Limit-Breaking

By the time Zhou Yan returned to his quarters, it was completely dark.

Zhou Yan pushed open the door and saw the lamp lit inside. Xue Zhenshan, dressed in a gray robe, sat by the table.

His heart skipped a beat. He had not expected the hall master to come personally.

"Hall Master." Zhou Yan stood at the doorway and bowed.

"Come in and sit." Xue Zhenshan smiled.

Zhou Yan closed the door and sat opposite him. The oil lamp's flame flickered twice.

The hall master poured him a cup of tea and pushed it over. Zhou Yan picked it up and took a sip.

Xue Zhenshan did not beat around the bush. He sighed. "I truly didn't expect you to bring the Mountain-Settling Stance to Perfection."

"When you entered Class C, Ding Yong told me your stake stance had reached Greater Achievement. I didn't pay much attention to it." Xue Zhenshan held his teacup. "Later, when you advanced to Class B, Ma Tou'er mentioned twice that you were improving at an astonishing rate. Even then, I still hadn't expected this."

He paused and shook his head. "There have been too many fleeting geniuses over the years. I'm old now, and I misjudged you."

Zhou Yan smiled. "You flatter me, Hall Master. I merely had a fortunate opportunity, studied diligently, and trained hard enough to grasp the stake stance."

At that, Xue Zhenshan tapped the table twice with his fingers. "Your comprehension must be quite good. Bone-reading can only reveal talent; it cannot probe a person's comprehension. Comprehension is a mysterious thing, something one is born with. It cannot be forced."

"Our Mountain-Suppressing Martial Hall hasn't been doing well lately. Heavenly Peak Martial Arts Hall has been open for two years and has taken away thirty percent of our apprentices. This year's Martial Meet is hosted by them, and you saw Yue Wuyuan's display. If this continues, we might not even be able to fill Class C when we recruit apprentices next spring."

Seeing that the hall master had finally stated the purpose of his visit, Zhou Yan considered it for a moment.

"So you need me to defeat the people from Heavenly Peak Martial Arts Hall?"

"Yes." Xue Zhenshan looked at him. "Of course, I won't ask you to do it for nothing. Once the Martial Meet is over, aside from the magistrate's rewards, you may enter Class A early and become my disciple. Your tuition will be waived, and you'll receive ten taels of silver every month. Techniques and medicinal pills will be provided according to Class A standards."

Zhou Yan ran a finger around the rim of his cup. Ten taels of silver a month was even more than he had earned as a guard for the Sun Family.

And his tuition would be waived. Previously, he had paid two taels of silver each month in Class B.

For him now, it was neither much nor little. Saving for a year would be enough to renovate a room at home.

"There are currently four people in Class A, and they're all Martial Adepts. I'm only at the Qi-Gathering Realm. Aren't you worried people will gossip if I join?"

"It doesn't matter. Whoever gossips can come find me themselves." Xue Zhenshan's tone was calm yet beyond question. "Your Mountain-Settling Stance is at Perfection, and your Mountain-Suppressing Fist has reached Greater Achievement. At a time like this, forget entering Class A—even if I opened a separate class just for you and made you an instructor, I would accept it."

Zhou Yan set down his cup, and those lingering concerns were scattered by those words.

He had never been someone afraid of gossip. He had only asked to confirm the hall master's attitude.

He wanted to see whether the hall master was merely forced by circumstances, or whether he truly cherished his talent.

"Fine. But I have something to ask you, Hall Master." He leaned forward slightly. "This junior spent more than half a year in Class C. Instructor Ding knew my stake stance had reached Greater Achievement. Ma Tou'er knew as well. You said you didn't pay attention. Did you truly not care, or did you simply not want to care?"

Xue Zhenshan's hand holding the teacup paused. He chuckled. "That mouth of yours is sharper than your fists."

"The fists were taught by you, Hall Master. The mouth is my own." Zhou Yan laughed first after saying it.

"Every year, there are apprentices in Class C whose stake stance reaches Greater Achievement. But between Greater Achievement and Perfection lies a vast gulf. It depends on opportunity and comprehension. Most people can never cross it in their lifetimes. Even I failed to reach Perfection back then. Besides, what matters more now is next year's Martial Examination. The Martial Examination is of great importance, so I had no choice but to focus all my attention on your senior brothers in Class A."

