An uproar erupted in the Martial Arts Arena.
How dare a piece of trash make such a boast.
Chen Liang, for his part, flew into a rage on the spot. He strode forward, his imposing physique creating an invisible pressure. A cold, sinister aura emanated from him, like a venomous snake coiling to strike.
A chill ran through Chen Han; he felt as if he had been targeted by that same venomous snake.
"Gods, what kind of martial art is that?"
"It doesn't look like the basic martial arts we usually practice. It's more like a Middle Level Martial Art!"
Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.
"How is that possible? Only those who have joined the Main Lineage Clan and reached the level of a Fifth-Layer Martial Disciple are qualified to enter the Scripture Pavilion and choose a Middle Level Martial Art."
"That move is the Celestial Wolf Transformation. You guys don't know the full story... Chen Liang's older brother joined the Main Lineage Clan three years ago..."
The surrounding branch clan disciples couldn't help but shiver.
They only knew that the elders in their families had warned them not to provoke Chen Liang, but they never imagined his backing was so powerful.
The Celestial Wolf Transformation!
Beside them, Chen Yuxin couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air.
A Middle Level Martial Art of this caliber was far beyond what any basic martial art could compare to... When executed, its power was unimaginable. With the might of a Middle Level Martial Art, one could easily crush an opponent of the same level. What's more, Chen Han was a piece of trash whose Dantian had been shattered!
"Chen Han, you're no match for him," Chen Yuxin urged hastily.
However, Chen Yuxin had underestimated Chen Han's pride.
"Die, you brat! You useless trash who only knows how to hide behind a woman..." Chen Liang roared, moving right past Chen Yuxin and charging toward Chen Han. "Celestial Wolf Transformation!"
Suddenly, empowered by the Middle Level Martial Art, Chen Liang's speed increased severalfold. The fist he threw seemed like the bared fangs of a starving wolf.
Facing the pressure of the Celestial Wolf Transformation, Chen Han suddenly felt his Dantian throb violently.
BOOM!
At that moment, no one could have possibly noticed that the faint Nebula Map inside Chen Han's body had begun to spin furiously...
A warm current instantly flooded his entire body.
It was an incredibly exhilarating feeling.
Chen Han, who had been feeling suppressed, became exceptionally calm and steady in that instant.
'Although Chen Liang is a year older and has mastered a Middle Level Martial Art, he's just a dandy who neglects his cultivation and only knows how to bully the weak. How could he possibly unleash the full essence of a Middle Level Martial Art?'
In that instant, Chen Liang suddenly had the strange feeling that his every move had been seen through.
"Celestial Wolf Transformation, Third Form!"
Chen Liang roared. Without a moment's hesitation, he attacked with the Celestial Wolf Transformation's strongest killing blow. His speed suddenly increased, and his fists, backed by astonishing explosive power, shot toward Chen Han's throat.
PFFT!
In the blink of an eye, Chen Liang's right fist morphed into an eagle's claw, like the fangs of a hungry wolf, tearing through the air to arrive right in front of Chen Han.
'So fast!'
Many disciples in the Martial Arts Arena couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
Chen Yuxin was also stunned.
She hadn't expected Chen Liang to dare to attack so forcefully, even with her right there.
But it all happened too quickly; she didn't even have time to react.
Seeing Chen Liang's attack about to land, Chen Yuxin bit her lip. 'I'll have to use that one move...' she thought.
BOOM!
The unexpected happened.
Just a moment before Chen Liang's claws could sink into Chen Han's throat, an iron-like fist shot out and slammed viciously into Chen Liang's chest.
Before Chen Liang could react, the force from that fist exploded within his body.
"Puh..."
A sharp pain shot through Chen Liang's chest. He felt as if he'd been struck by a sledgehammer, and his entire body was sent flying backward.
"What happened?"
Everyone was stunned.
"One move. You lost," Chen Han said slowly, looking at the fallen Chen Liang.
Doubt, astonishment, disbelief, fear...
All eyes fell upon Chen Han.
At that moment, although Chen Han's expression was indifferent, his heart was churning with emotion.
Three years.
'It's been three whole years. I'm no longer the piece of trash I once was.'
'I lost the title of genius that once belonged to me, but this time, I will take it back.'
"Trash!" the fallen Chen Liang spat out a mouthful of blood, his voice filled with malice.
"If I'm trash, then you're worse than trash."
PFFT...
Defeated by Chen Han, humiliated in front of the goddess he admired, and now ridiculed like this—Chen Liang coughed up another mouthful of blood and passed out.
"He lost. Chen Liang actually lost."
"And the one who beat him was that piece of trash, Chen Han..."
"Am I seeing things? How is that possible?"
The Martial Arts Arena was in an uproar.
No one could believe it... but it had well and truly happened.
"Impossible. Trash will always be trash."
"Chen Liang had mastered a Middle Level Martial Art like the Celestial Wolf Transformation! How could he lose to a piece of trash like Chen Han!"
However, these people had forgotten something.
The "trash" they spoke of was once the most sought-after genius of Qingcheng Mountain.
Chen Han looked at the unconscious Chen Liang and couldn't help but take a deep breath.
