He was already twenty-nine and would turn thirty next year.

Once a Martial Artist passed thirty, their vitality would begin to decline. Breaking through a bottleneck then would be harder than ascending to the heavens.

’His master’s words were a reminder. This was his last chance.’ 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

He nodded gravely. "I understand, Master. I will not disappoint you."

The spar ended, and the disciples gradually dispersed, still whispering amongst themselves about the match.

’Senior Brother Yang Jing’s Inner Strength could actually overpower our eldest senior brother, who’s at the Peak of Dark Energy. How strong will he be when he reaches that level himself?’

This news was enough to send shockwaves through the entire Martial Arts Hall for a long time.

A few of the newer disciples now saw Yang Jing as a goal to strive for, practicing their forms with renewed vigor.

Just then, a disciple glanced idly toward the main gate and thought he saw a dark figure flash behind the old locust tree across the way.

He rubbed his eyes and stared again. The space behind the tree was empty, with only the RUSTLE of wind through the leaves. He couldn’t help but mutter, "Did I see that wrong?"

In the alley outside the Martial Arts Hall’s main gate, Shen Lie’s brows were knitted tightly, his fists clenched so hard his palms were sweating.

He had hidden behind the tree and watched the entire fight between Yang Jing and Xu Hong with perfect clarity.

He had thought that once his injuries healed, a surprise attack would be more than enough to deal with Yang Jing. He never expected that in just one short month, the man’s strength would have improved so drastically.

His Inner Strength was immense, his fist techniques solid. He had defeated Xu Hong without even using his full power.

’That brat...’

Shen Lie gritted his teeth. The hatred in his heart flared, but it was now mixed with a new sense of caution.

’It seems teaching Yang Jing a lesson by myself is no longer possible.’

His eyes glinted with malice as he began to plot.

’I have to find more help. Experts at the Peak of Dark Energy would be best.’

’Once I’ve gathered enough men, we’ll pick a dark and stormy night, cover our faces, and ambush Yang Jing when he’s alone. We’ll beat him until he’s severely injured!’

’Who would be able to trace it back to me then?’

Besides, he was only planning to severely injure Yang Jing, not kill him. After all, Yang Jing now held an official position. If he were actually killed, the fallout would be immense.

The Court would certainly get involved, a thought that made him shudder.

’But even if I don’t kill him, I have to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget!’

’I can’t let this go.’

’Not only will I teach Yang Jing a lesson, but I’ll also let Zhao Yuman of Zhao’s Escort Agency see the consequences of offending me, Shen Lie!’

’It would be perfect if I could intimidate that arrogant little wench!’

Shen Lie straightened his collar, suppressed the malice in his heart, and, feigning the air of a casual passerby, quickly walked away from the mouth of the alley with his head lowered.

...

As the sky darkened, lanterns in the Martial Arts Hall’s front courtyard were lit one after another.

Under the dim yellow light, Yang Jing finished his routine. Beads of sweat on his forehead glistened in the lamplight.

He walked to the wall, picked up the shirt he’d left there, and put it on. Slinging a cloth bag over his shoulder, he left the Martial Arts Hall as several servant disciples watched him go.

He glanced toward the Inner City but didn’t head that way.

The Exotic Beast Pavilion Token his master had given him was still tucked away in his clothes, but he wasn’t in a hurry to use it.

He still had a few Spirit Fish left at home, enough to last him several days.

High-grade Exotic Beast Meat was good, but it would lose its Spiritual Qi if left out too long. Besides, in this hot weather, it would spoil quickly. He could pick it up after he finished the Spirit Fish to avoid any waste.

Leaving Chengping Square, Yang Jing headed straight for Tongyi Square.

He initially thought about making a detour to Liu’s Medical Hall. He hadn’t seen Liu Maolin in two days and was a little worried.

But then he reconsidered. His Raging Wave Kicks were on the verge of a breakthrough, and tonight was the perfect opportunity to shatter the bottleneck in one go.

In these increasingly chaotic times, nothing was more important than improving his strength. It was the foundation of his survival.

So he suppressed the urge to visit the medical hall and quickened his pace toward home. He wanted to use this time to break through with his Raging Wave Kicks to the Dark Energy realm. His strength would surely take a great leap then.

As he returned to Tongyi Square, he saw from a distance a plume of white smoke rising from the chimney of his small courtyard, standing out against the twilight sky.

The corners of Yang Jing’s mouth turned up. His cousin, Yang An, must be making dinner.

