Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
In a canteen in Songcheng University, there were dishes after dishes in front of Lou Cheng and Cai Zongming.
“What did you say? Coach Shi has left too?” After getting the news, Student Little Ming exclaimed in astonishment.
“Why did it feel like everything has collapsed and everyone is going their own ways after winning the National Championship? ”
“Senior Sun Jian and Lin Hua had left the martial arts club, “Straight Face Joker” Lin Que had returned to Shu Shan to recuperate from his injuries and was said to likely not return. Now even Coach Shi is also leaving Songcheng University. If it wasn’t because Cheng is still here, the other members of the Martial Arts Club might even suspect that they have entered the wrong place when they return from the summer break!”
“Yeah.” Lou Cheng chewed on his food and swallowed them down together with the meat shreds in his mouth. After which, he replied with a smile, “Isn’t this expected? A Physical Invulnerability Stage expert teaching us for two years, isn’t this enough yet? Relax, the school will find a teacher who knows martial arts to take his place. However the leader of the team will still mainly be me bringing you guys. A new inhuman and a Heavenly Son of the Era is enough to teach and lead you guys!”
“Oh damn, Cheng, you are starting to show your arrogant side!” Cai Zongming accused with “grief”. The anxious emotions in his heart had dissipated substantially. “Aren’t you going to fly to America every month and be a man in the air?”
To maintain this relationship, Cheng had also expended a lot of efforts.
Lou Cheng laughed, “I can spend half the month leading you guys while training on my own for the other half. Didn’t you see that my master hardly ever guides me anymore? At the most, he will just correct me occasionally. Everyone had achieved mastery and learned what should be learned. There’s nothing left to teach. At the very most, I can find some time to talk about my practical battle experience with you guys. For the freshmen, Senior Li Mao’s foundation is very solid. There shouldn’t be a problem for him to provide daily supervision.”
Speaking till here, he supplemented, “Oh right, I wouldn’t be participating in most of the matches to allow myself to consolidate. With the current strength of the members of the martial art club, as long as we are not facing a Dan Stage team, we have the chances to win the match.”
“That’s right, I’ve seen them over the last two days and even sparred with Senior Li Mao. He is slightly stronger than me and should have the standards of a top level professional ninth pin. However, he has not reached the edge of Dan Stage. He Zi also said that she is close to professional ninth pin. However she’s the kind that will be more humble in front of others. I estimate that she has the strength of a weak professional ninth pin now. Wang Dali is similar to her. Jin Lu and Mu Jin are weaker by a little but could still barely be considered as an amateur first pin. Now we are just seeing if there will be anyone among the freshmen understanding the feeling of ‘withdraw’ and enter Dan Stage...” said Cai Zongming as he recalled.
This made Lou Cheng a little surprised. He had not expected that Student Little Ming would have a serious and conscientious side to him.
He was really suitable to become the President of the Martial Arts Club!
“Other than Senior Li Mao, if there’s another person who could achieve Dan Stage by this year, our martial arts club would have successors and wouldn’t be weaker substantially suddenly,” remarked Lou Cheng emotionally. In the end, he took a look at Cai Zongming and laughed, “Don’t be a burden to them!”
“Oh damn. I still thought you will say that I’ll be the next Dan Stage in the martial arts club.” scolded Cai Zongming. “If I can’t achieve Dan Stage by the third year of University, what dreams do I have in martial arts? I might as well return home to take over my father’s company!”
Professional nine pins could only compete in trial competitions and these were considered to be the lower end of the martial arts circle. It wouldn’t be much more comfortable than being a second generation rich kid.
As for the amateur pins, they wouldn’t even have the rights to really enter the circle of martial arts!
“Really?” Lou Cheng retorted with a smile.
“Real...” Student Little Ming suddenly ran out of words. After swallowing his saliva, he heaved a sigh and said, “I can still give it a try in the fourth year. If I can’t reach Dan Stage at the age of twenty-five, then it would be really meaningless.”
“Why did you start getting further and further?” teased Lou Cheng. “No confidence in yourself anymore?”
“I’m just setting the worst scenario!” sneered Cai Zongming. “Although I’m not as insane as you, I am still considered as the top 3 in terms of growth speed in the martial arts over the years!”
“Lin Que, Ke and I. Which one of us isn’t faster than your growth speed?” Lou Cheng pierced through the braggings of the “Talker”.
“Can’t you understand human language? I said excluding the insane you, I’m top 3!” Cai Zongming was so angry that he felt amused.
As they chatted happily, the two of them had finished their dinner. They walked towards the martial arts club together, partly because walking helps aid in digestion and partly because they were returning to “visit”.
In the Songcheng University martial arts stadium, the lights were bright and ample. There were many students here to train and build up their bodies. Lou Cheng looked around and felt pleased.
Two years had passed and the atmosphere in this place was getting better and better!
At this moment, he caught a familiar figure from the edge of his eyes. Old Qiu, Qiu Zhigao was wiping off his sweat and entering into the weight room.
“Old Qiu has returned a few days earlier. He trained one round in the morning and another round at night. He even did revisions in the day. He is so hardworking that it makes me feel shameful to slack off.” Cai Zongming followed the gaze of Lou Cheng and looked over. “If he had come here when he was in the first year of his university, with that body of muscles, who would have dared to believe he was not at least an amateur third pin if he said so?”
Shameful to slack off? Who’s the one who was always distracted previously... Lou Cheng smiled faintly, shook his head and continued emotionally, “Old Qiu’s decision couldn’t be considered as an error right? At least his results are a huge chunk ahead of us. If he can increase his martial arts strength in this year, it would be easier for him to find a job in the fourth year of university. His salary wouldn’t be low either. He came from a poor family and could only make the most practical decision. Not everyone could chase after their dreams...”
