The two of them each practiced Mountain-Shattering Fist, the winds from their punches intertwining in tacit harmony.
Before long, the door to the inner courtyard opened with a CREAK. Hall Master Sun Yong, dressed all in black, emerged with his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze swept over the many disciples practicing in the front courtyard.
"Zhou Ziming, sink into your horse stance and drop your shoulders! Stop shaking like you're sifting chaff!"
"Li Xingchen, your form is off! Mountain-Shattering Fist demands raw power, not flashy moves!"
Sun Yong occasionally paused to offer a word or two of guidance. When he reached Yang Jing, he watched him complete a full set of the form before commenting coolly, "Your Mingjin has stabilized, but your foundation is still unsteady. Practice your horse stance more."
With that, he moved on without another word.
'It's good that Yang Jing is willing to work hard,' he thought, 'but his natural aptitude is a limiting factor. Mingjin is already his peak; he's simply not worth investing too much effort in.'
His gaze soon fell upon Lin Yue, who was practicing in a spacious area in the middle of the front courtyard.
Lin Yue was a year younger than Yang Jing, yet he had a tall, straight posture. As he practiced, his breathing was long and steady, and the force from his fists was strong enough to stir fallen leaves several yards away.
Sun Yong walked over and personally corrected Lin Yue's form, his tone much gentler than it had been with the other disciples. "Here, you must draw your qi back into your Dantian. When attempting to break through to the Anjin realm, the slightest deviation can result in utter failure."
Lin Yue listened with rapt attention, nodding from time to time, his expression both respectful and focused.
Although he was a genius and carried himself with an air of arrogance, that was reserved for the ordinary disciples. In front of his master, Sun Yong, he always behaved with the utmost humility.
Many of the Martial Arts Hall's disciples were envious as they watched the Hall Master continuously guide Lin Yue.
Everyone knew that Lin Yue was the genius disciple Sun Yong valued most. He had not only been granted special permission to live in the inner courtyard, but it was also rumored that the Hall Master frequently gifted him precious medicines, greatly accelerating his martial arts progress.
Other disciples had also applied to live in the Martial Arts Hall after breaking through to the Mingjin realm, but Sun Yong had rejected almost all of them, using the excuse that "too many people would disturb the peace."
As a result, most disciples who later reached the Mingjin realm no longer bothered to apply, unless they had a compelling reason that might sway Sun Yong. As for ordinary Registered Disciples, they were not even qualified to make such a request.
Lin Yue, on the other hand, had been personally invited by Hall Master Sun Yong to stay upon breaking through to Mingjin, allowing him to reside in the inner courtyard. Some disciples even speculated privately that the Hall Master hoped to matchmake Lin Yue and his daughter, Sun Ningxiang.
Whenever this topic arose, the disciples' spirits would plummet. In the hearts of these rough-and-tumble martial artists, the Hall Master's daughter, Sun Ningxiang, was the very personification of truth, goodness, and beauty.
"I hear Senior Brother Lin is about to attempt his breakthrough to the Anjin realm."
"I know, right? It wasn't that long ago he reached Mingjin, and now he's already attempting to break through to Anjin. He's a true genius with superior aptitude!"
"I heard from Senior Sister Qi Yun that Senior Brother Lin's aptitude is exceptional. She said he'll probably break through to the Anjin realm on his first try. Man, that would make him an Anjin master!"
"Forget about Anjin. That's a level we could never hope to reach. We should count ourselves lucky if we even make it to Mingjin in our lifetimes."
Yang Jing turned a deaf ear to the envious and jealous chatter of the other disciples, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.
He didn't care whether the other disciples of the Martial Arts Hall were doing well or not.
'I must focus on my own progress on the Martial Dao. With the panel, as long as I train hard, I'm certain I can reach the highest peaks imaginable.'
'Anjin isn't the end of my martial path. My goal is the Huajin realm, and even higher martial realms beyond that.'
While the others were distracted by Lin Yue's prodigious talent, Yang Jing remained silent and focused, continuing his practice of Mountain-Shattering Fist.
Time passed, second by second.
Yang Jing was in the middle of practicing the 'Stone-Splitting' technique from Mountain-Shattering Fist. Just as his fist was about to touch the wooden stake, he heard Liu Maolin say from behind, "Junior Brother, the 'splitting' in this move isn't about brute force. It's about finesse."
He turned to see Liu Maolin, who had finished his own practice, watching him with a smile.
"Fourth Senior Brother," Yang Jing greeted him with a smile.
Liu Maolin chuckled and nodded. "Come on, let's spar a little. I want to see how well you've absorbed the new principles you've grasped."
