He looked at Li Yumang, feeling no pride, only a faint sense of understanding.

’The Dark Energy and Mingjin Realms are simply two different levels.’

He had deliberately held back just now, using only the basic forms of the Mountain-Shattering Fist and thirty percent of his Inner Strength. If he had gone all out, his opponent probably wouldn’t have been able to withstand a single blow.

Li Mang clutched his chest, struggling to get up. After three or four attempts, he barely managed to get to his feet.

He gazed at Yang Jing, his eyes holding no resentment. He was thoroughly convinced of his defeat, knowing his opponent had held back. Otherwise, even if he hadn’t been knocked unconscious, he likely wouldn’t be able to stand.

’That Dark Energy was so dense and heavy... I couldn’t possibly have blocked it. This was a fair loss.’

The arena fell silent, the only sounds being Li Mang’s heavy breathing and the faint gasps of surprise from the crowd below.

The vast majority of the Martial Artists participating in the training ground trials were Mingjin Martial Artists; masters of the Dark Energy Realm were few and far between.

The power Yang Jing had just displayed might have seemed unremarkable to a Dark Energy master, but to these Mingjin Martial Artists, it was terrifying.

Although Li Mang was a Loose Cultivator, he was by no means weak. Yet in Yang Jing’s hands, he had been defeated in just two or three moves.

This made many of the Mingjin Martial Artists sigh to themselves. If they couldn’t reach the Dark Energy Realm, they were destined to be nothing more than background props in these trials.

Soon, a middle-aged man in an Official’s uniform stepped onto the arena. He glanced at the scene before announcing loudly, "The fourth match: Yang Jing of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall is the victor!"

Yang Jing cupped his fist in a salute, then turned and walked off the arena.

Li Mang also slowly made his way off the stage. As he passed Yang Jing, he muttered, "My respects."

Down in the crowd, Shen Lie’s gaze never left Yang Jing.

He watched the calm and steady way Yang Jing retracted his fist, and the corner of his mouth curled into a disdainful smirk.

’The guy is in the Dark Energy Realm, all right, and his Mountain-Shattering Fist looks decent enough. But that’s it.’

’Those punches looked clean, but the power behind them was sluggish, slow, and thin. Compared to my own vigorous Dark Energy, which I can command at will, his is more than a level below.’

’As the only master at the Peak of Dark Energy in Arena Seven, I’m determined to take first place!’

The moment he recalled the complicated look on Zhao Yuman’s face when she had mentioned this man, a nameless rage flared up inside him.

Although he had no intention of marrying Zhao Yuman, they were close now, and he naturally disliked the idea of her having another man on her mind.

At this thought, Shen Lie’s gaze toward Yang Jing grew several shades colder.

’Who does this punk think he is? What makes him worthy of Zhao Yuman’s attention?’

’If I run into him later, I’ll make sure he gets a taste of the Mountain-Breaking Fist from my Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall. I’ll break both his arms on the spot. It’ll be a good chance to show Zhao Yuman what I can do.’

’Let her see what a true Dark Energy master looks like, and who the real powerhouse she should be clinging to is.’

As Yang Jing stepped off the stage, he subconsciously scanned the crowd, and his eyes accidentally met another’s gaze.

It was a striking, martial-looking young man with a tall, straight posture and eyes as sharp as blades. He was staring right at him, the coldness and hostility in his gaze barely concealed.

Yang Jing frowned, his steps faltering for a moment.

’Who is this?’

’I don’t know many people in Yuhe County. Besides my fellow disciples from the martial arts hall and the folks at the Liu Family Medical Hall I sometimes interact with, I’m sure I’ve never made any deep-seated enemies. The few I did have, I’ve already... sent on their way.’

’But the hostility in his eyes is too obvious to be a mistake.’

’"Could he be related to those people I killed? Is he looking for revenge?"’

’"But I’m always so careful. Where could I have slipped up? Was it that time with Zhao Meng and Qian Bao from the Yiqi Gang?"’

’"Or was my performance just now too flashy?"’

Yang Jing shook his head to himself.

He had deliberately held back.

Back at Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, he had been a complete unknown. After breaking through to the Dark Energy Realm, he rarely went out to spar with disciples from other martial arts halls. There shouldn’t be much information about him in the city. While his lack of fame had its downsides, it was also an advantage—no one knew enough about him.

That’s why when Yang Jing stepped onto the arena, he had resolved to be as low-key as possible. He couldn’t be too flashy, at least not in the early rounds. He needed to save his best techniques for the more formidable opponents he’d face later.

