Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 33 Opportunity
Yang Jing quickly recalled what had happened that night.

Scarface Li was killed in a dark alley, leaving no trace other than the body.

The burning of Xu Tai's house was handled cleanly, with even the murder weapon hidden well, leaving no clues.

Thinking this way, Yang Jing felt a little more at ease, but his vigilance was heightened.

He didn't linger. Using the crowd as cover, he quickened his pace and crossed Guang'anfang, soon arriving at the small courtyard in Tongyifang.

I pushed open the door, went to the kitchen to heat up the leftover tiger meat from this morning, and stuffed large chunks into my mouth.

The warm gravy slid down my throat, and that familiar warmth dispelled some of my unease.

Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Yang Jing decided not to go to the martial arts school anymore. He simply took off his shirt and stood shirtless in the courtyard.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the locust tree leaves, casting dappled shadows on his bronze back.

He lowered his waist and assumed a horse stance, steadily unfolding the starting posture of the Mountain-Crushing Fist.

The noise of the martial arts school was gone, replaced only by the babbling of the stream and the sound of fists cutting through the air.

The energy of the tiger meat circulated within his body. With each rise and fall of his fist, the muscles in his shoulders and back bulged, and beads of sweat slid down his taut muscles, hitting the ground and leaving a small wet patch.

The "Mountain-Splitting" punch swept through the air, and the resulting gust of wind stirred the morning glories in the corner of the yard.

When it collapsed like a mountain, the ground beneath our feet trembled slightly.

He became more and more engrossed in his training. In this chaotic world, only improving his own strength could give him the greatest confidence.

The days slipped by quietly amidst the wind and sweat of punches, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Yang Jing's control over the Ming Jin (manifested force) of the Beng Shan Quan (Crushing Mountain Fist) has become increasingly refined. The stagnation between his punches has long since disappeared. His power is both fierce and steady, and he can control the force of each punch with ease.

That afternoon, in Chengpingfang, at the Sun Family Martial Arts School.

Yang Jing and Liu Maolin stood facing each other.

"Junior brother's boxing has become increasingly disciplined lately."

Liu Maolin flexed his wrists, the leather on his boxing gloves gleaming in the sunlight. "Come on, let's spar a few times."

Yang Jing smiled and nodded, bending down to assume the starting stance.

Liu Maolin threw the first punch, his fist steady and steady, in the "pushing mountain" style of the Bengshanquan (Crushing Mountain Fist). It seemed slow, but it carried a heavy force.

Yang Jing neither dodged nor evaded, using his left arm to parry the opponent's punch, and then followed up with a "Mountain Splitting" punch with his right fist, a tricky move aimed straight at his ribs.

"Good!" Liu Maolin praised, then shifted his foot to the side, flipped his wrist, and actually used the back of his fist to strike Yang Jing's fist.

The two fists collided with a dull thud. Yang Jing felt a subtle force coming from him, his wrist went slightly numb, and his fist involuntarily deviated by half an inch.

“Ming Jin not only requires strength, but also the ability to deflect.” Liu Maolin explained as he disassembled the opponent’s attack. “If the opponent’s force is too strong, it is better to deflect it by going with the flow, like water encountering a hard rock, going around it and then counterattacking.”

Yang Jing's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly remembered the two words 'accumulating momentum' that his master, Sun Yong, had once mentioned.

He adjusted his breathing, no longer blindly fighting, and his fists moved back and forth, using Liu Maolin's punches to adjust his body, and gradually he grasped the way of 'using softness to overcome hardness'.

The two exchanged blows, their fists flashing, drawing the attention of some of the newly initiated disciples who stopped fighting, completely absorbed in the spectacle.

For disciples who haven't yet reached the Ming Jin level, both Liu Maolin and Yang Jing are masters far surpassing them. Being able to witness these two masters of Bengshanquan sparring with their own eyes would be of great benefit to their own cultivation of Bengshanquan.

After a 'mountain-shattering' collision, the two men simultaneously took a half-step back.

Liu Maolin looked at Yang Jing with a smile in his eyes, "Your progress is not slow. With some more time to hone your skills, you will soon reach the peak of Ming Jin."

Yang Jing rubbed his burning fist, and suddenly felt relieved.

During the sparring session just now, Liu Maolin's "force-dissipating" technique deepened his understanding of Ming Jin (a type of internal energy).

It turns out that fierceness is not just about moving forward blindly; the essence of Ming Jin (manifested strength) lies in the balance between giving and taking.

Yang Jing cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Liu Maolin patted him on the shoulder, "On the path of martial arts, it's better to spar with each other than to practice alone. After you enter the Ming Jin realm, you need to spar with others more often so that you can gain a deeper understanding of the boxing techniques and make faster progress."

"Yes, I understand, senior brother," Yang Jing nodded.

