Yang Family Martial Arts Hall.
Yang Qingfeng sat in the main hall, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers as he gazed out the window.
Second-stage Skin Polishing, Mountain Splitting Fist, and at least ten years of practice.
Among the people in the martial arts hall who met those two conditions, only Wang Qing and Fang Lie fit the bill.
Wang Qing had gone to Prefecture City last month and wouldn't be back before the New Year. As for Fang Lie... knowing him, if he'd wanted to kill Zhao Kui, he wouldn't have waited until the dead of night.
If neither of them was responsible, then who could it be?
The faces of his disciples appeared one after another in Yang Qingfeng's mind, only to be dismissed in turn. When the last young face came to mind, Yang Qingfeng himself couldn't help laughing.
How could it possibly have been Lin Yan?
The only reason Lin Yan had come to mind was that the address on his late-submitted application to become a disciple was in Yuliu Alley, a place controlled by the Three Heroes Gang. It was possible he'd had a grudge with them.
But Lin Yan came from an ordinary background and had managed to reach first-stage Skin Polishing within two months. That clearly meant he'd become skilled at Mountain Splitting Fist and could build up his qi and blood faster while practicing. Even so, there was no way he could have mastered it to the level of someone with ten years' experience.
"Your disciple Lin Yan requests an audience with Master."
As Yang Qingfeng pondered, a voice came from outside the door. He froze. Speak of the devil.
"Come in."
The moment Lin Yan appeared in the doorway, a glint flashed in Yang Qingfeng's eyes.
"You've reached second-stage Skin Polishing?"
"Your disciple was fortunate enough to reach second-stage Skin Polishing while practicing in Qingtian Town yesterday."
Lin Yan bowed respectfully. He wasn't surprised that his master could tell he'd reached the second stage. Even Captain Ji had been able to see it, let alone his master.
After finishing his salute, he continued, "Your disciple came today not only to share the good news with Master, but also to confess something."
"What is it?"
"Your disciple killed one of the Three Heroes Gang's deputy leaders last night."
Lin Yan had decided to tell his master about it after returning home and thinking it over carefully following the killing.
The Three Heroes Gang was powerful to ordinary people, but it was nothing much to his master or the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall. Several of the senior brothers who had reached second-stage Skin Polishing could flatten the whole gang.
He'd killed a gang fighter, and there had been a reason for it. There was no need to keep it from his master.
"Your disciple killed Zhao Kui because he had no humanity at all. He even tried to harm a pregnant woman. And as it happens, the daughter-in-law of the teacher who taught your disciple to read is expecting..."
After explaining everything from beginning to end, Lin Yan stood quietly where he was, waiting for his master's response.
"Show me a set of Mountain Splitting Fist. Don't hold anything back."
Lin Yan waited for a while, never expecting that to be what his master would say. But he didn't hesitate. He took his stance and began performing the fist technique right there in the main hall.
Yang Qingfeng's expression had been calm at first, but by the end, a look of astonishment had crossed his face.
"That's enough."
Lin Yan had thrown only three punches when Yang Qingfeng called a halt. The skill with which Lin Yan had delivered them truly showed nearly ten years' worth of mastery.
"No wonder you managed to reach second-stage Skin Polishing in such a short time. To have mastered Mountain Splitting Fist to this degree so quickly—you're almost catching up to me."
Yang Qingfeng smiled. Compared with the insignificant Zhao Kui, what mattered more to him was that his martial arts hall had produced an outstanding disciple.
"Your disciple is still far behind Master," Lin Yan replied modestly.
"No need to be overly modest. If you catch up to me, I'll only be happy. Tell me, how did you train in Mountain Splitting Fist?"
"Your disciple... just practiced as usual, day and night."
Lin Yan scratched his head, a little embarrassed. Naturally, he couldn't reveal the secret of the Martial Dao Tree.
In fact, the reason he'd spent so long thinking things through the previous night was that he'd been worried he might expose the fact that he possessed a wondrous treasure.
He'd asked Zheng Xun about reaching second-stage Skin Polishing within a year. In the county seat, it was considered above average. Many people from the county's major families could do it.
The difficult part was reaching the third and fourth stages...
Some people reached second-stage Skin Polishing within a year, only to get stuck at the third stage for several years—or even more than a decade.
The only thing that was hard to explain was his mastery of Mountain Splitting Fist.
But Lin Yan had come to terms with it. Wasn't he allowed to be a genius?
Yang Qingfeng wasn't surprised by Lin Yan's answer. Lin Yan's background hadn't given him access to much martial knowledge. Perhaps his temperament simply happened to suit Mountain Splitting Fist, allowing him to master it to this degree in such a short time.
