Wind-Thunder Force

"He's an expert at minor accomplishment of qi gathering!"

Qiu Wenjie's voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot.

He had started training early, but he was still only sixteen. His lineage had suffered a sudden calamity, his eldest uncle had been injured, and someone was coveting their businesses and plotting to seize them. With his entire lineage facing destruction, his state of mind was already unsteady.

He had come to Mighty Far Hall for help, only to be refused again and again. The fact that he hadn't burst into tears already showed his strength.

Now, seeing Xu Yang, who had always been like an older brother to him, he could barely suppress the grief and anger in his heart.

"I'll ask some other senior brothers. Someone should be willing to stand up for what's right and help!"

Qiu Wenjie took a deep breath and forced down his surging emotions. If he could save his lineage, what did it matter if people berated him or turned him away?

At worst, he would ask every senior brother in the Inner Court. Surely someone couldn't stand the Hong Family's tyrannical ways. If all else failed, he would beg Senior Brother Sun Tao, or their master, Lin Cheng.

Compared with his family's lives, his pride and humiliation weren't worth a damn.

Qiu Wenjie turned to leave, but Xu Yang planted a large hand on his shoulder. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Although Qiu Wenjie was anxious, having another person understand the situation and help think of a solution could only be a good thing. He immediately explained how the Hong Family had set its sights on the Qiu Family's supply channels.

"Sorry. I have to devote everything to Dragon Ascension in the Martial Examination. I can't get involved."

Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong had come over at some point, and Zhang Yong explained why he couldn't help.

"He only just reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering. If we brothers go at him together, we can beat him to death," Wu Yongfeng said fiercely.

Since they had banded together, they couldn't simply stand by when trouble struck. If he ignored Qiu Wenjie's trouble today, no one would help him when his own turn came tomorrow.

Qiu Wenjie's eyes lit up. If Wu Yongfeng and Zhang Hong were both willing to act, Zhang Yong probably wouldn't have so many reservations.

"It won't work."

Zhang Yong shook his head. "He's from the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School. Wen Jie has fellow disciples, but so does he. Ganging up on him will only blow this into something bigger."

The hope that had just risen in Qiu Wenjie's heart instantly shattered. Wu Yongfeng also realized that his suggestion was ill-advised.

Zhang Hong gritted his teeth. "I'll ask Senior Sister Gu Fang for you. I work for the Gu Family. She should be willing to do me this favor."

In truth, he wasn't sure himself.

Although he worked for the Gu Family, he had barely interacted with Gu Fang, either there or at Mighty Far Hall.

"No need!"

This time, it was Xu Yang who spoke. Everyone looked at him in surprise, unsure why he opposed asking Gu Fang for help.

"Take me to the Hong Family. I'll deal with this Hong Feng!" Xu Yang said calmly.

They had both only just reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering. With the profound mysteries of Vajra Skill, he believed he wouldn't lose to anyone at the same level.

Even if Hong Feng had trained for two or three years and might possess deeper mastery of fist techniques, he wasn't afraid. If things truly went wrong, he still had points in reserve.

Qiu Yongqiang had been funding his martial training all along. It was time to show him that his money hadn't been thrown into the water.

"Senior Brother Xu, don't be rash. I'll ask some other senior brothers."

Qiu Wenjie was touched, thinking Xu Yang intended to risk his life to repay the Qiu Family's kindness.

Zhang Hong, however, had a sudden realization, and his voice rose sharply. "You've reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering?"

He knew Xu Yang too well. Xu Yang was even more cautious than he was. If he intended to act, he must have reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering.

"Yes!" Xu Yang nodded, then continued, "The Liu Family doesn't allow us to casually disclose advances in our cultivation, so I didn't mention it."

"Haha... I knew you wouldn't fade into the crowd so easily, Xu Yang." Zhang Hong had no interest in listening to the explanation that followed.

Wu Yongfeng and Zhang Yong both stared wide-eyed.

Xu Yang had actually reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering too.

Xu Yang shook his head. "Actually, Wen Jie's family has been funding my martial training all along!"

He explained without specifying how much they had provided, concealing the fact that his bone root and comprehension had been improving all along.

Otherwise, even with the Qiu Family's three taels of silver in support, he couldn't possibly have reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering so quickly.

Understanding dawned on Zhang Hong, Wu Yongfeng, and the others.

"Senior Brother Xu, you... you've really reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering?" Qiu Wenjie trembled all over with excitement.

He no longer needed to bow and scrape, begging others for help. The Qiu Family could be saved!

