Verbal Clash

During morning martial practice, Zhuang Jin could clearly feel the strange looks from the other martial students. It was obviously because of what had happened that morning.

The beggar rumor was only one aspect. On the other hand, both Zhuang Jin and Xiong Lei's little group had gone up onstage to receive Ping Yongfeng's guidance, making them "celebrities" at the Yellow Rank Number One Training Field. And when a celebrity like Zhuang Jin kicked up a storm, it better satisfied the other martial students' desire to watch a spectacle and their mentality of not being able to stand seeing others do well.

However, Zhuang Jin was unaffected. His heart was still as water, and he continued his martial practice as usual—after all, what was there to care about? Could other people's stares make a piece of flesh fall off him?

In his heart, pursuing his own strength and practicing martial arts came first. All those extraneous trifles and the gazes of others were lighter than a goose feather, not worth mentioning!

After lunch, Zhuang Jin went to the Training Ground for extra practice as usual. Today, Xiong Lei unexpectedly followed him over.

Xiong Lei opened his mouth, thought for a long while, and carefully chose his words before saying, "Jinzi, I believe you. Don't mind whatever the other martial students are saying behind your back."

"What do their words have to do with me? I'm perfectly fine. No need to comfort me." Zhuang Jin laughed. He truly had not felt troubled or affected by it at all.

"That's good." Xiong Lei let out a long breath, then said, "That's what I thought. With your temperament, Jinzi, how could you possibly be affected? I worried for nothing."

"Still, thank you, Brother Xiong."

The two each practiced their Stance Training.

Before long, Xiong Lei suddenly stopped, unable to suppress the delight on his face. "Jinzi, the first step, Grasp Blood Qi and refine Inner Breath—I'm feeling it more and more clearly! I have a feeling I'm almost there, just a little, a little more... but it's precisely this little bit that I somehow can't get a handle on for the moment..."

Perhaps because he was too excited, his words came out rather incoherently.

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin inevitably felt a trace of jealousy in his heart. But he quickly dispelled it, refusing to let it affect him and throw his state of mind off balance.

After all, what did another person's speed have to do with him? Even if no one else succeeded, would that mean he himself could succeed?

"Today is only the fourth day. Brother Xiong, you already have a clue about the first step, Grasp Blood Qi and refine Inner Breath. Don't rush. Take it slowly. I imagine you'll succeed within the next few days. At this pace, becoming a Formal Martial Artist and staying on will simply be a matter of water flowing into its channel. Congratulations, Brother Xiong!"

"Hehe!" Xiong Lei scratched his head and smiled. "Jinzi, I believe you'll reach this step soon too."

"Then I'll accept your auspicious words, Brother Xiong." Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, but inwardly sighed. The previous owner of this body had frozen and starved to death. It seemed his body truly had deficiencies, which affected the first step of Grasping Blood Qi and refining Inner Breath.

He had previously asked others about it. Martial students with robust constitutions like Xiong Lei could sense their blood qi surging when practicing the Black Fiend Stake Stance, whereas he could only sense his blood qi flowing. To use an analogy, if ordinary people's blood qi was like great rivers when practicing the stance, then his was only a stream. It was likely because of this that he still had no clue about the first step, Grasping Blood Qi and refining Inner Breath.

Forget it. Think diligently and practice more. Man proposes, heaven disposes. Zhuang Jin shook his head and settled his thoughts. Then he remembered something and said, "Brother Xiong, it's enough for you to know your own progress. Don't tell anyone else, in case someone tries something."

"Would that really happen?" Xiong Lei had some wariness, but his understanding was not deep enough. Uncertain, he said, "Those who can take part in Martial Student Recruitment and get in all come from respectable families. There shouldn't be such things, right?"

Zhuang Jin shook his head slightly and only said, "Human nature cannot withstand testing. If you trust me, Brother Xiong, don't tell others about your progress from now on. It's best not to tell even me."

"Alright, I understand." Although Xiong Lei still did not think anything would happen if he told others, he knew good advice when he heard it and nodded seriously, committing it to memory. Then he shook his head and laughed. "Jinzi, others are others, but you're you. I trust you!"

