The Huang Family Breaks Its Promise

"Go spout your mother's dog-fart nonsense!"

Qiu Wenjie looked at Luo Dehu coldly. "When Senior Brother Xu didn't participate, you people mocked him for being cowardly. Now you've got no brains and you're blaming others for not warning you? If Senior Brother Xu had warned you back then, would you even have listened?"

Luo Dehu's face flushed a deep red.

Qiu Wenjie continued, "Use your head before you speak. All you do is dream of pies falling from the sky. Should Senior Brother Xu have warned you and then gone off to offend Xue Fangsheng himself?"

"Enough!"

Xu Yang patted Qiu Wenjie on the shoulder, and Qiu Wenjie finally stopped.

In truth, aside from the three who died, including Tang Ruiyang, Zhang Yong, Luo Dehu, and the others had effectively won their gamble.

With this money, Qi Gathering was no longer just a pipe dream.

By using this money to hide inside Wei Yuan Hall and staying there until they successfully achieved Qi Gathering, the threat from Xue Fangsheng would naturally vanish.

Xue Fangsheng did not want to escalate matters before Lin Cheng, so the money he distributed was not a penny short; he had given the four of them over fifty taels in total.

He had originally intended to warn them, but Luo Dehu's words killed any desire he had to speak. Regardless, the group would likely figure out the strategy of staying in Wei Yuan Hall soon enough.

The only pity was that he couldn't see the expressions on Tang Ruiyang and his group's faces. To be honest, seeing the miserable state of Luo Dehu and Qian Jiaxing gave him a small sense of satisfaction.

He had come over with bated breath primarily to see the regret on the faces of those who had mocked his cowardice.

After a while, Zhang Yong and the others indeed thought of the plan to move into Wei Yuan Hall to avoid Xue Fangsheng. Using the money they had received from him, they moved into the hall, leaving Xue Fangsheng with no way to strike.

The next day, the families of Tang Ruiyang, Yang Dacai, and the third person came to Wei Yuan Hall to cause a scene. After Zhang Yong and Luo Dehu handed over a sum of money to them, the deaths of the three men were simply forgotten.

On this day, Xu Yang and Zhang Hong were sparring, and the match ended with Xu Yang defeating Zhang Hong using the move "Spirit Bear Breaks the Laurel."

"You're progressing quickly. At most, in half a month, you should be able to touch the threshold," Xu Yang sighed.

Zhang Hong did not harbor any resentment toward him because of the previous events; he had made his own choices and could blame no one, especially since Xu Yang had warned him.

Zhang Yong also seemed to have let go of the past, occasionally taking the initiative to speak a few words to Xu Yang.

Because they had money, both of them were making rapid progress. Touching the threshold within half a month was not a problem, though as for whether they could successfully achieve Qi Gathering, even Xu Yang could not judge.

"What about you?"

Zhang Hong wiped the sweat from his face and looked at Xu Yang with curiosity.

Although the two sparred often, he still couldn't gauge Xu Yang's true depth; it seemed he was always holding something back.

"Me?"

Xu Yang deliberated. Just as he was pondering how to answer, a long whistle suddenly echoed through the air.

Both of them looked over instinctively. It was Lu Ren who had let out the whistle.

Lu Ren's aura was surging, his hair fluttering, and his face was flushed with excitement. "Haha... I have successfully achieved Qi Gathering."

Once these words were spoken, everyone in the Outer Courtyard was shocked.

Once Qi Gathering was achieved, one was worlds apart from where they had been before.

Once one mastered Qi Gathering, they became an esteemed martial artist, their strength undergoing a heaven-shaking transformation, and they would be treated with respect and courtesy wherever they went.

Lu Ren had been practicing martial arts for only two months in total, making his achievement even more significant.

One had to remember that the Zhou Yang brothers, who had started practicing half a month before them, still hadn't even touched the threshold for breaking through.

"He actually achieved Qi Gathering so quickly!"

Zhang Hong once again felt a sense of powerlessness regarding Lu Ren's talent. As someone selected from the Huang Family alongside him, he naturally wanted to surpass Lu Ren and had been secretly competing with him.

At this moment, even that shred of desire to compete with Lu Ren vanished.

"We truly aren't his match."

Zhang Yong also walked over, his expression filled with complex emotions.

Xu Yang said nothing, only watching as Luo Dehu and Qian Jiaxing ran over to fawn on Lu Ren, and watching the other Outer Courtyard disciples obsequiously offering their congratulations.

