Promise!

Chapter 52, Martial Arts

"Zhuang Jin, I have broken through the second level of the Sutra, and I have also mastered the Black Evil Palm." Xiang Qichen looked at Zhuang Jin and said this, feeling quite proud.

He already had excellent aptitude, and this month he chose to be in the north of the city. Although the north of the city was not like the south of the city adjacent to the Medicine King Gang, where the fighting was extremely intense, there was also quite a bit of friction. This month he had experienced several dangerous battles, and was tempered between life and death. In addition, he had learned martial arts last month, and although he did not achieve both realm and martial arts in the end, he had accumulated considerable progress... With all these factors combined, this month he finally broke through the bottleneck of the second sutra and reached the second sutra realm, and even mastered the Black Evil Palm.

This afternoon was a holiday, and he didn't go back home. He couldn't wait to come to the Shen family headquarters, find out where Zhuang Jin was practicing in the martial arts training ground, and wait outside, just to tell Zhuang Jin this sentence in person, to see if Zhuang Jin could still be as arrogant as he was when he apologized last month?

After Xiang Qichen said this, he stared at Zhuang Jin's expression, trying to see shock, jealousy, or worry, fear, and terror on his face.

After all, according to him, last month Zhuang Jin broke through to the Second Sutra Realm first. It was all fine for you to be arrogant, but now he's caught up and surpassed him. How could you, Zhuang Jin, still be so arrogant? Aren't you afraid he'll leave you far behind and retaliate? It's time to let Zhuang Jin have a taste of the fear he once had.

However, none of the imagined situations occurred. Zhuang Jin nodded calmly: "Oh, then congratulations."

His tone was flat, as if he had heard what Xiang Qichen had eaten for lunch today, or as if he was affirming the student, nodding and saying, "Not bad, you got the one plus one equals two problem right, not bad."

In fact, that is indeed the case.

Is it a big deal to learn the Black Evil Palm?
More than half a month ago, Zhuang Jin started learning the Black Evil Palm. These days, he has been practicing the extra hour every night to cultivate martial arts. Now his progress in the Black Evil Palm has gone a long way beyond the beginner level.

Is the second level of the sutras so great?

It’s not bad. Zhuang Jin has completed nearly 60% of the accumulation of the second level this month. At the latest, he will break through to the third level by the end of next month!
"I hope that when Xiang Qichen comes back to choose a mission at the beginning of next month, he won't be upset when he hears the news of my promotion to a three-marked servant!" Zhuang Jin thought calmly.

"Zhuang Jin, you!" In fact, there is no need to wait until the first day of the next month, Xiang Qichen's defense has been broken now.

Zhuang Jin's nonchalant attitude suddenly aroused the anger in his chest: Zhuang Jin had this attitude before he broke through the Second Sutra Realm. Now that he has not only broken through the Second Sutra Realm, but has even mastered the Black Evil Palm, Zhuang Jin still has this attitude. Didn't his breakthrough come in vain?

"Zhuang Jin, did you hear that clearly? I've already broken through to the Second Path Realm. After tomorrow's assessment, I'll be a Second Path Servant like you. Furthermore, I've also mastered the Black Evil Palm!"

Xiang Qichen repeated it again, staring at Zhuang Jin's face, trying to see through Zhuang Jin's disguise, but unfortunately, he saw nothing, only calmness.

Zhuang Jin had no intention of playing coy with Xiang Qichen. Seeing that Xiang Qichen was like a child who wanted to be praised, he simply did as he wished and sent him away as soon as possible to continue practicing.

"Oh, that's great, keep up the good work," he said.

Day and night this month, Xiang Qichen used Zhuang Jin to stimulate himself and inspire his motivation to practice, just to prove himself in front of Zhuang Jin. Now that he has clearly gained Zhuang Jin's recognition, he has no sense of accomplishment.

Because he felt the arrogance (self-righteousness) beneath the calmness, this condescending attitude made him extremely disgusted and humiliated, even though he had always treated others like this before!

