’He nodded to himself.’

’That kid, Lin Yue, has good fundamentals and a high aptitude for comprehension. Although his temperament isn’t the most stable, he’s a rare talent.’

’Give him time, and he has a good chance of breaking through to the Huajin realm. With two Huajin masters in one school... at that time, the status of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall in Yuhe County will likely rise to another level.’

’As for the other disciples in the Martial Arts Hall, their light inevitably dimmed in the face of Lin Yue’s dazzling brilliance.’ 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Sun Ningxiang nodded at his words and said softly, "Junior Brother Lin Yue was indeed composed today. He executed those Mountain-Shattering Fist moves with flawless ease. His opponent couldn’t even touch the corner of his clothes. He truly looks like a champion in the making."

Sun Yong fiddled with the walnuts in his hand, his gaze shifting back to the third arena. His tone was firm. "This time, he’s the one I’m most optimistic about."

"The Proving Grounds trials test not only one’s cultivation and strength, but also one’s comprehension and practical combat skills. Lin Yue is just one step away from the Peak of Dark Energy, yet his understanding of the Mountain-Shattering Fist far surpasses his peers. Even an ordinary martial artist at the Peak of Dark Energy might not be his match."

"Look at how he circulates his Dark Energy. He conceals it so well you can barely see a trace when he unleashes and retracts it. In actual combat, he knows how to hide his true strength and build momentum. This kind of talent and mentality is what allows one to go far."

He paused, his tone becoming more muted as he mentioned the other disciples. "Although Xu Hong is at the Peak of Dark Energy, he lacks a certain sharpness. He’s been stuck at this bottleneck for years. He doesn’t have enough ingenuity; I’m afraid a breakthrough will be difficult for him."

"As for the other few disciples at the Dark Energy realm, their foundations are either unstable or their techniques are too one-dimensional. At best, they’ll last a few more rounds. They have basically no hope of taking first place in the arena."

In Sun Yong’s mind, Lin Yue was already the one destined to stand out in the third arena, and he was also the greatest hope for Sun’s Martial Arts Hall this time.

Listening to her father, Sun Ningxiang lowered her gaze to the ground, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

She knew better than anyone how much her father had longed for a disciple from the Martial Arts Hall to pass the Proving Grounds trials these past few years.

Sun’s Martial Arts Hall was one of the most prominent halls in the West City district of Yuhe County. It was quite famous throughout the entire county seat; otherwise, the children of many great families would not have been sent there to practice their fist techniques.

But in the last decade, not a single person had managed to distinguish themselves in the Proving Grounds trials. Idle gossip had gradually spread, saying the Martial Arts Hall had no worthy successors and its reputation was unearned. Some even insinuated that her father couldn’t teach any real skills.

Although her father never said it aloud, Sun Ningxiang knew those words were like needles piercing his heart.

More than once, she had seen her father late at night, staring blankly at the Martial Arts Hall’s sign, his brow furrowed as he sighed in distress.

Hearing her father praise Lin Yue so highly now, she knew he was pinning all his hopes on him.

If Lin Yue could succeed, it would not only silence the gossip but also restore the prestige of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. Her father would finally be able to release the frustration he’d held in for so many years.

"Father, Junior Brother Lin Yue will surely live up to your expectations," Sun Ningxiang said softly, her voice tinged with a hopeful prayer.

She looked toward the third arena, praying that her junior brother could overcome all obstacles and win back this honor for the Martial Arts Hall, and for her father.

「...」

On the Proving Grounds, the tension of the second round of matches was even thicker than the first.

Sixteen people stood in a circle at the edge of the field. The initial restlessness on their faces had been replaced by a grim solemness.

All who had made it this far were skilled experts with real ability. The many Mingjin Disciples were also the best among their peers. The slightest mistake could mean elimination.

The air was thick with the mixed scent of sweat and grass. The echoes of fists, feet, and weapons clashing still seemed to reverberate, making one’s chest feel tight with pressure.

Yang Jing stood in a corner, his gaze sweeping over the field like a hawk’s, focusing on three individuals: Shen Lie, Qian Feng, and Chen Wu.

Qian Feng had just finished a match. Facing a Mingjin Disciple, he had once again won easily in just two or three moves.

When Chen Wu took the stage, his opponent was a martial artist at the Peak of Mingjin who practiced the Iron Sand Palm. The force of his palm strikes carried a searing Qi Force.

Chen Wu, however, was unhurried. His Tongbei Fist unfurled like a long whip. With each extension and retraction of his arm, he managed to evade the heavy blows by a hair’s breadth while using the opponent’s momentum to entangle and grapple.

He was seen catching his opponent’s wrist with his left hand, while his right hand slid along the crook of the arm, his fist striking like a viper emerging from its hole, landing precisely on his opponent’s chest.

The Mingjin Martial Artist was sent coughing up blood, crashing into the arena’s railing. He quickly conceded defeat.

Yang Jing watched closely. Chen Wu’s entire sequence of movements was as smooth as flowing water, perfectly demonstrating the Tongbei Fist’s principles of "extending for long-range strikes and generating penetrating power." His strength was impressive.

’If I were to face him, my Inner Strength wouldn’t be inferior, but I’m a step behind in my mastery of martial techniques. After all, it hasn’t been long since I broke through to the Dark Energy realm. However, if I were to use a bit of the Raging Wave Kicks—without revealing its full power—I could still seize the initiative in terms of Body Technique and speed...’

