Ambushed

The spring arrived on the land, but the chill had yet to recede. Thin frost still clung to the bluestone slabs in the martial arts school's front courtyard.

A month had slipped by quietly, and the scene in the courtyard was not much different from usual.

New disciples, gritting their teeth, were honing their qi and blood in a corner, diligently practicing the basics.

Those with a bit more skill were gathered in twos and threes, sparring with each other, the sounds of clashing fists and feet incessant.

The most conspicuous figures among the crowd were still the senior disciples: Senior Sister Xu Liqing, Second Senior Brother Halan Sheng, Third Senior Brother Gao Feng, Fourth Senior Brother Sun Cheng, and Sixth Senior Sister Tu Yan, among others of the Clear Force disciples.

And among the Mortal Martial Realm disciples, the most outstanding were undoubtedly Xiao Li and Li He.

Ever since they participated in the " Qingyuan Martial Exhibition" organized by the three major families and the government in the twelfth lunar month, both of them seemed to have awakened, or perhaps received some unknown resources and guidance. Their progress was rapid, their aura growing stronger day by day. They were now recognized as the most promising geniuses with the potential to break through to Clear Force.

"Junior Brother Cui." Sun Cheng's voice interrupted Cui Hao's thoughts.

Cui Hao cupped his fist. "Fourth Senior Brother."

"Get on the stakes," Sun Cheng pointed to the plum blossom stakes beside him. "Show me a complete performance of the Broken Fist stake-standing cultivation method you've mastered, from beginning to end."

The word "complete" made the few nearby senior brothers who were eavesdropping instinctively curl their lips, revealing a pained expression.

The complete set of moves was complex, with varied footwork. It required execution on the stakes while simultaneously managing force and breath, making it extremely difficult. It was practically the "nightmare" of newly initiated Mortal Martial disciples.

Privately, some had even grumbled, wondering if their master had made the cultivation method so complicated and difficult to practice just to collect tuition fees for a few more years.

Cui Hao said nothing more. With a light leap, he landed steadily on the highest wooden stake.

His feet seemed rooted, his waist sank, his hips settled, and he assumed the standard Broken Fist starting stance. His aura instantly condensed.

The next moment, he moved.

His right arm, like a taut bowstring suddenly released, struck out with a " Mountain Collapse," its fist wind fierce and powerful, aimed directly at the empty space ahead.

Simultaneously, his feet were not still. In coordination with the fist strike, he swiftly stepped into a standard "forward bow stance." The stake trembled slightly, his body leaned forward, pushing the impact of the collapsing fist to its extreme.

Before the fist strike was finished, he changed his move. He transformed his fist into a palm, the edge of his palm like a blade. Using the momentum of his forward thrust, he unleashed a fierce " Flag Split" with a diagonal chop, a slight whistling sound cutting through the air.

Between the chop and the retraction, the conversion of force was smooth and seamless, without any hesitation.

Immediately following, he retracted his palm, bent his elbow, and delivered a vicious and swift elbow strike to the side, as if an enemy were attacking from there.

As the force of the elbow strike dissipated, his arm naturally smashed downwards, like a heavy hammer hitting the ground.

Using the rebound force from this downward smash, his body spun violently like a top. His left arm swung out in sync, like a soft whip filled with iron sand, whipping back with a whistling sound!

Collapse, chop, elbow, smash, whip – five movements completed within a mere two to three breaths. It was dazzlingly fast, yet each move was powerful and forceful, causing the stake beneath his feet to emit rhythmic creaking sounds.

This was only the beginning. The subsequent moves and footwork transitions were even more fluid. Cui Hao maneuvered on the stake, advancing, retreating, looking left, looking right, skillfully employing the basic eight steps, closely integrated with the complex fist techniques.

He struck faster and faster, yet fast without being chaotic, fierce without being superficial. Every step was planted firmly, and every move carried a clear sense of force.

Even more astonishingly, he seemed to have already begun attempting the most basic linkages between certain moves, forming more threatening "combos." Although still somewhat immature, the rudimentary form was already present.