Xiang Qichen looked at Zhuang Jin, clenching his fists. The veins on his forehead bulged, as if he was about to explode at any moment. When his anger was about to reach its peak, he seemed to suddenly understand something, and the anger disappeared like a deflated pufferfish. He suddenly laughed: "Zhuang Jin, I overestimated you. You hid in the outer courtyard of the Shen family, so comfortable and enjoying yourself. Do you know what I have been through this month?" "I fought with the members of the Medicine King Gang, killed people, and my hands were stained with blood!"

As he spoke, he looked at Zhuang Jin, as if he were looking at a mayfly that grew up in a well and had never seen the blue sky. He said with pity, "Have you ever experienced a true life-or-death battle? Do you know what it's like to be between life and death? Have you ever felt the blood splatter on your face after killing someone?"

The way of martial arts is all about fighting, fighting, fighting! Kill, kill, kill! Breaking through the limits of life and death... If you only know how to live in comfort, what kind of success will you have hiding in the Shen family headquarters?
After all, he overestimated Zhuang Jin. He was just a cowardly loser who was hiding away and enjoying a comfortable life. He shouldn't care about Zhuang Jin's opinion. He also felt that his eagerness to find her was a bit crazy and childish.

When Zhuang Jin heard Xiang Qichen's question, there was a strange look on his face for a moment, and he really wanted to say: Young man, times have changed. You still thought it was the hot-blooded anime in the novels and stories ten years ago?

If you let him talk about it, he will tell you that the real way of martial arts is: to bully the weak with the strong, to defeat the low with the high, to crush with absolute strength with a higher realm!

So what if you're experienced in life-and-death battles? My inner energy is one realm higher than yours, one level of condensation higher than yours, and my physical enhancements are one level higher than yours. Combined, my reflexes are one level faster than yours, my speed is one level higher than yours, and my strength is one level greater than yours. Can you react? Can you dodge? Can you take it?
Maybe the other party would say, "Do you think it's so easy to break through the realm? When you and I are at the same realm... Sorry, for Zhuang Jin, breaking through the realm is indeed not difficult."

This kind of fighting method may not be suitable for others, but it is suitable for him!

However, Zhuang Jin held back and didn't provoke Xiang Qichen. He was too lazy to bother with him and sent him away as quickly as possible, saying lightly, "I don't know."

Then, after saying that, he looked at Xiang Qichen, his expression as if saying: It's okay, are you satisfied? Can we go now?
Xiang Qichen saw Zhuang Jin's reaction and once again felt like he'd punched cotton, but he quickly consoled himself: "Time will tell who's right. Perhaps it won't take too long before the truth is revealed! By then, I'll have broken through to the third realm through fighting and surpassing my limits, while Zhuang Jin will probably still be lingering at the second realm..."

"Zhuang Jin, when I am three years old, I will come to see you one last time. I hope you can still maintain the attitude you have today." He took a deep look at Zhuang Jin for the last time, turned around and left.

"Will it happen again?" Zhuang Jin's focus was on this: "How annoying!"

"But, are you targeting me?" He shook his head slightly.

Zhuang Jin understood that Xiang Qichen wanted to redeem himself and prove himself to him because of the dormitory incident last month, but... Xiang Qichen probably chose the wrong person.

As mentioned before, he has good qualifications and is only a little bit away from being the best. His breakthroughs are getting faster and faster, his potential is accumulating, and his qualifications will continue to improve. In addition, he has no bottlenecks. Others only need to wear down a little bit, but he can break through directly... Therefore, anyone who is surpassed by him will never have the chance to catch up with him. In fact, as time goes by, the gap will become larger and larger, and eventually there will not even be a chance to see his back.

"I hope Xiang Qichen won't be hit too hard in the future... That's all. What does this have to do with me?"

Zhuang Jin shook his head, feeling puzzled by Xiang Qichen's visit. The most notable thing was that this nonsense took up a cup of his tea time, which was enough time for him to do some meditation!
After Xiang Qichen left, he was not affected at all and continued to practice.

……

(End of this chapter)