"Xu Yang is attempting to break through to Qi Gathering."
Everyone watching Xu Yang, utterly immersed in the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, realized what was happening and was stunned.
Some seized the chance to study Xu Yang's fist technique closely, while others tried to approach him, only to be stopped by Qiu Wenjie.
Zhang Hong and Zhang Yong arrived and joined Qiu Wenjie in surrounding Xu Yang.
"With only a ten percent chance, he can't possibly succeed!"
Qian Jiaxing instinctively clenched his fists.
He had once been close to Xu Yang, but after siding with Lu Ren, he had stopped associating with him, believing Xu Yang would never reach Qi Gathering.
Trying to keep pace with Lu Ren? What a pipe dream.
Luo Dehu silently sneered. Attempting a breakthrough meant nothing. Only reaching Qi Gathering counted as success.
"Go get Brother Lu Ren!"
After a while, seeing that Xu Yang had not failed and that his aura was growing ever stronger, he quietly instructed Qian Jiaxing to fetch Lu Ren.
As for sabotaging the breakthrough himself, he lacked the nerve. If he dared try anything underhanded, Lin Cheng would surely kill him.
"Right!"
Qian Jiaxing hurried away.
Xu Yang had no idea how many times he had practiced the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist. Only when the true qi in his meridians stopped increasing did he slowly bring his practice to a close.
[Cultivation: Qi Gathering Initiation] [Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist · Minor accomplishment (2/500)]
I did it!
His progress in the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist had increased by one point, and his cultivation no longer read "None," but "Qi Gathering Initiation."
Even though he had known all along that nothing would go wrong with his breakthrough, a smile of delight still appeared on Xu Yang's face. He had finally, truly stepped into the halls of martial arts.
Two months of arduous training had finally borne fruit today.
At that moment, he finally understood why Qi Gathering martial artists enjoyed such an exalted status. As he was now, he could kill his former self in a single move.
"Congratulations on reaching Qi Gathering, Senior Brother Xu."
Qiu Wenjie was the first to run over, looking even happier than Xu Yang. He had never expected his father's gamble to actually pay off.
Even if Xu Yang never became an Attendant martial artist of the Qiu Family, the bond forged by delivering charcoal in the snow would remain.
Zhang Hong gave him a thumbs-up. "I knew you could do it."
His eyes were full of envy as he spoke.
The crowd began flocking over to congratulate Xu Yang, including the brothers Zhou Yang and Zhou Yuan, who had grievances with him.
Now, all they wanted was to humble themselves. Xu Yang was no longer someone they could afford to offend.
Zhang Yong stood some distance away without approaching, but in his heart, he had already admitted that he was inferior to Xu Yang.
"Though he was only three days later, Senior Brother Xu Yang's talent really does rival Senior Brother Lu Ren's."
"Once might be an accident, twice might be a fluke, but when even his breakthrough to Qi Gathering follows the same pattern, you can't keep calling it luck."
Remembering what had happened before, the people around them began discussing Xu Yang's and Lu Ren's talents. Many believed Xu Yang was no less talented than Lu Ren.
"Not equal-Senior Brother Xu Yang might be even more gifted. Just think how much the Huang Family invested in Lu Ren's training, compared with what Senior Brother Xu Yang received."
Some even believed Xu Yang was more talented than Lu Ren, since his cultivation resources had always been inferior to Lu Ren's-not even half as much.
"Here's something you don't know. Xu Yang spent more money at the Medicine Hall this month than Senior Brother Lu Ren did."
Luo Dehu's snide voice rang out. "Xu Yang probably only reached Qi Gathering through luck. With a thirty percent chance of success, perhaps he just happened to be the lucky one.
"Senior Brother Lu Ren has genuine ability. He said he would break through this month, and he did. The two aren't even in the same league.
"Don't forget, Xu Yang only has a C-Grade Lower bone root, while Senior Brother Lu Ren has a B-Grade Upper bone root."
