Chapter 127

"Brother Li, this is tea I've been storing for ten years—be sure to taste it well."

Wei Ming personally poured tea for Li Rui.

This treatment.

His superior pouring tea for him? Never happened before.

Li Rui grinned: "I didn't bring anything fancy from home—just some local specialties."

"Local is good."

"I love local things!"

Wei Ming's smile stretched ear to ear.

That large lingzhi must be worth at least a thousand taels; the quality Li Rui brought is nearly medicinal—worth at least triple that.

That's three thousand taels!

Damn, such a gesture—I wouldn't even spend this much on gifts myself.

Wei Ming's heart pounded. He nearly said:

"I'm not your superior—you're mine!"

Li Rui sipped his tea with a cheerful smile.

That giant lingzhi wasn't bought—it was picked up by chance while scouting the mountains, thanks entirely to his Spirit Eye.

Ever since gaining the Spirit Eye, his wealth had become terrifyingly abundant.

To others, it was priceless; to Li Rui, it was nothing special.

Using one lingzhi to win over Wei Ming was more than worth it.

"A small gift, deep sentiment."

That's only for children to believe—true sentiment comes only with a substantial gift.

Wei Ming chatted with Li Rui until evening, smiling warmly.

Several visitors came during that time.

He turned them all away.

Li Rui pretended to leave, but Wei Ming forcibly pulled him to stay for wine—and even introduced his wife and children to Li Rui.

Look.

Doesn't this bring us a giant step closer?

Before, Wei Ming treated Li Rui well enough, but that was merely superior-subordinate concern—nothing like this.

When you know your superior's family and sit at the same table sharing meals,

That's when you're truly a confidant—when you're seen as one of their own.

Though Li Rui had already broken through, his official title remained Grain Officer; based on Wei Ming's own experience, even after revealing his strength, it would take years before promotion.

He had to cultivate relationships with everyone.

After three rounds of wine.

Wei Ming forced his son to call Li Rui "Grandpa," then realized—this would make his own generation lower.

So he changed it to "Uncle."

Li Rui now had a nephew thirteen or fourteen, old enough to be his great-grandson.

The host was delighted—the atmosphere was perfect.

Drunk on wine, Li Rui finally spoke: "Brother Wei, I heard Annan Town has jiao blood?"

Wei Ming nodded:

"A few years ago, General Lei Yong slew a ferocious jiao and collected much of its blood; each guard battalion received a share—we have some too."

Li Rui: "Do you have a way to get some?"

Wei Ming was surprised: "Brother Li, you want jiao blood?"

"Mm."

Li Rui nodded.

Wei Ming didn't ask why Li Rui needed jiao blood.

The ferocious jiao killed by Lei Yong was a demonic beast—its blood strengthens sinews and bones, greatly benefiting martial artists.

Of course, the price was terrifyingly high.

Wei Ming paused, then said: "Ning Zhongtian can decide this—I'll ask him for you. Shouldn't be a problem."

He patted his chest: "But you need a major merit to exchange for jiao blood. I happen to have one—I'll lend it to you for now, you can repay me later."

Li Rui's eyes lit up.

He'd asked because he'd already investigated the situation thoroughly.

Only Garrison Commanders and above have authority to distribute jiao blood, and it requires one major merit.

Conveniently,

Ning Zhongtian was the Garrison Commander—if Li Rui went straight to him, it'd be hopeless.

A Flying Dragon Scroll was one thing, but jiao blood drew too many eyes; he had no connection with Ning Zhongtian, who wouldn't lift a finger for him.

So he had to take an indirect route.

Wei Ming and Ning Zhongtian were former comrades with an excellent relationship—and Wei Ming had a major merit to spare. Perfect leverage.

"It's nothing."

Wei Ming dismissed it.

To him, it truly wasn't an issue—his bond with Ning Zhongtian meant asking for jiao blood in exchange for a major merit was just a word away.

Besides, he was lending it.

Not giving it away.

With Li Rui's position as Grain Officer, he could accumulate a major merit in a few years.

As Li Rui's superior, Wei Ming had no fear of being repaid.

Every angle showed profit.

Li Rui had given him such a massive lingzhi—he was only doing a small favor in return.

Seeing Wei Ming agree, Li Rui smiled with relief.

As a lowly Grain Officer, even if he rose to Platoon Leader, without a Garrison Commander's help, he'd never get jiao blood.

This jiao blood was crucial for him.

Others drank it only to strengthen their bodies—but in an ancient text, Li Rui had read that jiao blood greatly accelerated the formation of the Dragon Shape.

A young dragon is a jiao; a great jiao becomes a dragon.