"Since you have such a talent for Mountain Splitting Fist, keep practicing it diligently. It may not make your cultivation realm advance by leaps and bounds, but if you ever develop fist force, a martial artist of the same level won't be able to withstand even one of your punches."
After saying this, Yang Qingfeng himself couldn't help smiling wryly. It was too soon to bring any of that up.
He'd been so astonished that Lin Yan had mastered Mountain Splitting Fist to this level in such a short time that he'd blurted it out. Developing fist force from Mountain Splitting Fist was incredibly difficult. Yang Qingfeng had talent for it himself, yet it had still taken him ten years to develop fist force.
The further one progressed, the harder it became to improve one's fist technique.
Fist force?
A glint appeared in Lin Yan's eyes. Looking at the silver-gold leaf on the Martial Dao Tree in his mind, he mused to himself: Once this leaf turns completely gold, that should mean I've developed the fist force Master mentioned.
As for the rate at which his qi and blood increased, he'd noticed over this period that the appearance of those golden threads hadn't accelerated its growth afterward.
The added qi and blood from his mastery of Mountain Splitting Fist had reached its limit once the technique turned silver.
"Master, are there different grades of mastery for a fist technique?"
"There are the minor-achievement and major-achievement stages, but minor achievement has no obvious signs. You've already reached minor achievement. Once you develop fist force, you'll have reached major achievement, which is the pinnacle."
Yang Qingfeng stroked his beard as he explained, "Different grades of techniques have different limits. Low-grade techniques reach form, mid-grade techniques reach force, and high-grade techniques reach intent. The Mountain Splitting Fist I taught you is a mid-grade technique. Reaching major achievement and developing force is its limit. A high-grade technique can be perfected and used to develop intent. In the entire Guangping County, only the Tang Family has a high-grade technique."
Lin Yan had just been about to ask about this. He hadn't expected his master to bring it up first, so he gave a bashful smile. "Your disciple is already deeply grateful that Master taught me Mountain Splitting Fist."
"You can spare me the polite words. Since you've reached second-stage Skin Polishing, I'll teach you the method for the third stage next."
Yang Qingfeng turned to the main topic. "The first stage polishes the skin, the second tempers the flesh, and the third washes the sinews. It's said that widening the sinews by half an inch doubles your strength. The third hurdle, sinew washing, is utterly different from the first two. Even without secret medicines, you can slowly cultivate through the growth of your qi and blood during the first two stages. But the sinew-washing stage... without secret medicine, you won't get anywhere."
"Qi and blood must enter the sinews to expand the meridians. Not only is the pain unbearable, it can also damage them. You must use secret medicine to repair them. Different cultivation methods require different secret medicines. The one I provide you all is an external medicine that you apply during training to prevent your meridians from being damaged."
Yang Qingfeng explained and taught Lin Yan some of the techniques for reaching third-stage Skin Polishing. Before they knew it, an hour had passed.
"Have you ever considered choosing a match?"
After finishing his instruction, Yang Qingfeng suddenly asked Lin Yan something he hadn't expected.
Seeing the confusion on his disciple's face, Yang Qingfeng got straight to the point. "You have good talent in martial arts, but when it comes to the four stages of Skin Polishing, wealth is what matters most. You've probably felt it yourself: the further you go, the greater the expense. If you don't want to waste your talent, you'll need enough money to support your cultivation."
At nineteen and already at second-stage Skin Polishing, Lin Yan was a good match for the daughters of several prominent families in the city. The top families wouldn't marry off their legitimate daughters, but families a step below them would certainly consider him.
What was more, Lin Yan had another advantage: both his parents were dead.
Although his master hadn't said it outright, Lin Yan understood the implication: he should marry a girl from a wealthy family and use her family's resources to support his martial training.
"Your disciple will leave it to Master to decide."
Lin Yan didn't think about it for long before agreeing.
Yang Qingfeng was pleased with his answer. He'd been afraid Lin Yan would reach second-stage Skin Polishing within a year, grow arrogant, and refuse this sort of arrangement.
If that happened, Lin Yan might be left without money to train, wasting the years away until it was too late to regret it.
"Don't worry. I'll find you a good match."
Yang Qingfeng admired Lin Yan more and more. It was just that he'd already reached an agreement with the Zhao Family to devote himself to cultivating Zhao Linyuan, so he couldn't give Lin Yan many resources.
That was also because he didn't make much money selling the disciples various decoctions and secret medicines. His income might not even be as high as that of a second-rate martial arts hall.
"Thank you, Master. Then your disciple will take his leave."
"Go. Don't tell anyone about the Three Heroes Gang. I have my own plans."
