Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Sparring for Improvement

[Illustrated Guide 1: Basic Swordsmanship] (Mastered, Special Level)

[Effect 1: Enhances Body Flexibility]

[Effect 2: Enhances Power]

[Effect 3: Weakness Perception (All Attributes +0.02)]

[Skill Ultimate Form Requirement: Condense Sword Momentum]

...

...

In the noisy classroom, faint morning light slanted in. Wan Ze frowned slightly as he looked at the information displayed in the data panel.

’Sword Momentum... That’s not something I can achieve so easily. But... this is just Basic Swordsmanship. Special Level is already enough. I don’t need to rush for the Ultimate Form right now.’

’The most important things are the Breathing Technique and Iron Mountain Fist...’

Wan Ze took a deep breath to calm himself.

”Ah Ze! Ah Ze! When are you coming back to D Class?” Zhou Xianchuan scooted over, holding a bag of instant noodles. He tore it open and offered it to Wan Ze.

Wan Ze waved his hand, refusing, but Zhou Xianchuan just shoved it at him. Then, he pulled another bag out from his clothes and started eating with a loud CRUNCH.

Seeing Zhou Xianchuan staring at him eagerly, Wan Ze grabbed a handful of the dry noodles and started eating. ”I probably won’t be going back anytime soon,” he said between bites.

”Huh? Why not? A Class is bullying you! This is too much! I’m gonna go find my uncle!” Zhou Xianchuan was instantly filled with righteous indignation.

Wan Ze laughed and gave him a light punch. ”What are you talking about? You’re overthinking it. Didn’t I tell you before? Master Qin thought D Class was holding me back, so he helped recommend me for A Class...”

”Then what’s this about being a part-time assistant instructor?” Zhou Xianchuan asked, confused.

Wan Ze explained patiently, ”That was just an excuse Master Qin came up with because he was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace in A Class. It’s all settled with Brother Lei from A Class now. Starting today, I’m officially in. I probably won’t be able to walk home with you anymore.”

”Holy shit! Hold on, man, let me get this straight... Didn’t we start coming to these classes together?” Zhou Xianchuan was completely floored.

Wan Ze just smiled, grabbed another handful of dry noodles, and ate them with the same loud CRUNCH.

After a moment, Zhou Xianchuan beat his chest and stomped his feet. ”I’m so full of regret!”

”Regret what?”

”I regret that I’m not a girl, otherwise...”

”Get lost.”

”Come on, bro, don’t be so rigid about gender, okay?”

”...”

Dark lines formed on Wan Ze’s forehead. He pushed the chubby guy away, but he just stuck to him again. ”Ah Ze, be honest. Are you going to take the assessment to become an Official Disciple next?”

”I’ll definitely take it, but now’s not the right time,” Wan Ze said, shaking his head.

Zhou Xianchuan’s face was full of envy. ”My uncle said that if the two of us could cultivate enough to even qualify for the assessment within a year, we’d be considered talented. But it’s only been a month for you... Holy shit, I just remembered something! If you can become an Official Disciple within three months, you get your entire registration fee refunded.”

Wan Ze’s eyes lit up. ”There’s a benefit like that?”

”Becoming an Official Disciple in three months... that kind of talent is just insane. The martial hall would definitely treasure you...”

As Wan Ze was listening, he saw Zhou Xianchuan looking over with a burning gaze. ”Who would’ve thought my brother was a one-in-a-million genius... I won’t say anything else, just one thing... Don’t forget your friends when you get rich!”

”...Where did you learn to talk like that, with all your little phrases?”

”I’ve got even slicker ones. Wanna hear them?”

Just as he was speaking, Zhao Hexiang’s voice suddenly came from the doorway. ”Wan... Wan Ze, someone’s here to see you.”

Strangely, his face was red as he spoke.

Wan Ze looked up.

He hadn’t expected the person at the door to be Sun Fan.

Their eyes met.

The young woman tilted her head, smiled, and gave a little wave. That single smile was enough to steal Zhao Hexiang’s soul away.

Wan Ze snapped back to reality, pushed Zhou Xianchuan aside, and walked over, amused. ”No way. How did you even find me here?”

”The school isn’t that big. It wasn’t hard to find you,” Sun Fan said with a light laugh.

Wan Ze was about to say something, but then he followed Sun Fan’s gaze to Zhao Hexiang, who was standing there frozen with a beet-red face. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The two exchanged a knowing look.

Sun Fan decisively handed over a package, saying pointedly, ”I found a few books for you. You might like them.”

”Books?” Wan Ze inadvertently glanced at the cover and saw the words ”Deep Meditation.” Realization dawned on him. A smile spread across his face as he said with tacit understanding, ”Thanks.”

”Don’t mention it.” Sun Fan chuckled. ”Well, I’m off.”

She gave a wave, carefree and cool.

Wan Ze hugged the heavy books, feeling deeply moved. ’There really are more good people in this world than bad.’