Legend says no creature in the world has ever been called a dragon.

"Dragon" is merely a title for the supreme species.

Of course, this was recorded in a miscellaneous treatise—Li Rui didn't fully agree.

But one thing was certain: consuming jiao blood could greatly speed up the formation of the Dragon Shape.

Li Rui, as Grain Officer,

Though only managing the Ding-sized arms depot, could still view the entire Anning Garrison's inventory list.

The jiao blood had only just arrived in Qinghe from Annan Town a few days ago.

Thus, every move Li Rui made today was long-planned.

No sudden whims.

Wei Ming was in high spirits and talked to Li Rui for hours, opening his heart.

But Li Rui believed at most one-third of it.

Finally, as they were parting,

Li Rui made one small request: "Platoon Leader Wei, one of my soldiers, Liang He, barely broke through recently and became a ranked martial artist—could you help?"

Wei Ming stroked his chin:

"Liang He."

The name sounded familiar.

As he pondered, his wife, pouring wine, smiled: "Husband, isn't that the young man who defeated the Zhang family last week despite being weaker?"

Wei Ming's eyes brightened:

"Ah, him! That's why it sounded familiar—wasn't that just on New Year's Day?"

"Good omen."

"Brother Li, rest assured—I'll handle this easily."

Assigning a ranked martial artist was effortless for him.

Ninth-rank was still the lowest soldier in Anning Garrison—couldn't even become a Squad Leader—but among soldiers, there were still tiers; those in key posts earned higher pay and more military merit than ordinary troops.

It also opened better prospects for the future.

Keeping Liang He in the arms depot was a waste.

Li Rui intended to help Liang He.

Handling daily paperwork in the depot offered far less benefit to Li Rui than placing him in a key post.

And it would benefit Liang He immensely too.

Having finished business,

Li Rui didn't rush to leave—this visit was about the mission, but the real goal was deepening his bond with Wei Ming.

They agreed to the matter, and you just walk away without a word.

What would others think?

You only show up when there's trouble?

The two of them drank until deep into the night.

Li Rui returned to his residence reeking of alcohol.

His head felt dizzy.

"This wine really gets you drunk."

"Indeed, fine wine!" Wei Ming's efficiency was extraordinary; by the very next day, Liang He received his transfer order.

He was assigned to the Night Scouts.

"Night Scouts" was a name coined by frontier troops—it meant scouts. The Night Scouts Camp.

But Annan Town was not a frontier garrison.

Though it bore the name "Night Scouts," its duty was patrolling the major sects.

Unlike frontier scouts, who faced constant risk of death.

In Anning Guard, the Night Scouts were a truly lucrative post, offering chances to network with martial sect masters and plenty of graft.

So to join the Night Scouts, one must at least be a ranked martial cultivator.

"He's a straightforward man."

Li Rui was highly satisfied with Wei Ming's arrangement.

To observe a person, don't listen to what they say—watch what they do.

=9+Book_Bar

The Night Scouts are full of connections; for Wei Ming to get Liang He placed there, he must have put in serious effort.

"I'll send him some He Shou Wu someday."

Li Rui mused.

Anyone who's given gifts knows: a superior who'll do anything for money is hard to find.

Of course.

Wei Ming's willingness to promote Liang He wasn't just because of Li Rui's gifts—it was mostly because Liang He himself was a promising talent.

His earlier battle with Zhang Fu had made him somewhat famous.

Wei Ming held a favorable impression of Liang He.

Besides, the Night Scouts couldn't be filled entirely with idle connections; soldiers like Liang He, skilled in actual combat, were highly valued.

He received the transfer order.

At first, Liang He was reluctant.

Deep down, he preferred to stay by Li Rui's side.

In the end,

after Li Rui kicked him a few times and talked him into it, he reluctantly reported to the Night Scouts.

For seven or eight days straight,

Li Rui returned home after his shift and was practicing when

Wei Ming came to his door personally.

He pulled a small jade vial from his sleeve with a grin: "Brother Li, look what I've got!"

He then pulled the cork stopper from the vial.

First came a thick stench of blood, mixed with a faint, sweet fragrance—Li Rui had never smelled anything like it.

Just inhaling once made one's blood boil.

Li Rui's eyes lit up: "Is this dragon blood?"

"As you requested."

Wei Ming beamed even brighter: "Luckily, Brother Li, you acted fast. Dragon blood is scarce to begin with, and several others were watching it. If not for Head Ning's intervention, we'd have missed it."

"Thank you, Brother Wei."

Li Rui felt genuine gratitude for Wei Ming's swift success in securing the dragon blood.

Of course, this was also the advantage of being in charge of grain supplies.

