Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint-Chapter 44 - 42: The Second Round

"You must be Chen Qing. I often hear Xiaofang mention you."

Xu Xiuhua’s voice was gentle, her smile radiant. "You’re just as heroic and distinguished as they say."

Chen Qing cupped his fist. "You praise me too much, Madam. My meager skills are nothing to speak of."

’Xu Fang definitely wouldn’t mention him often. This is just polite talk.’

"It’s not easy for someone of talent to come from Mute Bay, so I’ll be direct."

Xu Xiuhua’s smile faded as she got straight to the point. "You have a great deal of potential, and my estate happens to be in need of a Head Guard. Although the Huang Family is not a Martial Arts Family, we have deep roots and extensive connections here. Meat, supplements, even help with networking and paving your path forward in Martial Arts... As long as you agree, the Huang Family can provide it all for you."

She paused slightly, her tone growing more emphatic. "You would only need to focus on your training and serve me. With my backing, your path in Martial Arts will be a hundred times smoother than struggling and stumbling on your own."

’Head Guard!?’

Had it been anyone else, they might have been thrilled by the offer.

But upon hearing this, an almost imperceptible smile touched the corners of Chen Qing’s mouth.

’The Zhu Family and the Iron Hand Gang invited me to be a Guest, which was at least a respectful position.’

’But this madam from the Huang Family actually wants me to stoop to being a Head Guard?’

’No matter how nice the title sounds, it’s ultimately the status of a servant.’

’Even if the Huang Family has abundant resources, would they really pour them all into me?’

’And does Xu Xiuhua truly carry that much weight in the Huang Family?’

"Brother Qing, this is a rare opportunity, you should..."

Xu Fang, listening from the side, had eyes shining with excitement. She felt her aunt’s arrangements were both thoughtful and thorough.

The Huang Family was one of the Five Great Noble Families of Gaolin County, far beyond what any ordinary wealthy household could compare to.

"Thank you for your generous offer, Madam, and thank you for your kind intentions, Miss Xu."

Chen Qing cupped his fist again, his tone calm as he said, "For now, I only wish to focus on my fist training without any distractions."

Xu Fang was stunned, never having imagined he would refuse.

The smile on Xu Xiuhua’s face remained, but her voice grew colder. "In this world, I’m afraid ambition alone will get you nowhere."

"I have disappointed you, Madam." Chen Qing said no more, cupping his fist in a bow. "I will take my leave."

"Brother Qing!"

Xu Fang instinctively wanted to follow, but when she glanced at Xu Xiuhua’s darkening expression, she froze in place.

She knew full well that everything she had today depended on this aunt of hers.

Once Chen Qing was far enough away, the smile on Xu Xiuhua’s face vanished completely, replaced by a cold sneer. "He doesn’t know what’s good for him! A mud loach from a wild river will always be a mud loach. He’ll never amount to anything. The day will come when he regrets this."

...

As Chen Qing left the venue, ready to head home, he happened to catch sight of Qin Lie.

Qin Lie was laughing and chatting with four or five others, all of them dressed in the training uniforms of the Martial Arts Institute. Their vital energy was abundant, clearly indicating they were Dark Force experts.

Their gazes met briefly in the air before they both looked away and went their separate ways.

Someone recognized Chen Qing and said in a low voice, "Brother Qin, wasn’t that Chen Qing from your institute just now?"

After all, Chen Qing’s feat of drawing the Ten-Stone Bow today had left a deep impression.

"Yes, that was him..."

Qin Lie’s expression was a little unnatural. He paused, then added, "But, well... at the institute, he just buries his head in hard training. His personality is a bit withdrawn."

Someone next to him asked curiously, "Oh? Withdrawn? Brother Qin, since you’re in the same institute, you must know him better, right?"

Qin Lie said nonchalantly, "I wouldn’t say I know him. He’s always been a loner. The training hall, the dining hall, his quarters—that’s his whole world. He... really doesn’t have much to do with people like us."

"His fundamentals are very solid. The first round today tested physical strength, which you could say is his strong suit. The second round tomorrow will test actual combat..."

At this point, Qin Lie trailed off at just the right moment.

The gazes of the others shifted slightly. Understanding his unspoken meaning, they murmured a few words of agreement and didn’t ask any more questions.

「The next day」

The second round of the Martial Arts Examination—live combat—began with the sound of a gong.

The atmosphere in the training grounds was exceptionally fiery.

