Thunder Moves, Waves Surge

Early morning, before dawn.

Sha LiFei had long since returned to his wing room, sleeping fully clothed on the bed, still clutching a wine jar. He lay sprawled out, his snores shaking the heavens.

In the room opposite, Wang Dao Xuan sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.

The small courtyard was dim and silent.

Li Yan remained in his horse stance, standing beside the war drum.

After practicing tirelessly all day yesterday, he had finally grasped the rhythm, the drumbeats and the residual waves of his incantations blending perfectly.

But this was only the foundation of his training.

Only by becoming the drum himself and unleashing the Cloud Thunder Sound could he be considered to have truly begun.

Yet, this was a step he had been unable to take.

A full day of intense focus and selfless contemplation had pushed Li Yan's spirit to its limit. His head was heavy and groggy, and he felt close to death from exhaustion.

His eyes were half-open, as if he were already asleep.

His body had also reached its breaking point. Coupled with the chilling cold that seeped in during the latter half of the night, his legs had become stiff and numb, swaying precariously as if he might fall at any moment.

However, Li Yan had not used the Great Luo Dharma Body.

He had experienced this situation many times before.

Whether in cultivation or in combat techniques, the hardest part was always crossing that final hurdle.

It was like a long-distance race; only by repeatedly surpassing one's limits could one achieve smooth sailing.

If he were to use the Great Luo Dharma Body now, it would naturally eliminate the physical discomfort. But doing so would be akin to giving up halfway, forcing him to start all over again.

Therefore, he was now waiting for an opportunity.

Finally, a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon.

The morning light broke through the darkness, dividing the sky into shades of blue and black.

This ray of light caused a change in his drowsy consciousness.

Now!

Without the slightest hesitation, seizing this moment of change, Li Yan became one with his actions. He slammed his hands down forcefully, his abdominal muscles contracting simultaneously. Using the power of his diaphragm, he opened his mouth and shouted:

"Om--!"

BOOM!

The drumbeats merged with his incantation, sounding like thunder.

The war drum below roared and vibrated, cracking open.

Li Yan felt his chest tremble, his entire body resonating like a drum. From his bones and muscles to his internal organs, everything vibrated, a tingling sensation coursing through his body.

The Divine Drum Cloud Thunder Sound was finally mastered!

However, he was now at the end of his strength. He couldn't withstand the force that reached his internal organs. His chest felt tight, his throat tasted sweet, and he collapsed straight onto the ground.

The drum sound was like a clap of thunder, waking everyone within a hundred-meter radius.

"Ouch!"

Sha LiFei, who had been sound asleep, yelped in fright and scrambled, flailing his arms. The wine jar clattered as he fell off the bed.

Wang Dao Xuan's mind also went blank, nearly losing control of his meditation.

"What's going on?! Did the ground just shake?"

Sha LiFei rushed out of his room, banging on the door.

Wang Dao Xuan also calmed his mind and went to the courtyard to investigate.

Seeing Li Yan collapsed unconscious on the ground, Sha LiFei quickly stepped forward to help him up, while Wang Dao Xuan bent down, attempting to feel his pulse.

"I'm fine."

Just then, Li Yan slowly regained consciousness. He waved his hand, a smile on his face. "Do you have any food? I'm starving..."

As he spoke, the Great Luo Dharma Body began to circulate.

The minor internal injuries quickly disappeared, and the fatigue in his body vanished.

"Well, you still have the appetite to eat?"

When Zhang Shi Tong arrived at the Asking Dao Pavilion, Li Yan was still eating. He held a large bowl of oil-splashed noodles and some cold beef, squatting on the doorstep and burying his head in his meal.

This guy never seemed to know how to speak properly. He tutted, "That's true. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, you might as well eat while you can."

"I'll treat you to something good at Qingfeng Restaurant later."

"You keep it for yourself!"

Before Li Yan could reply, Sha LiFei, standing beside him, sneered, "If you can't say anything nice, just shut up. Have you not brushed your teeth in three years or something?"

"Heh, same to you."

A cold laugh escaped Zhang ShiTong as he slowly rolled up his sleeves.

Looking at the two clowns, Li Yan felt a headache coming on and directly interrupted, asking, "The location is set, where is it?"

"Shen Hour, at the Paifang Street intersection."

Zhang ShiTong knew what was important and his expression turned serious as he said, "It's close to the ferry crossing. There are many brothels, gambling dens, and inns there, full of Jianghu people."

"It seems the Zhou Family is quite confident, wanting to kill you in broad daylight to vent their anger."

Li Yan said noncommittally, "What are the rules for the arena?"

Zhang ShiTong said solemnly, "A three-zhang high wooden arena. No weapons are allowed, nor any sorcery. It's purely fist and foot combat. If you die or fall off the stage, you lose."

"How big is it?"

"A ten-meter square arena."

Li Yan sneered after hearing this, "Red Fist excels in agility, and Child Monkey Fist is a top-tier technique among them. Setting up such a small arena, does Zhou Bai want to go head-to-head?"

Zhang ShiTong nodded, "My father guessed the same. Zhou Bai entered Hidden Strength last year, so he's still a bit stronger than you."

"If it's a back-and-forth fight, dodging with agility, this isn't the scene Zhou Pan wants. I'm afraid Zhou Bai will try to overpower you with brute force from the start!"

"My father's intention is to avoid his initial onslaught. His power is still shallow, he can't use Hidden Strength in every move. Wait until he's exhausted, then strike with a sudden burst of power; only then will there be a chance to win."

"Understood. Please thank Senior Zhang for me."

Li Yan's expression remained unchanged, his eyes calm...

After Zhang ShiTong delivered the message, he left in a hurry.

