After his breakthrough, Yang Jing didn’t stop to rest. Instead, he continued practicing the Surging Waves Leg Technique.

Now, his leg technique had less deliberate effort and more of a natural, seamless grace to its movements.

He carefully savored the sensation of Dark Energy flowing through his legs, honing each movement to be more precise. He was determined to stabilize this "hard-won" new realm as quickly as possible.

Under the moonlight, his figure was sometimes like a gentle breeze rustling through willows—light and agile—and at other times like a furious wave crashing against the shore—immeasurably fierce. Every footfall was perfectly placed, as if in harmony with some natural rhythm.

After practicing for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Yang Jing slowly concluded his practice. He stood in the courtyard, his breathing steady, as the Dark Energy around him gradually receded, returning him to his usual calm state.

He turned to Yang An, who had been standing in the corner of the courtyard the whole time, and asked with a smile, "Brother, what did you think of my Surging Waves Leg Technique practice just now?"

Yang An was taken aback. He scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and chuckled sheepishly. "At first, you were moving too fast, like you were floating. My eyes could barely keep up, and I couldn’t see most of the moves clearly."

He paused, recalling the scene carefully, and added, "Then you seemed to slow down a bit. I could see the movements clearly and could just about make out the patterns of the moves. But... something felt off. Even though you were slower, it seemed stranger and even more powerful than before. I can’t quite put my finger on why."

Hearing this, Yang Jing couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

’When I started, I was moving fast because I was still at the Bright Energy level. I hadn’t broken through yet.’

’After breaking through to the Dark Energy realm, my understanding of the Surging Waves Leg Technique deepened immensely. The movements seemed slower, but in reality, both the agility of my body technique and the speed of my kicks were a huge step up from before.’

’It’s just that Yang An hasn’t even begun to cultivate Inner Strength, so he’s too far removed from the Dark Energy realm. Of course he couldn’t see the subtleties. He just found the slower movements easier to follow.’

If the other Dark Energy disciples from the Martial Arts Hall had been here, they would have been stunned by his Surging Waves Leg Technique after the breakthrough.

Within those seemingly slower movements, every inch contained the subtle circulation of Dark Energy. The coordination between his body technique and leg work had reached a state of perfection, and every gesture carried an air of unadorned mastery. It was countless times stronger than his previous Bright Energy level, which only pursued raw speed.

Yang Jing stood in the courtyard, feeling the surging Dark Energy within him as thoughts raced through his mind.

’If I were to fight First Senior Brother Xu Hong now, the outcome would be completely different.’

’With my current Inner Strength, even without using the body technique of the Surging Waves Leg Technique, I could crush him just by meeting him head-on with my Inner Strength alone.’

’It wouldn’t be a narrow victory like during the day, but absolute domination.’

’I estimate I could injure Xu Hong with three punches at most.’

’I could seriously wound him within a dozen moves. It definitely wouldn’t be like the daytime fight, where it took nearly a hundred exchanges before he conceded.’

The leap in power from his breakthrough gave him a much clearer understanding of his own combat strength.

As his thoughts swirled, Shen Lie’s venomous face materialized in his mind.

He could never forget the look in Shen Lie’s eyes after he defeated him on the training ground’s tournament stage—a venom and hatred so intense it was almost tangible.

Yang Jing knew very well that Shen Lie was not someone to be trifled with.

If given the chance, Shen Lie would never let him go.

Besides, he couldn’t stay in Yuhe County forever, always protecting his family. Sooner or later, he would have to go out into the world to gain experience.

’But if I leave, what about my family? When I’m not here, will Shen Lie take his anger out on them?’

As he slowly contemplated this, Yang Jing’s gaze grew colder.

He didn’t dare to take the gamble.

To gamble that Shen Lie would abide by the rules, to gamble that he wouldn’t dare to harm innocent people.

In these chaotic times, so-called rules were fragile and easily broken.

Yang Jing had long since made up his mind to completely eliminate the hidden danger that was Shen Lie. He had just been waiting for the right opportunity.

And tonight was the perfect opportunity.

A month had passed since the commotion of the training ground tournament, and the town’s attention had gradually shifted away from him. The situation had calmed down.

Outsiders didn’t know about the deep-seated grudge between him and Shen Lie. Even if something "unexpected" happened to Shen Lie, it would be difficult to trace it back to him.

