Azure Cloud Finger, Fourth Layer

The exchange match ended. The crowd walked out from the drill ground like receding tide water, buzzes rolling in wave after wave. Some were excited, some were sighing, and others still harbored lingering fear.

Shi Yong was carried away by men from the Iron Fist Martial Arts Hall. Lei Meng walked ahead of him, his face ashen and completely silent.

When Ye An walked down the arena, no one stopped him.

On the stands of the Four Major Families, the several family heads had not yet left.

The Zhou Family Head stood up and straightened his collar. He swept his gaze over the crowd that had not yet dispersed on the drill ground; his voice was not loud, but the force behind it was fully pitched so that everyone heard it clearly.

"Everyone, hold on a moment."

Some people paused in their steps and looked back.

"Today the martial artists of Anping County are gathered together, and it is rare for so many people to be present at once. I, Zhou, have a few words to say." The Zhou Family Head looked around, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the masters from each martial arts hall.

"So many martial artists in Anping County are scattered and independent. The Iron Fist Martial Arts Hall has Master Lei holding the fort, and the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall has Master Su holding the fort. Each has its own methods and its own disciples, but when all is said and done, it is a tray of loose sand."

He paused, his tone growing heavier.

"The Zhou family's intention is to take advantage of today's occasion to gather the martial artists of Anping County together and establish the Anping County Martial Alliance. From now on, resources will be uniformly allocated and we will speak with one voice externally. Martial arts halls that join the Martial Alliance can receive Body Tempering Pills every month. By consolidating the resources of Anping County, everyone will share them together. Martial artists at Third Body Tempering and above will receive additional attendant positions."

The crowd below fell silent for an instant.

"To put it bluntly, it is to twist the martial artists of Anping County into a single rope." The Zhou Family Head smiled. That smile was neither deep nor shallow, revealing very little sincerity. "Everyone, think it over. I, Zhou, await your good news."

As his voice fell, the Sun Family Head nodded. "Brother Zhou makes sense. The martial artists of Anping County truly ought to be gathered together. Iron Fist Martial Arts Hall, what is your stance?"

Lei Meng stood beneath the banner of the Iron Fist Martial Arts Hall. His expression had not yet eased, but his mouth reacted faster than his face. "Good thing. The Iron Fist Martial Arts Hall joins."

The Li Family Head hesitated, glanced at the Zhou Family Head, then looked at Lei Meng and nodded. "The Li Family also joins."

Everyone's gaze turned to the Wang family stand.

Wang Jinse stood behind the Wang Family Head. Even she understood that the true thoughts of the Zhou family were by no means what they claimed to be.

The Wang Family Head was silent for a moment and cupped his fists. "The Wang Family needs to consider this. We shall give our reply another day."

There was no commotion among the crowd below, but everyone understood the meaning of those words—the Wang Family was not following.

The smile on the Zhou Family Head's face did not change. His gaze landed on the side of the martial arts halls and swept past them one by one. Su Yuanshan held his teacup, acting as though he had heard nothing. Han Bao leaned against the flagpole of the Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall, arms crossed over his chest with a blank expression. Meng He and Qi Yue stood beneath the banner of their own martial arts hall and exchanged glances; no one answered.

The Zhou Family Head waited for a moment, then waited a while longer, but no one spoke.

Su Yuanshan put down his teacup, straightened his posture, and spoke in a voice that was not loud, yet every word was clear. "I am just someone who runs a martial arts hall, teaches disciples, earns a little money, and makes a living. As for the matter of the Martial Alliance, the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall will not get involved."

Seeing Su Yuanshan take the lead in voicing what was on his mind, Han Bao immediately followed suit.

Han Bao picked up the thread, his tone even lighter. "The Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall will not get involved either."

Meng He and Qi Yue exchanged glances, and Qi Yue spoke first. "The temple of the Changfeng Martial Arts Hall is too small to worship a great Buddha." Meng He nodded along. "The Baishi Martial Arts Hall is the same."

The smile of the Zhou Family Head faded slightly.

"Since you all have your own plans, I, Zhou, will not force the issue. The doors of the Martial Alliance are open at all times."

He cupped his fists and turned to leave. The Sun Family Head followed behind him, and the Li Family Head hesitated before following as well. The Wang Family Head did not move; after standing for a moment, he took Wang Jinse and left from the other side.

As she walked away, Wang Jinse looked back and saw that Ye An was no longer in the arena.

The crowd completely dispersed.

Ye An stood beneath the banner of the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall. Zhao Tieshan leaned against the wall, Su Qing packed up things nearby, and Qian Duoduo stuffed pieces of dried meat into his mouth one by one, only realizing he had already eaten after he finished stuffing them.