Yang Jing mused to himself.

Soon, Shen Lie also stepped onto the arena for the fifth match.

Yang Jing’s gaze was fixed on him as if drawn by a magnet.

Shen Lie was up against a Mingjin Martial Artist who practiced Cannon Fist. His opponent’s punches were fierce and powerful, and he launched a ferocious, stormy assault right from the start.

But Shen Lie didn’t retreat a single half-step. As his opponent’s fist drew near, he suddenly sank his waist, twisted his hips, and threw out a full-power Mountain-Breaking Fist.

With a dull THUD, the two fists met. The Cannon Fist martial artist was sent flying backward as if struck by a heavy hammer, crashing onto the edge of the arena, unable to get back up.

From start to finish, it took only one punch.

Yang Jing’s pupils contracted, and his heart pounded.

The force of that punch was even more domineering than in the first round. His Dark Energy was condensed but not released; he had crushed his opponent with the sheer momentum of the fist alone. It was impossible to know if Shen Lie had used his full strength.

What made Yang Jing frown even more was that as Shen Lie retracted his fist, his gaze swept, intentionally or not, in Yang Jing’s direction, as if to say that the same fate awaited him.

’Why, though?’ Yang Jing’s brow furrowed. He couldn’t understand when he had made an enemy of such a person.

But he knew that Shen Lie was now his greatest threat. The man’s strength far exceeded others of the same rank, and he was hostile. If they were to face each other, it would be a tough fight.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves in his heart, and his eyes gradually grew sharp.

’Whatever the reason, I have to get through the current matches first.’

As for Shen Lie... Yang Jing’s fingertips tightened slightly. ’If that man really insists on pressuring me at every turn, then even if it means taking some risks after the Proving Grounds trials, I have to eliminate this hidden danger. I absolutely cannot let him become a source of future trouble.’

As he was contemplating, the middle-aged man in an Official’s uniform loudly announced, "Seventh match, Yang Jing versus Li Hu!"

Yang Jing composed himself and walked toward the arena.

On the arena, his opponent, Li Hu, had already assumed his stance.

He was a lean, wiry man whose muscles and bones were solid from years of hard training—clearly a Mingjin Martial Artist. His eyes held a certain ferocity, but he couldn’t hide his apprehension toward a Dark Energy expert. He cursed the Court’s son-of-a-bitch examiners in his heart for making him face a Dark Energy expert so early.

"Please, instruct me!"

Li Hu shouted, then pushed off with his feet, his body darting out like a wildcat. His fists alternated in a flurry, executing a set of Tiger Form Fist. The wind from his punches was sharp as he aimed for Yang Jing’s upper, middle, and lower body. The moves were fierce, yet possessed a degree of agility.

Yang Jing neither dodged nor evaded. He took a half-step forward with his left foot, sank into a horse stance, and slowly pushed out his right fist.

The punch seemed slow, but it contained the unique, heavy momentum of the Mountain-Shattering Fist. Before the fist even arrived, an invisible pressure had already descended.

The first move: a head-on clash.

Li Hu’s right fist collided with the edge of Yang Jing’s. With a dull BANG, Li Hu felt a thick, powerful force surge up his arm, as if he had run into a moving mountain. The momentum of his punch was instantly halted, and his entire arm went half-numb.

Greatly alarmed, he quickly changed his move, his left fist switching from a punch to a grab, trying to seize Yang Jing’s wrist.

Yang Jing flicked his wrist, evading the grab. At the same time, his left fist followed, the edge of the fist grazing past Li Hu’s arm and carrying a stream of Dark Energy straight for his ribs.

The angle of this punch was cunning; it was the "Side Shatter" from the Mountain-Shattering Fist.

The second move: evading the substantial to strike the insubstantial.

Li Hu hastily twisted his body to dodge but was still grazed by the wind from the punch. He immediately felt a dull ache in his ribs, his breath hitched, and his footwork faltered slightly.

Before he could steady himself, Yang Jing’s third punch had arrived.

This punch no longer aimed for brute force. Instead, it borrowed the momentum from the first two moves. The fist pulled back slightly before being thrust forward, and the Dark Energy passed through the surface of the fist, landing lightly on Li Hu’s chest.

The third move: Dark Energy penetration.

Li Hu felt as if a stone wrapped in cotton had struck his chest. There was no pain on the surface, but his insides were churning violently. His blood and qi instantly reversed course. With a GACK, he spat out a mouthful of foul air, stumbled back several steps, and fell flat on his butt on the arena, unable to rise again.

Yang Jing retracted his fist and stood tall, his breathing steady, as if he had just performed three perfectly ordinary movements.

PS:

Here’s the 20,000-character update.

I saw some comments saying the pacing has been a bit slow since the novel went premium. I think it might be because I’ve been rushing to meet deadlines these past two days and haven’t managed the rhythm well.

I’ll be picking up the pace from now on to make it more compact.

This author is a slow writer. I went to bed after 3 AM last night and couldn’t sleep past 7 AM this morning, so I got up and started writing. I’m a bit excited since the book just went premium.

I see I’ve already received several dozen monthly tickets. Please keep them coming, I’ll try to release an extra Chapter tomorrow!

My deepest thanks!