Roar--
From the battleground came a sudden, beast-like roar.
Jiang Ning then saw Xiao Peng enter Cheng Ran's inner gate. Accompanied by the howl in Xiao Peng's throat, his right foot stamped heavily into the ground.
Thud--
The flagstone beneath his foot instantly cracked, and the recoil of his stomping right foot drove his body crashing fiercely into Cheng Ran's chest.
Faced with this impact, Cheng Ran was like a bull struck by a mad beast; his body flew in a parabola straight toward the courtyard wall near Jiang Ning.
At that moment, Jiang Ning had no time for shock.
If Cheng Ran truly slammed into the wall from Xiao Peng's strike, he would inevitably be bedridden for half a month or even longer.
Cheng Ran was Jiang Ning's closest friend in the entire Blue-Wave Martial Academy, so he naturally would not sit by idly and watch Cheng Ran smash into the wall to suffer severe injuries.
The next instant.
Jiang Ning leaped forward like a soaring white ape, heading straight for the path of the flying Cheng Ran.
He then thrust out his right hand toward the flying Cheng Ran above him, grabbing him by the waist sash. With a sinking lower stance, power rose from the soles of his feet as his whole-body strength fused into one.
The trajectory of Cheng Ran's flying physique instantly shifted, pulled down out of the air by Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning's palm shifted to Cheng Ran's back, exerting upward force like a barbarian bear propping up the heavens.
A breath later.
Cheng Ran landed on the ground with a thump, kicking up a ring of dust.
By now, the onlookers in the distance were long since dumbstruck by the battle.
"Senior Brother Xiao Peng is actually this formidable. He has truly reached the mastery of perfection with that Blind Man Leaning on a Tree move—so unexpected, and with a single strike he settled the outcome."
"As expected of Senior Brother Xiao Peng! Even with a lower blood-qi foundation, he managed to win from a position of weakness. He is truly a deserving personal disciple of Master Wang!"
"Indeed! For Senior Brother Xiao Peng to pull this off, his Bear Form Fist must have reached great accomplishment or perhaps minor accomplishment, right?"
"It should be. Just now from the conversation between Senior Brother Xiao Peng and Senior Brother Cheng Ran, Senior Brother Xiao Peng's strength exceeds four hundred catties. He is only about a hundred catties shy of Senior Brother Cheng Ran, whose blood-qi is complete and circulates through his entire body. That must be the fruit of Senior Brother Xiao Peng's success in cultivating the Bear Form Fist."
"Viewed this way, Senior Brother Xiao Peng's comprehension is truly towering!"
"Who's to say it isn't! Having studied under the master for four months, he has at least mastered one fist technique to great accomplishment, one to minor accomplishment, and one to proficiency or minor accomplishment. This efficiency must be peerless on the scene, right?"
"Not necessarily, oh! Don't forget Jiang Ning. It's said that on his second day entering the academy, he cultivated all five stances to achieve entry-level mastery and nascent blood-qi. And now."
Mid-sentence, that person's gaze also landed on Jiang Ning, just as Cheng Ran was climbing back up from the ground.
That person continued: "Judging by Jiang Ning stepping in to help just now, his progress with the Five Animals Fist is bound to be impressive! These past few days, one can also clearly see that Master Wang values him more than us."
.
The crowd kept talking, buzzing with discussion over the commotion that had just transpired.
Meanwhile.
Xiao Peng also looked at Jiang Ning with some surprise.
Instantly, a trace of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"What brilliant skill in deflecting force. I truly underestimated this junior brother earlier!"
Afterward, he turned to look at the crowd behind him.
"Junior brothers, does any of you know this junior brother's name and family background?" Xiao Peng asked, pointing at Jiang Ning.
"I know!" someone squeezed out from the crowd to speak.
"Junior Brother Qian, please speak!" Xiao Peng said.
That person went on: "That junior brother is named Jiang Ning, and he comes from an ordinary family in the outer city!"
"So he's from an ordinary family background. To reach this step is indeed not bad!" Xiao Peng nodded slightly, expressing his approval of Jiang Ning.
