Yue Hong thought for a mont, then suggested, "I think we could give him a comprehensive physical examination. That’s the only way to know which kind of Power is right for him."
But Cheng Zitong imdiately shot the idea down. "No! I don’t think that’s a good idea at all!"
"And why is that?" Master Gao asked.
Cheng Zitong said, "Did you know that today, he didn’t just master the Breathing thod of Qi Breathing? He also grasped Transformation in the process."
He glanced at the others in the room. "I never told him about it beforehand. I couldn’t have. He figured it out all on his own. That’s not easy. How many students do you know with that kind of intuition?
But that’s not the main point. The point is, this proves he’s a pure-blooded mber of the Intuition School! He’s not one of you Rationalists! You can’t use your rationalist mindset to box him in!"
Master Gao and the other two n were silent for a mont.
With enough practice, any Fighting Skill will inevitably develop its own systems and theories. Beyond specific techniques, the grander philosophies of training diverge, splitting into nurous schools of thought.
The two largest, however, were the Intuition School and the Rationalist Faction.
The Rationalist Faction believed that training could be quantified. By using various auxiliary tools, one could present their body’s abilities in a clear, intuitive manner, allowing for better mastery over oneself.
The Intuition School, on the other hand, was different. They believed the primary joy of martial arts training lay in the unknown. The exploration of that unknown was what was most captivating and exciting, for it represented endless possibilities. To know everything, to have it all laid bare, was to be confined.
Cheng Zitong stressed, "For the Intuition School, one’s own will is what’s most important—and most precious. They refuse to be bound by anything. If we send him for a physical, we’ll destroy that sense of the unknown!"
Bian Feng said gravely, "If that’s the case, then let’s hold off on the physical exam for now."
He knew that for a mber of the Intuition School, it wasn’t just about the conclusions drawn from a physical. The very act of being examined could make them feel that the mystery was gone, potentially sapping their motivation to train. A person’s Mutated Organization could indeed be influenced by their emotions and willpower, so it was best to avoid such a detrintal outco.
Yue Hong said, "But without an exam, it will be very difficult to know which type of Power is most suitable for him."
Master Gao looked to Cheng Zitong. "What do you suggest?"
Cheng Zitong replied, "I was thinking, since he’s of the Intuition School, let’s use their thods to solve this. Let him decide for himself. He knows his own body better than we do. I can tell this kid has a mind of his own; I trust he’ll make the right choice."
Yue Hong sounded worried. "But what if he chooses wrong..."
Master Gao said, "Even so, it would still be his own choice. We can’t manage every little thing for him. Are we supposed to make his own decisions for him too?"
Bian Feng spoke up. "I think we could let him take a look at the Strength Manual Old He left behind."
Master Gao was silent for a mont before replying, "Alright."
"Good, then it’s decided." Cheng Zitong grabbed his briefcase and stood up. "I should get back and make the preparations."
"Wait." Master Gao picked up a file from his desk and tossed it to him. "Since you’re here, take this back with you. You’re his instructor. You two can figure out if you want to take the exam."
Cheng Zitong caught it and gave it a glance. "Understood." He stuffed it into his briefcase, gave the others a quick nod, and left.
After he was gone, Yue Hong asked, "Master Gao, is Manager Cheng really reliable? Perhaps we should try to convince Teacher He to co back soon."
Master Gao said, "I’ll keep calling him. If there’s nothing else, you two are dismissed. I still have work to do."
"Yes, Master Gao."
The two of them stood, gave him a slight bow, and then left the room.
Back at the dormitory, it was ti for dinner. Since Chen Chuan had a rare mont of free ti, he went to the school cafeteria with his neighbors, Feng Xiaochi and Luo Kaiyuan.
The other two knew Chen Chuan had been busy training with his instructor for the past few days, so they hadn’t disturbed him. They hadn’t talked much, but being young, they quickly fell into easy conversation.
Chen Chuan learned that Feng Xiaochi’s family owned a martial arts supply shop. Luo Kaiyuan was the sa as ever, not one to initiate conversation, but he would answer earnestly whenever asked a question.
Chen Chuan asked, "Is Room One still empty?"
"I didn’t see him today, either," Feng Xiaochi said. "Maybe he doesn’t live on campus."
Chen Chuan nodded in understanding. That was possible. It was a privilege of A-class students, after all; the school wouldn’t take back the dorm even if it went unused. He then asked, "Oh, right. Did you two find instructors?"
Feng Xiaochi said, "Luo Kaiyuan got really lucky. He’s with Teacher Sun Yunchun from the Freestyle Martial Arts Departnt. I got Teacher Ni Xiaolin from the Capture Departnt."
"A female teacher?"
Chen Chuan was surprised. Female teachers usually didn’t accept male students, especially for things like capture techniques and wrestling takedowns, which required close-quarters grappling and could sotis be awkward.
