Thick Earth Physique

"Shi Mu? I heard long ago that your hall had a disciple who was only fifteen, yet had already cultivated the Body Tempering Technique to nearly the tenth layer. Could this young brother be him?" Gu Zhong looked at Shi Mu's tall, fully grown stature and wore a surprised expression.

After all, although it wasn't common for someone eighteen or nineteen to cultivate the Body Tempering Technique to its peak, it wasn't especially rare, either, given their age. But if someone could reach the tenth layer at just fifteen, then he could absolutely be called a genius.

Among the known Martial Disciples in Feng City who were under fifteen, those who had already reached the tenth layer of Body Tempering could be counted on one hand. This basically meant they were far more likely than others to grasp the sensation of qi, and that after becoming Houtian Martial Artists, their potential would be far greater as well.

After this thought crossed Gu Zhong's mind, he immediately smiled broadly and cupped his fists toward Shi Mu.

"Haha, Brother Shi is so young, yet has already reached the tenth layer of Body Tempering. You'll surely shine brightly in this competition."

"Thank you for your kind words, Brother Gu." Shi Mu smiled faintly and returned the salute with clasped hands.

"You've already reached the tenth layer of Body Tempering?" Tie Dong, the dark, skinny youth who looked like a monkey, heard Gu Zhong's conversation with Shi Mu and asked him in a voice that was unexpectedly shrill and unpleasant, as if he were still going through puberty.

"That's right."

Shi Mu answered casually.

"Hmph. Back in my hometown, I once fought a Martial Disciple at the eleventh layer of Body Tempering. He wore himself out and collapsed on the platform, but still couldn't break through my Thick Earth Physique." The dark, skinny youth stared at Shi Mu and spoke with some disdain.

"If that's the case, then I might really not be your match. But unfortunately, your opponent may not necessarily be me when the time comes." Shi Mu yawned as he replied.

"No matter who my opponent is, no one will be able to break through my Thick Earth Physique." Tie Dong spoke haughtily, then turned and walked away on his own.

As for Sun Jun, standing beside Shi Mu, he hadn't even looked at him once.

"Is that guy always such a big shot?" Sun Jun's face turned white with anger, and he couldn't help asking loudly.

"Heh, well..." Gu Zhong, who was usually good at smoothing things over, could only stammer awkwardly this time.

"Brother Gu, there's no need to make excuses for him. To be frank, even the old hands at Feihong Martial Hall can't stand Tie Dong. But the instructors in the hall treat him like a treasure, so there's nothing we can do. Besides, although the kid is unbearably smug, his Thick Earth Physique really does live up to its reputation. At the very least, Brother Li and I can't do anything to him." The chubby "Junior Brother Jia" gave a cold laugh as he spoke.

"Is this Thick Earth Physique really that frightening? Brother Li, if I remember correctly, your specialty is the Splashing Water Sword Technique, which is best suited to dealing with external hardening techniques." Li Yunfeng was surprised to hear this.

"Ahem. You'll experience the power of the Thick Earth Physique for yourselves when you get on the platform. There's no need for me to say more." Gu Zhong answered with a bitter smile, apparently unwilling to elaborate.

"Hmph. Even if Tie Dong's Thick Earth Physique gives him remarkable defense, surely Wang Tianhao's Fang Fire Spear Technique can handle him?" Sun Jun fell silent for a moment, then said with a cold laugh.

"As for Wang Tianhao, that's hard to say. At the last martial hall competition, this young master Wang defeated every Martial Disciple from the Four Great Martial Halls with nothing but a rudimentary Fang Fire Spear Technique. No one could stop him. A year has passed since then, so Wang Tianhao is naturally even stronger now. But he's even more arrogant and tyrannical. I heard that even the old hands at Jingang Martial Hall get beaten up on the spot if he takes a dislike to them." Gu Zhong shook his head repeatedly as he spoke.

At this, not only Sun Jun and Li Yunfeng but the others as well couldn't help glancing toward Wang Tianhao. Shi Mu alone seemed not to have heard a thing; he still wore a faint smile as he watched the dark, skinny youth not far away.

The white-clad youth, who had been looking down as he wiped his spear, seemed to sense something. He abruptly raised his head and looked toward them.

Li Yunfeng and the others jumped and hurriedly turned their gazes away with awkward smiles.

The white-clad youth swept his emotionless gaze across them. After pausing on Shi Mu for a moment, he suddenly stood up, slung his long spear over his back, and swaggered toward them.

"Y-Young Master Wang, it's been a while!" After they exchanged glances, Gu Zhong could only force himself to greet him.

"Who are you? Have I met you before?" Wang Tianhao gave Gu Zhong a cold look and replied rudely.

Gu Zhong's face flushed red, then went pale.

Seeing this, Li Yunfeng and the others naturally didn't dare speak up. They could only let the white-clad youth's gaze pass over them one by one again.

"What's your name, and which martial hall are you from?" Wang Tianhao's gaze finally settled on Shi Mu again. After looking him up and down carefully, he slowly drew the iron spear from his back and pointed its tip directly at him. His voice held no emotion.

"Oh? What do you want?"