As Xue Zhenshan spoke, he took out a scroll of paper from his robe and spread it across the table. The paper was old, its edges frayed, and the words had been copied by hand.

"This is the complete manual for the Mountain-Suppressing Fist. I imagine you've already noticed something wrong with the version you learned."

Zhou Yan lowered his head for a glance.

The additional force routes on the paper made two turns, completely unlike what he had practiced before.

"Only Class A is allowed to see the complete version." Xue Zhenshan's finger traced over the paper.

Zhou Yan stared at the two extra arrows and suddenly laughed.

"So that's why I couldn't make any progress after reaching the end. Turns out the hall master was holding back."

"I wasn't holding back from you." Xue Zhenshan pushed the manual toward him. "Everyone below Class A practices an abridged version. That is the rule."

His voice lowered slightly. "But I did not make that rule. Mountain-Suppressing Martial Hall has existed for fifteen years. The first hall master established the rule of using abridged manuals. Martial techniques are the foundation of a martial hall. Its foundation cannot be shown to just anyone. You'll understand that someday."

Zhou Yan suddenly asked, "Hall Master, forgive this unrelated question, but what exactly is a Martial Adept like?"

Xue Zhenshan picked up the cold tea and took a sip. "At your current Qi-Gathering Realm, you cultivate inner qi. Martial Adepts cultivate the release of force, also called the Meridian-Opening Realm. When your fist strikes a wooden post now, the post does not move. Your fist force merely travels through it and shakes a few leaves loose. That falls within the realm of inner qi. But once a Martial Adept reaches the Meridian-Opening Realm, force leaves the body. From three steps away, a single punch can crack a wooden post."

Zhou Yan listened intently. He had seen that black-robed woman slay three demons with three sword strikes and had always wanted to know what that realm felt like.

But judging by how easily the black-robed woman had done it, she had probably already surpassed the Meridian-Opening Realm!

"Can all four senior brothers in Class A do that?"

"Han Zongyuan can. Shen Qingshan just broke through and can barely release ten to twenty percent of it. Gu Changsong and Feng Jiping haven't found the knack yet." Xue Zhenshan set down his cup. "In the early Meridian-Opening Realm, force can be released at most one foot. In the middle stage, three feet. In the late stage, five or six feet. At the peak, one can injure someone from a zhang away."

"Once you reach Qi Gathering Perfection, your dantian expands to its limit, and inner qi undergoes a qualitative change after its quantitative growth. Only then can you touch the threshold of the Martial Adept Realm. This step is uncertain. Some are stuck for a year, some for ten years, and some their entire lives. I was stuck for six years before I touched that threshold." Xue Zhenshan looked at him. "But your stake stance is at Perfection, so your foundation is stronger than others'. After reaching Qi Gathering Perfection, your chances of breaking through to Martial Adept will be far greater than an ordinary person's."

"The stake stance has such power?" Zhou Yan asked in surprise.

"The stake stance is the foundation of a Martial Adept. Once you reach the Martial Practitioner Realm, the release of force relies upon this very route. The stronger your foundation, the faster you will break through."

"Thank you, Hall Master." He set down his teacup, his tone much more sincere than before.

Xue Zhenshan waved a hand, signaling that there was no need.

Zhou Yan nodded and picked up the manual for another careful read.

He raised his head and smiled. "Hall Master, is there any other reward for taking first place?"

"You brat, you won't move without seeing a reward first. Of course there is." Xue Zhenshan stood. "Mountain-Suppressing Martial Hall has more than fists. We also have saber techniques!"

"Saber techniques?" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up.

"If you take first place, I can teach you a saber technique. No secrets withheld!"

Xue Zhenshan pulled back the door bolt. After speaking, he stepped outside, his gray cotton robe swaying as he disappeared into the night.

Zhou Yan returned to the table and studied the fist manual three times under the oil lamp.

The wind in the courtyard made the flame sway back and forth, but he paid it no mind. His entire focus was on the paper.

