Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 52 Shen Lie
As usual, Yang Jing walked to the wall, took off his shirt and short jacket, took a deep breath, walked to the center of the courtyard, and began to warm up and practice boxing.

His fists whistled through the air with fierce force. After half an hour, fine sweat beaded on his forehead, but his breathing remained steady.

The front yard was already getting lively.

Many disciples arrived one after another; some were stretching their legs to warm up, while others gathered in a corner and talked in hushed tones.

"I heard that one of the examiners for this year's military examination is a general from the prefectural city. He is said to have a very sharp eye and will eliminate anyone who tries anything fancy."

"I heard from my senior brother that Senior Brother Lin Yue is almost at the peak of Dark Force, and he is extremely strong in actual combat. He is very likely to be on the list in this year's training ground test."

Discussions rose and fell, tinged with excitement, nervousness, and anticipation.

Liu Maolin arrived early and was talking to some familiar disciples. His gaze swept across the field and landed on Yang Jing, who was practicing his boxing. He nodded slightly.

More and more disciples gathered in the front courtyard. Xu Hong, Zhao Wenzheng, Qi Yun and several other disciples with internal strength arrived one after another, all with a solemn expression on their faces.

Lin Yue arrived a little later. His outfit accentuated his tall and straight figure. His gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Yang Jing, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

There weren't many disciples still practicing martial arts in the front courtyard at this moment, and Yang Jing was one of them.

Now that they've known each other for a while, no one thinks Yang Jing is just trying to attract attention.

However, in everyone's opinion, Yang Jing is still able to focus on practicing martial arts because he probably doesn't take the training ground test too seriously and knows that he is just going through the motions to familiarize himself with the process.

Qi Yun also arrived, but remembering what her brother Qi Kang had said last night, her gaze fell on Lin Yue, and her brows furrowed slightly.

Judging that the time was about right, Yang Jing withdrew his fist, slowly adjusted his breathing, and with a thought, a panel immediately appeared before his eyes, clearly showing the progress of his cultivation of the two martial arts.

【Bengshan Quan Dacheng (133/1000)】

【Surging Waves Legs (198/500)】

Yang Jing nodded slightly, walked to the courtyard wall, picked up the short jacket that was placed there and put it on. Just as he was straightening his clothes, he heard light footsteps coming from the inner courtyard.

Everyone turned to look, and saw Sun Yong dressed in a dark blue training uniform, with a solemn expression, followed by Sun Ningxiang.

Sun Ningxiang stood beside Sun Yong, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the disciples who were participating in the training ground test today, filled with encouraging warmth.

The murmurs in the front yard gradually subsided, and everyone's attention turned to the owner, Sun Yong.

Sun Yong glanced at his disciples and said in a deep voice, "Today is the start of the training ground test. Winning and losing are common occurrences, but the face of the Sun Family Martial Arts School cannot be lost. Remember, there must be rules when you fight, and you must have backbone when you leave the field."

These few words, though brief, gave a strong feeling of excitement to all the disciples.

"Yes, Master!" the disciples replied in unison.

Sun Yong nodded and took the lead, "Let's go."

The group followed Sun Yong out of the martial arts school and headed south along the street.

The area was already bustling with activity, with people gathering in twos and threes at street corners and alleyways, their conversations never ceasing.

"The examination is starting today, and I heard that all the top students in the county have gone there!"

"This is a major annual event, and the city's six major families and dignitaries will definitely be there."

"That's right, I also want to see it up close, but unfortunately we can't get in. I wonder how many spots are available this year?"

"Last year there were five spots, and this year there should be about the same."

As the people were discussing, they saw the disciples of the Sun Family Martial Arts School walk by. Each of them was a martial artist with an extraordinary bearing. Many people on the roadside had their eyes light up and cast a mixture of awe, excitement, and envy in their gazes.

"They're from the Sun Family Martial Arts School, one of the major martial arts schools in our West City. The old man leading them should be the head of the Sun Family Martial Arts School, a Transformation Realm martial arts master!" someone recognized.

Yang Jing listened to the varying murmurs around him, but his expression remained calm and his mind was completely focused.

At this moment, all he could think about was the upcoming military examination.

The military examination was held once a year, in early September.

Originally, the military training test assessed multiple skills, including drawing a hard bow, lifting stones, archery on horseback, and a final skill competition. However, with continuous updates and improvements, the current military training test only assesses one skill: the skill competition.

Whether it's physical training, stone lifting, or archery on horseback, what's being tested is ultimately the martial artist's own strength and skill.