You hear about good items the moment they appear.

Wei Ming waved his hand: "Don't be so formal—we're brothers."

Then he winked:

"Brother Li, are you seriously planning to cultivate qi?"

Li Rui's purchase of the Flying Dragon in Heaven diagram hadn't escaped this Platoon Leader's notice.

He'd already heard Li Rui bought the qi diagram—specifically the dragon-shaped qi path—and now he was buying dragon blood. It was hard not to connect the dots.

Li Rui replied bluntly: "I'm old. I'm trying one last gamble."

Wei Ming grew solemn.

"Brother Li, at seventy, you still strive for advancement—you're a model for us all."

"You flatter me, Brother Wei."

Wei Ming stared at Li Rui, clicking his tongue repeatedly.

A seventh-rank at seventy was common—but to break into seventh rank at seventy? Unheard of.

In martial cultivation, before the primordial stage,

youth always triumphs. The young have vigorous blood and qi; their chances of breakthrough are greater. Once past sixty, the hope of advancement vanishes.

Wei Ming guessed Li Rui realized he could no longer force his way through Bronze Bones with blood and qi alone, so he was trying the qi path—cultivating a thread of qi at eighth rank to greatly increase his chances.

But cultivating qi at eighth rank? How difficult that was.

Annan Town had countless geniuses, yet only two or three had ever succeeded.

Wei Ming privately thought it hopeless, and didn't believe Li Rui could do it.

But he didn't discourage or mock him.

After all, at his age, such ambition was truly rare.

What if he actually succeeded?

Wei Ming offered more encouraging words, then took his leave.

After seeing Wei Ming off,

Li Rui returned to his room, clutching the small jade vial, his eyes blazing.

"Finally in hand!"

Cultivate qi?

His Xuanqing qi had long rivaled the mid-stage of Willow Tendons—he needed the dragon blood to gather qi.

If Wei Ming knew, he'd drop his jaw.

"Ancient texts say dragon blood can be consumed directly."

Li Rui thought as he immediately acted.

He pulled the cork from the jade vial.

The thick stench of blood filled the room; in the confined space, the odor was even stronger than before.

Li Rui's expression didn't change.

Have you ever tasted horse urine?

Li Rui had—when he worked as a stable boy for the Zhu family, he sometimes had to judge a horse's health by the smell of its urine. The first time, he vomited for days.

Later, he grew used to it—he became immune.

Without even frowning, he tipped his head back and swallowed the dragon blood whole.

Upon entry,

a violent rush of blood flavor exploded in his mouth and nose, surging to the crown of his head. The dragon blood slid down his throat, into his stomach, and soon a searing heat surged upward from his dantian.

"Strong stuff!"

In mere breaths, Li Rui's clothes were soaked in sweat.

He quickly sat cross-legged on his cushion.

He murmured softly:

"The dragon leaps from the abyss, inner splendor retracted, true qi flows, divine art reveals itself."

The meridian pathways of the Flying Dragon in Heaven diagram appeared in his mind.

Li Rui activated the Xuanqing qi within his dantian.

He began circulating qi along the meridian paths.

One circuit felt like being inside a furnace—but the heat eased slightly.

Two circuits. Three circuits. He completed a full seventy-two circuits!

Thirty-six circuits was the Small Circulation; seventy-two was the Great Circulation. Previously, when circulating qi, Li Rui had always done thirty-six—just the Small Circulation.

Why not the Great Circulation?

Not because he was lazy—but because his strength fell short.

His dantian's Xuanqing qi was too weak; after thirty-six circuits, he had no energy left to continue, and had to return to rest.

But now—

Li Rui completed a full Great Heavenly Cycle in one breath.

This was precisely the jiao blood taking effect.

"Truly a miraculous herb!"

Li Rui suddenly opened his eyes, completed a full Great Heavenly Cycle in one breath—the sensation was utterly exhilarating, his whole body feeling significantly lighter.

The heat induced by the jiao blood had vanished entirely, replaced by a warm, soothing flow that continuously surged from his dantian, bringing comfort to both body and mind.

Li Rui clenched his fists.

"My strength has increased by at least thirty percent!"

The jiao blood is revered as a supreme treasure precisely because it is an immense tonic, capable of instantly boosting strength by twenty percent; due to his Wu Bone, he absorbed it more thoroughly, adding another ten percent.

Li Rui closed his eyes.

He carefully sensed it.

Within his dantian, the tiny dragon that had once coiled around the chaotic pillar was now entirely covered in scales, with two horns on its head and five claws on its feet, resembling the legendary Green Dragon, ready to soar through the clouds.

"The Dragon Form has reached minor completion!"

(End of Chapter)