Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 78 A Dark Horse's Appearance, Yuhe's Rising Star
Yang Jing took a deep breath and walked towards the arena.

His gaze fell on Zhou Tong.

The opponent was also walking towards the ring, his body slightly stiff, his left arm close to his side with very little movement, and dark bloodstains were faintly visible on his sleeve. He was obviously affected by an injury and his movement was slightly inconvenient, but at least on the surface, it did not seem too serious.

During the half-hour break, Yang Jing kept a close eye on Zhou Tong.

He saw that Zhou Tong had taken three pills and his complexion had improved. Although his left arm was sluggish, it was not completely immobile.

Injuries that affect bones and muscles naturally heal slowly, and these few pills can only barely suppress the pain, not completely eliminate the hidden danger.

Hard skills require coordination of the whole body, and the inconvenience of the left arm is ultimately a major weakness.

The two stepped onto the ring one after the other.

Zhou Tong stood on the east side, slowly moving his right arm. His bronze arm muscles were still bulging, but his left arm remained close to his ribs, and his eyes revealed the stubbornness of a martial artist with hard skills.

He looked at Yang Jing and said in a deep voice, "Be careful. Even if you only have one arm left, my fist isn't so easy to catch."

Yang Jing stood on the west side, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Senior Brother Zhou, please give me your guidance."

He lowered his waist and assumed a horse stance, naturally unfolding the starting posture of the Mountain-Crushing Fist, with his internal energy flowing smoothly through his meridians.

Their gaze fell on Zhou Tong's left arm. Although that arm could move slightly, it was impossible for it to exert great force. Defending the left side must be the opponent's weakness.

"fourth place……"

Yang Jing silently recited in his heart.

While there is a good chance of the fifth-place candidate making the list, the fourth-place candidate is a sure thing.

Zhou Tong's injuries are obvious, and since this is an opportunity, we should seize it with all our might.

He composed himself and focused all his attention on Zhou Tong.

Even if the opponent's left arm is disabled, the foundation of their hard skills remains, and the strength of their right arm should not be underestimated. A slight mistake could lead to an unexpected defeat.

Zhou Tong took a deep breath, slowly clenched his right fist, his knuckles cracking. Although the aura of his hard skill was not as powerful as it was at its peak, it still carried a fearless and indomitable spirit.

The silver-armored captain stepped onto the arena, his gaze sweeping over the two men before slowly retreating to the edge. He said in a deep voice, "Prepare—"

The air on the ring suddenly became tense.

Yang Jing stared at Zhou Tong's right shoulder, the only part of his body where the opponent could exert force.

Zhou Tong stared at Yang Jing's fists with eyes as sharp as knives.

Sunlight streamed onto the arena, elongating the shadows of the two fighters. The battle that would determine their final rankings was about to begin.

"start!"

As soon as the silver-armored captain finished speaking, he immediately left the main arena.

At the same time, Zhou Tong pounced out like an arrow released from a bow.

His right arm muscles bulged, and with a sharp whistling sound as he threw a heavy punch straight at Yang Jing's face.

Although the inability to exert force with the left arm affected the overall momentum of the hard skill, the ferocity of this punch still far exceeded that of ordinary internal strength martial artists.

He was, after all, a top expert among those at the peak of internal strength, and even though his condition was damaged, his foundation remained profound.

Yang Jing did not take the punch head-on. Instead, he used the "Surging Waves Kick" footwork, sliding out diagonally like flowing water, narrowly avoiding the force of the punch.

Zhou Tong's fist slammed into the arena, which was made of alternating bluestone slabs and wooden planks. The wooden planks dented and splintered, while the bluestone slabs next to him were shaken and developed several cracks.

His first strike missed, but he didn't stop. His right arm came out like a storm, each punch carrying the power to split rocks and shatter stone, forcing Yang Jing to dodge and weave through the shadows of the fists.

"Oh!"

Another punch grazed Yang Jing's shoulder, the wind from the punch making his robes flutter loudly.

Using the momentum, Yang Jing spun around and kicked out with his right foot, the surging wave kick arcing towards Zhou Tong's left leg.

Zhou Tong snorted coldly, his left leg as steady as a pillar, taking the kick head-on. He only took half a step back to regain his balance, and his right arm swung up again, his fist slamming towards Yang Jing's chest with a whooshing sound.

Yang Jing's eyes narrowed, knowing there was no way to dodge. He lowered his waist and assumed a stance, suddenly unleashing the Mountain-Breaking Fist's support stance, his right fist colliding fiercely with Zhou Tong's fist.

"Click——"

With a muffled thud, Yang Jing felt a surge of immense force, his right arm went numb, and he had to take two steps back to dissipate the force, his throat feeling slightly sweet.

Zhou Tong was also shaken, his left arm swaying, and a flash of pain crossed his face, clearly indicating that the injury had been aggravated.

