Bright Strength

Zhao Feng remained calm, wholly absorbed in his stance training and boxing. His eyes rested on his nose, his attention sank inward to his heart, and his entire focus was on himself. The trivial clamor of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

After a while, his second senior brother, Wei Yuan, came to the front courtyard and gave Zhao Feng some news.

"Junior Brother Wu failed his Gate Breakthrough. He went back to his hometown last night."

Failing the first Gate Breakthrough attempt was all but a farewell to the Martial Dao. The longer it took, the slimmer the chances of a Gate Breakthrough became. Without breaking through to bright strength and securing paid employment, the son of an ordinary farming household simply could not afford to keep practicing martial arts. Giving up was his only choice.

Wu Tiezhu had left without a sound, with no one to see him off. It was as though he had never existed in the Martial Arts School, just like all those who had failed their Gate Breakthrough and left before him. Not a trace remained. Even his Apprentice training uniform would be left behind, washed clean to welcome a new owner.

Wei Yuan looked at Zhao Feng and sighed inwardly. This junior brother had a firm will and trained diligently, but unfortunately, his root bone was poor, and he had no family wealth to support him. His fate would be the same: returning to the place where he had originally belonged.

Unmoved, Zhao Feng continued his stance training. Whenever he truly could not hold on any longer, he climbed down and rested briefly before continuing. He kept at it until the afternoon.

[Eight Extremes Stake Skill: Beginner (498/500)]

Today is the day I achieve my Gate Breakthrough!

The disciples in the courtyard watched his grueling practice with complicated expressions. He must have gone mad, knowing he was about to be swept out the door.

"All that effort is wasted. His root bone is too poor. There's no way he can achieve a successful Gate Breakthrough."

"If you ask me, why is he still clinging to this place? So people can laugh at him?"

Zhao Feng was oblivious to their remarks. He had held his stance for nearly two hours, and every muscle in his body had gone numb.

His sweat soaked the ground beneath his feet.

The blood and vital energy in his body began circulating, striking his acupoints according to the stance training method. Suddenly, his whole body jolted, as though some membrane had abruptly shattered. The blood and vital energy from his dantian, which had always struggled to circulate through his body, surged freely like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

An indescribable ease washed over his entire body. The sights and sounds around him suddenly sharpened, flooding his senses.

He could clearly perceive the cries from the distant market, the birds calling overhead, and the breathing rhythms of every disciple practicing in the Martial Arts School. Even the soft footsteps of a stray cat on the roof reached his senses.

His blood and vital energy gave rise to a powerful, condensed force. It flowed endlessly from his dantian through his meridians and acupoints, spreading throughout his limbs and every part of his body, all the way to his knuckles! At the same time, his sinews and bones crackled with crisp, pleasing sounds.

So this is bright strength!

[Eight Extremes Stake Skill: Minor Accomplishment (1/1000)]

He sprang off the Plum Blossom Stakes and landed. Thud! His feet seemed to take root, becoming one with the earth.

All the fatigue from his stance training vanished. Unable to contain himself, Zhao Feng unleashed the first form of the Eight Extremes Fist: Parallel-Step Thrust Hammer!

His spine shook like a great dragon as he brought his feet together and thrust both fists out. Whoosh! His punches whipped up a fierce wind, with a faint rumble of wind and thunder in the air.

"Sink your elbows! Visualize the cross force, and concentrate your power in your waist and abdomen!" Huo Shan's voice rang out behind him.

"When you punch, the power rises from your heels, travels through your waist, and flows all the way to your fingertips!"

Knowing his master was watching behind him, Zhao Feng dared not slacken. He kept his master's words in mind and continued practicing.

As he worked through the first routine of the Eight Extremes Fist, faint crackles sounded in the air. Though his punches had yet to produce a Crashing Ring, their power and momentum were far greater than before he had developed strength.

He withdrew his fists and stood upright, then turned and bowed to Huo Shan as his master approached.

It had been a long time since Huo Shan had spoken to him alone.

"Not bad." Huo Shan nodded. Clearly, Zhao Feng's successful Gate Breakthrough had come as quite a surprise. Still, having taken three months to break through, he had already reached the limit of his potential.

