There Are Still Experts

"Junior Brother, you've got some skill. It's only been a little over a week, hasn't it? Your Broken Mountain Fist has improved this much already?"

Zhang Chen and Duan Xuan sparred beneath the early-spring sun. Over these seven days,

he had explained in meticulous detail the training techniques for the Broken Mountain Fist's first move, the Mountain-Breaking Form, and its three minor forms: Break Ground, Split Stone, and Break Wall.

He also taught him the essence of training and everything else without holding anything back.

Duan Xuan could clearly sense that Zhang Chen treated him exceptionally well, with almost no reservations whatsoever.

Some parts were even mixed with Zhang Chen's own unique insights, allowing Duan Xuan's slight frame to better unleash the power of the Broken Mountain Fist.

"Senior Brother Zhang, you flatter me. You've been suppressing your strength to below the Bright Force realm when sparring with me, and you've yielded to me at every turn. How could Junior Brother possibly be your match?" Duan Xuan said, cupping his hands solemnly.

Zhang Chen's broad palm hooked around Duan Xuan, who was much shorter than him. "You brat, you've only been hanging around Senior Brother for a few days, and you've already learned how to sweet-talk people. Your qi and blood still aren't exactly abundant, but you're far too hardworking. If Senior Brother had been even half as diligent as you back then, I might have reached Dark Force long ago. But no matter—take it slowly. Your punches are getting more and more forceful now. You're even better than that Zhao Hui!"

At the mention of Zhao Hui, Duan Xuan could not help turning to glance at the youth in the corner, fiercely exchanging punches with his elder sister, Zhao Bastard.

The two were about the same age.

Yet Zhao Bastard's eyes were often filled with confusion, bewilderment, curiosity, and fear of his sister.

More than once, Duan Xuan had seen Zhao Hui immediately squat on the ground with his hands clasped over his head the moment Zhao Bastard opened his mouth.

Clearly, Zhao Hui had experienced something that had left a lingering shadow over him. As for what exactly it was, Duan Xuan did not know.

Duan Xuan only cared about his own progress in martial arts.

Suddenly, the entrance grew lively, and everyone turned their eyes toward it.

Chen Feng walked in with three or four richly dressed, well-to-do people.

At Chen Feng's sides followed two tall, rather pretty young women.

"Stop staring, Junior Brother Duan. These two are Master's daughters. The one on the left, with brows like distant mountains and sharp eyes, is Junior Sister Chen Jingshu. The one on the right, refined and gentle as a pool of autumn water, is Junior Sister Chen Jingyun. Both are Bright Force experts. They've been helping Master make connections lately, so they rarely come to the courtyard. That's why you haven't seen much of them," Zhang Chen said with a chuckle, his face practically blooming with delight.

Duan Xuan gave them a cursory glance. Such beautiful faces were indeed rare in a county town.

But it was not enough to make every disciple's eyes turn into hearts.

Duan Xuan's attention was wholly focused on the people behind his master.

Each of them looked like the wealthy landowners or shopkeepers he had seen on television.

Two sturdy men followed beside them, walking with great swagger.

Abundant qi and blood radiated from their muscles. They were all Bright Force martial artists!

No—Duan Xuan sensed them more carefully. How were these ordinary Bright Force martial artists? They had clearly reached the completion of Bright Force!

"Senior Brother, who are these people?"

After Zhang Chen finished grinning foolishly and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, he replied, "Them? The one wearing gold and silver, draped in purple sable, is Jin Qianwan, the Third Hall Master of Golden Hall in the county's inner city. Whether it's jewelry trading or freight transport throughout Yellow Snake County, nothing can be separated from him. And the one beside him, wearing gold-threaded leather boots and armor-trimmed clothing, is Zheng Qiao, the young master of the inner city's largest escort agency, the Dragon Gate Escort Agency. Every year around this season, they come out in person to visit the various martial arts halls, looking for suitable disciples to take on positions under them. Of course, it isn't just them. So long as they have some business, or belong to a wealthy family, or run an escort agency, they all need people. Recruiting martial artists for positions is the most ordinary thing in the world! Their main purpose is to make connections with people of great potential who may achieve great things in the future."

"A position... is it something like a contract of sale?" It was Duan Xuan's first time hearing of such a thing.

