Great Fortune Gang

Hearing what the two men said, the surrounding Great Fortune Gang members were all startled.

"Bright Strength? How could you have run into a Bright Strength expert?"

"Yang Jing? Which Yang Jing?"

"Never heard that name before."

Several gang members frowned, clearly having never heard of Yang Jing.

"This guy borrowed money from our gang half a year ago. We thought he was just some ordinary brat, but who knew he could fight like that?" The short-haired man gasped in pain, unable even to speak clearly.

The courtyard was in an uproar.

As they were discussing it, a burly man in a black short jacket, a saber hanging from his waist, stepped out of the main hall. His gaze darkened. "What are you making all that noise for?"

He glanced at the two injured men and said coldly, "The gang leader is inside. He wants to see you two."

The short-haired man and the tall, thin youth both tensed, exchanging a glance and seeing a measure of unease in each other's eyes.

"Yes."

The two nodded together and headed into the main hall.

The lighting in the main hall was rather dim.

The moment they entered, a thick stench of alcohol mixed with sweat hit them head-on.

Great Fortune Gang leader Xu Tai was seated in a grand armchair.

The man stood nearly eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-backed. Knotted muscles stretched his black short jacket taut, while a scar ran from his brow bone down to his jaw. When his gaze swept over them, it carried a terrifyingly vicious air.

Smack!

Xu Tai slammed the wine bowl in his hand onto the table and asked in a rough voice, "What happened? How did you get beaten into such a sorry state?"

The short-haired man and the tall, thin youth shuddered in fright and hurriedly recounted what had just happened.

They only embellished how "strange" Yang Jing's attacks had been and how the two of them had been "no match" for him. At the end, they said tremulously, "Gang Leader, that brat... he may have broken through to Bright Strength. Otherwise, he couldn't have taken the two of us down so easily."

Xu Tai's brows suddenly furrowed, his fingers tapping against the table.

He himself had been stuck at the peak of Bright Strength for many years. Twice, he had tried to break into Hidden Strength, only to fall short at the final step. Yet he knew perfectly well how formidable a Bright Strength martial artist was.

Not to mention two ordinary strong men—even three or five more would be nothing worth looking at.

"Bright Strength?"

He spoke in a low voice, wariness appearing in his eyes. "You dared make a move before finding out the details? Are you tired of living?"

The short-haired man and the tall, thin youth trembled all over in fear and hurriedly explained, "Gang Leader, we investigated that brat before. He's just an ordinary farmer's son, with a very common background."

The tall, thin youth quickly added, "That brat used the money his family got from selling their land to join a martial arts school. But his natural aptitude is poor. We asked around back then—his aptitude was terrible, and he wasn't diligent in martial arts either. There was no way he could have achieved anything."

"We just never expected that now... now he'd be able to fight like this. We don't know whether he's broken through to Bright Strength."

After the tall, thin youth finished explaining, he and the short-haired man beside him hunched their necks and did not dare make another sound.

Xu Tai glanced toward the saber-bearing man standing by the door. "Heizi, go investigate Yang Jing's background. Find out whether he's really entered Bright Strength, where he's staying, and who he associates with. Get it all straight for me."

"Yes, Gang Leader." Heizi bowed in acknowledgment, the scabbard at his waist lightly knocking against his thigh.

Xu Tai looked back at the two men before him, his voice turning colder. "If that brat really has entered Bright Strength, then we'll take a long-term view of this matter. We'll make a foolproof plan, and I'll deal with him personally."

At this point, his voice paused. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist. "But if he hasn't entered Bright Strength and still dares refuse to repay what he owes the Great Fortune Gang, break both his arms and legs and throw him into the mass grave to feed the dogs!"

The short-haired man and the tall, thin youth hurriedly nodded. Cold sweat streamed down their cheeks from their foreheads, and neither dared utter another word.