Not far away, Jiang Jie, who had entered the sect at the same time as Cui Hao, watched in a daze. He rubbed his eyes and quietly asked Sun Cheng, "Senior Brother Sun, why... after the New Year, do I feel like Senior Brother Cui has become so much stronger? He's fighting so fast and fiercely, it's like he's a different person..."

Generally speaking, pursuing speed often led to dispersed strength, while pursuing ferocity often sacrificed flexibility.

But what Cui Hao displayed at this moment was a delicate balance between speed and power. Moreover, he could complete complex move transitions at high speed, which required extreme control over his body and force.

Sun Cheng's gaze was sharp, fixed on the figure twisting like a dragon on the stake. His face showed undisguised admiration and a hint of surprise as he slowly uttered a few words, "Junior Brother Cui... has achieved minor success in Mortal Martial."

"Ah?!" Jiang Jie almost bit his tongue, his eyes widening. "This... this is how long it's been?!"

From breaking through to Mortal Martial to achieving minor success, many people needed half a year or even longer. Cui Hao's speed, though not comparable to the "monstrous" Xiao Li and Li He, was definitely far beyond that of ordinary disciples.

"I'm also a bit surprised," Sun Cheng chuckled and shook his head, then looked at Jiang Jie and Wang Nian. "You two go up later and show me a performance."

Jiang Jie quickly shook his head like a rattle drum. "Forget it, forget it, Senior Brother Sun. I... I'm not ready yet. I'll definitely embarrass myself if I go up."

Wang Nian also waved his hand with a wry smile. "Senior Brother Sun, I'm not ready either. I've mixed up the moves, and my footwork is also rusty..."

Sun Cheng didn't force them. He knew the difficulty of this cultivation method, and ordinary disciples needed a lot of time to hone it.

When Cui Hao finished his routine and gracefully leaped off the stake, Sun Cheng couldn't help but applaud vigorously, his face filled with excitement. "Good! Junior Brother Cui, you've given me such a big surprise! I'll go report to Master right away!"

In Sun Cheng's opinion, Cui Hao's solid progress deserved the Master's attention, and perhaps he could secure some additional resources.

"Fourth Senior Brother, no need," Cui Hao stopped him in time. "It's just minor success in Mortal Martial, it's nothing. There's no need to alarm Master."

"How can this be considered 'nothing'?" Sun Cheng insisted. "Telling Master might get you more guidance in cultivation, or even... resources. Don't worry about this, I'll bring you good news!"

Before his voice even faded, Sun Cheng turned and walked briskly towards the inner courtyard.

In the warm room of the inner courtyard, Sun Cheng found Xu Dian, who was pruning a winter plum branch.

The warm room was as spring-like as could be, a stark contrast to the biting spring chill outside.

"Master!" Sun Cheng's voice was filled with joy. "Junior Brother Cui Hao has achieved minor success in Mortal Martial!"

"Oh?" Xu Dian's pruning motion paused slightly. He looked up at Sun Cheng, his face impassive. "When did this happen?"

"Just now. I witnessed it myself. He performed the Broken Fist stake-standing cultivation method completely on the stakes. His force was flowing, his footwork skillful. It's undoubtedly the minor success realm!"

Xu Dian put down the pruning shears in his hand and pondered for a moment.

Li He had achieved minor success in Mortal Martial seven days ago. Xiao Li had even already touched the threshold of major success in Mortal Martial, his progress astonishing.

Compared to him, Cui Hao's innate talent... was ultimately a bit lacking. He said slowly, "From Minor Accomplishment to Major Accomplishment is a significant hurdle, requiring more accumulation and comprehension. Cui Hao's progress is acceptable, but we still need to observe. Let's see, no rush."

Sun Cheng opened his mouth, wanting to plead for Cui Hao again, even if it was just for two packs of Qi and Blood Powder as encouragement.

But seeing his master's indifferent expression, it was clear he didn't place much importance on Cui Hao's progress. The words he had on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, and he could only reply, "Yes, Master."

