Inside the martial arts hall.
"Watch closely, junior brothers!"
Zhao Hu walked up to a wooden post. Before him stood a human-shaped wooden dummy, its body wrapped in thick cowhide. Only with such padding could punches be cushioned and hands less likely to be injured.
Then, Zhao Hu placed his palm on the human-shaped dummy.
His palm trembled slightly.
Boom—
The wooden dummy exploded in an instant. The cowhide wrapped around it scattered like tattered rags, while countless splinters burst from the smooth surface of the post.
"So powerful!"
"Senior Brother Zhao is amazing!"
Listening to the flattery around him, Zhao Hu's lips curled slightly as he continued explaining to the crowd.
"This is the Fierce Tiger Force mastered after Tiger Form Fist reaches perfection. Fierce Tiger Force is exceptionally savage, with tremendous explosive power. So, junior brothers, you must train diligently and strive to cultivate Tiger Form Fist to perfection as soon as possible."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted slightly, sweeping past the crowd behind him as he searched for that familiar figure.
The next moment, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
He saw that graceful figure chatting happily beside a man, a faint smile even hanging on her face.
"Junior Brother Jiang, it has only been a few days, yet you have changed so much?" Li Qing said, surprise written across her face.
Li Qing still clearly remembered that when Jiang Ning had first joined the martial arts hall, he had looked rather good and matched her tastes quite well.
But he had been somewhat too thin, carrying an unhealthy air about him, with barely any muscle visible anywhere on his body.
Yet when she saw him again today, he had changed enormously.
The muscles in his arms were clearly visible, full of defined lines. Even through his thin short robe, she could tell that Jiang Ning's physique had undergone a tremendous transformation.
He was no longer merely skin and bones, but covered in muscle.
Unlike certain disciples whose muscles had turned them into hulking brutes, his muscles possessed defined lines, beauty, and powerful explosiveness.
The changes in his appearance alone showed Li Qing that Jiang Ning had improved greatly—far beyond what she had imagined.
Hearing Li Qing's admiration, Jiang Ning smiled.
"Training my fists day and night has brought a little progress, after all."
"And how has Junior Brother Jiang's fist technique progressed?" Li Qing asked. Looking at Jiang Ning's face now, the more she looked, the more pleasing he seemed to her eyes, and her mood grew a little brighter as well.
In her eyes, many disciples in the martial arts hall had trained themselves into men with thick limbs and bulging muscles, each one nearly resembling an ape, making her frown whenever she saw them.
A few of them still looked fairly normal, but their appearances stirred nothing in her.
Only this disciple who had joined the martial arts hall a few days ago, though thin, had clear brows and handsome features. His appearance suited her tastes very well, making him pleasant and easy on the eyes.
It was precisely because he had pleased her eye that she had said she would give Jiang Ning some guidance back then.
"Not bad!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly in response to Li Qing's question.
"Junior Brother Jiang seems very confident! Later, this senior sister will test you and see how well you have trained your Five Animals Fist." Li Qing smiled, looking entirely relaxed.
Just then.
Jiang Ning seemed to sense something. He raised his head and saw Zhao Hu staring in this direction with eyes blazing like fire.
This was bad!
Beauty brought calamity indeed—the ancients had not deceived him!!
Seeing this, Jiang Ning naturally understood what was happening and inwardly cried out in alarm.
Zhao Hu had set his sights on him.
At this moment, Cheng Ran beside him said with a grin, "Senior Sister Li, congratulations on entering the ranks of Martial Dao!"
Li Qing also smiled at Cheng Ran beside Jiang Ning. "I remember that you used to like calling me Junior Sister. Why are you being so well-behaved today?"
Cheng Ran grinned. "Senior Sister Li has entered the ranks of Martial Dao. How would I still dare? I do not want to become Senior Sister Li's punching bag."
"Junior Brother Cheng is quite clever. My hands have been itching these past two days—I was just looking for someone to practice with." Li Qing's lips held a teasing smile.
"Forget it! Forget it!" Cheng Ran waved his hands repeatedly, shaking his head so hard it nearly flew off. "Although my qi and blood have reached completion, I have yet to enter the ranks. My fist technique is also inferior to Senior Sister Li's. Sparring with Senior Sister Li would just be asking for a beating."
"Once I have sparred with Junior Brother Jiang for another ten days or half a month and my fist technique improves, I will come seek Senior Sister Li's guidance!"
Junior Brother Jiang was his sparring partner?
Li Qing's face filled with astonishment as she stared blankly at Jiang Ning beside her.
The moment those words were spoken, Li Qing instantly caught the information hidden within Cheng Ran's words.
