Ming Jin

Early the next morning, Zhang Lingfeng and his two companions returned to the county town by ox cart. Zhang Pingping had cooked a large pot of lean pork congee and several big pork knuckles, waiting for their return.

The next day, word came from home that Chen Sanshi had successfully replaced Wang Dashan. He had brought Wang Dashan's former followers and the villagers of Stone Village firmly to heel.

No one dared obstruct the Zhang Clan's reclamation of land beside Stone Village anymore.

Zhang Da also took the opportunity to have the villagers of Stone Village join in clearing the land. He allocated several higher-lying plots to them and paid them some wages.

With kindness and authority wielded together, the land reclamation went ahead like a raging fire, and the Zhang Clan's acreage grew visibly every day.

Time flew.

In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part: (600/600)]

After two months of painstaking practice, he had finally cultivated the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part to its limit.

Zhang Lingfeng stood alone on the open sandy ground, practicing this fist technique. His movements grew increasingly fluid. An invisible force accompanied the technique throughout his body, lying dormant and surging within him as the moves changed.

Boom!

A thunderous report rang out from his fist force.

It was as though Zhang Lingfeng had unlocked some barrier.

Guo Wei, who had been sitting in the inner courtyard instructing his disciples, could not help rising from his reclining chair and coming to the outer courtyard to investigate. He saw only Zhang Lingfeng's lone figure on the sandy ground.

He performed the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist with the momentum of a fierce tiger descending a mountain. His fists whipped through the air, their power deafening. The Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist seemed to have become one with his limbs, no longer confined to individual moves and forms.

Every punch and strike displayed a proficiency that dazzled the eye, making people stop and watch despite themselves.

Guo Wei's gaze blazed like a torch. At a glance, he saw that Zhang Lingfeng's fist technique had developed Jin and that Jin force had taken shape within his body. He had actually cultivated Ming Jin at an age when his bone structure had already closed.

"Master."

Catching sight of Guo Wei, Zhang Lingfeng finished the final routine, then stopped and greeted him.

"How long have you been learning martial arts at this school?"

Guo Wei asked.

"Two months and one day altogether."

Zhang Lingfeng replied.

"Good."

Guo Wei grew even more surprised.

"To cultivate Ming Jin within two months despite your bone structure being closed shows that you've worked hard during this time, and that you still have some potential. What a pity, though..."

Guo Wei's face showed both appreciation and regret.

Zhang Lingfeng had superior bone structure. Had he come to learn martial arts a few years earlier, he would at least have been a Dark Force expert by this age, and might even have cultivated Transforming Jin.

Unfortunately, his bone structure had already closed.

His ability to cultivate Ming Jin within two months had much to do with his potential not yet being exhausted and his ample supply of resources. Cultivating Dark Force in the future would be nearly impossible.

"Since you've cultivated Ming Jin, you may become my disciple. From now on, you'll be exempt from tuition, but you must uphold the school's reputation and do some work for it. You can receive payment and subsidies for that."

Guo Wei said.

"Your disciple awaits your instructions, Master."

Zhang Lingfeng knelt and kowtowed.

The outer courtyard apprentices all looked at Zhang Lingfeng with envy.

Cultivating Ming Jin, entering the inner courtyard to train, and becoming Guo Wei's disciple had always been their dream. They had never expected Zhang Lingfeng, who had arrived at the school only two months ago, to accomplish it so easily.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhang."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang."

"Brother Feng, you're amazing."

Everyone crowded around Zhang Lingfeng.

"Come inside with me."

Guo Wei said.

"Yes."

Zhang Lingfeng hurried after him, signaling Hei Hu, Sun Yan, and the others not to make a fuss and to practice diligently in the outer courtyard.

Guo Wei led Zhang Lingfeng into the room they had entered two months earlier.

The dozen or so disciples training in the inner courtyard were all quite surprised.

They had noticed the landlord's son who had come to the outer courtyard and spent his days forming cliques, but they had never thought much of Zhang Lingfeng.

