Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 68 A cloud of masters
On the west side of the training ground, there is an area in the spectator stands.

Separated by a light purple gauze curtain, this place becomes a tranquil haven.

When the local officials and dignitaries of Yuhe County saw the Lu family's banner next to the gauze curtain, a hint of fear flashed in their eyes.

Inside the light purple gauze curtains.

Jinlian leaned against a cushioned armchair, her skin as white as snow, accentuated by her lotus-colored silk dress. A lotus flower made of pearls adorned her temple, swaying gently with her raised hand.

The maid beside her was carefully refilling her teacup. The Biluochun tea in the celadon teacup was clear and bright, and the rising steam blurred the expression in her eyes.

She was casually looking around the room, her fingertips absentmindedly fiddling with the tea lid, when suddenly her gaze fell on the group of people walking toward the railing.

At first, she didn't pay attention, but when she saw one of the figures clearly, her hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and the lid of the teacup collided with the rim of the cup, making a crisp "ding" sound.

"It's him?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Jinlian's eyes, and she sat up straight to look closely.

The figure was dressed in a clean black outfit, with a tall and steady gait; it was the same young man I had seen at Liu's Medical Clinic before.

Jinlian still remembers the young man's name. His name is Yang Jing, and he is the junior brother of Liu Maolin, the young master of Liu Family Medical Hall. He is a master of internal strength.

At the time, she only thought of him as an ordinary internal strength martial artist. Liu Maolin had told her that Yang Jing hadn't broken through to internal strength for very long, but she never expected...

As Jinlian watched him walk into the enclosure and stand with the other seven champions of the arena, his bearing and aura showing no less impressiveness, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"To win first place in the arena, one's internal strength cultivation must be highly proficient. Among masters of internal strength, one can be considered one of the best."

"He's not simple. This person is not simple. I underestimated him before."

She spoke softly, her tone tinged with emotion.

Among the young martial artists in Yuhe County, there are not many who can achieve such accomplishments.

Noticing her unusual expression, the maid asked softly, "Does Madam know that young master?"

Jinlian withdrew her gaze, picked up her teacup again, took a small sip, and as the aroma of the tea spread on her tongue, she slowly said, "I wouldn't say we know each other, we've only met once."

She gazed toward the direction inside the fence, the surprise in her eyes gradually turning into a hint of interest.

Such a person, who keeps his talents hidden, is someone whose performance in today's ranking battle in the training ground is definitely worth looking forward to.

Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows on her. The Biluochun tea in her cup was still steaming, just like her slightly fluctuating emotions at that moment.

……

The silver-armored captain stepped onto the main arena, his armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. He surveyed the eight arena champions within the enclosure and announced loudly, "You are all the top fighters in your respective arenas. Today's ranking battle has simple rules—"

He took an ebony bamboo tube from a soldier behind him, shook it, and the bamboo sticks inside clinked together with a crisp sound: "There are eight sticks in the tube, each inscribed with one of the four characters '甲' (Jia), 乙 (Yi), 丙 (Bing), and 丁' (Ding), with two sticks for each character. Whoever draws the same character will be your opponent in the first round, starting with '甲' (Jia).

The captain stepped down from the arena, placed the lot-drawing tube on a wooden table, took two steps back, and gestured with his hand: "Come forward and draw lots in order of your arena number."

The audience fell silent instantly, and eight pairs of eyes all turned to the ebony divination stick container.

Sunlight shone on the smooth surface of the fortune-telling container, reflecting the solemn or expectant expressions of the crowd. The air seemed to be stretched taut by an invisible tension, and even the wind seemed to stop for a moment.

Everyone knew that this draw determined the fate of the first round.

Following the captain's instructions, the eight men stepped forward in order of their arena numbers.

First, Zhou Tong, from the first arena, walked to the wooden table, took a deep breath, pulled a bamboo stick from the divination tube, glanced at it in his hand, and then stepped aside expressionlessly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the characters on the stick.

Subsequently, Xu Guangwei, Lin Yue, Yang Jing and others stepped forward one after another.

When Yang Jing walked to the bamboo tube, his fingertips touched the cool bamboo tube wall. There were only two bamboo sticks left inside.

He paused, then casually pulled out a cigarette.

This stick is made of ordinary green bamboo, with a rounded tip and the character "乙" written on it in cinnabar.

He clutched the slip of paper in his palm, made no sound, and silently returned to his original position. His gaze swept over the other seven people without making a sound, but he couldn't tell who had drawn the same character as him.

A clerk dressed in a light blue official's uniform stepped forward with a register, approaching each of the eight people one by one. He politely examined the signatures on the paper, his pen gliding across the paper as he wrote down the names and corresponding signature numbers.

