I Prefer Watching Him Run Out of Options

Fang Mo arranged for lodging at the Martial Hall, paid for his meals, and began living there.

The lodging fee included two meals a day and cost three thousand yuan a month. For the students, it was no small burden.

Students with money chose better accommodations, while those without could not afford them. But for Fang Mo, living at the Martial Hall was both safe and convenient. It spared him the time spent traveling back and forth, and he did not need to worry about meals. Most importantly, staying at the Martial Hall made cultivation more convenient.

The Martial Hall had all kinds of facilities, including a dedicated room for soaking in medicinal baths. It was far better than the small courtyard Fang Mo had lived in before.

Had he known, he should have moved into the Martial Hall sooner.

After settling into the Martial Hall, Fang Mo's training became even more frenzied. For several days in a row, he barely went outside, throwing himself wholeheartedly into cultivation.

Moreover, the Great Wind Gang he had been worried about did not come looking for trouble, allowing him to train with even greater peace of mind.

Under the moonlight, Fang Mo sweated like rain as he practiced the Tiger Subduing Fist over and over. His fist winds howled, and from time to time, deep shouts burst from his mouth. He used sound to urge his qi, training both qi and strength. He could feel himself improving every day, and his Tiger Subduing Stance gained forty or fifty points daily.

Beneath the locust tree in the rear courtyard, Guan Lie and Xie Changmin drank tea and chatted. Through the Central Hall, they watched Fang Mo tirelessly training in the courtyard.

"This kid is good. Among all the disciples in this Martial Hall, he is the most hardworking one!" Xie Changmin said with a smile.

"Hard work alone is useless in the martial path." Guan Lie's expression was calm. He lifted the teapot and took a sip before continuing, "Before Bone Structure and talent, hard work is the least important link in the chain."

"Senior Brother, didn't you take a liking to him? Why don't you take him as your disciple?" Xie Changmin asked.

Guan Lie set down the teapot and replied with a smile, "He doesn't think much of me!"

Xie Changmin laughed heartily. "Still, this kid truly has a gift for mixing medicine. He picked it up quickly. He has only helped me a few times, yet he can already prepare basic Medicinal Liquid. It's just that his heart is set on the martial path, not this!"

"No need to rush!"

Guan Lie smiled. "He won't be able to persist for long. If he can't advance to Ming Jin within half a year, he'll understand which road is his!"

Xie Changmin also smiled. "If you truly don't want this disciple, then I'll take him. Don't regret it when the time comes."

At that, Guan Lie laughed. "I'm worried Senior Brother will regret it!"

"Haha... then let's wait and see!" Xie Changmin said with a laugh.

In the Outer Court of the Martial Hall, Fang Mo was still practicing his fist techniques. His fist winds howled, and deep shouts occasionally rang from his mouth as he used sound to urge his qi, training both qi and strength. He had no idea that Guan Lie had already handed him over to Xie Changmin.

Watching Fang Mo practice, Xie Changmin set down his teacup and smiled at Guan Lie.

"I heard Xingwu Boxing Gym lost too. Wu Gang of the Iron Thread Fist stepped in, only to have Wei Zhendong's Eagle Claw cripple his hand tendons?"

"Yes!" Guan Lie's expression turned solemn. His fingers stroked the purple clay teapot as he said in a low voice,

"The Eagle Claw Technique is extremely domineering. Wei Zhendong also cultivates the Iron Shirt, making him difficult to wound even with blades or spears. The Iron Thread Fist is also an exceptionally domineering martial art, but it was still no match for the Eagle Claw Technique. Every disciple in the gym was defeated. Wu Gang refused to accept it and fought Wei Zhendong, only to have his hand tendons destroyed. That man is crippled for good!"

Xie Changmin raised his brows slightly. "This is already the third Martial Hall. I don't think his goal is simple. He is most likely targeting Yunyang's martial arts world!"

Guan Lie nodded.

