Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 54 The First Battle
Generally speaking, if someone is a disciple of a martial arts school or a family, then the origin of a government official's disciple is simply stated.

It wasn't necessary to read it aloud; it was just a matter of personal habit. I guess that's how it was transcribed on the register, so the middle-aged official read it aloud as well.

Yang Jing noticed that only martial artists who came from independent cultivation would directly pronounce names from the mouth of this middle-aged official. This was a detail that Yang Jing noticed.

Both the information Yang Jing had previously gathered and the situation he witnessed after the start of the training ground test revealed one thing.

Generally speaking, among the martial artists participating in the training ground test, martial arts school disciples and scions of large families are relatively more difficult to deal with, while independent martial artists are generally weaker due to a lack of resources and guidance.

However, Yang Jing also knew in his heart that this was not absolute.

After all, some rogue martial artists may have had some kind of fortuitous encounter or experienced many hardships, making them incredibly experienced in life and death, and naturally very strong in actual combat.

Suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Yang Jing walked onto the arena.

At this moment, his opponent, Li Yumang, was already waiting on the stage.

Li Yumang was not tall, but he was muscular and his hands were covered in calluses. Standing there, he was like a hard rock, with a fierce and ruthless look in his eyes.

Yang Jing secretly observed the other person. His aura was steady and his knuckles were prominent, which was obviously the result of years of hard skill training. If he was not mistaken, this person should also be a Ming Jin martial artist.

The two stood facing each other, clasped their hands in a gesture of respect, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

At this moment, in a corner of the audience, Shen Lie stood with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Yang Jing on the stage like a hawk's. A hint of coldness flickered in his originally calm eyes.
"Is this the guy who harassed Zhao Yuman?"

Shen Lie's lips curled into a smile, but it was devoid of warmth. He was clearly paying more attention to the competition, and there was also a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

At the edge of the arena, the middle-aged official shouted loudly, "Ready—begin!"

After speaking, the middle-aged official immediately stepped down from the arena.

At the same time, Li Yumang had already made the first move. He pushed off the ground and charged forward like a cannonball. His right fist was clenched and aimed straight for Yang Jing's chest with a whooshing sound. It was the hard-hitting Iron Wire Fist style.

Yang Jing's eyes narrowed, and instead of retreating, he advanced, blocking with his left arm and making a fist with his right hand, ready to strike.

Li Yumang's Iron Wire Fist struck with immense force, its powerful winds clearly demonstrating that he had mastered the hardness and rigidity of the Iron Wire Fist to its extreme.

Yang Jing's mind raced.

The training ground test has only just begun. The Surging Wave Kick is my trump card, and I must not reveal it easily unless it is absolutely necessary. For now, I only need to use the Mountain Crushing Fist to deal with it.

He neither dodged nor evaded, his left arm held horizontally across his chest like an iron gate, while his right fist was clenched tightly, his inner strength quietly circulating, but he only used three or four tenths of his power.

The difference between hidden strength and overt strength is inherently vast.

When Qian Feng fought his opponent before, he must not have used his full strength, but Yang Jing guessed that he must have used six or seven tenths of his strength to win easily.

However, Yang Jing is different from ordinary internal strength martial artists. While he is mastering one martial art, he is also learning a second one. More importantly, he has already mastered the second martial art, "Surging Waves Leg," to the level of external strength.

The hidden power of "Crushing Mountain Fist" combined with the explicit power of "Surging Waves Leg" creates a powerful internal force that surpasses that of other martial artists of the same level, both in quantity and quality.

Therefore, even if he used only three-tenths of his strength, it was already comparable to 50-60% of the strength of an ordinary internal force martial artist.

"Oh!"

The two fists collided, producing a muffled thud.

Li Yumang felt a powerful force surge through his arm, making his tiger's mouth numb as if it were about to burst. His fist suddenly stopped, and he stumbled backward three or four steps.

The difference between hidden strength and overt strength is obvious at a glance.

Even if Yang Jing only used three or four tenths of his strength, it was still not something that Li Yumang could withstand with his mere Ming Jin.

Li Yumang's heart sank. He knew he was in deep trouble this time, having encountered a master of internal strength, and his chances of survival were slim.

He was forced to admit defeat after only one exchange, which was too humiliating and made him a laughingstock. More importantly, a major reason he came to participate in the training ground test was to gain the favor of the powerful families or large merchants in Yuhe County.

Otherwise, as a mere rogue cultivator, without more resources to support him, his path in martial arts would inevitably end there.

If he concedes defeat after just one move, who among the high-ranking officials and dignitaries of Yuhe County will still respect him? Who will be willing to sponsor him?

"I'll risk it all!" Li Yumang gritted his teeth and channeled his inner strength again, his left fist coming straight for Yang Jing's face.

Yang Jing shifted his foot slightly, dodging the punch, while simultaneously delivering his right fist.

