Breaking Through the Pass on a Snowy Night

"Xiao Haozi..."

A deep, resonant male voice, tinged with hoarseness, echoed from outside the courtyard gate.

Though his tone seemed calm, it was like a stone dropped into still water, clearly the voice of a martial artist!

Cui Hao stepped forward, his gaze falling upon the man at the gate.

He was exceptionally burly, with a full beard, wearing a somewhat worn leather jacket unbuttoned to reveal solid muscle and several vicious old scars. His eyes scanned Cui Hao like an eagle's, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Cui Hao's heart tightened, but his expression remained impassive as he studied the man. There was a familiarity in his features, the bone structure and outline of his face...

"What?" the big man took a step forward, exuding a rough, oppressive aura. "Haven't seen you in years, don't recognize your Brother Zhou anymore?"

"Brother Zhou?"

"I'm Zhou Menglong," the man grinned, revealing teeth stained slightly yellow by tobacco. "The elder brother of Zhou Menghu and Zhou Mengyue. When I left home to seek my fortune in the west, you were just a scrawny sprout."

Zhou Menglong! The eldest son of the Zhou family, rumored to have left for the west years ago and never heard from again! He was back!

Cui Hao's internal alarm bells rang, but he quickly plastered a suitable expression of surprised enthusiasm onto his face. "It's Brother Zhou! You've been gone for so many years, everyone misses you! Are you... returning in glory?"

"In glory?" Zhou Menglong's smile vanished abruptly, replaced by a somber ferocity. "I had to come back! I heard there was a major incident at home! Rushed back to see – and what do I find? My third and fourth brothers, my own flesh and blood, both murdered! The house burned to the ground!"

Zhou Menglong stared into Cui Hao's eyes, a savage glint in his leopard-like gaze. He placed a hand on Cui Hao's shoulder, his fingers tightening slightly like iron pincers. "Xiao Haozi, you live in the village, tell me, who did my brothers make such a bitter enemy of?"

A distinct pain shot through his shoulder blade. The man's grip was powerful. Cui Hao suppressed the urge to resist and maintained a pained, bewildered expression, gasping. "Brother Zhou... ease up... my body... I don't know anything about your third and fourth brothers! My place is halfway across the village from your house, we usually... we don't interact much."

"Don't know? Don't interact?" Zhou Menglong grunted, his fingers tightening their grip, almost digging into the flesh. "Think harder! Have there been any strangers in the village recently? Anyone who had a conflict with them? Even a minor argument!"

"Ah-- Ow! That hurts! Brother Zhou, let go!" Cui Hao cried out with just the right amount of pain, struggling weakly as if trying to break free, appearing small and helpless.

As the standoff continued—

"Let go of my man!"

A trembling yet piercing shout came from within the courtyard! Immediately, the wooden gate was yanked open, and Su Yun burst out, clutching a heavy door-bar, and swung it wildly at Zhou Menglong's head.

The air whistled!

Zhou Menglong reacted with lightning speed. His grip on Cui Hao's shoulder didn't loosen, but his other hand shot out, precisely catching the end of the swinging bar.

Seeing Su Yun's appearance, a flicker of undisguised admiration and greed crossed Zhou Menglong's eyes.

The woman before him was a far cry from the skinny, timid girl who always kept her head down in his memory.

Her skin, though not fair, was healthy and radiant. Her figure, even beneath roughspun clothes, was breathtaking. Especially her eyes, now blazing with anger, like twin flames.

"You're... Su Yun?" Zhou Menglong's voice held a hint of amusement. "Truly, a woman changes with age, and you've become ever more beautiful."

Su Yun felt a chill run down her spine under his undisguised gaze. She struggled to pull the bar free, but it wouldn't budge.

Thinking fast, she suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs, pouring all her strength into it, "Everyone, come quickly! Devils have entered the village! Devils are going to kill people!!!"

'Devils' was the villagers' collective term for any Malevolent Spirit, vengeful ghost, or ill omen. Su Yun's sharp, piercing cry carried far in the silent night.

A terrified response immediately came from Aunt Li's courtyard next door, her voice trembling with sobs, "Heavenly devils! Scram! Scram! If you don't leave... the gods will take you!"

Faint sounds of commotion and suppressed curses could be heard from other neighbors.

Zhou Menglong's expression darkened. He had just returned and lacked a firm footing. Although he had brought a few desperate followers from the west, openly provoking the entire village and earning their animosity was clearly not a wise move.

"Hmph!" With a heavy snort, Zhou Menglong released Cui Hao's shoulder and let go of Su Yun's bar.

He snorted again, turned, and strode away with heavy steps.

Su Yun seemed to collapse from exhaustion, the door-bar clattering to the ground. "Brother Hao, are you alright? Are you hurt? Let me see!"

