He touched the two porcelain vials in his robes, which held a few Rejuvenation Pills and nine Qi Storage Pills. If the energy provided by the beast meat in his body was depleted during practice, these elixirs would come in handy.

However, his injuries hadn’t healed yet, so he didn’t plan on any high-intensity training. He would just take it step-by-step, using his fist practice to slowly recuperate.

"Brother Jing, not going to eat a little more?" Yang An asked with a simple, honest smile as he cleared the bowls and chopsticks.

"I’ve had enough, Brother. I’m off to the Martial Arts Hall," Yang Jing said, wiping his mouth. He gathered his things, grabbed his cloth bag, and walked out the door.

About fifteen minutes later.

Yang Jing arrived at Sun’s Martial Arts Hall in Chengping Square.

In the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall, seven or eight disciples were already practicing their horse stance, lifting stone locks, and training their fists. When they saw Yang Jing walk in, they all stopped what they were doing and cupped their fists respectfully. "Good morning, Senior Brother Yang!"

"Morning."

Yang Jing noticed the change in his fellow disciples’ attitudes but didn’t pay it much mind. ’In the end, it all comes down to one’s own strength.’

He nodded back with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the group before he walked straight to the wall.

He took off his short tunic, revealing a lean, powerful torso.

His skin still bore the marks from the past two days of competition. Three claw marks on his right arm had already scabbed over, a purple bruise colored his left ribs, and a faint fist print was starkly visible on his lower abdomen—a memento from yesterday’s clash with Zhou Tong.

He then strode to the center of the front courtyard, ready to practice his fist techniques.

’Time to begin.’

Yang Jing took a deep breath, sank into his horse stance, and slowly executed the opening move of the Mountain-Shattering Fist.

His fists pushed out slowly, stirring the air with a steady whoosh. Every move and every form was executed with immense solidity.

He didn’t rush to circulate his Inner Strength. Instead, he used the rhythm of the fist technique to gradually convert the heat from the tiger meat in his body into Inner Strength, simultaneously guiding this gentle energy to flow through his injured organs, slowly mending the damage like a warm water bath.

The surrounding disciples looked at the scars on his body, then at his meticulous form as he practiced despite his injuries, and their eyes filled with admiration.

"Senior Brother Yang already took fourth place in the tournament, and he’s still pushing himself this hard..."

"Look at his injuries. He must have fought tooth and nail for them. If it were me, I’d have been resting long ago."

"We need to work harder too. Senior Brother Yang is so incredible, yet he’s still this diligent. What excuse do we have to slack off?"

"Who the hell do you think you are, comparing yourself to Senior Brother Yang? No matter how hard you train, you’ll never be a fraction as good as him. I heard that even though Senior Brother Yang has a Lower-Grade Root Bone, his talent in other areas is exceptionally high. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d be this strong."

Amidst the whispers, there was some debate, but mostly a sense of shame and inadequacy. The disciples reset their horse stances, their spirit a few notches higher than before.

Immersed in his fist techniques, Yang Jing was oblivious to the discussions around him.

An unknown amount of time passed. He finished a full set of the Mountain-Shattering Fist and was about to regulate his breathing for a moment when a clear, feminine voice called out from behind him: "Junior Brother Yang."

He turned and saw Sun Ningxiang walking out from the inner courtyard.

She was dressed in a moon-white martial arts uniform, its hem swaying gently with her steps.

Just moments ago, she had scanned the courtyard upon entering and visibly relaxed when she saw Yang Jing was already there. But when her gaze fell upon the injuries on his body, she couldn’t help but freeze for a second.

’In the past, I only thought of this junior brother as a quiet, reserved person who did nothing but train. But now, looking at the various scars on his body and his sweat-soaked back outlining the smooth lines of his muscles... there’s an inexplicable, rugged charm to him.’

She forcefully suppressed the thought as soon as it emerged, her cheeks growing slightly hot.

"Senior Sister Ning Xiang." Yang Jing cupped his fist in salute.

"My father is waiting for you in the inner courtyard. He wants to see you," Sun Ningxiang said, composing herself. Her tone returned to its usual calm.

"Alright. I was just about to report to Master anyway," Yang Jing said with a nod. He picked up his short tunic, draped it over his shoulders, and followed Sun Ningxiang toward the inner courtyard.

The two of them passed through the Moon Gate and entered the inner courtyard.

The bluestone path was flanked by several stalks of green bamboo, and morning dew dripped from the leaves, splashing into tiny droplets on the ground.

Sun Ningxiang walked in front, her peripheral vision occasionally flicking toward Yang Jing beside her. The curiosity and astonishment in her heart had yet to subside.

She truly couldn’t figure out how on earth Yang Jing had fought his way to fourth place.

The tournament was packed with experts. Even the best among those at the Peak of Dark Energy had to give their all just to secure a spot in the top eight, let alone fight their way to fourth.

Take the Martial Arts Hall’s head disciple, Xu Hong, for example. He was already at the Peak of Dark Energy, yet he lost to Zhou Zhiqiang in the ring and failed to even take first place.

