Apprenticeship

Long Yuanzheng's words made it clear that he wanted to see every move of Su Ti's Dragon Shape Comprehensive Fist!

Su Ti smiled at that. Since successfully combining this set of techniques, he had never unleashed all of them before. With Long Yuanzheng willing to serve as a "target," he could not have wished for more!

"Then excuse my poor showing!"

One second, he was still clasping his fists and bowing. The next, Su Ti erupted like a savage beast!

Poison Dragon Style: Intercepting Leg Kick.

His feet flashed like afterimages as they struck Long Yuanzheng's knees in an instant. Long Yuanzheng merely drew in his knees and flicked them outward, immediately knocking Su Ti's legs away!

After throwing those two kicks, Su Ti felt as though his legs had been struck by Long Yuanzheng's knees. His face filled with disbelief, but it quickly turned fierce.

"It's not over yet!"

If strikes did not work, then he would use something else!

His entire body lunged at Long Yuanzheng. In an instant, he seemed to transform into a python coiling up a tree, with Long Yuanzheng as that tree. He slipped behind Long Yuanzheng in a flash!

Coiling Dragon Style combined with a wraparound back control!

The moment he used this move, Yao Juan and Third Junior Brother widened their eyes. They had never expected the Coiling Dragon Style, meant to train spinal flexibility, could be used this way!

Having taken his back, Su Ti used a Fierce Dragon Style joint lock, directly clamping both hands onto Long Yuanzheng's shoulders and yanking hard. Yet Long Yuanzheng's joints were like iron, utterly unmoving.

Without pausing, Su Ti immediately changed targets and switched to a Fierce Dragon Style rear naked choke.

But as his arms wrapped around Long Yuanzheng's neck and he was about to exert force, Long Yuanzheng's back suddenly bulged. Su Ti's chest felt as though it had taken a hammer blow. He instantly let go, clutching his chest as he staggered back.

Feeling the pain in his chest, Su Ti stared in disbelief. Using one's back to strike someone was something he had never seen before.

"Again."

Long Yuanzheng smacked his lips like a gourmand who had just tasted a delicacy and gestured for him to continue.

In the battle that followed, Su Ti used every trick he had.

Striking techniques, joint locks, and throws—combined with the Dragon Shape Five Forms, he unleashed them all, attacking Long Yuanzheng like a raging storm.

Yet Long Yuanzheng was like a reef amid crashing waves. He either stood unmoving against Su Ti's attacks or made a casual motion to dissolve them with ease.

After a while, Su Ti stood to the side, gasping heavily, while Long Yuanzheng stood with his hands behind his back, without shedding a single drop of sweat.

The gap in their strength was obvious at a glance.

Su Ti had already given his all, yet he could not even see the limits of Long Yuanzheng's skill.

So this is the power of Ancient Martial Arts in this world? He's simply a monster.

Su Ti thought as he panted, but rather than feeling discouraged, he became even more excited.

Long Yuanzheng's Ancient Martial Arts were this powerful, which meant that one day, he too could master Ancient Martial Arts of this level!

After Su Ti finished, Long Yuanzheng remained where he was, eyes closed and hands behind his back, as though savoring something. After a long while, he opened his eyes and shouted.

"Excellent!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you created this fighting style by combining the Dragon Shape Five Forms with modern martial arts. What is this set of techniques called?"

"Dragon Shape Comprehensive Fist."

"Dragon Shape Comprehensive Fist."

Long Yuanzheng mulled over those words, smiling as he nodded slightly.

"Not bad. This fist art has strikes and holds, grappling and throws. It truly lives up to the words 'comprehensive fist art.' Su Ti, the fact that you created this set of techniques alone qualifies you to become my, Long Yuanzheng's, fourth disciple!"

Yao Juan was delighted at those words. She was simple-hearted and wholly devoted to martial arts, always thinking of the sect. She was sincerely happy that Long Yuanzheng could take in such a gifted disciple as Su Ti.

Third Junior Brother also smiled, though a trace of inexplicable displeasure flashed through his eyes.

Su Ti was delighted as well. He clasped his fists and bowed deeply to Long Yuanzheng.

"Su Ti, come forward."

"Yes."

Long Yuanzheng had already agreed to accept Su Ti as a disciple, so Su Ti obediently stepped forward. Long Yuanzheng extended his palms and began feeling all over Su Ti's body.

This was not a gentle caress, but forceful pinching and grasping. He examined Su Ti's arms, spine, calves, and every other part of his body.

Though Su Ti did not understand why, Long Yuanzheng bore him no ill will, so he allowed him to continue.

Meanwhile, Yao Juan and Third Junior Brother watched Long Yuanzheng's movements without blinking.

When each of them had entered the sect, Long Yuanzheng had performed the same examination. In the Ancient Martial Arts world, this was an advanced technique that only highly skilled martial artists of the "Perfect Circle" realm could use, known as "bone reading."

Simply put, it was a special method for assessing someone's innate physical foundation and judging their potential in Ancient Martial Arts.

After feeling him over, Long Yuanzheng fell silent.

"Master, how is it?"

Seeing his expression, Yao Juan could not help asking.

Third Junior Brother looked curious as well, and Su Ti also turned to Long Yuanzheng.

Yet Long Yuanzheng said nothing, merely waving his hand.

"Su Ti, when I, Long Yuanzheng, give my word, it cannot be taken back. Since I said I would accept you as my disciple, I certainly will."

"A-Jun, bring the tea."

"Yes, Master!"

Before long, Third Junior Brother, A-Jun, brought over a cup of tea. Long Yuanzheng sat in the grand chair in the courtyard and spoke to Su Ti.