He worked quickly and finished copying it in no time. He bowed to the crowd, turned around, and walked briskly to the high platform with the book in his hands, presenting the record to the chief examiner.

The chief examiner took the booklet and whispered something to the examiners beside him, occasionally glancing up at the fence.

Inside the enclosure, eight martial artists stood at their respective positions, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from each other.

No one spoke; only the faint sounds of breathing and the rustling of clothing floated in the air.

Yang Jing felt the medicinal power still circulating in his body and secretly adjusted his breathing.

No matter who the opponent is, this tough battle is unavoidable, and we must go all out.

The sunlight grew brighter and brighter, shining on the ring and reflecting a dazzling light.

Everyone was waiting, waiting for the announcement of the first-round matchups, waiting for a head-to-head battle to begin.

The footsteps were particularly clear within the silent fence. The soldier, wearing a gray cloth jacket, had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, indicating that he had jogged all the way.

He was slightly out of breath when he reached the silver-armored captain, and presented him with a neatly folded piece of paper in both hands.

The silver-armored captain took the paper, rubbed the edge with his thumb twice before unfolding it.

His gaze swept quickly across the paper, his brows twitched almost imperceptibly, then he looked up at the eight people inside the enclosure, stepped onto the main arena, and said in a deep voice, "Listen up, everyone!"

The eight internal energy martial artists, who had been concentrating on their breathing, immediately stopped and turned their gazes to him.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and even the sound of the wind rustling through the hem of clothing could be heard clearly.

The silver-armored captain cleared his throat, his voice carrying through the entire arena with his inner strength: "First round match, first game—Zhou Tong versus Xu Guangwei!"

What a coincidence.

These two are the top players in the first and second arenas, respectively, and they're going to face off in the very first match.

As the silver-armored captain uttered the name "Zhou Tong," Zhou Tong, who was standing on the left, suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them.

He was tall and wore a faded, close-fitting outfit. Upon hearing this, he simply nodded calmly, as if he had been prepared for this moment and was waiting at any time. He then slowly walked towards the central main arena.

His every step landed on the gaps in the wooden planks, making a soft "thump-thump" sound, carrying a calmness born of years of experience.

The other person called out, Xu Guangwei, the number two champion, was a completely different story. He stood on the right, not very tall, but as lean as a cheetah. When he heard his name called, a defiant smile appeared on his lips, and he cracked his knuckles as he moved his wrists.

He glanced at Zhou Tong's back, let out a soft snort, then took a deep breath and leaped, landing on the edge of the arena in a few bounds, his movements as swift as a shadow.

The two, one still and one moving, had not yet clashed, but their auras had already sparked invisible flames both on and off the stage.

Below the ring, inside the fence, the other six people held their breath.

Yang Jing looked at the two people on the stage and secretly made plans in his mind.

Zhou Tong was skilled in hard martial arts; it was rumored that he could split large bluestones with his bare hands. Xu Guangwei, on the other hand, was known for his speed, and his moves were tricky and ruthless.

When these two clash, it is undoubtedly a battle of fierceness and cunning.

On the high platform, the examiner put down his teacup and turned his gaze to the arena.

At the same time, the silver-armored captain slowly said, "Ready—begin!"

After saying that, the silver-armored captain stepped down from the arena.

Zhou Tong and Xu Guangwei simultaneously clasped their hands in a salute, their movements precise yet brimming with fighting spirit.

Zhou Tong straightened up, clenched his fists, and the air around his body began to surge.

The two on the stage moved almost simultaneously in the next moment.

With a thud, Zhou Tong's body lunged at Xu Guangwei like a tiger pouncing on its prey, his right fist slamming out with a whooshing sound.

Before the fist even landed, it had already stirred up a wave of hot air, blowing Xu Guangwei's hair back.

Xu Guangwei's eyes sharpened, and his footwork shifted like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he dodged the punch by sidestepping, while his left leg lashed out like a whip, sweeping towards Zhou Tong's lower body with a sharp gust of wind.

His leg techniques were tricky and the angles were extremely dangerous, clearly indicating that he wanted to break the opponent's foundation first.

"Well done!" Zhou Tong shouted in a low voice, neither dodging nor avoiding, his left arm sinking down like an iron gate, forcefully blocking the kick.

With a muffled thud, a shockwave erupted from the point of impact between the two. Zhou Tong remained as steady as a rock, while Xu Guangwei was forced back half a step by the impact.

A look of surprise flashed in his eyes; he hadn't expected his opponent's lower body to be so stable.

Before Xu Guangwei could adjust his stance, Zhou Tong's attack came like a storm.

He threw punches in alternating motions, each aimed at vital points, each punch carrying the ferocity to shatter mountains and split rocks, forcing Xu Guangwei to retreat repeatedly, relying on his swift footwork to dodge.

