Bright Force

Zhao Feng's expression remained calm as he continued practicing his stance and boxing with utter focus. His eyes watched his nose, his nose watched his heart; all his attention was on himself, and the trivial clamor of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

After a while, Second Senior Brother Wei Yuan came to the front courtyard and told Zhao Feng some news.

"Junior Brother Wu failed to break through the gate and returned to his hometown overnight."

Failing to break through the gate the first time basically meant bidding farewell to the martial path. The more time passed, the smaller the chance of breaking through the gate became. And if one could not break through to Bright Force and take up employment, an ordinary farmer's child simply could not afford to continue practicing martial arts. There was no choice but to give up this path.

Wu Tiezhu left without a sound, and no one saw him off. It was as though there had never been such a person in the martial hall. Like those who had previously failed to break through the gate and left the martial hall, he left behind no trace. Even an apprentice's training uniform would be left behind, washed clean and starched, awaiting a new owner.

Wei Yuan looked at Zhao Feng and sighed inwardly. This junior brother was strong-willed and diligent in his boxing, but unfortunately, his natural aptitude was poor, and he had no family wealth to support him. In the end, it would still be the same—he would return to the place where he had originally belonged.

Zhao Feng remained unmoved and continued his stance training. Whenever he truly could not hold on, he would step down to rest for a while before continuing. He kept at it until afternoon.

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

"Today, I break through the gate!"

The disciples in the courtyard watched him train so desperately, their expressions complicated. Did he know he was about to be swept out the door and go mad because of it?

"Trying hard is still pointless. His natural aptitude is too poor; he can't possibly break through the gate."

"If you ask me, why is he still hanging around here? Does he want people to laugh at him?"

Zhao Feng knew nothing of the others' discussion. He had maintained his stance for nearly two hours, and every muscle in his body had gone numb.

Sweat soaked the earth beneath his feet.

The vitality and blood within him began circulating, striking at his acupoints as required by the stake skill. Then suddenly! His entire body shuddered, as though some membrane had abruptly shattered. The vitality and blood that had always struggled to circulate through his body surged freely at once, like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

The sensation of comfort throughout his body was beyond words. The sights and sounds around him suddenly became clear, pouring into his senses.

The cries of vendors at the distant marketplace, birdsong in the sky, even the breathing rhythm of every disciple practicing boxing in the martial hall—all of it came clearly to him. Even the faint sound of a wild cat padding across the roof fell into his senses.

A force emerged from his vitality and blood. Strong and condensed, it flowed endlessly from his dantian through his meridians and acupoints, spreading through his limbs and bones, all the way to the edge of his fists! At the same time, his sinews and bones let out a crisp, pleasant series of crackles.

"So this is Bright Force!"

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

He sprang down from the Plum Blossom Stakes in a single leap. Bang! His feet seemed to take root, merging with the earth.

The fatigue from his earlier stance practice vanished without a trace. Zhao Feng could not help but unleash the first form of Eight Extremes Fist, Parallel-Step Thrust Hammer!

His spine trembled like a great dragon as he stepped in parallel and drove both fists forward. Whoosh! His blows stirred a fierce wind, and the air seemed to carry the faint rumble of wind and thunder.

"Sink the center of your elbows! Visualize Cross Force in your heart, and concentrate your strength in your waist and abdomen!" Huo Shan's voice came from behind him.

"The force of a punch starts from the heels, travels through the waist, and pierces through the fingertips!"

Zhao Feng knew his master was watching from behind him. He did not dare slacken, keeping Huo Shan's words in mind as he continued his routine.

After completing the entire set of Eight Extremes Fist, faint crackling sounds echoed in the air. Though he had yet to produce an explosive report, its power and momentum were far greater than before he had gained force.

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

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

"Not bad." Huo Shan nodded. Zhao Feng's successful breakthrough had clearly exceeded even his expectations. Still, taking three months to break through meant his potential had reached its limit.

"From today onward, you are a registered disciple of mine, Huo Shan, and will receive the treatment of a registered disciple." As he spoke, he took out a packet of medicinal powder.

