A burst of noise broke Jiang Che's train of thought.
"Zhang Xiong lost!"
Jiang Che turned to look.
He saw Zhang Xiong half-kneeling on the ground, a look of shock on his face.
His chest heaved violently, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Gong Yulei stood in the center of the training grounds, his gaze sharp, muscles tense, and aura powerful.
Luo Kun shot to his feet and strode into the center of the grounds in a few steps.
He gripped Gong Yulei's wrist, and a moment later, his face lit up with joy.
"Good! You actually broke through!"
He clapped Gong Yulei on the shoulder, his voice filled with a rare excitement. "Follow me!"
Gong Yulei, head held high and chest puffed out with a smug expression, followed Luo Kun into the inner chamber under the envious gazes of the crowd.
The training grounds instantly erupted in an uproar.
"Just over a month... This kind of Talent, has the Martial Arts Hall ever seen anything like it?"
"Forget the Martial Arts Hall, there's only been one other in the entire history of Lin Yuan City! That person later became our city's number one master, the Gang Leader of the Seven Stars Gang, the Tan Lang Star, Li Hanchuan!"
"He's that amazing? Doesn't that mean our Martial Arts Hall is going to become a famous and powerful sect?"
"I heard he couldn't even perform the opening stance of the White Cloud Fist properly when he first arrived..."
"Comparisons are just maddening!"
Zhang Xiong silently got to his feet and dusted off his clothes.
He walked over to a wooden stake in the corner and began smashing his fists into the hardwood, one punch after another.
His knuckles soon started to bleed, but he seemed not to notice.
While the crowd excitedly discussed Gong Yulei's Talent, some cast furtive, sympathetic glances at Zhang Xiong.
Before long, the curtain to the inner chamber was pushed aside, and Gong Yulei strode out.
He had changed into a brand-new white uniform. The lapels were embroidered with a flowing cloud pattern, a dark red sash was tied around his waist, and the two characters for "White Cloud" were embroidered on his chest.
This was the uniform of a formal disciple.
He was glowing with vigor, an air of arrogance in his every move.
The surrounding apprentices rushed forward to congratulate him.
"Senior Brother Gong, congratulations! Please give us your guidance in the future!"
A smile played on Gong Yulei's lips as he waved his hand casually. "Of course, of course."
Jiang Che shook his head and looked away.
Sycophants were common in every world; it was just human nature.
He waved his hand and opened his panel.
[Name: Jiang Che]
[Age: 16]
[Realm: None]
[Skills: White Cloud Fist Great Success (356/400), Calligraphy Perfection]
[Talent: Heart Stream]
'Sparring with others not only lets me sense Qi Blood, but my Skill Level also increases faster...'
Jiang Che was a little surprised as he calculated the increase in his Skill Level.
Sparring with Wang Dayong for two days had actually increased it by ten points!
But he had beaten Wang Dayong to tears, so he probably wouldn't spar with him again.
And Zhang Xiong, having been provoked by Gong Yulei, wouldn't be in the mood to fight anyone for a while.
Jiang Che glanced at Zhang Xiong in the corner, whose fists were already blood-red. He looked rather pathetic.
'But I haven't broken through either. What right do I have to pity others?'
'Forget it. That's enough for today. Time to go set up my stall.'
After packing up his training clothes, Jiang Che quietly left the Martial Arts Hall.
「The next morning, at the Martial Arts Hall.」
As soon as Jiang Che stepped through the courtyard gate, he saw Wang Dayong talking with a few other apprentices in a small circle.
When he saw Jiang Che enter, Wang Dayong's expression changed, and he turned and walked away.
Jiang Che didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
'Looks like making him cry had a pretty big impact...'
Jiang Che glanced around and noticed Gong Yulei was no longer there.
Formal disciples had a separate courtyard.
Luo Kun was sitting on a cattail cushion, a rare hint of a smile on his face.
It seemed Gong Yulei's breakthrough had made him very happy.
"Jiang Che!" Luo Kun suddenly called out, his voice booming.
"Today, you will spar with Zhang Xiong."
The apprentices were in an uproar.
"Jiang Che sparring with Zhang Xiong? Isn't he just asking for a beating?"
"Zhang Xiong may have lost to Gong Yulei, but he's still at the Quasi-Qi Blood Realm."
"You don't think Master wants Zhang Xiong to teach Jiang Che a lesson, do you?"
Jiang Che paid them no mind and looked at Zhang Xiong.
The man stood in the corner, his hands wrapped in bandages, his expression calm.
Hearing Luo Kun's words, he merely nodded slightly.
"Jiang Che," Zhang Xiong said as he walked over, his tone even. "My punches are heavy. Speak up if you can't take it."
Jiang Che shook his head. "No need. Let's begin."
The two took their places and assumed their stances.
Zhang Xiong's fists were steady, powerful, and incredibly precise.
Jiang Che was almost completely suppressed!
Even after entering the Heart Stream State, his movements still seemed clumsy in front of Zhang Xiong.
His opponent's strength, speed, and reflexes far surpassed Wang Dayong's; he could even predict Jiang Che's changes in technique!
BANG!
Zhang Xiong threw a straight punch. Jiang Che barely dodged it, only to be sent stumbling back several steps by an elbow strike, a searing pain shooting through his arm.
'So fast!' Jiang Che thought in alarm.
