Martial Arts Master

It was dark until late in the morning after the New Year’s Eve. After exercising and eating the longevity noodles cooked by his mother, Lou Cheng left home early with his backpack and a bottle of original-proof spirits. He was still humming the tune of “You’ll Marry Me Today”.

Only after he got on the bullet train to the airport did he have time to browse through the web pages while replying Yan Zheke’s message.

The moment he logged into the forum, Lou Cheng saw the top post from his girlfriend.

Yan Zheke had made a post yesterday night.

“Happy new year to everyone. Here’s wishing everyone good luck!”

“The same to you!” Brahman was the first to reply with a jumping emoji.

Wonton Seller said under the ID Glutinous Rice Dumpling, “May everyone be happy in the new year. I hope that I can pass the college entrance exam smoothly. I’m looking forward to the internet pals meet-up this summer vacation.”

“So sad that I failed to reply in time. Both my hands were occupied by snacks just now!” Eternal Nightfall Yan Xiaoling knew in advance that Yan Zheke would make a post, but he still missed it. “Well, I’ll just rewind the tape and may all of you a happy new year. Happy birthday to Lou Cheng!”

“Haha, we can’t say ‘a 19-year-old fighter of Sixth Pin’ anymore, for he is now a 20-year-old fighter.” Unparalleled Dragon King laughed.

“I’m really late, so I just want to wish you good health and spirits! Give birth to a baby soon!” Okamoto’s Fan said in his funny style.

…

Enjoying their jokes and best wishes, Lou Cheng felt like he was like the morning sky outside, gradually becoming brightener and warmed by the sun.

Wherever he was, there was a group of guys supporting him even if he didn’t know who they were in reality. What a strange but great feeling.

He arrived at Shanggao Airport in Wuyue Province at noon, safe and sound. Then he saw Shi Yuejian in the hall.

Shi Yuejian was wearing a pair of black-framed glasses. She raised her hand and talked to him from a long distance. Though her voice was soft, Lou Cheng could hear it clearly.

“Why did you bring your master wine again?”

“I’m afraid that I won’t get access to his house without the wine,” Lou Cheng said jokingly.

Shi Yuejian could not say anything but shook her head. “You should keep an eye on him and control his drinking.”

Lou Cheng put on a wry smile. “Senior Sister, do you think Master will listen to me?”

“Repeat the warning frequently enough and he will finally get bored and thus follow it.” Shi Yuejian smiled while sharing with Lou Cheng some of her experiences.

“That’s his special attitude towards his daughter, but I’ll end up receiving a good beating,” Lou Cheng said with self-deprecation.

“Okay, I know you’re in a difficult position.” Shi Yuejian smiled and turned to lead Lou Cheng to the parking lot, finding her car there.

Geezer Shi, who was sitting in the back seat, immediately stretched his head out of the window, eyes lit with expectation. “You are a naughty boy, but you’re becoming more and more considerate. Come here, come to your master.”

“Dad, stop drinking so much. You’ve been coughing violently and frequently these days!” Shi Yuejian kept grumbling.

“Okay, okay, just one sip, one sip.” Geezer Shi rubbed his temples and gave in to his daughter.

After they got on the bus, Shi Yuejian introduced the driver, a man in his thirties, to Lou Cheng, “My husband, Wu Huikang.”

“Nice to meet you.” Lou Cheng greeted him with a smile.

Shi Yuejian’s husband was not a disciple of the Ice God Sect but a professional manager. He had also learned some kung fu and reached Dan stage several years ago, and now he was managing a part of the Ice God Sect’s properties for Geezer Shi.

Wu Huikang was a tall and elegant man with short hair. As he started the car, he chatted with Lou Cheng happily. “Hello, Junior Brother. For the past half year, your senior has been praising you, saying you’re talented and promising. I envy you so much.”

“I’m just telling the truth!” Shi Yuejian protested.

“Aren’t you afraid of spoiling your junior brother?” Geezer Shi echoed his son-in-law. “He will soon feel too proud of himself and will begin making trouble if you don’t warn him frequently.”

He paused and turned his gaze to Lou Cheng. “I’ve gotten you compensation for the previous affair. A simplified Internal Explosion Punch of the Fire Sect for physical-invulnerability fighters. I’ll give it to you later. Besides, I’m going to teach you another three movements of the Ice Sect, which are North Wind, Polar Region, and Frost Coldness.”

“Okay.” Lou Cheng pulled himself together.

Geezer Shi took a glance at him and continued, “I would have asked for more than that, for example, the complete Explosion Punch. But your martial arts base is not stable enough, so acquiring too much might ruin you. Well, your master is well-known for killing countless Dan-stage or even Inhuman fighters with Thunder Roar Zen on the battlefield, but what are you doing now? Do you still remember the last time when you used the Thunder Roar Zen? That’s all because you haven’t perfected it thoroughly!”

“Yes, Master.” Lou Cheng also realized the mistake he had made.

He almost abandoned his greatest kung fu in order to acquire less important ones.

Shi Yuejian was listening to them carefully from the copilot’s seat. Only at this moment did she add, “Internal Explosion Punch? Junior Brother, you should be careful and avoid using it while training with someone. The key movements of the Fire Sect are all fierce and violent, which are totally different from our Ice Sect movements. Once you use Internal Explosion, your opponent will get badly injured even if he or she is at the level of Inhuman. Just three punches are enough to kill them.”

While saying this, she smiled. “When you reach the Inhuman stage, you can learn how to use a blade from me since the Ice Sect’s blade art is also famous.”