Exiting the warm room, Sun Cheng found Cui Hao, who was engrossed in contemplating fist energy alone. He forced a smile onto his face, "Junior Brother Cui, Master knows. He encourages you to persevere, tread steadily, and strive to reach Mortal Martial Major Accomplishment soon."

Cui Hao's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this. He cupped his fists and bowed, "Thank you, Senior Brother, for relaying the message. Thank you, Master, for your encouragement. This disciple will definitely cultivate diligently without slacking."

Sun Cheng nodded and turned to leave, his retreating figure appearing somewhat desolate. This was the common plight of disciples from ordinary families with average talent in the martial arts school. Without outstanding talent or a strong background, they could only rely on their own arduous efforts.

Major Accomplishment? Cui Hao's thoughts stirred slightly as he looked at the panel only he could see:

[Realm: Mortal Martial Minor Accomplishment (215/600)]
[<<Broken Fist Standing Meditation Technique: Minor Accomplishment (215/600)]

The two progress bars were perfectly synchronized. This meant that as long as the progress value of the Broken Fist Standing Meditation Technique reached 600, his realm would naturally reach Mortal Martial Major Accomplishment.

He currently had 165 disposable progress points. Adding them all wouldn't be enough to directly reach Major Accomplishment.

But he wasn't in a hurry; he even felt it was a good thing.

The Broken Fist Standing Meditation Technique had numerous forms and footwork, requiring a lot of time to meticulously refine and comprehend the changes in power and practical applications of each move. Rushing would likely lead to an unstable foundation.

At the end of the day's training, the progress for Mortal Martial Minor Accomplishment and the technique on the panel each increased by 5 points, changing from 215 to 220.

The gains were small but solid. Cui Hao was filled with confidence in his martial path!

As the sky gradually darkened and dusk settled, Cui Hao began his solitary journey back to Willow Tree Village.

Lin Da had family matters and had left early in the afternoon.

The evening breeze carried a biting chill. The fields beside the official road were still barren, but a few tenacious wild grasses had already sprouted new green shoots.

He was less than a hundred paces from the entrance of Willow Tree Village, with lights in sight.

Suddenly--

Cui Hao's steps faltered slightly, and his brow furrowed imperceptibly.

After reaching Mortal Martial Minor Accomplishment, his senses had become much sharper. Within ten paces, the rustling of grass in the wind, the chirping of insects, the scurrying of mice – nothing could escape his hearing.

Just now, he had clearly heard a very faint sound coming from the patch of waist-high withered grass to his right!

Almost the instant he sensed something amiss, Cui Hao's left hand, which hung by his side, twitched its fingers. A cold, hard object with a somewhat sharp edge silently slipped into his palm, which he gripped tightly.

It was half a piece of broken silver, which he usually carried with him for emergencies. Now, it had become a potential weapon.

Since the autumn of last year, the security around Qingyuan City had been deteriorating.

Vagrants, disbanded soldiers, local bullies, and desperate outsiders... robberies and murders were common occurrences.

He hadn't expected to run into one today.

"Hoo!"

From the withered grass to his right, a short, stout black figure lunged out like a lurking viper! Moving with incredible speed, it instantly appeared beside Cui Hao. One hand, with fingers curled like hooks and black fingernails, whistled through the air, aiming directly for Cui Hao's throat!

Before the fingertips even arrived, the fierce and sharp gust of wind made the hairs on the back of Cui Hao's neck stand on end!

Claw technique!

Cui Hao's heart tightened. His senior brothers at the martial arts school had mentioned during casual chats that this was an extremely sinister and vicious martial art. When practiced to a high level, the fingers became like steel hooks, capable of splitting stone slabs, and it specialized in attacking vital points like the eyes, throat, and groin – a hit meant immediate death or severe injury!

At the brink of life and death, the standing meditation footwork he had practiced diligently now played a crucial role!

Cui Hao twisted his waist and hips, executing the " Side Step " from the " Body Shifting " technique. His entire body swung and rotated sharply to the left like a willow in the wind!

"Screech!"

