Opportunity

Yang Jing quickly recalled the events of that night.

When he killed Scarface Li, it was in a dark alley. Besides the corpse, there were no other traces left behind.

When he burned Xu Tai's house, he handled it cleanly. Even the murder weapon was hidden securely. There shouldn't be any flaws left.

Thinking this, Yang Jing felt a little more at ease, but his vigilance remained heightened.

He lingered no longer. Using the crowd as cover, he quickened his pace, passing through Guang'an Ward, and soon arrived at the small courtyard in Tongyi Ward.

He pushed open the door and first went to the kitchen to heat the tiger meat left over from the morning, stuffing large chunks into his mouth.

The warm meat juice slid down his throat, and the familiar warmth dispelled some of his unease.

Seeing that the sky had already darkened considerably, Yang Jing decided not to go to the martial arts school anymore. He simply took off his shirt and stood bare-chested in the courtyard.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the locust tree leaves, casting dappled shadows on his bronze back.

He sank his waist and planted his stance, steadily unfolding the starting posture of Mountain Collapse Fist.

The hustle and bustle of the martial arts school was gone, replaced by the intertwining sounds of a gurgling stream and the whistling of his fists cutting through the air.

The energy from the tiger meat circulated within his body. As his fists rose and fell, the muscles in his shoulders and back bulged. Sweat dripped down his firm physique, splashing onto the ground and forming small wet patches.

The fist edge of "Mountain Splitting Style" swept through the air, the resulting gust of wind rustling the morning glories at the corner of the courtyard.

When "Mountain Collapse Style" descended, the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly.

He became more and more engrossed in his practice. In this chaotic world, only the improvement of one's own strength was the greatest source of confidence.

Days passed quietly amidst the wind of his fists and his sweat. In the blink of an eye, another half month had gone by.

Yang Jing's control over the Bright Strength of Mountain Collapse Fist became increasingly fluid. The stiffness in his movements had long since disappeared. His ferocity was now tempered with steadiness, and with every punch he threw, he could control the power with ease.

One afternoon, at the Sun Clan Martial Arts School in Chengping Ward.

Yang Jing and Liu Maolin stood facing each other.

"Your punches, junior brother, have become more methodical recently."

Liu Maolin stretched his wrists, the leather on his gloves glinting in the sunlight. "Come on, let's spar a few moves."

Yang Jing smiled and nodded, sinking his waist and assuming the starting posture.

Liu Maolin threw the first punch. His fist wind was steady, a "Mountain Pushing Style" of Mountain Collapse Fist. It appeared slow but carried a heavy force.

Yang Jing neither dodged nor blocked. He parried the opponent's fist with his left arm and simultaneously struck out with his right fist in the "Mountain Splitting Style," his punch cunningly aimed at the ribs.

"Good!" Liu Maolin exclaimed. He shifted his weight, and with a flick of his wrist, he used the back of his fist to strike Yang Jing's fist.

The two fists met with a dull thud. Yang Jing felt a subtle force transmit, his wrist went slightly numb, and his punch was involuntarily deflected by half an inch.

"Bright Strength isn't just about being fierce; you also need to know how to yield," Liu Maolin instructed as they sparred. "When the opponent's force is too strong, it's better to redirect it than to meet it head-on. It's like flowing water encountering a hard rock; go around it before counter-attacking."

Yang Jing's heart stirred. He instantly recalled the words 'accumulate power' that Master Sun Yong had once spoken.

He adjusted his breathing, no longer stubbornly forcing his way through. His fist edge retracted and extended, using Liu Maolin's punching force to adjust his body. He gradually began to grasp the essence of 'using softness to overcome hardness.'

The two exchanged blows, their fists blurring. Some of the newly admitted disciples nearby stopped their practice and watched intently.

To the disciples who had not yet entered Bright Strength, both Liu Maolin and Yang Jing were far superior masters. Being able to witness these two masters of Mountain Collapse Fist spar was also of great benefit to their own practice of the technique.

After a collision of "Mountain Collapse Style" punches, both men took half a step back.

Liu Maolin looked at Yang Jing, a smile in his eyes. "Your progress is not slow. After a bit more refinement, the peak of Bright Strength will be within reach."

Yang Jing rubbed his warm fist, his mind suddenly enlightened.

During the spar just now, Liu Maolin's 'yielding force' technique had deepened his understanding of Bright Strength by another layer.

So, ferocity wasn't just about pushing forward relentlessly; the subtle control between retraction and extension was the essence of Bright Strength.

Yang Jing cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, senior brother."

Liu Maolin patted his shoulder. "The path of martial arts is not just about practicing alone; sparring with others is better. After entering Bright Strength, you need to spar more with others. Only then can your comprehension of martial arts deepen, and your progress become faster."

"Yes, I understand, senior brother," Yang Jing replied.