How long had it been since Yang Jing broke through to the Dark Energy realm? For him to be able to defeat so many famous experts was simply unbelievable.

「In the study of the inner courtyard.」

Sun Yong was sitting in the Grandmaster’s Chair behind his desk, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the tabletop.

The sky outside the window had already brightened, but he hadn’t slept all night, and there were faint, dark circles under his eyes.

The strong tea on the desk had been steeped three times and had long since gone cold.

His feelings were incredibly complex—one part fury, one part elation. This bittersweet mix of emotions had kept him tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep.

The fury came from Lin Yue being gravely injured. Lin Yue was the disciple into whom he had poured the most effort. With his outstanding talent and superior root bone, he was a prime candidate to break through to the Transformation Realm. Yet, he had been severely wounded at the very age he should have been making the most progress. He would be bedridden for several months at least, and his Martial Dao progress would inevitably be greatly affected. At this thought, Sun Yong couldn’t help but clench his fists.

But then, the thought of Yang Jing made his heart feel much lighter.

’Fourth place in the tournament!’

Sun’s Martial Arts Hall had been in decline for over a decade, and the city gossip had never stopped. People said that he, Sun Yong, had no worthy successor, that Sun’s Martial Arts Hall was on its last legs. Even some second- and third-rate martial arts halls dared to laugh at them behind their backs.

The matter had been a thorn in his side for years, almost becoming a demon in his heart.

Now, Yang Jing had suddenly risen as a dark horse. Not only did he make it onto the tournament rankings, but he had taken fourth place! It was as if he had forcefully silenced all those mocking voices.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

A knock sounded, followed by Yang Jing’s respectful voice from outside the door. "Master, your disciple, Yang Jing, has come to see you."

Hearing the voice, Sun Yong shot to his feet, the fatigue on his face vanishing in an instant. He strode to the door and opened it himself.

"Come in, quickly, come in!"

He clapped Yang Jing on the shoulder with a smile. The force wasn’t light, but it conveyed genuine joy.

Once Yang Jing was inside the study, Sun Yong pointed to a chair by the desk and said, "Sit."

Then he turned to Sun Ningxiang, who had followed them in, and instructed, "Ning Xiang, go get that tin of ’Green Bud Jade Leaf’ and brew a pot of tea for your junior brother."

Sun Ningxiang froze upon hearing this. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Green Bud Jade Leaf was her father’s treasured tea. It was harvested from the cliffs of Cloud Mist Mountain outside Jintai Prefecture City, with a new crop only available once every three years. It was said to contain a faint trace of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, which was greatly beneficial for nourishing a Martial Artist’s meridians.

’Tea made from such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures was priceless and impossible to find on the market. Her father usually treated it like a precious jewel, yet today he was willing to take it out to serve Yang Jing?’

Though she was somewhat surprised, she still answered, "Yes," and turned to walk toward the tea room.

Yang Jing was also taken aback. He had heard Liu Maolin mention the name "Green Bud Jade Leaf" before and knew how precious it was. He quickly said, "Master, there’s no need for this—"

"Nonsense. You’re my own disciple. Why be so formal?"

Sun Yong waved his hand dismissively and sat down, beaming. His gaze landed on Yang Jing, growing more and more pleased the longer he looked. "I’ve heard all about what happened yesterday. For you to take fourth place in the tournament, you’ve brought great honor to the Martial Arts Hall and to me, your master. This bit of tea is nothing."

The morning light filtered through the papered window of the study, seeming to soften the wrinkles at the corners of Sun Yong’s eyes.

The frustration he had suppressed for more than a decade dissipated in an instant. He felt a sense of relief wash over his entire body, and even the way he looked at Yang Jing was like gazing at an uncut jade that already possessed an inner brilliance.

Sun Yong picked up the cold tea on his desk and took a sip. Looking at Yang Jing across from him, he asked gently, "I left the tournament grounds midway through yesterday. Tell me the details of the later matches. There are rumors flying around outside, but it’s always better to hear it directly from you."

Yang Jing sat up straight and began to speak slowly. "I first fought against He Han... After that, I faced Xu Guangwei. His Inner Strength was profound... During that time, after defeating He Han, Miss Jinlian asked Fourth Senior Brother to deliver a Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill to me. After taking it, my Inner Strength was replenished, which allowed me to hold on until the end and luckily defeat Xu Guangwei."

When he mentioned the Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill, Yang Jing’s voice was filled with gratitude. "That elixir’s effects were incredibly potent. Not only did it replenish my Inner Strength, but it also significantly lessened my previous hidden injuries. Otherwise, I might not have been able to last until the fight with Zhou Tong."

Speaking of the final match, Yang Jing’s expression was frank. "When I fought Zhou Tong, his left arm was already injured, so he couldn’t exert his full strength. The power of his hard-style techniques was greatly reduced. I used the advantage of my flexible Body Technique to maneuver around him, wearing him down until his stamina gave out, and that’s how I managed a lucky win. In the end, I only won because he was injured."