Shi Mu furrowed his brow, then turned to look at Young Master Wang. His gaze was exceptionally calm and clear, without the slightest trace of unease.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?" Wang Tianhao narrowed his eyes as he looked at Shi Mu.

"No. This is the first time I've met you," Shi Mu said firmly, without even blinking.

"We've never met, but why does your build look so familiar?" Wang Tianhao still pointed his spear at Shi Mu, a trace of suspicion flashing across his face.

"Could you have seen Junior Brother Shi Mu somewhere in Feng City, Young Master Wang?" Li Yunfeng finally spoke after a light cough, though he was just as puzzled.

He knew a little about Shi Mu's background, and no matter how he thought about it, Shi Mu shouldn't have had any dealings with Wang Tianhao.

Gu Zhong, Sun Jun, and the others were even more baffled.

"Heh, maybe I really did mistake you for someone else. Your name is Shi Mu, right? Good. I hope we can have a proper match on the platform later." Wang Tianhao swept his gaze over Shi Mu's calm face several more times. His pupils suddenly contracted ever so slightly, then he burst into hearty laughter, put away his long spear, and turned to walk back by himself.

Gu Zhong, Li Yunfeng, and the others exchanged glances, unable to figure out what the top Martial Disciple in Feng City had meant by his actions.

"Brother Shi, do you know Wang Tianhao?" Li Yunfeng couldn't help asking.

"I don't. Well, I suppose you could say we don't know each other." Shi Mu rubbed his chin and gave a rather vague reply.

"What do you mean, you suppose you don't know him?" Li Yunfeng's eyes widened. He suddenly felt that Shi Mu had become unfathomably mysterious.

Gu Zhong and the others were just as full of questions, but seeing Shi Mu's expression, they didn't dare press him further.

"Senior Brother Feng, did you see that? Wang Tianhao just went over to Flowing Wind and Feihong Martial Halls. He even showed them his spear, but after saying just a few words, he came back. What on earth was he up to?" As the host, Tianlu Martial Hall naturally had more than just its three competitors present. There were seven or eight people in all. At the center stood a scarred young man with a fierce gaze—the most famous Martial Disciple at Tianlu Martial Hall, Feng Jun.

As he listened to his companion, Feng Jun watched Wang Tianhao's every move with a murderous glare.

As the nephew of Tianlu Martial Hall's master, he had not only practiced the hall's unique and domineering Iron Garment Body since childhood, but had also mastered the renowned Martial Disciple-level technique, Black Sha Hand, to a considerable degree. Although he had narrowly failed to enter Kaiyuan Martial Academy back then, he had never taken any other Martial Disciple his age in Feng City seriously, and he had won the final victory at martial hall competitions many times.

But all of that changed after the last martial hall competition, when he was defeated in moments by Wang Tianhao, a Martial Disciple much younger than himself. On the platform, the other boy had planted his foot firmly on Feng Jun's face.

He—Feng Jun—had never hated anyone so much. After that competition, he had even shut himself away and trained bitterly for months without setting foot outside the martial hall, all for the sake of exacting revenge.

Fortunately, not long ago, he had challenged another powerful Martial Disciple for a certain reason. Although his opponent had shattered his Iron Garment Technique with his bare fists, leaving him bedridden for over a month, Feng Jun had unexpectedly turned disaster into fortune. His Iron Garment Technique had advanced to a higher level and successfully reached the great mastery stage.

With that, he naturally had great confidence that he would be the last man standing in this martial hall competition and would trample Wang Tianhao beneath his feet in turn.

However, the moment he saw Wang Tianhao again at Tianlu Martial Hall, the side of his face that had once been pinned under the other boy's foot immediately began to burn. His confidence dwindled once more.

Thinking of this, Feng Jun gave a cold snort and finally spoke.

"Are you certain that among the competitors from Feihong and Flowing Wind Martial Halls, only that country bumpkin with the Thick Earth Physique is worth watching, and the rest are no threat?"

"Rest assured, Senior Brother Feng. We've made inquiries many times. Those two halls are far weaker than our Tianlu and Jingang Martial Halls to begin with. The only one you need to watch out for is the fellow with the Thick Earth Physique that the master mentioned. But even if he has a martial physique, he's just a country bumpkin from some remote backwater. What impressive martial techniques could he have cultivated? Your Iron Garment Body is no weaker than the Thick Earth Physique, Senior Brother, and you've already reached the tenth layer of the Body Tempering Technique. You could wear the bumpkin down to death just by tiring him out." A Tianlu Martial Hall disciple beside him hurriedly showered him with flattery.

"That'll do, then. That means I can focus all my attention on Wang Tianhao!" Feng Jun rubbed one side of his face, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

Strangely enough, as soon as he said this, he felt an uncomfortable twinge beneath his ribs, where he had only recently recovered from an injury.

After about the time it took to eat a meal, the doors of the side room behind the training ground swung open. Amidst bursts of laughter, Li Canghai and the others from the four martial halls came out, chatting and laughing as if they had truly been old friends gathered together.

"All right, the Four Great Martial Halls competition officially begins now." Feng Lengchan, the master of Tianlu Martial Hall, swept his gaze over the Martial Disciples and announced without hesitation.