"From today onward, you are a Registered Disciple of mine, Huo Shan, and will receive the benefits of one." As he spoke, he took out a packet of medicinal powder.

"This is Vitality Powder. It stimulates circulation and replenishes blood and vital energy. Registered Disciples may collect one packet each month, but if you have the means, you should also find ways to supplement your training with more Medicinal Nourishment," Huo Shan said.

"The Eight Extremes Stake Skill requires slightly different postures at the bright strength stage. I'll demonstrate. Watch closely!" Huo Shan leaped onto the Plum Blossom Stakes and demonstrated the stance training for Zhao Feng. It did not look much different from the first stage, with only slight adjustments to the postures, but after climbing up and trying it himself, Zhao Feng understood how a hair's breadth of difference could lead a thousand miles astray. The minor accomplishment stage tempered his sinews, bones, blood, and vital energy far more mercilessly. Even though he was accustomed to stance training, the moment he tried it, he once again felt the agonizing pain of every muscle in his body being burned and torn apart.

Seeing that his posture met the requirements, Huo Shan nodded.

"You currently lack practical combat experience with the Eight Extremes Fist. Spar with your fellow disciples and adjust how you channel your force and hold your boxing stances as you fight. Once you've completely mastered the first routine, I'll personally teach you the Second Form." With that, he paid Zhao Feng no further attention and went straight back to the rear courtyard.

"Thank you, Master."

Only after Huo Shan left did joy begin rising in Zhao Feng's heart. His mind suddenly settled, and an immense feeling of ease spread throughout his body.

Becoming a bright strength martial artist meant he could take part-time work as a Martial Master outside the school, earning silver to continue his martial training.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhao." Wei Yuan was the first to come over, his eyes filled with delighted surprise. After all, he thought highly of Zhao Feng and had hoped he would break through.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhao."

"Junior Brother Zhao, congratulations."

Some of the newer and older disciples around him came forward to offer their congratulations, a complete reversal from their previous indifference.

The Apprentice disciples who had yet to reach bright strength, especially those from poor families, wore looks of surprise and envy. To them, this was a moment that could change an entire life. Crossing this barrier was like a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate.

Chu Fan watched him from a distance, his expression unchanged. Memories of when they first joined surfaced in his mind: the three of them doing filthy, exhausting chores together, cleaning toilets, feeding horses, wiping down equipment, and carrying heavy loads.

Back then, he had spent every day grimy and hungry, relying on Wu Tiezhu to share a cornbread bun with him and feeling endlessly grateful each time.

He shook his head, trying hard to erase those wretched memories. Wu Tiezhu was already gone, and he had thought Zhao Feng would certainly leave as well. Then no one would remember that past, and it would slowly fade away.

He had never expected Zhao Feng to achieve a successful Gate Breakthrough in the final few days. Chu Fan felt deeply irritated, as though something was lodged in his throat.

"Junior Brother Chu, do you have any plans tonight?" His third senior brother, Wang Yu, approached as he spoke. Wang Yu came from the Wang Family, a wealthy household in the Inner City. After recognizing Chu Fan's potential, he had immediately taken the lead in funding him and drawing him to his side. With his second-grade root bone, Chu Fan stood a strong chance of becoming a young transformation force Martial Master. Befriending him would surely yield the Wang Family ten thousandfold returns. Ideally, Chu Fan would join the Wang Family after completing his training, but even if he did not, they would still have forged a favorable connection.

Following Chu Fan's gaze, Wang Yu saw Zhao Feng, who had just achieved a successful Gate Breakthrough.

He could not help letting out a surprised sound.

Just yesterday, he had confidently told Chu Fan that this fellow would certainly pack his bags and go home. He had never expected him to achieve a successful Gate Breakthrough today.

"To think he really stumbled into such incredible luck." Wang Yu flushed.

"But root bone determines your ceiling. He got lucky this time, but there's absolutely no chance he'll achieve a Gate Breakthrough to hidden force." To salvage his dignity, he made another firm pronouncement.

Chu Fan withdrew his gaze and paid Zhao Feng no further attention. He had broken through to bright strength over a month ago and had already reached the threshold of hidden force. Though Zhao Feng's continued presence grated on him, the other man had exhausted his potential. Compared with Chu Fan, he still belonged to an entirely different world.