Qiao Zhi said, "That fellow's method of concealing demonic qi is exceptionally clever. It was only because I'm particularly sensitive to demonic qi and demon blood, and because he circulated his qi and blood at full power during our clash, that he showed a slight slip-up which I caught. Ordinary experts from a Daoist temple probably wouldn't see through his origins at all."
Chu Qiguang asked with concern, "Then could he bring others back to slay demons?"
Qiao Zhi shook his head to indicate no, though he did not explain why. Chu Qiguang, however, looked at the bald patch on the cat's bushy tail and thought to himself that Qiao Zhi had likely still suffered a loss in that earlier clash.
Chu Qiguang also thought about how in that story, it had actually been a monster disguised as a human who had slain the villainous evil-cult practitioner; he could not help but feel there was an indescribable strangeness to it all.
As the two walked, they talked further about the Daoist temple, touching upon figures like the abbot, the supervisory director, and the overseer, giving Chu Qiguang a bit more understanding of this world.
Chatting along the way, Chu Qiguang was brought by Qiao Zhi into a grove of trees, where the cat prepared to teach him martial arts.
"Martial arts are easier to begin than Daoist arts, and far more people practice them. Especially over the past two hundred years of the Great Han Dynasty, civil and martial examinations were established to place equal emphasis on the civil and military. The court even founded two great martial academies in the north and south to recruit martial talents from across the realm. Virtually everyone in the imperial court practices martial arts.
"Nowadays, martial arts prior to entering the Dao are divided into five major realms. The first realm you must now strive for is Qi Coursing through the Entire Body.
"The 'qi' in martial arts refers to physical strength. 'Qi Coursing through the Entire Body' means allowing your strength to flow seamlessly throughout your entire body, twisting all your strength into a single unified cord. Only then are you considered to have stepped onto the martial path."
As he spoke, Qiao Zhi had already climbed onto Chu Qiguang's shoulder. "You've grown up without enough food or warm clothes, and your body suffers from severe depletion. Practicing martial arts directly would easily harm your primordial vitality and ruin your foundation. Today, I will first use the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method to nurse your deficiencies and solidify your foundation. Only then can you make rapid strides and reach the peak in your future martial practice.
"Come! Bite me!"
"Huh?" Chu Qiguang looked at the cat paw Qiao Zhi thrust toward him. The orange cat's originally white mitten fur was somewhat yellowed, and dirt clung to the paw pads. He said helplessly, "For real?"
Qiao Zhi said, "I need to use my blood to stimulate your bloodline. If you don't bite me, where will the blood come from?"
Chu Qiguang asked with hesitation, "Master, which paw do you usually use to bury your poop?"
Qiao Zhi said proudly, "A cat of my status—do you think I'd bury my own poop? Of course my subordinate cats and dogs do it."
Chu Qiguang nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Then how hard should I bite?"
Qiao Zhi snapped, "Just sink your teeth in and suck a mouthful of my blood!"
Hearing the cat's resolute tone, Chu Qiguang hesitated no further. He opened his mouth and bit down directly on Qiao Zhi's front paw, getting a mouth full of cat fur and dirt in an instant.
"Bite hard!"
At Qiao Zhi's urging, Chu Qiguang clamped down hard. At the same time, he felt the cat's leg yield slightly, and a trickle of hot blood surged into his mouth. As the cat blood entered his body, waves of burning, turbulent energy instantly spread outward, as if a fire had been lit inside him.
"Alright, alright, a small sip is enough! Don't suck so much!"
Qiao Zhi pulled his paw back and flexed his muscles slightly; the wound closed up immediately, leaving him looking completely unharmed.
While healing the wound, Qiao Zhi continuously explained, his words brimming with pride.
"The Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method stimulates the practitioner's internal bloodline to unlock potential and condition the physical body. But what blood is used to stimulate it requires great care. The superior grade is, of course, demon blood; the inferior grade is the blood of ordinary birds, beasts, fish, or insects.
"Beyond that, different people possess different bloodlines, so the blood best suited to stimulate them differs as well. For some, ox blood yields ideal results, and ox demon blood produces outstanding effects; yet for others, it might yield poor results or even be entirely useless.
"And what corresponds to you happens to be cat blood."
