Bright Force

"Little Aunt, what are you doing here?"

In the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed. Less than two days remained of the two-month appointment between Duan Xuan and Chen Feng.

Early in the morning, braving the howling cold wind, Duan Xuan arrived at the entrance of the martial arts hall.

Before he could enter, he spotted a beautiful and familiar figure.

It was his little aunt, Duan Xin, dressed in a moon-white padded jacket, having shed the thick cotton coat stuffed with numb cotton wool.

Duan Xin looked quite capable in this outfit. Her face had always been fair and clean, and she had even tied her hair into a neat high ponytail.

She looked nothing like a little farm girl, but rather like a wandering hero.

Duan Xin raised her hand and gestured over her own head.

Then she compared it with the top of Duan Xuan's head, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled. "Xuan'er has grown taller!"

The disciples of Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall and those passing by from other martial arts halls glanced at Duan Xin without meaning to. Their eyes immediately went straight.

"Who is this young lady? She's even more beautiful than Senior Sisters Chen Jingshu and Chen Jingyun!"

"Why is she so close to that brat? Don't tell me she's his fiancée? It makes my teeth itch!"

"No, brother, why? It must be an illusion. It has to be an illusion."

More and more people gathered to stare at his little aunt, so Duan Xuan could only pull Duan Xin into an empty corner.

"What? I'm not allowed to come? We haven't seen each other for so many days. Shouldn't you at least treat your little aunt to a pot of chrysanthemum tea?" Duan Xin teased.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant.

It was just... just a little sudden. I caught a spotted deer yesterday, but I hadn't had the chance to bring it to you before you came." Duan Xuan said awkwardly.

As the values for traps and hunting on the panel rose higher and higher, Duan Xuan's chances of making a kill in the forest also increased.

Not only could he determine the direction of his prey, but with the advantages martial arts brought him, he pursued prey with far greater ease than before.

More importantly, he possessed highly proficient trap-setting skills, and his prey would usually fall into his snares without realizing it.

Thus, every few days, he would catch some larger game.

However, expensive prey such as sables had become quite rare.

The reason he had not dared make a move for the moment was because Duan Xuan was waiting.

Although Wolf Stronghold had already been crushed by the newly arrived Golden Leopard Gang, the whereabouts of Wolf Stronghold's leader and its first, second, and third chiefs were unknown. He did not dare lower his guard.

Moreover, Duan Xuan was also searching for their traces. Under ordinary circumstances, it was impossible to kill them directly.

But now, the people of Wolf Stronghold were all homeless dogs. Perhaps they had already been gravely wounded.

"Here. Your little aunt earned this recently by helping out at the family shop and taking on odd jobs outside.

I already asked around. Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall collects tuition once every two months, and I guessed you wouldn't have enough money.

Take it, brat. If you keep being polite with your aunt, be careful or I'll beat you up.

Your little aunt has to return to the shop.

Otherwise, your grandfather will be frantically looking for me again!"

Duan Xin chuckled as she took a bundle of cloth from her bosom. Wrapped within it was the loose silver she had just exchanged for him.

"Little Aunt, I..."

"What do you mean, 'I'? If you get kicked out of the martial arts hall by your master because you can't pay tuition, you won't even have a place to cry. Take it. Your little aunt is leaving!"

Duan Xin did not give Duan Xuan another chance to refuse. She ruffled his hair.

Then, with light steps, she jogged away.

Warmth filled Duan Xuan's heart as he carefully tucked the silver into his clothes.

One day remained until the two-month deadline.

Duan Xuan arrived at the martial arts hall early in the morning and found everyone looking at him strangely.

Lin Hu and Liu Mingze, who had returned at some unknown time, also wore mocking smiles.

Zhao Bastard, who was usually silent, and his younger brother Zhao Hui had stopped what they were doing and stared at Duan Xuan.

Nothing could be read from Zhao Bastard's eyes, but Zhao Hui's eyes were full of regret.

Are they reluctant to see me leave? But the two of us usually have no dealings with each other. At most, we exchange a few words in greeting. Why does he look like that? Duan Xuan wondered.

"Junior Brother Duan Xuan, why are you late today?" Zhang Chen approached with his usual smile, though his expression was clearly somewhat off.

He forcibly draped an arm around Duan Xuan and pulled him into the shade. In a heavy voice, he said, "Are you leaving, kid?"

"Why would Senior Brother say that?"

Before Zhang Chen could answer, two disciples emerged silently from the dormitory area, carrying their bundles.

No one stepped forward to stop them or ask why, and neither of them intended to explain. They simply lowered their heads and left the martial arts hall.

Following the direction in which the two departed, Duan Xuan and the other disciples saw that it was not only those two.

More and more scattered disciples appeared on the street. As though they had arranged it in advance, they left together.

"Senior Brother Zhang Chen, why did Old Kuai and Dayu suddenly leave? Why are there so many people outside carrying bundles as well?

Could the martial arts hall have some other assignment?"

