Exchange Tournament (First Update)

"True disciple? For real?"

"Of course it's real!"

Li Xianghua snatched up the martial arts supplements.

"I'll take them to the boy."

Lu Guoping stood frozen in place, then stamped his foot excitedly a moment later.

"A Martial Artist's true disciple! The old Lu family is going places!"

There was no need to say more about the sheer value of being a true disciple.

Even as an ordinary person, he knew it was incredibly awesome!

Even if Lu Chenzhou somehow failed to get into Wuda, with the status of a true disciple as a safeguard, he would still have hope of entering the Upper Three Stages. That already made him a person above others.

These days, high-stage martial arts instructors were still scarce talent.

Wouldn't fighting gyms and cultural schools welcome them with open arms?

"Chenzhou, how much does becoming a true disciple cost?"

Lu Guoping came to Lu Chenzhou's bedroom.

"Dad, it didn't cost anything. Just remember to keep it secret!"

Lu Chenzhou was practicing his punches, sweat pouring down like rain.

"Good, good, wonderful!"

Lu Guoping went to the bathroom, squatted on the toilet, and laughed heartily.

"Wonderful. We've finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel."

The matter of becoming a true disciple kept the old couple happy for a long time.

However, they did not tell any other relatives.

Over the past years, their son had already made him proud before family and friends. There was no longer much satisfaction to be found in continuing to show off. It would be enough for their family to live quietly like this. No matter how much dissatisfaction work and life brought, it was now hardly worth mentioning.

As for the Martial Arts Society's small group chat, Lu Chenzhou did not say anything there either.

Everyone would find out at tomorrow night's apprenticeship banquet.

If he said it so late at night, Qin Zheng would probably be too sour to sleep all night.

The next day, before dawn, on the rooftop.

After Lu Chenzhou finished his boxing practice and stance training, he looked toward the Martial Dao Tree.

Martial Skill

Black Tiger Fist: Minor Accomplishment (5%)

Cultivation Method

Dragon-Tiger Heaven Stance: Fifth Aperture (2%)

"I now need to practice the fist technique four or five times to raise its progress by 1%. After Minor Accomplishment, the difficulty has risen by a whole step. It should take two or three months to reach Major Accomplishment. Still, that's fast. Du Men has studied at the academy for nearly three years and is still only at Minor Accomplishment. In other words, the Martial Dao Tree has made my cultivation speed several times faster than those with inferior innate foundations."

To improve further, he could only raise his innate foundation and comprehension.

"So I still need to work on my comprehension—condense a Martial Dao Divine Seed and stack my comprehension in fist techniques, movement skills, and every other aspect. I'll take it one step at a time."

He was very satisfied with his current state.

"A nine-story terrace rises from a heap of earth! The Martial Dao Tree merely ensures that I reap what I sow; it can't turn me fat in a single bite. I still need to accumulate!"

As for the Fifth Aperture, the Shaoze Acupoint, his tests showed that it took one hour and ten minutes of uninterrupted Heaven Stance cultivation to gain 1 point of proficiency. To maintain a pace of opening one aperture per month, he would need to spend three and a half hours every day.

He had already started late, and there was no shortcut to opening apertures.

He could only grind!

He was not afraid of hardship or exhaustion. He was only afraid that his efforts would bear no fruit!

After breakfast, Lu Chenzhou went to school.

After their heart-to-heart talk yesterday, the Math Teacher understood Lu Chenzhou's difficulties as well. He had the second-ranked student in the class replace Lu Chenzhou as the study committee representative.

Other than attending class, Lu Chenzhou truly had no miscellaneous matters left at all.

After class, he found the Math Teacher.

"Thank you, Teacher."

"Mhm. Work hard on your own. I don't understand martial arts either, so I can't help you."

The Math Teacher smiled.

Yet he still felt somewhat regretful inside.

If Lu Chenzhou could devote himself wholeheartedly to academic studies—

He might have become famous throughout Su City and even taken the top spot in the exams.

Of course, compared with becoming a Martial Artist, that was not worth mentioning.

Evening.

Heavenly Immortal Drunk Restaurant, White Jade Capital private room.

This was the restaurant's most luxurious private room.

Du Men, Old Zhang, and the other students had all taken their seats. Even Li Linling, whom they had not seen in a long time, had come. Sitting beside Qin Zheng, she had him grinning foolishly from ear to ear.

Shi Ruyu arrived as well, dressed in training clothes.

Du Men asked:

"Senior Sister, what's going on today? The academy master is actually treating us?"

Shi Ruyu smiled faintly.

"You'll find out soon enough. Where's Lu Chenzhou?"

She looked around but did not see Junior Brother Lu.

"He said it wouldn't start until seven thirty. He's still practicing martial arts."