Seeing Chu Qiguang's bloodline being stimulated, Qiao Zhi burst into laughter. "You're a natural-born cat-loving prodigy! I will definitely raise you into an immortal!"
Chu Qiguang grunted, then felt Qiao Zhi darting all over him, patting his body with his paw pads from time to time.
Every strike of a paw pad against his body felt like a heavy hammer pounding into him, reverberating through him from head to toe.
At the same time, he could feel that with every impact, the blood in the struck area seemed to accelerate, propelling forward that mouthful of blood Qiao Zhi had introduced.
Carried by Qiao Zhi's strikes, this acceleration and propulsion quickly spread across his entire body, causing the blood to flow through his vessels everywhere.
"Remember this! In martial arts, the most critical factor is qi and blood!"
Qiao Zhi's words pounded into his mind word by word along with the rhythmic thumps across his body.
"Because within the blood lie the supreme mysteries of the physical body, and it is the very key to human functioning!
"'Qi and blood'—qi is force. Only when you cultivate force into the blood does that blood become true qi and blood! Unlocking the mysteries of qi and blood is the hallmark of superior martial arts!
"You haven't practiced martial arts yet, so today I'll strike your entire body to help you circulate your qi and blood with external force, executing the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method. With your banished-immortal aptitude, there will surely be no issue."
Feeling that mouthful of blood circulate throughout his body before surging straight toward his heart, Chu Qiguang felt the blood and Qiao Zhi's strike land simultaneously over his chest. Followed by a sharp wave of pain, his whole body convulsed, and he blacked out.
When Chu Qiguang awoke, he felt entirely refreshed and brimming with vigor, a sensation of strength he had not experienced in a very long time filling his chest.
He stood up and inspected his limbs and torso. Visually, he appeared just as lean and gaunt as before, but when he hopped and ran in place, he could tell his stamina and physical strength had genuinely improved.
Chu Qiguang remarked with wonder, "This Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method really is miraculous."
Qiao Zhi said smugly, "Of course it is! In the world today, no one else knows this method for stimulating bloodlines and unleashing potential except me. But it only lays the foundation for you. If you want to truly enter the martial arts and step into the first realm, you still need diligent study and hard training."
At this moment, Qiao Zhi looked noticeably weaker than before. His eyes had lost some of their gleam, his fur was no longer as sleek and glossy, and he wore a listless look.
Qiao Zhi reared halfway up, as if wanting to leap onto Chu Qiguang's shoulder, but halfway through the effort seemed too exhausting, and he gave up.
Seeing the cat worn out like this, Chu Qiguang hurriedly crouched down and scooped Qiao Zhi up. He held the cat and petted him vigorously until purring sounds rumbled from the cat's throat.
Chu Qiguang said, "Master Qiao, your knowledge is profound and you understand the transformations of humans and demons; I truly admire you. You spared no toil this time, going out of your way to establish my foundation. It must have been exhausting. I will keep this in mind and repay you in the future."
Qiao Zhi had toiled so long and worn himself out precisely because he felt Chu Qiguang was a promising talent worth nurturing. Hearing him speak so sensibly and show such gratitude instantly made him feel much better.
Qiao Zhi said, "You little rascal really know how to behave. You didn't let this old ancestor waste his effort. Mmm... don't stop."
Chu Qiguang asked with interest, "Can anyone use this Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method?"
Qiao Zhi cautioned, "Anyone can, so long as the matching blood is found. But licking someone's blood and immediately knowing what to use to stimulate it—no one else can do that.
"Moreover, the degree of heat and control is extremely difficult to master. If a misstep occurs and it's overstimulated, the person will demonize, developing monstrous features on their body. So don't you dare try it recklessly on your own."
The moment he heard that anyone could use it, Chu Qiguang immediately sensed the immense profit latent within. He questioned Qiao Zhi in detail about every aspect of the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method. Since this was another point of pride for Qiao Zhi, the cat held nothing back, answering everything thoroughly. Chu Qiguang rejoiced secretly inside.
He thought to himself, 'In the Great Han Dynasty today, everyone knows they can enter officialdom through either the civil or martial examinations to achieve wealth, honor, and fortune for their descendants. If Qiao Zhi can perform this Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method on others as well... it might be a rare commodity worth hoarding. It's just that demonization...'
Chapter 14