“Are you mocking me?” Cai Zongming teased himself. Speaking of his other roommate, “Model Worker is just like you. Other than accompanying his girlfriend, he is spending all his time on learning programming. I heard from Qiang that his standards are high now.”
“What about Qiang himself?” asked Lou Cheng with interests.
“His results are always the top few in our specialization. The counsellors have hinted to him that if he can maintain it for another year, he is very likely to get a scholarship to study for his masters. Qin Mo failed in two modules but eventually passed them after paying for the retest. However, he didn’t mind it as his family isn’t lacking in money. Old Mou and his girlfriend have the intention to pursue a PhD. God-man failed in several other modules and was reprimanded by the counsellors. They even threatened that if this goes on, he would be expelled,” Cai Zongming explained one by one.
“God-man” is Tang Wen, a serial game-lover. He’s the kind that could even forget about his examination times.
Lou Cheng burst into laughter from the different encounters of his friends. While he was busy in a relationship and practising martial arts, his interactions with his roommates weren’t frequent. Now that he heard about them from Student Little Ming, he suddenly realised that the two years had left marks on everyone.
Just as he was about to say something emotionally, he suddenly saw a guy walking towards him.
The other party was about 1.8 metres tall, looked handsome, had a rather buff stature and a vitality that was so strong that it almost materialised.
“At least he’s a strong professional ninth pin...” Lou Cheng said with a low voice.
This should be the newly recruited year one student!
In the other batches, other than those in the martial arts club, there weren’t any as strong in existence. As for those in the martial arts club, how could he possibly not know them?
That boy approached quickly and shouted with a radiant smile, “Senior Lou, good afternoon. I’m Deng Yang and I’m a disciple of Shizhou Island. I have enrolled in Songcheng University this year and I’m 18 years old...”
Speaking till now, he paused for a moment and supplemented enthusiastically,
“You are my idol!”
This brat sure isn’t shy... mocked Lou Cheng in his heart.
Eighteen years old, professional ninth pin. Strong vitality and a direct disciple of a large sect... This was similar to Lin Que and Fang Zhirong in the past... Lou Cheng revealed a smile and said, “We were still talking about if there will be a genius joining the Songcheng University Martial Arts Club this year. Now, I’m completely at ease. Yeah, our recruitment is after the military training. However you can join us for special training from tomorrow onwards. We will apply on your behalf for exemption of military training.”
“Great, great!” Deng Yang answered enthusiastically. After which, he commented with conviction, “Before Senior Lou, there’s no genius!”
That’s right, he definitely can speak well and is a great nurturing target... Lou Cheng almost broke into laughter.
After exchanging a few more words, Deng Yang waved his hand and bade goodbyes. He rejoined the training and Cai Zongming finally heaved a sigh,
“Seems like a person that will be easy to hang out with...”
“What are you worried about? If he is really a problem, I’ll handle him with a single hand.” Lou Cheng sharply picked up Student Little Ming’s worries.
“But you will be going America once a month, 15 days each time. If we really encounter strong freshmen with a bad attitude, it will be really hard for us to handle.” Cai Zongming looked with disdain at Lou Cheng.
Couldn’t beat him in a fight and couldn’t control him. What else can he do?
“Surround him and beat him! It can’t be people like Peng Leyun or Ren Li who had reached Dan Stage before university right? Otherwise, wait for me to come back and deal with them? Lou Cheng didn’t find these as problems.
When his martial arts were strong, he would really be something!
“Why did it feel like he was asking for his parents’ help after being bullied,” Cai Zongming mocked himself.
“If you would like to see me as your parents, I wouldn’t mind that either~” Lou Cheng purposely extended the pronunciation of the last word.
“Scram!” said Student Little Ming clearly.
.......
In the dormitory of the Arts College, He Zi who had a boyish-looking short hair pushed open the door and entered the room. She looked to the left and right before asking, “Mian Mian, where is Xiaoling?”
Mu Mian looked away from her computer screen and pointed outside. “She’s taking a call on the balcony.”
“Yeah, I have something to ask her.” He Zi explained herself while waiting outside the glass door to the balcony.
She waited for 2 minutes but didn’t hear anything sound from the outside. She suddenly felt worried, twisted the doorknob and stepped into the balcony. Looking across, she discovered Yan Xiaoling squatting at the corner, biting her lips with her eyes red.
“What has happened?” asked He Zi caringly.
“Nothing. Just something at home.” Yan Xiaoling stood up hurriedly, wiped her face messily and revealed her trademark silly smile. “You are here to make a call too? What a coincidence!”
“Nope, I’m here to ask you something. Are you participating in this semester’s special training.” He Zi asked puzzledly as she diverted back to the serious matter.
Special training? What did this mean?... It would mean saying goodbyes to her staying in bed and substantial lower television dramas, QQ chats, and gaming time... Yan Xiaoling started hesitating.
“Weren’t you so determined to participate in the special training last semester? You even talked about how resilient and persistent you are and even downloaded a training software to supervise yourself and prove it to us?” He Zi teased purposely. “So what’s the outcome?”
“Persisted for seven days...” answered Yan Xiaoling as her eyes drifted. After which, she retorted with conviction, “Don’t you know me? My interests have always been fleeting and disappear very quickly!”
“Pretty proud about it...” He Zi didn’t know what to reply.
...
The next day, Lou Cheng felt like a body that had completely morph after he completed his training. Lou Cheng took out his phone and sent a message to Yan Zheke,
“[Sheepish Smile expression] Coach Lou going online soon!”