After the third reading, he set down the manual and walked to the center of the courtyard.

He stood beneath the tree for two breaths, an indescribable feeling rising within him.

The main reason he had to win first place was the hall master's promise to accept him as a Class A disciple.

Class A was different from all the other classes. It could be said to be the core of Mountain-Suppressing Martial Hall!

Only after entering Class A would Xue Zhenshan personally take him as a disciple.

That way, even if the Azure Cloud Gang uncovered something, they would not dare touch him!

He would finally have the means to survive in the county town. In the future, he would no longer need to hide so much.

At once, Zhou Yan assumed the stance of the Mountain-Suppressing Fist.

Force poured from his waist and hips into the soles of his feet, then surged back upward. His entire body felt as if it had been washed from within by his own fist force.

The foundation of the Mountain-Settling Stance nailed his whole body to the ground, and the blue bricks in the courtyard trembled faintly.

The system's proficiency began to rise in his vision.

He closed his eyes and held the stance for the time it took to burn an incense stick.

This session was longer than any of his previous stance practices. Every breath drove the foundation of his stake stance deeper.

The blue bricks beneath his feet suddenly cracked.

Cracks spread outward from beneath his feet, crawling all the way to the base of the courtyard wall.

Inner qi flowed through the stake stance and into the ground, shattering the bricks.

The crooked jujube tree by the wall shook, and even a small patch of soil around its roots was overturned.

A system notification appeared.

[Mountain-Settling Stance: Limit-Breaking]

Zhou Yan opened his eyes and stared at the crack beneath his feet, stunned for a breath.

He felt the surging vitality and blood within his body.

So the system truly could break past Perfection and reach Limit-Breaking!

Now, his foundation was so deep that perhaps no one could match it.

Taking a deep breath, he struck while the iron was hot and turned toward the wooden post in the corner of the courtyard.

The Mountain-Suppressing Fist shot out.

His fist struck the wooden post, which did not move in the slightest.

But the fist force passed through it, and the remaining dead leaves on the tree came rustling down, covering the ground.

Zhou Yan withdrew his fist, looked at the fallen leaves, and smiled.

[Martial Dao Limit-Breaking System]

[As Heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should strive unceasingly for self-improvement]

[Host: Zhou Yan]

[Realm: Qi Gathering Greater Achievement]

[Mountain-Settling Stance: Limit-Breaking]

[Mountain-Breaking Fist: Perfection 389/500]

[Mountain-Suppressing Fist: Perfection 1/500]

The next day, the fourth round.

Zhou Yan faced Ma Biao.

Ma Biao went shirtless onto the stage. His Iron Sand Palm had reached Greater Achievement, and his hardened body technique faced off against Zhou Yan.

The referee struck the gong. Ma Biao lunged forward with a palm strike, his Iron Sand Palm carrying scorching wind straight at Zhou Yan's face.

Zhou Yan swept a glance over him and launched the Mountain-Suppressing Fist head-on. Fist and palm collided.

A dull boom rang out!

Ma Biao retreated half a step, while Zhou Yan remained completely still. All three stages of force erupted, power surging from the soles of his feet to his fist. Ma Biao was jolted backward, sliding across the ground. He gritted his teeth and tried to steady himself, but the fist had already slammed into his chest.

The next moment, Ma Biao flew through the air before the stunned crowd and landed outside the stage.

His hardened body technique blocked the flesh wounds, but the fist force had penetrated his defense. He clutched his chest and coughed for a long while.

The whole fight had taken only a moment, even more decisively than his battles against Xu Changqing and Zhou Hong!

Zhou Yan stood in the center of the stage and clenched his fist. The complete Mountain-Suppressing Fist truly felt different!

The area beneath the stage fell silent for a breath, then the Mountain-Suppressing Martial Hall side erupted.

On the stage, Xue Zhenshan lifted his tea bowl and took a sip. The curve of his lips was slightly greater than it had been yesterday.

Zhou Yan glanced toward the Heavenly Peak side.

Luo Chengyuan stood at the front of the group, spear in hand and fighting spirit blazing as he stared at Zhou Yan.

The two locked eyes across half the training ground for a moment.