The sight of the leaf, almost entirely embedded in the tree root, left Young Master Jun’s shock lingering.
He knew how incredibly hard those tree roots were. For a leaf as thin as a cicada’s wing to pierce through one spoke volumes about the terrifying force behind it.
It could be said that if such a leaf were to strike any part of a person’s body, that person would likely be at least severely injured, if not killed.
“Master, what exactly did you mean by a master of Hua Jin just now?” Young Master Jun asked, having recovered slightly.
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt sighed and said, “Originally, your foundation wasn’t quite there yet, and I wasn’t planning to tell you much. I just wanted you to build a solid base. I never imagined we’d encounter a legendary Hua Jin master today.”
The old man shook his head and continued, “This is about the classification of martial arts cultivation. Generally speaking, from low to high, it can be divided into three realms: Wai Jin, Nei Jin, and Hua Jin.”
“Master, what are Wai Jin and Nei Jin, and what is Hua Jin?” Young Master Jun immediately inquired.
“Wai Jin, generally speaking, is achieved by tempering one’s body with external force, thereby strengthening the muscles and bones. For instance, you are currently at the Wai Jin level. Wai Jin is further divided into nine stages. At your current level, you are likely at Wai Jin stage eight or nine, which is equivalent to the level of those so-called ninth-dan black belts in Taekwondo in the secular world,” the old man in the sweat-soaked shirt explained.
“I see,” Young Master Jun nodded slightly, then asked, “Then Master, what is the difference between Nei Jin and Wai Jin?”
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt replied, “When a Wai Jin martial artist cultivates to a certain stage of tempering their body, internal energy or Qi will begin to generate within them. This surpasses Wai Jin and reaches Nei Jin. In the martial arts world, this is known as a minor Nei Jin master. Because these minor masters are augmented by internal energy, the power of their martial arts techniques is often greatly amplified!”
As he spoke, the old man in the sweat-soaked shirt lightly struck a large tree beside them with his palm.
With a ‘bang,’ the tree shook violently, and a palm print appeared on its main trunk.
Young Master Jun glanced at it and said, “So, Master, you are at the level of a minor Nei Jin master. What about Hua Jin?”
“Hua Jin, as the name suggests, is the state of using internal energy to a supernatural degree. A most direct manifestation of this is the separation of internal energy or Qi from the body. For example, that person just now infused Qi into a leaf, giving the leaf immense power. This is what is meant by ‘flying leaves and plucking flowers can kill,’ and this is the Hua Jin master!”
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt spoke repeatedly, his eyes still filled with shock, as well as a deep envy.
“I understand now, Master!”
Young Master Jun clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, “That fellow just now, he looked about my age, at most one or two years older, yet he has already cultivated to the level of a Hua Jin master. One day, I will also become a Grandmaster!”
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt smiled wryly, “Young Master Jun, perhaps you don’t yet grasp the significance of a Hua Jin master. It can be said that out of a hundred Wai Jin martial artists, only about one can successfully generate Qi within their bodies through continuous tempering and become a minor Nei Jin master. And it takes a thousand minor Nei Jin masters to produce one Hua Jin master!”
“My heavens, it’s that difficult!”
Young Master Jun gasped and asked, “Then Master, what stage of Nei Jin are you at now, and roughly how long will it take to become a Hua Jin master?”
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt shook his head with a bitter smile, “I’ve only recently begun to generate internal energy. As for becoming a Hua Jin master, I fear it’s beyond my reach in this lifetime. You might not know this, but in the entire Suzhou City, there are probably fewer than five Hua Jin masters!”
“Fewer than five? Then that fellow just now… I was so foolish. I should have asked him for guidance when I had the chance,” Young Master Jun said with great regret.
The old man in the sweat-soaked shirt smiled wryly, “Young Master Jun, that person was so young and possessed such martial arts cultivation. He must come from an extraordinary background. If you have the chance to meet him again in the future, remember, never provoke him again!”
“I understand, Master. I’m not that foolish!” Young Master Jun looked up towards the direction where Xiao Yunlong had departed, but unfortunately, the person was already far away. It was too late to chase after him now.
At this moment, Xiao Yunlong had arrived at the administrative building, just as Liu Ruyan was coming out after finishing her business.
“I’m sorry, Brother Xiao, for making you wait so long. Some documents had errors and needed to be reprinted,” Liu Ruyan said apologetically.
“It’s alright. How did things go?” Xiao Yunlong asked with a smile.
“It’s done. By the way, Brother Xiao, I heard there’s a basketball game between our Chinese department and the sports department at six this afternoon. Why don’t we go watch?” Liu Ruyan asked.
“No problem, as long as you like it,” Xiao Yunlong nodded.