Junior Brother Jiang?
Sparring for ten days or half a month?
How could that be? What gave Junior Brother Jiang the right to spar with Cheng Ran?
Their strength differed like heaven and earth, like an adult and a child. How could he possibly be qualified to serve as a sparring partner?
Could Cheng Ran be making a fool of her?
Li Qing was greatly shocked, her suspicious gaze falling upon Jiang Ning.
"Junior Brother Jiang, Cheng Ran is joking, right?"
Jiang Ning smiled slightly. "Senior Sister truly is clever. You saw through the two of us at a glance."
"Senior Brother Cheng is naturally joking. I have studied fist techniques for less than half a month. How could I possibly spar and exchange martial arts with Senior Brother Cheng? Senior Brother Cheng merely took some time to give me a few pointers."
"Senior Brother Cheng, am I right?"
Seeing Jiang Ning look at him, Cheng Ran immediately understood what he meant.
He nodded repeatedly. "Junior Brother Jiang is right!"
Watching the exchange between the two before her, Li Qing had not believed them at first, but now she believed them somewhat.
She was not a fool. How could she fail to notice the looks the two had exchanged?
Thinking of what Cheng Ran had just said, she could not help recalling certain legends of prodigies in the present age.
At Guangning Academy, there was a student said to be the reincarnation of a divine being. Born with a powerful soul and extraordinary Martial Dao talent, he had entered a supreme art in seven days and entered the ranks of Martial Dao in three months.
At only twenty-three years old, he had already ranked on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, carrying himself with the bearing of a youthful grandmaster.
Everyone said that he possessed the potential to become a great grandmaster.
At Vajra Temple, there was a young novice monk said to have been born with wisdom from a past life. He naturally understood Buddhist principles, his comprehension surpassing all ages. From scripture alone, he had comprehended a Buddhist divine ability.
At Jade Void Abbey, there was also a Daoist Son who had reincarnated.
Thinking of these legends of the present age, Li Qing could not help smiling inwardly.
"I am overthinking it. Even if Junior Brother Jiang truly is qualified to exchange blows and spar with Cheng Ran, he cannot possibly be compared with those legendary figures."
"If what Cheng Ran said is true, and Junior Brother Jiang is qualified to spar with him and exchange experience in fist techniques—"
"Then it is enough to prove that Junior Brother Jiang's comprehension is astonishing. His attainments in Five Animals Fist should not be below Cheng Ran's. Only then would he be qualified to exchange and spar with Cheng Ran over fist technique experience."
At the thought of this possibility, Li Qing was even more shocked.
She still remembered that when Jiang Ning had entered the hall and acknowledged a master, his aspirations had been quite high. Unlike ordinary martial arts hall disciples, who chose one or two of the Five Animals Fist techniques to cultivate, he had cultivated all five forms together.
"Looking at it now, if my analysis is correct, Junior Brother Jiang was clearly holding his cards close to his chest!"
"No wonder I heard just now that Junior Brother Jiang had obtained Teacher's permission to reside permanently in the martial arts hall, where his safety would be protected."
"Teacher clearly knows that his talent is extremely high. That is why he sees Junior Brother Jiang in a different light and has taken such good care of him!"
At this moment, Li Qing felt that she understood everything!
Just then, a loud shout suddenly rang out from not far away.
"Cheng Ran, fight me!!"
The shout exploded like a thunderclap, suddenly resounding throughout the martial arts hall's front courtyard.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn toward it, and they looked over.
They immediately saw Zhao Hu leap into the air in the distance, pouncing like a white ape. In three rises and falls, he crossed more than twenty meters and landed directly before Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran.
A violent aura instantly rushed toward Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
Jiang Ning looked stunned.
Cheng Ran?
Not me?
At this moment, Cheng Ran also stared at Zhao Hu with a face full of astonishment and confusion.
"Senior Brother Zhao, what do you mean by this?" Cheng Ran asked, his expression turning slightly cold.
"What do I mean?" Zhao Hu glared fiercely at Cheng Ran. "You know exactly what I mean!"
Just as the atmosphere became drawn swords and bent bows.
"What is going on?" A mild voice sounded from the martial arts hall's entrance.
Hearing that voice, everyone immediately turned around.
"It is Senior Brother Zhou Xing!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhou Xing!"
"Senior Brother Zhou Xing has arrived!"
"Senior Brother Zhang Tiesheng is here too!"
"Senior Brother Zhou Xing and Senior Brother Zhang Tiesheng have both come!"
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Thanks to yi Tang for the monthly vote. And while I am at it, please send over some monthly votes! My thanks to everyone!!
(End of Chapter)
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