Amid the cheers, Chen Yan stood quietly.
It was as if a long-suppressed weight in his heart had quietly lifted, leaving him feeling light.
An inexplicable sensation swept through him, and all the sounds around him seemed to fade away.
Refreshing, exhilarating, free.
It was something he had never experienced before, as if being born human meant striving for just this.
Chen Yan's mind flashed back to the moment he defeated Xia Tong, then to the second he beat Zhang Qingsi.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Golden light suddenly flickered within the Saint Breaking Realm.
[Saint Breaking Realm: Level 2 (2/15)]
[Saint Breaking Fruit:
Strength: (40/100)
Blood: (34/100)
Skill: (100/100)]
The Saint Breaking Fruit, which still needed a little more progress, quietly ripened at that moment.
Chen Yan swallowed the [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit, and a surging flood of memories immediately swept through his mind.
Within those memories, Chen Yan once again fought the Qingju Snake, Xia Tong, and Zhang Qingsi.
He fought again and again, throwing punch after punch.
Hundreds of times, thousands of times.
He could defeat Zhang Qingsi more easily and send Xia Tong flying with even greater force.
Until he absorbed the final wisp of memory, Chen Yan could shatter the Qingju Snake's thick scales with a single punch.
This was a pure improvement in technique!
At last, there came a moment when what Chen Yan knew was no longer just a single punching motion.
It was an entire sequence: gathering momentum, focusing strength, and throwing the punch.
This was how it had to be; this muscle had to tense just so, and his breathing had to stretch out for precisely that long in that instant.
Understanding dawned, as if he suddenly knew everything.
A single [Skill] Character Saint Breaking Fruit had actually pushed the remaining moves of the Eight Forms of Extreme Refinement to their next stage.
At the same time.
Outside Qingshan High School, inside a noodle shop.
Covered in dust, Chen Yuxu carried the tables and chairs out one by one and loaded them onto a tricycle.
On Saturday, the balding Martial Division officer had only said there was no need to rush the move. He hadn't said they didn't have to move.
The order to grant these shops' land to Zhang Ge had come from the town chief.
In Green Mountain Town, the town chief and the head of the Town Martial Hall were one and the same.
The balding Martial Division officer was only a staff member; there was no way he could overturn the town chief's order.
By the roadside, Hu Zeyuan walked up to the noodle shop, smoking a cigarette. His face immediately darkened.
"Bad luck."
He muttered under his breath. Two days ago, he'd led people into Chen Yan's home, only to be taken back to the hall by the Martial Division officer surnamed Li. Each of them had been fined five hundred.
The problem was, he'd been the one to call those people over, and afterward he'd paid each of them another three hundred in compensation.
He both hated and envied Chen Yuxu.
After learning that the other man had gotten in with the Martial Division officer surnamed Li, Hu Zeyuan didn't dare lay a hand on him again.
So what if he was a Martial Division officer? He wasn't even a martial artist. What was there to act so high and mighty about?
Chen Yuxu glanced at Hu Zeyuan without a word.
After what had happened that day, the two families' relationship as relatives was well and truly over. There was no need for them to keep in touch.
"Brother Zhang!"
Suddenly, Hu Zeyuan spotted someone and shouted excitedly, waving.
"It's me! Old Hu, Hu Zeyuan. My son, Hu Yuan, is in the same class as your son, Zhang Qingsi."
With a deferential smile and a slight bend at the waist, Hu Zeyuan offered a cigarette to a middle-aged man approaching in a black suit, his hair slicked back in a pompadour.
The man was Zhang Qingsi's father, Zhang Ge.
Zhang Ge usually stayed in the county, where he owned a martial arts hall and two hotels. He almost never returned to Green Mountain Town.
After making his fortune last year, Zhang Ge had enrolled his son at Qingshan High School. The people of town had been puzzled by that for quite some time.
"Hu Zeyuan?" Zhang Ge raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the cigarette in Hu Zeyuan's hand but didn't take it, instead looking toward Chen Yuxu, who was still moving things out of the shop.
"Chen Yuxu..." Zhang Ge murmured. He took a pack of cigarettes that looked expensive from his pocket, lit one, and walked over.
"Zhang Ge?" Chen Yuxu looked at the well-dressed, middle-aged man and sighed inwardly. Last year, Zhang Ge had still looked like a country bumpkin. In just a year, he'd changed completely.