The next day, early in the morning.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Yang Jing ate over a pound of Horse Meat at home, then left Datong Ward and arrived at the Sun Clan Martial Arts School in Chengping Ward.

Yang Jing took off his shirt and bared his arms, first warming up by raising a ninety-pound Stone Lock over his head. Sweat slid down the lines of his taut muscles and struck the ground, spreading into dark marks.

During this period, he had been alternating Bear Meat and Horse Meat as supplements, and the effects of such ample nourishment were becoming increasingly apparent.

Yang Jing could clearly feel that his strength had increased by another measure. He could lift heavier Stone Locks now, and did so with far greater ease.

After warming up, Yang Jing walked to the center of the practice ground, lowered his waist, and planted his stance. The wind of his Mountain Collapse Fist immediately began to howl.

An indescribable Inner Force circulated through his body. Every punch carried a "whoosh" as it tore through the air, his movements gradually shedding their rawness and growing rounded and fluid. This was precisely the "force permeating muscle and sinew" that his master Sun Yong and Senior Brother Liu Maolin had mentioned before.

"Morning, Junior Brother."

At that moment, Liu Maolin's voice came from the direction of the courtyard gate.

Dressed in a moon-white training outfit, he walked in with light steps. Seeing Yang Jing practicing with such vigor, a smile touched his lips. "Your fist wind has grown heavier again. Looks like you didn't eat that Bear Meat for nothing."

"Fourth Senior Brother." Yang Jing withdrew his fists and nodded. Sweat dripped from his brow to the ground as he smiled and nodded at Liu Maolin, who was approaching. "You came too."

"Mm. I just made a round of the medicine shop, so I came over to get some exercise."

After saying that, Liu Maolin moved to a spot not far from Yang Jing and began practicing the Mountain Collapse Fist as well.

He was now a Hidden Strength expert. Looking across all of Yuhe County, aside from the very few Transforming Strength powerhouses, Liu Maolin was already among the foremost experts.

Having reached his current level, it was exceedingly difficult for him to improve any further.

As for the hope of breaking through into Transforming Strength, it was even more remote.

Under such circumstances, Liu Maolin began spreading his energy elsewhere. No longer did he devote himself body and soul to martial arts as before; instead, he slowly began taking over the family business.

Compared to before, he spent much less time at the martial arts school. Still, he came by every day and stayed for a while. Compared to the busyness and scheming at home or in business, he preferred the school's pure yet lively atmosphere.

The two practiced Mountain Collapse Fist on their own, their fist winds intertwining in a tacit rhythm.

Before long, the inner courtyard gate opened with a creak. The school master, Sun Yong, emerged dressed in black, his hands clasped behind his back as his gaze swept across the many disciples training in the front courtyard.

"Zhou Ziming, sink your shoulders in your horse stance! Stop wobbling like you're shaking chaff!"

"Li Xingchen, your fist form has gone astray. Mountain Collapse Fist calls for fierce power, not flashy tricks!"

Sun Yong occasionally stopped to offer a few pointers. When he reached Yang Jing and watched him finish a set of punches, he said flatly, "Your Bright Strength has stabilized, but your lower stance is still floating. Practice your horse stance more."

With that, he moved on without another word.

In his eyes, Yang Jing's willingness to put in hard work was a good thing, but his natural aptitude was what it was. Bright Strength was already his limit; he simply was not worth investing too much effort in.

His gaze soon settled on Lin Yue, who was practicing in the spacious center of the front courtyard.

Lin Yue was even a year younger than Yang Jing. Tall and straight-backed, he breathed long and steadily as he punched, and the force of his fists stirred the fallen leaves more than a zhang away.

Sun Yong walked over and personally corrected Lin Yue's stance. Even his tone was far gentler than it was with the other disciples. "Here, draw your breath into the Dantian. When making a Breakthrough attempt toward Hidden Strength, even the slightest deviation can bring all your previous efforts to nothing."

