Yuhe County Town, Chengping Square, Sun's Martial Arts Hall.
In the front courtyard, the bluestone slabs were wet with morning dew, glistening with a cool light.
Yang Jing had arrived very early. Including him, there were only two or three people in the courtyard.
Yang Jing was bare-chested, beads of sweat streaming down his bronze back in the morning light. They traced the lines of his taught muscles before striking the ground, leaving small, damp spots.
Time slowly passed.
The number of disciples practicing in the courtyard gradually grew.
"Junior Brother Yang, your fist techniques are getting more and more powerful. Come on, let's spar for a bit," Liu Maolin said with a smile, walking over.
Yang Jing's eyes lit up. He quickly wiped the sweat from his brow with a cloth. "I couldn't ask for more! You'll have to go easy on me, Senior Brother."
Over the past two months, Yang Jing had gotten to know Liu Maolin quite well and was much more relaxed when speaking with him.
He knew his fourth senior brother had long since developed his force, and his mastery of the Mountain-Shattering Fist was far beyond his own.
They had sparred frequently over the last two months. With his fourth senior brother's help, each session helped him understand crucial points about force generation, and he benefited immensely.
The two took their positions and bowed with cupped fists. Then, in unison, they lowered their center of gravity and composed their breathing. Their opening stances were identical—after all, they shared the same master.
"Watch out, Junior Brother," Liu Maolin said with a wide grin. Against his dark skin, his teeth seemed exceptionally white and bright.
Yang Jing met his advance with complete focus.
Liu Maolin's fists seemed unhurried, yet just as Yang Jing's was about to connect, he would gently guide it away, lean aside to evade, or use a clever technique to dissipate its power. He made it look effortless, but in truth, every block and redirection embodied the very essence of the Mountain-Shattering Fist.
The more he fought, the more engrossed Yang Jing became. He poured all the insights from his recent training into his movements, and his strikes grew increasingly fierce.
But no matter how he varied his attacks, Liu Maolin neutralized them with ease. Occasionally, using the force of their impact, he would press lightly on Yang Jing's arm. That brief touch was like a reminder, instantly showing Yang Jing where his own force was stagnating.
Yang Jing knew in his heart. 'This isn't a spar. Fourth Senior Brother is just practicing with me, deliberately holding back to guide my attacks.'
This thoughtfulness warmed his heart more than any verbal instruction, and he put even more power into his fists.
After dozens of hard-fought rounds, Yang Jing's forehead was beaded with sweat and his breathing was ragged. Yet his eyes shone, and an exhilarating feeling flowed through his very bones.
Seeing that Yang Jing's technique was becoming smoother, a glint suddenly flashed in Liu Maolin's eyes. The gentle force behind his fists abruptly became a deep, heavy power.
It wasn't a vicious, injurious blow. He simply used the impact of a block to flick his wrist, sending a clever pulse of force surging up Yang Jing's arm.
Yang Jing felt a force like a tidal wave wash over him, forcing him back three steps before he could regain his balance.
He was about to press forward again when he saw that Liu Maolin had already withdrawn his fists. Liu Maolin smiled. "You're progressing quickly, Junior Brother. In a few more days, it might be time for you to attempt a breakthrough."
Yang Jing stood up straight, bowing solemnly with cupped fists. "Thank you for your guidance, Fourth Senior Brother. I've grasped a few more key principles."
.....
In a corner of the courtyard, the swaying branches of an old locust tree concealed three figures.
Lv Yang leaned against the trunk, spinning a copper coin between his fingertips. He slanted his gaze toward the two who had just finished sparring, a mocking sneer on his lips.
Zhou Lin stood beside him with her arms crossed, one of her delicate brows raised. Her gaze swept over Yang Jing as if he were some strange curio, and she finally let out a scoff before shaking her head.
As for Zhang Kehan, he was scratching his chin, an expression of undisguised disdain on his face.
"Heh, look at this kid, putting on an act," Lv Yang scoffed, stopping the coin between his fingers. "He used to hang out with us, and now he's acting like one of those simpletons, foolishly training all day. Does he really think he can make something of himself?"
Zhou Lin snorted, her voice sharp. "Isn't that the truth? Fourth Senior Brother is just too good-natured, actually humoring him like this. The kid's moves looked a bit more decent than before, but when it comes to the true essence of the Mountain-Shattering Fist, he's still a long way off."
She glanced at Yang Jing, remembering how he used to be their lackey—always sucking up, drinking with them, and picking up the tab. To see him now, dripping with sweat from hard work, was simply jarring.
Zhang Kehan chimed in, "So what if he looks decent? Don't forget, the breakthrough comes next. Tsk, tsk. Bright Force... that's not something you can achieve through mindless training."
He paused, the contempt in his voice growing stronger. "How many people in our Martial Arts Hall get stuck at this stage? Haven't most of the disciples who failed been blocked at this very step, forced to leave in disgrace?"
Unlike Lv Yang and Zhou Lin, who came from wealthy families, Zhang Kehan's background was the most common, the one closest to Yang Jing's.
In the past, when Yang Jing followed them around, Zhang Kehan had often treated him like a personal gofer. But now that Yang Jing no longer ran with their crowd, he had become the lowest on the totem pole. All the menial tasks now fell to him.
Therefore, even more than Lv Yang and Zhou Lin, Zhang Kehan was the one who truly resented Yang Jing. He was the most disgruntled. Gazing at Yang Jing's retreating figure, he sneered.
"How difficult is a breakthrough? Out of twenty or thirty people who attempt it, you might not even get one success.
"And what kind of Root Bone does Yang Jing have? A Lower-Grade Root Bone, and a poor one at that. Back when he was following at our heels, even his horse stance was shakier than anyone else's. With a foundation that bad, he actually dreams of reaching the heavens in a single step?"
Lv Yang nodded. "Exactly. This breakthrough is no joke. If you mess up, you can damage your meridians, making the next attempt exponentially harder. Fail three times, and you're done for life."
He flicked the copper coin in his hand and sneered, "I can't wait to see what a miserable wreck he is after he fails. Heh, does he really think he can completely transform himself just by leaving us and sucking up to Liu Maolin?"
"If you ask me, he'll be brave enough to try once, at most."
Zhou Lin pursed her lips. "Once he gets injured and is crying his eyes out in pain, I bet he'll come crawling back to us. Whether we'd take him back, though, is another story. Besides—"
Her tone shifted, tinged with schadenfreude. "Senior Brother Lv and I have both attempted a breakthrough before. We know how dangerous it is. With Yang Jing's abilities, I doubt he'll even make it through his first try. He might just end up crippled for good."
The three of them watched Yang Jing with mocking expressions.
They were all certain Yang Jing would fail his breakthrough and eagerly awaited the miserable sight.
They knew his Root Bone, and they knew all too well how difficult a breakthrough on the Martial Dao was.
Zhang Kehan watched Yang Jing's figure, finding the sight of him more and more grating. He waited silently in his heart, 'I'm waiting to see you crash and burn. That'll teach you that some things can't be earned with a temporary burst of passion.'
'If your Root Bone is no good, all the effort in the world is useless.'
.....
Meanwhile, Yang Jing hadn't noticed Lv Yang and his cronies. Or perhaps, he simply didn't care.
Yang Jing was completely absorbed in his training these days and had long since put Lv Yang and the others out of his mind.
At this moment, Yang Jing was staring with excitement at the status panel displaying his martial arts progress—