Entering the Martial Arts Training Team

Chapter 42: First Entry into the Martial Way Training Team

"Eating? Looks like you don't have a girlfriend!"

Youyou's dark eyes fluttered, her long eyelashes moving slightly as she spoke with a half-smile.

"I just started university, sister!"

"How about I be your girlfriend?"

"I don't do fake relationships."

"Real ones are fine too!"

"I don't like older women."

A flicker of "killing intent" flashed in Youyou's eyes; the urge to stab him was uncontrollable.

However, after a moment, a charming expression appeared on her face. She leaned towards Zhao Rui with a playful pout and whispered, "Is being older not okay either?"

"Cough cough!"

Zhao Rui's gaze involuntarily dropped, and on impulse, he glanced towards her chest.

Unfortunately, he couldn't tell if she was "older" or not, but two slender fingers, like scallion jade, directly and smoothly lunged towards his eyes.

"Vicious woman!"

Zhao Rui calmly raised his elbow to block, avoiding the tips of her fingers.

The woman rolled her eyes at him and spat, "You don't want me as your girlfriend, but you're good at peeking."

"I was just admiring, don't use such harsh words like 'peeking'!"

Zhao Rui said dismissively, already walking towards the cafeteria entrance.

Youyou huffed twice and quickened her pace, catching up with him.

They arrived at Dongqi University's third cafeteria, a place mainly for snacks, focusing on variety and novelty.

"What do you want to eat? Order whatever!"

"Oh, still..."

"Don't exceed ten yuan! I'm poor!"

Youyou gritted her teeth, wishing she could bite this "younger brother" who had no gentlemanly demeanor.

"I'll pay!"

Youyou said through gritted teeth. She had wanted to try the food here anyway, so how could she only eat ten yuan worth?

"Hehe, consider it my treat too!"

"You're shameless!"

After a brief exchange, with their stomachs rumbling, they got up, bought a pile of the cafeteria's specialty snacks, and started eating.

While they were eating, Youyou's phone rang. She glanced at it, hung up, then stood up and said to Zhao Rui, "I have to go! You eat!"

With that, she got up and walked out.

Zhao Rui was stunned. Just as he was about to speak, he saw her pause, her slender waist twist, and her skirt swirl in the twilight like half a blooming ripple.

"If you miss me, send me a message!"

The woman turned back with a light smile, then gracefully departed, just as she had arrived, her origins and destination unknown.

Zhao Rui smiled silently, then lowered his head to continue eating the remaining food on the table.

Who comes and goes in a hurry? In this fleeting world, aren't we all just passing through?

After filling his stomach, Zhao Rui got up and left the cafeteria. Under the dim moonlight, he returned to his dormitory.

The sweltering heat, the damp, non-absorbent military training uniforms, the monotonous drills, and the weary body all converged in early September to form the most beautiful scenery of university life.

Fortunately, two weeks was bearable if one endured it.

As for the military training performance, it was similar to his previous life and not worth elaborating on.

With the end of military training, the freshmen officially began their brand-new university lives.

On the morning of the second day of the official start of school, Zhao Rui took advantage of a break to find his counselor, Liu Jie, who was still writing documents in her office.

"Teacher Liu, I'm here!"

After knocking, Zhao Rui smiled and walked into the office.

Having spent two weeks together during military training, Liu Jie was already familiar with Zhao Rui.

"Mm, wait a moment. I'll take you after I finish this."

Liu Jie nodded, continuing to write. About ten minutes later, she tidied her desk, stood up, and picked up a pre-printed form from beside her desk.

"Let's go!"

Liu Jie said, leading the way out of the office.

About ten minutes later, in the school's academic affairs office, Liu Jie brought Zhao Rui in and knocked on the door.

"Director Peng, busy with what?"

Liu Jie greeted him with a light laugh.

"Little Liu, what is it?"

Director Peng was portly, with a round face and small, squinting eyes, giving him a prosperous appearance.

"I mentioned it to you before, there's a student in my class who wants to join the Martial Arts Team..."

"Oh, you mean this matter? Principal Hao mentioned it to me, but as you know, our school has regulations. Students not from the Martial Arts Academy are not listed as official members..."

"We understand all that..."

"Good, then that's fine. To be honest, this is already an exception for you..."

"Thank you for your trouble, Director Peng!"

Seeing Liu Jie's pleasant attitude, Director Peng glanced at Zhao Rui standing behind her. He nodded his large head slightly and took the application form Liu Jie handed him.