Lin Yue listened with complete focus, nodding from time to time, his expression respectful and intent.

Though he was a genius and possessed no small amount of pride, that was only toward ordinary disciples. Before his master, Sun Yong, he had always conducted himself with utmost deference.

Watching School Master Sun Yong continuously guide Lin Yue, many of the martial arts school disciples were filled with envy.

Everyone knew that Lin Yue was Sun Yong's most highly regarded genius disciple. Not only had he been specially permitted to reside in the inner courtyard, but it was said that Sun Yong frequently bestowed many precious medicines upon him, greatly accelerating his martial progress.

Other disciples had also applied to live at the martial arts school after breaking through to Bright Strength, but Sun Yong had almost always rejected them on the grounds that "too many people disturb the peace."

Thus, even after some disciples broke through to Bright Strength, most no longer bothered applying to live at the school unless they had some important reason that could move Sun Yong. As for ordinary registered disciples, they were not even qualified to make such a request.

Lin Yue, on the other hand, had been personally kept behind by Sun Yong when he broke through to Bright Strength. He was allowed to live in the inner courtyard, and some disciples even privately speculated that the school master might be trying to bring Lin Yue and Sun Ningxiang together.

Whenever the subject came up, the disciples' moods sank. In the hearts of these rough men, Sun Ningxiang, the school master's daughter, was practically the embodiment of truth, goodness, and beauty.

"I heard Senior Brother Lin is about to make a Breakthrough attempt toward Hidden Strength."

"Isn't that so? How long has it even been since he entered Bright Strength? And he's already going to attempt Hidden Strength. A genius with first-rate natural aptitude is truly something else!"

"I heard Senior Sister Qi Yun say that Senior Brother Lin's natural aptitude is exceptional. There's a good chance he'll break through to Hidden Strength in a single attempt. Good heavens—that's a Hidden Strength expert!"

"Forget about Hidden Strength. That's something we couldn't catch up to even if we whipped our horses. If we can enter Strength in this lifetime, that'll already be plenty good."

Yang Jing turned a deaf ear to the envious, jealous chatter of the other disciples, as though he had heard nothing at all.

Whether the other disciples performed well or poorly, he did not care.

He focused only on his own martial progress. With the System Panel, as long as he cultivated diligently, he would surely reach the highest point his eyes could see.

Hidden Strength was not the end of his martial path. His goal was Transforming Strength, and realms beyond it.

While others were thrown into turmoil by Lin Yue's display of talent, Yang Jing silently and intently practiced Mountain Collapse Fist.

Time passed second by second.

Yang Jing was practicing the Split Stone form of Mountain Collapse Fist. Just as his fist struck the wooden post, he heard Liu Maolin say behind him, "Junior Brother, the word 'split' in this move isn't about fierce force—it lies in the subtlety of power."

He turned and saw that Liu Maolin had already withdrawn his fists and was smiling at him.

"Fourth Senior Brother." Yang Jing greeted him with a smile.

Liu Maolin chuckled softly and nodded. "Come, exchange a few moves with me. Let me see how well you've absorbed the principles behind the fist techniques you've newly grasped."

Yang Jing's eyes lit up. Knowing that his senior brother was about to instruct him again, he promptly cupped his hands and said, "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."

The two took their positions in the open space and simultaneously assumed the opening stance of Mountain Collapse Fist.

Yang Jing struck first. Driven by Bright Strength, his fist wind surged forward with fierce momentum, shooting straight at Liu Maolin's face.

Liu Maolin remained unhurried. With a light turn of his wrist, he casually blocked the blow, yet precisely diverted most of its force.

At the same time, his elbow rose slightly. The Elbow Thrust form of Mountain Collapse Fist was already before Yang Jing's chest, yet it stopped less than an inch from his clothes.

"Watch carefully."

Liu Maolin's voice was steady. "Your Bright Strength is too rigid, like an unsharpened stone. It can smash things apart, but it cannot damage what lies within. Hidden Strength is different."

