Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 39 Night Attack
The news of Yang Jing's breakthrough to the Dark Force realm spread like wildfire, reaching the entire Sun Family Martial Arts School in less than half an hour.

In the front yard, the disciples who were practicing their skills stopped and looked in Yang Jing's direction, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"Really? Yang Jing... he's become a Dark Force martial artist?"

"No way, isn't Senior Brother Yang supposed to have inferior physique? How could he possibly break through to the Dark Force realm?"

"No wonder Senior Brother Yang practices his boxing so hard every day. All that hard work has earned him real skills!"

"Hidden strength... that's a level that many people can't even reach in their entire lives, and he actually—"

A murmur of conversation arose, and soon many disciples gathered around, their faces beaming with warm smiles, offering their congratulations in unison.

"Senior Brother Yang, congratulations! You'll have to give me some pointers in the future!"

"Senior Brother Yang is a man of great talent; we were blind to his abilities before!"

Those who used to be distant from Yang Jing now flocked to him, their words full of flattery.

After all, the gap between hidden strength and manifest strength is like an insurmountable chasm. The former would be a top-tier expert in any faction, while while masters of manifest strength are rare, they are still attainable for many disciples.

Everyone knows the significance of this.

Yang Jing nodded slightly, gave a few brief replies, and did not engage in further social interaction.

He knew that most of the admiration came from the term "hidden strength," and that instead of indulging in it, he should take this opportunity to familiarize himself with the application of hidden strength and focus more on his martial arts.

"Junior brother, are you itching to break through to the Dark Force realm?" Liu Maolin stepped forward, cracking his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Come on, let's spar a bit, let me see how much you've improved since breaking through to the Dark Force realm!"

Yang Jing had just broken through and wanted to test the depth of his internal strength, so he smiled and replied, "Alright, please go easy on me, Senior Brother."

The two walked into the center of the field, and a clearing immediately appeared around them.

Liu Maolin didn't hesitate and threw a punch first. The punch was gentle but contained hidden power, which was the way of hidden force.

In the past, when Yang Jing was still at the Ming Jin level, Liu Maolin only needed to exert three-tenths of his strength to easily neutralize his attacks, and even give him a few pointers with ease.

But at this moment, Yang Jing also threw a punch. The hidden force of the Mountain-Crushing Fist was activated. The punch seemed slow, but it carried a kind of solidity that pierced through the air.

As their fists clashed, Liu Maolin felt a solid, hidden force travel through his finger bones, causing his arm to go slightly numb. He was secretly shocked; the force was much more stable than he had expected!

He dared not be negligent and immediately increased his strength, making his fist techniques more fierce, with hidden energy flowing through his meridians, and his moves were experienced and shrewd.

Yang Jing, however, was not afraid at all. The moves of the Mountain-Crushing Fist became more and more fluid in his hands, and he could control the hidden force at will.

Although he had only recently entered the realm of Dark Force, he had already gained some understanding of the characteristics of Dark Force through years of sparring with Liu Maolin. Coupled with the adaptability honed through several life-or-death battles, he managed to withstand 80% of Liu Maolin's attack.

"Hey, this is interesting!" Seeing that he couldn't break through after a long attack, Liu Maolin's fighting spirit intensified. He unleashed his hidden strength without reservation, and his fists whistled as he used ninety percent of his power.

This kind of power is enough to make ordinary martial artists who have just entered the Dark Force stage flustered.

Yang Jing's expression hardened, and he brought the "entanglement" technique of the Mountain-Crushing Fist to its extreme. His fist force wrapped around the opponent like vines, deflecting the force while simultaneously launching a counterattack.

Even so, he gradually fell into a disadvantageous position, forced to retreat repeatedly, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"You flatter me!" Liu Maolin knew when to stop, withdrew his fist and stepped back, his face full of surprise and admiration. "You've only just entered the Dark Force realm, yet you can withstand ninety percent of my force. That's outrageous! Back when I first broke through, I was lucky if I could withstand five or six tenths of the force of an experienced opponent of the same level."

