Stepping up

"Improving my comprehension and bone root will have to wait again."

He had finally saved up so many points. The best use for them would have been improving his comprehension or bone root.

Wind-Thunder Force was powerful, but once his comprehension reached A-grade, he would surely be able to grasp it. Spending points now was tantamount to killing the hen to get its eggs.

But as someone devoted to keeping his head down and surviving, caution was in his nature. He always planned for the worst.

Glancing at Zhang Hong and the others beside him, Xu Yang gave a silent command, pouring all his points into Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

A flood of insights surged through him. It felt as though he had practiced the fist technique for months on end, gaining countless new insights into Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

[Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist · Minor accomplishment (242/500)]

"Wind-Thunder Force-I've got it!"

Joy shone in Xu Yang's eyes. At that moment, he understood every profound mystery of Wind-Thunder Force.

With a thought, his true qi obeyed as readily as his own limbs, vanishing from his meridians and dispersing into his flesh, where it lay concealed.

"So the secret of Wind-Thunder Force is freeing true qi from the shackles of the meridians, allowing it to erupt wherever I wish..."

Essence Glint flashed in his eyes. This improvement had not only taught him Wind-Thunder Force, but had also deepened his mastery of Explosive Bear Force.

His cultivation had not changed at all, but his combat strength had risen another level.

"Dad, I brought someone! Guess who?"

They soon reached the Qiu Family residence. Qiu Yongqiang's gaze swept back and forth over Zhang Yong and the others, trying to identify the expert Qiu Wenjie had invited.

"No need to guess, Uncle Qiu. I've reached minor accomplishment in qi gathering. It's time I repaid you." Xu Yang solemnly cupped his hands.

Even after Qiu Wenjie had reached qi gathering, Qiu Yongqiang had continued supporting him financially. That had touched him deeply.

Qiu Yongqiang was overjoyed. "You've already reached minor accomplishment in qi gathering? Good, wonderful! I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

In truth, he had been worried all along that Qiu Wenjie would fail to bring anyone.

Earlier, everything had been so urgent that he had not thought it through.

Only after Qiu Wenjie rushed off to the Mighty Far Hall and he had time to consider it carefully did he realize how difficult it would be to find someone capable of handling this affair. With the Martial Examination's Dragon Ascension imminent, who would risk it?

If an injury delayed their participation in the Martial Examination's Dragon Ascension, their entire life would be ruined.

At Qiu Wenjie's introduction, Zhang Yong and the others exchanged greetings with Qiu Yongqiang, who invited them into the main hall.

"Second Brother, has Wen Jie invited some young talents from the Mighty Far Hall?" Qiu Yongjian approached, his face deathly pale.

"Brother!"

"Uncle!"

Qiu Wenjie went over to support Qiu Yongjian. Qiu Yongqiang also rose and said, "He has. These are Wen Jie's senior brothers at the Mighty Far Hall."

He introduced Zhang Yong and the others again, then pointed to Xu Yang. "This is Xu Yang, whom I told you about. He's reached minor accomplishment in qi gathering and can hold his own against Hong Feng."

He let out a long breath. With Xu Yang here, his heart could finally settle.

"Greetings, Hero Xu. Thank you for putting past grievances aside and helping the Qiu Family. Please accept my thanks!" Qiu Yongjian bowed deeply to Xu Yang, shame in his eyes.

After Qiu Wenjie reached qi gathering, he had urged Qiu Yongqiang to stop funding Xu Yang, arguing that they should nurture their own family's experts. He had considered Qiu Yongqiang's spending a waste of money, convinced that Xu Yang would not lift a finger if the Qiu Family ever ran into trouble.

Yet now that trouble had struck the Qiu Family, Xu Yang had come to stand up for them without holding anything against them.

Xu Yang: ...

"Brother, I didn't follow your advice to cut off A Yang's support. I've been funding him with my own money all along," Qiu Yongqiang whispered into Qiu Yongjian's ear.

Only then did Xu Yang understand. No wonder Qiu Yongjian had mentioned "putting past grievances aside." The "Qiu Family" had already stopped supporting him; Qiu Yongqiang had simply been paying out of his own pocket all this time.