This punch, though seemingly slow, contained the sinking force unique to the Mountain-Crushing Fist. Before the punch even arrived, an invisible pressure had already enveloped Li Yumang's entire body.

Li Yumang wanted to retreat, but found that his body seemed to be locked by the force of the punch, and he could only grit his teeth and raise his arm to block.

"Crack!"

A soft sound.

Li Yumang's arm was struck by the force of the punch, and he immediately felt a sharp pain, his entire arm went numb.

Before he could react, Yang Jing's second punch landed on his chest like a shadow.

The punch seemed weak, but it carried a hidden penetrating force.

Li Yumang felt as if his internal organs were being churned up. He groaned and staggered back several steps.

With a thud, he collapsed onto the ring and could not get up again.

"I admit defeat!" Li Yumang hurriedly shouted.

Yang Jing withdrew his fist and stood still, his breathing steady, as if he had merely dusted off his clothes.

He looked at Li Yumang, feeling no pride, only a sense of understanding.

Hidden strength and overt strength are ultimately two different realms.

He had already deliberately held back, using only the stance of the Mountain-Crushing Fist and 30% of his internal energy. If he had gone all out, his opponent probably wouldn't have been able to withstand even one move.

Li Mang clutched his chest, struggling to stand up. He tried three or four times before he could barely manage to stand.

He looked at Yang Jing with no resentment in his eyes, but he was convinced that the other party had held back. Otherwise, even if he hadn't fainted, he probably wouldn't be able to stand up now.

Thinking about the dense and powerful force in that punch just now, it was something I couldn't possibly withstand. This loss was not unjust.

The arena fell silent for a moment, with only Li Mang's heavy breathing and faint gasps from below.

Among the martial artists participating in the training ground test, the vast majority were Ming Jin (manifest strength) martial artists, while An Jin (hidden strength) masters accounted for only a very small portion.

Yang Jing's strength might seem unremarkable to masters of internal energy, but it was quite terrifying to these martial artists of external energy.

Although Li Yumang was a rogue cultivator, his strength was not weak. However, he was defeated by Yang Jing in just two or three moves.

This also made many Ming Jin martial artists sigh inwardly, for without An Jin, they were destined to be nothing more than background figures in this training ground test.

Soon, a middle-aged man dressed in official attire stepped onto the arena, glanced at the scene, and announced loudly, "Fourth match, Yang Jingsheng of the Sun Family Martial Arts School!"

Yang Jing clasped his hands in a salute, then turned and walked off the stage. Li Yumang also slowly walked off the stage, and as he passed by Yang Jing, he whispered, "I admire you."

From below the stage, Shen Lie's gaze never left Yang Jing.

He watched Yang Jing's composed demeanor as he withdrew his fist, a disdainful smile curving his lips.

This guy definitely has internal strength, and his Mountain-Crushing Fist technique is quite good, but that's about it.

Those punches just now seemed swift and clean, but in reality, the force was sluggish, slow, and weak, far inferior to my own powerful and subtle internal force that I could control at will.

As the only master of the Dark Force peak in the seventh arena, Shen Lie is determined to win the top spot in the seventh arena!

The thought of the complex expression on Zhao Yuman's face when she mentioned this person made Shen Lie feel a surge of anger.

Although he had never thought about marrying Zhao Yuman, now that he was getting close to her, he naturally disliked that she had other men on her mind.

Thinking of this, Shen Lie's gaze toward Yang Jing grew even colder.

Who does this kid think he is? Does he even deserve Zhao Yuman's attention?

If we run into him later, I'll definitely let him taste the power of the Broken Mountain Fist from the Broken Mountain Martial Arts School. I'll break both of his arms right then and there, so I can show off my skills in front of Zhao Yuman.

Let her see what a true master of internal strength is, and what kind of important person she should curry favor with.

As Yang Jing stepped off the stage, he subconsciously glanced at the crowd below, and his gaze inadvertently met that of another person.

He was a dashing young man, tall and straight, with sharp, piercing eyes. He was staring at me intently, his coldness and hostility barely concealed.

Yang Jing frowned and paused slightly.

Who is this person?

He didn't know many people in Yuhe County. Apart from his fellow disciples at the martial arts school, he only occasionally interacted with the people from the Liu family's medical clinic. He didn't consider himself to have any deep-seated grudges against anyone, and he had sent away the few people he did have grudges against.

But the hostility in the other person's eyes was too obvious to be a misperception.

"Could this person be related to the people I killed before? Is he seeking revenge?"

"But I'm always careful in my actions. Did I slip up somewhere? Like that time with Zhao Meng and Qian Bao from the Righteousness Gang?"

"Or is it because the competition just now was too dazzling?"

Yang Jing shook his head secretly.

He had already deliberately restrained himself.