"What, moving out?" Zhang Ge asked with interest, slowly exhaling a stream of smoke.
"Yeah. I'm moving out today." Chen Yuxu set a stool on the tricycle.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing. Can't I just have a chat with you?" Zhang Ge grinned. "I know you're upset, but I've been planning to build a shopping mall here for half a year. The town chief was generous enough to grant me the land."
Chen Yuxu gave a dry laugh and said nothing more.
"Chen Yuxu, you've got some nerve, don't you? You won't even give Brother Zhang the time of day?" Hu Zeyuan sneered from the side, crossing his arms. He seemed not to realize that Zhang Ge hadn't paid him the slightest attention.
Chen Yuxu frowned and shot Zhang Ge and Hu Zeyuan a cold glance before going back to his work.
Beneath his sunglasses, Zhang Ge's eyes narrowed. He chuckled, then said casually, "Chen Yuxu, I heard your daughter was in a car accident too. The county's Town Martial Division seems to have joined the investigation. Any news about the culprit?"
Chen Yuxu paused. With both Chen Yan and Chen Yu having been in car accidents, how could he, as their father, not feel bitter?
There weren't even many people in all of Luoshan County who owned private cars.
Seeing that Chen Yuxu didn't answer, Zhang Ge pursed his lips and continued.
"I heard your son, Chen Yan, passed the Punching Strength Test too. Looks like you raised him well."
"Haha, my Hu Yuan only missed it by a little," Hu Zeyuan laughed from the side. "His son was so badly hurt. Last year, he looked like he was half dead. What a poor thing."
A stool flew straight out of the shop and landed beside Zhang Ge and Hu Zeyuan. They looked over to see Chen Yuxu storming out with a dark expression, then placing the broken stool on the tricycle.
"Chen Yuxu..." A mocking smile curled Zhang Ge's lips. He said nothing more and left.
He and Chen Yuxu had once been close, and he'd accepted a lot of help from the other man.
But times had changed.
Hu Zeyuan scurried after him.
"Hu Zeyuan, you're relatives. How'd things get this bad?" Zhang Ge asked as he walked.
"Ha."
Hu Zeyuan gave a disdainful laugh.
"Who wants a poor bastard for a relative?"
"Didn't his son just pass the Punching Strength Test? That makes him a little genius, too," Zhang Ge said calmly.
"Genius, my ass. He's nowhere near your son."
"Still, he passed the Punching Strength Test, especially after being bedridden for a year and only recovering a few days ago..." Zhang Ge said quietly, as if he cared a great deal about Chen Yan passing the test.
"Ha! Qingshan High School's Punching Strength Test only requires a hundred and sixty kilograms. The school's a dump to begin with; even the best-looking turd would stand out there." Hu Zeyuan laughed, then suddenly stopped.
It seemed he'd insulted Zhang Ge's son too. He hurriedly added, "Brother Zhang, your son's different. He awakened his blood qi. In the county or even the city, he'd be gold. He's truly impressive."
Zhang Ge's expression eased a little, and he continued walking.
Everyone passing by looked at Zhang Ge with smiles or envy.
"Green Mountain Town..." Zhang Ge said with a faint smile.
Green Mountain Town was nothing special—a place of barren hills and wretched waterways.
Lowly.
Just like the Hu Zeyuan beside him, lowly.
And just then.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three enormous bell chimes rang out, and everyone on the street stopped in their tracks.
"The Twenty-Third Green Mountain High School Town Martial Bonus selection is over!"
Principal Zhang Yue's accented voice rang out from Qingshan High School. Zhang Ge lifted his head, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Hu Zeyuan, meanwhile, looked at the man beside him with envy. Last year, Zhang Ge had still been a country bumpkin, but now he'd made it big, and his son had awakened his blood qi.
Zhang Qingsi was sure to get the Town Martial Bonus. Hu Zeyuan wouldn't even dare dream of it.
What a winner in life.
Back inside the noodle shop, Chen Yuxu, who had been moving stools, paused briefly, then slowly shook his head and continued packing.
Their shop was gone. Though his son had eased the family's financial troubles, there was still a long road ahead. He needed to earn enough money before his son's College Entrance Exam.
Having such a son and daughter was Chen Yuxu's good fortune, so he had to work hard and make money too. He couldn't let his children worry about the household.
