Lin Yue

As the setting sun dyed the western sky a dusky red, Yang Jing arrived at Fenglou Village.

Fenglou Village lay in a relatively remote corner of Wazi Township, beside a vast lake, with riverside flats on either side overgrown with ankle-deep wild grass. Only a single dirt road led into the village and connected it to the other villages of Wazi Township, serving as Fenglou Village's sole route in and out.

Yang Jing immediately slipped into the woods beside the road. The lingering light filtering through the branches and leaves gradually dimmed, while the chill crept in with the gathering dusk.

As night deepened, the cold wind swept over the treetops, carrying the damp chill of the lake and stabbing into one's bones.

In times like these, many households did not even eat dinner. With the weather so cold, most people went to bed as soon as darkness fell.

The lights in Fenglou Village had long since gone out. Not even the barking of dogs could be heard; only the dirt road glimmered faintly white beneath the moonlight.

Yang Jing pulled his clothes tighter around himself, his gaze fixed on the end of the dirt road. He was patient, waiting from deepening dusk until the sky was full of stars.

It was not until late at night that a figure came staggering from afar. By the moonlight, Yang Jing confirmed the man's identity—Feng Lei.

Feng Lei was broad and sturdy, wrapped in a thick padded jacket. With his neck hunched into his collar, he followed the dirt road toward the village, his footsteps unusually distinct in the silence.

Only after Feng Lei had passed and put some distance between them did Yang Jing move.

He softened his steps and followed far behind, using the shadows of the trees as cover. He watched Feng Lei turn into the third mud-brick house at the village entrance. Only after the wooden door shut with a creak did he slowly retreat into the depths of the forest, vanishing into the freezing night.

After leaving Fenglou Village, Yang Jing did not return to the city.

At this hour, the city gates had long since closed.

Yang Jing therefore stopped at a Post Station outside the city.

In the early days, these Post Stations did not allow anyone outside the government to stay and rest. But now that the world was in chaos and the imperial court's control had grown lax, they had become stopping places for travelers, while the station masters and other officials could skim a little profit for themselves.

Yang Jing paid twenty large coins to stay the night.

Lying on the bed with his hands beneath his head, Yang Jing stared at the canopy overhead, his thoughts sinking into contemplation.

Today wasn't a good opportunity. Feng Lei had been drinking, but he didn't look drunk.

Still, a man like Feng Lei was addicted to drink and drank almost every day. Mother said that when Feng Lei got dead drunk, he often beat his wife, to the point that she had taken the child and gone back to her parents' home.

Yang Jing pondered inwardly.

He had not expected to find a good opportunity on his first visit, and he himself had not made sufficient preparations either.

Still, this scouting trip had not been useless. At the very least, he now knew where Feng Lei lived.

With his thoughts churning, he gradually fell asleep.

The next morning, early.

Yang Jing first returned to his residence in Datong Ward, ate the pound of Horse Meat left over from yesterday, then immediately headed for the Sun Clan Martial Arts School in Chengping Ward.

"Junior Brother Yang, nothing happened at home, right?" As soon as Yang Jing arrived, Liu Maolin came over and asked.

Liu Maolin's impression of Yang Jing had taken quite a few twists and turns.

At first, his impression of Yang Jing had been ordinary, even somewhat poor. Back then, Yang Jing spent every day tagging along behind Lu Yang, Zhang Kehan, and the others, unable to tell what mattered from what did not. In the end, he would only ruin himself.

Liu Maolin did not show it on his face, but he could not be bothered to deal with such a person.

But later, Yang Jing changed.

He began training in martial arts like a madman.

Even Liu Maolin had been rather startled by that fierce drive, and it had stirred his curiosity.

It was precisely because of that curiosity that Liu Maolin approached Yang Jing and occasionally gave him pointers in martial arts training.

But as they interacted more, he discovered Yang Jing's seriousness, focus, and steadiness. His impression of Yang Jing steadily improved.

"It's nothing, Fourth Senior Brother." Yang Jing shook his head.

After exchanging a few simple words, Yang Jing began to Temper Qi and Blood.

He had eaten a pound of Horse Meat before coming. As he continued Tempering Qi and Blood, the meat was rapidly broken down within his body, providing the energy he needed for martial arts training.

Afterward, Yang Jing began practicing Mountain Collapse Fist again.

Through the System Panel, he could see his progress every day. This way of visibly seeing himself improve at every moment made Yang Jing even more absorbed and focused in his cultivation.

Just as Yang Jing was concentrating on his fist practice, a burst of commotion suddenly rose from nearby.

Yang Jing stopped moving and looked in the direction of the noise with confusion.

More than ten disciples had gathered there. At the center stood the school master, Sun Yong, with an unfamiliar youth of fifteen or sixteen beside him.

"Is this... a newcomer?" Yang Jing was somewhat puzzled, and he stepped over as well.

The youth was quite handsome, with a shy smile on his face. He kept his head slightly lowered as he looked at the ground, clearly somewhat uncomfortable at being watched by so many people.

"Fourth Senior Brother, what's going on?" Yang Jing walked to Liu Maolin's side and asked softly.

Liu Maolin glanced back at Yang Jing and said in a low voice, "A genius has come to our martial arts school."

"A genius?" Yang Jing froze. The next moment, he understood and looked toward the handsome youth at the center of the crowd. "Him?"

Liu Maolin nodded. His gaze toward the handsome youth was filled with envy as he exclaimed, "This junior brother is called Lin Yue. He's incredible. Master just examined his bones, and he actually has High-grade root bone."

"High-grade root bone?" Yang Jing was startled.

As far as he knew, most of the people in the Sun Clan Martial Arts School had Low-grade root bone like him. There were only a handful with Mid-grade root bone, and not a single one with High-grade root bone.

Root bone was divided into high, mid, and low grades. From the original owner's memories, he recalled Senior Sister Qi once mentioning by accident that root bone had even finer distinctions. Even among root bones of the same grade, there were better and worse ones.

Good heavens.

Yang Jing marveled inwardly.

High-grade root bone was far beyond his reach.

He trained like a madman every day and rested far less than the other disciples. Yet even so, any disciple with Mid-grade root bone could leave him in the dust in terms of cultivation progress.

As for High-grade root bone, what kind of concept was that?

"From now on, I will personally teach Lin Yue how to Temper Qi and Blood and practice his fists." Sun Yong tried hard to put on his usual stern expression, but the smile on his face could not be suppressed. He turned toward the other disciples in the courtyard and waved them off with a rebuke. "Don't crowd around here. Disperse."

Yang Jing clicked his tongue inwardly.

He had always thought Old Man Sun was rigid and stern. So he played favorites after all.

The crowd scattered, each finding a place to train. Some went to the resting area by the wall to chat, their gazes toward Lin Yue filled with undisguised envy.

Yang Jing shook his head, casting the stray thoughts from his mind.

He returned to where he had been practicing and continued performing Mountain Collapse Fist.

It was not until noon that everyone gradually left.

Yang Jing wiped the sweat from his body and put on his clothes, preparing to leave.

"Junior Brother Lin, Master asked you to come eat in the inner courtyard."

At that moment, a gentle voice rang out.

Yang Jing looked up and saw Senior Sister Qi Yun smiling as she led Lin Yue into the inner courtyard.