Yang Jing wiped his sweat, secretly marveling at his own performance.

The world of hidden strength is indeed mysterious. The control and changes contained in Liu Maolin's ninety percent strength are far beyond what the peak of Ming strength can compare to.

But he also knew that his performance was inseparable from his solid foundation and the practical experience he gained in life-or-death situations.

The surrounding disciples were already stunned. Although the exchange just now was not as visceral and powerful as the Ming Jin contest, it was full of mystery and subtlety, which made them truly feel the terror of the An Jin martial artist. They also felt more awe for Yang Jing's newly broken through An Jin strength.

The sparring had just ended, and the two were wiping their sweat when a man dressed in a short blue cloth jacket hurriedly walked in from outside the martial arts school gate, went straight to Liu Maolin, and whispered a few words to him.

Liu Maolin's expression changed slightly, and then he smiled apologetically at Yang Jing and said, "Junior brother, something urgent has happened at the clinic, and I have to go back right away."

He patted Yang Jing on the shoulder, "The celebration banquet we agreed on can only be rescheduled for tomorrow night. We'll definitely make it up to you then."

"Business is important, no need to worry about these things. Today is a good day to carefully study the follow-up to the Mountain-Crushing Fist that Master taught us," Yang Jing said with a smile. "I'll keep the appointment tomorrow night."

Liu Maolin nodded, then added a few more words of advice, "Wait for my news," before quickly leaving with the man.

At the same time, he was also thinking that when he got back, he would tell his father in detail about Yang Jing's breakthrough to the Dark Force realm, increase the monthly allowance and meat supply, and preferably add some conveniences. He would also set up a plan and bring it up at the celebration the next night, so that Yang Jing would know the Liu family's sincerity.

Just after Liu Maolin left, Xu Hong and Zhao Wenzheng came over with gentle smiles on their faces, a stark contrast to their usual aloofness.

"Junior Brother Yang, those punches just now were truly exquisite." Xu Hong spoke first, his tone filled with genuine admiration. "You've actually grasped some of the essence of the 'penetration' technique in internal force."

Zhao Wenzheng chimed in, "Yes, I didn't realize before that you were hiding your abilities so well, Junior Brother. In the future, if there are any matters in the temple or any insights you may have about cultivation, we should exchange ideas more often."

Yang Jing knew the reason for their change in attitude, but he didn't mind. He cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me, senior brothers. I have only just entered the Dark Force realm and there are still many things I need to learn from you."

"Don't mention it," Xu Hong said with a smile, waving his hand. "We're all from the same sect, it's only natural to help each other out. By the way, are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to a few drinks at Jufulou in the south of the city."

In the past, Xu Hong wouldn't have invited anyone, let alone Jufulou, or even a small street-side wine stall.

Yang Jing understood, but still politely declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother, but I want to take this opportunity to think about the internal strength training method of the Mountain-Crushing Fist tonight. As for drinking, I'll bother you another day."

Xu Hong didn't press the matter, and said with a smile, "Alright, cultivation is the most important thing. We'll talk about it another day, you go ahead and do your work."

The two exchanged a few more polite words before turning and leaving.

Yang Jing watched their retreating figures and let out a soft sigh.

The fact that he was a martial artist with internal strength made all the difference.

But he didn't think much of it. After resting for a while, he turned around and walked to a corner of the front yard to continue immersing himself in the practice of the Mountain-Crushing Fist.

Time passes slowly.

After a day of arduous practice, darkness fell, like a cloth soaked in ink, slowly descending.

As the last lantern in the front yard lit up, Yang Jingcai stopped his punch, his whole body steaming with heat, and his internal energy flowing more and more smoothly through his meridians.

He nodded to the handyman who was tidying up the equipment, then turned and left the martial arts school.

