Jiang Fa supported Ma Ping as he and Xu Feng left the training grounds.
When they reached the dining hall entrance, Ma Ping coughed twice, pushed Jiang Fa's hand away, and said quietly, "I'm fine. My chest just feels a little tight. I'll be all right after some rest."
Jiang Fa glanced at him and did not insist.
Ma Ping fell silent for a moment before saying in a muffled voice, "About today... thank you."
"What's there to thank me for?" Jiang Fa waved a hand. "We're fellow disciples. It's only right."
Xu Feng looked somewhat worried. "Jiang Fa, Xie Tan is notorious for holding grudges. You've thoroughly offended him today."
"What's there to fear? He should be afraid of me now."
Jiang Fa sounded unconcerned.
Xu Feng thought about it. "That's true."
Then he changed the subject, staring wide-eyed at Jiang Fa with curiosity written all over his face. "Speaking of which, Jiang Fa, you're seriously amazing. You broke through to An Jin in less than a year. How on earth did you do it?"
Jiang Fa blinked and answered in all seriousness, "Just do what I do and keep practicing at the training grounds every day."
Xu Feng and Ma Ping could not help exchanging a look. "Really? Is An Jin that easy...?"
Before they finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded behind them.
All three turned around to see Wang Shi striding toward them.
He stopped before Jiang Fa and looked him up and down, then nodded slightly, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.
"Junior Brother Jiang, Master wants you to come to the Teaching Hall."
Jiang Fa was briefly taken aback.
"Master wants to see me?" Jiang Fa asked. "Now?"
"Yes." Wang Shi nodded, then glanced at Xu Feng and Ma Ping beside him and added, "Just you."
Xu Feng and Ma Ping exchanged a glance and tactfully took their leave.
Jiang Fa followed Wang Shi across the training grounds toward the Teaching Hall.
Walking ahead, Wang Shi suddenly slowed his pace and said without looking back, "Master already knows about your fight with Xie Tan just now."
Jiang Fa's steps faltered slightly.
"No need to be nervous."
Wang Shi's voice was calm as he reassured him. "Master Zhao has no intention of blaming you. Xie Tan has been running rampant in the inner courtyard for a long time. Someone was bound to teach him a lesson sooner or later. By stepping in today, you've helped clear the air in the inner courtyard."
He paused, then added, "But you must be careful. Xie Tan is narrow-minded and takes revenge for the slightest grievance. You left him with no way to save face in front of so many people today. He won't let this rest. Though he won't dare trouble you openly anymore, what he might do in secret is another matter."
"Thank you for the warning, Eldest Senior Brother," Jiang Fa said solemnly.
Wang Shi said nothing more, merely nodding slightly.
They passed through a moon gate and arrived at the Teaching Hall.
Wang Shi stopped at the entrance, stepped aside, and extended a hand in an inviting gesture.
"Master is waiting inside."
Jiang Fa straightened his robes and raised a hand to knock on the doorframe.
"Come in."
Zhao Zhong's voice came from within.
Jiang Fa pushed the door open and entered.
The furnishings inside the Teaching Hall were no different from several months ago.
A grand armchair stood in the center, facing two rows of meditation cushions. On the wall hung the character "Sink," written in heavy black ink, and a faint sandalwood fragrance filled the air.
Zhao Zhong sat in the grand armchair, holding a cup of tea.
Steam curled up from the tea, obscuring his expression.
"Sit."
Zhao Zhong lifted his chin, indicating that Jiang Fa should sit on a cushion opposite him.
Jiang Fa sat down as instructed.
Zhao Zhong set down his tea bowl and fixed his gaze on Jiang Fa, as though trying to see right through him.
Only after a long while did he slowly speak. "You've attained An Jin?"
"Yes." Jiang Fa nodded.
"Good."
Zhao Zhong stood and walked over to the character "Sink" on the wall, his hands clasped behind his back. With his back to Jiang Fa, he remained silent for a moment before saying, "To be honest, when you first joined the martial hall, I didn't have much hope for you."
Jiang Fa said nothing, merely listening quietly.
"Your aptitude is low-grade. That puts you at the very bottom among all the martial halls in Qingshan County."
"Over the years, eight or nine out of ten disciples with aptitude like yours were eliminated while still in the outer courtyard. Of the remaining one or two who were lucky enough to enter the inner courtyard, most became stuck at peak Ming Jin, with no hope of reaching An Jin in their lifetimes."
Zhao Zhong turned around and looked at Jiang Fa with a blazing gaze. "But now, you've become an exception."
"Not only did you enter the inner courtyard, you also broke through to An Jin within a year. You're the only one to have done so in the dozen or so years since the martial hall was founded."
Jiang Fa lowered his head and said respectfully, "It was all thanks to your excellent teaching, Master."
"Bullshit."
Zhao Zhong cursed with a laugh, a rare hint of a smile appearing on his face. "There's only so much I teach. How far you go depends entirely on yourself. There's no need to be modest, nor should you belittle yourself."
He sat back in the grand armchair, his expression gradually turning serious.
His eyes were deep, his gaze settling quietly on Jiang Fa's face as he said meaningfully,
"You've only just entered An Jin, yet you could force Xie Tan back. How did you do it?"
Jiang Fa's heart gave a sudden jolt.
Zhao Zhong gave him no chance to explain and continued directly, "Xie Tan has spent years immersed in An Jin, and his Mountain-Breaking Fist has reached minor achievement. Yet when you met his punch head-on, you managed to gain a slight advantage. That is truly astonishing."
He paused, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Such fighting strength is beyond an ordinary early An Jin martial artist."
Jiang Fa was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "When I was young, I happened to learn a rudimentary body-refining technique."
His tone was calm, betraying not the slightest unease.
"It wasn't any profound technique, just a folk method. I soaked my fists and feet in medicinal broth every day, along with some simple breathing exercises. Over time, my physical strength grew greater than an ordinary person's, and my sinews, bones, skin, and membranes became much tougher."
"So that's it! No wonder you've advanced so quickly in martial arts. You already had a foundation."
Hearing his explanation, Zhao Zhong understood at once.
"Tempering the body with medicinal broth, honing the skin and flesh..." Zhao Zhong nodded slowly. "A clumsy method, but the most solid one. It seems you suffered quite a bit in the past."
Now that the doubts in his mind had been swept aside,
Zhao Zhong did not dwell on the subject. Looking at Jiang Fa, he changed tack. "Of course, this isn't the only reason I called you here today."
Jiang Fa immediately straightened his back.
Zhao Zhong said slowly, "Under the rules, inner courtyard disciples who break through to An Jin may enter the armory and choose a suitable weapon. You can see Steward Ma about that afterward. He manages it."
Jiang Fa nodded.
He had long since returned the saber Lin Feng had given him, and he did indeed need a weapon that suited him now.
After saying this, Zhao Zhong's expression grew more solemn. "The other matter is to formally pass on the third-level mental method of the Mountain-Breaking Stance to you."
Jiang Fa's heart gave a sudden jolt.
The third level of the Mountain-Breaking Stance.
This was a technique that could lead straight to transforming force once brought to perfection!
Zhao Zhong did not begin teaching him immediately. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, "Let me ask you: do you know the origins of the Mountain-Breaking Stance?"