He then placed the form under a machine, and after a moment, a large, red stamp was imprinted on it.

"Cultivate well. Your teacher went to a lot of trouble for this!"

Director Peng handed the stamped form back to Liu Jie and said earnestly to Zhao Rui.

"Thank you, Teacher Liu, and thank you, Director Peng. I will definitely cultivate well!"

Zhao Rui quickly expressed his thanks.

"Then we won't disturb your work, Director Peng!"

A light, elegant smile appeared on Liu Jie's petite face, much like a newly bloomed lotus in a pond.

With that, the two turned and left Director Peng's office.

"Thank you, Teacher Liu!"

Once outside, Zhao Rui sincerely thanked Liu Jie at his side.

"You're my student. We agreed, you're the class monitor, right!"

Liu Jie beamed at his words, revealing a sly smile.

"Alright, alright. If I can't manage it well, don't blame me!"

"You want to quit before we even start? Who else would I blame but you! Let's not talk about that now. Take the form and report to the Martial Arts Team. Perform well, and don't embarrass me!"

"No problem!"

Zhao Rui readily agreed. He parted ways with Liu Jie at the school's administrative building and quickly headed towards the Martial Arts Academy's grounds in the southwest corner of the campus.

The Martial Arts Academy was a special entity.

It was not included in the school's normal teaching and management scope; it had its own independent operating mechanisms and teaching areas.

Each year, it only admitted students at the Level 5 Martial Artist level or above, with an age limit of eighteen.

Whether you were a month late or ten days late, if your level test before the Gaokao was not yet Level 5, you would not be admitted to the Martial Arts Academy.

While it seemed unfeeling, it all came down to talent.

The path of Martial Way was a long and arduous process. Some individuals with poor Martial Way talent could still reach Level 10 Martial Artist through decades of diligent cultivation.

However, unless they had heaven-defying opportunities, such people would never break through to the Grandmaster realm in their lifetime.

The key universities recruited students with the potential to break through to the Grandmaster realm.

Of course, this proportion was not particularly high. Talent was important, but comprehension and opportunity were equally essential.

Students would receive systematic education during their undergraduate studies. After four years of refinement, a small portion of outstanding performers would continue to pursue graduate studies in relevant fields.

After more than ten years of cultivation, those who stood out would basically become Grandmaster realm powerhouses.

This was the extent of Zhao Rui's understanding. Outsiders were unclear about the specifics, as they couldn't meet the entry requirements.

As for the Martial Arts Team, it was like the university basketball teams in his previous life, selecting outstanding students for concentrated training to improve their combat skills and participate in various competitions.

These students mostly had strong practical combat abilities and focused more on fighting and brawling.

Zhao Rui's talent was average. If he followed the normal procedure, he wouldn't even pass the first hurdle for applying to Dongqi University's Martial Arts Academy – the physical fitness test.

But none of that mattered now. He had only one goal: to enter the Martial Arts Team, absorb everything he could, and learn the most advanced cultivation techniques accessible within the system.

The Martial Arts Academy occupied a considerable area, almost half the size of the entire campus, like a separate compound next to Dongqi University.

Apart from a few tall buildings, most of the architecture here was in an ancient style. With pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and ornate courtyards, walking through it felt less like a campus and more like a classical garden.

Zhao Rui had no time to sightsee. He quickly entered one of the tall buildings and, following the directory in the lobby, found the Martial Arts Academy's office.

When Zhao Rui handed the approval form to a staff member, the person glanced at him with surprise.

Then, they smiled and said, "It's been many years since we've seen an external student apply to join the team. The Martial Arts Team is very competitive, so be mentally prepared!"

Zhao Rui nodded and replied, "Thank you, Teacher. I will."

"Alright, go find Teacher Sun at Mingchan Courtyard. He's currently coaching the Martial Arts Team."

Zhao Rui quickly acknowledged this. After going downstairs, he followed the signs and walked along a quaint, ancient path towards Mingchan Courtyard.

After walking for about ten minutes, the scenery ahead opened up, and at the end of the small path, a majestic, ancient-looking monastery appeared.

The monastery's outer walls were built with red square bricks, while the halls within were covered with glazed tiles that emitted a golden halo. They were square and solemn, making it impossible to mistake them for campus buildings.

The independence of the Martial Arts Academy was evident from this.

Zhao Rui walked forward, and before he could even raise his hand to knock, the bronze-colored main doors slowly opened from both sides.

"Who are you looking for?"

A voice slowly echoed from the solemn main hall, a hundred meters away.