"Not really. Taking a position means hanging your name under a certain organization. Whenever they have a task or some matter to handle, they'll notify you beforehand and have you help out. Of course, all that has to be discussed in advance. But for top shops and families in the inner city, disciples they want to take positions usually have to start at Bright Force at the very least. Comparatively speaking, you have more freedom. If it's a smaller power, then our share of the profits will be much lower, and our freedom will be much more restricted!"

Duan Xuan gave an acknowledging sound. "Senior Brother, I'll have to trouble you to keep an eye out for a suitable position for me. You know my family's circumstances aren't very good. If I don't break through to Bright Force within two months, I'll have to leave the martial arts hall. So I want to save up more money to improve my family's situation, while also buying some medicine to replenish qi and blood."

"That's no problem. I'm responsible for a small portion of the positions in our courtyard every year. It's only just started recently, and the ones coming now are all major powers. Their jobs can be life-threatening sometimes, so they aren't ideal. Wait another two or three days, and I'll find a suitable one for you."

Duan Xuan immediately cupped his hands and continued practicing his fists.

Duan Xuan wanted peace and quiet, but there were more and more people in the training ground. When the disciples heard the good news about positions, they all crowded over.

"Old Chen, I heard your Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall actually recruited two disciples with first-class bone aptitude this year. Congratulations, congratulations!" The man delivering these polished pleasantries was Jin Qianwan, the Third Hall Master of the richly dressed Golden Hall.

"Old Chen, you can't be so stingy. You've got such fine seedlings, yet you won't hurry up and introduce them to me? If they meet the requirements, once this round of positions is over, I can lower some requirements for Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall and raise your profits," Zheng Qiao, the young master of the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, said seriously.

Hearing these two great figures from the inner city praise him so highly, Chen Feng forcefully suppressed his smile and coughed. "Lin Hu, Liu Mingze. Come show these two gentlemen your recent progress in martial arts. No need to keep your Bright Force strength hidden any longer!"

"Oh? These two crossed the first threshold and broke through to Bright Force after only one month in the hall? Truly worthy of first-class bone aptitude!"

Chen Feng waved a hand. "What first-class bone aptitude? It only took them twenty days."

"Twenty days?" Jin Qianwan and Zheng Qiao were both stunned. "They stepped into Bright Force in less than a month. These two disciples have boundless futures ahead of them. The wheel of fortune turns—your Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall will rise to greatness within a few years!"

As they spoke, Lin Hu and Liu Mingze both cupped their hands and stepped into a clear patch of ground, taking up their stances.

Lin Hu was powerfully built, like a man of iron.

Liu Mingze was lean and tall, but after training for over a month, his muscles had become strikingly defined. Coupled with his long, slender arms,

one phrase naturally surfaced in everyone's minds.

An inch longer, an inch stronger.

The two had already begun exchanging blows. Crackling explosions rang out, as though they were wielding hoes to carve through mountains.

Moreover, as they fought, the qi and blood within their bodies poured outward like a mountain flood. In weather twenty degrees below zero, they stirred up waves of heat.

What surprised the surrounding disciples, as well as Duan Xuan, most was that the moves they used were not limited to the Broken Mountain Fist's first form. They even used the second form.

Two major moves and six minor forms came and went, making for a truly splendid fight.

Because the two had Bright Force and astonishing talent for martial arts, Chen Feng often gave them extra instruction.

And since he had already told Jin Qianwan and the others how difficult the Broken Mountain Fist was to practice, everyone present gave them a thumbs-up in admiration.

Before long, the two clasped their hands and stopped, then cupped their hands toward Jin Qianwan, Zheng Qiao, and Chen Feng.

"Splendid, splendid! Among all the martial arts halls I've seen throughout Yellow Snake County, fewer than five have disciples who can surpass these two," Zheng Qiao praised without restraint. "I'm willing to give each of them four thousand coins in monthly compensation, plus fifty jin of meat and a packet of Qi-Blood Powder."

"That won't do. My Golden Hall is willing to offer four thousand coins, fifty-five jin of meat, and two packets of Qi-Blood Powder."

Chen Feng was extremely satisfied. The other powers that had come along also argued endlessly, competing to win over his two prized disciples.

Suddenly, Lin Hu's mouth twitched as he glanced at Duan Xuan, who was silently practicing his fists beside Zhang Chen.

Liu Mingze caught his meaning and cupped his hands. "Actually, we're nothing special, merely first-class bone aptitude. The senior brother who entered the martial arts hall in the same batch as us is even more impressive. Senior Brother Duan, come over..."

"Oh? There are still experts?"