Arranging a Match

With Sun Ningxiang having spoken up, Lin Yue could hardly keep pushing back, reluctant though he was. Qi Yun and Zhao Wenzheng could only nod grudgingly. "Then let's do as Junior Sister Ningxiang suggests."

Liu Maolin breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.

Lin Yue glanced at Yang Jing, who was practicing his punches alone in the distance, then looked at Sun Ningxiang beside him. His brows knitted even tighter.

He had always liked Sun Ningxiang. Seeing her speak up for Yang Jing stirred an inexplicable surge of anger and dislike within him.

A fool with mediocre root bone-what right did he have to make Ningxiang speak on his behalf?

Liu Maolin walked eagerly toward Yang Jing.

In a corner of the Front Courtyard, Yang Jing was striking a wooden post again and again. His Fist Wind was steady, and the fist marks on the post had deepened further.

"Junior Brother, there's something I want to discuss with you." Liu Maolin approached and patted Yang Jing on the shoulder.

Hearing his voice, Yang Jing withdrew his fist and turned around, beads of sweat clinging to his forehead. He looked at Liu Maolin beside him and asked in puzzlement, "What is it, Senior Brother?"

"We're planning to put together a team to spar with Mighty Reach, Iron Fist, and the other martial arts halls as a warm-up for the parade ground trial. I suggested including you in these sparring matches. Junior Sister Ningxiang spoke up for you too, and the others have no objections."

Liu Maolin continued with a smile, "This is a great opportunity. More actual combat might give you some insight and help you break through the bottleneck into hidden strength."

Yang Jing paused, not expecting this to be what Fourth Senior Brother wanted to discuss. "Sparring with other martial arts halls? Does that mean going to their halls?"

"Yes. It'll probably take half a month altogether, visiting the halls in turn," Liu Maolin said.

Yang Jing frowned at that. After a brief moment of thought, he shook his head. "Wouldn't that mean running around every day and delaying my fist practice? Thank you for thinking of me, Senior Brother, but I won't be joining this sparring team."

He was wholly focused on breaking through to hidden strength now, budgeting every hour of each day. He truly did not want any distractions.

Liu Maolin had not expected him to refuse. Taken aback, he hurriedly said, "Actual combat is part of martial training too. Fighting more opponents broadens your horizons. You might gain some insight that helps you break through your bottleneck."

Little did he know that, with the System Panel, Yang Jing's path of cultivation was destined to differ from everyone else's. As long as he trained to the limit, he could break through naturally. There was no such thing as a bottleneck for him.

Joining this so-called sparring team would only slow his cultivation.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother," Yang Jing said sincerely, "but I'd still rather keep my feet firmly on the ground and practice my punches on my own."

Liu Maolin tried twice more to persuade him. Seeing that Yang Jing remained firm, he knew there was no changing his mind. Though he regretted it, he could only give up. "All right. It's good that you have your own ideas. Since you don't want to join, I'll go back and tell them."

Yang Jing nodded and watched Liu Maolin leave.

He knew Liu Maolin meant well, but he had his own road to walk. His martial path was destined to be different from everyone else's.

Then Yang Jing turned back toward the wooden post. His Fist Wind sounded again as he resumed his focused practice of the Mountain Collapse Fist.

To him, nothing mattered more right now than breaking through to hidden strength. Those sparring matches were of little importance by comparison.

Meanwhile.

Liu Maolin returned to the others and sighed softly, a trace of helplessness on his face. "Junior Brother Yang... he refused. He only wants to practice his punches on his own and doesn't want to take part in the sparring matches."

At Liu Maolin's words, the others all froze, surprise flashing across their faces.

After all, this was an excellent opportunity.

If they performed well against the other martial arts halls, they could make a name for themselves in Yuhe County. They might even gain insights that would greatly benefit their future cultivation.

Even if they performed poorly, they would at least gain some actual combat experience. That might prove crucial someday, perhaps even helping them pass the parade ground trial.

In short, joining this sparring team offered a hundred benefits and not a single drawback. Yet Yang Jing had actually refused?

After their brief astonishment, they quickly recovered.

Qi Yun raised her brows, a sneer curling her lips. "At least he knows his own limits. He knows he's not fit to be shown off. Even if he came with us, he'd lose so miserably against the experts from the other martial arts halls that he'd disgrace not only himself but us as well. Even the hall's reputation would suffer."

At times, her impression of Yang Jing was still stuck on how he used to desperately curry favor with her. She had always scorned him. What right did an insignificant country bumpkin have to be one of her followers?

Even after breaking through to bright strength, a nobody was still a nobody.

Or rather, what truly displeased Qi Yun was that, after breaking through to bright strength, Yang Jing had actually stopped currying favor with her and trying to please her.

Had he continued waiting on her hand and foot as he had before, she would not have minded having another bright strength martial artist as a lackey.

That contrast between Yang Jing's former and current behavior was what angered Qi Yun most.

After Qi Yun finished, Lin Yue snorted disdainfully and turned to Sun Ningxiang, his tone carrying a deliberately emphatic certainty. "See? I told you he wasn't up to it. He doesn't even have the ambition himself. Mud can't be plastered onto a wall-give him an opportunity, and he still can't seize it. There's no need to waste any more effort on someone like him."

