Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

Chapter 55 One Month Later

The autumn wind was dry and cold, carrying away the loose soil in the yard, which then swirled and fell to the ground.

Jiang Lan withdrew his fist and stood with his hands hanging down. His sweat-dampened short sword clung tightly to his back, every inch of his muscles and bones radiating residual strength, his aura deep and steady.

Within the county town, martial arts schools stand side by side, forming a three-way balance of power.

The Cangsong Martial Arts School has the deepest foundation. Its master, Shi Wenshan, is ruthless and his disciples are all highly skilled. He has long harbored the ambition to annex other schools and dominate the region.

In addition, the government had a military affairs department that secretly selected martial arts experts year-round and recruited the best of them for service, making the number of positions extremely scarce.

In this world, it has always been a dog-eat-dog world. The strong have a way to go, while the weak can only be manipulated by others without any mercy.

Without sufficient martial arts skills, one can only drift with the tide and be manipulated by others.

"Jiang Lan, someone is looking for you outside." The martial arts school servant stood under the corridor, his tone flat and devoid of any extra emotion.

Jiang Lan raised her eyes, nodded slightly, and strode towards the front yard.

Beside the stone steps at the entrance stood two unfamiliar men in blue robes. They were tall and had steady steps, clearly trained in martial arts.

The two exchanged few pleasantries, silently placing down a coarse cloth bundle and a small white porcelain bottle. Their eyes swept over Jiang Lan without any respect or contempt. They turned and left after putting down the items, acting decisively and without showing any deliberate attempt to befriend him.

Jiang Lan bent down and casually picked up the object on the ground.

Bending down to unpack the coarse cloth bundle, a neat stack of twenty-tael silver notes lay quietly inside, with twelve blood-replenishing pills neatly arranged beside them. The pills were lustrous in color and had a subtle, mellow medicinal fragrance, clearly not ordinary goods from the marketplace.

Beside it, a white porcelain bottle was tightly sealed with wax and mud. Upon opening the stopper and smelling it, three Qi-Nourishing Pills were found inside. The medicinal aroma was pure, and the quality far surpassed the ordinary pills that the martial arts school usually distributed.

He was very perceptive.

The so-called gift-giving upon arrival is never a sign of genuine gratitude, but rather a pre-arranged bet in the underworld.

In the battle at the dock the day before yesterday, he crushed his opponent and shocked the martial arts practitioners in the county.

All sides are secretly observing and assessing the situation. Some want to establish good relations in advance to leave themselves a way out; others are taking the opportunity to secretly probe his strength and weaknesses.

Ultimately, it's all about power struggles and vested interests.

Jiang Lan remained completely calm, tucking the silver notes into her clothes and storing all the pills in a wooden drawer inside the room. Her movements were composed and steady, showing no sign of emotion.

Upon entering the martial arts training ground, many disciples immediately turned their gazes toward him, taking in their varied expressions.

There was genuine awe, secret apprehension, and many people kept their distance to avoid suspicion. In the corner, a few harbored barely perceptible jealousy in their eyes.

Martial arts schools in the Jianghu have always respected only hard fists and not hypocritical sentiments. If you have enough strength, people will naturally bow down; if you lack strength, you will ultimately be looked down upon.

Shen Qing strode out from the crowd, deliberately lowering his voice as he approached, his words filled with deep concern: "Senior brother, yesterday someone from Cangsong Martial Arts School came to our door and went straight to Master's study. They argued behind closed doors for a long time, and the sounds of arguing could be faintly heard from inside. The atmosphere was extremely tense."

Jiang Lan's gaze sharpened slightly. She stood still, silent, listening quietly.

"I overheard some of the elders in the school discussing this privately. Cangsong's intentions this time are not good. He wants to forcibly win over our Guangchang Martial Arts School to form an alliance and act according to their wishes." Shen Qing frowned and said in a serious tone, "If Master refuses to comply, he will take the opportunity to suppress us in every way, gradually eroding our student body and territory, and slowly squeezing Guangchang out of business."

Jiang Lan instantly understood.

Previously, the Zhao family's top fighters had been lost to Zhao family members, severely weakening the Zhao family and leaving them powerless to control the Cangsong Martial Arts School.

With no more constraints, Shi Wenshan's ambitions were fully revealed, and he was no longer satisfied with being content with a small corner of the country.

Next, the remaining martial arts schools in the county will be cleared out one by one and taken over and merged.

Guangchang Martial Arts School is located on a major thoroughfare, has a large student body, and a strong foundation. It was the first place that Cangsong considered a must-have target.

"How is your own cultivation progressing?" Jiang Lan asked calmly, his voice cold and steady.

