Grinding to the Martial Sage from the White Ape Fist-Chapter 42: Breakthrough! Martial Artist

The cold wind howled across the Martial Arts Arena.

Chen Fan, full of vigor, was instructing the apprentices in their training.

It was supposed to be another senior brother’s turn to lead the apprentices for the past few days, but Chen Fan had volunteered to help.

At first, everyone was curious about Chen Fan’s strength after his breakthrough and muttered to themselves in doubt.

But a few days ago, Chen Fan had casually revealed a glimpse of his power, shattering an Ironwood Stake with a single punch. The apprentices were so shocked their jaws dropped.

An Ironwood Stake! That was the special training stake they had all struck for years on end without leaving so much as a scratch!

Even Su Yu, despite his three breakthrough attempts, had only managed to leave fist marks on it. He’d even knocked the stake over, but still couldn’t damage its sturdy material!

Yet Chen Fan had destroyed it with a single punch! This was the first time any of them had witnessed the incredible power of a Martial Artist up close.

"Senior Brother Chen~ This Long Arm Waist Pulling move... I just can’t seem to find the right point to exert my strength. My back is about to break..."

Today, Ye Lu was wearing only a thin, short-sleeved training uniform, revealing a length of her pale, slender arm. As she panted deliberately, her ample cleavage, perfectly pushed up, was mostly exposed, rising and falling dramatically with each breath. The occasional bead of sweat glistened on her skin, dazzling in the winter sun.

She tilted her head back, her eyes shimmering with adoration as she gazed up at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan basked in her adoring gaze.

"Don’t worry. I’ll teach you."

A smile playing on his lips, Chen Fan stepped forward. He placed one hand on Ye Lu’s shoulder, while the other slid down to rest on her slender waist.

"Your waist should be flexible, and your power integrated. Like this... Understand?"

"Mmm~ Your hand is so warm, Senior Brother..." Ye Lu leaned into Chen Fan’s embrace, her delicate body trembling as a blush bloomed on her cheeks.

GULP.

The sound of gulping could be heard all around. The other apprentices’ eyes were red with envy as they watched, jealous of Chen Fan’s good fortune and contemptuous of Ye Lu’s behavior.

"So shameless!"

Someone sidled up to Su Yu and said indignantly, "Senior Brother Su, that woman was pestering you for pointers just the other day. Now that Senior Brother Chen is a Martial Artist, she’s all over him. She’s so..."

Su Yu ignored him, continuing to practice the White Ape’s Six Changes.

"White Ape Leaning on the Mountain!"

With a shake of his shoulder, he slammed into the stake, producing a dull thud.

[White Ape’s Six Changes Skill Level +5]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape’s Six Changes (Accomplished 1980/3000)

After practicing on the stakes for the past few days, his Skill Level was now approaching two thousand, and he was getting closer and closer to a breakthrough.

’The silver coins I have left are enough for a month’s worth of Herbal Medicine Fees. If I consume that ginseng root as well, it should be enough to last me until my breakthrough!’

...

A dozen or so days passed. Just as Su Yu was immersed in his training, more news arrived from the Inner Courtyard.

Wang Hu had failed his breakthrough!

"Isn’t Senior Brother Wang training in the Inner Courtyard? His Root Bone is pretty good, and he has the senior brothers to guide him. How could he still fail his breakthrough?"

"Good heavens, is becoming a Martial Artist really that difficult? Then how did Senior Brother Chen succeed on his first try?"

"Senior Brother Chen has a Top-Grade Root Bone! Our school has only ever produced one. How can ordinary people even compare?"

"Right, right. I heard Wang Hu is a city boy. He probably relied on Herbal Decoctions to keep up his progress. But breaking through a bottleneck isn’t so easy."

"Hey, you guys think Senior Brother Su will fail his breakthrough too? I heard he has a Lower-Grade Root Bone and has been relying entirely on Herbal Decoctions to get this far."

"I doubt it. If even Wang Hu failed, then Su Yu..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down. Senior Brother Su is training over there."

Everyone secretly glanced toward Su Yu in the corner.

The rumors and gossip washed over him like a tide, but Su Yu paid them no mind.

’Everyone has their own path. No one knows if they’ll be able to walk it to the end.’

’His path was to focus on his training!’

[White Ape’s Six Changes Skill Level +5]

...

「Inner Courtyard, Tea Room.」

Qin Fangqiong was sprawled in a Grandmaster’s Chair, gnawing on a tender, braised chicken foot, his mouth glistening with grease.

"Dad! How can you still be in the mood to eat!"

Qin Yu snatched the plate of chicken feet, her brows knitted in anger. "Wang Hu failed! He’s Blacksmith Wang’s son! Now look what’s happened. A failure like this will probably damage our school’s reputation. I don’t care about the people from outside the city, but Blacksmith Wang forges a lot of weapons for us every year!"

