a few more glances in the future."
Lin Xue smiled charmingly upon hearing this and didn’t think much of it. This plaque has hung in Donglai County for hundreds of years, with nearly a thousand, if not eight hundred distinguished Pill Masters visiting. Yet, she hadn’t heard of anyone unraveling its secrets.
In Lin Xue’s view, it was mostly a misconception, but this ’story’ benefited Qiancao Hall, nonetheless.
Over the past two months, Su Mu had spent nearly thirty thousand taels at Qiancao Hall. By now, he considered himself a valued guest, and in the private room, Lin Xue poured a cup of tea for Su Mu.
Su Mu got straight to the point, taking out a small porcelain bottle, "Miss Lin, I recently acquired some Elixirs. I’d like your assistance in examining them."
Lin Xue’s heart stirred, remembering the words of Steward Fang Wuling. This individual likely had a connection to a freelance Alchemist behind him. With this in mind, Lin Xue was somewhat curious to see what kind of person would draw the attention of Steward Fang Wuling.