Breaking Through! Hidden Force!

A month and a half flashed by in the blink of an eye. It was already the year-end season!

A heavy snow had fallen last night, leaving heaven and earth wrapped in silver.

Tiger-Subduing Martial Hall!

[Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence]

[Persevere without fail, and achievement will surely follow.]

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Art, Minor Accomplishment (4999/5000): Practice ten times a day; Perfection Stage in one year, completion in three years]

[Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique, Minor Accomplishment (4985/5000): Practice ten times a day; Perfection Stage in one year, completion in three years]

[Mountain-Cleaving Saber Technique, Perfection Stage (601/5000): Practice ten times a day; completion in one year]

[Martial Dao Space: Not unlocked (Charge 50/100)]

Cheng Heng had persisted in training at the martial hall. With two Superior Blood Qi Pills and ample silver supporting him, he had finally reached the threshold of breaking through to Hidden Force today!

Before he knew it, the sun had already set. Since it was the year-end season, many disciples were preparing to leave early.

"It's almost New Year's, and Senior Brother Cheng is still training!"

"He really is diligent. He's been like this every day for more than half a year!"

"Sigh, his root bone is simply too poor. He can only make up for it through diligence..."

"I should follow Senior Brother Cheng's example too!"

Before leaving, the many outer courtyard disciples chattered among themselves.

Once the disciples had dispersed, Cheng Heng was the only one left in the entire Tiger-Subduing Martial Hall!

The snow in the courtyard lay deep. Cheng Heng held the Tiger-Subduing Stance firmly, the blood qi within him already at its peak. Heat burst from his entire body, melting even the snow around him with its scorching warmth!

"Break through Bright Force! The moment is now!"

Cheng Heng suddenly opened his eyes. The surging blood qi throughout his body began rushing toward his limbs and bones, washing over his flesh, blood, tendons, and bones again and again.

Bright Force manifested outwardly, resounding through flesh and skin;

Hidden Force, however, was entirely different. It sank between the tendons and bones, linking the meridians throughout the body, restrained to the utmost extreme!

Cheng Heng steadied his mind and slowly adjusted his blood qi, guiding it along the meridians throughout his body. At once, the blood qi that had been scattering in all directions began, under repeated guidance, to wash through his meridians in an orderly pattern.

Waves of numbness spread through his tendons and bones. The pores across his body opened slightly, beginning to expel the impurities washed from within!

As time passed second by second, the sharp edge of his outward Bright Force gradually faded away. His inner force began turning from outer to inner, gathering within his five viscera and six bowels.

Boom!

With that, Cheng Heng officially broke through the Hidden Force bottleneck. His body was filled with an unprecedented sense of fullness!

As he demonstrated his fist technique, a force utterly different from Bright Force lay dormant between Cheng Heng's tendons and bones, ready to burst from his body at any moment!

[Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence]

[Persevere without fail, and achievement will surely follow.]

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Art, Perfection Stage (1/7000): Practice ten times a day; completion in three years]

[Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique, Minor Accomplishment (4985/5000): Practice ten times a day; Perfection Stage in one year, completion in three years]

[Mountain-Cleaving Saber Technique, Perfection Stage (601/5000): Practice ten times a day; completion in one year]

[Martial Dao Space: Not unlocked (Charge 80/100)]

After roughly seven months of martial training, Cheng Heng had officially stepped into Hidden Force. Though he possessed Low-Grade Root Bone, his progress had been astonishingly swift—only three months slower than Chen An!

Moreover, the Martial Dao Space's charging progress had reached 80/100. Once he broke through to Skill-Transforming Force, the Martial Dao Space would surely unlock!

Cheng Heng was filled with anticipation for this cheat!

There were still several months until the Martial Examination. He had to strive to take his strength another step forward before then!

Night had already fallen. After Wu Zhong finished dinner and was just about to take a stroll, he noticed that someone in the outer courtyard had yet to leave.

"Who is that? Why hasn't he left so late at night?"

Puzzled, Wu Zhong walked toward Cheng Heng.

Only when he drew near did Wu Zhong realize that this person was Cheng Heng, who had just broken through to Hidden Force!

Wu Zhong's eyes narrowed at once, his expression filled with surprise.

As a Skill-Transforming Force expert, Wu Zhong was extremely familiar with the characteristics of every breakthrough a martial artist underwent!

