The Martial Hall's Internal Competition

The next day, the spring morning was cool.

Chen Mo gave the seven taels of silver to Chen Lan and reminded her not to use it anywhere crowded. Chen Lan had been clever since childhood, and she sensed something was amiss. At noon, she heard in the market district that Huang E had been killed, which only confirmed her suspicions.

But in front of Chen Mo, she kept quiet about it. Every day, she passed by a different butcher shop and "happened" to buy some meat. Once home, she stewed it with radishes until it was tender, so Chen Mo could eat it when he returned that evening.

With the nourishing food, Chen Mo naturally felt his strength growing fuller, and his stake training and boxing practice were a little more effective than before.

Tianqing Martial Hall.

This was the day of the hall's internal competition, held once every three days. It was meant to test each disciple's progress and give them a chance to learn from one another, taking the strong points to make up for the weak.

Chen Mo stopped his stake training and looked toward the competition ring.

Disciples who had reached Ming Jin were required to compete, while those who had not could volunteer.

The first to enter the ring was Yin Shanshan. As soon as the pretty young daughter of the hall master stepped out, the Ming Jin male disciples stirred, one after another declaring that they wanted to "test their skills" against Yin Shanshan.

In the end, Yin Shanshan pointed to another Ming Jin female disciple at the edge of the ring. The other girl understood at once and leaped lightly into the ring.

Yin Shanshan used palm techniques, while her opponent used boxing. They fought for five exchanges before the other girl was soundly defeated. It was hard to say whether she had truly been outmatched or if there was some other reason.

Taking advantage of her exit, the female disciple glanced, seemingly by chance, at Yin Tianqing, who sat in the central hall and surveyed the entire gathering with disdain.

Yin Shanshan, meanwhile, looked toward her eldest senior brother, Zhang Chong, whose expression remained unchanged.

Next to enter the ring was Ji Chang. His opponent was a stern-faced youth named Luo Heng, one of only two youths in Black River Town to have reached Ming Jin the previous year.

Ji Chang's lips twitched slightly. He clearly had no desire to fight Luo Heng. His opponent was a notorious martial arts fanatic who, despite his young age, struck viciously. If he lost, he would train day and night until the day he could trample you underfoot.

Once the fight began, Chen Mo noticed the astonishing power of Luo Heng's Hanshan Fist. Every punch drove forward without retreat, and the two darted and dodged for several exchanges, their fists stirring up gusts of wind.

On the thirteenth exchange, Luo Heng seized the opening as his opponent turned and slammed a punch into Ji Chang's face. Ji Chang was knocked out of the ring, his face covered in bloody welts. A chorus of hisses rose from the crowd.

Chen Mo stepped forward and helped him up. Ji Chang shook his head slightly, indicating that he was fine.

It was only because Ji Chang had once defeated Luo Heng that Luo Heng had felt humiliated and clung to him like a bone-deep parasite, trying to fight him to the death every time they met after that.

Chen Mo silently made a note of the man's temperament.

Among the next few matches, the most eye-catching was the contest between eldest senior brother Zhang Chong and second senior brother Yue Lun. Zhang Chong was steady by nature, while Yue Lun was easygoing and uncompetitive.

To Chen Mo's surprise, Zhang Chong defeated Yue Lun in only five exchanges.

The mid-stage Dark Jin eldest senior brother raised his sleeves now and then, prompting the junior sisters to clasp their hands and gaze at him expectantly, like gamblers who had wagered everything on him.

Once the disciples who had reached Ming Jin had finished competing, some of those who had yet to reach it volunteered to spar.

One of them was named Luo Wei. His face was as fierce as Luo Heng's. He had joined the hall three months earlier, was Luo Heng's younger cousin, and often received guidance from him.

Luo Wei won all four matches in a row with ease. The other new disciples exchanged glances, none daring to step forward again. Yin Tianqing, seated nearby, shook his head slightly at the sight.

Ji Chang suddenly turned to Chen Mo. "Junior brother, do you want to go up and give it a try?"

Chen Mo smiled and shook his head. "No. I haven't been at the hall long, and it's not time for me to spar with my senior brothers yet."

Ji Chang patted him on the shoulder. "Just practicing your stakes and punches won't cut it. The martial path is about real combat. Only real combat can truly temper your strength. Luo Heng may be annoying, but that fierce drive of his—to meet every challenge head-on and fight until he falls—is the right attitude."