"Brother Yang's dedication is truly unmatched." The handyman murmured to himself, watching his retreating figure. "Practicing from morning till night, even an iron body couldn't withstand that. No wonder he's mastered internal strength..."

On the way home, the streets were not completely quiet yet, and a few vendors were packing up their stalls.

Yang Jing walked steadily, his inner strength concealed. He seemed no different from an ordinary passerby, yet he could clearly perceive the movements around him. The drunkard's ramblings on the street corner and the soft sound of a cat's paws stepping on the roof tiles were all within his perception.

As Yang Jing passed through a narrow alley connecting two main streets, the light suddenly dimmed, with high walls on both sides completely blocking the moonlight. Just as Yang Jing stepped into the middle of the alley, two dark figures, like lurking venomous snakes, leaped down from the top of the wall, creating a sharp whistling sound, and pounced straight at his back. They were Zhao Meng, the leader of the Righteousness Gang, and Qian Bao, the deputy leader, who were lying in ambush there.

"Boy, surrender now!"

Each of them held a short knife, the blades gleaming coldly in the dim light, targeting weaknesses with perfect teamwork.

In the past, if Yang Jing had been able to barely cope with the sudden attack from two peak Ming Jin experts, he would have been in a very sorry state.

But at this moment, a slight movement of internal energy stirred within him, and instead of retreating, he advanced. His seemingly staggering step just barely avoided the intersecting trajectory of the two short swords.

At the same time, his right fist, though thrown later, struck Qian Bao's wrist with pinpoint accuracy, without the slightest sound of wind.

"Crack!"

The cracking sound of bones breaking was particularly jarring in the alley.

Qian Bao felt a soft yet indestructible force drill into his wrist bone, and the short knife flew out of his hand. Before the intense pain could spread throughout his body, Yang Jing's fist was already there, imprinted on his chest.

Three punches landed in quick succession on his chest, creating a large dent.

There was no earth-shattering sound of impact, but Qian Bao was as if gripped by an invisible force. His body suddenly arched like a shrimp, his eyes widened, blood gushed from his mouth, and with an expression of disbelief on his face, he slowly fell to the ground and died.

It was too fast. From the moment the two men leaped out from the shadows to launch a sneak attack, to Yang Jing killing Qian Bao, it was only a matter of two or three breaths.

Qian Bao never imagined that he would die like this, dying here, dying from Yang Jing's seemingly light three punches.

"Old Qian!" Zhao Meng was both shocked and furious. He changed his slashing motion with a thrusting motion, aiming straight for Yang Jing's throat.

He was experienced and had sensed something was wrong in that instant. Yang Jing's movements and power were far beyond the scope of Ming Jin!

Yang Jing dodged the blade by sidestepping it, and placed his left hand on the back of Zhao Meng's knife.

The hidden force emanated from the palm, spreading along the blade like water.

Zhao Meng felt a numbness in his arm, and the strength in his grip on the knife instantly dissipated, almost causing him to drop the dagger.

His heart trembled violently, and an absurd yet incredibly clear thought exploded within him: "This...this is internal force?!"

How can it be!

Before taking action, they had conducted a detailed investigation into Yang Jing. They clearly stated that Yang Jing only possessed Ming Jin (manifest strength), so how could he have An Jin (hidden strength)?!
Startled, Zhao Meng lost all fighting spirit and leaped backward, trying to create distance: "You...you've broken through to the Dark Force realm?!"

Yang Jing gave him no chance to escape. He exerted force with his feet, and his hidden strength burst out from the ground. His figure caught up with him like a ghost. He activated the "Entanglement" technique of the Mountain-Crushing Fist. His fist seemed slow, but it blocked all of Zhao Meng's escape routes.

Zhao Meng swung his fist to block, and as the two fists collided, he felt a spiraling force drill into his body through his arm, as if his internal organs were being stirred up and his blood and qi were surging.

"No! Impossible! How could you possibly be using internal energy!" Zhao Meng screamed, his face drained of all color.