Cui Hao moved his shoulder, the pained expression vanishing instantly. He whispered, "Sister Yun, I was faking. His strength is great, but it's not that easy to injure me now."

Su Yun breathed a sigh of relief, her legs nearly buckling.

Cui Hao quickly steadied his wife.

Just then, Aunt Li next door dared to open her gate a crack, peeking out, her face deathly pale. "Has that ill-omened star left? What a disaster... Make sure to bolt your door tonight! When will this hardship ever end..."

Muttering, she quickly retreated and slammed the door shut, bolting it firmly.

The couple returned to their own small courtyard, carefully securing the damaged wooden gate and bracing it tightly with a stick.

Back in the main room, the oil lamp cast a dim glow. Su Yun, still shaken, poured Cui Hao some water while resentfully saying, "Long, Hu, Yue, Teng, the four Zhou brothers, they're all cut from the same bad cloth! If heaven had eyes, it should have taken them all at once!"

"Soon," Cui Hao took the bowl, a cold glint flashing deep in his eyes. "Let's eat, I'm hungry."

His tone was a bit cold due to the killing intent. Seeing Su Yun's slight pause, Cui Hao quickly corrected himself, speaking gently, "Wife, I'm hungry, let's have a meal."

Su Yun turned and went to the kitchen.

Soon, simple, hot dishes were served – brown rice, a bowl of stir-fried cabbage, and a small plate of precious dried salted fish, fried in lard.

Both were hungry and in no mood for idle chatter, eating in silence and with haste.

The warm food settled, dispelling some of the recent shock and the chill from outside.

Putting down his chopsticks, Su Yun hesitated for a moment before softly asking, "Brother Hao... you haven't gone hunting in the mountains for quite some time, but the rice, flour, meat, and oil at home... they haven't diminished. Where did the money come from?"

Cui Hao paused. In recent days, he had found that the controllable progress points gained from practicing his 'bedchamber' skills far exceeded those from hunting.

Coupled with the more than twelve taels of silver he unexpectedly acquired when dealing with Zhou Mengyue and those seven ruffians, his finances were ample, so he had temporarily put aside the idea of hunting, focusing on his martial arts training and... domestic harmony.

This question, however, enlightened him. With Zhou Menglong's return, the village would inevitably be subjected to even tighter control and scrutiny.

His recent lack of significant hunting gains, coupled with no visible signs of poverty at home, was bound to attract suspicion, especially in the eyes of someone as observant as Zhou Menglong.

"I'll head into the mountains first thing tomorrow morning. Wake up early and make me breakfast, I'll eat before I go."

Su Yun nodded gently. She vaguely knew her husband had secrets, but if he didn't speak of them, she wouldn't ask.

The night was as black as ink.

After a session of 'evening training' on the bed frame, Su Yun quickly fell into a deep sleep, exhausted and content. Her breathing was soft and even.

Cui Hao, however, was far from sleepy. He got out of bed and went into the courtyard.

With a thought, he brought up the panel only he could see.

[Broken Fist (Fragmentary): Novice (275/300)]
[Effects: Physique +5, Damage Resistance +5]

He was just a step away from Minor Accomplishment, and the "Disposable Progress Points" accumulated on the panel were still abundant.

It was time.

Without hesitation, he focused his mind and directly invested 25 disposable progress points into "Broken Fist"!

The panel glowed, and the text instantly refreshed.

[Broken Fist (Fragmentary): Minor Accomplishment (1/600)]
[Effects: Physique +10, Damage Resistance +5, Additional Damage +5, Critical Hit +1]

Boom!

It was like a sudden enlightenment, or a dormant memory being awakened! Countless deeper insights into "Broken Fist," techniques for generating power, the coordination of qi and blood, and the seamless transition between moves flooded his consciousness like a bursting dam!

It was no longer just a set of movements; he understood the underlying meaning of "shattering"—how to concentrate power at a single point, how to generate shockwaves for penetration, and how to inflict maximum damage with minimal cost!

He felt his mastery of this boxing technique instantly leap across countless days and nights of arduous practice, reaching a whole new realm, as if he were a boxer who had dedicated years to this path!

Simultaneously, his body underwent a dramatic transformation.

A surge of heat, far more potent than any before, gushed from his dantian, instantly washing over his limbs and bones!

His muscles became denser and stronger, his bones felt subtly reinforced, and the toughness of his skin seemed to increase.

His physique directly increased by 10 points! His damage resistance and the penetrating destructive power within his punches were significantly enhanced.

He even vaguely grasped how to unleash a blow that surpassed his normal strength in an instant!

More crucially, the qi and blood within him, which had been flowing slowly and subtly, were now agitated and heated by this new power and the essence of the boxing technique. They churned like boiling water, surging through his meridians, threatening to burst!

He was about to break through! With his qi and blood filled to capacity, the vital gate would naturally reveal itself!

In the cold, biting courtyard, late at night, with a hidden moon and sparse stars, the north wind howled.