'Today is just the beginning.'
'It's the first step toward reclaiming all the glory and dignity I lost. If anyone else dares to insult me, I won't let them off easy.'
But even though he had defeated Chen Liang, Chen Han didn't let the joy go to his head.
He understood why.
Chen Liang was nothing more than a dandy.
Although he had learned a Middle Level Martial Art, he hadn't actually mastered it to any significant degree.
The mastery of Martial Arts is divided into several stages: Entry-Level, Initial Stage, Small Success, Great Success, Peak, and Perfection.
Although Chen Liang practiced the Celestial Wolf Transformation, he was only at the Entry-Level Stage.
As for Chen Han, though he had only practiced a single Basic Fist Technique for the past three years, he had already comprehended it completely, reaching the Perfection stage.
Therefore, defeating Chen Liang was no lucky fluke.
It was thanks to his profound foundation.
'If Chen Liang had practiced the Celestial Wolf Transformation to the Small Success stage, I would have been the one to lose today.'
...
After defeating Chen Liang, Chen Han did not leave.
Instead, he went to the edge of the Martial Arts Arena and began practicing the Basic Fist Technique over and over again.
He knew all too well that he had lost too much in the three years since his Dantian was shattered.
'I have to catch up as quickly as possible.'
With three months left, Chen Han was confident that he could successfully join the Main Lineage Clan during the assessment competition.
Everyone watched as Chen Han practiced his fist technique.
"Trash will always be trash..."
"Beating Chen Liang was definitely just an accident. He just got lucky."
"Chen Liang suffered a huge loss. When he wakes up, he'll definitely not let this kid off easy."
The clan disciples scrambled to find the most "convincing explanation" for Chen Han's victory.
However, Chen Yuxin alone did not think so.
She watched Chen Han from afar, her eyes shimmering.
Three years.
That figure had finally regained his confidence... 'Perhaps,' she couldn't help but think, 'he's about to soar into the heavens.'
PFFT! PFFT! PFFT! PFFT!
Chen Han practiced his Basic Fist Technique relentlessly.
Now with the strength of a Martial Disciple First Layer, his punching speed was no longer as slow and leisurely as before. It grew faster and faster, his fists flowing like a ceaseless waterfall.
With each breath, the empty, parched space within his body gradually began to fill.
"Haa... At this rate, I should be able to break through to Martial Disciple Second Layer in half a month at most."
Chen Han could clearly feel his rapid progress.
Back then, it had taken him a full two years to reach the Martial Disciple Second Layer. Now, it would only take half a month.
If anyone else were to learn of this cultivation speed, they would be utterly shocked.
But Chen Han still wasn't satisfied.
He refused to be mediocre; he wanted to stand at the very peak of the world.
Chen Han practiced until evening before finally returning home.
During dinner, he couldn't help but think back on the day's events.
He replayed the scene in his mind over and over.
Finally, Chen Han came to a conclusion.
His combat experience was still too shallow.
'If I had taken a small step back then, waited for Chen Liang's claws to miss and his momentum to be spent, and then struck, the effect would have been even better.'
'But where can I go to gain real combat experience?'
An idea suddenly struck Chen Han, and he thought of a place.
"Han'Er, what are you thinking about?" Chen Tianzheng asked, seeing his son spacing out.
"Father, I plan to go to the Cloud Heaven Forest to train," Chen Han said, voicing his thoughts. "There are powerful beasts there that can help me increase my combat experience. At the same time, their pelts and innards are quite valuable and can help supplement our family's income."
Three years ago, his parents had sold off their family's possessions just to save his life.
'Now that I've recovered my strength, it's my duty to help ease my parents' burdens.'
"No, that place is too dangerous," Chen Tianzheng said quickly.
"Father... rest assured, I won't go too deep. I'll only train in the outer areas of the Cloud Heaven Forest. Besides, to pursue the Martial Dao, one must endure hardships. A chick that stays in the coop will never become a soaring eagle!" Chen Han said resolutely.
Chen Tianzheng was taken aback for a moment. He nodded, then sighed, "If only the Ruo Shui Golden Saber were still here, I could give it to you for self-defense!"
"What? The Ruo Shui Golden Saber is gone?" Chen Han asked in surprise.
That was the weapon left behind by Chen Han's grandfather.
A master who had once reached the level of a Martial Disciple Twelfth Layer.
The Ruo Shui Golden Saber was once the Chen Family's most dazzling honor. Many people had offered a high price to buy it, but Chen Tianzheng had always refused. How could Chen Han not be shocked to learn that the Golden Saber was now gone?
"Where is the Ruo Shui Golden Saber?" Chen Han asked.
Chen Tianzheng just sighed and said nothing.
But his mother, Mrs. Li, spoke up. "Three years ago, to save you, your father pawned the Golden Saber to Wang Chong for three thousand taels."
What!
Chen Han, who had been sitting in his chair, shot to his feet, his fists clenched tightly.
'Wang Chong again.'
'That scoundrel, taking advantage of our misfortune and kicking us while we're down!'
Taking a deep breath, Chen Han said, "Father, Mother. Don't worry. I will definitely get the Ruo Shui Golden Saber back."