This martial arts match had long since changed its nature, carrying more weight.

The grievances between the Li and Zhou families, the dissatisfaction with Zhou Pan within the Divine Fist Society, and even the covert struggles from Chang'an behind the scenes...

There were plenty of people in Xianyang City who wanted to see the Zhou Family stumble.

Zhang ShiTong wouldn't mention these things.

Having lived two lives, Li Yan could naturally see through it all. In fact, these circumstances were all within his expectations.

The agreement for the Life and Death Arena that day wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.

When his father was alive, he often told him that having a good reputation in Jianghu was important, not just for the sake of empty fame.

In this world, there was no such thing as Spiritual Energy. No one cultivated in seclusion for years only to emerge and sweep across the land.

Characters like the Sweeping Monk didn't exist. No matter how well one practiced martial arts, insufficient combat experience would still lead to being tricked and killed by seasoned veterans.

According to Wang Dao Xuan, Xuan Gate People were no different.

No matter how good one's aptitude, they needed to see the world and its people before they could see themselves.

There was another benefit to fighting in an arena.

In this Jianghu, reputation could sometimes attract trouble, but in a sense, it was also a form of protection.

Of course, the prerequisite for all of this was that he could win.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

In the small courtyard, the drumbeat sounded once more.

But unlike yesterday, Li Yan had already mastered the Divine Drum Cloud Thunder Sound.

The drumbeats merged with the thunderous sounds, his chest cavity resonating with the war drum. Each resounding beat was grand, sending tremors deep into his muscles, tendons, and internal organs, a tingling sensation like being struck by lightning.

He controlled the force, practicing step by step.

Firstly, he was afraid of breaking the remaining drums.

Secondly, this technique was fierce. If he couldn't control the intensity, the repeated internal injuries to his muscles and tendons would require the Great Luo Dharma Body to repair.

Even precious treasures couldn't withstand such waste.

The growth of Hidden Strength was not achieved overnight. It required the effort of dripping water wearing away stone, combined with the gradual changes in the body over time, to achieve mastery and control.

Li Yan's goal was to improve his skills as much as possible before tomorrow's match, so he could use them at a critical moment.

"Try to overpower me?"

"Can you even do that!"

After another round of practice, Li Yan thought of the Zhou Family's plan and sneered inwardly. He shifted his body and struck out diagonally with his right palm.

Thirty-Six Palms: Tyrant's Leisure.

Rumble...

The stone trough filled with water was struck by his palm, moving half a meter sideways.

Only after he stopped did the water in the stone trough surge up.

"Oh no, my fish!"

Wang Dao Xuan exclaimed with a pained expression.

But when he ran over to check, he was surprised to find that the few red fish in the stone trough were swimming happily, completely unaffected...

Outside the door, deep in the old alley.

A short man squatted in the corner. After eavesdropping on the drumbeats for a long time, he finally grew impatient and hurried away...

"Beating the drum?"

In the private room of the Yuhe Teahouse, Yuan Qu raised an eyebrow.

"That's right, they've been beating the drum non-stop."

The one speaking was the man who had just been eavesdropping. He said with a fawning smile, "How would I dare lie to you, Gang Leader Yuan? According to the neighbors, they've been beating it from yesterday until today. I don't know what that kid is up to."

"Alright, alright, scram!"

A tall man beside him waved his hand impatiently.

He had dark skin, wore a red robe, and a small hat adorned with a flower. He was none other than the Iron Saber Gang leader, Zheng HeiBei.

After dismissing the scout, Zheng HeiBei glanced sideways at Yuan Qu and said in a deep voice, "Yuan, what do you think this kid is up to?"

"I heard he's been following a famous sorcerer. Could he be trying to perform a Spirit Possession?"

"Heh, are you scared?"

Yuan Qu took a sip of tea, speaking in a neither-here-nor-there tone.

Although they were from the same sect, they were still rival gangs occupying the east and west of Xianyang City. They often clashed, and coupled with their personalities, they couldn't stand each other.

Hearing Yuan Qu's mockery, Zheng HeiBei immediately became angry. "What am I afraid of? The troublemaker is clearly that scoundrel Meng HaiCheng. If he had told me earlier, I would have killed that kid directly, and we wouldn't have all these troubles now."

"If you ask me, let's not fight in the arena tomorrow. Tonight, I'll hire a sorcerer to curse him to death!"

His words were reckless, but Zheng HeiBei's eyes were exceptionally calm, constantly watching Yuan Qu as if trying to discern something.

Yuan Qu glanced at him and sneered, "Why are you testing me? Do you really think no one knows about the Jiangzuo Sorcerer you've hidden away?"

"Your schemes, how could they be hidden from an expert? It's just that others are turning a blind eye out of respect for the master."

"And the Mass Burial Grounds Beggar Gang, why did you provoke them? Since this matter has reached the arena, any petty moves will only cause more trouble..."

"I don't need you to lecture me!"

Zheng HeiBei retorted sharply.

Seeing him like this, a flash of anger rose in Yuan Qu's eyes. "Zheng, don't cause trouble at this time. I'm not helping you."

Saying that, he stood up and walked to the window, his hands behind his back, looking outside. He murmured, "Remember, if that old geezer falls, neither of us will have a good time!"

"The waters in this Xianyang City run deep..."

Below, at the intersection of Paifang Street and the old street.

It was already close to dusk. A group of carpenters were busy at work, and the towering arena was beginning to take shape. Curious onlookers had already gathered, three layers deep, four layers thick.

Two hooligans were joking in the crowd:

"Third brother, who do you think will win tomorrow?"

"Tch, who cares who wins, as long as the fight is exciting."

"Yeah, I hope they beat each other's brains out..."