Qian Feng was a veteran master of Dark Energy, long-established and even holding a minor reputation in Yuhe County. No one thought Yang Jing stood a chance.

"Yang Jing won? Qian Feng lost? He lost just like that? I even bet with my friends that Qian Feng would take first place on Arena Seven, and he just lost?" Someone rubbed their eyes, as if they hadn’t clearly seen those two clean and decisive punches.

"Amazing, truly amazing. I underestimated him before. Yang Jing from Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, is it? I’ll remember that name. Even if he gets eliminated this year, who knows? Maybe in a few years he’ll actually pass the Training Ground Trial."

Amidst the murmurs, Chen Wu stood at the front of the crowd, gazing at Yang Jing with a complex expression.

He stroked the stubble on his chin, his mind replaying Yang Jing’s victory over Qian Feng. He murmured, "Qian Feng didn’t lose unfairly. That guy’s strength is fierce, and his Body Technique is agile and tricky. Even I would find him a handful. I’m afraid the Body Technique he’s cultivating is about to break through to Mingjin."

The Martial Artists watching from outside the railing erupted in an uproar.

Some were shocked that they had misjudged him, others began to inquire about Yang Jing’s background, and the more enterprising ones were already considering whether to befriend him early on.

There were also those from the great clans of Yuhe County who secretly noted down Yang Jing’s name. After the Training Ground Trial, they could consider sponsoring and cultivating this person. To be able to crush Qian Feng... such strength was impressive even among Dark Energy masters.

Yang Jing seemed oblivious to the gazes around him, simply walking steadily off the stage.

He could feel the burning gazes on his back and could guess at the crowd’s astonishment. He felt a stir of excitement in his heart, but his face remained expressionless, as calm as ever.

’For me, this victory was expected. I was only holding back before to avoid attracting trouble by revealing my strength too early. Now that I’m up against a skilled Dark Energy expert like him, I can’t afford to deliberately hold back any longer.’

’Besides, I know this is just the beginning.’

’To pass the Training Ground Trial, I’ll need to win at least two more fights.’

’And every single one of the next fights will be a true struggle, a brutal battle!’

...

「Outside the railing.」

Sun Ningxiang stared at the figure walking down from the arena, her mouth slightly agape. The shock in her eyes was like a stone dropped into a lake, sending ripples spreading outward.

’He really won.’

’Junior Brother Yang really won?!’

She remembered chatting with her father last night when he had been commenting on the several Dark Energy disciples in their Martial Arts Hall. When the conversation turned to Junior Brother Yang, her father had said Yang Jing would definitely be stopped in the fourth round. As long as his luck wasn’t too bad, he would probably face Mingjin Martial Artists in the first three rounds. And while Junior Brother Yang was new to Dark Energy, dealing with Mingjin Martial Artists shouldn’t have been a problem.

But starting from the fourth round, the probability of facing a Dark Energy master was much higher.

Being new to Dark Energy and lacking combat experience, Yang Jing was sure to be no match for one.

Especially since his fourth-round opponent was Qian Feng.

Lieyang Martial Arts Hall’s Iron Sand Palm was famously tough in Yuhe County, and Qian Feng was one of the best among Lieyang Martial Arts Hall’s Core Disciples.

’But just now, I saw it so clearly. Yang Jing avoided a direct clash and circled to the side. That lightning-fast elbow strike... it clearly used the Sun’s Martial Arts Hall’s method of deflecting force with skill, but it was executed more cleanly than by almost any other disciple in the hall. It was as decisive as a blade slicing through paper. His combat experience seems incredibly rich!’

Yang Jing’s gaze swept over the surroundings. When he saw that familiar, beautiful figure, he was slightly taken aback. "Senior Sister Ning Xiang?"

He had only just noticed her. Sun Ningxiang had come over at some point.

She was standing just outside the railing, looking right at him.

Yang Jing smiled lightly and gave Sun Ningxiang a nod.

Seeing that Yang Jing had noticed her and was smiling, Sun Ningxiang’s heart felt as if something had gently bumped into it. She pursed her lips into a smile in return, then raised her arm and gave him a determined fist pump.

After doing this, she quickly turned and left, walking briskly toward her father.

Banners and flags fluttered around the training ground. The stands were filled with all the dignitaries and influential figures of the county.

Sun Ningxiang lifted the hem of her dress, weaving through the crowd. A thin sheen of sweat on her temples felt cool as the wind blew past.

