The instant the bell rang.
The Muay Thai Fighter's left leg chopped out like a battle-ax.
But the Jujutsu Practitioner slid along the ground like melting asphalt. The instant the sweeping kick skimmed past his hair, his index finger jabbed into his opponent's knee hollow like a striking viper.
As the Muay Thai Fighter staggered to his knees, the Jujutsu Practitioner's submission technique had already climbed from his thigh to his waist and hips.
"Crack!"
The crisp sound of the kneebar locking into place was drowned out by the roar that erupted from the audience.
But the fight wasn't over yet.
The Muay Thai Fighter's temple veins bulged as he actually hoisted his opponent up while caught in the submission and swung him toward the Gilded Stage Pillar.
Yet just as the back of the Jujutsu Practitioner's head was about to slam into the corner of the platform, he suddenly pushed off the pillar, used the momentum, and wrapped around to his opponent's back like a python, completing a rear naked choke.
The fight ended there.
The referee hurried over and pulled the two apart.
The cheers and curses from the audience surged to a climax at that moment.
Fang Qingyu stood motionless beside the platform and watched the whole thing.
He had only one thought.
They seem beatable?
It wasn't that Coach Lin was strong. It was that Fang Qingyu himself seemed capable of beating them if he went up there.
If he had been the Muay Thai Fighter, he wouldn't have kicked at the beginning. He would have thrown a punch. Even if, like the Muay Thai Fighter, he missed and got jabbed in the knee hollow, he wouldn't have staggered.
His Stance Training Fist Technique hadn't been practiced for nothing.
That way, the Jujutsu Practitioner wouldn't have had the chance to use a submission technique on him.
Still, he would have had to take the attacks he was supposed to take.
These were merely thoughts conjured up out of thin air.
He would only know the true result after fighting a match.
But there was one fact Fang Qingyu was certain of.
The gap between him and these people wasn't as wide as he had imagined.
Once he joined the Formal Class, he should be able to give it a try.
In the end, the loser was carried off the field on a stretcher.
The winner remained on the platform, basking in the audience's cheers.
This had been a randomly arranged fighting match.
The winner received a percentage of the wagered amount as a reward.
120,000!!!
Fang Qingyu felt envious just looking at it.
One match was enough to go to the club for twelve days.
What decent person could resist that temptation?
Fortunately, he still had enough Attribute Points for now, so there was no need to rush.
After that, Fang Qingyu watched several more random matches on the platform.
He found that the level here was just as Instructor Qin had said.
It was roughly between Formal Disciples and Elite Disciples.
He didn't find any other red-letter professions, nor did he find anyone frighteningly powerful.
That made Fang Qingyu somewhat curious.
At this level, if Instructor Qin came over to fight, he could easily earn a fortune.
Why stay at the martial arts hall as a coach?
Although the tuition fees were high, they couldn't possibly earn more than this.
Fang Qingyu was only curious. He didn't think much of it.
At twelve o'clock.
Lu Chen came to inform Fang Qingyu that his shift was over.
"How was it? Pretty simple, right? Usually, nothing happens. Only the occasional overly agitated spectator needs to be held back."
"It was pretty simple."
Fang Qingyu nodded. Aside from watching the fights that night, he had also observed his colleagues on the platform.
Many of them simply stood in their assigned areas all night without having to move.
Compared to that, it was even easier than working at the bar.
The crowd at the bar was constantly surging forward, while here, it was more like standing guard.
"Great. Then you'll come in for your official shift tomorrow?"
"Okay."
Fang Qingyu nodded.
This time, he owed Brother Jiao a favor.
When he walked out of the club, Fang Qingyu swept his gaze around. Everyone there was some kind of entrepreneur, high-ranking official, or senior executive.
They were completely different from the ordinary professions he usually saw.
When he had first obtained the Genealogy Chart, Fang Qingyu had considered getting a profession like this in the future.
Now, he no longer had that thought.
What entrepreneur could compare to the joy the Martial Arts Apprentice profession brought him?
When he returned home.
Fang Qingyu began grinding the activation progress for Dragon Flag and Handstand Push-up.
The stronger he became now.
The sooner he could reach the realm of martial artists.