Liu Maolin gave a soft hum and continued, "Most importantly, sparring occasionally sparks moments of inspiration and insight, which can help you break through bottlenecks. With your talent, it will be difficult to break through to the next bottleneck and enter Hidden Strength, but it's not without hope. An opportunity will arise in a few days."

Amidst the commotion in the front courtyard, a graceful figure emerged from the moon gate of the inner courtyard.

Sun Ningxiang, dressed in a neat lake-blue short outfit with a matching belt, quickly walked up to Liu Maolin. Her voice was clear as she said, "Fourth Senior Brother, my father is looking for you. He's waiting in the inner courtyard."

Upon hearing this, Liu Maolin retracted his fists, nodded to Yang Jing, and then followed Sun Ningxiang into the inner courtyard.

Sun Ningxiang gave Yang Jing a slight smile and walked into the inner courtyard, chatting with Liu Maolin.

Yang Jing was taken aback. His heart couldn't help but flutter slightly. He quickly took a deep breath, suppressed the restlessness in his heart, and continued to focus on his practice.

With a thought, his system panel appeared before his eyes, clearly showing the current cultivation progress of his two martial arts:

[Mountain Collapse Fist - Minor Accomplishment (455/500)]

[Surging Wave Leg - Novice (131/200)]

The progress on both martial arts was good. Mountain Collapse Fist was getting closer and closer to the peak of Bright Strength, and the cultivation progress of Surging Wave Leg was astonishingly fast. In just half a month, the novice stage was more than half complete.

Yang Jing still focused primarily on Mountain Collapse Fist. He only practiced Surging Wave Leg when he was tired from practicing Mountain Collapse Fist, or at night in his own courtyard. Even so, the progress was extremely rapid.

The main reason is that Yang Jing is now a master of Bright Strength, and also quite close to its peak. Practicing Surging Wave Leg from a superior vantage point naturally yields much better results than when he first practiced Mountain Collapse Fist.

After glancing at his System Panel, any stray thoughts Yang Jing had just moments ago were completely suppressed.

He was very satisfied with his current martial arts progress. At this rate, he was expected to break through to Hidden Strength within half a month.

With this thought, Yang Jing immediately immersed himself back into practicing his fist forms, becoming more focused and engrossed with each movement, feeling incredibly motivated!

In the inner courtyard, within the main hall.

Sun Yong, the master of the Sun Clan Martial Arts School, sat upright in the grand master's chair. On the low table beside him sat a tea set, faint wisps of steam rising from the teacup, filling the air with the aroma of tea.

Eldest Senior Brother Xu Hong, Second Senior Sister Qi Yun, and Third Senior Brother Zhao Wenzheng had already arrived and were standing in the room. Hearing movement behind them, all three turned to look at Liu Maolin as he entered.

Sun Ningxiang stood beside her father, Sun Yong, her expression calm.

"Everyone is here," Sun Yong said, taking a sip of his tea. His gaze swept over his four disciples. "There's only a month left until the Parade Ground Trial. All of you need to buckle down and prepare yourselves well."

The Great Qi Dynasty divided the martial arts examinations into four stages.

The first stage was the Parade Ground Trial, followed by the Prefecture City Trial, then the Province Trial, and finally the Palace Examination. Those who reached the end would become the renowned Martial Champions of the realm.

However, for them, becoming a Martial Champion was too distant a goal. Their immediate objective was to pass the Parade Ground Trial.

Upon passing the Parade Ground Trial, they would be exempt from corvée labor and half of their taxes imposed by the government.

If they didn't own land, they could allow rural farmers to register under their name, which would also generate a considerable income.

The four responded in unison, "Yes, Master."

The martial arts examinations were a golden path for martial artists to enter officialdom and gain government positions. Achieving a ranking in the martial arts examinations would not only bring significant benefits to themselves but also serve as an excellent opportunity to enhance the reputation of their martial arts school, so they naturally dared not be negligent.

Sun Yong put down his teacup and continued, "To help you get a feel for real combat, I've spoken with the masters of Weiyuan Martial Arts School to the west of the city and Iron Fist Hall to the north. We've arranged several sparring matches to take place within these next two weeks."

As he spoke, he looked at the four before him. "Our martial arts school will also form a sparring team to compete against the teams from the other two schools. As for the team members, the four of you will be on it, along with Lin Yue. You can discuss the rest amongst yourselves."

All four nodded quickly. "Yes, Master."

Sun Yong grunted and added a few simple instructions before waving his hand. "Discuss the specific team members amongst yourselves after you leave, and then report your decisions to me."

"Yes, Master." The four rose, bowed, and exited the main hall one by one.

Sun Ningxiang also followed them out.

Left alone in the main hall, Sun Yong gazed out the door, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.

These sparring sessions were not only a warm-up for the Parade Ground Trial but also a way to assess the progress of his disciples, especially Lin Yue. Among these disciples, he valued Lin Yue, this exceptionally talented disciple, the most. If Lin Yue could shine during these spars, it would greatly benefit the martial arts school's reputation.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Hong, Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng, and Liu Maolin had just stepped out of the inner courtyard when they saw Lin Yue returning from outside. His moon-white brocade robe was stained with a few oil smudges, suggesting he had likely accepted another invitation from some young master of a prominent family for lunch.

