Public Notice

At three-quarters past the hour of the Tiger, the sky was still dark.

Zhao Yuanchong emerged from the practice room, his body steaming with sweat. He grabbed the water ladle from the bucket under the corridor, tilted his head back, and took a large gulp, the cold water streaming down his neck.

"Did you post the notice?" He wiped his mouth, his voice raspy.

Li Tui stood in the shadow of a corridor pillar: "It is posted."

"Let's go."

Zhao Yuanchong tossed the ladle back into the bucket and turned to walk outside without even putting on his outer robe. Li Tui followed with a lantern, the dim yellow halo swaying across the stone path.

Outside the Martial Arts Arena, in front of the blue brick wall, twenty or thirty people had gathered.

The crowd parted to both sides when they saw Zhao Yuanchong approaching. Zhao Yuanchong walked up to the wall and looked up.

The characters written in cinnabar were glaringly red:

[Year-end Tournament, arena competition, discuss the dao through martial arts, stop at the point of contact]

Below were the rewards.

[First place: Seven days in the Yunling Pool, one Barrier-Breaking Pill, one mid-grade magical artifact]

[Second place: Five days in the Yunling Pool, three Ningyuan Pills]

[Third place: Three days in the Yunling Pool, one Ningyuan Pill]

Further down was the match roster.

Zhao Yuanchong's gaze swept over the first line, his lips curling into a cold sneer. He scanned the rewards below with an expressionless face, merely narrowing his eyes.

Just as he was about to look at the match roster, a commotion erupted from the crowd behind him.

"Seven days in the Yunling Pool... that's enough to break through the Tongmai bottleneck!"

"The Barrier-Breaking Pill is the real treasure! It can forcibly shatter the barriers of a minor realm!"

"A mid-grade magical artifact of one's choosing... what a generous offer..."

Zhao Yuanchong ignored the chatter. He tapped his finger through the air, found his own name, located Zhao Hao further down, and then Zhao Wen below that. He then traced the lines of the winners' progression in his mind.

When he reached the final three rounds, he paused.

Someone behind him whispered: "That brat Zhao Hao, he plays dirty..."

Zhao Yuanchong suddenly turned around, his gaze sweeping over them. It was a collateral branch disciple who, seeing Zhao Yuanchong look over, hurriedly shut his mouth.

"Continue," Zhao Yuanchong said, his voice low. "What about Zhao Hao?"

The man's face turned pale, his lips trembling.

Zhao Yuanchong stared at him for two breaths, let out a scoff, and turned to walk away.

Once they were clear of the crowd, he spoke: "Any movement from Zhao Wen's side?"

Li Tui paused: "This servant does not know."

Zhao Yuanchong didn't stop his pace, merely giving an "mm." After walking a few steps, he asked again: "What about Zhao Hao? Has he seen the notice?"

"He should have."

"He has seen it..." Zhao Yuanchong repeated the three words and suddenly laughed, a short, sharp sound. "Right now, he's probably thinking about how to make sure I can't get back up."

Returning to the main courtyard practice room, Zhao Mingsheng was already waiting inside.

He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, turning around when he heard footsteps. His gaze swept over Zhao Yuanchong's face: "Your complexion is alright."

Zhao Yuanchong pulled off his soaked inner robe and tossed it aside, grabbing a clean outer robe to drape over himself: "I saw it."

"What do you think?"

"I'll just fight," Zhao Yuanchong said decisively. "I want that first place."

Zhao Mingsheng stared at him for two breaths, pulled a jade box from his robes, and tossed it over: "Qi-Condensing Powder, one per day. Pulse-Protecting Pill, one every three days. From today on, all your time will be spent on opening your acupoints."

Zhao Yuanchong caught the jade box and opened it. Inside were two compartments, one glistening white and the other pale green.

"The Qi-Condensing Powder has a violent force; without the Pulse-Protecting Pill to guide it, your meridians will be damaged," Zhao Mingsheng said. "But this is the fastest path. Within ten days, you must open your 'Qihai' and 'Danzhong' major acupoints."

Zhao Yuanchong pinched a Qi-Condensing Powder, stared at it for a moment, and tilted his head to swallow it.

The moment the pill hit his throat, his entire body went rigid.

"Sit cross-legged," Zhao Mingsheng said.

Zhao Yuanchong sat down as instructed, his palms facing the sky. Soon, his skin flushed an unnatural red, and the veins on his forehead began to bulge. True qi rampaged through his body like a wild horse.

"Guide the qi to the sea," Zhao Mingsheng's voice sounded in his ear. "Do not resist, follow the medicinal power."

Zhao Yuanchong gritted his teeth and obeyed. The true qi surged like a flood toward his dantian, crashing wildly against the exterior of the 'Qihai' acupoint. Every impact brought a tearing, bloating pain.

Once, twice, three times...

By the eighth time, a crack appeared in the barrier of the acupoint.

"Break through!" Zhao Mingsheng commanded in a low voice.

Zhao Yuanchong gathered all his true qi and slammed it forward with all his might!

"Boom!"

A muffled sound echoed deep within his consciousness. His Qihai point burst open in response, and a surge of majestic true energy poured into his dantian, filling it instantly.

Zhao Yuanchong let out a muffled groan, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

When he opened his eyes, a terrifying brightness flickered in their depths.

"It's done." Zhao Mingsheng nodded. "But don't get happy too soon. Your Qihai has just opened, and your foundation is unstable. You must use the Pulse-Protecting Pill to nourish it repeatedly over the next three days."

He pulled a small booklet from his robes. "These are the techniques for the final three forms of the Liuyun Technique. Now that your Qihai is open, your true energy capacity has doubled, so you can begin practicing them."

Zhao Yuanchong took the booklet, his fingertips trembling.

"As for Zhao Wen," Zhao Mingsheng suddenly changed the subject, "the Patriarch had someone send him a Ranxue Pill."

Zhao Yuanchong's fingers tightened, causing the edge of the booklet to crinkle.

"Ranxue Pill..." his voice sank, "that is a vicious, overbearing medicine."

"That is why you must defeat him before his medicinal power runs out." Zhao Mingsheng's tone was indifferent. "Otherwise, once the backlash hits and he starts bleeding from his seven orifices, it won't look good for you even if you win."

Zhao Yuanchong stared at the booklet in his hands, remaining silent for a long time.

"Why?" he finally spoke, his voice very soft. "Why does Father... have to force him like this?"

Zhao Mingsheng was silent for a moment.

"The Patriarch has his own considerations." He finally said, "All you need to do is win. Win every match and make it to the end."

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked toward the door. He stopped at the threshold, turned his head, and glanced back. "Do not let your father down."

The door closed.

Zhao Yuanchong remained seated where he was, staring at the booklet in his hands. Morning light leaked through the window cracks, falling onto his face and illuminating a pale, bewildered expression.

Li Tui stood outside the door, waiting quietly.