Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 45 Medicinal Supplements
in the room.

Zhao Feng was still excitedly gesturing wildly.

Zhao Yuman and Qinghe both stared wide-eyed.

In just a few days, the Ming Jin martial artist, whom she remembered as having only a lower-grade physique, had already crossed the threshold that many people could not overcome in their entire lives.
Zhao Yuman felt a buzzing in her head, as if countless needles were pricking her temples at the same time. Zhao Feng's excited words became indistinct, leaving only the words "hidden strength" echoing repeatedly in her ears.

She instinctively raised her hand and pressed it against the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white from the force, barely managing to keep herself from sliding off the chair.

Zhao Feng was still excitedly saying, "Our escort agency currently only has one master escort with hidden strength in the head. If we could invite him to be the head escort, the safety of our escort missions would increase by at least 30%. Moreover, since Liu Maolin came to ask for your opinion of him, it's clear that he's satisfied with you. If we could arrange a marriage between you, our escort agency would have another master with hidden strength as a son-in-law. He'd be one of our own, much more reliable than a guest retainer..."

But seeing his sister's pale face and dazed look, his voice gradually lowered, and he asked with some concern, "Manman, what's wrong?"

Zhao Yuman seemed to suddenly wake up from a nightmare. She took a deep breath, but it didn't calm the turbulent waves churning in her chest. She looked at the ink blot on the table and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"Brother, don't hold out any hope." Her voice was still trembling a little, but it was more steady than before. "Liu Maolin did mention him to me before, but I... I clearly refused."

"You refused?" Zhao Feng was stunned. The joy on his face vanished instantly, and his brows furrowed. "Why did you refuse?"

Zhao Yuman lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the ledger, her voice lowering: "Back then... I thought his aptitude was only inferior, and his potential was limited. Even if he became a martial artist, he wouldn't amount to much and wouldn't be of much help to our escort agency's business..."

How could she have imagined that someone with inferior physique whom she judged to have "exhausted potential" could break through to the Dark Force realm in such a short time?
After listening, Zhao Feng sighed heavily, his voice filled with regret and helplessness.

He paced back and forth in the room, hands behind his back, his brow furrowed: "You..."

The words came to my lips and I swallowed them back.

Masters of internal strength are proud and arrogant, especially those like Yang Jing who broke through at a young age, who are even more proud.

Having been looked down upon and rejected in the past, how could the other party possibly agree so easily now that the Zhao family is trying to win them over again?

“That’s it,” Zhao Feng stopped, his tone somewhat dejected. “It seems this is going to be difficult. Geniuses are often proud, and since you’ve already rejected him, it’s probably going to be hard to get him to come back.”

The candlelight illuminated the silent figures of the brother and sister, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy.

Looking at the glaring ink stain on the ledger, Zhao Yuman felt as if something was blocking her heart, making her feel suffocated.

She never imagined that she would make such a mistake, and such a huge one at that.

Bitterness, regret, and a vague sense of loss lingered in her heart.

Zhao Yuman gripped the corner of the ledger tightly, her knuckles turning white. Suppressing her regret, she looked up at Zhao Feng, her tone much more composed: "Brother, don't be too disappointed. I recently met a master of internal energy, Shen Lie, a core disciple of the 'Broken Mountain Martial Arts School.' In terms of potential, he has above-average physical constitution and has already reached the level of internal energy at a young age. In terms of strength, his 'Stone-Splitting Palm' is already mastered to perfection, far surpassing Yang Jing."

Zhao Feng was taken aback upon hearing this, then his brows relaxed slightly: "Shen Lie from the Broken Mountain Martial Arts School? I've heard of that name. It's said he entered the Dark Force realm at nineteen, and now, at just over twenty, he's already the most promising disciple in the school." He looked his sister over, "How do you know him?"

“I met him at a friend’s party a few days ago,” Zhao Yuman said, avoiding her brother’s gaze. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, trying to hide her guilty conscience. “He… seemed to have a thing for me and struck up a conversation with me.”

In reality, it was just a casual question from the other party about her escort agency's business, but she deliberately exaggerated this "interest".

Zhao Feng nodded, clearly appreciating Shen Lie's reputation: "Since he's such a talented young man, I'd like to meet him. When can we arrange to have a casual meal together?"

“He’s been busy preparing for the military examination lately, saying he wants to get an official position, so he doesn’t have time for socializing.” Zhao Yuman continued the story, but her heart was pounding. “But he said he’s a shoo-in for the military examination. After he finishes the exam, I’ll ask him out and formally introduce him to you, brother.”

She calculated that there were still more than half a month left before the military examination, which was enough time for her to find a way to get closer to Shen Lie.

