Li Zhong stood to one side and said nothing at first.

He knew just how great an impact this news had on his master. When he first heard that Yang Jing had made the rankings, his own calves had nearly cramped, and his reaction had been even more unbecoming than Ning Xuezhi’s was now.

But no matter how shocking it was, they had to face reality. This was the trickiest situation they now faced.

He waited a moment. Seeing the deathly pallor on Ning Xuezhi’s face begin to fade, replaced by a clarity born from internal struggle, Li Zhong finally asked cautiously, "Master, what... what do we do now?"

Ning Xuezhi took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently a few times as if he’d come to a decision.

He looked toward Yang Family Village and gritted his teeth. "I have to go to Yang Family Village myself. I must present the right attitude, and we need to talk things out."

He paused, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "All that dirty business from before... we’ll pin it on Feng Lei. He’s already dead, and dead men tell no tales. He’s the perfect scapegoat. Besides, I’m not even framing him. All I wanted was the Yang Family’s two acres of prime farmland. The threats and coercion were all his own doing. It had nothing to do with me."

Li Zhong nodded eagerly in agreement. "You are right, Master. Only a personal visit from you can show our sincerity. It would be best to meet Yang Jing in person and clear the air completely, even if... even if it means lowering yourself a little."

’In his eyes, as long as the Ning Family could be preserved, a moment of humiliation was nothing to speak of.’

Ning Xuezhi nodded and ordered Li Zhong, "Go to the Feng Family right now. Have them take my wife back to stay for a few days."

Li Zhong froze, his expression uncomprehending. "Master, why would you do that?"

’The current lady of the manor is the Master’s second wife, and she’s also Feng Lei’s distant younger sister. They’ve always gotten along harmoniously enough. Why suddenly send her back to the Feng Family?’

A cold glint flashed in Ning Xuezhi’s eyes. "This trip to the Yang Family serves two purposes. First, to show goodwill. Second, to feel out their intentions. If Yang Jing still harbors a grudge over the past and refuses to let it go..."

His tone shifted, becoming resolute. "Then I’ll have no choice but to completely cut ties with the Feng Family and lay all the blame at their feet. When the time comes, I will divorce my wife, severing this connection. That will show the Yang Family the Ning Family’s stance, and they’ll have no reason to direct their anger at us."

The words shocked Li Zhong so much that he stumbled back half a step, his face filled with disbelief.

’He had never imagined his master could be so decisive—willing to cast aside even the woman who shared his bed just to protect the Ning Family.’

Ning Xuezhi’s face was grim, yet he showed no hesitation. "You don’t understand. You must never underestimate a person’s hatred, especially someone like Yang Jing who dragged himself up from the mud. Once he comes to hate someone, it’s possible he won’t rest until one of them is dead. And besides, there’s no harm in being cautious."

The reason he had been able to stabilize the family’s fortunes after taking over the Ning Family, and even add to them, was never through acting on emotion. It was through this very brand of caution: the willingness to sever ties when necessary.

"I thought about smoothing things over with the Yang Family before, but I didn’t go far enough. Who knows if they’re still secretly holding a grudge?"

Ning Xuezhi’s voice was heavy. "She’s just a second wife, a replacement. If I divorce her, I divorce her. I can always find someone younger and prettier later. I can’t sacrifice the Ning Family’s thousand acres of prime land—our entire fortune—for one woman!"

Seeing the resolve in his master’s eyes, Li Zhong finally understood his plan. He bowed low and replied, "I’ll see to it at once!"

Ning Xuezhi waved a hand in dismissal, his gaze turning once more toward Yang Family Village, his expression complex and unreadable.

’This trip concerned the very survival of the Ning Family. It was a gamble he had to win.’

...

Ultimately, the matter with the Ning Family turned out just as Ning Xuezhi had wished, finally putting a great weight off his mind.

That very noon, Ning Xuezhi arrived personally in Yang Family Village with several carts laden with extravagant gifts, managing to catch Yang Jing just before he left.

He adopted an extremely humble posture. After a round of self-criticism, he proceeded to pin most of the blame for their past conflicts on Feng Lei, apologizing with the utmost sincerity.

At the same time, he bowed respectfully to Yang Jing, addressing him as, "Congratulations, Sir..."

Ning Xuezhi’s behavior stunned many of the villagers present.

This was Ning the Rich, the most prominent landowner in Wazi Town, who typically barked orders at the local farmers. They never expected to see him in front of Yang Jing, acting so subservient he was practically one step away from kneeling and groveling.

It had to be said, the man truly had a knack for managing such a large estate. Not everyone could master the art of being so adaptable—knowing when to yield and when to stand firm.

Yang Jing recalled his grandfather’s magnanimity toward Yang Ji. Seeing that Ning Xuezhi was indeed sincere and had come to apologize multiple times, he decided not to pursue the matter. It’s hard to strike a smiling man, after all.

’He knew perfectly well that if not for his own rise to prominence, the Yang Family would have eventually faced a great crisis after losing those two acres of prime land. Though he’d had the thought of eliminating the problem root and stem, he decided against it. His opponent had already yielded, and his grandfather had no intention of pursuing it further. So, he went with the flow, gave Ning Xuezhi a stern warning, and spared him.’

...

「One month later.」

Chengping Square, in the front courtyard of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall.

Sunlight streamed through the tall gate of the Martial Arts Hall, spilling across the bluestone-paved front courtyard and casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow.

Dressed in training gear, Yang Jing was focused on practicing the Mountain-Shattering Fist.

His feet were set slightly apart, his stance low and rooted as he gathered his qi in his Dantian.

He threw a punch. He wasn’t aiming for speed, but for a force as weighty as a mountain. The wind from his fist whistled, seeming to make the very air around it vibrate.

Halfway through its trajectory, his arm suddenly trembled as if a hidden force was surging along his meridians to the surface of his fist.

With a muffled THUD, a sound like shattering stone echoed in the courtyard.

This was the essence of the Mountain-Shattering Fist: using strength to cultivate power, and using that power to shatter stone.

His body twisted and flowed, his fists swinging in wide, powerful arcs. One moment, he was like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, incomparably ferocious. The next, he was like a nimble ape at play, his techniques changing with blinding speed.

Every punch was accompanied by the soft pop of his joints, his clothes snapping in the wind from his strikes. There was not a single wasted movement. He had clearly practiced this fist technique to the point of perfection, integrating it into his very qi and blood.