I Prefer To See Him Cornered

Fang Mo arranged for lodging at the martial arts school, paid his meal fees, and began his life there.

The lodging fee included two meals a day and cost three thousand yuan a month—a considerable burden for students.

Wealthier students chose better accommodations, while those without money simply could not afford them. But for Fang Mo, staying at the martial arts school was both safe and convenient. It saved him the time of traveling back and forth, and he did not need to worry about meals. Most importantly, living at the school made cultivation far more convenient.

The school had all kinds of facilities, including a dedicated medicinal-bath room. It was far better than the little courtyard Fang Mo had lived in before.

Had he known, he should have moved into the martial arts school sooner.

After settling in, Fang Mo's training became even more frenzied. For several days straight, he scarcely left the school, throwing himself heart and soul into cultivation.

Moreover, the Great Wind Gang he had been worried about never came looking for trouble, allowing him to train with even greater peace of mind.

Under the moonlight, Fang Mo sweated like rain as he practiced Tiger Subduing Fist over and over. His punches howled through the air, and from time to time he let out deep shouts, using his voice to drive his qi as he tempered both breath and strength. He could feel himself improving every day. His Tiger Subduing Stance gained forty or fifty points daily.

Beneath the locust tree in the back courtyard, Guan Lie and Xie Changmin were drinking tea and chatting. Through the central hall, they watched Fang Mo practicing tirelessly in the courtyard.

"This kid is not bad. Of all the disciples in this martial arts school, he's the most hardworking," Xie Changmin said with a smile.

"Hard work alone is useless in martial arts," Guan Lie said calmly. He picked up the teapot and took a sip, then continued, "Before innate physique and talent, hard work is the least important link in the chain."

"Senior Brother, didn't you take a liking to him? Why not accept 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 burst into laughter. "Still, the kid really does have a gift for mixing medicine. He picked it up quickly. He's only helped me a few times, yet he can already prepare basic medicinal solutions. It's just that his heart is set on martial arts, not this path."

"No need to rush."

Guan Lie smiled. "He won't be able to keep this up for long. If he can't advance to Bright Force within half a year, he'll understand where his road lies."

Xie Changmin smiled as well. "If you truly don't want this disciple, then I'll take him. Don't regret it later."

Guan Lie laughed at that. "I'm worried Senior Brother will be the one to regret it."

"Haha... then we'll wait and see!" Xie Changmin said with a laugh.

In the outer courtyard of the martial arts school, Fang Mo was still practicing his fist techniques. His punch wind howled, and he occasionally let out deep shouts, using sound to drive his qi as he trained his breath and strength. He had no idea Guan Lie had already handed him over to Xie Changmin.

Watching Fang Mo practice, Xie Changmin set down his teacup and said to Guan Lie with a smile, "I heard Xingwu Boxing Gym lost too. Even Wu Gang of Iron Thread Fist had his hand tendons crippled by Wei Zhendong's Eagle Claw?"

"Yes." Guan Lie's expression turned solemn. His fingers stroked the purple clay teapot as he said in a low voice, "Eagle Claw Skill is extremely domineering. Wei Zhendong also practices Iron Shirt, making him difficult to injure even with blades and spears. Iron Thread Fist is likewise an exceptionally domineering martial art, but it was still no match for Eagle Claw Skill. Every disciple at the gym was defeated. Wu Gang refused to accept it and fought Wei Zhendong, only to have his hand tendons crippled. That man is ruined for life now."

Xie Changmin raised his brows slightly. "This is already the third martial arts school. I don't think his objective is simple. He may very well be targeting Yunyang City's martial arts world!"

Guan Lie nodded. "I have the same concern. I spoke with the masters of several other martial arts schools, and we suspect he may have support from the Eagle Claw Sect behind him. His goal is likely to monopolize the Yunyang market. Xiongying Martial Arts School has recruited quite a few students lately!"

"If that's true, then it really is troublesome." Xie Changmin looked worried.

"Eagle Claw Skill produces results quickly. With a little training, one can soon gain combat power, so it naturally appeals to martial artists. Once he sweeps through Yunyang's martial arts schools and makes a name for himself, it will be a devastating blow to every school!"

"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 Strength. Miao Ping has only just broken through to Dark Strength. At the peak of Bright Force, there is only Yang Yunxing. Chi Jing and Xiao Lu are merely at late-stage Bright Force. We hold no advantage against them!"

His expression was somewhat helpless. In recent years, few of the disciples he had recruited possessed outstanding talent. Those with good innate physiques had all been monopolized by the Martial Academy. The few disciples he had taken in were already considered decent, but they were still far from enough.

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

A glint flashed through Guan Lie's eyes as he said slowly, "The eleven martial arts schools on City God Street hold a pivotal position in Yunyang. If Wei Zhendong wants to dominate Yunyang alone, he must defeat our City God Street faction. Perhaps he'll come here first!"

"If it comes to that, stop enduring it!"

Xie Changmin spoke calmly.

"If it truly comes to that, then we can only take that step." Guan Lie looked at Xie Changmin, concern in his eyes. "It's just that, Senior Brother, you may not be able to stay here then."

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

After that, neither spoke again. Moonlight filtered through the leaves and fell across them. In the courtyard, there was only the chirping of night insects and the sound of Fang Mo practicing his fists drifting over from the front yard.

Inside a massive swimming area of the Fang Family.

Hu Yuehua climbed out of the pool. She wore a pink two-piece swimsuit. Though nearing forty, she had maintained herself exceptionally well, with a curvaceous figure and fair skin flushed with rosy color. Water droplets clung to her body, gleaming dazzlingly beneath the lights, like a lotus emerging from the water.

She accepted the towel handed over by a woman in her fifties and dried the water from her body. Then she asked indifferently, "Have you looked into it?"

The woman nodded.

"Madam, we've already looked into it. Fang Mo is learning martial arts at Tiger Might Martial Arts School. Yue Jian of the Yue Family was the one who introduced him there!"

"Hmph! He still refuses to give up—he actually wants 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 on him. The Yue Family was actually covering for him!"

The woman sneered.

"Madam, there's no need to be angry. Even if he trained for a hundred years, he wouldn't amount to anything!"

Hu Yuehua grew somewhat irritated and shrieked, "That one million was meant to make him get as far away as possible, not to send him off to learn martial arts, and certainly not to have him wandering about under my nose! Although Xiaolian drove him away, he's still his son. Who knows—one day he might remember him and summon him back!"

"Then, Madam, I'll go..."

A vicious look appeared on the woman's face as she lightly chopped her hand downward.

"What fun would there be in killing him?"

Hu Yuehua waved a hand, a cold smile appearing on her face. "I'd much rather watch him with nowhere left to turn. Find a way to put pressure on Tiger Might Martial Arts School and make them throw him out. Also, make sure no martial arts school can take him in. Let's see what he does then!"