"Beixing, how did your studies go today?"
On the ride back to Shi University, Liu Yi rolled down the window, lit a cigarette, and posed the question to Zhang Beixing.
Zhang Beixing pondered for a mont before responding, "Theoretically, I should have learned it!"
He didn’t sound overly confident.
As of now, his Skill Bar only contained one technique: the Yue Family’s Fist Sequence.
Whether he had truly learned the new one or not would only be confird after he practiced it himself and saw if a new skill appeared.
"Theoretically, you’ve learned it, huh..." Liu Yi muttered Zhang Beixing’s words, then took a deep drag from his cigarette. "Theoretically, learning even a move or two is fine. Beixing, tell , what are the characteristics of the Eight Pieces of Brocade?"
"Regulating breath, stretching!" Zhang Beixing blurted out without a second thought.
During the earlier fight between Liu Yi and Elder Chen, despite his advanced age, Elder Chen managed to endure. This was entirely because after each exchange, he would quickly perform a sequence from the Eight Pieces of Brocade to stretch his body, relieve fatigue, and reduce the physical toll of combat.
Liu Yi nodded. "Correct. The Eight Pieces of Brocade indeed does that. What else?"
"What else..."
Zhang Beixing sank into contemplation, his frown deepening as he thought.
Clearly, Liu Yi’s question had stumped him.
Seeing this, Liu Yi didn’t rush him.
After all, during the fight, Elder Chen had used the Eight Pieces of Brocade to regulate his breathing in re instants. The fact that Zhang Beixing could perceive such a fleeting change, recognize it as the Northern Sect’s Eight Pieces of Brocade, and then learn and understand it, was an extrely difficult feat.
The reason he kept pressing was simply to see the limits of Zhang Beixing’s talent.
So, this is his limit, Liu Yi thought. It’s quite good, much better than I anticipated.
With this in mind, Liu Yi decided not to push Zhang Beixing any further. He took another deep drag from his cigarette, exhaled, and was about to say, "Alright, Beixing, well..."
Liu Yi didn’t finish his sentence.
Suddenly, Zhang Beixing looked up, a look of realization dawning on him as he said, "Besides breath regulation and stretching, there’s also promoting blood circulation! Although it happened very quickly, I noticed that after each exchange with you, Elder Chen would sharply lift his heels and vibrate them, which serves to stimulate blood flow!"
"PFFT—COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!"
The mont Zhang Beixing said this, the smooth stream of smoke Liu Yi was exhaling suddenly dispersed. The acrid smoke made him cough violently, his face flushing red and the veins on his neck bulging.
He took a deep breath, adjusting his internal breathing, then abruptly slamd on the brakes, pulling the car over to the side of the road.
Without waiting for the car to co to a complete stop, he twisted around to face Zhang Beixing, his voice suddenly shooting up an octave. "What did you say? Promoting blood circulation?"
"Ah... Th-that... Isn’t that right?" Zhang Beixing asked, sowhat sheepishly, startled by Liu Yi’s reaction.
I’m sure I saw that effect. Was I wrong? Or was that just Elder Chen’s personal habit?
However, Zhang Beixing’s doubt was quickly dispelled.
Liu Yi was staring at him with an incredulous expression, as if looking at an alien.
He stared for a long ti, until Zhang Beixing started to feel unnerved.
Finally, Liu Yi spoke. "There is! And promoting blood circulation *is* the essence of the Eight Pieces of Brocade! No, but seriously, how did you figure that out, kid?"
"Just by looking. Don’t you just need eyes for that?" Zhang Beixing replied, looking innocent.
Seeing this, the corner of Liu Yi’s mouth twitched.
His right hand rose and fell, then rose again, hesitating, before he finally slapped his own forehead. Liu Yi let out a long sigh. "Never mind... Perhaps I’m just an ordinary mortal, not fit to comprehend the world of people like you!"
With that, he turned back to face forward.
His hands trembling, he lit another cigarette.
After calming himself for a while, he finally pressed the accelerator, and the car resud its journey.
Liu Yi remained exceptionally silent for the rest of the drive.
Half an hour later, the car stopped at the main gate of Shi University.
Zhang Beixing had just stepped out and hadn’t yet said anything to Liu Yi when Liu Yi floored the accelerator and drove off without a backward glance.
Zhang Beixing: "..."
I just stated a simple truth. Was such a dramatic reaction necessary? It’s sothing anyone with eyes can see!
Walking across the training field, still nursing his dissatisfaction, Zhang Beixing replayed the recent encounter in his mind, growing more irritated the more he thought about it.
He realized Teacher Liu had changed.
He’s actually started to get jealous of my talent!
"Sigh!"
Zhang Beixing sighed, reflecting on the burdens of being a genius!
Just as he was pondering how he should act around Teacher Liu next ti to avoid making him feel so uncomfortable, Lin Siqi, who was at her stall as reliably as ever, noticed him. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over, saying, "Yo, isn’t this Zhang Beixing, Shi University’s big celebrity? You’re finally back? Where did Teacher Liu take you today?"