The hall stood at the end of the bluestone path, with golden copper bells hanging from the eaves, emitting crisp chimes when stirred by the breeze.

A Sumeru pedestal of white jade supported the grand vermilion hall. The scales of the coiled dragon pillars in front of the doors gleamed with morning dew, emitting a faint, hidden light.

Zhao Rui couldn't help but be startled. This level of cultivation was truly terrifying; he had been detected from a hundred meters away.

Are all the teachers at the Martial Arts Academy this formidable?

"Teacher, I'm here to report!"

Zhao Rui tried to shout as loudly as he could, not daring to use his Internal Energy to show respect.

"What did you say? I can't hear you. Come into the hall and speak!"

Zhao Rui paused, Can't hear me?

Confused, he quickly walked towards the main hall along the bluestone path.

As he walked, lush green lawns lined both sides of the bluestone path, smooth and vibrant.

Beyond the lawns were dense bamboo forests, with occasional bird calls and the rustling sound of flapping wings echoing in the spacious monastery.

Several other palace-like buildings were vaguely hidden in the dense forest in the distance, not clearly visible.

How much money did this cost?

Zhao Rui didn't have time to think further; he had already reached the entrance of the main hall. He stepped over the threshold and peeked inside.

Inside the vast hall, various martial arts training equipment was displayed: swords, spears, staffs, wooden dummies, and sandbags, but no statues or altars.

"Teacher?"

Zhao Rui glanced around and saw a bald man sitting in a corner of the hall, with his legs crossed, looking at him lazily.

In front of the man was a common office desk with two computers and several office supplies.

"Are you the new first-year student who's here to report?"

The man sized up Zhao Rui and asked, clearly having been informed beforehand.

"Yes, Teacher!"

Zhao Rui stepped forward briskly and handed over the form.

The man took it and looked at it for a while, then placed it on the desk and looked at Zhao Rui. "What level are you now?"

"I should have Level Six strength!"

Zhao Rui stated the truth. With fifteen years of cultivation, even without top-tier techniques, his strength was definitely no lower than that of a Level Six Martial Arts Student.

"Oh, quite diligent. What a shame you didn't break through sooner."

The man shook his head and continued, "What's your major cultivation technique? When did you start practicing martial arts?"

"My major at school is Azure Cloud Palm, and outside of school, I also practice the martial art Cloud Hand Plucks Stars..."

Zhao Rui briefly explained his situation.

The man nodded. "Not bad, your talent isn't poor. Since you aspire to the Martial Way, don't be bound by conventions..."

"My surname is Wang. You can call me Teacher Wang or Coach Wang. Among the first-year students, you're the first to join the Martial Arts Team, even though you're not in a specialized department. Haha, it'll surely be interesting when the other first-year students arrive!"

Coach Wang chuckled at the amusing thought.

Zhao Rui didn't understand why, so he just grinned along.

"When you come tomorrow, bring me a copy of your class schedule and your ID card so I can register your information. Also..."

Teacher Wang said a couple more sentences, but seemingly felt the instructions were too numerous and became impatient. He shouted towards the back of the hall, "Zhang Kui, come out and help your junior brother with the procedures!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a young man with a buzz cut and a thin, dark stubble walked out.

"Teacher Wang, it's not time to recruit team members yet. Where did a junior brother come from?"

The young man asked curiously as he walked out.

"Let him tell you!"

Teacher Wang pointed at Zhao Rui, then said, "Go with Zhang Kui. You'll start formal training tomorrow."

"Okay, Teacher!"

Zhao Rui quickly agreed.

Zhang Kui was surprised but didn't ask any further questions. He smiled at Zhao Rui and said, "Let's go, junior brother!"

With that, he led the way out of the back of the hall.

Zhao Rui quickly caught up.

Once they exited the back door of the great hall, the scenery outside was a different kind of beauty. Streams crisscrossed the area, with bamboo bridges and corridors lightly covering them. Mist swirled, creating a hazy, cloud-obscured view.

"Junior disciple, which department of the Martial Way are you in?"

As they stepped onto the corridor, Zhang Kui asked.

"I'm in the Accounting Department!"

"Accounting?"

Zhang Kui was taken aback. After hearing Zhao Rui's explanation, he suddenly understood. "No wonder you're joining the team at this time. Haha. Actually, first-year students at the Martial Arts Academy don't join our Martial Arts Team until the second semester!"

"But you're a special case. Without formal classes, it's still beneficial to come early and train with Teacher Wang."