More importantly, he had broken through to the Dark Energy realm with his Surging Waves Leg Technique tonight. His overall strength had skyrocketed, and he was now confident he could kill Shen Lie with ease.

Yang Jing took a deep breath. Under the moonlight, his eyes became as sharp as a blade.

’It’s time to end this.’

Having made his decision, Yang Jing planned to make his move when the night grew deeper.

He walked to the corner of the courtyard and saw Yang An still studying leg techniques by the moonlight. He said, "Brother, it’s getting late and the wind is picking up. You should go inside and rest."

Yang An grunted in agreement, rubbing his sore legs. He smiled and said, "You get some rest too. Don’t practice too late."

Yang Jing acknowledged him and turned to the well.

He had exerted himself fully during his breakthrough, and his clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

He drew some water from the well, took a quick rinse, and changed into clean undergarments. He felt refreshed all over, and the Dark Energy within him flowed even more smoothly.

Returning to his room, Yang Jing didn’t lie down to sleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged on his bed, closed his eyes, and began to meditate and regulate his breathing.

He had just broken through and still felt a little restless and agitated.

He needed to calm his mind completely, suppressing both the exhilaration from his breakthrough and the sharp edge of his impending actions.

’To deal with an expert at the Peak of Dark Energy like Shen Lie, I must maintain absolute composure. There can be no room for error.’

The wind outside gradually grew stronger, causing the paper on the window to RUSTLE loudly.

After an unknown amount of time, Yang Jing opened his eyes. Listening to the silence outside, where almost no one was walking about, he knew it was time.

It was now deep into the night. Even the watchman’s clapper had fallen silent in the streets and alleys. Only the strong wind was left, rolling fallen leaves across the ground with a RUSTLING sound.

Dark clouds happened to obscure the moon, plunging the world into darkness. It was the very picture of a dark and windy night.

Yang Jing rose slowly and walked to the corner of the room.

There sat a large, old wooden chest, usually used for storing miscellaneous items and seasonal clothing.

He moved aside a few old cotton jackets piled on top, lifted the lid, and from the very bottom, he pulled out a set of black silk Night Clothes and a black cloth mask that covered most of his face.

Yang Jing picked up the Night Clothes and gave them a shake. The fabric was light yet durable. He sighed internally. ’As expected, it’s always good to have something like this on hand. The roads of the Jianghu are treacherous; you never know when you might need it.’

Yang Jing slipped out of his undergarments and changed into the black silk Night Clothes.

The fabric was smooth and cool against his skin. It didn’t restrict his movements at all, and even the cuffs and pant legs were tailored to be tight, preventing them from getting snagged in a fight.

’Impressive attention to detail. Not bad.’

Yang Jing immediately put on the black cloth mask, leaving only his calm, sharp eyes exposed, which blended into the surrounding night.

Once everything was in order, Yang Jing gently pushed open his door.

The sound of steady snoring came from the direction of the side room. Yang An was clearly fast asleep.

He lightened his steps, darting across the courtyard like a civet cat. When he pushed open the main gate, it made only a faint, almost inaudible CREAK before he silently melted into the darkness of the alley outside.

Leaving Tongyi Square, Yang Jing headed south.

He had resolved to eliminate the problem at its source from the very beginning. Over the past month, he had discreetly gathered information on Shen Lie, which naturally included the location of his residence in Anxing Square in the South City.

Yang Jing deliberately chose narrow alleys to travel through. He executed the newly mastered Surging Waves Leg Technique, his figure flitting swiftly between the mottled shadows of walls and trees.

With two of his martial arts now at the Dark Energy realm, his senses had become exceptionally sharp. Not even the ramblings of a drunkard at the end of an alley or the light scamper of a stray cat on a wall could escape his perception.

With skills like these, avoiding the scattered night patrols and late-night pedestrians was as easy as flipping his hand.

The night wind howled, whipping up dust and fallen leaves, and sent trash CLATTERING through the alleys.

Yang Jing moved without pause, crossing several streets and alleys in just a few leaps.

About fifteen minutes later, he arrived at Anxing Square in the South City.

Following a familiar path, Yang Jing circled around to the outside of a courtyard within the square.

He first hid behind an old tree on the street corner, using the cover of its branches and leaves to survey his surroundings.

The night was deep, and all the surrounding residences had extinguished their lights, leaving them in complete darkness.