"We went to see an old friend!" Zhang Beixing said casually, then looked at Lin Siqi and asked, "Sister Qi, what do you an by ’big celebrity’?"
"It’s exactly what it sounds like. You an you don’t know? That video you posted a couple of days ago got quite a bit of traction!"
"Huh??"
Hearing this, Zhang Beixing was taken aback.
He then opened his phone, pulled down the status bar, and was imdiately t with a flood of Douyin notifications.
It was a good thing he had put his phone on silent when he went with Liu Yi to visit the Chen Family that afternoon.
Otherwise, with such frequent alerts, Elder Chen might have thought soone was attacking with firearms!
Zhang Beixing clicked on it and saw that the martial arts training video on the steel wire, which he had posted the morning before last, currently had: over 5,000 likes, over 600 comnts, over 500 saves, and over 400 shares.
Looking at his follower count—good heavens, 1,557!
Holy crap, have I blown up?
Seeing these numbers, Zhang Beixing couldn’t help but exclaim internally.
Even though he was well-versed from his previous life, becoming an internet celebrity was a first for him.
This made him feel a touch self-conscious.
However, this feeling of self-consciousness ca quickly and vanished even faster.
Because Zhang Beixing noticed sothing.
His video’s reach had been restricted by the platform.
The reason for the restriction was simple: the content in Zhang Beixing’s video was too dangerous, but he hadn’t added a warning like ’Dangerous actions, do not attempt to imitate.’
This directly led to the restriction.
No wonder the approval process was so slow, and why it didn’t get much traffic for a long ti even after it passed—that was the reason!
Understanding this, Zhang Beixing was speechless but knew there was nothing he could do.
Well, it’s already restricted. What can I do about it? I can’t exactly storm Douyin headquarters with a knife, hold it to soone’s throat, and demand they lift the restriction for . If I did that, I’d *really* be famous. Famous as ’Suspect Zhang,’ no less!
Besides, this really was my own carelessness.
I’ll need to be more careful when posting videos in the future.
anwhile, with the release of Zhang Beixing’s second video, his audience of interested followers gradually grew.
Many of his new followers were acquaintances, such as classmates from middle and high school, relatives, and friends.
For instance, on the athletics field of Shishi Normal University right now, Sophia Zhou was finishing a ten-kiloter tempo run, sweat pouring down her face as she panted heavily.
Ever since Zhang Beixing had thoroughly outpaced her on the Shi University athletics field a month ago, Sophia Zhou had realized she still had many shortcomings.
Consequently, over the past month, Sophia Zhou had embarked on high-intensity training to address these weaknesses and beco stronger.
Her hard work was paying off.
After countless days of grueling training, pushing herself to exhaustion repeatedly, Sophia Zhou’s overall strength had seen a trendous improvent.
If she were to compete against the Zhang Beixing from back then again, the outco would be far from certain!
Beixing, when we et again in a few days, I absolutely have to amaze you! Sophia Zhou thought to herself as she took a refreshing gulp of her energy drink.
She then did so more exercises to cool down and relax her leg muscles.
Sophia Zhou considered for a mont. Realizing she had t her training quota for the day, she sat down on the bleachers around the field, took out her phone, and browsed to see if anything interesting had happened recently.
And just like that, she saw it.
In her notification bar, a Douyin ssage sent several hours ago lay waiting.
[The user you follow: Shishi Quality Single/185/18, has posted new content. Go check it out!]
Seeing this ssage, Sophia Zhou paused.
She then recalled that this was Zhang Beixing’s Douyin ID. She knew, of course, because she had previously asked a girl from Shi University for it.
Curiosity piqued, she clicked to view it.
Sophia Zhou’s phone screen went black.
When it lit up again, she found herself looking at a scene deep within a forest.
The crisp chirping of birds echoed faintly; a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, making them whisper.
Just as Sophia Zhou was wondering if this was so kind of travel vlog, the cara slowly panned upwards, revealing a three-ter-long silver steel wire suspended in mid-air, swaying gently from side to side.
And there, on the steel wire, supported by a tree, stood Zhang Beixing. He gazed forward, his expression calm, his eyes profound!
The mont he appeared, the crisp bird songs instantly vanished.
They were replaced by the gentle, lingering notes of a flute.
It seed this sound startled the birds roosting in the woods.
FLUTTER, FLUTTER.
The sound of birds taking flight ca from the trees.
Then, a sparrow darted into the fra, flying past Zhang Beixing’s head.
And at that very instant, Zhang Beixing moved!
He took a step forward, his movents composed, without a trace of hesitation.
First, the tip of his foot touched the steel wire, then the ball, then the heel.
In the close-up, Sophia Zhou could clearly see the steel wire tremble the mont Zhang Beixing’s foot landed on it.
The lingering flute lody abruptly shifted, making her heart skip a beat.
Then, Zhang Beixing extended his other foot. As Sophia Zhou watched, his entire body’s center of gravity shifted onto the steel wire.
The steel wire trembled even more violently.
Yet Zhang Beixing stood upon it, as still and unperturbed as an old monk in deep ditation.
After a mont, he took a long, deep breath, then extended his hands, striking an opening stance of what looked like a martial arts form.
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