“Why must he learn to use a blade? It’s not convenient to carry a long knife wherever you go, and a knife is easily broken in competition. The most powerful part of a fighter is his fist, his physical body.” Geezer Shi sneered.

Only now did Lou Cheng realize that his elder sister’s nickname was Black and White Magic Blade!

While they were chatting and laughing, the car drove out of the city and finally arrived at the Ice God Sect after taking the road around Yanbing Mountain.

There were more people in the sect than Lou Cheng had seen last time, which made it more like a sect instead of a lonely yard. Of course, all of these people would leave here in two or three days.

When they entered the sect, all the disciples that passed by them would stop to greet Geezer Shi with great respect. While some of them called Geezer Shi “Junior Uncle”, some even called him “Grandmaster” with an expression of worship.

— The amazing performance of Geezer Shi last time in creating a snowstorm had been spread by the elders and disciples, and thus Geezer Shi became an immortal in most disciples’ minds.

Geezer Shi coughed to clear his throat while strutting in front of these disciples, feeling satisfied with their attitude.

Lou Cheng didn’t speak a word since he could barely keep the smile off of his face.

The older his master was, the more childlike he was.

When they arrived at Bingshen Palace, they found Sect Master He Yi waiting there with a group of elders and direct descendants.

“Hello, Grandmaster!”

“Hello, Seventh Junior Uncle!”

“Hello, Junior Master.”

Zhu Tai and Lei Fang’s greetings were also mixed with the others’ greetings. Lou Cheng was already familiar with them.

After lighting incense in front of the sect founder’s memorial tablet with Geezer Shi, Lou Cheng went for dinner in Xuefeng Palace with the others. Mo Jingting, who was wearing a plain suit today, approached him and whispered,

“Junior Master, your competition with Peng Leyun stunned Senior Brother Zhu and Junior Brother Lei. They admire you very much, and we have been discussing the National University Martial Arts Competition this April. Peng Leyun of Shang Qing, Ren Li of Longtong, Ann Chaoyang and Zhen Huansheng of Xinghai and you, the Junior Master of the Wuyue Club and the Ice God Sect, these are the most popular fighters this year.”

“Just think about it, the five talented Six-Pin fighters are all younger than 22 years old, and there might even be a future Inhuman-stage warrior among them… I’m afraid that this will be the most attention-grabbing competition except for the Top Professional Competition and the five title matches.”

Lou Cheng also began looking forward to the coming competition upon hearing Mo Jingting’s words. He felt his blood roaring within his body.

In April, he would meet the representatives of different great forces. Peng Leyun, Ren Li, Ann Chaoyang, Zhen Huansheng, and Li Xiaoyuan — he would fight against them one by one for the championship!

“They’re even betting with each other and spent quite much money on it,” Mo Jingting added.

“It sounds like you’ve also joined them.” Lou Cheng gave up on asking who was the favorite amongst them since he would also bet on Peng Leyun or Ren Li if he were in the audience.

“How could I dare to join them? Peng Leyun and Ren Li are monsters like you. Us normal people are unable to make a prediction,” Mo Jingting said with a smile, “But I still bet 100,000 on you, my Junior Master, since supporting relatives is more important than being rational.”

“More important than being rational? It sounds like it’s irrational for me to win.” Lou Cheng smiled.

“… ” Mo Jingting was speechless for a moment and then put on a smile. “You are so funny. I haven’t seen this side of you before.”

“Well, if you treated me like a real junior brother instead of trying to pursue me, I would naturally be funny,” Lou Cheng replied casually with both hands in his pocket.

After another period of silence, Mo Jingting sighed with emotion.

“Junior Master, are you really a 19-year-old young man?”

“I’m 20 now, thank you!” After replying, Lou Cheng began thinking about the National University Martial Arts Competition this April.

Who would be the champion among all the young heroes?

Though he was looking forward to the competition, Lou Cheng didn’t forget that his martial arts root was still unstable and that there were many movements that he hadn’t mastered yet. He needed to keep practicing and making progress before fighting against Peng Leyun.

…

When Lou Cheng was lighting incense and paying respects to the sect founder, the Lou family was also welcoming someone.

Unlike many other cities, visiting relatives on the first day after new year’s eve was permitted in Lening, so Lou Zhilin and his second son soon came to Xiushan to visit Lou Cheng’s family.

Lou Debang was overjoyed. He called Lou Zhisheng and Lou Zhixian’s family back to enjoy a good meal together.

The moment the second son entered the house, he began looking around in search of Lou Cheng but was unsuccessful. Thinking that it was strange, he asked the others, “All of our generations should have the character Yuan in our name, but there were only a few people nowadays who attach importance to it.”

“Yeah, you are Yuanchang and he is Yuanwei. You both have Yuan in your names.” Lou Debang smiled. “But we didn’t name Cheng according to the rule.”

“So Cheng should’ve been named Lou Yuancheng?” Lou Yuanwei continued leading the topic.

Ma Xi added, “No, Lou Yuanba suits him better.”

Taking the opportunity since everyone was amused by Ma Xi, Lou Yuanchang asked, “Cheng? He’s not here?”

“He went to Wuyue to visit his master and pay respects to the founder of the sect,” Qi Fang declared proudly.

He had gone to Wuyue… Lou Yuanchang looked at his father, feeling depressed.

…

After lunch, Geezer Shi found Lou Cheng and asked him with a smile,

“Your senior master wants to know if you are free to do a task.”

“What task?” Lou Cheng asked carefully.

“Visiting the Haixi Sect, the Dinghai Sect, and the Hanchi Sect on behalf of the Ice God Sect.” Geezer Shi kept smiling kindly.