Yuhe County, West City District, Chengping Ward.
Dusk settled like a thin veil over the soaring, upturned eaves of the Sun Clan Martial Arts School.
When Sun Yong and his party walked along the stone-paved road and entered the Martial Arts Hall gates, the lanterns in the front courtyard were already lit.
In the dim yellow light, several chore disciples putting away weapons and training equipment stopped their work at the sight of the returning group and bowed their heads respectfully. "School Master."
Sun Yong acknowledged them with a grunt, glanced at Yang Jing beside him, then led the way toward the inner courtyard.
Once Sun Yong left, the disciples breathed sighs of relief and relaxed.
Some of the Bright Strength disciples prepared to leave, making a point of saying goodbye to Yang Jing first.
Yang Jing answered each of them with a smile and a nod. He noticed that these fellow disciples, who had once offered him no more than a nod when they met, now looked at him with a measure of awe. Even as they walked, they unconsciously moved aside, as though he carried an invisible aura.
After the others left, Liu Maolin lowered his voice beside him. "See that? That's the weight a first-place finish carries!"
Yang Jing pressed his lips together and looked up at the sky. A few scattered stars already dotted the ink-blue heavens, and lamplight glimmered faintly from the inner courtyard.
Lin Yue had left at some point, but Qi Yun and Zhao Wenzheng, who usually kept close company with him, had not gone with him. The two were huddled with their eldest senior brother, Xu Hong, talking quietly and gesturing through moves. Clearly, they were still discussing the victories and defeats of that day's Parade Ground Trial.
"Senior Brother, I'll go