Bright Force Martial Artist

The sun set and rose again, dawn breaking through the darkness.

Another day had passed.

Hong Ming opened his eyes and checked his progress without fail:

[Coiling Dragon Stake (444/500)]

"Only fifty-some experience points left. I won't go rowing today; I'll strive to master it as soon as possible!"

Hong Ming made his decision quickly.

The money he had earned over the past two days was enough to cover his daily expenses, so his top priority remained increasing his progress.

After a hasty breakfast, Hong Ming headed to the shore, intending to explain the situation to Chen Yao and ask for leave.

Unexpectedly, Chen Yao brought it up herself: "Hong Ming, I've had a breakthrough. You don't need to come anymore."

Qin Hao's breakthrough had not only stimulated Hong Ming and the others, but had also greatly encouraged children of wealthy families like Chen Yao.

However, unlike those of them living in poverty, for people like her, hard work truly paid off!

"Then congratulations, Miss Chen."

Hong Ming offered his congratulations, though he wasn't surprised.

Judging by the rhythm he sensed while rowing every day, it was only a matter of time before Chen Yao achieved her breakthrough.

Given her family's resources, if they poured a bit more into her, it was likely she could have achieved this breakthrough even earlier.

"It is thanks to your rowing that I was able to break through so quickly. You've worked hard during this time."

Chen Yao's words were slightly muffled, as if she were chewing on something.

She clapped her hands and summoned a maidservant. With a subtle gesture, the maid handed Hong Ming ten taels of silver.

"Take this money as a token of my gratitude. I heard you are also a soldier in our Training Camp; I hope to see you in the Preparatory Camp in the near future."

Chen Yao didn't give rewards often, but when she did, it was a massive sum.

Her generosity left Hong Ming stunned for a moment.

"Is it not enough? Go get Hong Ming another ten taels!"

Seeing Hong Ming standing there motionless, Chen Yao assumed he was dissatisfied and called out.

Hong Ming snapped back to reality and shook his head, saying, "It is enough, Miss Chen. Thank you for the reward!"

Ten taels of silver was more than enough for his rowing services; to ask for more would be pushing his luck.

"Then, do you want these pastries?"

Chen Yao seemed to feel it wasn't enough and asked politely, though her expression was full of reluctance.

It was as if, in her eyes, ten taels of silver were not as tempting as these pastries.

Hong Ming looked at her gluttonous expression and was rendered speechless, though he politely declined.

He noticed that after his refusal, Chen Yao's small eyes brightened, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a way that was almost imperceptible.

Withdrawing his gaze, Hong Ming took his leave.

"Chen Yao, who was that guy?"

No sooner had Hong Ming left than a graceful figure, quite different from Chen Yao, stepped forward to ask.

It was Wen Xin, Chen Yao's close friend.

Watching Hong Ming's retreating figure, Wen Xin asked curiously, "Is he also a soldier from our Training Camp?"

Chen Yao nodded slightly and briefly introduced Hong Ming's identity.

"Then I'm afraid you won't be seeing him again," Wen Xin said, shaking her head after hearing the details.

This left Chen Yao slightly stunned: "Why do you say that?"

"Look at his attire; he is clearly a commoner. It's likely his talent is mediocre, and since he spends his days rowing for you to earn money, he lacks time for martial arts training. Add in the issue of resources, and how could it be easy for him to master Bright Force?"

Wen Xin analyzed the situation logically.

Mastering something like Bright Force could not be summarized in a few simple words.

Behind it lay a combination of talent, resources, and time.

For someone like Hong Ming, who had neither money nor talent, wanting to master Bright Force would require the kind of dumb luck Qin Hao had—catching a Treasure Fish.

Otherwise, the hope was slim.

"Alright, let's stop worrying about him. Let's hurry and report in."

Not wanting to waste any more breath on Hong Ming, Wen Xin pushed Chen Yao toward the Preparatory Camp.

"With this, I have enough to pay back the money I owe."

Hong Ming touched the silver in his pocket, feeling a sense of warmth.

However, he didn't rush to pay it back, choosing instead to put it away safely.

He sought out a secluded spot, gathered his focus, and quickly assumed his stance, slowly pushing through the stake training.

The Breathing and Exhalation entry took effect instantly, and as he moved, it gradually awakened the energy of the Treasure Fish dormant within his body.

He was like a dedicated embroiderer, using sweat as thread and perseverance as a shuttle, weaving his path toward Bright Force bit by bit.

Every swing, every breath, added a faint yet firm mark toward this goal.

He did not seek speed or ferocity; his movements were slow but not loose, heavy but not stiff, with every form exerting force from the sinews and bones.

By utilizing this posture carved into his marrow, he smoothed out and gathered his past experiences, layer by layer, turning them into the progress on his panel.

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Entry 466/500)]

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Entry 488/500)]

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Entry 499/500)]

[...]

The sounds in his mind faded into nothingness, transforming into instinct.

Hong Ming was like a tireless machine, repeating the same movements without a hint of weariness.

With every repetition, his skin, flesh, sinews, and bones stirred with a subtle sensation.

At a certain moment, reaching the limit, a strange change suddenly sparked into existence like a prairie fire.

It spread to Hong Ming's internal organs, took root in his limbs and skeleton, and underwent a metamorphosis within his marrow and blood.

Like a flood breaking through a blocked dam or a volcano erupting against a gloomy sky, a transcendent power seemed to be awakening deep within his body.

Without needing deliberate control, this power flowed rapidly along his meridians, scouring his physical body over and over, sweeping away all the hidden ailments and chronic injuries accumulated from his past martial arts training.

While making his body feel clear and unobstructed, it invisibly shattered the barriers that had long clogged his path in martial arts!

In the instant of that shattering, Hong Ming's perception suddenly brightened, sublimating into a sharpness far exceeding anything he had known before.

The patterns on the insects crawling on the distant beach became clearly visible, and even their fine hairs were faintly reflected in his eyes.

The noisy sounds of martial arts training lingering in his ears and the slight rustling of the wind stirring the leaves seemed to recede in an instant, leaving only the steady, powerful beating of his own heart.

Like the rhythm of a drum, one beat, two beats... echoing clearly within his chest like a tide.

His feet seemed to have taken root, becoming one with the solid earth.

The stake stance that previously required his full concentration to maintain was now as effortless as a stroll in a courtyard.

With every exertion of force, he could keenly feel the comfort of power reaching his very extremities.

The haze that had troubled him for so long finally dispersed, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, making the road ahead suddenly clear.

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Minor Achievement 1/1000)]

The feedback from the panel nailed down the results of this cultivation like a spike driven into wood.

With this, Hong Ming had successfully broken through.

Bright Force, achieved!

Hong Ming slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and filled with excitement: "Is this what a Bright Force martial artist is?"

As he curled his fingers into a fist, a surge of indescribable, surging power seemed to overflow from between his knuckles.

He felt powerful in a way he never had before!

Different from ordinary fish are Treasure Fish; different from ordinary people are martial artists.

Only at this moment did Hong Ming truly grasp the real meaning of those words.

"Right, the Fate!"

While feeling the powerful force within his body, Hong Ming did not forget the most crucial matter.

He hurriedly cast a sliver of his consciousness onto the panel.

The panel changed instantly:

[As a Child of Luck, you have successfully stabilized your Fate within the time limit and obtained an opportunity!]

[Fate Opportunity: Located one hundred zhang deep at the confluence of mountain and water in the No. 4 water area of the Huang Family Water Field, a medicinal Stone Crystal Fruit is gestating.]