They had not expected Guo Wei to bring Zhang Lingfeng inside again.

Everyone knew this meant Zhang Lingfeng had cultivated Ming Jin.

"This is the Twelve-Form Iron Mountain Fist Middle Section. Study it carefully. If there's anything you don't understand during your daily practice, ask me directly. You may also consult the other senior brothers and sisters in the courtyard."

Guo Wei handed Zhang Lingfeng a bound fist manual.

"Thank you, Master."

Delighted, Zhang Lingfeng accepted it with both hands and quickly examined its contents.

A little while later.

The panel information appeared.

[Subsidy target detected]

[Host: superior bone structure, closed]

[Target: Twelve-Form Iron Mountain Fist Middle Section. Time required for mastery: three years. Subsidy: two years. Actual time required for mastery: one year.]

Zhang Lingfeng's eyes widened.

It had taken him two months to go from a beginner to mastering Ming Jin. He had not expected that advancing from Ming Jin to Dark Force would take an entire year even with the time subsidy.

Still, cultivating Dark Force from Ming Jin within a year required, at the very least, a physique with superior bone structure.

His own bone structure was closed, but the subsidy effectively made it as good as open. Success was also guaranteed, with no possibility of failing to break through the barrier. That was quite good already.

"Talk with your senior brothers and sisters more often. Once you slack off in martial training, making progress won't be so easy."

Guo Wei reminded him.

"Yes, your disciple understands."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded.

"Let me introduce him. This is your new junior brother, Zhang Lingfeng from Zhang Family Gully. He has just cultivated Ming Jin. Look after him from now on."

Guo Wei came out of the room and led Zhang Lingfeng before the group of disciples as he spoke.

"Yes, Master!"

Everyone answered in unison.

"Greetings, senior brothers and sisters."

Zhang Lingfeng saluted them.

"The middle section of the fist technique concerns the secrets of releasing Jin force. I'll demonstrate it for you first."

Guo Wei took his stance and released his fist force, performing the Iron Mountain Fist several times for Zhang Lingfeng and the others.

Zhang Lingfeng watched without blinking, as did everyone else. Guo Wei was a genuine expert at the Transformation Force Great Perfection stage, with a formidable reputation throughout Baiyang County. Who knew how much stronger he was than that martial arts master surnamed Liu?

At least to a novice like Zhang Lingfeng, Guo Wei was as imposing as a towering mountain and could kill a dozen of him with a single punch.

A little later, after demonstrating the essentials of the fist technique, Guo Wei explained all the key points for releasing Jin force to Zhang Lingfeng, so that he could put what he had learned into practice.

Overwhelmed by the favor, Zhang Lingfeng committed every word Guo Wei said firmly to memory.

"Good lad! You've cultivated Ming Jin after just two months at the school. We must celebrate properly tonight. I'll make the arrangements."

Liu Feng hooked an arm around Zhang Lingfeng's shoulders.

He was the one who had brought Zhang Lingfeng over from Zhang Family Gully. Over the past two months, Zhang Lingfeng had formed cliques in the outer courtyard and built a little faction. Everyone in the inner courtyard had been mocking Liu Feng for bringing in a conceited little landlord.

They had not expected Zhang Lingfeng to cultivate Ming Jin so quickly. He had truly astonished them.

The other inner courtyard disciples, who had previously dismissed Zhang Lingfeng, also gathered around, taking the initiative to exchange a few words with him or give him pointers on a few moves.

Zhang Lingfeng thanked them one by one.

He wanted to invite his senior brothers and sisters to dinner at a restaurant that evening, but very few responded.

Seeing what Zhang Lingfeng had in mind, Liu Feng said, "Inner courtyard disciples usually have assignments to handle, and they receive financial support from landlords and wealthy gentlemen. Ordinary food and drink don't interest them at all. Don't bother with them for now. I'll take you somewhere nice tonight."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Liu."

Zhang Lingfeng could also tell that although he had cultivated Ming Jin, he had not gained most of their recognition. After all, they were all stronger than he was.