His words were meant not only for Sun Ningxiang but for everyone present, especially since he knew Liu Maolin was close to Yang Jing.

Sun Ningxiang's brows drew together slightly, a flicker of disappointment passing through her heart.

She had thought someone who worked as hard as Yang Jing would surely treasure such an opportunity. She had not expected him to refuse. Did he truly have no desire to improve? Perhaps he really did lack ambition, just as Lin Yue had said.

Listening beside them, Liu Maolin could not help saying, "I still think it's a pity. With more actual combat, his chances of breaking through to hidden strength might have been a little better."

"Heh." Lin Yue gave a derisive laugh. "Senior Brother Liu, you're a hidden strength martial artist yourself. You should know how difficult that breakthrough is. Expecting a bit of actual combat to get him into hidden strength? I'd say that's much more likely to be wishful thinking."

Liu Maolin frowned.

At that moment, Zhao Wenzheng reached out and patted Liu Maolin on the shoulder. "Let it go. Everyone has their own aspirations. Since he doesn't want to join, we'll choose someone else. Master arranged this sparring team and has already discussed it with the masters of the other two martial arts halls. We can't hold things up."

"There are plenty of people willing to join," Qi Yun said.

They immediately stopped discussing Yang Jing and resumed considering other candidates.

Only Liu Maolin occasionally glanced at Yang Jing's figure as he practiced his punches with complete focus, still feeling a lingering sense of regret.

As Lin Yue had said, he was a hidden strength martial artist who had overcome that bottleneck himself. He knew all too well how difficult it was to break past the bright strength bottleneck.

His root bone ranked toward the upper end of the middle grade, yet breaking through to hidden strength had still been terribly difficult.

With Yang Jing's talent, mediocre even among those with low-grade root bone, the hope of crossing that chasm-like bottleneck was far too slim-unless he could once again have heaven-defying luck, as he had when breaking through to bright strength. Liu Maolin shook his head with a bitter smile. How could that possibly happen?

Early in the morning, two days later.

Yang Jing ate a pound of tiger meat with a small plate of side dishes, then prepared to head to the martial arts hall to practice.

Every day, his master, Sun Yong, gave him a little guidance. There was not much of it, but it came from a lofty vantage point and brought Yang Jing tremendous gains. As the saying went, true teaching took only a few words; false teaching filled ten thousand volumes.

Before he could leave, however, he received word from the Liu Family Medical Hall. A shipment of medicinal herbs needed escorting to neighboring Jinshan County. The round trip would take a day, and they could begin the return journey by evening.

Upon receiving the message, Yang Jing immediately changed into a practical short outfit, tucked his defensive short knife at his waist, and arrived punctually at Liu's Medicine Hall.

More than a dozen guards had already gathered at the entrance, all lean and capable. Among them was a dark-faced man with a deep, steady presence, clearly another bright strength expert.

"Brother Yang, with you along this time, we'll have a safe journey." The lead guard greeted him with a smile.

Yang Jing smiled and exchanged a few words with him, then waited quietly for his assignment.

He received silver and bear meat from the Liu Family every month, yet did little work, going on only two or three assignments a month. He always felt he ought to do more to put his mind at ease.

Once the medicinal herbs had been loaded securely onto the carts, the group set off.

The journey was fairly smooth. They encountered a few refugees turned petty bandits, but dealt with them easily.

By evening, they had successfully delivered the herbs to the branch in Jinshan County. They then loaded the return shipment and headed back toward Yuhe County.

It was already deep into the night when they returned to the county seat.

After checking the medicinal herbs, the old hand at the Liu Family Medical Hall passed Yang Jing an oilpaper parcel. "Brother Yang, there are two taels of silver and three pounds of bear meat in here. Sorry for troubling you with this trip."

Yang Jing knew this was standard practice, so he did not refuse. He accepted the oilpaper parcel and tucked it away. Just as he turned to leave, he saw Liu Maolin coming in from outside. A faint smell of alcohol clung to him, but his steps were steady. Clearly, he was only slightly tipsy.

"Junior Brother?" Liu Maolin paused upon seeing Yang Jing, then smiled. "Just got back?"

"Yes, I just finished escorting the herbs," Yang Jing replied with a nod.

"Thanks for your hard work. You're back so late." Liu Maolin patted Yang Jing on the shoulder.

"It's only right," Yang Jing said, smiling and shaking his head. Then his gaze settled on Liu Maolin's face. Seeing the ease in his expression, he asked, "Has something good happened, Senior Brother? You seem to be in a fine mood. You've even had a few drinks."

The two stood at the entrance to the Liu Family Medical Hall, the evening breeze carrying a slight chill.

Liu Maolin rubbed the tip of his nose. His face was faintly flushed from drinking, and he looked a little embarrassed. "There is something. I'm going to take another woman into the household."

Yang Jing was startled and did not immediately understand. Looking at Liu Maolin's embarrassed, almost bashful expression, realization dawned on him. A little puzzled, he asked quietly, "Aren't you already married, Senior Brother?"