Lin Yue saw the four emerging from the inner courtyard. His gaze fell on Sun Ningxiang, who had come out last, and his eyes lit up slightly before he shifted his attention back to the four ahead. "Did Master summon you?" he asked.

Although Lin Yue was young and had joined the school later, he possessed the arrogance of a prodigy. Even though his background was ordinary, he held a subtle sense of disdain towards these senior disciples who came from prominent families.

Xu Hong immediately gave a brief explanation of the Parade Ground Trial and the upcoming sparring matches with other martial arts schools.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's lips curled into a confident smile. "Sparring sounds good. It'll be a good chance to stretch my limbs and get accustomed to real combat in advance."

Given his talent, he was naturally an indispensable member of this team.

As the six of them spoke, they walked to the shade of a tree by the front courtyard to discuss.

"The Parade Ground Trial will be a chaotic mix of people, with various martial arts styles from different schools. Analyzing them in advance is useless," Xu Hong said gravely. "These sparring matches are mainly to give everyone more practical combat experience. Don't worry about what they're good at; just fight."

"Then let's form a small team of six or seven people," Zhao Wenzheng chimed in. "The four of us plus Junior Brother Lin, and then add two more. This will also give some opportunities to other junior brothers and sisters."

Qi Yun and Lin Yue both nodded in agreement. Sun Ningxiang merely listened quietly from the side, not interjecting.

Next, the group began to ponder whom to include.

This was a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and improve their strength. If utilized well, they might even be able to perform exceptionally in the Parade Ground Trial and secure a ranking.

For many martial artists from ordinary backgrounds, achieving a ranking in the Parade Ground Trial was a matter of immense honor for their ancestors.

Even for disciples from prominent families, making a name for themselves in the Parade Ground Trial was a significant bonus and would lead to them being more highly regarded within their families.

And at this moment, such a crucial opportunity rested in their hands.

Their gazes slowly swept over the numerous disciples practicing martial arts in the front courtyard. This superior stance was something they enjoyed, as if they were gods, deciding the fates of other disciples.

Zhao Wenzheng said, "I think Junior Brother Luo Feng would be suitable. He's naturally strong, and his Mountain Collapse Fist has already reached the peak of Bright Strength. His power is considered quite strong among those at the Bright Strength level."

Qi Yun added, "Junior Brother Han Feiyu is also good. Although he has only just entered Bright Strength, his aptitude is above average. He has a high chance of breaking through to Hidden Strength in the future. Experiencing more real combat now, and generating more insights, will make it easier for him to overcome bottlenecks when attempting breakthroughs."

Zhao Wenzheng and Qi Yun nominated two disciples who had performed well recently.

Liu Maolin pondered for a moment. "I think Junior Brother Yang Jing is also very suitable. He's close to the peak of Bright Strength now, and he trains the most diligently. His only weakness is in practical combat. If he participates in more real combat, it might help him break through to Hidden Strength."

Hearing Liu Maolin's nomination, Lin Yue immediately frowned. "Him? Forget it."

Among the many disciples of the martial arts school, Lin Yue had an impression of Yang Jing, but it wasn't a good one.

He was like a show-off every day, arriving the earliest and leaving the latest. His so-called effort and diligence earned praise from many disciples, and even the Master had sighed in admiration twice.

But what was the point of all that?

Aptitude was the foundation of martial arts. With a low-grade root bone, his future achievements would be limited. He might never reach Hidden Strength in his lifetime. Knowing that this path was unsustainable, yet stubbornly pushing forward – that wasn't diligence, it was foolishness.

Seeing such a fool, Lin Yue felt nothing but annoyance. A single day of his casual training was equivalent to ten days of Yang Jing's painstaking effort.

"His talent is what it is. Reaching the peak of Bright Strength is already his limit. If we let him represent our martial arts school in a spar, wouldn't that just be a laughingstock? It would shame the school."

Qi Yun nodded in agreement, adding, "Junior Brother Lin is right. Yang Jing's aptitude is indeed average, with no value in further cultivation. For this kind of opportunity, I think it's safer to choose disciples with better potential."

Listening to Lin Yue and Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng also nodded, expressing his agreement. The senior disciple, Xu Hong, remained silent.

As they were arguing, Sun Ningxiang walked over and said softly, "I think we can give Yang Jing a chance."

She looked at everyone and slowly continued, "I often see him come to the martial arts school before dawn and leave after dark. The wooden posts in the front yard have the most fist imprints from him. This kind of diligence shouldn't be buried."

Sun Ningxiang's sudden interjection surprised everyone present.

In the past, although Sun Ningxiang was the schoolmaster's daughter, she rarely interfered in the martial arts school's affairs. But this time