"What’s the rush?"

Qin Fangqiong leisurely sucked the sauce from his fingers. "Practicing Martial Arts is all about defying fate," he said slowly. "There are no guarantees. That Wang Hu is too soft-willed. This is just his destiny."

"Destiny, my foot!" Qin Yu slammed the plate down, on the verge of an outburst.

Qin Fangqiong quickly shielded the plate, grabbing another chicken foot. "Now, now, don’t be hasty, my dear girl. Besides, with his Root Bone, he can still try to break through one more time. He still has a chance."

"Dad! He failed the first time! His chances are even slimmer on the second attempt. If he fails again, Blacksmith Wang might not say anything, but he’ll definitely hold a grudge against our school!"

"What grudge could he have? I gave his son a Blood Boiling Pill. No one can find fault with that," Qin Fangqiong said, waving his hand impatiently.

Seeing her father’s attitude, Qin Yu looked exasperated. "No. We have to give him more support."

"Alright, alright... Yu’Er, just say it. What is it you want to do?" Qin Fangqiong looked resigned. ’This daughter of mine... I’ve spoiled her rotten. Now she’s turned the tables and is bossing her old man around.’

"Dad, give Wang Hu another Blood Boiling Pill!"

"They’re gone, all gone! If Chen Fan hadn’t managed to break through on his own this year, we wouldn’t have had a single one." Qin Fangqiong’s expression soured as he spread his hands in a helpless gesture.

Qin Yu looked at her father, growing even more confused.

She knew Blood Boiling Pills were rare; the school was lucky to get one or two each year.

’Logically, with his Top-Grade Root Bone, Chen Fan should have been given a Blood Boiling Pill, yet Dad didn’t give him one.’

’Instead, after Chen Fan’s breakthrough, Dad gave the two Blood Boiling Pills to Wang Hu and Su Yu.’

"Dad, Su Yu only has a Lower-Grade Root Bone! He has no hope of breaking through. Take back that precious Blood Boiling Pill and give it to Wang Hu!"

Her tone was decisive, as if she was just waiting for Qin Fangqiong’s nod to march right to the Martial Arts Arena and confront Su Yu.

Qin Fangqiong shook his head and went back to gnawing on his chicken foot.

This made Qin Yu even angrier. She snatched the chicken foot from his mouth. "What? Don’t tell me you disagree, Dad?"

Qin Fangqiong waved his hand, gesturing for her to sit. "Don’t always be so impulsive. You’re a Martial Artist in the Skin Tempering Realm now. You need to think before you act."

Seeing his daughter sit down in a huff, Qin Fangqiong took another bite of chicken foot. "Who do you think has more potential," he asked, chewing, "Wang Hu or Su Yu?"

"Wang Hu, obviously! He has an above-average Root Bone. Su Yu only has a Lower-Grade Root Bone. The only reason he managed to overcome three bottlenecks was due to a bit of talent for comprehension and a lot of good luck. But his luck can’t last forever!"

Qin Fangqiong lifted an eyelid. "Perhaps," he mumbled. "But you know as well as I do that Su Yu’s Root Bone is poor. For him to have overcome three bottlenecks, he must have relied on more than just good luck. Comprehension, willpower, resources... you can’t succeed without any of them!"

"So what? He still won’t become a Martial Artist in the end!"

"Who can say for sure, my girl? It’s best not to be too absolute. Since Su Yu managed to overcome three bottlenecks and is my disciple, I’ll give him one chance. Let’s see if he can change his fate!"

"Whether he succeeds is up to him!"

"Alright, that’s final." Qin Fangqiong waved his hand, his expression turning serious.

Qin Yu bit her lip. Though she was unconvinced, she didn’t dare argue with her father’s decision.

...

「More than a month later.」

The night was deep, and a cold wind whistled.

The Martial Arts Arena in the front courtyard was long since deserted. Only a lone figure remained, leaping and tumbling under the moonlight like an ancient ape.

Su Yu was bare-chested, steam rising from his body. In the moonlight, his skin took on an eerie red glow.

It was a sign that his Qi and Blood was circulating at its absolute peak.

"The final form, Spiritual Ape Returns to the Cave!"

Su Yu pressed down with both hands. A low, thunderous rumble echoed from his abdomen, and he expelled a breath of turbid air that shot out like an arrow, traveling three feet.

[White Ape’s Six Changes Skill Level +5]

[White Ape’s Six Changes has broken through to Perfection!]

[Su Yu]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape’s Six Changes (Perfection)

...

The next moment, a powerful surge of Qi and Blood erupted within him!