Yang Jing's eyes lit up. Realizing his senior brother was offering guidance, he quickly cupped his fists. "Please, Senior Brother, enlighten me."
The two took their positions in an open space and simultaneously assumed the opening stance of Mountain-Shattering Fist.
Yang Jing struck first. Propelled by his Mingjin, his fist shot toward Liu Maolin's face with ferocious momentum.
Unhurried, Liu Maolin casually twisted his wrist. The seemingly effortless block perfectly deflected most of the force behind the punch.
Simultaneously, he raised his elbow, sending an 'Elbow Strike' from the Mountain-Shattering Fist toward Yang Jing's chest, stopping just an inch from his clothes.
"Watch closely,"
Liu Maolin said in a steady voice, "Your Mingjin is too rigid. It's like an unsharpened stone—it can shatter the surface of things, but it can't harm what's within. Anjin, however, is different..."
Before he finished speaking, his arm trembled. Yang Jing felt a clinging force coil around his own arm like a vine, making it difficult for him to even pull his fist back.
"Anjin is like flowing water. It can follow the opponent's force and seep through the cracks."
Liu Maolin changed his move as he spoke.
His fist grazed past Yang Jing's arm, and the generated force sent a tingling sensation across his skin.
"Take the 'Mountain-Shattering' move, for example," Liu Maolin said slowly. "With Mingjin, you're cleaving the mountain and splitting the rock. With Anjin, you're shattering the very foundation beneath it."
Yang Jing focused, absorbing the lesson and adjusting his technique according to Liu Maolin's guidance.
Liu Maolin's control over his Anjin was masterful. One moment, it was a gentle spring breeze, allowing Yang Jing to clearly sense the path of the attack. The next, it was a crashing wave, forcing him to summon all of his Mingjin just to respond.
Every exchange was like a demonstration, revealing the deeper, more profound principles of Mountain-Shattering Fist.
'So the same move, when powered by Mingjin versus Anjin, was truly worlds apart.'
"Yes, just like that. Sink your waist and hips lower. Let the power rise from the root of your legs, up through your spine..."
Seeing Yang Jing gradually get the hang of it, a hint of approval entered Liu Maolin's voice.
The two went back and forth, the wind from their punches weaving into a single blur.
Liu Maolin always held back, yet he enabled Yang Jing to gain a much deeper understanding of the principles of 'power penetrating tissue' and 'balancing hard and soft.'
As they finished with the final move, Yang Jing was slightly out of breath, but his eyes were startlingly bright. It was as if a barrier in his mind had been broken through, and his grasp of Mountain-Shattering Fist had improved significantly.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Yang Jing cupped his fists in sincere gratitude.
'Only now did I understand. The 'shattering' in Mountain-Shattering Fist isn't just about shattering external objects, but also about shattering the limits of my own understanding of its principles.'
Liu Maolin clapped Yang Jing on the shoulder, smiling. "Junior Brother, you have a solid foundation; all you lack is a bit of guidance. Keep up the hard work, and given time, you might just reach the threshold of the Anjin realm."
With that, the two walked over to a stone bench at the edge of the courtyard and sat down. Each took out a waterskin and gulped down some water.
Yang Jing took a few gulps, then put his waterskin away. Wiping his mouth, he looked at Liu Maolin and asked, "Fourth Senior Brother, have you ever heard of the Great Fortune Gang?"
Liu Maolin paused for a moment, then replied thoughtfully, "The Great Fortune Gang? The name rings a bell. They're one of the gangs in West City, aren't they?"
Yang Jing nodded quickly.
The seat of Yuhe County was divided into an Inner City and an Outer City.
The Outer City was further divided by cardinal direction into South City, West City, North City, and East City.
Both Chengping Square, where Sun's Martial Arts Hall was located, and Datong Square, where Yang Jing lived, were in West City. The Great Fortune Gang was also active in this area, which was why Yang Jing had encountered them.
Liu Maolin thought for a moment before continuing, "My family's medical hall does business with many of the city's factions. I've heard our bookkeeper mention them in passing. The Great Fortune Gang isn't a major power; they're just an ordinary gang."
He paused, as if trying to recall something, then added, "I vaguely remember their Gang Leader is a Mingjin Martial Artist. What was his name... I think his surname is Xu? I don't know the specifics of his strength or his record, but I've never heard anything about him being close to the threshold of Anjin. Why are you suddenly asking about this?"
Liu Maolin looked up at Yang Jing, his brow furrowed.
'Yuhe County is crawling with gangs. Unless it's absolutely necessary, it's best not to get involved with such underworld factions.'