Fourth Level: Qi Field Stage. At this level, a warrior’s Gang Qi condenses further, transforming into a qi field that can distort an opponent’s attacks. Every martial artist who reaches this stage is a valuable asset to the Great Zhou Dynasty, known as an elite soldier. Once selected, these soldiers form independent units directly commanded by the princes and marquises of Great Zhou.

Fifth Level: Formation Stage. To reach this level, one must comprehend certain special methods and rules. A key ability of a formation-level expert is refinement. For example, refining a mountain and extracting its spiritual energy.

Within the Great Zhou military, formation-level experts are often transferred to the capital and incorporated into the imperial guards to help defend the city. This is both an honor and a tremendous opportunity. Every expert at this level is granted a chance to obtain a lost secret manual from the royal family’s secret vault. Some of these manuals are from ancient times, others from even earlier eras, but all have been preserved by the royal family of Great Zhou.

The father of William Foster and John Foster originally obtained an ancient secret manual from the royal family while serving in the imperial guards, which allowed him to gradually stand out in the military.

Sixth Level: Embryo Nurturing Stage. Upon reaching this realm, one begins to comprehend the mysteries of the human body and gains powers unimaginable to ordinary people.

Above the six stages of Embryo Nurturing, it is said there is the Transcendence Stage. That realm is even more mysterious. David Harris and James Thompson had heard their elders mention it, but only in fragments, and after hearing it a few times, they still didn’t quite understand. They only remembered the three words: Transcendence Stage.

The path of martial arts is extremely difficult to cultivate. For the youths in the capital, reaching the True Qi Stage is already impressive. Yet John Foster has already achieved the Gang Qi Stage, and judging by the situation, he is at the peak of Gang Qi, about to break through to the fourth level, the Qi Field Stage. With such cultivation, according to tradition, he would soon be assigned to the military and immediately become a commander of a thousand men.

Once one reaches the Gang Qi Stage, with a wave of the palm or a punch, Gang Qi naturally surges around the body. When condensed like crystal and infused into a sword, it instantly forms sword Gang; infused into a blade, it forms blade Gang, making it as easy as flipping one’s hand to cut gold and shatter iron.

With this punch from John Foster, not only could the fist Gang cut through gold and iron, but the overwhelming force alone could crush James Thompson and David Harris before him into dust.

Chapter 3: The Wager

Little Edward and Little William instantly turned pale with fright. They never expected John Foster to be so bold, so utterly lawless. When they barged into the academy, so many people saw them being brought into the marquis’s residence by the eldest son of the Marquis of Sifang. And yet, John Foster actually dared to try to kill them right inside the marquis’s residence.

Was he not afraid of bringing utter disaster upon the Marquis of Sifang’s household? Was he not afraid that the Marquis of Zhen Guo and the Marquis of Ping Ding would join forces against them?

How could he dare to do this?! This was simply lawlessness!

The two of them opened their mouths wide, wanting to beg for mercy. But the raging wind rushed into their mouths, making it impossible to speak. Moreover, at this moment, they were truly terrified by John Foster’s utter disregard for the law, rendered speechless. Seeing John Foster act on impulse, about to kill them with a single punch and bring great calamity upon the Marquis of Sifang’s household.

“Big brother, stop!”

At this critical moment, William Foster finally shouted to stop him. After finally “returning” to the age of fourteen, he now had the chance to change his family’s fate—he could not allow such a thing to happen right before his eyes and hasten the family’s doom.

Even Mrs. Clark hadn’t reacted yet, but William Foster did.

William Foster’s voice was loud. Although John Foster was seething with murderous intent, upon hearing his younger brother’s voice, he snapped back to his senses in time. The surging power stopped just over two feet from David Harris and James Thompson, the violent force dissipating into the air as wind, revealing John Foster’s impressive mastery of control.

“Hiss hiss!”

Staring at the fist so close to them, David Harris and James Thompson both trembled, their crotches wet, the stench of urine spreading through the room. The two of them had just brushed past death’s door and were so frightened they lost control of their bladders.

“Pa!”

John Foster looked at his brother on the bed, about to ask why he stopped him, when suddenly a heavy slap landed on his face.

“Beast, do you want the Fang family to be wiped out?” The one who slapped him was Mrs. Clark, standing to the side. Unlike the Marquis of Sifang, Mrs. Clark was a completely ordinary person, without the strength to truss a chicken.

John Foster’s action was so sudden that Mrs. Clark didn’t have time to stop him. Once she realized what had happened, she was filled with lingering fear. The Marquis of Ping Ding and the Marquis of Zhen Guo were both nobles of Great Zhou, their ancestors founding ministers of the dynasty. Such families wielded terrifying power in both the court and the military. If the two marquises truly joined forces, the Marquis of Sifang’s household could face utter disaster.

After being slapped by his mother, all of John Foster’s temper instantly vanished. He lowered his head and said nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Clark faced David Harris and James Thompson and said, “Young lords, my son went too far in this matter. As the saying goes, if a child is not taught, it is the mother’s fault. I, Huayang, apologize to you both. In a moment, I will have servants escort you back to your residences.”

Mrs. Clark gave a slight bow. Her tone was calm, giving off a sense of composure and rationality.