Zhou You spent the entire day testing the limits of Basic Lightness Skill, and he was very satisfied with the results.
Lightness skills were rooted in reality, not wirework or special effects. In practice, they still obeyed the laws of nature.
At Lv2, Basic Lightness Skill could instantly double his speed, letting him run a hundred meters in under five seconds.
As for lightening the body, while it could not achieve anything as exaggerated as leaving no trace upon snow, it could still let him walk through the night and land without a sound.
"Almost forgot."
Zhou You smacked his forehead. His remaining Experience Points were no longer enough to raise Wild Goose Formation Fist to the Martial Force level.
He had been so caught up in the thrill of leveling up just now that, in the blink of an eye, he had only a little over 400 Experience Points left.
"I'll need to spend a few more days settling things down."
Zhou You's plan was to integrate Basic Lightness Skill into his fist techniques. At a critical moment, he could erupt with it, catch his opponent off guard, and kill with a single blow.
Skill levels could be raised with Experience Points, but practical combat experience still had to be earned through hard training.
Another three days passed before Zhou You raised Wild Goose Formation Fist to Lv8.
Li Hao, his nominal sparring partner, suddenly came looking for him.
"Golden Harvest Tower tonight. Senior Disciple Shen is hosting a banquet to celebrate your becoming a full member. Senior Disciple Xu and I will be there to keep you company."
It turned out that Senior Disciple Shen had gone out of town to handle some matters some time ago and had not been in the city.
He had only returned to the martial arts school yesterday, and immediately began arranging a celebratory banquet for Zhou You.
"I'll definitely be there on time."
Zhou You cupped his fists. "Please thank Senior Disciple Shen for me."
Though this senior disciple was trying to win people over, he was generous and made others feel as though bathed in a spring breeze. As expected of someone born into wealth and nobility.
Golden Harvest Tower was a high-end establishment. Even families of modest means would not dare set foot inside.
After delivering the message, Li Hao did not leave. Instead, he remained where he was and looked at Zhou You.
"Is there something else?"
Li Hao nodded. He had only learned today of Zhou You's record of facing two Internal Force Martial Artists from the Wild Fox Gang alone—wounding one and forcing the other to retreat.
For an apprentice who had only just cultivated Martial Force, such a result was simply miraculous.
Li Hao asked himself honestly: if he did not use his trump card, he too would have to give way when facing two Internal Force Martial Artists.
Although Internal Force Martial Artists who mixed with gangs were mostly wild-path fighters discarded by martial arts schools, they were still far beyond ordinary people.
A disparity in numbers was enough to smooth over even a slight gap in strength.
With two against one, Zhou You had won a resounding victory. It was clear he was no ordinary man.
"Zhou You, you and I are Sparring Partners. We've gone so long without exchanging blows. Since we have time now, how about a match?"
Zhou You smiled when he heard that. He had been thinking the same thing.
The two Sparring Partners stood in a corner of the training ground, taking their positions. After cupping their fists to each other, they began their spar.
"Whoosh!"
A gust of fetid wind swept up as Li Hao pounced straight at him, opening with Tiger Subduing Fist.
Besides the distinct fetid wind in his fist force, there was also an ominous aura that made one's heart tremble.
Zhou You guessed that this ominous aura was very likely the Killing Intent of Thousand Army Shattering Fist.
Thousand Army Shattering Fist had originally been a killing fist technique used by the military. It spread after large numbers of retired soldiers joined the City Gate Guards.
"Good timing."
His opponent's punches were straight and steady, their power never waning. The closer he came, the stronger the sense of oppression grew.
But in Zhou You's eyes, resolving it was hardly difficult. With Basic Lightness Skill, he could easily circle around behind him.
But that was not how a spar was fought. Bringing out all his trump cards from the start would be no fun at all!
Li Hao was clearly holding something back. That was why he was using Tiger Subduing Fist instead of his family's Thousand Army Shattering Fist, hoping to probe Zhou You's true strength.