Chen Mo agreed with him and nodded. "Mm, I'll remember what you said, senior brother. If a good opportunity comes along, I'll step up."

Just then, Yin Tianqing suddenly spoke. "Chen Mo, go up and give it a try."

Chen Mo and Ji Chang both froze.

Yin Tianqing rarely gave new disciples personal instruction, so the hall's internal competition was an important opportunity for him to assess them.

Chen Mo knew he couldn't refuse, so he nodded in acknowledgment and stepped into the ring.

Across from him, Luo Wei exchanged a glance with Luo Heng. A glimmer seemed to spark in their eyes. Though Chen Mo had no grudge against Luo Heng, Luo Heng had already lumped Chen Mo together with Ji Chang in his mind. With a temperament like his, it was little wonder he had almost no friends in the hall.

The defining trait of the Hanshan Fist Luo Wei practiced was its fierce power. It excelled at attacking but neglected defense. Yet among boxing styles of the same realm, few could hold out long enough to find an opening in the Hanshan Fist's defenses.

Chen Mo assumed the stance of the Fuhu Fist and slowly breathed out.

Luo Wei did not take a boxing stance. He stamped hard with his left foot and drove off with his right, his body surging forward like a leopard. At the same time, he clenched his right hand into a fist. In the space of a single breath, his whole body had taken on the striking posture of the Hanshan Fist.

He was certain that the inconspicuous junior brother across from him, Chen Mo, wouldn't be able to withstand this punch. One blow would decide the winner.

Watching from the sidelines, Luo Heng nodded with satisfaction. Unless something unexpected happened, the outcome was already decided.

Ji Chang, meanwhile, furrowed his brows slightly and silently held his breath for Chen Mo.

As the Hanshan Fist swelled before his eyes, Chen Mo's mind remained calm. He swiftly unfolded the Fuhu Fist stance. When his fist reached a foot and three inches from his shoulder blade, he adjusted its angle slightly, guided by the insights he had gained from Mountain and Water Cultivation, and sent out a plain, unadorned punch.

Both their fists tore through the air with a sharp whistle. Everyone had seen Luo Wei's Hanshan Fist before, but he had yet to reach Ming Jin, so its sound was faint. Yet the other sound rang out so clearly and powerfully. Could it be...

In the blink of an eye, their fists met, the impact of their forces producing a deep, buzzing clang.

Even the Ming Jin disciples who hadn't been paying attention to the match were drawn by the sound and looked over.

Chen Mo and Luo Wei had already been forced four or five steps apart. But Chen Mo still stood firm as a pine, while Luo Wei's feet were planted parallel to each other—a cardinal taboo in combat.

Clearly, in that clash of fists, Luo Wei had been at a distinct disadvantage and had been driven back several steps by the force of the blow.

The defensive weakness of the Hanshan Fist now lay wide open.

Chen Mo stepped forward. The Wave-Intercepting Style took shape at once, his fists thrusting out one after the other: the first as a feint, the second as the main attack. Both stirred up gusts of wind.

Luo Wei had always neglected defense, and the situation was even more unexpected than he could have imagined. His thoughts were in disarray; before he could even assume the most basic defensive stance, the Wave-Intercepting Style sent him flying out of the ring.

Seeing this, the new disciples Luo Wei had defeated quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Chang's face brightened, while Luo Heng's darkened. Neither went to help Luo Wei, who lay on the ground.

As for the other Ming Jin disciples, they remained uninterested. It was just a match between children; watching for amusement was enough.

Seated nearby, Yin Tianqing nodded slightly. In his view, Chen Mo stood out most among the disciples. Though his constitution was poor, his Comprehension was decent. Still, constitution was the most crucial factor on the martial path. Chen Mo's lower limit might be passable, but there was little reason to expect much from his upper limit.

After winning, Chen Mo withdrew from the ring and returned to his stake training and boxing practice.

With a slight stir of thought, a dazzling light rose in his mind:

[Thousand Hammer Refinement, Mountain and Water Cultivation]

[Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique: A basic stake technique; it trains the legs below and fist force above]

[Comprehension: 48/50 (Not Initiated)]

Today was the seventh day since the ambush that killed Huang E. The Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique was nearing initiation, and Chen Mo had a feeling that once he reached that stage, he might be able to step into Ming Jin.