Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 79 Sun Yong's Frustration

A quarter of an hour passed quietly.

The noise on the training ground gradually subsided, and everyone's attention was focused on the area between the high platform and the main arena.

The silver-armored captain finally stepped down from the high platform, his steps steady, holding a bright yellow scroll in his hands.

He stepped onto the main arena, unfurled the rankings, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena, his voice carrying through his inner energy to every corner: "The final rankings for this year's school arena test are now set, in order as follows—"

All eyes were fixed on him, waiting for the reading to be announced.

The silver-armored captain continued in a loud voice:
"First place goes to Li Mengchao!"

"Second place, Qin Yu!"

"Third place, Zhou Zhiqiang!"

"Fourth place, Yang Jing!"

When the captain read out Yang Jing's name, his gaze lingered on him for a moment, carrying a hint of approval.

"Fifth place, Zhou Tong!"

"Sixth place, Xu Guangwei!"

"Seventh place, He Han!"

"Eighth place, Lin Yue."

Each time a name was called out, a response would echo across the training ground.

When Yang Jing's name was called, a heated discussion broke out in the audience.

It wasn't just Liu Maolin and a few other disciples of the Sun family martial arts school who cheered enthusiastically; many other high-ranking officials and dignitaries from Yuhe County also joined in.

Yang Jing's performance over the past two days has caught the attention of many people, and his reputation as a dark horse has now spread throughout Yuhe County.

After announcing the rankings, the silver-armored captain put away the list and said loudly, "This year's military examination has come to an end! The final list of successful candidates will be posted by the imperial court at the county government office and city gates. Please wait patiently."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked off the stage, leaving behind a cacophony of noise and excitement.

Yang Jing sat on the bluestone and heard his name clearly pronounced. His tense heart finally relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

The abdominal pain seemed to have lessened a bit, and a sense of relief washed over my whole body.

He slowly stood up, brushed the dust off his robes, and exchanged glances with the others who had also stood up. Their eyes held different emotions, but all carried a sense of relief that had come to an end.

Even the usually indifferent Li Mengchao softened his expression considerably, nodding and smiling at the other martial artists. After all, they were all outstanding young talents, and he would inevitably have to deal with them in the future. However, when he looked at Qin Yu, Li Mengchao's calm eyes instantly darkened, and he wished he could immediately dislocate Qin Yu's arms.

Qin Yu chuckled twice and was the first to leave.

The others also walked out of the fence one after another, where Liu Maolin and his remaining junior brothers were already waiting.

As soon as Yang Jing came out, Liu Maolin strode forward to greet him with a bright smile, "Junior brother! Fourth place! You really are a handful, letting your senior brother down!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Jing couldn't help but chuckle.

Several junior disciples also gathered around, offering compliments and congratulations all at once.

They surrounded Yang Jing, chatting amongst themselves, their words brimming with flattery and admiration.

Yang Jing felt relieved at that moment, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face. He nodded and said, "Let's go back to the martial arts school."

The setting sun cast long shadows of the group, which slowly receded into the distance along the stone path of the training ground.

The crowd dispersed like the receding tide, the noise gradually subsided, leaving only a few soldiers packing their belongings and some martial artists who lingered, unwilling to leave.

The golden glow of the setting sun bathed the empty training ground, casting a warm glow on the scattered weapons and broken pieces of wood.

As Yang Jing was being led out by his fellow disciples, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

Under the willow tree not far away, Zhao Yuman, dressed in a light blue dress, was looking in his direction.

The moment their eyes met, Zhao Yuman seemed to be burned, hurriedly turning her head away, her ears turning slightly red, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Her mind was in turmoil.

She felt regretful when she saw Yang Jing defeat Shen Lie yesterday.

When Liu Maolin tried to match the two of them up, she rejected Yang Jing outright because she thought he came from the countryside, had a poor background, and a bleak future.

But who could have imagined that this man, whom she had overlooked, would fight his way up to fourth place and become a rising star in Yuhe County?

After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Yuman took a deep breath, turned her head with a touch of deliberate shyness, and wanted to greet him with a smile, even if it was just a congratulatory message, to pave the way for a smoother relationship in the future.

But when she looked up, Yang Jing had already walked far away with his fellow disciples, his back straight and tall. He never looked at her again, as if she were just an insignificant speck of dust on the roadside.

The color drained from Zhao Yuman's face instantly, her lips pressed tightly together, her heart filled with regret and bitterness, her nails almost digging into her palms.

On the other side, Yang Jing was completely unaware of Zhao Yuman's gaze at this moment, or rather, he didn't care at all.