"This is Vitality Powder. It invigorates the blood and replenishes vitality and blood. Registered disciples may receive one packet of Vitality Powder each month, but if you have the means, you should also find ways to strengthen your medicinal supplementation yourself," Huo Shan said.

"The stance posture for the Bright Force stage of the Eight Extremes Stake Skill changes slightly. I'll demonstrate it for you. Watch carefully!" Huo Shan leaped onto the Plum Blossom Stakes and demonstrated the stance skill for Zhao Feng. It did not seem much different from the first-stage stake skill, merely with a few slight alterations in posture. But when Zhao Feng got up and tried it himself, he learned that a tiny deviation could lead to a difference of a thousand miles. The Minor Mastery stage stance skill was clearly far more brutal in tempering one's sinews, bones, vitality, and blood. Even for someone accustomed to stance training, the instant he tried it, he again felt the agonizing pain of every muscle in his body being scorched and torn apart.

Seeing that his stance posture had passed muster, Huo Shan nodded.

"Your Eight Extremes Fist currently lacks practical combat experience. Go exchange moves with your senior and junior brothers, and adjust your force application and boxing-frame posture through sparring. Once you have completely mastered the first set of Eight Extremes Fist, I will personally teach you the manual for the second set." After saying that, he paid no further attention and headed straight back to the rear courtyard.

"Thank you, Master."

Only after Huo Shan left did joy begin to rise in Zhao Feng's heart. His heart settled at once, and an incomparably pleasant sensation spread through his entire body.

Becoming a Bright Force martial artist meant he could now take on some work as a martial instructor outside, earn silver, and continue cultivating martial arts.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhao." Wei Yuan was the first to come forward and congratulate him, surprise in his eyes. After all, he had always thought highly of Zhao Feng and hoped he would break through.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhao."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhao."

Some of the newer and older disciples nearby came forward to offer their congratulations, utterly different from their earlier behavior of ignoring him.

Especially those apprentice disciples who had yet to break through to Bright Force, particularly those from poor backgrounds—they looked both surprised and envious. To them, this was a moment capable of changing one's life. Once they broke through this barrier, it would be like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate.

Chu Fan watched him from afar, his expression showing no change. Memories from when they had first entered the martial hall surfaced in his mind. The three of them had done filthy, exhausting work together—cleaning latrines, feeding horses, wiping down equipment, and carrying heavy loads.

Every day, he had been grimy and hungry, and Wu Tiezhu had even shared a steamed bun with him. He had been grateful beyond measure every day.

He shook his head, desperately trying to erase that unbearable memory from his mind. Wu Tiezhu had already left. He had originally thought Zhao Feng would certainly leave as well; then no one would remember that past anymore, and it would slowly fade away.

Who would have thought that Zhao Feng would actually succeed in breaking through the gate during the final few days? Chu Fan felt extremely irritated and sickened.

"Junior Brother Chu, do you have plans tonight?" At that moment, Third Senior Brother Wang Yu came over and spoke. Wang Yu was a descendant of the Wang Family, a wealthy household in the inner city. After seeing Chu Fan's potential, he had immediately taken the lead in funding and drawing Chu Fan in. With second-class natural aptitude, Chu Fan was very likely to become a young Hidden Force martial instructor. If the Wang Family could befriend him, it would surely be a business with ten thousandfold returns. It would be best if Chu Fan joined the Wang Family after completing his training, but even if he did not, they could still form a good bond.

Following Chu Fan's gaze, Wang Yu saw Zhao Feng, who had just successfully broken through the gate.

He could not help letting out a soft sound of surprise.

Just yesterday, he had confidently told Chu Fan that this man would definitely pack up his bedding and go home. Yet today, he had succeeded in breaking through the gate.

"I didn't expect him to really stumble into such great luck." Wang Yu's face reddened slightly.

"But natural aptitude determines one's limit. He got lucky this time, but breaking through to Hidden Force will be absolutely impossible." In order to save face, he made another firm declaration.

Chu Fan withdrew his gaze and no longer paid attention to Zhao Feng. He had broken through to Bright Force more than a month ago and had now touched the threshold of Hidden Force. Though Zhao Feng remaining behind made him feel sickened, the other man's potential was already exhausted. Compared to himself, they still belonged to two entirely different worlds.