What was unexpected, however, was Yang Jing's unshakeable resolve.
Lin Yue had broken through two stages in half a year to reach the Dark Energy realm.
Never mind the ordinary disciples at the Martial Arts Hall—even he couldn't help but be awed.
Yet Yang Jing remained completely unfazed. It was as if he paid no mind to the fact that Lin Yue, a disciple who had joined even later than him, had broken through to the Dark Energy realm.
After speaking with Liu Maolin, Yang Jing resumed practicing the Mountain-Shattering Fist.
With a thought, a panel floated before his eyes—
[Mountain-Shattering Fist: Adept (355/500)]
With a sufficient supply of meat, a portion of it from fierce beasts, Yang Jing's training progress in the Mountain-Shattering Fist was advancing at a rapid pace.
Although he was still far from comparable to a genius with superior innate talent like Lin Yue, his training speed was by no means slower than the other Mingjin Disciples. In fact, it was even faster than some disciples who lacked proper nutrition.
For Yang Jing, however, his greatest advantage was never the speed of his training, but the fact that his martial arts had no bottlenecks!
As long as there was a path forward, he could keep walking it!
'At this rate, I should be able to break through to the Dark Energy realm in another two months. By then, I'll be considered a Core Disciple in the Martial Arts Hall. Even in all of Yuhe County, a Dark Energy Martial Artist is a rare master in their own right.'
Yang Jing's heart filled with anticipation, and he felt even more motivated as he practiced his fist forms.
If he could break through to the Dark Energy realm, his stipend and benefits would increase significantly. He would certainly gain more of his master's favor at the Martial Arts Hall, and the Yang Family could finally be elevated from their status as a lowly farming family.
....
「Three days later, in the afternoon. Chengping Square.」
When Liu Maolin found Yang Jing in the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall, he had just finished a set of fist forms and was wiping away sweat with a cloth towel.
"Junior Brother, I have some news." Liu Maolin handed him a waterskin. "The Yiqi Gang and the Great Fortune Gang had a big clash in the city. I heard the Great Fortune Gang suffered a major loss. A lot of their men were crippled, and their Gang Leader, Xu Tai, was injured. No one knows where he's hiding now."
Yang Jing's hand paused as he took the waterskin, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes before he replied calmly, "Oh? Is that so?"
"Tell me about it," Liu Maolin said casually. "The two gangs were already at odds over territory, and somehow it blew up this time. The Yiqi Gang got a tough new recruit—I heard he's at the Peak of Mingjin and has failed to break through to the Dark Energy realm twice. With him and the original Yiqi Gang Leader joining forces, of course the Great Fortune Gang couldn't hold up."
Yang Jing nodded without asking any more questions. He just said, "I see. Thanks, Senior Brother."
Seeing Yang Jing's calm expression, Liu Maolin didn't think much of it. They chatted a bit more about matters at the Martial Arts Hall before he took off his shirt and started practicing his own fist forms in the courtyard.
After Liu Maolin left, the calm expression on Yang Jing's face finally faded.
He gazed in the direction of the courtyard wall, his fingers tapping lightly on the stone bench.
'With the Great Fortune Gang suffering such a heavy blow, this is the perfect time for me to settle that little problem.'
'Letting it drag on has always been a hidden danger.'
'Rather than wait for them to recover and retaliate, I should take the initiative and resolve this once and for all.'
He clenched his fists, the Mingjin energy surging faintly in his palms.
...
As the last ray of the setting sun grazed the upturned eaves of the Martial Arts Hall, Yang Jing finished his practice and stood still, the heat from his body yet to dissipate.
Liu Maolin, who had also just finished practicing, was a bit surprised to see him packing up to leave. "Why are you heading back so early today? You're usually still training at this hour."
Yang Jing smiled and slung his sweat towel over his shoulder. "I have some personal matters to attend to. I'll be leaving first."
He didn't explain further, leaving the Martial Arts Hall with light steps and heading straight for his residence in Datong Square.
Upon arriving at his courtyard and entering his room, he first busied himself with the clay pot in the corner.
An hour later, the bear meat stewing in the pot was already bubbling, and a rich, meaty aroma filled the entire courtyard.
This was fresh stock he had picked up from the Liu Family Medical Hall this morning. The meat was firm, with a healthy, dark red color.
He ladled out a large bowl and ate everything, meat and broth. A familiar warm current soon rose from his Dantian, slowly coursing through his meridians and washing away the fatigue accumulated from his training.
