Meng Chuan didn't reach the tram stop before he finally came back to his senses, as if waking from a dream.
Even with the maturity of someone who had lived two lifetimes, he was still so excited that his heart raced whenever he thought about it.
He had become the sole direct disciple of [Qianyuan Thunder Movement · Luo Guanyun], one of the few Martial Arts Masters in all of Yong'an City.
He silently encouraged himself:
"I have to work even harder from now on. I can't let Master down!"
When he got home, his uncle was still at work. Only his aunt, Xue Na, was home.
"Aunt, I'm back!"
Women were very sensitive to changes in mood. Xue Na immediately sensed that Meng Chuan was different from usual today. He seemed especially happy.
"You're home pretty early today. What's got you so happy?"
Xue Na had a guess. Had Meng Chuan made a major breakthrough in his martial arts training?
Meng Chuan was usually quiet and didn't talk much. He never seemed as happy as he did today.
Under normal circumstances, only matters related to martial arts could stir his emotions.
Meng Chuan said with a smile:
"Master Luo wants to take me on as his direct disciple. He told me to come home and talk it over with you first."
Xue Na was stunned. Her husband had just called to say that Meng Chuan had improved some kind of fist technique. She didn't practice martial arts herself, so she hadn't understood what he meant.
But she understood that a Martial Arts Master wanted to take Meng Chuan as his disciple. Their family would have someone powerful to rely on from now on.
It seemed her husband had been right when he said Meng Chuan had the potential to become a Martial Arts Master. He hadn't been lying to her.
She was secretly delighted.
"Even a Martial Arts Master has taken a liking to our child. Meng Yongzhi's eye for talent isn't bad after all!"
Xue Na hurriedly said:
"What's there to discuss? Accept right away!"
"How much is the apprenticeship fee? I'll go withdraw the money now. We can't waste his time."
Xue Na got up to change clothes and go withdraw the money. If they missed this opportunity, they might never get another.
"Master Luo didn't mention money. He probably doesn't want any."
Meng Chuan felt that he wanted to find a good teacher to learn fist techniques and the Thunder Method True Art.
Master Luo also wanted to find a suitable successor to learn the Thunder Method. Since they were of one mind, bringing money into it would only hurt their relationship.
"He really isn't charging anything?"
Xue Na was doubtful. Just one day as a student at the martial arts hall cost a thousand yuan. She couldn't imagine that someone with Master Luo's standing would take on a disciple without charging an apprenticeship fee of ten or twenty thousand.
"Forget it. I don't know much about these things. I'll call your uncle first."
Meng Chuan returned to his bedroom to keep practicing his punches, while Xue Na called her husband from the living room to share the good news.
"Yongzhi, what time are you coming back?"
"What's up? Is something wrong?"
"I've got some huge news about Chuan'er. It's even bigger than what you told me this morning."
"Anyway, hurry back. I'm going out to buy medicinal food for Chuan'er. We'll talk when you get home tonight."
On the other end of the phone, Meng Yongzhi fell silent for a moment.
He had no idea what Xue Na was getting at, but he decided to head home right away.
"Okay, wait for me. I'm on my way!"
"Xiao Liu, hand me the car keys. We're heading out on a call!"
Not long afterward, Meng Yongzhi rushed home in a flurry. Xue Na, carrying a bag of medicinal ingredients, met him downstairs in the apartment building.
Meng Yongzhi stopped her at once and asked:
"What happened? I've been fretting the whole way here!"
Xue Na had already passed the peak of her excitement and now spoke quite calmly.
"Master Luo from the Infinite Martial Arts Hall wants to take Meng Chuan as his disciple."
"Really?"
Meng Yongzhi knew that Master Luo was more than just a Martial Arts Practitioner. He had never imagined the man would take a liking to his child.
"It's true. Chuan'er told me himself when he got home. He also said Master Luo wanted to ask for our opinion."
"What opinion do we have to give? Of course we agree!"
"Come on, let's go upstairs. You can stew medicinal food for the kid."
The two of them hurried upstairs. On the way, Meng Yongzhi was so excited that he could barely contain himself and nearly stumbled several times.
"Slow down. Why are you in such a rush?"
"I'm just too excited. You don't understand. Do you know how incredible Master Luo is? He's no ordinary Martial Arts Practitioner. He's a Martial Arts Master!"
"Let me tell you, even if Meng Chuan doesn't get into a good Martial University someday, as long as he trains properly under this master of his, he's practically guaranteed to become a Martial Arts Practitioner!"
A Martial Arts Practitioner—something Xue Na had never even dared to dream about. When she heard her husband say it, her hands began to tremble again.
Meng Yongzhi rushed into Meng Chuan's bedroom.
"Chuan'er, accept right away! I'll transfer however much it costs."
"Okay, I'll call Master back now. He didn't mention anything about money."
"Good, good, good. We should arrange a proper meal to thank him. Otherwise, we'll seem like we don't know the rules."
Meng Chuan smiled and nodded in agreement.
Early the next morning, Meng Chuan got up to practice his fist technique before school, just as he always did.
After finishing, he looked at the panel.
[Pao Fist: Proficient (1%) → (4%) Awaiting Limit Break] [Limit-Breaking Trait: Heavy Strike (Beginner)]
"My proficiency is still increasing pretty quickly. Every two sets of punches add 1% proficiency,
but it's clearly slower than when I was just getting started. I expect the difficulty to jump another level once I reach mastery."
"Still, it's already very fast. With One Proof Eternal Proof, my cultivation speed has long since surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Practitioner with a Lower-Middle Bone Root."
To increase his cultivation speed further, the obvious thing to do for now was to work hard on his Stake Technique.
[Morning and Evening Hearing the Dao] sounded like a trait related to comprehension. Even though it was only a beginner trait, obtaining it would definitely improve him in that area.
"I'll take it one step at a time. The Martial Dao Limit-Breaking Panel can't make me stronger just by letting me assign points. I still have to focus on building myself up little by little in my daily training."
Meng Chuan had endured twelve years of hardship. No matter how tough or tiring things got, he could bear it.
Just get to it!
His uncle personally drove Meng Chuan to school.
As soon as Meng Chuan arrived, the first thing he did was find the principal to discuss cooperating with the Martial Arts Association to record and test Guoyi Fist.
At the principal's office, Meng Chuan knocked politely.
"Excuse me, is the principal here?"
"Who is it? Come in."
Meng Chuan pushed the door open and entered.
The principal vaguely remembered him. He practiced Guoyi Fist every day and refused to learn any other fist technique, no matter how much they tried to persuade him.
But his Lower-Middle Bone Root was quite good. He was a promising student who had a chance of getting into a first-tier Martial University.
The principal adjusted his glasses, hesitated for a moment, then said:
"You're... Meng Chuan from Grade 1 Class 3, right?"
Meng Chuan got straight to the point.
"That's right. Principal, I'd like to discuss something with you."
"What is it? Tell me first."
Meng Chuan told him from beginning to end how he had mastered Guoyi Fist.
The principal was astonished. He'd never expected that this kid, stubborn as a mule, would actually—
Good! Stubbornness was great! He'd really stubbornly managed to get somewhere!
When Meng Chuan proposed going to the Martial Association every day to cooperate with the testing, the principal immediately made up his mind and swept his hand through the air.
"Get ready to go!"
"I'll drive you there myself in a bit. I'll wait for you outside until you come out."
Before you continue