Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 57 Grandpa (Second Update)

"Ok?"

Yang Jing suddenly stood up, attracting the attention of others.

Sun Yong put down his teacup and asked in confusion, "Yang Jing, what happened?"

Liu Maolin and the others followed Yang Jing's gaze and looked out the window, but they didn't find anything special.

Yang Jing rubbed his eyes. Did he think he saw his cousin Yang An just now?

Shouldn't Yang An be in the courtyard of Tongyifang at this time?

Could it be that Yang An wanted to come here to watch him take the military examination?
Or am I seeing things?

Yang Jing only saw a figure that looked a lot like his cousin Yang An from behind, but when he looked again, the figure had disappeared.

"It's alright, Master, I might have misread it," Yang Jing said, shaking his head.

“Hmm,” Sun Yong nodded slightly, “Sit down and eat. After you eat, rest for a bit and get yourself in a good state.”

"Perhaps it's Junior Brother Yang's first time participating in the training ground test, and he's under a lot of pressure," Sun Ningxiang picked up the teapot in front of her and handed it to Yang Jing, "Have a cup of tea first."

"Thank you, Senior Sister." Yang Jing took the teapot, poured himself a pot of tea, and slowly drank it, but he was still thinking about whether the figure he had just seen was his cousin Yang An.

"Show-off!" Lin Yue gritted his teeth in hatred as he looked at Sun Ningxiang's concern for Yang Jing, and his gaze toward Yang Jing turned cold.

Before long, the dishes were served in a continuous stream.

The braised wild beast meat is glossy and has an enticing aroma. This wild beast is the "Ironback Bear" from the mountains, with firm meat containing a faint trace of vital energy.

Steamed sea bass is tender and snow-white, garnished with emerald green scallions.

There was also a large pot of milky white spirit fish soup, with a few herbs floating on the surface. The soup had a rich aroma. This spirit fish belonged to the category of exotic beasts, and its flesh and blood contained great nutrition, which was very beneficial for martial artists to nourish their blood and qi.

In addition, there were several kinds of seasonal vegetables and a jar of aged rice wine, which filled two tables, making the disciples' eyes light up.

"Master is really generous today!" Liu Maolin whispered with a smile in Yang Jing's ear.

Yang Jing was also somewhat surprised. Looking at the bowl of spirit fish soup, he nodded to himself. Such exotic beast meat was not cheap. There were probably many Ming Jin disciples present who had never eaten exotic beast meat before. It seemed that his master had really gone all out.

He picked up a piece of ironback bear meat, put it in his mouth and chewed. He felt the meat was chewy and a warm force slid down his throat and spread throughout his body. The fatigue he had accumulated from the competition seemed to dissipate a bit.

Sun Yong picked up his teacup and looked around at everyone: "You fought well this morning, but the real battle is this afternoon. Eat and drink to your heart's content, and show your true skills this afternoon. Don't embarrass the Sun Family Martial Arts School!"

"Yes, Master!" the disciples replied in unison, picking up their chopsticks, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

As Yang Jing ate, he listened to the disciples around him discussing the afternoon's competition, but in his mind he was silently calculating the opponents he might encounter next. The warmth of the spirit fish soup was quietly seeping into his inner strength.

After several rounds of tea and several dishes, the atmosphere in the private room was lively. The disciples were either talking in hushed tones or engrossed in eating and drinking, with the occasional soft clatter of bowls and chopsticks.

Sun Yong put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over everyone and landing on Lin Yue. His look was both scrutinizing and expectant.

"cough."

Sun Yong coughed lightly.

The once noisy private room instantly fell silent.

Everyone knew that Master was about to speak to Lin Yue.

The disciples all stopped eating and even chewed more softly, afraid of disturbing their master, Sun Yong.

Liu Maolin quietly nudged Yang Jing's arm, gesturing for him to look, his eyes filled with envy.

“Lin Yue,” Sun Yong said, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone’s ears, “your biggest opponent this afternoon on the third arena is Ye Canglan from the Ye family.”

Lin Yue put down the soup spoon in his hand and sat up straight: "This disciple has heard of this person."

“Hmm,” Sun Yong nodded, his tone becoming more serious. “The Ye family is one of the six major families in Yuhe County. They have a deep foundation and abundant resources. Ye Canglan has been tempering his body with various rare and precious materials since childhood. His ‘Wave Palm’ technique is now at its peak, and he is the only person on the third arena who can pose a threat to you.”

He paused, carefully recalling the characteristics of Ye Canglan's moves: "Ye Canglan's palm technique is fierce and powerful, like a surging wave. Especially the first ten moves, he uses all his strength to come down like a tidal wave, which ordinary internal force cannot withstand. But he has a fatal weakness: he is impatient and lacks stamina. If he cannot defeat his opponent in the first ten moves, his momentum will begin to decline, and his palm technique will reveal flaws."