Qin Zheng shrugged, utterly speechless about Lu Chenzhou.

That guy could not even let an event as important as the academy master treating them interrupt his martial arts practice.

He truly deserved the title of "martial arts fanatic."

Shi Ruyu coughed and joked:

"That's why you all need to learn from Junior Brother Lu. Oh, and I'll let you in on some news: next month, a small Martial Arts Academy Exchange Tournament will be held in Pingjiang District. Practice hard during this time, sign up actively, and bring honor to the academy."

Du Men asked:

"Is there prize money?"

He had participated once last year, but unfortunately had not placed.

Shi Ruyu held up one finger and smiled.

"First place wins one hundred thousand!"

"That's not bad."

"Yeah."

Everyone present came from fairly well-off families.

One hundred thousand was not a huge sum, but who would complain about having too much money?

Old Zhang was interested too, so he asked:

"Same as before? Youth division, young adult division, middle-aged division?"

He was not interested in the prize money. He simply wanted to prove himself.

Getting a placement would also make it easier to promote his software.

Shi Ruyu said:

"That's right. The three divisions compete separately. The youth division is for those under eighteen, the young adult division for those under thirty-five, and the middle-aged division for those under sixty... First place in each division gets one hundred thousand."

She had already signed up for the young adult division, with first place as her goal.

"Can anyone at Entry Stage or above register?"

"That's right. Everyone seated here is qualified."

Hearing this, some people were already rubbing their hands together, eager to give it a try. Du Men, for example—both his Swallow Return Fist and Sea-Skimming Body had improved lately.

Qin Zheng then asked Li Linling:

"Senior Sister, are you signing up?"

Li Linling shook her head.

"I'll pass. The college entrance exam is in two months, and I don't have the time."

Qin Zheng patted his chest.

"Then I'll sign up and bring honor to our Martial Arts Society. When Chenzhou gets here, I'll have him sign up too... Senior Sister, wait for our good news."

He knew the truth in his heart. He had no chance; he was just joining in for the fun of it.

Lu Chenzhou, on the other hand, truly had a chance of placing.

Just as everyone was discussing it with great enthusiasm, Ji Xuantong and Lu Chenzhou arrived at the private room. The students all rose and saluted Ji Xuantong. Ji Xuantong had Lu Chenzhou sit to his left and Shi Ruyu to his right, while he sat in the seat of honor and looked at everyone.

"This gathering is mainly because I have accepted two new true disciples."

Everyone was startled. They already knew about Shi Ruyu.

As for the other one, judging by this arrangement, could it be... Lu Chenzhou?

Du Men was especially nervous. He had always wanted to become a true disciple, but after applying to Ji Xuantong many times, he had been refused every time. At this moment, he looked at Lu Chenzhou.

"Chenzhou... In the end, my skills are simply inferior."

After the Void Calamity, having brushed against life and death, he had learned to take everything in stride.

He did not want negative emotions to make him collide with the void again.

Ji Xuantong said:

"Everyone already knows Shi Ruyu. Lu Chenzhou is the third true disciple of my Bright-Winged Swallow. Everyone has seen his performance during this period with their own eyes."

Qin Zheng stared blankly at Lu Chenzhou.

"Holy crap, a true disciple?"

Li Linling's large eyes glittered as well.

"Junior Brother Lu is impressive."

Old Zhang was still the first to recover from his shock.

"Come on, come on, congratulations to Chenzhou and Ruyu!"

"Congratulations!"

"Damn, I'm so jealous!"

Among them all, Old Zhang felt the most mixed emotions.

He had joined the martial arts academy the earliest.

All along, he had thought Ji Xuantong did not intend to accept true disciples.

Yet in the past half year, he had accepted two at once.

That showed that none of them had caught the academy master's eye.

"Innate foundation... comprehension. Why do I have neither?"

Old Zhang felt somewhat dejected and ate by himself.

Ji Xuantong said:

"From now on, Lu Chenzhou will also serve as my teaching assistant and be responsible for teaching the 'Sea-Skimming Body' in public classes. We are all fellow disciples, so look after one another in the future!

"If any of you still wish to become my true disciples, don't lose heart because of this. So long as you display enough potential, my Bright-Winged Swallow will never bury true gold!"

Du Men's confidence was rekindled.

"There's still hope."

Ji Xuantong called for the waiter to serve the dishes.

"Come, eat well tonight! Chenzhou, do you have anything to say?"

Lu Chenzhou raised his tea cup and toasted everyone.

"Flying swallows skim the sea, roaming unhindered across the world!"

Ji Xuantong clapped and laughed.

"Good!"

The atmosphere reached its peak.

Everyone stood, raised their cups, and said in unison:

"Flying swallows skim the sea, roaming unhindered across the world!"

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