Chen Yan had gone to the Inner Qingshan. Even if he'd gained something from it—
As a father, how could he be happy thinking about that?
"Yu Zhiwen, Gao Yuan!"
Principal Zhang Yue's voice continued to ring out. Passersby on the street were already gasping in amazement, murmuring with excitement.
"Chen Yan!"
Suddenly—
Clatter!
The bowl slipped from Chen Yuxu's hand and hit the ground. He froze, then ran out of the noodle shop and looked toward Qingshan High School.
On the street, the people who knew Chen Yuxu turned to look at him. Surprise first filled their eyes, then gave way to unmistakable envy.
"These three students excelled and successfully defended their titles. They are the most outstanding students in this year's class at Qingshan High School."
"They will each receive a cash reward of twenty thousand yuan, and may choose any other rewards!"
The principal's voice slowly faded, echoing along the sunset-drenched street.
Chen Yuxu parted his lips, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face.
At the other end of the street, Zhang Ge and Hu Zeyuan stiffened. In perfect unison, they turned and looked toward Chen Yuxu at the noodle shop, though he was far away.
They stood frozen there, staring for a long time.
"Chen Yan just got the Town Martial Bonus, and now he's already training?"
At the entrance to the training room, Xia Tong watched Chen Yan throw punches inside, full of disbelief.
He regretted it. Students who could stay this calm and unassuming were rare.
Yet he hadn't noticed before, and had let his best chance to help slip away.
Xia Tong shook his head, looking somewhat dejected, then left.
Chen Yan was alone in the training room.
This room was usually reserved for top students, but today Chen Yan had been allowed inside.
Principal Zhang Yue had agreed with a broad smile, giving Chen Yan another glimpse of the adult world.
Boom, boom, boom!
Chen Yan threw punch after punch, each one cutting through the air as sweat sprayed like beads of pearls.
He hadn't come to the training room to use its equipment. He'd mainly come for the quiet.
After he beat Zhang Qingsi, a lot of students had come to befriend him. Even Hu Yuan had come over, his face flushed, to apologize.
Chen Yan hated all this, and thought little of it.
From here on, he only wanted to see himself.
He didn't know how much time had passed. Chen Yan was drenched in sweat, and the floor was soaked beneath him.
A person's limits were often reached with ease, whether it was throwing punches, standing still, or even keeping their eyes open.
The human body wasn't made of steel. At least, Chen Yan's wasn't—not yet.
His speed began to slow, and the sensation of his muscles tearing grew stronger.
Finally, at one moment, he recalled the instant he'd sent the Qingju Snake flying and threw a punch.
A red glow appeared around his fist!
Limit Breaking Awakening meant reaching one's limit again and again, but it seemed he was still a long way off.
"What's gotten into you lately? Why do you keep pushing yourself to the limit?"
A girl's voice rang out.
"I know you're exhausted. I'm exhausted too."
Chen Yan froze and looked around. He was alone in the entire training room.
That voice...
Chen Yan looked ahead. In the air, there was a faint red glow, barely perceptible, which outlined a blurry human figure.
"Please, stop training. I've been preparing to awaken since I was little. You can't catch up to me." The figure's voice came again, pleading.
"You might be poor. Where do you live? I'll send you money—lots of money. You can go train on the Body Tempering Path."
Chen Yan narrowed his eyes, slowly coming to understand.
Limit Breaking Awakening was a contest among people with the same kind of natural constitution.
Had he reached his limit just now and made contact with someone else?
"I'm not admitting defeat. You're still a very, very long way behind me. I'm not lying to you.
"But as soon as you started pushing your limits, my sister made me train day and night!"
The girl's voice carried a hint of helplessness.
"Limit Breaking Awakening is exhausting. After I awaken, I'll have to compete against even stronger people for the Hundred Meridians. Do you know Chen Min?
The son of the Chen Clan's Invincible Son. Three Steps Break Mountain.
Once I awaken, I'll have to compete with a freak like him for the Hundred Meridians."
"Hey, say something! Aren't you scared? Aren't you desperate?"
"Hey?!"
The girl's voice gradually weakened. Chen Yan hadn't responded once, from beginning to end.
This was beyond anything he could understand. He didn't get it.
He was worried that if he said even a single word, the other person might find him.
He had to stay vigilant.
But he also had to awaken.
If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author. Maybe it was just renamed!
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