He was unknown when he was at the Sun Family Martial Arts School. Even after breaking through to the Dark Force level, he rarely went out to spar with other martial arts school disciples. There should not be much news about him in the city. Although he was not famous, this was also an advantage for him - others did not know enough about him.

Therefore, when Yang Jing took the stage, he made up his mind to keep a low profile as much as possible, at least not to be too eye-catching in the early stages, and to save his skills for when he faced powerful figures later.

Compared to Qian Feng, who appeared earlier, he was much more low-key.

Yang Jing quickly ran through his mind, wondering if he had unintentionally offended this person somewhere in the past. If all else failed, he would have to find an opportunity to get rid of this person in the future to prevent future troubles.

Yang Jing felt a sudden jolt in his heart, but remained outwardly calm. He simply memorized the young man's appearance: broad shoulders, narrow waist, and a thick callus on the web of his left hand, clearly indicating that he was a martial arts expert who clenched his fists for many years.

He became secretly wary. This person had a deep and imposing aura, and his eyes held a fierce look that came from years of fighting. He was definitely not someone to be trifled with.

Which martial arts school is it?

Yang Jing wondered to himself.

Of the three people mentioned by Senior Brother Xu Hong, I have already confirmed Qian Feng. However, I haven't matched up Shen Lie and Chen Wu yet. Could this person be one of the two?

Whoever it is, if they are hostile, you should be extra careful.

He withdrew his gaze, stepped off the stage, found a place to stand, but no longer focused on observing the stage as before. Instead, he paid more attention to the heroic young man.

As Yang Jing displayed the strength of a master of internal energy and easily defeated Li Yumang, the other martial artists around him looked at him with more awe after he stepped down from the stage.

The transition from visible strength to hidden strength is a major hurdle, and the bottleneck is difficult to overcome.

Among the Ming Jin martial artists around, only a very small number are destined to break through this bottleneck and enter the An Jin realm.

Facing a master of internal strength at this moment, he naturally paid extra attention.

Time passed slowly.

As the competition unfolded, the winners advanced and the losers were eliminated, making the atmosphere on the seventh arena increasingly tense.

After the match ended, the middle-aged man dressed in official attire stepped onto the stage again, announced the winner of the previous match, and then loudly proclaimed: "Round 1, Match 12: Chen Wu of the Chen Family versus Ouyang Quan of the Sihai Martial Arts School."

As soon as the voice faded, Chen Wu and Ouyang Quan, who were standing below the stage, moved and walked towards the arena.

Yang Jing's gaze fell on Chen Wu several times.

According to his senior brother Xu Hong, Chen Wu came from a prominent family in Yuhe County. He stepped onto the arena at this moment, dressed in brocade robes, with a calm expression.

As the competition began, Chen Wu faced Ouyang Quan's fierce attack from the Sihai Martial Arts School. His Tongbei Fist was as smooth as flowing water, seemingly gentle, but actually concealing powerful strength.

With a flick of his wrist, his punch suddenly accelerated. It was a simple punch, yet it seemed to draw upon the power of his entire body, slamming heavily into his opponent's chest.

The martial artist with the Ming Jin skill screamed as he was sent flying and crashed to the edge of the arena, blood trickling from his mouth. He was clearly badly injured.

Chen Wu withdrew his fist and stood still, his eyes showing no emotion, as if he had only done something insignificant.

Yang Jing nodded secretly. This Tongbei Fist was indeed powerful, with its force being long-lasting and easily controlled. Moreover, Chen Wu's attacks were ruthless and merciless, making him a formidable opponent.

As time goes by and the matches come and go, the final match of the first round, the sixteenth match, is about to begin.

A middle-aged man dressed in official attire stepped onto the arena and announced loudly, "Round 1, Match 16: Shen Lie of Poshan Martial Arts School versus Liu Biao of Xingwu Hall!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Jing saw the young man who had previously shown obvious hostility towards him step forward and leap onto the arena.

"Is he Shen Lie?" Yang Jing's heart skipped a beat, and his pupils contracted slightly.

He finally reacted.

This dashing young man was none other than Shen Lie of the Broken Mountain Martial Arts School, whom Senior Brother Xu Hong had specifically instructed him to attend to. He was considered the strongest master of Dark Force on the seventh arena!

Yang Jing narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Shen Lie on the stage.

No wonder Senior Brother Xu Hong thought he was no match for him. Just by looking at Shen Lie's calm demeanor when he stepped onto the stage, and the powerful aura that was faintly revealed around him, one could tell that he was no ordinary expert in internal energy.

What alarmed Yang Jing was why such a top expert would harbor such obvious hostility towards him.
He thought it over carefully and confirmed that he had never had any dealings with anyone from the Poshan Martial Arts School, let alone had any grudges against them.

But the coldness in the other person's eyes just now was definitely not an illusion.

(End of this chapter)