He finally understood why Qian Bao died so quickly. The difference between Ming Jin and An Jin, though seemingly only a step apart, was actually worlds apart.

That seemingly gentle force can actually penetrate the skin and flesh, directly damaging the internal organs, making it several times more terrifying than the most powerful Ming Jin!
He turned and ran, wanting nothing more than to escape the alley.

But Yang Jing's fist had already arrived, and with the support of the Surging Wave Kick, his speed and agility were improving day by day.

This time, the hidden force was unleashed without reservation. The fist grazed his back, and Zhao Meng's forward momentum suddenly stopped. His clothes on his back were intact, but a sharp, stabbing pain came from under his skin, as if countless needles were piercing his internal organs.

"Uh..." Zhao Meng staggered a few steps, fell to the ground, twitched twice, and then fell silent.

The alleyway fell silent again, with only the stench of blood lingering in the damp air.

Yang Jing stood beside the two corpses and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

His first battle after mastering the initial stage of internal strength was easier than he had expected.

He glanced at the two corpses on the ground, his eyes calm. From the moment the other party chose to launch a surprise attack, there was no turning back.

The stench of blood in the alley grew stronger, but Yang Jing did not leave immediately.

He walked to the two corpses and, using the faint light filtering in from outside the alley, saw the faces of the dead. Sure enough, they were Zhao Meng, the leader of the Righteousness Gang, and Qian Bao, the deputy leader.

The two men still had the horror of dying on their faces, but they didn't even wear the most basic masks, clearly confident that they could easily take him down and had no intention of concealing their identities.

"It really was them." Yang Jing realized.

He had anticipated that the Righteous Gang would target him because of Xu Tai's affair, and this sense of crisis was one of the driving forces behind his all-night boxing practice and relentless assault last night.

In retrospect, breaking through the hidden strength barrier ahead of time was indeed a wise move.

He crouched down and began searching the body.

Zhao Meng's waist was bulging. He took it out and saw that it was a thick money bag. He poured out the silver and counted it. It was a full seventy-four taels.

Qian Bao's money pouch was slightly thinner, but it still weighed forty-three taels.

The total was 117 taels, which, though not a lot, was enough for an ordinary family in the county town to live on for several years. It must have been the silver that the two of them carried with them.

When Yang Jing searched Zhao Meng's chest, his fingertips touched a hard object. He took it out and found it was a small porcelain bottle about the size of his palm.

Upon opening it, I found a pill the size of a longan, dark red in color, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. I wondered what its purpose was.

Yang Jing casually stuffed the porcelain bottle into his pocket. This place was not suitable for him to stay long. He would find another opportunity to identify it later.

After collecting the valuables, Yang Jing stood up, his eyes turning cold.

He did not leave immediately, but instead channeled his inner strength and landed his fists on the two corpses one after another.

The hidden force penetrated the body, and the muffled sound of bones shattering echoed low in the alley. A moment later, the two corpses were unrecognizable, their limbs twisted into bizarre angles, making them unrecognizable as they were, let alone the fact that they had died from the Mountain-Crushing Fist.

Nowadays, there are many displaced people in and around the county, public security is in chaos, and murders occur frequently. The government is already exhausted from dealing with these cases, and it is too lazy to investigate these gang-related killings.

Zhao Meng and his companion had made many enemies, so it was perfectly reasonable for them to be silenced by their enemies.

Even if someone discovers the body, they will only associate it with a feud between gangsters and thugs, and it will be extremely difficult to trace it back to him.

After finishing, Yang Jing glanced at the depths of the alley one last time to make sure no traces were left before turning around and quickly walking out of the alley.

He blended into the crowd in the night, his steps light and quick. The silver at his waist and the porcelain bottle in his arms felt heavy, but they were far less reassuring than the hidden energy flowing within him.

With the two leaders of the Righteous Gang eliminated, things should be quieter from now on.

PS: Thank you to the user 【书友20231226031539610】 for the 100 Qidian Coins reward.

(End of this chapter)