Invitation (Seeking Reads)

Liu Yan had taken a job with a security firm and was out on a delivery, so she was currently occupied.

As for Lin Mingsheng, he was a member of the Lin Family from the Inner City, one of the four great clans.

Even if the Zhao Family wanted revenge, they would not easily lay a hand on him; this was the unspoken understanding between the great clans.

Therefore, Lin Mingsheng remained unaffected and continued to show up at the Martial Arts Hall every day to check in.

However, the atmosphere within the Martial Arts Hall was much more silent than usual.

News of Li Yuan breaking through to the Stone Skin Realm had not been made public, so the other disciples at the Ox Skin Realm had nothing to worry about for the time being.

The string of bad news made the atmosphere in the hall feel more oppressive with each passing day.

When the disciples spoke in private, their voices were much lower, and their expressions carried a hint of anxiety.

In the back courtyard room.

Yang Chong's mental state was not very good; the constant stream of bad news left him unable to rest well.

He had managed this Martial Arts Hall, and while he hadn't become incredibly wealthy, he had established a foothold in the Outer City and gained some reputation.

Now, his closing disciple Cao Chuan was severely injured and unconscious; even if he recovered, he would waste a significant amount of time rebuilding his energy and blood.

Cao Chuan was already twenty-eight this year. Once he passed thirty, his spirit and energy would begin to decline rapidly. To break through to Bone Forging?

Without a miraculous encounter, it would be difficult!

His second disciple, Liu Yan, was a woman and would eventually marry, so she could not stay at the Martial Arts Hall forever.

His third disciple, Zhao Qin, was honest and had a calm temperament, making him a good candidate.

However, his talent was limited, and he had been polishing his Stone Skin for three or four years without even touching the threshold of the Iron Skin Realm.

Without the strength of the Iron Skin level, he couldn't even defend the Five Animals Academy.

Huang Ren had been even worse off, having his legs broken. Based on Yang Chong's experience, even if they healed, he would likely be a cripple.

As for Lin Mingsheng, he was a Lin Family disciple after all; his heart was not in the Martial Arts Hall, and he would eventually return to the Inner City. Yang Chong usually didn't bother managing him much.

After much thought, in such a large Martial Arts Hall, he couldn't find a single successor he could entrust with his legacy.

The martial arts industry was fiercely competitive. Once Yang Chong showed signs of decline, or if no one could step up to accept challenges, the hall's reputation would be ruined, and his years of hard work would go down the drain.

Being defeated meant your martial arts were inferior to others. With the same tuition fees, why would anyone come to you to learn?

Moreover, almost every capable martial arts master had enemies.

Taking on a closing disciple wasn't just about having someone to care for him in his old age; it was about having someone to take the blows for him.

His gaze drifted involuntarily toward the front courtyard.

There, the refined-looking Li Yuan should be silently practicing.

This disciple, who had only joined two months ago, had displayed an astonishing speed of cultivation.

Going from Ox Skin to Stone Skin in one month was simply unheard of.

If given time, perhaps...

Yang Chong sighed. Li Yuan came from a hunter's background, and his personality usually seemed steady.

But after all, the time they had spent together was too short; his true character and whether he understood gratitude remained to be seen.

Whether he could persist under pressure was also an unknown.

Furthermore, he was only at the Stone Skin level now, still some distance away from Iron Skin.

Yang Chong had seen geniuses who progressed exceptionally fast during certain periods, only to fade into obscurity afterward.

It could only be said that he still required observation.

The Five Animals Academy looked full of talent, but in reality, the only one with hope of breaking through to Bone Forging was Cao Chuan.

"Cough..."

Yang Chong felt that his sleep time had been increasing lately, and the more he slept, the more tired he felt; it was a clear sign that his mental state was deteriorating.

His heart felt heavy and stifled. He thought of his old brothers in the military; some had children who made them proud, allowing them to enjoy a peaceful life.

Others had disciples who were capable, allowing them to retire with peace of mind.