"Enough talk," Xu Yang said. "Let's settle this first. Don't leave Uncle Qiu and the others worrying."

"All right!"

Qiu Wenjie suppressed his excitement and immediately strode out. Xu Yang followed briskly.

Wu Yongfeng, Zhang Hong, and Zhang Yong hesitated briefly before following them.

"Interesting. He's reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering too," Jiang Ping said with a smile.

Qi gathering martial artists had keen senses and could hear even breathing within several yards. Naturally, he had heard Xu Yang and the others' conversation.

Lu Ren said, "I didn't expect that someone had been funding him all along. No wonder he refused to marry into the Liu Family. It seems the Martial Arts Hall has another contender for Dragon Ascension in the Martial Examination."

Jiang Ping shook his head. "The Qiu Family is only a minor household. How much money could they give him? Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to the Liu Family. Achieving Dragon Ascension in the Martial Examination will still be difficult for him. Even if he makes it onto the platform, he'll just be there to make up the numbers.

"And perhaps he'll be beaten to death this time while sticking his neck out for someone else.

"What a fool, stepping forward at a time like this."

With that, he looked at Lu Ren. "Everyone has always considered him no weaker than you. Aren't you going to see what he can do?"

By now, many people in the Inner Court had learned that Xu Yang had reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering and was going to face another martial artist at the same level. They immediately followed him out.

Lu Ren had no intention of watching the fight. He shook his head. "I reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering two months ago. I could defeat him within three moves. There's really no point in watching.

"I was immature before and wanted to surpass him. Looking back now, it's laughable that I actually set my sights on someone inferior to me."

[Comprehension: 45]

[Bone root: 48]

[Cultivation: Minor accomplishment of qi gathering]

[Techniques: Turtle-Snake Great Stance · Minor accomplishment (65/300), Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist · Minor accomplishment (185/500), Vajra Skill · Initiation (50/1000)]

[Skills: Mining lv.3 (283/400)]

[Remaining lifespan: 61]

[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 57]

Xu Yang brought up his panel.

With Vajra Skill protecting him, his physique and true qi should both surpass Hong Feng's. However, he had only trained for half a year, while Hong Feng had trained for nearly three.

Although Hong Feng's bone root was inferior to his, and it had taken him nearly three years to reach minor accomplishment of qi gathering, he had practiced his fists day and night throughout those years. His mastery of fist techniques should be greater than Xu Yang's.

Xu Yang was confident he could defeat Hong Feng, but he couldn't guarantee victory without injury, and an injury would affect his chances of Dragon Ascension in the Martial Examination.

That was also why Zhang Yong had refused to act. Xu Yang shared the same concern.

To be safe, he needed to improve his Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

It's said that Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist has three types of force, but most disciples of Mighty Far Hall can only comprehend one: Explosive Bear Force.

Explosive Bear Force, also known as external force, was a technique for exerting physical strength and was fiercely powerful.

More than half of Mighty Far Hall's Inner Court disciples could comprehend it.

The second type was called Wind-Thunder Force. Its name evoked lightness and agility like the wind, and ferocity like rolling thunder. It was a method of employing true qi, also called internal force or hidden force, and was a killing move specifically aimed at experts at great accomplishment of qi gathering.

Wind-Thunder Force could bypass the protective true qi of an expert at great accomplishment of qi gathering and blast one's own true qi through that protection into the enemy's body. Like a needle hidden in cotton or an arrow fired from the shadows, it was an extremely frightening technique for wielding true qi, requiring exceptionally high comprehension to grasp.

As far as he knew, none of Mighty Far Hall's current disciples had comprehended Wind-Thunder Force from Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, not even geniuses such as Jiang Ping and Gu Fang, who had entered the Inner Court long ago.

This time, Xu Yang hoped that improving his Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist would allow him to comprehend Wind-Thunder Force.

If he could comprehend Wind-Thunder Force, he wouldn't fear Hong Feng even if he had reached great accomplishment of qi gathering, let alone minor accomplishment.

After all, ninety-nine percent of people couldn't comprehend such a technique even after reaching great accomplishment of qi gathering.

His current comprehension was still considerably short of what he needed to grasp it on his own.

But improvements through the panel followed numerical progress. Since Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist possessed three levels of force, he should be able to comprehend Wind-Thunder Force once his progress in it exceeded two hundred.

As for Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist's third type of force, it was called Primordial Unity Force.

When the internal and external became one, primordial unity was achieved.

Only when primordial unity became a seamless whole was great accomplishment attained.

Perhaps by the time of Dragon Ascension in the Martial Examination, he could achieve that seamless unity and bring Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist to great accomplishment.