He turned to leave, but Zhao Hexiang, after fidgeting for a long while, called out to him. ”Ah Ze, that person just now... who was she?”

He stared at Wan Ze’s mouth, terrified that the word ”girlfriend” would come out of it.

Wan Ze smiled gently. ”A senior from the martial hall.”

As he spoke, he gave the other boy a wary look.

’Is this guy going to try and steal my business?’

But one more look at the boy’s skinny arms and legs, and he quickly dismissed the thought, his gentle smile returning.

Even though he didn’t hear the word ”girlfriend,” when the two words ”martial hall” registered, Zhao Hexiang’s heart sank.

A martial hall... That was a place he wouldn’t dare to step foot in.

To chase after a goddess like her, the price of admission alone was more than he could afford.

Meeting Wan Ze’s gaze, he forced a smile, as if joking. ”...Are you two dating? She even made a special trip to bring you something.”

”Yep, she even made a special trip to bring me something.” Wan Ze hefted the heavy books in his hands and muttered to himself as he turned back into the classroom, ”Dating? Even a dog wouldn’t want to date!”

Behind him, Zhao Hexiang’s eyes went red with envy.

Damn it!

’You’re turning your nose up at a goddess like that?’

’If you have the guts, introduce her to me!’

...

Inside the classroom.

Zhou Xianchuan was also stunned. ”Who was that?”

”A senior from A Class,” Wan Ze said casually as he sat back down.

”A senior???” Zhou Xianchuan’s jaw dropped. He stared at Wan Ze. ’You dog, look at me! Is she just a senior, or is she your girlfriend!’

But seeing Wan Ze already absorbed in his book, Zhou Xianchuan could only give a bitter smile.

’This brother of mine is wasting his handsome face!’

’If he had a face like that, he’d be dating a reinforced company’s worth of girls!’

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Zhou Xianchuan turned and walked away.

It wasn’t until that afternoon, when they went to the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall together, that Zhou Xianchuan couldn’t help but say, ”Ah Ze, can you ask that senior if she has any friends or whatever? You know, introduce me.”

”Does... she have friends?” Wan Ze paused, then agreed. ”Sure, I’ll ask her for you later.”

”Hehe, Ah Ze, you’re the best! I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

”Can’t tonight. I have something else to do. You should just head back first when you’re done.” Wan Ze shook his head. He had to meet up with Lei Ming after his extra training session with Sun Fan, and he was afraid it would run late.

”Tomorrow, then,” Zhou Xianchuan said with a goofy grin.

”I have something to do tomorrow, so I can’t go to school at all.”

”...”

Zhou Xianchuan knew what kind of person Wan Ze was. Seeing him work so hard made him feel a little ashamed. ”Don’t worry, Ah Ze, I’ll definitely work twice as hard too... Uh, starting tomorrow!”

”Still putting it off ’til tomorrow? Go play somewhere else,” Wan Ze said without turning his head.

”I’m serious!” Zhou Xianchuan yelled after him. But then he turned his head and saw Master Qin standing there, hands behind his back, with a blank expression. He immediately shrank back and said meekly, ”Master Qin, good morning.”

”Morning? Looks to me like you’re still half-asleep. Go hold a Squatting Horse Stance for half an hour!”

”...Yes, sir.” Zhou Xianchuan wanted to argue but didn’t dare, so he just nodded weakly.

Master Qin’s gaze fell on the spot where Wan Ze had disappeared. A gratified look appeared on his face. He muttered a word or two to himself, then turned and slowly walked back into the courtyard, humming a little tune.

...

Night fell quickly.

In a room now empty of others, two figures crossed paths in a blur.

With a dull THUD,

Sun Fan lay sprawled on the ground, drenched in sweat, looking up in disbelief... She had lost again!!!!

Wan Ze breathed a small sigh of relief.

The mission required him to defeat ten people with Iron Mountain Fist. In the three days he had fought Sun Fan, the system had judged it as three defeats...

This meant the cumulative count was calculated on a per-day basis. Theoretically, if he defeated Sun Fan for ten consecutive days, he could complete one of the two missions for Iron Mountain Fist.

However...

That night on Ning’an Street, after carefully calculating how to complete the Basic Swordsmanship mission, he had also taken the opportunity to make some progress on the Iron Mountain Fist mission.

Therefore, he only had the time-based mission for Iron Mountain Fist left.

...

[Illustrated Guide 3: Iron Mountain Fist] (High Level, Mastered)

[Skill High Level Satisfying Conditions: Accumulate 1000 hours of fist practice (213/1000), and defeat 10 people with Iron Mountain Fist (10/10)]

...

’High Level Iron Mountain Fist, High Level Squatting Horse Stance, Special Level Basic Swordsmanship... The Special Level mission for Squatting Horse Stance is also about to be completed... This should be enough to go to Black Mountain, right?’