The constant feedback from becoming stronger kept Fang Qingyu's heart climbing upward at all times.
He practiced until two in the morning.
Both skills unlocked at once.
Congratulations, you have obtained the profession's Basic Skill "Dragon Flag"!
Congratulations, you have obtained the profession's Basic Skill "Handstand Push-up"!
Both skills currently had 0 experience.
From this point onward, the real grind had begun.
After taking a shower, Fang Qingyu was about to rest when he finally put his last Attribute Point into Strength.
Strength: 9.9→10.9
It eased the fatigue from practicing martial arts that day and working out that night.
A warm current surged through his body.
The bruises that had been drawn out during the day quietly faded as he slept.
The next day.
He arrived at the martial arts hall.
Instructor Qin was already waiting in the training area. After arranging everyone else's training plans, he watched Fang Qingyu train as usual.
"This kid's punching power has increased again."
With his many years of experience, he could tell whether someone had improved simply by watching them punch.
However, he would still have to wait for a test to know the exact punching power.
Once Fang Qingyu entered his martial arts training state, all sounds around him were automatically blocked out.
As his Stance Training Fist Technique proficiency grew higher.
When he practiced now, his attention would unconsciously settle on his body.
He could feel power surging through every muscle.
Then, at the end, he vented it all through his fists into the punching post.
This was the complete process of tempering the body.
Sweat bore witness to Fang Qingyu's progress. At that moment, "Heaven rewards diligence" had taken tangible form.
"Come over and test your punching power first."
Once Fang Qingyu finished training, they proceeded to the daily test.
This time, Instructor Qin was even more eager than Fang Qingyu.
Bang—
107 KG!!
"Good, good, good!!!"
For the first time, Instructor Qin looked even more excited than Fang Qingyu.
Fang Qingyu smiled along with him.
He looked at his panel.
Strength: 10.9→11.1 Speed: 9.7→9.9 Physique: 10.8→11.0 Profession: Martial Arts Apprentice Lv.1 (83/100) Talent: Martial Seed (★) Profession Basic Skill 1: Hidden Dragon Stance Lv.2 (39/200) Profession Basic Skill 2: Basic Fist Technique Lv.2 (100/200)
His three physical attributes and Job Panel were all steadily increasing.
The Martial Arts Apprentice's experience was growing especially rapidly after two days of training.
At the fastest, he could level up tomorrow.
The main profession and the sub-profession were different.
For the Fitness Enthusiast, reaching level two only increased the speed of skill training by quite a bit.
That was why he had been able to grind out both skills in one go the previous night.
As for leveling up the main profession, it unlocked Advancement Skills!!
Fang Qingyu was looking forward to it.
What kind of skill would he receive upon reaching level two?
"Stop grinning like an idiot. Come do some extra practical-combat fundamentals."
Instructor Qin took a picture of the screen. Seeing Fang Qingyu still standing there stupidly, he patted him on the shoulder.
"Coming."
Fang Qingyu was fully motivated now.
After the practical-combat class ended, Instructor Qin said something and hurried away.
Fang Qingyu didn't ask any questions.
Everyone had their own affairs. It was perfectly normal.
After showering and changing clothes.
Once he came out, Fang Qingyu didn't hurry to deliver takeout.
Instead, he first rode toward Clear Pool Club.
He had no Attribute Points to add today.
However, that worked out perfectly.
After he had decided last night to go to the Combat Arena, his bar wages had been settled.
Fifty-seven days of wages.
15,200 in total.
Adding the over 2,000 in bonuses from that day and the money he had recently earned delivering takeout, he had 19,820 altogether.
After earning for one more day, he would have enough to visit the club twice.
"Welcome to Clear Pool Club~"
The old-fashioned storefront had an antique, elegant style.
The moment he entered, Fang Qingyu's mood naturally settled somewhat, even before the massage began.
"Chenfeng Martial Hall, Dietary Supplement Massage Package."
"Of course. This way, please."
The staff member smiled and led Fang Qingyu toward the passageway.
This was Fang Qingyu's first time coming here alone for a massage.
He was admiring the interior decorations.
Then someone approached him.
The red profession title above that person's head
was painfully glaring.
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