Likewise, Zhou You planned to use only Tiger Subduing Fist to sound him out.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Zhou You and Li Hao exchanged blows, moving as swiftly as a gale. Fists and arms collided with violent force, producing sharp explosive booms.
The clash of Martial Force was fiercer than exploding firecrackers, and ripples visibly shook the air.
Their attacks all targeted the other's weak and vital points, while their defenses guarded those same areas. They tore, shoved, and pressed, trying to blast through each other's defenses.
Tiger Subduing Fist was fierce and ruthless, placing momentum above all else as it incorporated a tiger's biting, pouncing, and lunging movements into its forms.
As the two sparred, they fought like crazed beasts. Their fingertips tore through clothing, leaving streak after streak of blood across their skin.
"This guy's strength and defense are no weaker than mine."
Through their exchange, Zhou You gradually sounded out Li Hao's capabilities.
After all, Li Hao had entered the school earlier and become a full member faster than Zhou You. It was not surprising that he had trained to this level.
Yet in terms of speed, if Zhou You used his true ability, he could decide the outcome within three breaths.
There was no other reason—Basic Lightness Skill's advantage was simply too great, enough to create an overwhelming edge.
"Hmm. His gaze is calm and unruffled. He must be hiding a trump card too—perhaps a killing move from Thousand Army Shattering Fist."
Zhou You's guess was correct.
Li Hao was secretly alarmed as well. If he did not use the ultimate move he kept at the bottom of his chest, he simply could not defeat Zhou You.
His attitude toward Zhou You changed. This man was qualified to be his sparring partner.
Both men understood it in their hearts. Without using their trump cards, it would be difficult to determine a victor. Continuing would only waste strength.
This was not a life-or-death battle. That was enough.
"Let's stop at the right point."
"Fine, we'll stop together."
With a thunderous boom, a bolt of lightning seemed to explode on level ground before calm returned.
Zhou You and Li Hao stood facing each other more than ten meters apart. The ground around them was pitted and scarred, with even a crater as large as a water vat.
Traces of Martial Force's lingering shockwaves were everywhere. The surfaces of stones had been swept over, their scratches looking as though carved by a chisel.
"Zhou You, I admit I underestimated you. From now on, I acknowledge you as my sparring partner."
Li Hao nodded at him.
A sparring partner evenly matched in strength meant that, in future sparring, he could identify his own shortcomings and strengthen his training accordingly.
From that intense battle just now, Li Hao had received unprecedented feedback and gained a great deal.
Now, he truly accepted Zhou You as his sparring partner.
Zhou You neither agreed nor disagreed. Having a sparring partner with whom he could fight to his heart's content was beneficial to him as well.
There was only one thing: he would still handle his evening massage himself. He did not like being touched by men.
"Haha, I almost forgot. We still have dinner at Golden Harvest Tower tonight. Let's change clothes."
Zhou You and Li Hao looked at each other and burst into laughter, finding it rather amusing.
Their clothes had long since been ripped and slashed apart by Martial Force during their spar, leaving them in tatters.
If they went out looking like this, they would not even get through Golden Harvest Tower's doors. They would surely be stopped outside and mistaken for beggars.
Zhou You returned to his room, washed his hands and face, and changed into clean clothes.
Night soon fell. Lanterns were hung throughout the martial arts school, their firelight falling across the ground and walls.
He left the martial arts school and headed for Golden Harvest Tower.
Golden Harvest Tower stood on the most prosperous street in the city, where every inch of land was worth an inch of gold.
Carriages and horses flowed endlessly through the street. The pedestrians were either wealthy or noble, dressed in silk and adorned with gold and jade, their expressions leisurely.
"You finally made it. Senior Disciple Shen is waiting for you in a private room on the second floor."
Xu Ying had been waiting beneath a pillar outside Golden Harvest Tower. Seeing Zhou You arrive, he grabbed him and led him inside.
Private rooms were not cheap!
Zhou You estimated that this meal would cost at least several dozen taels of silver.
He sighed inwardly. In this lifetime, unless someone else was treating him, he could not bear to spend his own money dining in a place like this.
Before you continue