After leaving the main hall, Lin Yan headed to the General Affairs Room to collect a new set of disciple's clothes. He didn't change into them right away, intending to take them home instead.
"Junior Brother Lin?"
As he passed the training ground, a voice called from the side.
Lin Yan turned and saw Senior Brother Hao standing by the edge of the training ground. On the field, Junior Brother Zhao was sparring with another senior brother.
"Senior Brother Hao." Lin Yan gave a slight nod and stopped.
Hao Jingnian glanced at the disciple's clothes in Lin Yan's hands, a gleam flashing in his eyes. "Congratulations on reaching second-stage Skin Polishing, Junior Brother Lin. Our Yang Family Martial Arts Hall has another second-stage martial artist."
Lin Yan replied modestly, "I was fortunate to break through."
Hao Jingnian patted Lin Yan on the shoulder and smiled. "Going from first-stage to second-stage Skin Polishing in less than five months isn't luck. Junior Brother Lin has remarkable talent. You'll surely achieve great things one day."
In his mind, Lin Yan looked at Senior Brother Hao's Martial Dao Tree, which stood three chi and eight cun tall, and couldn't help marveling.
Senior Brother Hao had been at third-stage Skin Polishing for seven years. At this rate, if he didn't fail a breakthrough, he had a chance of reaching fourth-stage Skin Polishing within three years.
Remembering that Senior Brother Hao was the deputy director of the Patrol Bureau and that he'd never dealt with him before, Lin Yan realized he couldn't let this opportunity pass now that they'd met.
"Senior Brother Hao, my uncle went to perform corvée duty seven years ago and hasn't been heard from since. Could I ask you to help investigate?"
Lin Yan looked sincere. His uncle had vanished while performing corvée duty. Though his aunt had never mentioned it in front of him or his younger brother, Lin Yan knew she'd never stopped thinking about his uncle.
"He went to perform corvée duty seven years ago? Junior Brother Lin, what was your uncle's name?"
"Lin Yan."
"When I get back to the Patrol Bureau, I'll arrange for someone to investigate. But since there's been no news all these years, you should prepare yourself."
Hao Jingnian offered a reminder. Corvée service usually lasted anywhere from six months to three years. If there'd been no news after seven years, his uncle was most likely dead.
"Whether my uncle is alive or dead, at least if we get a definite answer, my family will know where things stand."
"Very well. Since you've asked, Junior Brother Lin, I'll do everything I can to investigate."
Hao Jingnian nodded. At that moment, Zhao Linyuan's opponent stumbled backward several steps on the training ground, then clasped his fists and said, "Junior Brother Zhao is impressive. I'm no match for you."
The sparring match ended, and the several people on the training ground walked over.
"You've all arrived at just the right time. I have some good news for you: our martial arts hall has another disciple who's reached second-stage Skin Polishing."
Hearing Hao Jingnian's words, the disciples who had walked over turned to Lin Yan and offered their congratulations. "Congratulations, Junior Brother Lin."
Zhao Linyuan also looked Lin Yan over. He still remembered this Senior Brother Lin somewhat.
Back when he'd just developed strength and entered the middle courtyard, this Senior Brother Lin had just reached first-stage Skin Polishing.
It hadn't even been half a year since then. Reaching second-stage Skin Polishing within half a year was already quite impressive.
After exchanging a few more modest pleasantries with everyone, Lin Yan took his leave.
"Junior Brother Lin really kept his light hidden. I'm afraid we all misjudged him."
Watching Lin Yan walk away, one of the disciples sighed. Back when there had been so many junior brothers at first-stage Skin Polishing in the back courtyard, nobody had thought Lin Yan could reach the second stage—at least not so soon.
"Lin Yan has an honorary position with the Tang Family. I suppose they gave him support, which is why he broke through so quickly."
A disciple still at first-stage Skin Polishing spoke with envy and a touch of sourness.
"Whether or not the Tang Family supported him, he still needed talent for them to take an interest in him."
Zhao Linyuan glanced at the man who had spoken. Lin Yan's rapid breakthrough had indeed surprised him, but he wasn't about to be jealous, much less put the other man down.
The speaker looked awkward. But facing Zhao Linyuan, he didn't dare talk back. His face turned pale, then red.
"Junior Brother Zhao is right. Quite a few martial artists hold honorary positions with the Tang Family, but not many can go from first-stage to second-stage Skin Polishing within half a year. Junior Brother Lin's talent is beyond doubt."
Hao Jingnian also gave the disciple still at first-stage Skin Polishing a cool glance. With such a narrow-minded attitude, the best he could hope for in martial arts was second-stage Skin Polishing.
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