"I share that concern. I spoke with the owners of several other Martial Halls. We suspect he may have support from the Eagle Claw Sect behind him, and his goal is likely to monopolize the Yunyang market. Xingxiong Martial Arts School has recruited quite a few students recently!"

"If that is truly the case, then this will be troublesome!" Xie Changmin looked worried.

"The Eagle Claw Technique produces results quickly. With a little training, one can gain fighting ability in no time. It is indeed highly appealing to martial artists. Once he sweeps through Yunyang's Martial Halls and makes a name for himself, it will be a devastating blow to every Martial Hall!"

"I'm not afraid of Wei Zhendong!" A faint pride showed on Guan Lie's face, but then his brows drew together. "What worries me is the disciples' matches. Among our disciples, only Feng Qingyuan is at mid-stage Dark Force, Miao Ping has only just broken through to Dark Force, and Yang Yunxing is the only one at Peak Manifesting Strength. Chi Jing and Xiao Lu are merely at Late Manifesting Strength. We hold no advantage against them!"

He looked somewhat helpless. In recent years, few of the disciples he had recruited possessed outstanding talent. Those with good Bone Structure had all been monopolized by the Martial Academy. The few disciples he had taken in were already considered decent, yet they were still far from enough.

"You needn't worry too much!" Xie Changmin's expression was serious as his fingers tapped the armrest of his chair. "Among Yunyang's Martial Halls, there are also Hong Jiantong of the Splitting Air Palm and Xiong Jiang of the Cloud Lifting Hand, both at the peak of Transformation Force like you. Perhaps those two can stop Wei Zhendong!"

A glint flashed in Guan Lie's eyes as he slowly said, "The eleven Martial Halls on Chenghuang Street hold a pivotal position in Yunyang. If Wei Zhendong wants to dominate Yunyang alone, he must defeat our Chenghuang Street faction. Perhaps he will come here first!"

"If it comes to that, then stop enduring it!" Xie Changmin said calmly.

Guan Lie's gaze was deep. "If it truly comes to that, then we can only take that step!" He looked at Xie Changmin with some concern. "It's just that, Senior Brother, you likely won't be able to stay here then!"

"It is about time for me to leave as well!" Xie Changmin said evenly.

After that, the two men spoke no more. Moonlight filtered through the leaves and fell over them. In the courtyard, there was only the chirping of night insects, along with the sound of Fang Mo practicing his fists from the front courtyard.

Inside a massive swimming pool at the Fang Family.

Hu Yuehua emerged from the pool. She wore a pink two-piece swimsuit. Though she was nearing forty, she had maintained herself exceptionally well. Her figure was curvaceous, her skin fair and rosy, droplets of water clinging to it and gleaming dazzlingly beneath the lights. She was like a lotus rising from the water.

She accepted a towel from a woman in her fifties and dried herself as she asked indifferently, "Have you looked into it?"

The woman nodded.

"Madam, it has all been investigated. Fang Mo is studying martial arts at Tiger Might Martial Arts School. Yue Jian of the Yue Family was the one who introduced him!"

"Hmph! He still refuses to give up, actually trying to take the martial path!" Hu Yuehua's face darkened. She tossed the towel onto a chair. "No wonder we could never find any information about him. The Yue Family has been covering for him!"

The woman sneered.

"Madam, there is no need to be angry. Even if he trained for a hundred years, he would never amount to anything!"

Hu Yuehua grew somewhat irritated and snapped sharply, "The million I gave him was meant to make him get as far away as possible, not to let him study martial arts, and certainly not to let him linger under my nose. Although Xiao Lian drove him out, he is still his son. Who knows? One day, he might remember him and call him back!"

"Then, Madam, I'll..." A vicious look appeared on the woman's face as she lightly made a chopping gesture with her hand.

"What fun would it be to kill him?" Hu Yuehua waved her hand, a cold smile appearing on her face. "I prefer watching him run out of options. Find a way to pressure Tiger Might Martial Arts School into throwing him out. And make sure no other Martial Hall will take him in either. Let's see what he does then!"