"Ye An." Su Yuanshan walked over holding his teacup, glanced at him, and said, "Return to the martial arts hall and come to the back courtyard."

Ye An nodded, and the group walked toward the martial arts hall. Su Qing supported Zhao Tieshan as they walked in front, while Qian Duoduo followed behind, chewing on dried meat and mumbling something indistinctly.

The practice ground of the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall was empty. Su Qing helped Zhao Tieshan sit down and poured him a cup of water.

"Brother Tieshan, how do you suppose Ye An pulled off those three moves? Shi Yong didn't even have time to react before he was down," Su Qing said while pouring the water.

Zhao Tieshan took the cup, took a sip, and said nothing, but the corner of his mouth twitched, revealing an expression that said I want to know too.

"You saw how hard he practiced until his fingers were almost broken." Zhao Tieshan smiled and set the cup down.

"It's different. Plenty of people practice ruthlessly, but I've never seen anyone able to apply force to that extent."

Su Qing nodded and asked no more.

Ye An walked past them without stopping.

The back courtyard was very quiet.

The shadow of the old locust tree fell upon the ground in mottled patches.

Su Yuanshan sat in a bamboo chair and pointed at the stone stool beside him.

"Sit."

Ye An sat down.

Su Yuanshan took a sip of tea, placed the teacup on the stone table, and looked at Ye An. He looked for a long time, his gaze traveling from top to bottom and bottom to top.

"You have thoroughly mastered the first three levels of the Azure Cloud Finger."

"Yes."

"The fourth level—I gave you the chant before, but I never taught it to you." Su Yuanshan stood up, walked over to the wall, and picked up an iron plate, standing it upright on the ground. "The fourth level is called Mystic Penetration. It's not about exploding through, nor is it about piercing through; it's about sending your internal energy out. Reaching out through the air."

Ye An's pupils constricted slightly. Through the air! Projecting internal energy outward—that was something only someone in the Meridian Opening Realm could accomplish.

Su Yuanshan extended his right index finger, aiming at the iron plate without touching it. His finger stopped three inches short of the iron plate. A finger hole appeared on the iron plate, its edges smooth and free of cracks.

Ye An stared at that finger hole without speaking.

"Consummation of the fourth level of the Azure Cloud Finger is Meridian Opening." Su Yuanshan withdrew his hand, turned around, and looked at Ye An. "When that day comes, even if you go to the Four Symbols Sect, you will still be an inner sect disciple."

Ye An nodded.

"Back then, I got stuck on the very last barrier of the fourth level and remained stuck for eight years." Su Yuanshan sat back down in the bamboo chair, picked up his teacup, and spoke in a flat tone, as though he were speaking of someone else's affairs. "Eight years, charging through countless times, yet not succeeding once. Later on, I grew older, my vital energy declined, and my foundation was damaged as well. This lifetime ends right here."

He glanced at Ye An.

"Do not emulate me."

Ye An did not speak.

Su Yuanshan retrieved a scroll of paper from his sleeve and handed it over. The pages were yellowed and curled at the edges, densely covered with meridian diagrams, annotations, and chants.

This was a transcribed copy of the Azure Cloud Finger. In Anping County, such an item was a martial art ordinary people rarely encountered, but in the Four Symbols Sect, it was foundational martial arts studied by outer sect disciples.

"The meridian diagrams, essential formulas, and vital acupoints of the fourth level are all inside. Study them yourself, and ask if there is anything you don't understand."

Ye An accepted it with both hands.

"Thank you, Master."

Su Yuanshan waved his hand, picked up his teacup, and said no more.

Ye An stood up, walked to the corner of the back courtyard, spread the paper scroll out on a stone pier, and lowered his head to look. The lines on the meridian diagrams were dense, starting from the dantian, passing through the chest, shoulders, and arms, and extending all the way to the fingertips. Every section was annotated in neat handwriting—the brushwork of Su Yuanshan's youth.

He read it once, read it again, and then traced those lines through his mind all over again.

Ye An rolled up the paper, tucked it into his bosom, walked to the iron plate, and extended his right index finger. Following the annotations on the diagram, his internal energy traveled upward from the dantian, passed through his chest, shoulders, and arms, and reached all the way to his fingertip.

He thrust it forward.

Clang! A dull sound rang out.

The white mark on the iron plate was slightly deeper than before, but there was no projection through the air. The internal energy failed to leave his fingertip and still struck the surface of the iron plate.

Ye An felt no disappointment and continued to thrust.

Su Yuanshan sat in the bamboo chair, sipping tea and listening to the sound of the iron plate.

[Azure Cloud Finger (Level 4): 1/800]

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