Many who had been disappointed in the first round were rubbing their palms together, eager to defy fate and turn their fortunes around in this round.

Shouts, the sounds of stretching limbs, and the low murmurs of sparring opponents mingled in the air.

On the viewing platform not far away, Xu Xiuhua sat primly, pointing a slender finger toward Chen Qing on the field. "See that boy?"

"I see him."

Beside her, the Huang Family’s Guest, Lin Sheng, bowed his head and replied, "The one who drew the Ten-Stone Bow yesterday. So young, with no small amount of potential."

Lin Sheng asked probingly, "Is the Madam thinking of cherishing such talent?"

A cold smile touched the corners of Xu Xiuhua’s lips. "Cherish him? Later, if you get the chance, knock him off the stage for me!"

Most duels in the Martial Arts Examination were meant to stop once a victor was clear. To be knocked off the stage under the watchful eyes of the public would not only be a complete loss of face, but it would also affect the examiner’s evaluation.

Hearing this, Lin Sheng’s eyes narrowed. "Rest assured, Madam. The boy’s vital energy may be strong, but he is ultimately inexperienced. He’s a long way from understanding true life-and-death combat. If he runs into me, I’ll make sure he gets a taste of the Huang Family’s methods and learns his place."

He was confident in his own seasoned experience, having passed through the gates of life and death several times, and didn’t much care for the brilliance Chen Qing had shown yesterday.

Meanwhile, Chen Qing’s number was called early in this round, and he was one of the first to take the stage.

His opponent was a burly, strapping man. Seeing it was Chen Qing, a wry smile couldn’t help but appear on his face. "Yuan Tong, from the Weapon Forging Shop! I ask for your guidance!"

Chen Qing’s performance yesterday had been stunning, and he had seen it with his own eyes.

Facing such a strong opponent in his first match was inevitably nerve-wracking. Yuan Tong hadn’t expected to meet such a powerful adversary so soon, but as a Dark Force expert himself, he took a deep breath and quickly composed himself.

"Chen Qing of the Long Arm Fist."

Chen Qing cupped his fist in return. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Yuan Tong let out a sharp cry, stomped hard on the green bricks, and his body shot forward like an angry arrow loosed from a bowstring.

The Weapon Forging Shop was the foremost weapons workshop in Gaolin County, and its secret technique, the ’Thunderclap Palm,’ was incomparably fierce and powerful.

Yuan Tong’s palms flew, the wind from them tearing through the air with a dull roar. This was his ultimate technique, the ’Eight Linked Strikes.’

The attack was like furious waves crashing on the shore, relentless and unending. Once caught in it, it was extremely easy to have one’s stamina completely drained.

Chen Qing’s expression remained unchanged. With one hand as if lifting a mountain and the other as if searching for a pearl in the sea, he executed a clever variation of the ’Spiritual Ape Climbing Branches’ from the Long Arm Boxing Technique.

This move not only allowed him to gracefully evade the fierce palm wind but also, in a flash, turned his defense into an attack, aiming straight for the central palace!

Yuan Tong’s heart pounded. In his haste, he could only raise his palm to meet the blow head-on.

BANG!

The clash of fist and palm actually produced a crisp sound like the ringing of metal!

’What domineering Power!’ Yuan Tong felt a massive force surge up his arm. Half his body instantly went numb, and he staggered back several steps.

Seizing the advantage, Chen Qing didn’t let up. He tapped his toes lightly and slid forward, closing the distance like a spiritual ape leaping across a ravine.

Yuan Tong’s famous ’Eight Linked Strikes’ had been broken in their very first exchange, and he was immediately thrown on the defensive, struggling to keep up.

Their figures intertwined, fists and palms cutting through the air.

After more than thirty moves, Chen Qing spotted an opening as Yuan Tong was recovering his breath. His fist, seeming slow but actually fast, struck him squarely in the hollow of his shoulder.

The Fist Force was released and retracted in an instant. Yuan Tong felt his qi and blood churn. He let out a muffled grunt and retreated several more steps.

"I concede!"

"Thank you for holding back!" Yuan Tong steadied himself, his expression complicated. He knew full well that Chen Qing had shown mercy; otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have lasted twenty moves.

After his victory, Chen Qing didn’t leave the field. Instead, he stood not far away, carefully observing the matches on the other stages, secretly pondering how he should control his own power.

Just then, from the direction of a distant stage, a sudden burst of surprised cries erupted!

"Hm?"

Chen Qing’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked toward the source of the sound.

...