Sun Ningxiang stood before the main house, watching her father and Yang Jing emerge from the study. Her gaze flickered between their faces.
The grim look on her fatherâs brow had vanished, replaced by an unconcealable ease. His whole demeanor seemed much lighter.
âThey were only inside for a moment. How could he have changed so much?â Filled with doubt, Sun Ningxiang couldnât help but quicken her pace to follow them, wanting to get to the bottom of it.
"Father, just now..." she began, but Sun Yong cut her off with a raised hand.
Sun Yong turned his head, his expression solemn as he looked at her. He lowered his voice and said, "Ning Xiang, whatever you see in a moment, keep it to yourself. You must not speak of it to anyone. Understand?"
Sun Ningxiang froze. Seeing her father was serious and not joking, she nodded, the confusion in her eyes deepening. "I... understand."
She stared blankly as her father led Yang Jing to the open space in the center of the inner courtyard.
The area was paved with smooth bluestone slabs. It was usually where her father practiced alone, but lately, it had become their sparring ground.
At that moment, however, her mind was still on what her father had just said. âWhat did he mean?â
âWhat am I about to see?â
âDoes it have something to do with Junior Brother Yang Jing?â
ăIn the center of the inner courtyard.ă
"Are you ready?" Sun Yong asked, taking his position.
"Yes, Master." Yang Jing sank into his stance, assuming the opening form of the Mountain-Shattering Fist, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Sun Yong said no more and took his own stance.
With a low shout, the wind from his fist abruptly kicked up, carrying the unique sharpness of Transformation as it shot straight for Yang Jingâs face!
This punch was completely different from their usual sparring sessions!
He held almost nothing back. His Inner Strength projected from his body, leaving a faint white trace in the air. Before the fist even arrived, a heavy pressure bore downâthis was the might of the Peak of Transformation!
Yang Jing didnât dare to be careless. He circulated the Transformation energy within him and met the attack with a punch of his own.
The two fists met with a dull THUD. Yang Jing felt a powerful surge of force, his arm going slightly numb as his body was involuntarily driven back two steps.
But he didnât panic. Using the momentum of his retreat, he shot out his left fist, his Transformation energy coating its surface. It carried a fierce power as it aimed for Sun Yongâs ribs.
A flash of approval appeared in Sun Yongâs eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he changed his fist to a palm, cleverly deflecting the force of Yang Jingâs punch. At the same time, the wind from his palm swirled, forcing Yang Jing to pull back his fist to defend himself.
The two went back and forth, their fists a blur of overlapping shadows. The ferocious power of the Mountain-Shattering Fist was on full display, amplified by their Transformation energy.
Although Sun Yong wasnât using his full strength, he was still applying seventy to eighty percent of his power. Every punch carried the fluidity and sharpness of Transformation, at times like a boulder crashing down, at others like a viper striking from its den. He demonstrated the piercing, melding, and changing aspects of Transformation to perfection.
Though Yang Jing was at a disadvantage, he fought with extreme focus.
He could clearly sense the trajectory of the Transformation energy in his masterâs fistsâhow it transmitted force through the air, how it changed the direction of power at the moment of contact, and how it perfectly merged Inner Strength with Punching Techniques.
Every clash deepened his understanding of Transformation. The power that had felt somewhat unfamiliar was rapidly becoming second nature through combat.
Sun Ningxiang stood under the covered walkway, watching with her jaw agape.
While she didnât understand the profound depths of the Martial Dao, she could still tell that her father and Junior Brother Yang Jing were completely different today.
Especially Junior Brother Yang Jing. The faint sharpness emanating from his fists could actually clash head-on with her fatherâs power. How could a Dark Energy Martial Artist possess such strength?
In the center of the inner courtyard, the wind from their fists howled, whipping up snowflakes that danced in the air.
Sun Yong looked at Yang Jing with relief and satisfaction. âTo have such strength right after breaking through to the Transformation stage... it just goes to show how solid this discipleâs foundation is.â
Yang Jing was also fighting with great relish. Under his masterâs storm-like assault, the Transformation energy in his body was like refined steel being forged, growing ever more condensed. His application of the Mountain-Shattering Fist became increasingly fluid.
This was no longer a master instructing his disciple, but more like a sparring match between experts of the same level.
Sun Ningxiangâs eyes were glued to the two figures clashing in the courtyard.
The more she watched, the more shocked she became.
Her fatherâs fists carried the weight of a mountainâa might unique to a Huajin Powerhouse. Every punch possessed the profound ability to manipulate the air currents.
And while Junior Brother Yang Jingâs Punching Techniques were a bit unrefined, they also contained a penetrating force. The wind from his fists swept over the bluestone ground, actually leaving faint white marks!
Having grown up in the Martial Arts Hall, she was used to seeing her father project his Transformation energy while practicing. She had also seen many Dark Energy disciples strike with all their might. She couldnât be clearer on the gap between the two realms.
But now, the power in Junior Brother Yang Jingâs every move clearly carried the might of the Transformation stage!
âThis... How is this possible?â
Sun Ningxiang covered her mouth, her eyes filled with astonishment.
âJunior Brother Yang Jing actually leaped into the Transformation stage?â
âThatâs a realm countless Martial Artists strive for their entire lives but can never reach!â
She recalled her fatherâs grave expression when he led Yang Jing into the study, and then looked at them sparring now. A storm raged in her heart, and an unbelievable thought became increasingly clear: âJunior Brother Yang Jing... he might have really broken through to the Transformation stage!â
In the courtyard, Yang Jingâs movements grew smoother the longer he fought.
Each of Sun Yongâs punches was like a mirror, allowing him to clearly see the shortcomings in his own application of Transformation.
How to better guide the air currents when projecting Inner Strength, how to make the transition of Transformation energy more fluid when changing Punching Techniques, how to make his power more condensed when striking...
All these details, which he had only vaguely perceived during previous sparring sessions with his master, were now crystal clear.
A quarter of an hour later, Sun Yong suddenly pulled back his fist and retreated, his breathing steadying slightly. "Alright, letâs stop here."