Before his words had faded, his arm suddenly trembled slightly. Yang Jing felt a clinging force coil along his arm, as if vines had wrapped around it. Even withdrawing his fist became difficult.

"Hidden Strength is like flowing water. It can follow the other person's force, then slip in through the gaps."

As Liu Maolin spoke, he shifted moves.

His fist brushed past Yang Jing's arm, and the force wind it raised made Yang Jing's skin prickle.

"Take the move Mountain Collapse, for example. Bright Strength opens mountains and splits stone; Hidden Strength shatters the foundation beneath the stone," Liu Maolin said slowly.

Yang Jing concentrated on feeling it out, adjusting his fist path according to Liu Maolin's guidance.

Liu Maolin wielded his Hidden Strength with effortless control. At times, it was like a spring breeze brushing past, allowing Yang Jing to clearly sense the path of each technique. At other times, it was like raging waves crashing against the shore, forcing him to mobilize all the Bright Strength in his body to respond.

Every exchange of moves was like a demonstration of the deeper mysteries of Mountain Collapse Fist.

So the same move, when driven by Bright Strength and Hidden Strength, could differ as greatly as heaven and earth.

"Yes, just like that. Sink your waist and hips a little more. Let the force rise from the roots of your legs and push upward along your spine."

Seeing that Yang Jing was gradually finding the right approach, Liu Maolin's tone carried a little more praise.

The two exchanged blows, their fist winds weaving together in a blur.

Liu Maolin always held something back, yet he helped Yang Jing gain an ever-deeper understanding of the principles behind "force penetrating the muscles and sinews" and "hardness and softness in harmony."

As he drew back from the final move, Yang Jing was somewhat out of breath, but his eyes shone with astonishing brightness. It was as though a layer of window paper had been pierced through, and his grasp of the Mountain Collapse Fist had improved by no small measure.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Yang Jing cupped his fists sincerely.

Only now did he understand that the "collapse" of the Mountain Collapse Fist was not merely about shattering external objects, but also about smashing through the limits of one's own understanding of boxing principles.

Liu Maolin smiled and patted Yang Jing on the shoulder. "Junior Brother, your foundation is solid. What you lack is only guidance. Practice well, and given time, you may not fail to touch the threshold of Hidden Strength."

After speaking, the two walked over to the stone benches by the courtyard and sat down, each taking out a waterskin and drinking with great gulps.

After taking two drinks, Yang Jing put away his waterskin, wiped his mouth, and looked at Liu Maolin. "Fourth Senior Brother, have you heard of the Great Fortune Gang?"

Liu Maolin froze for a moment at that, then pondered. "Great Fortune Gang? That sounds somewhat familiar. It's a gang around the western part of the city, isn't it?"

Yang Jing hurriedly nodded.

Yuhe County's county seat was divided into the Inner City and the Outer City.

The Outer City was further divided, according to direction, into South City, West City, North City, and East City.

Both Chengping Ward, where the Sun Clan Martial Arts School was located, and Datong Ward, where Yang Jing lived, fell within West City. The Great Fortune Gang was also active in West City; otherwise, Yang Jing would not have come into contact with them so easily.

Liu Maolin thought for a moment, then continued, "My family's clinic has dealings with quite a few forces in the city. I once heard the accountant mention that the Great Fortune Gang isn't considered a major gang in the city—just an ordinary one."

At this point, he paused, as though recalling something, then added, "I vaguely remember their gang leader being a Bright Strength martial artist. What was his name... I think his surname was Xu? I don't know his exact strength or record, but in any case, I've never heard that he could touch the threshold of Hidden Strength. By the way, why are you suddenly asking about them?"

Liu Maolin raised his head, frowned, and looked at Yang Jing.

Gangs stood thick as trees in Yuhe County. Unless it was necessary, it was best not to deal with these underworld forces.