Shen Qing clenched his fists, a fierce determination hidden in his eyes: "My Qi and blood have been nourished and replenished, and my foundation is solid. In less than ten days, I will officially break through and attempt to reach the first acupoint in martial arts."

"Calm your mind and steady your breath, don't be greedy or reckless." Jiang Lan only gave this simple advice, without saying anything more. The worst thing for breaking through in martial arts is to be impatient and impetuous. Being eager for quick success often damages the meridians, resulting in more harm than good.

Time slips away quietly, the autumn wind grows stronger, and the autumn chill deepens day by day.

[Destiny: Heaven rewards diligence; no effort is wasted]

[Mastery of the Mountain-Crushing Stance Technique (1507/2000)]

【Bengshan Quan Dacheng (1308/2000)】

[Mastery of Internal Organ Strength (103/500)]

His cultivation steadily deepened day by day, his physical body, qi and blood, and internal energy thickened layer by layer, and his foundation became more and more solid and profound.

He was not in a hurry to gain fame and fortune, but quietly accumulated strength and waited for the storm to come.

One afternoon, everyone in the martial arts school was engrossed in their practice when a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps suddenly broke the silence of the school.

A young disciple, pale-faced and drenched in sweat, rushed into the courtyard, his voice filled with barely concealed panic: "Something's happened! Something terrible! Zhou Liang of the Cangsong Martial Arts School has been in seclusion recently, determined to break through to the Nine Acupoints!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

The disciples who were practicing stopped and looked at each other, the air instantly becoming extremely tense.

After a moment of deathly silence, whispers suddenly erupted, filling the room with shock and unease.

Nine acupoints is the threshold for top martial artists in the county. Ordinary martial artists may only reach five or six acupoints in their entire lives, and very few can reach nine acupoints.

Once Zhou Liang successfully breaks through the barrier, Cangsong Martial Arts School will gain another top expert. With the addition of the Three Nine Acupoints, its prestige will surely surge again. At that time, there will be no doubt that it will crush Guangchang and Heishi Schools.

"He broke through to the eighth acupoint in just half a year, and his foundation is still unstable. How dare he directly attempt to break through to the ninth acupoint?"

"Zhou Liang is already exceptionally talented, and with Shi Wenshan personally nurturing him and showering him with resources, if he really succeeds, our days in Gaolin County will only become more and more unbearable."

"Given Cangsong's domineering nature, once he gains power, he will surely seize the opportunity to settle old scores and seek revenge. Guangchang will inevitably be the first to bear the brunt."

Everyone felt uneasy and clearly understood that Zhou Liang's breakthrough this time was no longer just his personal martial arts matter, but concerned the fortunes of several major martial arts schools and the future prospects of every disciple.

The entire martial arts school was instantly enveloped in a heavy atmosphere of oppression. No one had the leisure to continue practicing in peace. Everyone was restless and talking amongst themselves.

As dusk fell and darkness descended, the disciples who had gone to inquire about the situation outside the Cangsong Martial Arts School hurriedly returned, their expressions complex and indescribable, carrying a hint of relief yet concealing deep worry.

"Zhou Liang...failed to break through the barrier. At the last moment, his qi and blood suddenly collapsed, and his meridians were severely damaged. He is now seriously injured and has been forced to close the gates to recuperate."

Upon hearing this, everyone subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, their hearts easing slightly. But this relief was fleeting, and a deeper gloom once again enveloped their hearts.

One failure does not mean eternal failure.

With Zhou Liang's exceptional talent and profound background, coupled with the Cangsong Martial Arts School's unreserved resource support, all he needs to do is focus on recovering from his injuries and lie low. It's only a matter of time before he makes a comeback.

The next time he attempts to tap the nine acupoints, he will be even better prepared and have a much greater chance of success than he did today.

People remain depressed, unable to see a safe future.

Jiang Lan stood quietly to the side, coldly observing the various expressions on the faces of the people around him, his face remaining expressionless. He looked down at his outstretched palm, his knuckles as hard as iron, his strength restrained and profound, controlled at will.

His internal organs were nearly perfected, his six acupoints were incredibly solid, and his breath was long and deep. He was only one step away from breaking through the shackles and reaching the level of the seven acupoints.

The wind rose again, sweeping past the eaves of the martial arts school, passing through the gaps in the courtyard wall, howling and carrying a chilling, ominous feeling.

Jiang Lan's gaze slowly darkened, a cold, sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Zhou Liang's attempt to break through the barrier failed temporarily, and he secluded himself to recuperate and lie low, seemingly calming the storm for the time being. The Zhao family appeared to be forbearing and backing down after this battle, but in reality, they were secretly gathering strength and never gave up their desire for revenge.

With powerful enemies lurking in the open and undercurrents flowing beneath the surface...