Only he, over fifty this year, had no children and still had to hold up this establishment, without a single junior he could rely on.

Thump, thump, thump!

Just as he was lost in his memories, the door was suddenly knocked.

"Master, someone is here to challenge us." Zhao Qin's voice sounded from outside.

Yang Chong took a deep breath, suppressed the frustration in his heart, and quickly rose to head toward the front courtyard.

Standing in the front courtyard was a sturdy, middle-aged man. Seeing Yang Chong emerge, he cupped his fists and said, "This Humble One is Liu Meng, at the Iron Skin level.

I intend to open a martial arts hall in the Outer City and have come specifically to seek instruction from Hall Master Yang on the famous Five Animals Fist."

Yang Chong sized the man up, nodded, and said nothing more, merely waving his hand to have his disciples clear an open space.

"Please." Yang Chong stood his ground, his expression calm.

Liu Meng let out a low shout, stepped forward, and threw a punch that whistled through the air, aiming straight for Yang Chong's face.

Yang Chong did not dodge or evade; he flicked his left hand out with lightning speed, striking the opponent's wrist dead on.

Liu Meng retreated in pain and launched a series of follow-up attacks, yet all were easily neutralized by Yang Chong.

In less than three moves, Yang Chong delivered a close-quarters shoulder strike, sending Liu Meng stumbling back several paces, nearly falling over.

His expression shifted as he realized he was no match, so he cupped his hands and said, "Master Yang truly lives up to his reputation. Farewell."

With that, he hurried away without uttering any threats, as if he had merely been testing Yang Chong's strength.

Seeing Yang Chong defeat someone at the Iron Skin realm so effortlessly, the disciples breathed a sigh of relief, their faces lighting up with joy.

Their hearts settled slightly; as long as Yang Chong remained, this courtyard would not fall.

Only Li Yuan, standing in the crowd, frowned slightly.

Since breaking through to the Stone Skin realm, his perception of blood-energy had become much sharper.

When Yang Chong struck just now, although his blood-energy was formidable, Li Yuan had sensed a trace of instability within it.

Especially during that final blow, his master's blood-energy had clearly fluctuated, even if it had calmed down quickly.

Master's blood-energy... it seems not as it once was, Li Yuan thought to himself.

Yang Chong kept his expression neutral as he instructed the disciples to continue their training, then turned and headed to the backyard.

"It seems I really am getting old," Yang Chong said with a bitter, shaking smile.

In his youth, he wouldn't have even spared such an opponent a second glance.

Soon, everyone returned to their usual training, and Li Yuan continued practicing his punches in the courtyard.

Although Yang Chong was strict with his disciples, he never held anything back and taught everything he knew with sincerity.

Li Yuan had always kept this debt of gratitude in his heart.

Li Yuan had just splashed his face with water when he saw Third Senior Brother Zhao Qin walk over.

"Junior Brother, finished training? There's been a lot of trouble lately; if you're free tonight, want to go grab a drink and chat?" Zhao Qin asked, patting Li Yuan on the shoulder.

Li Yuan was slightly taken aback; this was the first time Zhao Qin had ever invited him out to eat. "Sure."

Leaving the courtyard, the two crossed the somewhat grimy streets of the Outer City and arrived at the boundary between the Inner and Outer Cities.

At the boundary stood a thick wall built from gray-white square bricks.

There were guards at the gate; one only needed to pay a fee and register to enter.

The Inner City was controlled by the Four Great Families and the government; every person inside had their identity registered, a stark contrast to the chaos of the Outer City.

The moment they stepped into the Inner City, it felt as if they had entered another world.

Underfoot were clean bluestone slabs, the road wide enough to accommodate three or four carriages traveling side by side.

The air was fresh, with faint traces of sandalwood and floral scents drifting through it.

The martial artists and wealthy merchants on the streets were not only dressed much more brightly, but their strides were also more composed, their overall demeanor completely different from those in the Outer City.

It seemed this was the true Wuxi County, where the divide between the upper and lower classes was clearly and sharply defined.