Compared to Qian Feng’s earlier match, he had been far more reserved.

Yang Jing quickly ran through the possibilities, wondering if he had unintentionally offended this man somewhere in the past... If worst came to worst, to eliminate any future trouble, he’d have to find an opportunity to get rid of him.

Yang Jing’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive. He committed the young man’s appearance to memory: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a thick callus on the web of his left hand—clearly a seasoned practitioner who had spent years clenching his fist.

He grew wary. The man’s aura was profound, and his eyes held the ferocity of a veteran fighter. He was definitely not someone to be taken lightly.

’"Which martial arts hall is he from?"’

Yang Jing wondered.

’Of the three people Eldest Martial Brother Xu Hong mentioned, I’ve already identified Qian Feng. I just haven’t been able to put a face to the names Shen Lie and Chen Wu yet. Could this be one of them?’

’Whoever he is, as long as he’s hostile, I need to be on guard.’

He withdrew his gaze and found a spot to stand after leaving the arena. But instead of focusing on the matches as he had before, he kept part of his attention fixed on the martial-looking young man.

After Yang Jing revealed his strength as a Dark Energy master and easily defeated Li Mang, the other Martial Artists in the crowd looked at him with a newfound reverence.

The transition from the Mingjin Realm to the Dark Energy Realm was a massive hurdle, a difficult bottleneck to overcome.

Of all the Mingjin Martial Artists present, only a select few were destined to ever break through that bottleneck and enter the Dark Energy Realm.

It was only natural for them to pay close attention when faced with a Dark Energy master.

「Time slowly passed.」

Match after match unfolded. Winners advanced, losers were eliminated, and the atmosphere around Arena Seven grew increasingly tense.

As one match concluded, the middle-aged man in the Official’s uniform once again stepped onto the arena. He announced the results of the previous bout, then called out, "First round, twelfth match: Chen Wu of the Chen Family versus Ouyang Quan of Four Seas Martial Arts Hall."

As his voice faded, Chen Wu and Ouyang Quan, who had been standing below, began to move, making their way to the arena.

Yang Jing’s gaze landed on Chen Wu.

According to his Eldest Martial Brother, Xu Hong, Chen Wu hailed from a prominent family in Yuhe County. He now stood on the arena dressed in fine brocade, his expression serene.

When the match began, Chen Wu faced Ouyang Quan of Four Seas Martial Arts Hall’s ferocious assault. His Tongbei Fist flowed like clouds and water—seemingly gentle, but concealing a fierce power.

With a flick of his wrist, the momentum of his fist suddenly accelerated. It was a simple punch, yet it seemed to channel the power of his entire body as it slammed heavily into his opponent’s chest.

The Mingjin Martial Artist cried out as he was sent flying sideways, landing hard on the edge of the arena. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth; he was clearly seriously injured.

Chen Wu retracted his fist and stood tall, not a ripple of emotion in his eyes, as if he had just done something utterly insignificant.

Yang Jing nodded to himself. ’That Tongbei Fist is truly impressive,’ he thought. ’The power is continuous and perfectly controlled. And Chen Wu is ruthless, showing no mercy. He’s definitely a formidable opponent.’

As time passed, one match after another concluded. The final match of the first round—the sixteenth bout—was about to begin.

The middle-aged man in the Official’s uniform walked onto the arena and announced in a loud voice, "First round, sixteenth match: Shen Lie of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall versus Liu Biao of Xingwu Hall!"

As soon as the announcement was made, Yang Jing saw the young man who had shown such obvious hostility toward him answer the call, leaping onto the arena in a single bound.

’"He’s Shen Lie?"’ Yang Jing’s heart skipped a beat, his pupils constricting slightly.

It finally clicked.

This martial-looking young man was none other than Shen Lie of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall—the very person his Eldest Martial Brother, Xu Hong, had specifically warned him about. He was the one considered to be the strongest master at the Peak of Dark Energy in Arena Seven!

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed as he carefully sized up Shen Lie on the stage.

No wonder Eldest Martial Brother Xu Hong felt he was no match for him. Judging by Shen Lie’s steady composure as he took the stage and the powerful aura faintly emanating from him, it was clear he was far beyond any ordinary Dark Energy practitioner.

But what truly startled Yang Jing was why such a top-tier master would harbor such obvious hostility toward him.

He racked his brain, certain that he had never had any dealings with anyone from Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall, let alone made an enemy of them.

And yet, the coldness in the man’s eyes just now had been no illusion.