Even though they're not familiar with each other yet, as long as Shen Lie has even the slightest bit of affection for her, she's confident she can get him to agree.

When she stands before her brother with a powerful martial arts master holding an official position, who will remember Yang Jing, whom she missed?

Zhao Feng was unaware of his sister's thoughts. He only felt that the matter had taken a turn for the better, and a smile appeared on his face: "That's good. Once he wins a ranking in the training ground and gets an official position, although he is a master of internal strength, you should still remind him not to be careless. In previous years, quite a few masters of internal strength have failed in the training ground."

“Okay.” Zhao Yuman nodded quickly. “Okay, brother, I will tell him.”

Zhao Feng gave a soft "hmm" and said in a low voice, "You should hurry up too, don't end up like last time..." He swallowed the rest of his words, but it was enough to make Zhao Yuman's face burn.

"Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing this time," Zhao Yuman said softly, lowering her eyes.

Ningjia Village, Wazi Township.

The August sun was scorching, and even the air in the study was hot and dry.

Ning Xuezhi was bent over his desk, checking this year's land rent ledger. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, which he had just wiped with a handkerchief, but they kept appearing again.

"Knock, knock, knock." There was a knock on the study door.

"Come in." Ning Xuezhi didn't even look up, his pen tracing patterns on the ledger.

Butler Li Zhong pushed open the door and entered, followed by a servant in a coarse cloth jacket, who was none other than the personal attendant of the second young master Ning Wenbo.

The servant looked flustered and stood at the door, nervously wringing his hands.

“Master,” Li Zhong bowed and said, “I have something important to report.”

Ning Xuezhi put down his pen and looked up at the servant: "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

The servant swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly, and said, "Master, it's...it's news from the city. That Yang Jing...Yang Jing has broken through to the Inner Strength realm! It's all over the martial arts schools in the city now. They say he's the newest Inner Strength master at the Sun Family Martial Arts School!"

"What did you say?" Ning Xuezhi sat up abruptly in his chair.

"Yang Jing from Yangjia Village has broken through to the Dark Force realm!" The servant took a deep breath and raised his voice, "Master, it's absolutely true! There are still quite a few people at the Weiyuan Martial Arts School talking about it!"

Ning Xuezhi's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, his pupils slightly contracting.

Although he was not a martial artist, he had been operating in Wazi Township for many years and had seen a lot of the world, so he naturally understood the vast difference between Ming Jin and An Jin.

While a Ming Jin martial artist can be dealt with by sheer numbers, an An Jin master can shatter metal and split stone with a single punch or kick. Ordinary guards are no match for them, and even the most powerful families in the county have to give them a wide berth.

When Yang Jing broke through to the Ming Jin level, he was wary, but he only thought about not provoking him.

But now... An Jin! This kind of person is already a big shot with considerable influence in Yuhe County. How could he tolerate the slightest disrespect?
"Really?" Ning Xuezhi asked again, still somewhat incredulous. In his mind, masters of internal strength were extremely rare. How could such a figure emerge from a mere Yangjia Village?

"It's true!" the servant patted his chest. "Young Master saw it with his own eyes in the city. Now, when Yang Jing walks on the street, even people from many gangs have to give him a wide berth!" Ning Xuezhi was silent for a moment, then suddenly slammed his teacup on the table, spilling some tea, but he didn't notice. He immediately said, "Li Zhong!"

"Yes!" Li Zhong replied quickly.

"Prepare a generous gift immediately!" Ning Xuezhi said solemnly. "Select the finest silks and nourishing medicinal herbs, and prepare thirty taels of silver, no, fifty taels! Send it to Yang Jing's family in Yangjia Village right away!"

He stood up, paced around the study a couple of times, and added, "Tell the Yang family that I, Ning Xuezhi, admire Brother Yang Jing's talent at such a young age. This small gift is nothing to express my respect. If the Ning family ever needs any help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!"

Li Zhong was startled. Fifty taels of silver plus silk and medicine was an astonishingly generous gift for the usually stingy master. However, seeing the master's solemn expression, he dared not ask any further questions and quickly replied, "Yes, I'll take care of it right away!"

After Li Zhong and the servant left, Ning Xuezhi was left alone in the study.

He stared at the scorching sun outside the window, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.

Fortunately, he always reacted quickly. After Feng Lei's death, he did not pursue the matter further, and after Yang Jing broke through to the Ming Jin realm, he even sent an ox to ease the tension between the two sides.

If this master of internal strength harbors a grudge against the Ning family because of some past grievance, not only will they not be able to establish themselves in Wazi Township, but their entire family will likely be ruined.

At this moment, Ning Xuezhi couldn't help but feel a little fortunate.

Feng Lei deserved to die.

“Yang Jing…” Ning Xuezhi murmured to himself, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

The next few days.