Thus, the two walked hand in hand towards the basketball stadium. Before they even entered, they could hear cheers erupting from inside, indicating that the game was lively.
As soon as they entered the stadium, Wei Qianqian, who had been looking left and right towards the entrance from a distance, spotted Liu Ruyan and Xiao Yunlong. Her expression immediately darkened.
“They’re here, they’re here! It’s those two!” Wei Qianqian said to a tall and imposing man beside her.
The imposing man glanced over and sneered, “Alright, you don’t need to worry about the rest. Leave it to us. Some kid from another school not only charmed our school’s campus belle but even dared to lay a hand on Ouyang Youxu. Let’s see how we deal with him next!”
After saying that, the imposing man left with a few of his subordinates.
Fu Mingquan then whispered to Wei Qianqian, “Qianqian, won’t this cause trouble? Don’t forget, that Xiao Yunlong fellow isn’t simple. He has figures like Hong Shisan from the underworld backing him.”
“What are you afraid of? Look at you, you coward! That useless son-in-law named Xiao might have some skills, but this is a campus. Does he dare to let underworld figures in here? Besides, those brutes from the sports department aren’t pushovers. I heard the captain of the sports department’s basketball team has practiced martial arts, and his father is the chairman of our Suzhou City Martial Arts Association!”
Wei Qianqian pointed to a tall and handsome young man on the court. This young man was precisely the captain of the sports department’s basketball team. He was currently dribbling the ball, driving forward, feinting past two opponents, then leaping high for a slam dunk.
The entire stadium erupted in thunderous applause and cheers!
“It looks very lively. I wonder how the game is going now,” Liu Ruyan exclaimed. The two then proceeded to the sidelines to watch.
There were many spectators, and the cheerleaders on both sides were cheering enthusiastically. The imposing young man from the sports department, along with two subordinates, subtly approached Xiao Yunlong.
Xiao Yunlong glanced over and said, “35 to 14, it’s only the second quarter, and your Chinese department is already trailing so much. It looks like the game is going to be lost.”
The imposing young man from the sports department suddenly raised his voice and snorted, “That’s a given. How could these bookworms from your Chinese department compare to us? They’re all weaklings who can’t even lift a chicken. Isn’t this just asking for humiliation?”
“Exactly! The captain of our sports department’s basketball team has even participated in national team tryouts. These weaklings from your Chinese department aren’t even fit to carry our captain’s shoes. To dare to confront him is like showing off before Guan Gong’s gate!”
As if to validate the words of several sports department students, a player from the Chinese department on the court tried to block the sports department’s captain, Xiong Youcai. However, he was faked out by Xiong Youcai and fell to the ground.
The audience burst into laughter. The score became 40 to 17. Compared to the surging enthusiasm of the sports department, the Chinese department’s morale was much lower.
Liu Ruyan couldn’t help but feel dejected. She could only comfort herself, “It’s okay, friendship first, competition second.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a player from the Chinese department on the court suddenly stole the ball and quickly dribbled towards the basket. Just as he was about to lay up, a strong and tall player from the sports department suddenly rushed from behind, not only blocking his shot but also sending the Chinese department player flying.
Xiao Yunlong shook his head upon seeing this, “This isn’t playing basketball, this is clearly fighting people. It was a clear foul, but the referee pretended not to see it. This is too rigged.”
Liu Ruyan asked, “Brother Xiao, I don’t understand basketball very well. Are you telling the truth?”
“Of course, it’s true. These players from the sports department have been constantly using underhanded tactics. Especially that collision just now, the player from your department couldn’t even stand up. Such a way of competing from the sports department is too despicable!” Xiao Yunlong shook his head.
The imposing young man from the sports department, who had been looking for an opportunity to pick a fight, immediately roared upon hearing this, “You brat, how dare you call us despicable and slander us! You have quite the nerve!”
“Apologize! You must apologize immediately, or don’t blame us for being rude!” the three sports department youths roared.
Xiao Yunlong glanced at them indifferently and sneered, “You want me to apologize? Go look in the mirror first to see if your faces are worthy. The likes of you aren’t even fit to carry my shoes!”
“You’re so arrogant! You’re clearly provoking us, provoking the authority of our sports department!”
After saying this, the imposing young man quickly turned and shouted towards Xiong Youcai in front, “Captain, hurry over here! This weakling from the sports department, he just said you were despicable, and that you are pigs and dogs, not even fit to carry your shoes! This kid is too arrogant!”
It was halftime, and Xiong Youcai, upon hearing this, directly dropped his towel and walked over. The other four sports department players also approached with angry expressions.
Wei Qianqian, watching from not far away, couldn’t help but grin, “Good, the fire has been ignited. Xiao, let’s see how you die now!”