After passing through the crowd, she finally saw the familiar area outside the railing of Arena Three.

The disciples of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall were gathered there, their gray-green uniforms particularly conspicuous in the crowd.

Sun Yong was sitting on a large chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. His gaze was fixed on Arena Three ahead, but his brow was slightly furrowed, clearly worried about Lin Yue, who was about to go on stage.

"Master, do you think Senior Brother Lin can win this time? I heard his opponent is ’Iron Arm’ Zhang Meng. That guy’s hard-style techniques are incredible," a young disciple said, rubbing his hands together, his tone tinged with nervousness.

A senior brother next to him chimed in, "Don’t worry. Senior Brother Lin is exceptionally talented with a superior constitution. He’s only a step away from the Peak of Dark Energy, and his combat ability is undeniable. Dealing with Zhang Meng should be no problem..."

Amidst the discussion, Sun Ningxiang arrived in front of Sun Yong. Before she could even catch her breath, she called out, "Dad! Junior Brother Yang... he..."

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it made all the surrounding disciples look over.

Or perhaps it was because Sun Ningxiang was already the center of attention for many of the disciples.

Sun Yong lowered his palm-leaf fan and looked up at his daughter. Seeing her flushed cheeks and shining eyes, he couldn’t help but ask, "What is it? Speak slowly. Did something happen with Yang Jing?"

His heart skipped a beat. ’Could it be? Did Yang Jing lose the match and get seriously injured?’

’Things like that happened all the time in the Training Ground Trial. After all, fights were hard to control. Fists have no eyes.’

Sun Ningxiang took a deep breath, suppressed the elation in her heart, and said, enunciating every word, "Dad, Junior Brother Yang won! He defeated Qian Feng from Lieyang Martial Arts Hall and has advanced to the fifth round!"

"What?" Sun Yong was stunned. The palm-leaf fan in his hand paused, and his eyes filled with astonishment. "Say that again? Yang Jing... defeated Qian Feng?"

The surrounding disciples erupted into an uproar, each and every one of them dumbfounded.

"He beat Qian Feng? But he’s a veteran Dark Energy master!"

"Senior Brother Yang is that strong? I thought he wasn’t good in a real fight. Wow, he actually beat Qian Feng from Lieyang Martial Arts Hall!"

"Qian Feng’s Wind-Splitting Palm is so tricky to deal with, and Senior Brother Yang actually..."

"Who’s Qian Feng? Senior Brother Wang, who is Qian Feng? Is he that good?"

The surrounding disciples kept whispering amongst themselves.

Sun Ningxiang nodded vigorously. Recalling the two clean, decisive Heavy Fists on the stage, her tone was certain: "It’s the absolute truth! I saw it with my own eyes. Junior Brother Yang’s final two Heavy Fists sent Qian Feng flying, and Qian Feng conceded on the spot! Now he’s advanced to the final round of Arena Seven. The fight for first place is about to begin!"

Sun Yong stared blankly at his daughter.

He recalled how Yang Jing usually was at the Martial Arts Hall—always practicing his forms silently, a man of few words who never competed for attention. Who would have thought that this seemingly unremarkable disciple would give him quite a surprise today?

’Good kid,’

Sun Yong murmured, a smile gradually dawning in his eyes. The brow he had furrowed in worry for Lin Yue now slowly relaxed.

A disciple beside him shouted excitedly, "Master, Junior Brother Yang made it to the fifth round! Maybe he can even take first place!"

Sun Yong shook his head, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve upward. "First place is too difficult. Every one of the remaining fighters is a tough nut to crack. To have made it this far is already far better than I expected."

’He knew in his heart that the fifth-round opponent would be a true master at the Peak of Dark Energy. Defeating Qian Feng was already Yang Jing’s limit. Going any further would be nigh impossible.’

’But what did that matter?’

Sun Yong picked up his teacup and took a sip of the completely cooled tea, yet he found it more flavorful than when it was freshly brewed.

He gazed at the young figure in the center of the training grounds. ’Perhaps I, his master, truly misjudged him.’

Just then, Qi Yun walked over from a distance.

She came before Sun Yong with her head bowed.

She had just lost in the fourth round, and her heart felt heavy. Recalling her master’s earlier words, "Just do your best and don’t bring shame to the Martial Arts Hall," she felt even more ashamed.

"Master," she said, her voice barely a whisper and thick with emotion. "I... I was defeated."