That fleeting glance only made one name flash through his mind—Shen Lie.

He recalled the close relationship between Shen Lie and Zhao Yuman.

What bothered him even more was the undisguised hostility in Shen Lie's eyes during yesterday's competition.

At first, he didn't understand why, but when he caught a glimpse of the interaction between Shen Lie and Zhao Yuman, he suddenly realized that it was probably because of Zhao Yuman.

Shen Lie was already arrogant and proud. Having been defeated by him in the competition, and harboring some unknown despicable thoughts, he probably already hates him to the bone.

Yang Jing paused slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

On the path of martial arts, the greatest taboo is being distracted, and even more so is being plotted against in secret.

Shen Lie's venomous gaze was not a momentary impulse; if left unchecked, it could become a hidden danger in the future.

A faint killing intent welled up from the bottom of his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.

Yang Jing snapped out of his thoughts and quickened his pace to catch up with his fellow disciples.

The most urgent task is to return to the martial arts school. As for Shen Lie... we should deal with him after the dust settles off from the martial arts competition and make sure to eliminate this threat.

The group left the training ground and walked along the stone-paved road towards Chengpingfang in the west of the city. The fellow disciples were still excitedly discussing the details of the training ground test, sometimes cheering for Yang Jing's perilous situation on the arena, and sometimes speculating when the imperial notice would be posted. When they reached a fork in the road, Liu Maolin suddenly patted Yang Jing on the shoulder and said to the other disciples beside him, "You guys go back to the academy first to report this. I'll say a few words to your senior brother Yang and then be there."

The junior disciples were all quick-witted. Seeing this, they immediately understood, smiled and agreed, and quickened their pace to walk forward, soon creating some distance between them and leaving enough private space for the two of them.

Liu Maolin watched his fellow disciples disappear around the street corner before turning to Yang Jing. His smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression: "Junior brother, there's something I need to make clear to you."

Seeing that his expression had become more serious, Yang Jing stopped and asked, "Senior brother, please speak."

“It’s the pill you took before,” Liu Maolin paused, his tone tinged with emotion, “That’s no ordinary pill. It’s called the Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill, made from dozens of rare medicinal herbs. It can repair injuries and nourish meridians in a very short time, and can even slightly improve the quality of internal energy. Such a precious pill costs over a thousand taels of silver, and an ordinary martial artist might never see one in their entire life.”

Yang Jing was startled.

He knew the elixir was miraculous, but he never imagined it would be this precious.

Thousands of taels of silver. It's simply outrageous.

Liu Maolin added, "This pill isn't mine. I'm not that generous. This morning, Miss Jinlian was watching the battle from the stands and saw that you were injured. She had someone secretly bring it over and specifically told me not to say that she gave it to me."

“Pan, no, Miss Jinlian?” Yang Jing was stunned.

He should not have had any connection with this extraordinary woman; they had only met once. Why would she give him such a valuable elixir?
“I only figured it out after thinking about it for a while,” Liu Maolin said with a smile, looking at his astonished expression. “It’s probably because your performance on the stage caught her eye. Although the Hundred Herbs Elixir is expensive, it’s nothing to her.”

Yang Jing was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

If Jinlian had given him the pill directly back then, given his personality, he would never have accepted such a generous gift for nothing. Moreover, the two were not related, and he wouldn't have dared to take the pill if she gave it to him for no reason.

However, the other party delivered it through Liu Maolin's hands, and chose the crucial moment before his confrontation with Xu Guangwei, which not only solved his immediate problem but also did not put him in a difficult position. This thoughtfulness was indeed very meticulous.

"But... isn't this a bit too extravagant?"

Yang Jing still couldn't understand it.

Liu Maolin stroked his chin and joked, "Naturally, it's because they value your potential. Think about it, fourth place in the military examination, such strength at such a young age, your future is limitless. Miss Jinlian has extensive connections in Jintai Prefecture, it's only natural that she would befriend a rising star like you. Could it be..." He deliberately dragged out his words and winked, "or perhaps they're interested in you as a person?"

Yang Jing felt a little uncomfortable after hearing what he said, and coughed lightly: "Senior Brother Liu, please don't make fun of me."

"Let's go back to the inn first." Liu Maolin patted his arm. "No matter what, this pill has helped you a lot. If you have the chance in the future, you can thank the person who gave it to you."

Yang Jing nodded, a deep sense of gratitude welling up in his heart.

He looked down at his fist, and the scene of his fight with Xu Guangwei involuntarily flashed through his mind.