The sharp claws, capable of piercing the throat bone, grazed Cui Hao's neck skin, tearing a slit in the collar of his cotton jacket. The cold fingertips even touched his skin, causing a burning, stinging sensation!

His attack having missed, the black-clad assailant seemed surprised, but their movements didn't falter. Their left claw followed immediately, raking towards Cui Hao's eyes, while their right foot silently kicked towards his groin.

Cui Hao noticed the assailant was clad in a black night-suit, their face covered by a black scarf, revealing only a pair of fierce, predatory eyes. His concentration was at its peak as he applied the "Basic Eight Steps" to its limit.

He "retreated" and leaned back, evading the eye-gouging claw.

He "circled" and twisted his body, narrowly dodging the groin-kicking leg.

The opponent's claw technique was fierce, incredibly fast, and their combat experience was clearly rich, forcing him into a purely defensive stance for the moment, unable to effectively counterattack.

After several exchanges, Cui Hao finally spotted a minuscule opening created by the opponent's continuous aggressive attacks – the area below their right rib was exposed for a fleeting moment due to an overly large claw swing!

An opportunity!

Cui Hao's footwork "advanced" forward abruptly, closing the distance as if shrinking the ground. His right fist, which had been gathering power, shot out like a poisonous dragon from its lair. A variation of " Mountain Collapse ", the " Heart-Piercing Collapse ", discarded some of its brute force in favor of extreme speed and penetration, striking directly at the opponent's exposed right rib!

As his fist brushed against the clothing, Cui Hao could even feel the hardness of the opponent's ribs.

However, just as his power was about to be unleashed, the black-clad assailant reacted with extreme speed. Sensing danger, they abruptly halted their forward momentum, twisted their body in an unnatural way, and simultaneously brought their right arm back like a jointless limb, delivering a fierce palm strike towards Cui Hao's punching arm!

"Crack!" The two forearms collided forcefully, emitting a dull thudding sound.

Cui Hao felt a shock run up his arm, and a sinister, vicious force transmitted through the point of contact, causing his qi and blood to churn slightly. He "unloaded" his step, retreating half a pace to dissipate the impact, his gaze sharp as a hawk, locked onto the opponent.

The black-clothed man's eyes flashed with fiercer malice, yet also a hint of solemnity. After their brief exchange, his back, grazed by the fist wind, burned with pain, his blood churning uncontrollably.

The young man before him moved with impossibly exquisite footwork, reacted swiftly, and his punches were vicious. If this continued as a one-on-one fight, he likely wouldn't fare well.

"Tough opponent! Let's go together!" the short, stout masked man growled, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.

Before he finished speaking, the darkness seemed to come alive!

From the left, a figure as thin and long as a bamboo pole slid out from the shadows by the roadside like a phantom. His footwork was peculiar, moving close to the ground with astonishing speed. A glint of cold light flashed in the night—a short blade, about a foot long, narrow and sharp. It moved silently, aimed directly at Cui Hao's lower back, near the kidneys!

From the right, another relatively tall and burly figure charged out from behind a dirt slope like a ferocious bear. He had no fancy footwork, just a pure, brute charge. Using the momentum, his fist, the size of a alms bowl, whistled through the air, aiming straight for Cui Hao's left temple!

Three men! One frontal, two flanking, one with claws, one with a blade, one with a fist, they sealed off most of Cui Hao's escape routes!

This was no impromptu mob; they were seasoned veterans accustomed to ambushing and killing!

On the knife's edge of life and death, Cui Hao became completely calm. His left hand, which had been tightly gripping the half-piece of silver, now moved without hesitation. Without even looking, he flicked his wrist, sending the silver flying like a projectile towards the short, stout man's face!

Not to wound, but merely to distract!

The short, stout man, thinking it was some sort of lime powder or poison sand, instinctively raised his left hand to block, his vision slightly impaired.

It was this momentary distraction!

Cui Hao's footwork shifted again. No longer a simple advance or retreat, he blended "looking left," "glancing right," and "circling" – three basic footwork techniques. His body, like a top losing its balance, spun to the rear at an incredible angle and trajectory!