Cheng Heng's boiling blood qi had just been sorted out, and the force around his body had withdrawn inward. These were clearly signs that he had already reached Hidden Force!

"Ha ha ha ha! Good! Good! Good!"

Wu Zhong was overjoyed. "You brat, you advanced to Hidden Force without making a sound. Come, show me a set of Tiger-Subduing Fist!"

"Master!"

Seeing Wu Zhong approach, Cheng Heng hurriedly cupped his hands.

Upon hearing Wu Zhong's order, Cheng Heng immediately began practicing the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique in the small courtyard.

Cheng Heng's Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique was already on the verge of the Perfection Stage, and he had just broken through to the Hidden Force realm.

When he finished the set of fist techniques, the wind roared around his fists. Its might was several times stronger than when he had been at Bright Force. Wherever his fist force swept, snow flew in every direction, and his bearing was as awe-inspiring as a fierce tiger!

"The fist technique is at the Perfection Stage?"

Wu Zhong, who had been watching carefully from the side, had gone from smiling to utterly shocked.

After Cheng Heng finished his set of Tiger-Subduing Fist, he stood to one side and asked his master for guidance.

Wu Zhong silently calculated the days. "Cheng Heng, you have been in the martial hall for over seven months?"

"That's right, Master. It has already been seven months!"

Cheng Heng said.

With Cheng Heng's Low-Grade Root Bone aptitude, breaking through to Hidden Force in seven months had already far exceeded Wu Zhong's expectations.

Now that he had seen Cheng Heng's Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique, he was even more astonished!

Judging from the fist momentum, it was clearly about to reach the Perfection Stage!

In all of Gaoyang County, only Wu Zhong had cultivated the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique to completion!

Relying on his completed Tiger-Subduing Fist, Wu Zhong could already be considered one of the top ten experts in Gaoyang County. Those ranked ahead of him could be counted on one hand.

Only the County Commandant, the patriarchs of the four great lineages, and the masters of the five great martial halls stood above him.

"He's practiced for seven months and is already about to bring the fist technique to the Perfection Stage. Have I spent most of my life living like a dog?"

Wu Zhong chuckled bitterly to himself before slowly saying:

"Chen An has the best root bone in the entire martial hall, but when it comes to martial comprehension, you are even stronger than Chen An!"

"Before this, I truly did not place my focus on you. That was my oversight. Preserve your original resolve. In next year's Martial Examination, you may not be without a chance of contending for the top ten!"

Cheng Heng remained calm and cupped his hands again. "Yes, Master!"

Afterward, Wu Zhong pondered for a moment and said, "You are now a Hidden Force martial artist. Does any lineage support your cultivation?"

"Yes, Master. The Wang Family of the Inner City."

Cheng Heng said.

"Mm. Though others are supporting you, the cultivation resources you need after advancing to Hidden Force will be greater. Come with me!"

With that, Cheng Heng followed Wu Zhong into the inner courtyard.

A moment later, Wu Zhong brought out a jade bottle from inside the room and handed it to Cheng Heng.

"There are five Essence-Blood Pills inside. Their medicinal effect is fifty percent stronger than Blood-Qi Pills, making them suitable for Hidden Force martial artists to temper their tendons and bones. Take them. From now on, come find me at the beginning of every month. You will receive five pills each month!"

Cheng Heng was overjoyed. He carefully accepted the jade bottle, then gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Master, for lifting me up!"

An Essence-Blood Pill cost nearly five taels of silver each at medicine shops in the Inner City, and they were often unavailable even at a price. They were basically supplied first to Inner City martial halls and great lineages; they could not be bought at all in the Outer City!

"Go. Train well and strive for a good rank in next year's Martial Examination. From then on, you will be a dragon entering the vast sea!"

Wu Zhong waved him off with a relaxed expression.

Cheng Heng respectfully bade his master farewell.

Watching Cheng Heng's departing back, Wu Zhong pondered in secret: My Tiger-Subduing Martial Hall has truly produced two hidden dragons now!

The night was deep as Cheng Heng walked down the empty streets. Nearby households had already begun setting off firecrackers to celebrate the coming New Year.

Thinking of Li Qingwan waiting at home, Cheng Heng could not help quickening his pace.

In the new year, life would only get better and better!