By then, the effects of the Rejuvenation Pill had long since worn off, and his internal energy was already on the verge of depletion. If it weren't for the residual medicinal power of the Hundred Herbs Elixir continuously nourishing his meridians and replenishing his internal energy like a trickle, allowing him to hold on until the end in the protracted battle, he would probably have been suppressed by Xu Guangwei's fierce attacks long ago, let alone be able to seize the opportunity to defeat him.

Without that victory, there would have been no foundation for fifth place, let alone defeating Zhou Tong and securing fourth place later.

This series of breakthroughs, seemingly achieved step by step, actually foreshadowed the turning point from the moment he took the Hundred Herbs Elixir.

The precious pills worth over a thousand taels of silver were no ordinary favor; he would remember this timely act of kindness.

“Senior brother is right.” Yang Jing raised his head, his eyes sincere. “This elixir is not only an aid to me, but also an opportunity and a benefactor. Without it, I might not have been able to get to this point. After the notice is posted in a few days, I should indeed prepare a gift and visit Miss Jinlian to express my gratitude.”

Even if the other party helped him because they saw his potential, this appreciation and gift deserves a serious response.

The path of martial arts, besides one's own arduous training, also requires serendipitous encounters and the help of benefactors. It is only right to accept kindness with equanimity and reciprocate with courtesy.

Seeing his attitude, Liu Maolin smiled and nodded: "That's only right."

West City.

Yang Jing and Liu Maolin walked into Chengpingfang side by side, and from afar they could see the plaque of the Sun Family Martial Arts School gleaming in the setting sun.

Before even stepping through the gate, a commotion arose inside, and the words "fourth place" and "Senior Brother Yang" could be faintly heard. Clearly, the junior brothers who had returned early were spreading the news of today's training ground test.

As soon as the martial arts school doors were pushed open, a cacophony of noise rushed in.

Six or seven disciples who hadn't left yet surrounded them, their faces flushed with excitement, and they all offered their congratulations.

"Senior Brother Yang, you're amazing! Fourth place!"

"Our martial arts school is finally going to produce someone who makes it onto the rankings of the training grounds!"

"I knew my senior brother could do it!"

Surrounded by others, Yang Jing felt his injuries lessen. He smiled and cupped his hands in response, saying, "It was just luck. The outcome is still unknown. I am grateful for the guidance from my master and senior brothers, and the care from my junior brothers."

Liu Maolin laughed from the side, "Stop crowding around, let Junior Brother Yang catch his breath."

He turned to look at Yang Jing, "Master isn't here. I asked earlier, and he said he went to the clinic to see Junior Brother Lin Yue. Some of the other Dark Force cultivators, including Senior Brother, went with him to the clinic, while others went home. Junior Sister Ningxiang isn't here either; she's probably at the clinic too."

Yang Jing nodded. It was only natural for his master to visit Lin Yue after he was seriously injured by Li Mengchao during the competition.

He touched his abdomen, where the pain was still lingering, and said, "Since Master isn't here, I'll head back now. I need to take good care of the injuries I sustained today."

“Alright,” Liu Maolin replied, “You focus on recovering. Once you’re fully healed, I’ll give you a proper celebration!”

Yang Jing thanked Liu Maolin, greeted his fellow disciples who had gathered around him, and then turned and left the martial arts school.

As I walked along the familiar streets toward Datongfang, dusk gradually descended, and the lanterns along the street lit up one after another, casting a dim yellow glow on the stone pavement.

Yang Jing walked slowly, taking each step as steadily as possible to avoid aggravating his abdominal injury. He planned to use the remaining medicinal herbs to brew another dose of medicine when he got back, and combine it with the effects of the Rejuvenating Pill to heal his injury as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, inside the Sun Family Martial Arts School.

As darkness completely fell, oil lamps were lit in the martial arts school. In the dim light, several handyman disciples were tidying up the equipment in the courtyard. The clanging of stone locks mingled with their excited chatter.

"I really didn't expect Senior Brother Yang to be so amazing!"

"That's right! When I first heard the news, I thought Senior Brother Ma and the others were joking. I didn't expect it to be true!"

"In the morning, I was shocked to hear that Senior Brother Lin had been seriously injured and sent to the hospital. I didn't expect to receive another piece of good news in the evening."

"Master will be overjoyed to be back..."

Just then, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, and Sun Yong led Sun Ningxiang in.

Sun Yong's face was so dark it could drip water, his brows were tightly furrowed, and he barely uttered a word on the way back.

PS:

This is quite important, so I'm writing it here. *bows*
To all you super handsome guys and beautiful girls, the author is begging for your monthly votes!
Thank you all for your support!
(End of this chapter)