The surrounding apprentices all shook their heads.
"The gap is just too big, as expected."
"Jiang Che's Fist Technique is exquisite, but Senior Brother Zhang has one foot in the Qi Blood Realm!"
"He probably won't last ten moves!"
Before the words were even out, Jiang Che was struck in the chest and fell to the ground.
However, a flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes.
Under Zhang Xiong's suppression, his Qi Blood Sensing was stronger than ever before!
The Skill Level for [White Cloud Fist] was also rising rapidly!
'So that's how it is! The stronger the opponent, the faster the progress!'
Even if he was constantly suppressed, he had to continue.
Zhang Xiong walked over and helped him up.
"Are you sure you don't want me to hold back?"
Jiang Che shook his head. "Just attack with your full strength."
Zhang Xiong's thick brows furrowed. "You're the one who said it."
The two resumed their spar.
For the next few days, Jiang Che was "thrashed" by Zhang Xiong every day.
The sounds of ridicule also grew more frequent.
"Jiang Che, here to get beaten up again?"
"The one-year deadline is almost up. You still haven't sensed Qi Blood, so you're probably hopeless."
"Even Wang Dayong doesn't dare to fight Zhang Xiong. You're really stubborn."
They had completely forgotten that Jiang Che was the one who could beat Wang Dayong to tears, let alone them.
But Jiang Che turned a deaf ear, focusing on the improvement he felt with each exchange.
BANG!
But from Zhang Xiong's perspective—
"This guy... how is he getting harder and harder to fight?"
In just a few short days, Jiang Che's Fist Technique had become increasingly fluid, occasionally forcing him to get serious!
BANG!
In one exchange, Zhang Xiong's fist grazed Jiang Che's cheek, while Jiang Che's palm strike nearly hit him under the ribs.
The fight was unexpectedly evenly matched!
The watching crowd gradually fell silent, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"What's going on? How can Jiang Che fight Zhang Xiong to a standstill like this?"
"Hasn't he just been getting thrashed? How did he suddenly..."
"Could it be that he's been hiding his true strength all along?"
Luo Kun also narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.
In the end, Zhang Xiong still won the fight.
Jiang Che actually felt he could still go on.
But the throbbing pain in his head was unbearable, and he had been forced out of the Heart Stream State prematurely.
In his normal state, he was no match at all and was defeated in an instant.
'It seems Heart Stream can't be sustained in a long fight...'
'And real combat consumes more Spirit than practicing alone.'
Jiang Che mused to himself.
He climbed up from the ground, dusted himself off, and stepped aside to rest.
Even though he had lost, his expression was as relaxed and composed as if he had won.
Zhang Xiong, on the other hand, felt a faint sense of pressure.
[White Cloud Fist Great Success (398/400)]
'White Cloud Fist is finally about to reach Perfection.'
Jiang Che looked at the panel, feeling pleased.
As his White Cloud Fist Skill Level neared Perfection, his Fist Techniques became more and more effortless.
From being completely suppressed by Zhang Xiong at the beginning, he could now hold his own with ease.
'After I reach Perfection, maybe I can win...'
Jiang Che thought to himself.
The next day, the two were locked in a long battle, and Zhang Xiong gradually began to struggle.
It was as if he saw the shadow of Gong Yulei in Jiang Che.
Unwillingness flared in his heart. With a BANG from his Dantian, Qi Blood Power suddenly surged forth!
BOOM!
He threw a punch, and though Jiang Che raised his elbow to block, he was still sent flying and knocked to the ground.
Watching them spar from under the eaves, Luo Kun shot to his feet, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes.
He appeared in an instant and grabbed Zhang Xiong's wrist.
Probing with his Qi Force, he found abundant and enduring Qi Blood.
"Hahaha, good! Good! You've broken through too!"
He laughed heartily, the wrinkles on his face spreading out like a chrysanthemum.
The crowd was in an uproar, and they all rushed forward to congratulate him.
"Senior Brother Zhang, congratulations!"
"The Martial Arts Hall has another formal disciple!"
But Zhang Xiong shook his head, helped Jiang Che up, and said solemnly:
"If it weren't for Junior Brother Jiang, I wouldn't have broken through so quickly."
The crowd froze, looking at Jiang Che with complicated expressions.
Luo Kun also gave Jiang Che a deep look and sighed inwardly:
'This kid really has something special... but what a pity, he's running out of time.'
According to the Martial Arts Hall's rules, any apprentice who couldn't sense Qi Blood within a year had to leave.
Because from ancient times to the present day, there had never been a single person who, after more than a year of Martial Arts Training, still managed to break through to the Qi Blood Realm.
No one knew why this was.
Some martial arts masters speculated that it might be because Martial Arts Training activated the body's ability to sense Qi Blood.
But this sensing mechanism could only be maintained for a year at most.
And Jiang Che only had a little over ten days left.
But he didn't seem discouraged.
Because...
He felt that he had already touched the edge of a breakthrough.
Now, all he lacked was a single opportunity to step into the Qi Blood Realm!
Not only that.
[White Cloud Fist Perfection]
'Finally... Perfection!'
Joy bloomed in Jiang Che's heart.
Additionally, he had obtained a new Talent Skill:
[Omen: Passive Skill, conditionally triggered.]
[Description: Allows you to sense danger several seconds before it arrives!]