After becoming close to Liu Maolin, he had visited his home several times and naturally met his gentle-natured wife.

The flush on Liu Maolin's face deepened, and his voice dropped. "Junior Brother, you know my principal wife is frail and still hasn't borne a child. My family has been pressing me hard, so I have no choice but to... take a concubine. It's also to keep our old Liu family's ancestral incense burning."

After saying that, he was the first to laugh, with a hint of helplessness.

Yang Jing understood and quickly cupped his hands. "Then let me congratulate you in advance, Senior Brother."

Liu Maolin waved a hand, then turned his attention to Yang Jing. "Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you're not so young anymore either. You can't stay single forever. Martial training is important, but you shouldn't put off starting a family and establishing yourself, should you?"

Hearing Liu Maolin bring the subject around to him, Yang Jing could not help remembering what his grandfather had said during his recent visit home. After a moment of silence, he said, "My mind has been full of fist practice lately. I haven't thought about that."

"Even martial training needs a balance between tension and relaxation." Liu Maolin patted his shoulder. "Once I've finished dealing with this business, I'll keep an eye out for you. If there's a suitable girl, shall I take you to meet her?"

Yang Jing neither agreed at once nor refused. He merely said vaguely, "We'll see."

They chatted a little longer about trivial matters concerning the martial arts hall and their families.

Seeing how late it was, Yang Jing bid farewell and left.

As he walked back toward Tongyi Ward, the evening breeze brushed over him, and he recalled Liu Maolin's words. He took them as nothing more than an offhand remark made after drinking and did not dwell on them.

For him, breaking through to hidden strength was the top priority right now. Everything else was still too early.

Early the next morning.

Yang Jing arrived at the martial arts hall, set down his cloth bundle and waterskin in the Front Courtyard, and began holding his horse stance, lifting stone locks, and striking the wooden post.

After warming up by tempering his qi and blood, he began practicing the Mountain Collapse Fist in earnest.

Time passed, minute by minute and second by second, and more disciples gathered in the courtyard.

Yang Jing paid no attention to anyone else, concentrating only on his own practice. The flowing strikes of the Mountain Collapse Fist unfolded in the morning light, every punch carrying a deep, steady force.

Sun Yong strolled out of the Inner Courtyard, his plain long robe stirring gently in the morning breeze.

His gaze swept over the disciples practicing in the Front Courtyard. Seeing several ordinary registered disciples with loose, sloppy stances, he offered a few casual pointers-"sink your shoulders" and "drop your elbows." When he came to several bright strength formal disciples, he paused briefly to correct flaws in how they exerted their strength.

Sun Yong stopped when he reached Yang Jing.

He watched Yang Jing finish a sequence of the Stone Splitting Stance. Though his punches were fierce and powerful, an unnecessary trace of stiffness crept in as he withdrew them. Sun Yong said, "When you pull back your fist, your qi must flow smoothly and your intent must sink. Don't let your force get trapped in your shoulder socket."

As he spoke, he raised his hand to demonstrate. With a slight turn of his wrist, a rounded, harmonious force naturally drew back. "In the later stages of bright strength, you must understand how to gather it in, not merely release it outward."

Yang Jing's heart sharpened with attention. He adjusted as instructed, and his next punches were indeed much smoother. He hurriedly bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Master."

Sun Yong nodded slightly. Without saying more, he turned toward the three figures in the center of the courtyard: Xu Hong, Qi Yun, and Lin Yue.

Only five hidden strength disciples still remained at the martial arts hall: Xu Hong, Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng, Liu Maolin, and Lin Yue. Of them, Senior Brother Xu Hong, Second Senior Sister Qi Yun, and Lin Yue still spent most of their time at the hall. Third Senior Brother Zhao Wenzheng and Fourth Senior Brother Liu Maolin had begun taking over their lineage businesses. They still came to the hall almost every day, but spent far less time there than before.

Sun Yong approached Xu Hong and guided the rhythm of his breathing, then went over to Qi Yun and corrected the angle of her punches.

Finally, he stopped beside Lin Yue.

Lin Yue was practicing the Mountain Collapse Fist at the hidden strength level. Sun Yong watched for a while, then personally demonstrated the transitions between moves. He also explained the methods of circulating internal energy in a low voice. Occasionally, he had Lin Yue attack while he met the blows with his own fists, carefully pointing out the subtleties involved.

The patience and care Sun Yong showed when teaching Lin Yue were far beyond what he offered any other disciple.

Many disciples looked toward Lin Yue, unable to hide the envy in their eyes. If only they could receive such attentive instruction from the hall master. But they could only dream of it. In the end, it all came down to root bone. Lin Yue had high-grade root bone, so naturally the hall master valued him.

Yang Jing glanced at Sun Yong as he broke down the moves for Lin Yue, then withdrew his gaze and sank his waist again. Amid the Fist Wind of his Mountain Collapse Fist, his focus grew still more unwavering, untouched by distractions.

The peak of bright strength. I'm almost there.

P.S. The generous reader "Qingshan Liushui]" tipped another 100 Qidian coins!