Since that's the case, the imperial court skipped these tedious processes and only tested skill in combat, that is, two people fought each other, with the stronger one advancing and the weaker one retreating.

The detailed rules of the military examination slowly passed through Yang Jing's mind.

The training ground test is divided into team competition and overall competition. All registered martial artists are divided into several teams, and the first place in each team is determined. Then, the first place in each team competes against each other to determine the final ranking. The list is made up of the first place according to the quota.

The first day of the training ground test was a comparison, and the second day was a general comparison.

According to Liu Maolin, the military examinations used to take three to five days many years ago, but now they can be completed in two days.

Soon, the group arrived at the gate of the South City Training Ground.

Two rows of soldiers, each holding a long spear, stood solemnly on either side, their armor gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the morning light.

A wooden sign stood at the entrance, which read, "This is a restricted area for drills. No one may enter without a warrant." These warrant holders were naturally high-ranking officials or people of considerable talent in Yuhe County.

As the group from the Sun Family Martial Arts School approached the door, a soldier stepped forward and scrutinized them.

Sun Ningxiang stepped forward, took out a token engraved with a fierce tiger pattern from her bosom, and handed it over.

After the soldier checked the token and confirmed it was correct, he raised his hand to signal that the soldier could pass.

"please."

Sun Yong stepped in first, followed closely by his disciples.

The moment you pass through the gate, the noise from inside the training ground can be clearly heard, and you can vaguely see that a lot of people have already gathered there.

Directly opposite the gate was an extremely open area, the rammed earth ground solid from being trampled, and the air filled with the smell of dust and sweat.

At the very front of the training ground stood a large, high platform, with several flags planted around it, fluttering in the wind; it was clearly a place for the examiners to sit.

Facing the high platform, a dozen or so arenas are scattered about, all made of hard bluestone slabs and wooden planks stacked alternately, with smooth edges that do not lack weight.

The central arena was particularly eye-catching, nearly twice the size of the surrounding ones, with a flat and wide surface that exuded a solemn and dignified air.

The remaining smaller arenas are distributed around the perimeter, and are similar in design.

All the arena edges are surrounded by half-person-high wooden railings, enclosing the entire arena area and completely separating the competition area from the outside. Only martial artists participating in the training ground test can pass through the railings and step onto the arena.

As time went by, the drill ground was already bustling with noise. Although the vast majority of ordinary people were not allowed to enter, the city's dignitaries, scions of powerful families, and people with connections poured in, filling the drill ground to capacity, with a dense crowd scattered throughout.

Soldiers were on duty to maintain order, constantly reminding people not to get too close to the railings.

The cacophony of voices and occasional shouts created an increasingly tense atmosphere during the drill!

The sun gradually rose higher.

After a gong was sounded, the noise on the drill ground gradually subsided.

At this moment, a military officer dressed in the uniform of a captain strode onto the high platform. He stood tall and straight, with a sword at his waist, and his gaze swept across the audience with a dignified air.

He stood before the seated examiners and announced loudly, "The Yuhe County Examination officially begins today!"

Before the words were finished, a surge of internal energy spread outwards, like a gust of wind rising from the ground. The sound reached most of the training ground, and even those who were far from the platform could hear it clearly.

"This competition will be judged solely on martial arts skills. Anyone found to have cheated, falsified, or manipulated the proceedings will be immediately disqualified and permanently banned from the examination hall!"

His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority, and the training ground was completely silent.

After a brief pause, the captain took out a roster and began to read out the names aloud.

The martial artists whose names were called stepped forward one by one. According to the order on the roster, all the martial artists who had signed up for the training ground test were divided into eight teams, with each team corresponding to a arena.

Yang Jing also heard his name called; he had been assigned to the seventh team.

In another area of ​​the training ground.

Zhao Yuman stood on tiptoe, her eyes fixed on the captain on the high platform, her ears perked up, afraid of missing the name of Shen Lie from Poshan Martial Arts School.

She has been frequently interacting with Shen Lie lately and has developed a strong liking for this renowned master of internal strength. At this moment, she is even more eager for him to pass the examination.

"Shen Lie, seventh arena."

Hearing this, Zhao Yuman breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to turn around and say something to Shen Lie beside her, she heard the captain on the high platform continue reading the list of martial artists for the seventh arena. One name made her heart skip a beat.

"Yang Jing, seventh arena."

"He's actually in the seventh team too?" Zhao Yuman exclaimed subconsciously, her eyes filled with surprise.