He pushed open the courtyard gate and, sure enough, saw Yang An in the yard practicing his kicks—the basic forms of the Raging Wave Kicks he had taught him a few days prior.

Yang An’s movements were still somewhat clumsy, but his form was decent, and every kick and step was filled with earnest concentration.

Yang Jing knew his cousin was just as driven. While Yang Jing trained at the Martial Arts Hall during the day, Brother An trained at home.

He even seized the moments while cooking to practice his martial arts.

Yang Jing stood at the entrance and watched for a moment, feeling a wave of emotion.

’My cousin’s innate talent is ultimately lacking. It’s low-grade, just like mine, which makes cultivation incredibly difficult.’

’He’s been training for two months now, but he’s still a long way from achieving Inner Strength and breaking through to the Bright Energy realm, to say nothing of the bottleneck he’ll face.’

’Without the help of high-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, it’ll be next to impossible for him to succeed in his breakthrough.’

"Brother Jing, you’re back?" Yang An noticed him and quickly stopped, a simple, honest smile on his face. "Go ahead and get cleaned up. Dinner’s almost ready. We still have some Spirit Fish left. I added some nourishing herbs and wanted to let it stew a little longer."

He knew Yang Jing’s training consumed a great deal of vitality, so he always made a point of preparing extra nourishing ingredients.

Yang Jing nodded. "Alright."

He went back to his room to put down his cloth bag but didn’t rush to bathe.

He still had to train tonight. A shower after he finished would be more refreshing, and more efficient.

He walked to the water basin in the corner of the courtyard, washed his hands with cold water, and splashed a few handfuls on his face. The cold shock invigorated him. He then sat on a chair in the main hall to catch his breath.

A short while later, Yang An poked his head out of the kitchen. "Brother Jing, time to eat!"

Yang Jing got up at the call and went into the kitchen to help carry out the dishes.

Soon, a full meal was laid out on the square table in the main hall.

In a clay pot in the center of the table, a Spirit Fish rested in a milky-white broth. The flesh of the fish had a pearly sheen, and steam billowed from it, carrying a rich, savory aroma that was enough to make one’s mouth water.

Next to it were two side dishes. One was stir-fried horse meat, a deep, saucy red with a smoky fragrance.

The other was lightly stir-fried seasonal vegetables, bright green and looking crisp.

At the corner of the table sat a large bowl of brown rice, its grains plump and giving off a faint, pleasant aroma.

The two sat down to eat. Yang An instinctively pushed the clay pot of Spirit Fish toward Yang Jing. "Eat up. The Spirit Fish replenishes your vitality. It’s perfect to support your training."

Yang Jing scooped up a piece of fish with his spoon and placed it in Yang An’s bowl. "Brother, you have some too. You need to keep your strength up."

Yang An quickly waved his hand, declining with a smile. "No, you have it. I’ve never been a fan of fish. The smell’s always put me off."

Yang Jing knew he was just trying to save the good food for him, so he didn’t press the issue and focused on eating.

The Spirit Fish meat was exceptionally savory and melted in his mouth. Shortly after swallowing, he felt a gentle warmth slide down his throat and spread through his limbs, making his entire body feel relaxed and comfortable.

Yang An, for his part, held his bowl and shoveled down big mouthfuls of brown rice with the horse meat and vegetables, eating with gusto.

After the meal, Yang Jing wiped his mouth. "Brother, I’m heading out to the courtyard."

He planned to take advantage of his current abundant vitality to practice his Raging Wave Kicks and, in one fell swoop, achieve his breakthrough.

"Go on, go on. I’ll take care of the dishes."

Yang An deftly cleared the table, carrying the dishes from the main hall to the kitchen in several trips and stacking them in the basin by the stove.

When he was done, he looked at the few scraps of meat and broth left at the bottom of the Spirit Fish pot on the stove. His eyes lit up. He picked up the pot, tilted his head back, and GULP GULP, poured everything into his mouth. He even picked out a few tiny fish bones, chewed them into a fine paste, and swallowed them down.

A moment later, he felt a current of heat rise from his Dantian and spread through his meridians to his limbs. His whole body grew warm, and a healthy flush appeared on his cheeks.

"Whoa, that’s some potent stuff!"

Yang An smacked his lips, a look of satisfied relish on his face, and quickly picked up a rag to wipe the pot clean.

The nourishing effect of the Spirit Fish was too powerful.

’I’m still a long way from even reaching the Bright Energy realm.’

’If I ate a whole piece of that Spirit Fish, I wouldn’t be able to sleep all night.’

’But a few sips of broth and chewing on the bones feels just right.’

...