Liu Maolin gave a soft "hmm" and continued, "Most importantly, you'll occasionally have flashes of inspiration and insights during actual combat, which will help you break through your bottlenecks. With your natural talent, it will be difficult to break through to the next bottleneck and enter the realm of Dark Force, but it's not without hope. An opportunity will arise in a few days."

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the front yard, a graceful figure emerged from the moon gate of the inner courtyard.

Sun Ningxiang, dressed in a neat lake-blue short jacket with a matching belt around her waist, walked quickly to Liu Maolin and said in a clear voice, "Fourth Senior Brother, my father is looking for you and is waiting for you in the inner courtyard."

Upon hearing this, Liu Maolin withdrew his fist, nodded to Yang Jingdian, and then turned and followed Sun Ningxiang into the inner courtyard.

Sun Ningxiang smiled slightly at Yang Jingqian, then spoke with Liu Maolin as they entered the inner courtyard.

Yang Jing was taken aback, his heart fluttering slightly. He then took a deep breath, suppressed his agitation, and continued to focus on practicing his boxing.

With a thought, a panel appeared before him, clearly displaying the current progress of his two martial arts training techniques—

[Minor Mastery of the Mountain-Crushing Fist (455/500)]

[Introduction to the Surging Waves Kick (131/200)]

Both martial arts are progressing well. The Mountain-Crushing Fist is getting closer and closer to the peak of Ming Jin, and the progress of the Surging Wave Leg is even more astonishing. In just half a month, the progress of the introductory stage has been more than half completed.

Yang Jing's current training still focuses on the Mountain-Crushing Fist. Only when he gets tired of practicing the Mountain-Crushing Fist, or at night in his small courtyard, will he practice the Surging Wave Leg. Even so, his progress is still extremely fast.

The main reason is that Yang Jing is now a Ming Jin expert, and he is quite close to the peak of Ming Jin. With this higher level of understanding, his training of Jing Tao Leg is naturally much stronger than when he first trained Beng Shan Quan.

After glancing at the panel data, Yang Jing had already suppressed the fleeting thoughts that had just arisen in his mind.

He is very satisfied with his current progress in martial arts. At this rate, he is expected to break through to the Dark Force level within half a month.

Thinking of this, Yang Jing immediately threw himself back into practicing his boxing, becoming more and more focused and immersed, full of motivation! In the inner courtyard, in the main room.

Sun Yong, the master of the Sun Family Martial Arts School, sat upright in the grand chair at the head of the table. A tea set was placed on the table beside him, with a light mist rising from the teacups and the aroma of tea filling the air.

Senior Brother Xu Hong, Second Senior Sister Qi Yun, and Third Senior Brother Zhao Wenzheng had all arrived and were standing in the room. Hearing the commotion behind them, the three of them turned around and glanced at Liu Maolin who had entered.

Sun Ningxiang stood calmly beside her father, Sun Yong.

"Everyone's here." Sun Yong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and glanced at his four disciples. "The training ground test will begin in a month. You all need to be on your toes and prepare well."

The Great Qi Dynasty divided the military examination into four stages.

The first stage is the military examination, the second stage is the prefectural examination, and then there are the state examination and the palace examination. Those who can reach the end are the famous martial arts champions.

However, the title of martial arts champion was too far away for them; their goal was to pass the martial arts examination.

Once you pass the imperial examination, you can be exempted from corvée labor and 50% of taxes imposed by the government and the imperial court.

If you don't own any land, you can register as a farmer in the countryside, which can be a considerable source of income.

The four responded in unison.

The martial arts examination is a golden path for martial artists to enter officialdom and obtain a government position. If one can achieve a good ranking in the martial arts examination, not only will it bring great benefits to oneself, but it is also a good opportunity to make the martial arts school famous, so one would not dare to be negligent.

Sun Yong put down his teacup and continued, "To help you get a feel for real combat, I've made arrangements with the owners of the Weiyuan Martial Arts School in the west of the city and the Iron Fist School in the north of the city for several sparring matches over the next two weeks."

As he spoke, he looked at the four people in front of him and said, "Our martial arts school will also form a sparring team to compete with the teams from the other two martial arts schools. As for the team members, the four of you will be included, plus Lin Yue. You can discuss the rest yourselves."

All four nodded quickly and said, "Yes, Master."

Sun Yong hummed in agreement, said a few more words, and then waved his hand, "You can discuss the specific candidates yourselves outside. Just report back to me once you've decided."

"Yes, Master." The four rose, bowed, and left the main room in turn.

Sun Ningxiang also saw the four of them out.

Inside the main room, only Sun Yong remained. He gazed out the door, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

These sparring matches served as a warm-up for the training grounds and also as an opportunity to assess the progress of the disciples, especially Lin Yue. Among these disciples, Lin Yue was the one he valued most, a genius. If Lin Yue could excel in the sparring matches, it would greatly benefit the reputation of the martial arts school.