Both brothers grew awkward for a moment. After all, this was hardly the time to bring such a matter up.

Xu Yang did not dwell on it. "Let's not waste time, Uncle Qiu. We should go to the Hong Family now."

"All right!"

At the mention of the Hong Family, the Qiu brothers forgot their embarrassment and led the way outside.

The group left the Qiu Family residence to find a crowd of Inner Court disciples waiting there.

"Junior Brother Xu, may we come along to watch?" Xue Fangsheng asked.

"Suit yourselves!"

Xu Yang glanced at these fellow disciples with whom he had little connection, then followed the Qiu brothers onward.

After crossing two streets, the Hong Family residence came into view.

Qiu Wenjie darted forward and shouted, "Hong Feng! You injured my Elder Paternal Uncle and tried to seize my family's property. Get out here and answer for it!"

Compared with a wealthy Inner City household like the Liu Family, the Hong Family was insignificant. They did not even have a servant guarding the gate, and their entire courtyard was only as large as one corner of the Liu Family estate.

After a short wait, the Hong Family's gate opened, and more than a dozen people streamed out, men and women alike.

Standing beside Xu Yang, Qiu Yongqiang leaned closer and whispered, "The one in front is Hong Xu. He isn't a martial artist. The burliest man beside him is his eldest son, Hong Feng. Besides Hong Feng, the Hong Family has another martial artist, but he's only just entered qi gathering. He isn't here."

Xu Yang fixed his gaze on Hong Feng, ignoring everyone else.

Hong Feng was powerfully built, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted. A scar between his brows gave him a somewhat savage appearance. He, too, was looking Xu Yang over, his expression shifting uncertainly.

Clearly, although he did not know Xu Yang, seeing him standing beside the Qiu brothers at a time like this was enough to guess that he was the help they had brought.

Finally, Hong Feng turned his gaze to Qiu Wenjie. "I'm out here. What do you want to say?"

Qiu Wenjie said grimly, "Compensate my Elder Paternal Uncle and apologize, or you'll be lying here today."

Hong Feng swept his gaze over Zhang Yong and the others behind Qiu Wenjie. "So many people from the Mighty Far Hall. Planning to bully us with numbers? Do you think the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School has no one?"

With his cultivation at minor accomplishment in qi gathering, his eye was naturally discerning. He could tell at a glance that everyone behind Qiu Wenjie was an Inner Court disciple of the Mighty Far Hall.

But since he dared to covet the Qiu Family's property, he naturally had no fear of all these Mighty Far Hall disciples attacking together. If they really did, the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School was no harmless vegetarian either.

"Don't mind us. We're only here to watch."

"Stop dragging the Mighty Far Hall and the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School into everything. You don't speak for the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School."

Xue Fangsheng and the others spoke up, making their position clear.

Hong Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Xu Yang. "Then you're the one standing up for them. May I ask your name?"

Xu Yang stepped forward. "Xu Yang, of the Mighty Far Hall!"

"So you're Xu Yang!" Hong Feng's face immediately broke into a smile.

Since the Hong Family intended to seize the Qiu Family's property, they had naturally investigated Qiu Wenjie's connections at the Mighty Far Hall. According to his findings, Qiu Wenjie could not call upon any real experts there. He merely got along

well with people like Xu Yang and Zhang Hong.

Among those people, his investigation had shown that Xu Yang was closest to Qiu Wenjie. He had only reached qi gathering thanks to the Huang Family's support, but because of Lu Ren, the Huang Family had abandoned him, and he now served as an Attendant to the Liu Family.

That was why he had smiled the instant he heard that Xu Yang was the one stepping up.

A mud-legged peasant who had changed his fate through sheer luck, yet refused to cherish his life and instead played at brotherhood and loyalty like the men of the martial world. Did he not know that sticking his neck out recklessly could get him killed?

"Come on, then. Talk is useless. For martial artists like us, only our fists can settle the truth. If I lose, I'll naturally apologize to Qiu Yongjian and compensate him."

As he spoke, Hong Feng strode forward.

You won't merely lose. You'll die!

Xu Yang moved as well.