Perhaps because he was close to completing the first step of Grasping Blood Qi, Xiong Lei was fired up. After dinner, he still stayed to practice with Zhuang Jin, and the two only returned together when the Training Ground was about to close.

That day, they had just entered the dormitory when a strangely sarcastic voice rang out. "Brother Zhuang, Brother Xiong, you're so diligent day after day. I wonder whether you've practiced yourselves into anything yet?"

The one who said this was Wang Rui, but quite a few martial students in the dormitory shared the same thought.

To begin with, many people had already disliked Zhuang Jin's daily discipline and extra practice. Their thoughts were probably: after lunch and dinner, we're all resting, but you go off to train more. Does that make you so capable?

That morning, Hou Yong had come over and insisted that Zhuang Jin was a beggar. This disturbance had made them feel vindicated and pleased, while also making them look down on Zhuang Jin even more. That was why Wang Rui was mocking him now.

Zhuang Jin paused, as though he had not heard the sarcasm in those words, and said as usual, "Same as the last few days. I haven't felt anything."

Xiong Lei's eyes rolled, and he likewise said, "Me too!"

After that, the two said no more and prepared to go wash up.

Xiong Lei was one thing, but Zhuang Jin's understated attitude made Wang Rui feel a burst of pent-up anger. He became even more worked up and deliberately muttered loudly, "Heh, a beggar. What are you putting on airs for?"

Xiong Lei stopped at once and said indignantly, "Wang Rui, keep your mouth clean!"

Zhuang Jin also turned back, his calm gaze falling upon him.

Perhaps out of guilt, Wang Rui instinctively avoided that gaze. But he immediately realized how cowardly he had appeared, and shame and anger surged through him as he was about to say something else.

"Enough." Bi Kai spoke up. Regardless of whether the beggar rumors circulating in the Training Ground were true, he rather admired Zhuang Jin's unruffled attitude in the face of favor or humiliation, so he spoke up for him.

Every day, he flaunted his progress. He was undisputedly number one in Wu Character Number Two Dormitory on the surface, and he had money as well, faintly making him the center of the dormitory. Naturally, he carried some weight. When he spoke, Wang Rui took the offered way out and said nothing more.

In truth, Wang Rui somewhat regretted sticking his neck out. After all, if tempers truly flared and they started fighting, he would not come out unscathed either. If things got out of hand, the Shen Family steward would punish them; he might even be thrown out.

"Let's go, Brother Xiong!" Zhuang Jin said no more and turned to head out to wash up.

Outside.

Seeing Zhuang Jin remain silent, Xiong Lei comforted him. "Jinzi, don't take it to heart. Wang Rui just has a foul mouth."

"I know. It's nothing." Zhuang Jin had put the matter out of his mind the moment he turned around. Wang Rui was merely a childish sort, fierce in appearance but weak at heart. What was there to care about? He had only been silent because he was reviewing the Meridian Acupoints knowledge he had learned that afternoon. As he had said before, martial practice came first for him now. Everything else could be set aside.

In the blink of an eye, another two or three days passed. The disturbance over Zhuang Jin being a beggar gradually died down. After all, whether the other martial students slandered him behind his back or discussed it to his face where he could hear, Zhuang Jin never changed expression or reacted in the slightest. It was rather boring!

As for the changes over these two or three days, Qian Wende gradually distanced himself and no longer shared any special insider information with Xiong Lei. He had probably already mastered the Black Fiend Stake Stance, and after seeing how Zhuang Jin handled matters, he felt their little group was no longer worth befriending and did not wish to continue investing in them.

Time came to the seventh day of the eleventh month, the seventh day since this batch of martial students had entered the Shen Family Outer Courtyard.

That morning, as usual, Ping Yongfeng led the martial students through the Stance Training several times. After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, he prepared to leave.

At that moment, a martial student suddenly raised his hand and asked, "Master Ping, I've already completed the first step, Grasp Blood Qi and refine Inner Breath. How should I carry out the second step—Gather Inner Breath, break through the Martial Practitioner Bottleneck, and complete the first Inner Breath circulation through the meridians?"