Just a moment ago, he had sensed a tiny trace of threat from Jiang Ning—a threat regarding the Inspection Office quota three months from now.
Yet the moment he learned that Jiang Ning came from an ordinary family in the outer city, this thread of threat instantly vanished without a trace.
Three months—let his comprehension be heaven-shaking and earth-shattering, mastering fist techniques the moment he practiced them and understanding them the moment he studied.
So what if he achieved entry-level mastery in a day? Let alone a day, even if he brought a fist technique to great accomplishment in a month, in Xiao Peng's eyes Jiang Ning posed no threat to him whatsoever.
Because Jiang Ning came from an ordinary family in the outer city. With such a family background, how could he possibly shoulder the consumption required for complete blood-qi circulating through the whole body?
He himself had reached his current stage only because he took a Blood-Nourishing Pill every three days, accompanied by all manner of nourishing medicines that never fell short.
Yet even so, it took him nearly a year to reach great accomplishment in blood-qi and clear his four limbs, consuming a vast amount of wealth along the way.
Poverty in literature, wealth in martial arts.
An ordinary person's golden age for practicing martial arts was only about twenty years.
Without a deep family fortune, the path of the Martial Dao would ultimately remain limited.
Three months to achieve complete blood-qi, circulate it through the entire body, and step into the ranks of the Martial Dao.
He shook his head inwardly.
I was overthinking it!
Only Cheng Ran poses a threat to my quota for entering the office. Exchanging blows with him just now, his skin and membranes are clearly different from mine. Within three months, for him to temper his skin and membranes and step into the Martial Dao will be an effortless feat!
As for reaching great accomplishment in fist techniques, for him it might just be a matter of an opportunity. I truly cannot underestimate him!
Three months is not a long time, so I must press on as well!
Achieve complete blood-qi as quickly as possible. Once blood-qi is complete, tempering the skin and membranes will happen naturally like water flowing to form a channel.
Tempering the skin and membranes means entering the ranks of the Martial Dao.
By then, if he fulfills the requirements just as I do, we will likely have to undergo trials in actual combat and combat killing skills! The Inspection Office will certainly require martial arts experts adept at slaughter, and my actual combat training must not fall behind during this time.
Xiao Peng stood meditating in place, his eyes flashing with continuous traces of contemplative thought.
On the other side.
Cheng Ran climbed up from the ground.
"Senior Brother Cheng, are you alright?" Jiang Ning bent down to support him.
"Cough, cough--" Cheng Ran coughed a few times, and bloody foam instantly welled up from his mouth.
He waved his hand, signaling that he did not need Jiang Ning's help.
"I'm fine! My skin and membranes are about to take form, greatly enhancing my impact resistance. These are just minor injuries!"
"That means Senior Brother Cheng is not far from entering the ranks of the Martial Dao?" Surprise appeared on Jiang Ning's face.
Cheng Ran nodded: "Indeed not far. Within a month, I will definitely step into the Martial Dao!"
Then he took a few more deep breaths and slowly exhaled, only then gradually suppressing the churning blood-qi within his body.
"Thank you for just now, Junior Brother Jiang!" Cheng Ran cupped his fists and bowed toward Jiang Ning, his expression earnest.
"Senior Brother Cheng needn't be like this!" Jiang Ning hurriedly grabbed Cheng Ran's arms with both hands.
In an instant.
Jiang Ning felt the power contained within Cheng Ran's arms, and his own arms naturally burst forth with a force to counter it.
Instantly, this force vanished. Cheng Ran stood up, the look he cast at Jiang Ning filled with complexity, and his heart was utterly shocked.
Just moments before, under the traction of Jiang Ning's force upon his body, his frame—originally hurtling toward the wall—had plummeted downward.
As his body dropped, he had also felt an explosion of mountain-steady force from the arm Jiang Ning used to support his back. Although this force was inferior to his own, it was not to be underestimated.
It was precisely with Jiang Ning's help and the support of this force that he was spared from suffering even heavier injuries.
The explosive force Jiang Ning displayed when he made his move had surprised him, which was why this test had occurred.
After the test, he clearly sensed Jiang Ning's approximate strength.
His strength exceeded two hundred catties!
Before you continue