"Su Ti, I heard about your situation from Yao Juan. Ordinarily, according to our rules, the discipleship ceremony should invite many peers from the martial world, as well as your parents, to witness it. But urgent circumstances call for flexibility, so we will keep it simple. Enter the sect first, and we can make up the formal ceremony later."

Long Yuanzheng spoke bluntly and with an ancient manner of speech. What he meant was that they would set the rules aside for now. Su Ti would first join Dragon Gate Martial Hall, and Long Yuanzheng would handle his troubles before discussing anything else.

How could Su Ti fail to understand? He stepped forward two paces, took the tea, and respectfully bowed as he offered it.

"Master, please have some tea."

Long Yuanzheng nodded slightly, took the cup and drank a sip, then placed it on Third Junior Brother's tray before rising to help Su Ti up.

"From today onward, you are my, Long Yuanzheng's, fourth disciple. This is your Eldest Senior Sister, Yao Juan. That is your Third Senior Brother, Yan Jun. Your Second Senior Brother, Wang Gengyuan, is not here today. I will arrange for you martial brothers to meet another day."

"Yes, Master, Eldest Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother."

Su Ti answered, then clasped his fists and bowed slightly toward Yao Juan and Yan Jun.

The two of them smiled as well.

"Fourth Junior Brother."

"Fourth Junior Brother."

After Long Yuanzheng's introduction, Su Ti, Yao Juan, and Yan Jun formally addressed one another as fellow disciples. From then on, Su Ti was a member of Dragon Gate Martial Hall.

"Su Ti, Dragon Gate has three major rules. Now that you have entered under my tutelage, you must remember them well. First, you must not betray your master or dishonor the sect. Second, you must not turn your hand against fellow disciples. Third, you must not pass on this sect's techniques without permission. If you violate any one of these rules, even I will not spare you. Do you remember them all?"

"This disciple remembers."

"Good."

After drinking the discipleship tea, introducing the disciples, and explaining the sect rules, the three steps of formally joining an Ancient Martial Arts sect were complete.

However, relationships within Ancient Martial Arts sects were extremely close-knit, far more complicated than those few rules suggested.

There were many other rules Long Yuanzheng had not yet told Su Ti, which the other disciples would relay to him later.

For example, a master would shoulder his disciple's troubles and cultivate him unconditionally, but the disciple also had to uphold his master's reputation and care for him in old age, arranging his funeral after death. In short, although this was the modern era, the master-disciple relationship in the Ancient Martial Arts world remained extraordinarily close—a relationship that was not father and son, yet was much like father and son.

"Su Ti, I have already heard from Yao Juan about Li Mingyuan."

Long Yuanzheng took another small sip of tea and spoke calmly.

"Although Li Mingyuan is Mingguang City's underground black-fighting agent, he is nothing in my eyes. Later, I will have your Second Senior Brother write him a letter. If he knows what is good for him, he will not trouble you again."

"Of course, bullying a Dragon Gate disciple cannot simply be let go. I will also make him apologize to you and pay the price for having you seized before."

Long Yuanzheng spoke eloquently and with calm composure, leaving Yao Juan and Yan Jun captivated.

This was their master. Even an underground tyrant of an entire city like Li Mingyuan was beneath his notice. With a few words, he could make the man serve tea, offer apologies, and make amends.

But—

"Master, I already killed Li Mingyuan."

Su Ti spoke up to remind him.

Pfft!

Yao Juan and Yan Jun choked on their saliva and nearly spat it out, staring at Su Ti in stunned shock.

Even Long Yuanzheng was somewhat taken aback, his composure gone.

"Killed? You killed him?"

"Yes, last night. Didn't you read the newspaper today?"

Su Ti was somewhat surprised. He had thought that after something this major happened in Mingguang City, someone of Long Yuanzheng's standing would know about it immediately.

Yao Juan's expression changed. She took out her phone and opened the local headlines. The top story was this morning's fire.

"Great Wealth KTV caught fire. Seven people died, including its largest shareholder. Master."

After reading those few lines, Yao Juan looked at Long Yuanzheng in astonishment. Long Yuanzheng rubbed his temples, recovering his earlier bearing.

"Enough, no need to read any further. Since Li Mingyuan is already dead, we will set this matter aside for now. But Su Ti, I must ask you: why did you kill him, and who gave you the intelligence?"

Su Ti thought for a moment, then briefly explained how he had been captured yesterday, killed his captors in return, and then gone to Li Shao's place and wiped him out.

Yao Juan and Yan Jun's brows twitched as they listened. He was only a martial artist who had just entered the Tongli Stage, yet he had really dared to do it. Five stun guns, one real gun, and a Tongli Stage bodyguard—such a lineup would have been enough to kill even an inner-training martial artist. Yet this Junior Brother had gone in alone carrying a bag of flour and killed every last one of them.

Long Yuanzheng remained silent for a long time after hearing it. Seeing this, Su Ti cautiously asked.

"Master? Is this going to be difficult to handle?"

Hearing that, Long Yuanzheng drew a breath, his feelings complicated. As an Ancient Martial Arts practitioner, he somewhat admired Su Ti's ruthlessness, but he was also helpless over what had happened. No matter what, Su Ti was now his disciple, so he spoke.

"Difficult? Not difficult. Since Li Mingyuan made the first move and had you captured, then this matter is not difficult to handle. Your master is merely a little surprised."

With that, Long Yuanzheng gave Su Ti a deep look, rose to his feet, and said.

"A-Jun, call your Second Senior Brother. Have him contact Li Zong at once. Tell him that the son of his has provoked my newly accepted disciple, and I am going to hold him accountable!"

As he said the words "hold him accountable," a cold glint flashed in Long Yuanzheng's eyes, and an invisible aura surged forth.

"Yes!"