Taking a deep breath of the bone-chilling air, Cui Hao suppressed the excitement in his heart and the restlessness of his qi and blood. He adopted the starting stance of "Broken Fist," his waist and stance firm, his gaze focused.

The next moment, his fist struck!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gone was the awkwardness and rigidity of his previous practice. Each punch thrown cut through the air with a clear whistling sound. The transitions between moves were fluid and natural. His power was fierce and explosive, yet contained a subtle skill, as if it truly embodied the intent of 'shattering' all things.

The fist wind stirred, whipping up the thin layer of frost and snow on the ground.

In the cold, late night, Cui Hao wore only a thin inner garment, yet sweat quickly seeped through, soaking the fabric and clinging to his bulging muscles.

His muscles protested with soreness under the continuous, high-intensity bursts of power, but he seemed oblivious, his mind completely immersed in comprehending the boxing technique and guiding the surging qi and blood within him.

He didn't understand any profound methods of internal energy guidance. He could only rely on his body's instincts, practicing the punches again and again, trying to guide the boiling qi and blood, using the momentum of the punches to cleanse, nourish, and break through the invisible barriers.

He didn't know how many times he had practiced when the first light snow of winter quietly began to fall from the sky. The cold snowflakes landed on his face and body, bringing a hint of chill.

Cui Hao was lost in his practice. He threw a punch, and a snowflake drifting in its path was shattered by the fist wind, turning into finer ice crystals that dissipated into the air.

This was the moment!

A feeling of natural progression, of sudden clarity, descended without warning!

There was no earth-shattering roar, no blinding radiance. It was more like a long-clogged riverbed being quietly cleared by a powerful, yet gentle and resilient force!

Cui Hao abruptly withdrew his fist and stood still, his eyes opening.

The world seemed different at this moment.

His vision became incredibly sharp! Even in the dim, snowy night, he could see the sway of every blade of grass on the courtyard wall, the hexagonal crystalline structure of nearby snowflakes.

In his ears, the whistling wind seemed to recede into the background, replaced by the steady, powerful beat of his own heart, resonating in his chest like a war drum.

The sound of blood flowing through his veins also became distinct, rushing like a stream.

His feet felt rooted, establishing a wondrous connection with the cold, solid earth.

His skin became extraordinarily sensitive, able to clearly perceive the subtle differences in coolness as each snowflake landed on different parts of his body, and even faintly discern their trajectories.

Most importantly, at his Dantian below the navel, the previously vague and shifting sensation of Qi had now solidified into a calm, slowly rotating warm vortex.

Though small, this vortex was incredibly stable, continuously emitting gentle yet abundant energy, like spring rain nourishing all things, quietly revitalizing his limbs, bones, and organs.

His entire body's bones and sinews let out a series of faint yet crisp cracking sounds, like parched bamboo shoots growing taller after rain.

The long-standing feeling of stagnation and powerlessness during his martial arts practice vanished completely, replaced by an unprecedented clarity, lightness, and sense of power! It was as if the sun had risen, the mist had dispersed, and the path ahead was suddenly clear!

He looked down at his hands. With a gentle clench, his knuckles popped, and a surge of potent strength gathered in his palm.

This was... the Mortal Martial Realm!

Stepping into the Mortal Martial Realm not only signified a comprehensive leap in physical fitness and the mastery of greater strength, but it also meant he had officially crossed the threshold of the martial path, gaining the qualification to learn more complete techniques and pursue higher realms!

He had also taken a tangible step closer to his goal of becoming a scholar-official and changing his own and his family's fate!

Of course, more importantly—facing a brute like Zhou Menglong, he now had more confidence to contend with him head-on, even to fight him!

"Brother Hao..."

A worried call from Cui Hao came from the doorway of the main hall.

Cui Hao turned and looked at the woman who had stayed by his side through hardship, stepped forward in times of danger, and now worried about him with all her heart. A wave of emotion and tenderness washed over him.

Having transmigrated here, though the beginning was difficult, to have found such a virtuous wife, what more could he ask for?

With this thought, Cui Hao smiled slightly, "It's alright, Sister Yun, I've broken through."

Su Yun froze for a moment, then her eyes snapped wide open, her voice trembling with excitement, "B-broken through? Brother Hao, you mean... you've entered the Mortal Martial Realm?!"

"Mhm," Cui Hao nodded affirmatively.

Receiving the definite answer, Su Yun could no longer hold back. Ignoring the cold, she let go of the quilt wrapped around her and, like a swallow returning to its nest, rushed straight into Cui Hao's arms.

"That's wonderful... that's wonderful..."

Being together every day, Su Yun knew how difficult it was for him to practice martial arts and how hard it was to support their family. Burying her face in his chest, she seemed to want to melt away his hardships with her feminine tenderness, "I knew... I knew you could do it..."