"It's really tough."

Yang Jing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, becoming increasingly cautious.

Fortunately, Zhou Tong was injured beforehand; otherwise, if Yang Jing had encountered Zhou Tong at his peak, he would have had no choice but to admit defeat.

Yang Jing took a deep breath and swallowed the metallic taste in his mouth.

He knew that Zhou Tong was holding back his strength and wanted to finish the battle quickly with a thunderous offensive, so he immediately decided to focus on dodging and wearing down the opponent's momentum.

In the next dozens of moves, Yang Jing brought out the agility of the Surging Wave Kick to the extreme. His figure weaved through Zhou Tong's fist shadows, like a small boat in a stormy sea. It seemed dangerous, but he always managed to avoid the vital points at the last second.

When it's unavoidable, one should use the hardness of the Mountain-Crushing Fist to meet the attack head-on, not to injure, but to maintain one's footing.

Zhou Tong was ultimately injured, and his fierce attacks gradually showed signs of fatigue. Sweat rolled down his forehead, and his breathing became heavy.

What annoyed him even more was that Yang Jing always managed to pinpoint the weakness in his left arm.

Whenever his right arm swung out and his left side opened up, Yang Jing's punches and kicks would follow him like a shadow.

They might punch him in the left ribs or sweep his left leg with a kick; though the force wasn't extreme, it always left a shallow wound.

Several bloody marks appeared on Zhou Tong's left ribs and left leg. Although not fatal, they were like a persistent carbuncle, causing pain with every movement and gradually slowing down his punching speed.

The pain in my left arm surged like a tide. At first, I could grit my teeth and endure it, but now it was tingling and numb, which also weakened the strength of my right arm.

"It's now!"

Yang Jing keenly noticed the sluggishness in Zhou Tong's fist technique, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

He stopped dodging and took a half step forward, unleashing the Rock-Splitting Style of the Mountain-Crushing Fist. His fist, accompanied by a whistling sound, aimed straight at Zhou Tong's chest!
Zhou Tong's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Yang Jing to suddenly switch from defense to offense. In his haste, he used his right arm to defend and instinctively tried to raise his left arm to assist in blocking.

But as soon as he moved his left arm, he felt a piercing pain, and his movements slowed down instantly!
This slight delay became a fatal flaw.

Yang Jing's fist had already broken through his defenses and was almost within reach!
A fierce glint flashed in Zhou Tong's eyes. He simply stopped defending and used the last of his strength to smash his fist into Yang Jing's abdomen like a heavy hammer, trying to exchange injury for injury and force Yang Jing to retreat and defend!

Yang Jing felt a chill run down his spine; it was too late to retract his fist.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes. Instead of slowing down, he pushed his internal energy to its limit and slammed his fist heavily into Zhou Tong's chest!
"Oh!"

"Oh!"

Two muffled thuds sounded almost simultaneously.

Zhou Tong was struck hard, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

With a loud thud, the ball slammed against the ring railing, which groaned under the strain.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his chest red, and slowly slid to the ground, unable to stand up any longer. Yang Jing was also hit in the abdomen by Zhou Tong's punch. He felt a surge of immense force, as if his internal organs had shifted. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He staggered back several steps, clutching his stomach, his face pale, but he finally stood firmly on the ring.

Zhou Tong lay on the ground, staring at the blazing sun in the sky, his chest heaving violently, each breath carrying the stench of blood.

"I... admit defeat." Zhou Tong's voice was hoarse and broken, filled with endless exhaustion and helplessness.

Upon hearing this, Yang Jing breathed a sigh of relief, clutched his abdomen, and slowly straightened up.

The sunlight shone on his blood-stained clothes, making them appear a glaring red.

He won, but at a great cost. Yet, at this moment, his eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

Fourth place, secured.

In the audience seats.

Those high-ranking officials and nobles in Yuhe County who were used to living a life of luxury were all staring at this scene in astonishment.

No one expected that the situation, which was originally thought that Zhou Tong would firmly hold fourth place, would end with Yang Jing winning.

That previously unknown disciple of the Sun family martial arts school has overcome numerous obstacles, defeating not only He Han and Xu Guangwei, but now even Zhou Tong, who is famous for his hard skills, and firmly securing fourth place in the school's examination.

Fourth place in the military examination—that's a sure thing for him to make the list.

Everyone knew that from now on, the martial arts circle in Yuhe County would have one more name: "Yang Jing".

This young man emerged as a dark horse, and his potential is immeasurable. Many people are now looking at Yang Jing with scrutiny and seriousness, and some are even starting to plan how to befriend him in the future.

To possess such combat prowess at such a young age, his future achievements will likely extend far beyond this.

The silver-armored captain stepped onto the main arena.

Seeing that Zhou Tong was unable to get up, he waved to the audience below the stage.

Several soldiers in armor immediately stepped forward, carefully avoiding Zhou Tong's chest wound, and lifted him up.