He patted his stomach, feeling his body brim with strength. The Mingjin energy flowed through him with exceptional smoothness.
Returning to his bedroom, he dragged an inconspicuous wooden chest out from under the bed. Inside lay a set of black Night Clothes, a blue cloth mask that would cover most of his face, and a short black blade resting to one side.
He quickly changed into the Night Clothes. The fabric was form-fitting and practical, not hindering his movements at all.
Then he picked up the mask and tied it on, leaving only his clear, cold eyes exposed.
Finally, he took the short blade from the chest and fastened it to his waist.
Time passed slowly. The sky outside the window darkened completely, with only a few sparse stars twinkling intermittently through the clouds.
Yang Jing blew out the oil lamp. His figure, like ink melting into the night, silently pushed open the door.
...
The night was as black as ink. Yang Jing's figure darted through the alleyways of Yuhe County's Outer City, his black clothes merging with the shadows, leaving only the sound of the wind rushing past his feet.
Guang'an Square was in the western part of the Outer City. Like Datong Square and Chengping Square, it was part of West City.
Compared to Chengping Square, however, Guang'an Square was much more chaotic; the headquarters of at least three gangs were located there.
At this moment, Guang'an Square was suffused with an unusual, deathly silence.
Spotting the familiar courtyard of the Great Fortune Gang from a distance, Yang Jing silently concealed himself behind an old pagoda tree at the street corner.
The two stone lions outside the courtyard gate had been chipped and broken, and the vermilion-lacquered main gate was smashed to splinters. Weapons lay scattered on the ground, still stained with dark red, clear evidence of a vicious battle.
The few gang members who usually stood guard at the entrance were nowhere to be seen. Not a sound could be heard from within the courtyard walls. The entire compound was like an abandoned, empty residence. Even the occasional passerby hurried past, clearly wanting no contact with the Great Fortune Gang.
Yang Jing's brow furrowed slightly. He suppressed the urge to go forward and investigate, remaining hidden in the darkness.
'The more deathly silent it is, the more likely something is amiss.'
He tightened his grip on the short blade at his waist, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over every corner of the courtyard wall as he waited patiently for the right moment.
A night breeze blew through the streets of Guang'an Square, kicking up splinters of wood from the ground.
Yang Jing hid in the shadows of the alley corner, his eyes locked on the dilapidated courtyard of the Great Fortune Gang.
Before long, two drunkards staggered out from the mouth of the alley. Judging by their attire, they were members of the Great Fortune Gang; their arms were still wrapped in bloody strips of cloth.
The two stumbled and shoved their way into the courtyard, cursing and swearing as if complaining about something. A moment later, the sounds of rummaging through chests and cupboards came from inside, as if they were packing things up.
A short while later, three men in simple attire snuck furtively to the courtyard gate. They peeked and peered for a long time, and seeing no movement inside, they stooped low and slipped in.
They had been inside for less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea when the sounds of an argument erupted from the courtyard, mixed with the dull thuds of a brawl. It seemed this group had run into the remaining Great Fortune Gang members.
Yang Jing remained perfectly still, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the short blade at his waist.
'This courtyard seems empty, but there's a lot of shady business going on.'
'There are remnants cleaning up, outsiders trying to loot the place... who knows if there are other eyes watching from the shadows.'
Suddenly, a man strode out from the shadows at the mouth of the alley.
The man was sturdily built and carried a Ring-Headed Blade at his waist. Its scabbard knocked against his thigh, making a dull sound.
He had a scar running from his brow bone to his jaw, and his eyes were sinister. It was one of the Great Fortune Gang's leaders, the man known as Scarface Li.
Over the past month, between the information Liu Maolin had gathered via the Liu Family Medical Hall and Yang Jing's own nightly stakeouts, he had come to know the Great Fortune Gang's situation like the back of his hand.
Yang Jing had a particularly strong impression of Scarface Li, a Great Fortune Gang leader who had countless lives on his hands.
Huddled in the corner, Yang Jing watched as Scarface Li expertly pushed open the ajar courtyard gate.
In no time at all, Scarface Li emerged from the courtyard, heaving a bulging, heavy sack over his shoulder. As he walked, the sound of CLINKING AND CLANGING came from inside, like gold and silver objects striking each other.
He walked with hurried steps, glancing around from time to time with a look of urgency on his face.
Seeing this, Yang Jing's eyes lit up.