At those words, even those who had just considered Xu Yang a genius felt he had a point.
Success or failure in a breakthrough involved a measure of luck. Some people succeeded through luck alone, then remained stuck at Qi Gathering Initiation, unable to advance their cultivation.
Besides, they all had some family backing and knew that bone root was indeed not the most important factor before Qi Gathering. After reaching Qi Gathering, however, its importance would become apparent.
Given the same dose of Blood-Energy Powder, someone with a good bone root could absorb eighty percent of its medicinal potency, while someone with a poor bone root could absorb only fifty percent, or even less.
Luo Dehu was secretly pleased with this outcome.
His task was to make everyone understand, after Xu Yang's breakthrough, that even if Xu Yang reached Qi Gathering, his potential remained far inferior to Lu Ren's.
If the Huang Family came to believe the two were equally talented, Lu Ren's position would be threatened.
Having chosen a side, he naturally understood that he had to commit to it completely.
Suddenly, he felt a shadow fall before him.
Looking up, he discovered that Xu Yang had approached without him noticing.
"Xu Yang, you..." Luo Dehu's voice trembled.
After all, the person he had been disparaging was no longer an ordinary man, but a Qi Gathering martial artist.
Xu Yang wasted no words and struck out with his palm.
Lu Ren reaching Qi Gathering in two months was talent, but my doing it in two months was just dumb luck? Then what did my two months of hard work count for?
He could understand the earlier snide remarks as jealousy and let them slide. That was human nature.
Continuing with those remarks now, however, was clearly malicious, and most likely done on Lu Ren's instructions.
"Stop!"
A palm suddenly reached in from the side, attempting to block Xu Yang's strike for Luo Dehu.
It was Lu Ren, who had hurried over.
But Xu Yang seemed to have anticipated it. Just before their palms collided, he abruptly pressed his hand downward, cleaving past the intercepting palm and striking Luo Dehu.
Bam!
With a scream, Luo Dehu flew three or four meters backward.
"You..."
Lu Ren was furious. Who had dared disrespect him these past few days? He had already told Xu Yang to stop, yet Xu Yang had still dared strike.
His wrist traced an arc, and amid the sharp cracking of sinews and bones, he chopped his palm toward Xu Yang.
This palm strike could well be called a sneak attack. Xu Yang had only just sent Luo Dehu flying, and with Lu Ren attacking at that very moment, it would be almost impossible for Xu Yang to block.
A fierce gust swept toward him, stirring his hair. Yet, just as before, Xu Yang seemed to have anticipated it. Crackling sounds erupted throughout his body, and as his true qi circulated, his other palm shot out with tremendous force.
The next instant, their palms collided.
Boom!
Their force exploded outward. Xu Yang felt as though he had struck an unyielding rock, and his palm went numb.
His whole body jolted. He felt his true qi driven back and could not help staggering backward.
Looking at Lu Ren, he fared little differently-
his reaction was much the same.
He felt that Xu Yang's palm strike was scarcely weaker than his own. His palm likewise went numb, and the recoil forced him to retreat.
He only just broke through, yet his palm strike is already this powerful. His true qi is every bit as abundant as mine.
Lu Ren's heart jolted. He realized that he seemed to have underestimated Xu Yang all along.
Xu Yang's foundation in martial arts was no weaker than his own, and might even be stronger.
When he had first broken through, he could never have delivered such a powerful palm strike. Had he not broken through a few days before Xu Yang, he would never have been able to force him back.
He had no idea that Xu Yang's method of breaking through was completely different from his own.
"What are you doing?"
Just as both men raised their palms, intending to probe each other's strength further, Sun Tao walked over from the Inner Court.
Xu Yang lowered his raised palm. "Keep your dog under control. Don't let him bark wherever he pleases."
Without a word, Lu Ren turned and helped Qian Jiaxing lift Luo Dehu to his feet, then returned to the Inner Court.
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