Lin Yue listened attentively, his brows furrowing slightly: "Disciple understands, Master, are you saying we should avoid their sharp edge for now?"

“Yes,” Sun Yong gave him an approving look. “You have high comprehension and a quick mind, which are your advantages, but sometimes you are not calm enough and your temperament needs to be honed. However, when you face Ye Canglan this afternoon, remember not to fight him head-on in the first ten moves.”

"Use the 'sinking' technique of the Mountain-Crushing Fist to stabilize your lower body, and use defense as offense to block his ten fierce attacks. When he is exhausted, seize the opportunity and counterattack with the powerful Mountain-Crushing Fist. Your chances of winning will be more than 70%."

These words were clearly articulated, pointing out not only the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent but also providing specific countermeasures, clearly indicating that Sun Yong had given them considerable thought.

Lin Yue stood up, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I have remembered it."

"Sit down," Sun Yong waved his hand. "In the competition this afternoon, stay calm and don't waste your skills."

"Yes, Master." Lin Yue sat down, his face now showing more certainty.

He was already arrogant. Although he had not reached the peak of internal strength, his strength was already stronger than that of his senior brother Xu Hong. He had even made many preparations for today's training ground test.

Now, with his master's detailed guidance, Lin Yue is even more confident and looks forward to his fight with Ye Canglan in the afternoon.

The private room was quiet for a moment before someone cautiously picked up their chopsticks, but no one dared to speak loudly anymore.

The disciples were all somewhat moved. They were all disciples, but their master cared so much for Lin Yue, even giving him detailed advice during meals. Such treatment was truly enviable.

Yang Jing silently drank the spirit fish soup, memorizing the name "Ye Canglan" in his heart. At the same time, he understood how high Sun Yong's expectations were for Lin Yue. Perhaps in his master's eyes, among the martial arts disciples participating in the training ground test this time, apart from Lin Yue, everyone else was just a background character.

Sun Yong picked up a piece of spirit fish meat with his chopsticks and chewed it slowly. His eyes seemed to be on the dishes on the table, but his mind had already drifted to the arena in the training ground.

So far, the disciples of Sun's Martial Arts School have performed relatively steadily. All six disciples with hidden strength have advanced, and several disciples with visible strength have also made it to the third round. This situation is quite good.

But he knew in his heart that this was just the calm before the storm.

The two rounds of competition in the morning were, frankly speaking, just preliminary screening. Most of the opponents were of average strength. The real battle would be in the three rounds of competition in the afternoon.

The competition went from the quarterfinals to the semifinals, and then to the final round to determine the champion. Every round was a crucial contest.

To claim first place, one must defeat all the other martial artists in the arena, a group teeming with hidden masters, and no one dares to claim absolute certainty. Although Xu Hong is at the peak of the Dark Force realm, he lacks that indomitable sharpness, and has suffered repeated setbacks in recent years; it seems unlikely he will achieve a breakthrough this year.

Qi Yun was agile, but her cultivation was slightly inferior, making it difficult for her to win against a truly formidable opponent.

As for the other disciples with internal strength, they either had shallow foundations or limited skills. It would be lucky if they could last another round or two, and they had almost no hope of becoming the champion of the arena.

After much thought, Lin Yue was the only one in the entire martial arts school who gave him hope.

Lin Yue's talent is indeed outstanding. He has excellent physical constitution and his understanding of the Mountain-Crushing Fist far surpasses that of his peers. At a young age, he has already reached the threshold of the peak of Dark Force. This potential is the most outstanding among the disciples he has seen over the years.

Although he is still somewhat immature and occasionally reveals his weaknesses due to impatience, and inevitably becomes a bit arrogant after winning a few matches, these can be gradually honed.

The most important thing right now is to overcome the current difficulties. As long as we can get first place in the third arena and enter the final competition tomorrow, we will have a great chance of passing this year's school field test!

How many years has it been since the Sun Family Martial Arts School produced a disciple who passed the training ground test?
Outside gossip buzzed like flies, saying that Sun Yong couldn't teach real skills and that the martial arts school was already a thing of the past.

He had been holding his breath, waiting for so many years, and finally he had found a promising talent like Lin Yue.

"We must stay calm..."

Sun Yong silently recited the mantra to himself, tightening his grip slightly as he picked up the food.

If Lin Yue can hold on, win first place, and pass tomorrow's training ground test, he can open a gap in the Sun family martial arts school and completely silence those doubters.

He glanced up at Lin Yue, who was drinking soup with his head down, and a complex expectation flashed in his eyes.

Unlike the bustling and abundant Juxianlou, the narrow alley just two streets away presents a completely different scene.