On the other side, Xu Hong, Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng, and Liu Maolin had just stepped out of the inner courtyard when they saw Lin Yue returning from outside. His moon-white brocade robe was stained with oil, suggesting that he had gone to an invitation from some family member at noon.

Lin Yue looked at the four people who had just come out of the inner courtyard. His gaze fell on Sun Ningxiang, who was the last to come out, and his eyes lit up slightly. Then he looked away and asked the four people in front of him, "Did Master look for you?"

Although Lin Yue was young and joined the sect late, he had the arrogance of a genius. Even though he came from an ordinary background, he still had a hint of disdain when facing these senior brothers from prominent families.

Xu Hong immediately gave a brief account of the martial arts examination and the sparring matches with other martial arts schools.

After listening, Lin Yue smiled confidently and said, "Sparring is fine too. It's a good opportunity to stretch our muscles and get used to real combat in advance."

With his talent, he is naturally an indispensable member of this team.

The six people talked as they walked to the shade of a tree by the front yard to discuss their matter.

"The training ground is a mixed bag, with various martial arts schools using different styles, so there's no point in analyzing it beforehand," Xu Hong said in a deep voice. "These sparring matches are mainly to give everyone more practical experience. Don't worry about what your opponent is good at, just fight."

"Then let's form a team of six or seven people," Zhao Wenzheng said. "The four of us plus Junior Brother Lin, and two more people, will give the other junior brothers and sisters a chance too."

Qi Yun and Lin Yue both nodded in agreement, while Sun Ningxiang listened quietly without interrupting.

The group then began to consider who to add.

This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience and improve skills. If used well, it may allow you to perform exceptionally well in the training camp and achieve a good ranking.

For many martial artists from ordinary backgrounds, winning a prize in the martial arts competition is a great honor and a source of pride for their ancestors.

Even for scions of prominent families, making a name for themselves in the military examinations is a significant advantage, and they will be valued more highly within their families.

And now, this crucial opportunity is in the hands of a few people.

Their gazes slowly swept over the many disciples practicing martial arts in the front yard. They enjoyed this superior attitude, as if they were God, deciding the fate of the other disciples.

Zhao Wenzheng said, "I think Junior Brother Luo Feng is good. He is naturally strong, and he has already mastered the Mountain-Crushing Fist to the peak of Ming Jin. His strength is quite strong among Ming Jin practitioners."

Qi Yun added, "Junior Brother Han Feiyu is also quite good. Although he is only at the initial stage of Ming Jin, his physical constitution is above average, and he has a great chance of breaking through to An Jin in the future. If he experiences more actual combat and gains more insights now, he will be able to overcome the bottleneck when he enters the next stage more easily."

Zhao Wenzheng and Qi Yun mentioned two disciples who usually performed well.

Liu Maolin pondered for a moment and said, "I think Junior Brother Yang Jing is also very suitable. He is about to reach the peak of Ming Jin and he practices the hardest. However, he lacks practical experience. If he participates in more practical combat, it may help him break through to An Jin."

Upon hearing Liu Maolin's nomination, Lin Yue immediately frowned. "Him? Forget it."

Among the many disciples of the martial arts school, Lin Yue had some impression of Yang Jing, but the impression was not good.

He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, like a conspicuous bag. His so-called hard work and diligence earned him praise from many martial arts school disciples, and even his master remarked on it twice.

But what's the use of that?
Physical constitution is the foundation of martial arts training. If one has inferior physical constitution, one's future achievements will be limited, and one may never hope to develop internal strength. Knowing that one cannot continue down this path, yet still forcing oneself to move forward is not diligence, but foolishness.

Looking at this fool, Lin Yue felt extremely disgusted. He realized that a day of casual cultivation by himself was equivalent to ten days of hard work by this fool.

"His physical constitution is what it is; reaching the peak of Ming Jin is already his limit. If we send him to represent our martial arts school in a competition, wouldn't we make him a laughingstock? It would be a disgrace to the martial arts school."

Qi Yun nodded in agreement, saying, "Junior Brother Lin is right. Yang Jing's aptitude is indeed average, and he's not worth training. I think it's safer to choose a disciple with good potential for this kind of opportunity."

Hearing what Lin Yue and Qi Yun said, Zhao Wenzheng nodded in agreement, while Senior Brother Xu Hong remained silent.

As the group was arguing, Sun Ningxiang walked over and said softly, "I think we can give Yang Jing a chance."

She looked at everyone and said slowly, "I often see him arrive at the martial arts school before dawn and leave after dark. He has the most fist marks on the wooden stakes in the front yard. His hard work should not be overlooked."

Sun Ningxiang's sudden interruption caught everyone present off guard.

In the past, although Sun Ningxiang was the daughter of the martial arts school owner, she rarely interfered in the affairs of the school, but this time...
PS: Thank you to reader [靑山流水] for the 100 Qidian Coins reward!
(End of this chapter)