Lu Ren looked arrogant, responding to each of the sycophants one by one.

"Let's go over. We all struggled in the same mud pit, after all; it counts as a bit of a bond."

Zhang Hong took the first step!

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Yong followed. By this day, he had seen enough to recognize some cruel realities; his pride and arrogance had long since been shattered.

Xu Yang didn't overthink it and walked over with a calm demeanor.

"Congratulations on the breakthrough!" The three of them cupped their hands toward Lu Ren in unison.

Lu Ren returned the gesture, then looked at Xu Yang. "If you regret it, you can come find me at any time."

He felt he was back on top again, implying that as long as Xu Yang lowered his head, he could still take him on as a follower.

Sure enough, one shouldn't give others too much face; the moment you do, they want to step all over you.

Xu Yang said nothing. He had only come to offer congratulations because of the camaraderie born from their shared struggles.

"Junior Brother Lu Ren, congratulations!"

A group of Inner Courtyard disciples strode over from the inner gates, offering their congratulations to Lu Ren from afar, their faces wreathed in smiles.

Even Xue Fangsheng, who had exchanged a few sharp words with Lu Ren that very day, was among the crowd.

"Junior Brother Lu Ren, if you don't follow us into the Inner Courtyard now, when will you?" Sun Tao laughed.

Breaking through to the Qi Gathering stage allowed one to transition from the Outer to the Inner Courtyard.

Lu Ren's spirit soared, his expression radiant: "After you, Senior Brothers!"

With that, the group walked toward the Inner Courtyard, chatting and laughing, leaving behind a crowd of envious Outer Courtyard disciples.

Lu Ren's successful breakthrough had actually prompted a group of Inner Courtyard disciples to come in person to escort him; such an honor was truly one of a kind.

Another Outer Courtyard disciple had broken through previously, but let alone being escorted by a group of Inner Courtyard disciples, even Sun Tao had not deigned to appear, and the man had been forced to enter the Inner Courtyard on his own.

That was because it had taken that man three months to successfully break through.

"If I could be this glorious for even one day, I would die content."

Someone muttered to himself.

"Xu Yang, Lu Ren has already broken through. What about you? Can you still follow closely in his footsteps as you always have?" Zhou Yang suddenly looked at Xu Yang with a smile.

Ever since he had been beaten by Xu Yang, he had become much more subdued, but that did not mean the matter between him and Xu Yang had ended.

As soon as these words were spoken, many people looked toward Xu Yang.

"Worrying about me? You'd better worry about yourself. You've been practicing martial arts for two and a half months now, and looking at your state, I fear you're headed for a dismal exit."

"You..."

At Xu Yang's words, Zhou Yang was instantly triggered; most of those who had started at the same time as him had already left in disgrace, and having failed to even touch the threshold of the breakthrough after two and a half months, he was already frantic with anxiety.

Later that day, Fifth Master Huang and Second Master arrived together, carrying gifts straight into the Wei Yuan Hall's Inner Courtyard.

Not long after, the three of them appeared in the Outer Courtyard, announcing that the Huang family would hire Lu Ren as a guest martial artist at a monthly salary of fifteen taels of silver, sharing in the family's honor and disgrace.

Another uproar swept through the Outer Courtyard; the usual salary for most martial artists was ten taels, and those who could command fifteen were generally true geniuses.

Shortly after the announcement, Lu Ren left with Huang Jin and Huang Ping. It was said that the Huang family had prepared a courtyard for him and were taking him to inspect the property, purchase furniture, and attend a banquet arranged for later that evening.

"What a display of status!"

The importance the Huang family placed on Lu Ren left Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong filled with envy.

[Comprehension: 21]
[Bone Root: 40]
[Cultivation Base: None]
[Cultivation Method: Turtle-Snake Great Stance - Entry (99/100), Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist - Entry (149/150)]
[Skill: Mining lv.3 (283/400)]
[Remaining Lifespan: 57]
[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 35]

"I'm almost there too!"

Xu Yang looked at his Status Panel. Even though he hadn't used the panel to boost his progress over the last half-month, his Turtle-Snake Great Stance and Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist had reached the final threshold yesterday, standing right at the precipice.

His Bone Root had also reached "40" ten days ago, entering the Grade B realm.

Had he not felt that his body tempering was still slightly lacking, he could have used the panel to force a breakthrough today and surpassed Lu Ren.