Chapter 12

Under the moonlight, the night was filled with the gentle breeze and the chirping of insects.

In the back mountain of the Han family, under the cover of night, a figure moved swiftly, accompanied by the wind, its form flickering.

On the grass, under the moonlight, thirty-six footprints were deeply imprinted, clearly visible.

These footprints seemed chaotic, but if one looked closely, they could see that these disordered steps followed an elusive pattern.

The figure continuously moved, each step landing precisely on these footprints, its form as light as the breeze.

Finally, after completing another full round, the young man stopped, standing in place, breathing slightly.

"Hmm, not bad, much more proficient!" The young man stopped, and a voice of praise came from beside him.

"Still far from it!" After a moment of contemplation, the young man sighed.

The Ghost Steps, worthy of being a middle-grade mystic martial technique, were profound and intricate. The seemingly simple thirty-six steps contained countless mysteries, ever-changing and difficult to grasp.

From the day he obtained the Ghost Steps, Wang Chen began to practice. It took him a full half month to barely grasp the basics.

The simple thirty-six steps, when performed, gave a complex and challenging feeling.

Controlling and shifting the body's center of gravity, the agile steps, and the rhythm, all were crucial. This was also due to Ling Zhan's guidance; otherwise, he would likely still be unable to perform them.

"Take it slowly, this kind of thing can't be rushed! Practice makes perfect, the more you practice and apply, the more proficient you will become!" Seeing Wang Chen's appearance, Ling Zhan sighed.

This young man set such high standards for himself. Sometimes, this is a virtue that drives continuous improvement, but at other times, it can be a fatal flaw!

The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment, which can easily undermine one's confidence and passion, leading to the opposite effect.

"Currently, you are nearly at the minor accomplishment stage, which can play a significant role in battle. You don't need to rush; dealing with those guys shouldn't be a problem!" Ling Zhan continued to reassure him.

"Those people?" Thinking of Han Yu, Lin Qun, and those who mocked and ridiculed him, Wang Chen clenched his fists, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "They will soon know."

"Exactly, that's the spirit! My disciple, Ling Zhan, is better than them? They are just a bunch of idiots, teach them a lesson!" After spending time together, Ling Zhan understood Wang Chen's situation more clearly and knew who those people were.

After a brief rest, Wang Chen practiced the steps once more before heading down the mountain and returning to the Han residence.

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In the early morning, as the sun rose above the horizon, casting a faint red glow, Wang Chen began his training in the secluded small courtyard of the Han family.

This courtyard was somewhat dilapidated, starkly contrasting with the grandeur of the main Han residence, making it seem out of place. This was a neglected side courtyard. Under the morning sun, the small courtyard was tinged with a light red hue, the green bricks and black tiles exuding an ancient and simple charm. Wang Chen and his aunt lived here.

At this moment, in the courtyard, his steps were like lotus blossoms, his form flickering, elusive and unpredictable. The speed varied, making it hard to fathom.

When he finally came to a stop, a faint smile appeared on his face. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked into the house.

Today was the day for the Han family clan competition registration, and Wang Chen would not miss it.

"Xiao Chen, it's time to eat!" The familiar voice from outside the door brought a warm look to Wang Chen's eyes.

She was his aunt, Wang Lin, who had married into the Han family years ago. After the fall of the Wang family, she stood up against the objections and criticisms of the Han family, bringing him to live with them.

"Coming!" He responded, washed up, and quickly headed to the dining hall.

A table, a few chairs, and an ancient scroll, with no extra decorations, yet it felt warm and cozy. At the dining table sat a beautiful woman in her thirties!

"What have you been busy with these days? I hardly see you!" Seeing Wang Chen enter, the woman smiled gently and asked.

"Training, I've been training these days!" Wang Chen found an excuse to dodge the question.

Looking at the scarf on the woman's face, a pang of pain surged in his heart. This was his aunt, Wang Lin. If judged by her figure, she was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful. However, during the disaster that befell the Wang family, to save him and his brother, she was left with a hideous scar on her face, robbing her of her beauty.

Over the years, Wang Chen suffered, but he knew his aunt's suffering even more. The pain that could not be spoken was the deepest pain.

"Xiao Chen... are you really going to participate in the clan competition?" She put down her chopsticks, looking at Wang Chen with concern.

Although Wang Chen had been hiding this from her, when Tang Ming came to visit a few days ago, he told her, causing her some worry.

She knew about the academy, that Wang Chen could not condense true essence, and understood his strength. She also knew how intense and brutal the clan competition would be, which made her even more worried.

She understood Wang Chen's character. After so many years, he could not forget the fall of the family, just like her, bearing too much pressure. Adding the inability to condense true essence, he had taken on too much pressure alone, not wanting to worry her. But the more he did this, the more she worried.

"Yes, someone from Donglin Mountain will be watching, it's an opportunity!" Wang Chen said firmly, not surprised that his aunt knew.

"But you... can't condense true essence, can you?" Wang Lin worried, could the hard training of these past days make up for everything? It wasn't that simple.

"Don't worry, Aunt, I won't force myself. It's an opportunity, and I must try. Not being able to condense true essence isn't a permanent thing. I won't let you down in this clan competition!"

Knowing what his aunt was worried about, Wang Chen reassured her.

"You... sigh... forget it, just be careful. If you can't do it, give up. As long as you're alive, there's always hope!" Seeing Wang Chen's stubborn look and understanding him, Wang Lin knew that further words would be useless, so she could only remind him of the precautions.

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After breakfast, checking the time, Wang Chen headed toward the Han family's training ground.

When he arrived at the training ground, most of the younger generation of the Han family had gathered there, dozens of people. The clan competition registration was a big event, especially with someone from Donglin Mountain coming to watch, so they naturally wouldn't miss such an opportunity.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Chen began to walk into the training ground, feeling the enthusiastic atmosphere, his eyes filled with a burning passion. After nearly two years of endurance, it was time for him to burst forth.

Wang Chen's appearance quickly drew everyone's attention, but in their gazes, there was a hint of mockery and confusion, unsure of why he was there.

Could he be registering? Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but smile wryly, definitely not.

The requirements for the clan competition registration were simple: the fifth stage of body tempering was the threshold. But Wang Chen couldn't even condense true essence! Such a person wanted to register?

Wang Chen glanced indifferently at the gazes around him, not paying much attention, and walked straight to the registration area at the front.

"Hey, isn't this Wang Chen? What's wrong? Couldn't wait for two months, so you came to find me today?" Just as he reached the registration point, a cold and mocking voice came again! Looking up, seeing the man approaching, Wang Chen's eyes turned cold.

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