Shen Lie, who was standing next to her, noticed Zhao Yuman's unusual behavior, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhao Yuman pursed her lips and explained, "Someone tried to match me with Yang Jing from the Sun Family Martial Arts School before. He liked me a lot, but I wasn't interested in romantic relationships at the time, so I rejected him. Later, he even came looking for me once and almost caught me at Fumanlou."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lie frowned slightly, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth, and said with a hint of disdain, "You did the right thing. He is indeed not good enough for you."

As a veteran master of internal strength who had made a name for himself in Yuhe County, he knew the elites of various martial arts schools like the back of his hand, but he had never heard of the name 'Yang Jing' before, so he figured he was just an ordinary person.

Shen Lie initially didn't intend to get too close to Zhao Yuman, but after getting to know her better, he found that she was indeed quite beautiful. Moreover, the Zhao family had been running a security escort agency for many years and had accumulated a lot of resources. So Shen Lie decided to keep Zhao Yuman hanging for now. He didn't plan to marry her anyway, but he could still have some fun with her.

What frustrates him is that Zhao Yuman is as slippery as an eel, making it impossible for him to make any real progress.

Even if it's just for fun, men always have that damn competitive spirit.

Upon hearing that other men were eyeing Zhao Yuman, Shen Lie's mood instantly soured.

His gaze darkened, tinged with arrogance. "Since we're on the same stage, I just hope he can last a couple more matches and not be eliminated before he even meets me. But if he does meet me, I'll give him some pointers."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Let me show you how big the difference can be between two internal strength techniques."

Zhao Yuman listened with a hint of anticipation on her face. She recalled her elder brother Zhao Feng's disappointment when he learned that she had rejected Yang Jing, and then thought of the scene where Shen Lie was about to crush Yang Jing on the seventh arena. She couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. However, after hesitating for a moment, she still said, "Just defeat him normally. Don't beat him too badly. He comes from a lowly background and probably doesn't have much capital. If you really injure him, the treatment alone will drain his family's savings. Plus, with his hidden injuries, his future path in martial arts will be over."

"You're still kind-hearted. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing and won't go too far." Shen Lie smiled faintly, his words showing no concern for Yang Jing.

He truly came from a humble background.

He had killed more than one or two martial artists of hidden strength who came from humble backgrounds.

Once all the names were read out, all the martial artists participating in the training ground test walked to their respective arena areas.

The atmosphere on the drill ground suddenly became tense.

Yang Jing followed the crowd, passed through the fence, and arrived below the seventh arena, his gaze sweeping over the other martial artists in his group.

The thirty-two people stood in two rows, each with a calm and focused demeanor, clearly having come prepared.

Yang Jing had always been engrossed in practicing martial arts at the martial arts school, occasionally helping to escort some medicinal herbs at the Liu family's medical clinic. He was not familiar with the martial artists from other martial arts schools in Yuhe County and could only make a rough judgment based on the aura that was faintly revealed from them.

Some martial artists exude powerful energy, standing there like tigers poised to pounce.

Some, however, have a calm demeanor and seem ordinary, but their eyes hide a sharp edge.

Yang Jing knew that this simple method of judging the strength of other martial artists by their aura was not very reliable.

Some masters of internal strength can contain their energy within themselves, while some martial artists with external strength are born with superhuman strength or have abundant energy and spirit, making their aura even stronger.

He withdrew his gaze, no longer bothering to speculate.

The examination in the training ground is based solely on one's own abilities; thinking too much about it is useless.

What we need to do right now is to calm down and deal with each situation as it arises.

Yang Jing prepared to find a corner to adjust his state and wait for the competition to begin.

"Junior Brother Yang."

Just then, a voice called out from behind.

Yang Jing turned around and saw that it was his senior brother Xu Hong.

Xu Hong's eighth arena was right next door, only a few feet away.

The two had a so-so relationship at the martial arts school and had hardly spoken to each other before. It wasn't until Yang Jing recently broke through to the Dark Force level that Xu Hong gradually started to pay more attention to him, occasionally nodding to him. He had even invited him to dinner before, so they were quite familiar with each other now.

"Senior Brother," Yang Jing replied, bowing respectfully.

Xu Hong took two steps closer and came to Yang Jing's side. "Junior Brother Yang, you're on the seventh arena."

Yang Jing nodded.

In this year's martial arts tournament, six disciples with hidden strength from the Sun family participated. Whether it was a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement by the examiners, the six disciples with hidden strength from the Sun family were scattered and assigned to different arenas.

(End of this chapter)