Branch Martial Arts Gym, Core Disciples

The next morning, 7:05 a.m.

Chen Feng opened his eyes and woke up on time once again.

After getting up and adjusting to his strengthened body, he drew the curtains, washed up quickly, and finished breakfast.

A large bowl of noodles.

Two eggs, three bags of bread, and a carton of milk.

He could not figure out how his stomach had fit so much food, but since he could not understand it, he did not dwell on it. That had always been his philosophy.

He then changed into clean clothes: a black short-sleeved shirt and loose shorts.

He also packed another set for practicing martial arts.

Chen Feng quickly took his phone and left the room.

Tap, tap!

His footsteps echoed as he slowly made his way out of the old concrete housing complex.

The clamor of the fruit shop rang beside his ear, while truck horns blared one after another.

Human voices, the smell of smoke, the scent of fruit.

Under the vigilant guard of his perception, everything was infinitely magnified.

Until finally, he got on the bus.

He had not sensed any malice along the entire way, leaving Chen Feng somewhat surprised.

"Not following me anymore?"

A trace of doubt rose in his heart. After that, he rode all the way to the vicinity of the Branch Martial Arts Gym in Jinhua District.

Looking Along the Flow, a five-story building with floor-to-ceiling windows came into view.

It was oval in shape, resembling a stadium.

At the very top were three eye-catching characters that drew the eye.

Yan Wu Academy!

"Is this really a Branch Martial Arts Gym?"

Chen Feng glanced up. Seeing the many students entering and leaving the first-floor entrance, he could not help raising an eyebrow.

Compared with the Sanshou class he had attended before, this branch of the Martial Arts Hall was undoubtedly far more imposing.

In terms of area alone, it was at least three to five times larger.

Amazed in his heart, he was about to enter.

But his steps suddenly halted.

A faint malice arose. Chen Feng's gaze darkened, and his face became completely expressionless.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the black sedan had appeared again across the street.

Amid the gaps between passing cars, he could see two men seated behind the lowered front window: one tall and one fat. They were undoubtedly the same two men who had followed him several times before.

"Tian Heng Society."

A cold glint flashed through his eyes. Chen Feng stood still for several breaths.

Just as he was about to move, footsteps quietly approached. He felt someone pat his shoulder.

In an Instant, his expression turned cold.

Chen Feng instinctively lowered his center of gravity, grabbing the person's shoulder and arm with both hands.

"Hey, hey, hey! It hurts, it hurts!"

A hurried plea for mercy rang out, and the voice beside his ear was extremely familiar.

Chen Feng halted the Shoulder Throw he had been about to perform. Turning around, he quickly saw a familiar figure.

Messy long hair, 1.78 meters tall.

Somewhat lean, with fairly handsome features. He wore a loose gray short-sleeved shirt, and it looked like it gave him a distinctive air.

"Lin Hao?"

Chen Feng was surprised. He had not expected it to be him.

"You hit way too hard, kid. I was going to give you a surprise, but you turned it into a scare."

Lin Hao rubbed his shoulder and grimaced as he complained.

Chen Feng felt helpless upon hearing that. He had thought the man was from the Tian Heng Society just now, so he really had not held back.

However—

"Why are you here?"

Chen Feng looked at him doubtfully.

"Of course I'm here to train."

Lin Hao rubbed his shoulder and arm. Once the pain faded, he quickly said smugly, "I'm a Core Disciple now too. Maybe I'll even be in the same Core Class as you."

"?"

Chen Feng narrowed his eyes slightly.

A Core Disciple?

Had there not been only one slot?

"Can't be helped. Who told me I have peerless talent and unmatched brilliance?"

"Yan Wu Academy could not bear to lose a genius like me, so they recruited me as a Core Disciple."

Lin Hao spoke with a grin, but Chen Feng knew it definitely was not the truth.

There was an eighty or ninety percent chance that this guy had used some unconventional method.

He grew even more curious about the other party's background, but then he saw Lin Hao look across the road and smile at him. "No wonder you asked me to check the Tian Heng Society's license plates."

"So they were following you."

"What exactly is going on? Tell me."

Chen Feng fell silent for a moment.

After thinking it over, he felt that he might need Lin Hao's connections to get to the bottom of this matter.

Rather than conceal it, he might as well be honest.

"If I said I don't know the reason either, would you believe me?"

"Oh?"

The smile vanished from Lin Hao's face. He met Chen Feng's gaze for two seconds.

"I believe you."

Lowering his hand, he said with rare seriousness, "Tell me. Do you want me to look into it for you?"

"Yes." Chen Feng nodded.

"Sure."

Lin Hao agreed decisively on the spot.

Then his tone shifted, and he smiled again. "But let's make this clear first. I can't help you for free again."

"I'll owe you a favor," Chen Feng said seriously.

He believed his favor would be valuable in the future.

But that was the future. What he needed most right now was to take hold of the present.

"No problem!"

Lin Hao nodded readily, smiling like a fox, as if he had been waiting for those words.

"Let's go. Don't just stand here."

"Give me three days, and I'll definitely find out the whole story for you."

His words brimmed with confidence as Lin Hao stepped forward and hooked an arm around Chen Feng's shoulders.

Chen Feng's eyes flickered as he gave the black car across the street one final glance.

He nodded lightly, then walked into the Martial Arts Hall with Lin Hao.

Twenty minutes later.

On the spacious Practice Field on the second floor.

Chen Feng and Lin Hao, along with eighteen other Core Disciples, formed the Martial Arts Hall's Core Class Three.

From the discussions around him, Chen Feng learned that the Martial Arts Hall had formed five Core Classes this time.

There were a full hundred Core Disciples.

Most had been selected through assessments from Sanshou, Judo, wrestling, and other training classes at the various Branch Martial Arts Gyms.

They possessed outstanding talent, and even the weakest were at the level of amateur fifth or sixth dan.

There were also a small handful with ordinary talent who had spent a huge sum to buy their slots.

"So, how much did you pay exactly?"

Standing at the edge of the Practice Field, Chen Feng looked at Lin Hao curiously.

No wonder this guy had become a Core Disciple. Until this moment, he had finally learned the answer.

Part of the Martial Arts Hall's purpose in being founded was to generate revenue and support a large group of people.

Naturally, selling a few Core Disciple slots at high prices was also a good method.

"This much."

Lin Hao held up four fingers.

"Four hundred thousand?" Chen Feng asked.

"Add another zero."

Lin Hao looked annoyed. "Come on, this is a Core Disciple slot. You can receive the inheritance of a Martial Dao School."

"Even if your talent is lacking, as long as you inherit the basics, it can still strengthen your body and bring plenty of benefits."

"And more importantly—"

At the end, Lin Hao revealed that smiling expression again. "You can also build some connections."

Words fell, Chen Feng raised an eyebrow and gave him a deep look.

Then, before the two could say anything else.

Several Core Class coaches appeared and led them into their respective Practice Rooms.

And by coincidence, the coach of their Core Class Three—

Tall and burly, with a close-cropped haircut and thick lips.

Was none other than Cao Tong.