Zhou Tong had his eyes closed, his face was ashen, and there was still blood on the corner of his mouth, indicating that he was seriously injured.

This battle was indeed extremely fierce.

They wouldn't allow Yang Jing to hold back either.

In the end, he was able to win by trading injury for injury.

If he had been even slightly careless or underestimated his opponent, given Zhou Tong's ferocity and power, he would probably be the one lying on the stage being carried away right now.

After the soldiers carried Zhou Tong off the stage, the silver-armored captain turned around and his gaze fell on Yang Jing on the stage.

Although the young man was also injured, his hand clutching his abdomen trembled slightly, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth, he still stood straight, his eyes showing no arrogance, only a calmness after a fierce battle.

"Yang Jingsheng".

The silver-armored captain's voice echoed across the training ground, clear and powerful.

Upon hearing this, Yang Jing endured the excruciating pain in his abdomen and bowed to the silver-armored captain. Although his movements were somewhat slow, they were meticulous.

Then, he took a deep breath, straightened his back, and walked off the ring step by step.

With each step, the pain in his abdomen felt like needles pricking him, and his internal organs seemed to be trembling, but his steps were unusually firm.

The silver-armored captain stood on the arena, watching his back, his eyes unconsciously filled with admiration.

Having participated in the presiding over the martial arts examinations for many years, he had seen too many exceptionally talented young people, but few were like Yang Jing, who performed so well in his first attempt at the training ground test, able to burst forth in desperate situations and remain calm and composed during a winning streak.

From initial obscurity to consecutively defeating He Han and Xu Guangwei, and now surpassing Zhou Tong, this young man has taken every step solidly and impressively, demonstrating both courage and strategy in every battle.

"The path to becoming a martial arts candidate is long; the military examination is merely the first hurdle..."

The captain muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the token at his waist, "This kid will probably go even further in the future. Maybe we'll meet again at the examination hall in Jintai Prefecture."

Outside the fence.

Liu Maolin could no longer contain his excitement; his eyes were even a little red.

The martial arts students behind him were even more excited, wishing they could rush up and lift Yang Jing up immediately.

At lunchtime, they were still marveling at how wonderful it was to be in fifth place, and no one dared to hope for more.

When they saw Yang Jing and Zhou Tong facing off in the afternoon, they were secretly worried.

Zhou Tong is a formidable opponent at the peak of internal strength; even with his left arm injured, he is by no means an easy opponent.

But Yang Jing actually won, and won in a real, hard-fought battle!

Fourth place—this ranking practically guarantees a spot on the exam list!
The Sun Family Martial Arts School had been dormant for more than ten years, and had not produced any disciples who could make it onto the list. Now, it was finally going to break this embarrassing deadlock.

Liu Maolin gazed in Yang Jing's direction, already planning in his mind how to report the news to his master as soon as he got back.

Thinking of this, Liu Maolin suddenly wanted to see his master's expression and reaction after learning that Yang Jing had actually made it to fourth place in the training ground test.

As soon as Yang Jinggang reached the bottom of the arena, the silver-armored captain turned around and walked down the main arena, taking steady steps toward the high platform directly in front of him.

There, the chief examiner and several examiners from Jintai Prefecture were gathered together, with a list of names spread out in front of them.

The captain stepped forward, bowed, and joined their discussion. He kept his voice low, and occasionally someone could be seen nodding at the names on the roster, clearly finalizing the rankings.

The atmosphere around the high platform was solemn. Every decision was related to the future of these martial artists, and no carelessness was allowed.

Yang Jing glanced at the high platform and then looked away.

He found a shady spot on the bluestone ground below the arena and sat down cross-legged.

The dull pain in his abdomen continued, and the tremors in his internal organs made it difficult for him to breathe.

He took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a Rejuvenation Pill, and put it in his mouth.

The warm current from the dissolved elixir flowed slowly through the meridians, soothing the damaged internal organs like warm water, and the internal energy began to recover slowly.

"The effect is good, but..."

As Yang Jing sensed the changes within his body, he couldn't help but recall the domineering nature of that mysterious pill.

When the medicinal power exploded, it surged like a river, instantly healing hidden injuries and boosting internal strength.

In comparison, the effects of the Rejuvenation Pill are indeed much milder, even "weak".

He chuckled to himself, lamenting that he had been spoiled by that divine elixir. He then calmed his mind, cleared his mind of distractions, and focused on guiding the flow of the medicine, concentrating more on alleviating his injuries and restoring his internal strength.

The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the fence surrounding the arena, casting dappled shadows on him.

The surrounding noise seemed to be shut out, leaving only the subtle sound of internal energy flowing.

Yang Jing closed his eyes and waited quietly, waiting for the final rankings to be announced, and also waiting for a brand new beginning that belonged to him.

(End of this chapter)