Special Privileges Speak for Themselves

Seven in the evening.

Yongfu Feast Grand Restaurant, Chuntingxue private room.

The private room was tastefully furnished without being ostentatious. From the color scheme and lighting to the furniture, everything showcased Yongfu Feast's refinement and style.

Meng Yongzhi had spared no expense to entertain Luo Guanyun this time. The private room alone had cost him 1,888 yuan to book.

Meng Chuan waited downstairs for his teacher, while his uncle and aunt went upstairs to order first.

Seeing that Luo Guanyun still hadn't arrived, Xue Na felt a pang over the money and said, "Honestly, there was no need to spend so much. Why not just invite Master Luo to eat at home?"

Meng Yongzhi glared at her. "What do you mean, spend so much? You have to treat a Martial Arts Master with some class—with style."

"You're the expert."

Xue Na flipped through the menu, unsure what to order. Nothing was cheap.

"Look at this fish, and this stir-fried chicken. How much would these cost if I bought the ingredients and made them at home? Change the setting, and suddenly they're charging you over a thousand."

Annoyed by Xue Na's fussing, Meng Yongzhi snatched the menu from her. "I'll order. You're so stingy."

Not long after they finished ordering, Luo Guanyun and Meng Chuan arrived at the private room. Meng Yongzhi and Xue Na hurried to their feet to greet them.

Luo Guanyun waved them off. "Come on, sit down, all of you. There's no need for that. I've taken Meng Chuan as my disciple, so we're family from now on."

Once the four of them were seated, Luo Guanyun continued, "Ever since Meng Chuan joined the martial arts school, I've seen how hard he works. That's why I'm taking him on as my personal disciple today. As his guardians, the two of you can serve as witnesses.

"I'm rather strict with my disciples. They say a strict teacher produces outstanding students. Meng Chuan is the first disciple I've truly taken on—and he might be the last.

"I'll certainly teach him with all my heart, so please rest assured."

The two of them hastily said, "We wouldn't dare say that. It's Meng Chuan's good fortune that you're willing to take him on. We're absolutely reassured."

Hearing that, Meng Chuan immediately declared, "Master, I'll work hard at martial arts. I won't bring shame on you."

Then Meng Chuan brought out the good liquor his uncle had ordered earlier and poured a glass for his master. He raised his own teacup and toasted him. "Thank you, Teacher Luo, for taking me as your disciple. Today, I'll use tea in place of wine to toast you, Master!"

Watching this, Luo Guanyun smiled with satisfaction. "Good!"

The next evening, Huayun Mansion villa district, A003.

Luo Guanyun had a dedicated Martial Arts Room in his home.

Meng Chuan's gaze was cold and focused on the wooden dummy. He seized his opening and launched a flurry of attacks, the cracks of cannon blasts ringing out without pause.

"Good. Stop there. Not bad, but your core still isn't steady enough. Your form gets a little distorted when you move. Watch my posture."

As he spoke, Luo Guanyun demonstrated. The blasts erupted one after another, and he truly managed to complete Nine Echoes!

"Teacher Luo, you're incredible. I'm nowhere near your level."

"Don't flatter me. Watch the movements carefully. Pay attention to how I generate power from my waist. If your core can't support you, then no matter how strong your power or technique is, you won't achieve the full Nine Echoes. Go on, keep practicing. Let me see."

An hour later, Meng Chuan sat down for a short rest and glanced at the Martial Dao Limit-Breaking Panel.

[Pao Fist: Proficient (4%) → (20%)]

Having a master to guide him really was great. His proficiency was rising at a breakneck pace!

"Teacher Luo, let's keep going."

"Good."

Meng Chuan visibly improved with every punch, and Luo Guanyun was happy to teach him.

"Pao Fist is a lower-tier fist art under the Fire Element of the Xingyi Five Elements.

"The fist arts you learn later will all be related to Pao Fist.

"You must study it well and train it until you achieve the full Nine Echoes. That'll lay the foundation for learning more difficult fist arts later on, and even the Thunder Method True Art."

Meng Chuan practiced nearby, drenched in sweat.

"Yes, Teacher Luo. I'll definitely do it."

Not only would he achieve mastery, he would train Pao Fist beyond mastery and break its limits to gain the [Heavy Strike] trait.

Heavy Strike sounded like an ability related to actual combat. He definitely couldn't pass it up.

They trained until ten that night. Since Meng Chuan had school the next day, they ended the session there.

"Once you've mastered Pao Fist, I'll teach you the accompanying footwork, Cun Step. Once you've learned it, you'll be able to go from a fixed cannon to a mobile one."

Meng Chuan nodded to show he understood.

Footwork was also very important in actual combat, especially when it was paired with a fist art. The power they unleashed together was more than the simple sum of their parts.

"Take these herbs with you. They're all suitable for Martial Practitioners at the Qi-Blood Pass.

"When you get home, have your aunt make them into a decoction according to the proportions I gave you. Once it's cooked and cooled, it'll turn into a paste. It'll be easier to carry once it solidifies."

Meng Chuan felt a little embarrassed. He knew these herbs weren't cheap.

This big bag must have cost close to ten thousand yuan, if not more.

"Don't be so polite. It didn't cost much. Just take it."

A gift from a teacher was not to be refused, so Meng Chuan had no choice but to accept it.

"This should be enough for a month. I'll give you more next month. Leaving the herbs around too long will affect their medicinal properties."

Meng Chuan was deeply grateful. He was lucky to have met a master like this.

"Still, what I said before stands: train hard, and carry on the [Yuanshen Thunder Seed Method] one day. That'll be enough for me!"

Hearing this, Meng Chuan made a solemn pledge. "I'll definitely train hard, Master. One day, I'll make Teacher Luo's True Technique famous throughout the land!"

"Loud words aren't enough. First, get the fist art you're learning now down pat.

"You have to take your meals one bite at a time. Don't rush too much."

"Understood, Teacher Luo."

In the end, Luo Guanyun wasn't comfortable letting Meng Chuan go back by himself, so he specifically called over the villa district's manager and arranged a car for him.

"From now on, unless you have something else to do, come here to train after school. I'll have a car pick you up and drop you off."

The driver opened the rear door for Meng Chuan. He got in and ran his hand over the gleaming door handle.

"A master's kindness is as weighty as a mountain. Once I've made something of myself, I'll repay Teacher Luo properly."

For now, Meng Chuan had no way to repay his master's kindness. All he could do was silently accept it.

A week later, Meng Chuan practiced his punches alone on the sports field. The Martial Association's tests had gone perfectly, so now all he had to do was wait for news from Senior Bai.

For some reason, Meng Chuan felt that the principal was even more eager than he was to hear the results. The principal came to ask him every day whether his certificate had arrived.

It was class time, and the sound of students reading aloud drifted to his ears, but Meng Chuan no longer had to go to the classroom.

Meng Chuan had ridden in the principal's Silver-White Aurora Generation IV sports sedan a few times. After several heart-to-heart talks with the principal in the car,

the principal had granted Meng Chuan special permission to choose freely between attending class and practicing his punches.

The homeroom teacher's comment on the matter was: Special privileges speak for themselves.

[Pao Fist: Mastered (35%) → (36%)]

[Cun Step: Proficient (3%) → (7%)]

After his recent training, Pao Fist had advanced to Mastered, while the new footwork he'd learned had also advanced to Proficient.

Having made progress in both, Meng Chuan felt his qi and blood had probably increased quite a bit.

"Pao Fist and Cun Step can both give my qi and blood a huge boost, and I haven't slacked off on my Stake Technique either. I should get my qi and blood tested again."