A light cloud of dust rose from the main arena, and his figure stood like an unshakeable iron tower, displaying the power and ferocity of his fist techniques to the fullest.

Xu Guangwei was, after all, a master of the peak of internal strength. When he retreated to the edge of the arena, he suddenly changed his move. Instead of retreating, he advanced. He used his right leg to push off the pillar of the arena, and his body spun like a top. His left leg swept out with tremendous force.

This kick was powerful and heavy, carrying a spinning force, and it looked like it was about to hit Zhou Tong's face.

A gasp of surprise rang out from the audience. The leg technique was too fast; an ordinary person simply couldn't dodge it!

But then Zhou Tong suddenly lowered his waist, and his internal energy in his dantian suddenly exploded, causing him to shrink by half a foot and narrowly avoid the leg strike.

At the same time, he had been gathering power in his right fist for a long time. Taking advantage of the momentum of his waist sinking, he thrust upwards, the fist brushing past Xu Guangwei's calf and hitting him squarely in the abdomen!

"Pfft!" Xu Guangwei felt as if he had been hit hard. He felt an immense force surge through him, as if his internal organs had shifted. His body flew backward uncontrollably and crashed heavily onto the arena three zhang away, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He struggled to get up, but could only arch his body while supporting himself on the ground. A metallic taste filled his throat, and he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

Zhou Tong stood still, his chest rising and falling slightly, beads of sweat on his forehead, yet he remained firmly in place, his gaze solemnly fixed on his fallen opponent.

He had held back three-tenths of his strength in that punch just now; otherwise, Xu Guangwei would probably not be able to stand up right now, and he would have no chance of making it onto this year's list of candidates for the school field test.

Xu Guangwei knew the gravity of the situation, and lying on the ground, he shouted, "I surrender."

The silver-armored captain glanced at the fallen Xu Guangwei and called out, "Zhou Tongsheng!"

As soon as the silver-armored captain finished speaking, Zhou Tong slowly withdrew his fist, cupped his hands towards the examiner's position on the high platform, glanced at Xu Guangwei on the ground, and finally said nothing before turning around and walking off the stage.

Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands.

Yang Jing watched Zhou Tong's retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly. This man's punches were powerful yet subtly controlled, clearly demonstrating an extremely high level of mastery over internal energy. If he were to encounter him, he would most likely be no match.

Ultimately, he had only just broken through to the Dark Force realm, and there was still a significant gap between him and these veteran Dark Force peak experts.

The reason they've been able to hold out until now is because they had previously concealed the deadly "Surging Wave Kick" move.

However, the others should now know that they possess a movement-based martial art that has reached the Ming Jin level, and they will certainly be on guard.

It is foreseeable that his next few battles will be extremely difficult, and the odds are even against him.

Although Xu Guangwei was pale, he was not seriously injured because he surrendered in time.

As they passed by Zhou Tong, their eyes met briefly. There was no resentment, only the complex emotions of a martial artist who had just been defeated.

This is the norm for military training exams; most of the time it's just a competition or exchange of skills, and there are very few instances of really going all out or fighting to the death.

After stepping down from the stage, the two tacitly found empty spaces in corners.

Zhou Tong sat down cross-legged, took out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, poured out a pearly white pill and swallowed it. Then he closed his eyes and concentrated, formed a hand seal, and a faint white mist gradually surrounded his body.

This is a quick process of regulating the surging internal energy within the body, suppressing the slightly agitated aura from the previous fierce battle, and ensuring that if there is a series of battles to follow, one can always maintain peak condition.

Xu Guangwei clutched his lower abdomen, coughed up a breath of turbid air tinged with blood, and swallowed a healing pill.

He frowned, but still forced himself to sit up straight, circulating his internal energy to guide the medicinal power through his limbs and bones, trying to stop the internal tremors as soon as possible.

The sunlight fell on his sweat-drenched face, revealing a disheveled look, but also a tenacious spirit that refused to give up.

The spectators followed the two men's movements, but no one dared to disturb them.

This is the rule of the training ground test. Regardless of victory or defeat, recuperation and healing after the test are of paramount importance, as they determine whether one can maintain strength for future battles and cannot be taken lightly.

A moment later, the silver-armored captain glanced at the roster in his hand, his gaze sweeping across the paper, and announced again, "Second match, 'B' contestants, Qin Yu, the top player of the fourth arena, versus Yang Jing, the top player of the seventh arena, step onto the stage!"

As soon as the voice fell, a low commotion immediately arose in the audience.

Qin Yu is a well-known master of internal strength in Yuhe County, and Yang Jing's victory in the arena yesterday also left a deep impression on many people.

The clash between the two is also highly anticipated.

(End of this chapter)