Hearing the questions from several disciples who had missed the apprenticeship day and could only serve as menials for a year, Zhang Chen sighed. "Martial arts are a cruel path.

Those two had no hope of entering Hidden Force, so they went off to fend for themselves."

Because Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall had so few people, there were not many disciples who failed to enter Bright Force.

But entering Bright Force did not mean that one's martial path would thereafter be smooth sailing.

On the contrary, after entering Bright Force, martial artists needed more meat and medicinal pills to replenish themselves, and that required money.

If one's ability was not outstanding, working outside would not even be enough to support oneself.

As for those leaving the other martial arts halls, most were disciples who had not even entered Bright Force.

After two months, if they had not entered Bright Force—or, rather, if their attempt to cross the first threshold had failed—they would leave of their own accord.

Because failing to step through the first threshold meant they were fated to have no connection with martial arts in this life.

And that was precisely why Zhang Chen was so troubled. He had witnessed Duan Xuan's progress with his own eyes.

But with only one day left, how could someone whose vital energy and blood had not met the standard possibly force his way across the first threshold?

Their master had said that vital energy and blood were the measure of whether a martial artist could break through a realm. No one could cross such a chasm, no matter how hard they tried.

The other menial disciples in the courtyard watched their two fellow disciples leave, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Duan Xuan quickly understood the reason as well. He cupped his fists toward Zhang Chen. "Senior Brother, I'm going to train!"

Zhang Chen wanted to say something, but the words reached his throat and would not come out.

He truly wanted to help Duan Xuan, because Duan Xuan had suffered too much. Every day, he could not even eat his fill, yet he still had to worry about his mother.

Sometimes, Duan Xuan would even bring him wild game.

Most importantly, Duan Xuan liked listening to him talk. Whether Zhang Chen was pouring out his bitterness or sharing happy news, he could chatter away endlessly every day. They were no different from good brothers now.

Yet reality was cruel. Over the years, he had watched countless disciples who failed to enter Bright Force, or who entered Bright Force but could not advance into Hidden Force, drift away from him.

But he could not keep a single one of them.

Zhang Chen knew that after tonight, Duan Xuan would leave.

The big man standing nearly six and a half feet tall suddenly felt his vision blur. Yet no matter how he rubbed his eyes, Duan Xuan's back only grew more indistinct.

By evening, all the disciples had gone to rest, and Zhang Chen had not appeared either. The entire courtyard was empty, leaving only Duan Xuan behind.

With no distracting thoughts, he practiced the three forms of the first move of Broken Mountain Fist over and over, and walked through Broken Mountain Stake Method over and over, filling himself with vital energy and blood.

Beside him lay three coarse-grain pancakes and two steamed buns that Senior Brother Zhang Chen had brought him.

After practicing for an unknown length of time, he suddenly felt terribly hungry. His stomach growled without end.

Unable to help it, Duan Xuan picked up a coarse-grain pancake and began chewing it in huge bites.

One was not enough. Then the second. The second did not fill him either. Only after eating all three coarse-grain pancakes did a hint of warmth enter his belly.

Immediately afterward, he took from his bosom the packet of Blood Qi Powder that Senior Sister Chen Jingshu had given him. Washing it down with the final bite of coarse-grain pancake, he swallowed it.

Feeling waves of heat rise from his stomach, he stood once more, assumed the stance of Broken Mountain Fist, planted his feet in Broken Mountain Stake Method, and repeated the first form of the first move—Breaking Ground!

[Man rewards diligence; Heaven rewards perseverance]

[Traps: Mastery (55/300)]

[Hunting: Minor Accomplishment (49/100)]

[Broken Mountain Stake Method: Beginner (299/300)]

[Broken Mountain Fist: Beginner (151/300)]

Duan Xuan suppressed his restless heart. As he took the final step of Broken Mountain Stake Method, he unleashed the complete third form of Broken Mountain Fist's first move.

In an instant, he felt some kind of connection form between himself and the ground beneath his feet. That connection was indescribable.

Yet in that very moment, the density of the vital energy and blood within him at least doubled. A hot current surged through his entire body in an instant, driving away the chill brought by early spring.

A sensation of ease swept through his body.

Duan Xuan clenched his fist and gave it a light swing.

The strength and speed unleashed were several times greater than before.

Soon after, pain took its place.

His muscles swelled as though his entire body were being torn apart. Even his bones seemed to have been put on accelerated growth.

Cracking sounds rang out in waves as they forcibly stretched from within outward.

Duan Xuan bent over from the pain, but he clenched his teeth tight, glared with wide eyes, and stood upright again.

Because Bright Force would not allow him to lower his head.

After an unknown amount of time, the pain finally receded.

Duan Xuan understood that his overly abundant vital energy and blood had been converted into nourishment, moisturizing his entire body, expanding his bones, and strengthening his muscles. This was the pain of growth!

He was in pain, yet he was happy!

And the system would not lie. The values above had clearly leaped.

[Broken Mountain Stake Method: Minor Accomplishment (0/1000)]

[Broken Mountain Fist: Beginner (152/300)]