While practicing martial arts, Yang Jing also conducted some research on the "Surging Waves Kick".

After making inquiries, he learned that no large family in Yuhe County had the "Surging Waves Leg" as their family martial art, nor did any martial arts school teach this martial art.

This survey result put Yang Jing at ease.

From this perspective, it is highly likely that Xu Tai's own fortuitous encounter with the "Surging Waves Leg" martial art was a result of his own destiny.

With no other hidden dangers, Yang Jing could confidently pass on this martial art to his cousin, Yang An.

During this time, Yang Jing didn't have time to go back to his hometown, so he asked Yang Laosan, a peddler from the same village, to send a message home, hoping to persuade his grandfather to take the whole family to the city.

For him now, even a little bit of money between his fingers is enough to support his whole family. He's not worried that his family will lack a livelihood if they come to the city. Besides, his grandparents, mother, and aunt are all hardworking and capable, so it wouldn't be difficult for them to find work in the city.

However, my grandfather asked Yang Laosan to bring back a message that he did not want to go to the city and wanted to stay in Yangjia Village. My grandmother, mother, and aunt all felt the same way.

On the one hand, they couldn't bear to leave their homes and fields behind. After all, they had been farmers for generations, and suddenly moving to the city and changing to an unfamiliar environment made them uneasy and anxious.

On the other hand, both the father and the eldest uncle had been away from home for more than half a year, and the family was quite worried and wanted to wait for them to come back.

Of course, there were other reasons as well. For example, my grandfather might have felt that it was already difficult enough for him to establish himself in the city, and that bringing his family along would only hold him back.

Although his grandfather was a farmer who could hardly read or write, Yang Jing knew that his grandfather was a man of great intelligence and sensitivity.

Since my grandfather and the others want to stay in their hometown, let them stay a little longer.

Whether or not to forcibly bring them into Yuhe County depends on the situation that follows.

If the chaos becomes more pronounced, then Yang Jing must bring them into the city, whether they like it or not.

Compared to the chaos outside the city, the city itself is relatively safer.

Tongyi Ward is closer to the inner city and has better security.

Moreover, this way, with his family members right in front of him, Yang Jing can also take care of them.

However, his grandfather and the others were unwilling to go to the city for the time being, so Yang Jing sent a letter home, asking his cousin Yang An to pack up and come to the city with Yang Laosan to find him.

Yang An also loved practicing martial arts, but circumstances did not allow it.

Now that Yang Jing has broken through to the Dark Force level, he can be considered a master who can hold his own in the entire Yuhe County. He is far superior to his previous Ming Force level. He can now bring Yang An to his side and give him some pointers on martial arts.

As dawn broke and before the rooster in the neighboring yard had even crowed, Yang Jing had already gotten up.

He took out a small section of the treasured old ginseng, and then took out several medicinal herbs he had brought back from Liu's medical clinic from his medicine box, including angelica, astragalus, placenta, and wolfberry.

Next, they went to the kitchen, placed a clay pot on a small clay stove, added water, first sliced ​​the old ginseng and put it into the pot, simmered it over low heat, and when the water gradually turned dark, they added the other medicinal herbs in turn.

The aroma of the medicine quickly filled the air, carrying a mellow warmth that was more gentle than the pungent smell of wild beast meat.

Half an hour later, the medicinal soup had been reduced to only a small half bowl, and its color was dark brown and thick like honey.

Yang Jing picked up the medicine bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The medicine initially tasted slightly bitter, but upon entering the throat, it transformed into a warm current that slid down the throat into the abdomen and quickly spread to the limbs and bones.

Unlike the violent energy of wild beast meat, the nourishment of this medicinal tonic is more gradual, like spring rain nourishing the fields, slowly seeping into the muscles and meridians, even softening the internal energy.

Yang Jing could clearly feel that the flow of qi and blood was smoother than usual, and the hidden injuries and ailments left from practicing boxing before seemed to have been soothed by this warm current.

"This kind of medicinal supplement is much more effective than dietary supplements," Yang Jing clicked his tongue and put the medicine bowl aside.

He knows it too.

The reason it is better than dietary supplements is mainly because the medicinal materials used are of high quality. The main ingredient is a nearly 100-year-old ginseng, which is quite valuable. Although it is only a small slice of it, its value is still higher than that of ordinary wild animal meat.

Yang Jing recalled the spirit fish he had eaten a few days ago. After consuming it, the nourishing effect was amazing. He practiced the Mountain-Crushing Fist for a whole day without showing any signs of fatigue. His cultivation progress in that day was equivalent to three ordinary days.

If one could eat a spirit fish with every meal, the effect would be even better than taking slices of this century-old ginseng.

(End of this chapter)