Feng Xiaochi laughed. "This Teacher Ni is over eighty. I’m old enough to be her great-grandson, so she doesn’t care about that stuff. Besides, she has her own assistants and team. You didn’t think I was her only student, did you? She has a bunch of them, guys and girls. I was lucky to be accepted by her."
He added, "By the way, our first monthly exam is at the end of the month. Are you guys ready?"
Luo Kaiyuan just said, "I’m preparing."
"What about you, Chen Chuan? Oh, right, your teacher only has you as a student, doesn’t he?" Feng Xiaochi said with envy. "Then you’re guaranteed to pass the monthly exam."
Chen Chuan knew that failing a monthly exam would lower one’s academic rating. However, the most important tests were the midterms and finals. The monthly exams were just a way for the instructors to gauge their students’ progress against each other. For the midterm and final exams, however, the school administration and even their clients would be present to evaluate the students’ abilities. Failing those ant imdiate demotion to a Class B student, a consequence nobody could afford to ignore.
After lunch, the three of them headed back to the dorm. Just as they reached the stairwell, they saw three people step out of the elevator. The one in the middle was tall and had a stern, righteous air about him. Another wore a hat that cast his face in shadow, giving off an unsettling vibe. Following behind was a huge guy who, despite his youthful face, was nearly as big as Zhongwu.
Feng Xiaochi waited until they had passed before whispering to Chen Chuan, "Those are the guys who live across the hall from us. The one in the lead is Zhuang Zhi, the creepy-looking one is Feng Sheng, and the big one is Zhuang Zhongshan."
Chen Chuan watched them go. "There are three of them?"
Feng Xiaochi said, "I heard they have another roommate who lives off-campus. He’s still moving stuff into the dorm. I’ve only caught a glimpse of his back a few tis."
A thought struck Chen Chuan. ’Sothing about that situation felt strangely familiar.’
The three of them were about to get into the elevator when a dorm manager called out, "Chen, you have a phone call. Soone’s looking for you."
Chen Chuan heard him and called back an acknowledgnt. He told the other two to go on ahead while he walked over to the public telephone. After thanking the manager, he picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
Wei Chang’an’s voice ca through the line. "Hey, junior, how have the first few days of school been treating you?"
Chen Chuan smiled. "Oh, Brother Wei. It’s been good. I’ve learned a lot."
"Glad to hear it. Tomorrow’s a day off. Do you want to head ho? I’m going back to see my dad tomorrow, so I can give you a ride."
Chen Chuan thought for a mont. They lived near each other, after all. "Sure," he said.
"Great. I’ll co pick you up tomorrow. There was sothing else I wanted to talk to you about, too. We can discuss it then."
After confirming the plan, Chen Chuan hung up. Back in his dorm, he put the prepared Training-Opening Powder into his satchel. He then continued to reinforce his practice of the Breathing thod of Qi Breathing, not neglecting his Basic Breathing Technique either. He only went to sleep when it was ti.
The next day, he got a call from Wei Chang’an a little after eight in the morning. He grabbed his things and went downstairs to find Wei Chang’an’s Tuotu sedan already waiting. After a quick greeting, he got in. Just as he was fastening his seatbelt, Wei Chang’an casually handed him an envelope. "Here."
Chen Chuan took it and pulled out a thick stack of Jianyuan Coins. "What’s this...?"
"The paynt for the commission to find Moustache Chou," Wei Chang’an said.
Chen Chuan was surprised. "It’s this much?"
"Much? It’s not much at all," Wei Chang’an said. "We were commissioned to retrieve soone from the Blood Mark Gang. If sothing had gone wrong, there’s no compensation. We took on all the risk. Besides, the agency takes seventy percent, and we only get thirty. I split what’s left fifty-fifty between us. But don’t worry, once your Brother Wei here becos an Advanced Client, we won’t get the short end of the stick like this."
With that, he started the car and drove off campus.
Chen Chuan saw there were also so receipts and stamped forms in the envelope, likely to prove the legal origin of the money. He put it all away. "Thanks, Brother Wei."
"Hey, I told you before. We’re both from Patrol Bureau families. Your Brother Wei has to look out for you."
As the car passed through the school gates, Wei Chang’an said, "By the way, that business from last ti isn’t actually over. Moustache Chou confessed that he never t with Fang Dawei directly. He always sent his bodyguard, Scarface, to do the deals. All the illegal drugs were kept with Scarface, too. The Patrol Bureau is looking for him now, but they haven’t found a trace. For now, the trail has gone cold."
"I’m guessing the Patrol Bureau won’t waste too much effort on it and will eventually just post another commission. Since we were the ones who handled it initially, they might offer it to us. That’s why I’ve been looking for clues myself the last few days. I probably won’t be around much for a bit."
"Be careful, Brother Wei," Chen Chuan said.
Wei Chang’an just smiled. "Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing."
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