The tall, burly man's seemingly certain punch grazed his ear, the wind from it stinging his cheek.

Simultaneously, the direction of his spin brought him directly into the path of the thin, tall man's thrusting blade!

He didn't block it head-on. Instead, while spinning, his right hand shot out like a snake from its hole, precisely seizing the thin man's wrist holding the blade! The touch was icy cold. The opponent's wrist was extremely slender but surprisingly strong, exerting force to thrust forward.

Cui Hao gripped the wrist, not resisting the force, but rather using the opponent's thrusting momentum, combined with his own centrifugal force from spinning, to guide the attacker's arm in a bizarre arc—

"Thwack!"

The dull sound of flesh being pierced was exceptionally clear in the silent night.

The thin man's eyes, wide with astonishment, were clearly visible above his mask. He felt a chill on his neck, followed by the sensation of warm liquid gushing out.

He looked down in disbelief, seeing the short blade in his own hand deeply embedded in his throat. The hilt was still in his grasp, yet an external force had controlled it to deliver this fatal blow.

"Hh... hh..." A sound like a broken bellows came from his throat. He stumbled backward, but the knife in his hand seemed stuck to his neck, dragging him down as he crashed to the ground.

The flowing blood quickly stained the ground beneath him.

A few drops of warm blood splattered onto Cui Hao's face, carrying a heavy, coppery-sweet scent.

At this moment, there was no fear in his heart. Instead, a cold, strangely exhilarating emotion surged within him.

--On his status panel, the Broken Fist stationary training technique and its realm advancement progress instantly surged by 20 points!

The Archery skill's progress also increased slightly by 2 points, likely because the thrown silver was judged as "ranged attack."

Normally, with diligent practice and consumption of Qi and Blood Powder, he'd only gain about 5 points a day.

In comparison, the "experience" gained from killing far surpassed ordinary cultivation!

"Boss!!" The short, stout man, his palm stinging from a cut by the edge of the silver, witnessed his thin companion die in such a bizarre and tragic manner. He roared in shock and rage.

He hadn't expected that their combined effort would result in the loss of their most skilled sneak attacker in the first engagement.

"Let's go! Kill him!" The burly man's heart chilled at his companion's death, but it was quickly replaced by ferocity. He roared and charged again like a wild bull, fists flying, heavy and powerful, intending to overwhelm Cui Hao with sheer strength.

Cui Hao, however, didn't confront him head-on. His steps shifted, his body as light as a drifting feather. He unleashed the "Duckweed Step" from Body Shifting, which emphasized speed and directional changes. He actually abandoned the burly man and lunged straight for the short, stout man whose right hand was injured and mind was in disarray!

The short, stout man was horrified. His renowned claw technique was severely weakened because his left hand was also injured by the silver.

Seeing Cui Hao pounce like a phantom, his first thought was to retreat! He rapidly pulled back, turning to flee, wanting to create distance.

But Cui Hao was faster! In an instant, he was within three feet!

Sensing danger, a ruthless glint flashed in the short, stout man's eyes. Since he couldn't escape, he'd fight! He abruptly stopped and turned, his left hand ignoring the pain. His fingers curled like hooks, unleashing a treacherous move, "Backhand Snatch."

It aimed directly for Cui Hao's chest! This was a desperate counterattack, fast and vicious.

Unfortunately, this "seeking victory in defeat" trick was something Cui Hao had encountered before and was prepared for.

Just as the opponent turned and exerted force, Cui Hao shifted sideways, narrowly dodging the claw strike aimed at his heart. Simultaneously, his previously free left hand formed a blade with his fingers. With all his might channeled into a " Flag Split" hand chop, he brought it down fiercely towards the joint of the opponent's right arm, exposed by his claw attack!

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out.

"Ah--!!!"

The short, stout man let out a heart-wrenching scream. His right forearm bent at an unnatural angle, his arm bone clearly broken.

With his left hand injured and his right arm broken, his claw technique, honed for many years, was now completely ruined!

In a flash, of the three who ambushed him, one was dead and one was severely injured!