The alley was not wide to begin with, with mottled gray walls on both sides and some abandoned debris piled up in the corners. The afternoon sun was mostly blocked by the eaves, casting only a few scattered spots of light on the ground.

Deep in the alley, several ragged vagrants huddled in a corner, their eyes blankly watching passersby. Occasionally, scraps of food would be handed out from a nearby small restaurant, causing a scramble for them.

The slightly more open section in the middle of the alley was occupied by more than twenty men and women dressed in coarse cloth.

Most of them had dark skin, calloused hands, and muddy trouser legs; they were villagers who had come from Yangjia Village.

It was lunchtime, and the competitions had long since stopped at the training ground. With nowhere else to go, everyone gathered here to wait for Yang An to bring them lunch.

Old Yang, hands on his hips, peeked at the alley entrance on tiptoe, then shrank back, rubbing his hands together: "Why hasn't that kid An come yet? It's past noon."

"What's the rush?" A kind-looking man next to him handed over a water bottle. "With so many of us eating, Yang An will probably be very busy, so it's normal for things to be a little slow. Besides, we're just resting here anyway, so a little extra time won't make a difference."

Among the crowd, Mr. Yang Shouzhou stood upright, leaning on a jujube wood cane.

Unlike the others who anxiously looked around, he simply sat on a clean stone slab, squinting in the sun, occasionally poking at the pebbles at his feet with the end of his cane.

Liu Cuiling and Xue Shi were also talking nearby, and Xue Shi couldn't help but glance towards the alley entrance.

Several teenagers squeezed among the adults. At first, they looked around curiously, but now they were tired. Two of them leaned against the wall and dozed off. The adults gently woke them up: "Don't sleep. You'll have more energy to watch the competition this afternoon after you eat. People in the city say the afternoon's field test is even more exciting."

They couldn't enter the training ground; they could only watch the competition from outside, separated by wooden railings.

Although the distance was far and the view was not clear, some things could still be vaguely discerned, at least who won and who lost, which made the viewing quite enjoyable.

The alley was filled with the smell of sweat and dirt, which clashed with the aroma of meat wafting from the restaurant not far away.

Just as everyone was eagerly waiting, a familiar figure finally appeared at the alley entrance.

"It's Yang An!" Old Yang the Third, with his sharp eyes, was the first to shout.

Upon hearing this, the other villagers perked up and rushed towards the alley entrance.

Yang An carried a bulging bundle on his shoulder, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat that trickled down his cheeks, soaking the collar of his coarse cloth jacket.

He strode over, and when he saw the villagers coming to greet him, he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and said in a slightly breathless voice, "Uncles and aunts, I'm here."

As he spoke, he took the package off his shoulder and placed it on the ground.

The package was made of coarse linen, and the edges were worn shiny. When the rope was untied, the contents were revealed: a whole package of big, white steamed buns!
The steamed buns were all soft and plump, with a faint aroma of wheat.

The villagers' eyes widened in surprise, and many of them subconsciously swallowed, making soft gurgling sounds in their throats.

They toiled in the fields year-round, eating cornbread and wild vegetables for every meal. Their mouths were so bland that they could hardly stand it. White flour buns were a rare treat they would only buy during festivals to satisfy the cravings of the elderly and children.

Seeing so many white steamed buns right now, even just looking at them makes me feel at ease, let alone eating them.

"My goodness, so many white steamed buns!" a man couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes full of surprise.

Madam Xue stepped forward, reached out to wipe Yang An's sweat, and said reproachfully, "Why did you buy so much? How much did it cost?"

Yang An chuckled and glanced at Yang Shouzhuo sitting on the stone slab: "Grandpa asked me to buy these. He said that everyone has come from afar to support Brother Jing, and we can't let the villagers go hungry. These steamed buns are nothing."

Everyone then realized what was happening and looked at Yang Shouzhou.

The old man remained seated, merely raising his chin slightly and chuckling as he said, "We're all from the same village. Since you're all here, we can't let you wait on empty stomachs. Take a rest and have something to eat so you'll have the energy to enjoy the scenery and the competition this afternoon."

PS:

Ding ding ding, I have a question. I saw in the comments that it's a bit watered down, but when I'm writing, once I get immersed in it, I want to write in more detail, including the world view, the overall environment, and the character portrayals and psychological depictions, to make the characters more complete.

If you're worried about the word count, I'll try to cut it down in the future, or I'll stick to the old format of 4,000 words per update, occasionally adding an extra update, which still makes a considerable number of words.

Or I'll try my best to streamline the content while maintaining updates, but updating 12,000 words a day is still too difficult. I'll do my best!
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Keep writing! The next chapter is almost finished. I got over 100 monthly votes yesterday, so I'll add an extra chapter today.

Hey everyone, keep asking for monthly votes!
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Ask if you have any questions, and the author will make corrections!
(End of this chapter)