Claiming the Prize

Fang Jianxing had just reached the door when he suddenly seemed to think of something and turned around.

"By the way, Xiao Meng, let's exchange contact information. I'm looking for a martial arts hall to train at. Do you have any good recommendations?"

Meng Chuan took out his phone and exchanged contact information with Fang Jianxing.

"No problem, Brother Fang. The Infinite Martial Arts Hall I go to is great, and they teach really well. If you want to learn boxing or get in shape, you can't go wrong there."

Of course Meng Chuan had to give his own master's place a little free advertising.

"The Infinite Martial Arts Hall... All right, I'll keep that in mind. I've been so busy with work that I haven't had time to exercise. When I went to the hospital for a checkup a while ago, I found out all my numbers were below the standard. That's why I'm trying to make up for lost time now."

Meng Chuan encouraged him.

"Brother Fang, you're still young. You should definitely exercise more. As long as you want to start, it's never too late."

Fang Jianxing replied with a smile.

"You're right, Teacher Xiao Meng. I'll take your advice."

"If you ever feel stressed, whether it's because of life or training, you can come to me and talk it out. I got a PhD in psychology from Puxiusidun University overseas, and I'm also a domestically certified professional counselor. How about you teach me martial arts, and I help you relieve stress?"

Meng Chuan hadn't expected Director Fang to be such an all-rounder. He worked in scientific research and knew psychology, too.

"No problem, Brother Fang. If you have any questions about martial arts, you can always ask me."

"Then it's a deal. See you."

Meng Chuan walked him all the way downstairs. He waved goodbye only after seeing Director Fang get into his car, then turned and headed upstairs.

As he walked down the hallway, Meng Chuan felt that something was a little off, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what.

It wasn't until he reached his door that it suddenly dawned on him.

"Director Fang was a little too enthusiastic. We'd just met for the first time, but he was acting like we'd been old friends for years."

"Maybe he's just the kind of person who gets familiar with people right away. Don't overthink it."

Meng Chuan put aside his far-fetched suspicions.

His uncle, Meng Yongzhi, came in from outside just then.

"Come on, Chuan'er. Let's go to Police Chief Long's office to collect the reward, then we can head home."

Meng Chuan asked in confusion,

"We're leaving as soon as we collect it? Don't we still have to help with publicity?"

Meng Yongzhi patiently explained,

"Since you're still a minor, you shouldn't be interviewed. And your uncle knows you—you don't like doing that sort of thing. So I went and talked to them, and they agreed."

Meng Chuan hadn't expected his uncle to be so thoughtful. Warmth spread through his heart.

Inside the police chief's office.

Long Jiu transferred the three hundred thousand straight to Meng Chuan's Citizen ID Card.

Every Great Chu citizen received a Citizen ID Card at birth, issued along with their birth certificate as proof of identity.

Each citizen could only have one card. It proved their citizenship in Great Chu, and if it was lost or canceled, it could be replaced at any time.

The Citizen ID Card also functioned much like the bank cards Meng Chuan had known in his previous life. It could store money, transfer funds, and make payments, and using it was simple: just tap it.

"Two hundred thousand in special reward money, plus a hundred thousand from me personally. That's three hundred thousand in all. Check that you've received it, Xiao Meng."

With a ding, Meng Chuan picked up his phone and saw that the transfer had arrived.

[Received a special demon-slaying reward from the Qindu Branch Bureau: 200,000 yuan]

[Received a transfer from citizen Long Jiu: 100,000 yuan]

Meng Chuan was about to transfer Police Chief Long's hundred thousand back.

"Police Chief Long, I can't accept this hundred thousand. If you hadn't notified Teacher Luo to come save me, I wouldn't have been able to hold on."

Long Jiu waved his hand.

"Take it. I'm not short of a hundred thousand."

The two went back and forth several times. Seeing that Long Jiu was starting to get impatient, Meng Chuan finally gave up.

On the way home, Meng Chuan thought about how he didn't have anything he needed to spend money on for now, so he wanted to transfer the three hundred thousand to his uncle to help with household expenses.

"Keep it. Just be frugal and don't waste it. Master Luo treats you so well, and even saved your life. You should show her more respect."

Meng Chuan knew how stubborn his uncle could be. Once he dug in his heels, he was just as obstinate as Meng Chuan, so he didn't bring it up again. He didn't need the money for anything right now anyway, so he would just keep it with him for the time being.

December 30. The New Year was drawing near.

Even though it was Saturday and he didn't have to go to school, Meng Chuan still got up before dawn. Rising early to practice martial arts every day had become second nature to him.

Today, he had found a new place to practice his boxing: the rooftop.

He stood on the rooftop, facing the morning sun and sweating as he threw punches, while gazing down at the distant earth. He couldn't explain why, but Meng Chuan felt that practicing up there had a different feel from practicing at home.

The proficiency on the Martial Dao Limit-Breaking Panel kept ticking upward, giving him immediate feedback and proving that he was right.

On the rooftop, Meng Chuan swayed with his body bent, like a seasoned boxing master, silently reviewing the key points Teacher Luo had taught him.

Once he found the right opening, he immediately stepped forward with his left foot. His right Zuan Fist rose to eyebrow level, while his left fist followed close behind as his right elbow lifted to his chest—this was the elbow-bottom advancing hammer.

Then he immediately twisted his waist and drove his left foot forward. His right arm rotated outward and hooked back. He clenched his fist, twisted it outward, and drew it back above his right ear, fist facing forward and wrist bent. He sank his body and drove his strength through it as his left fist shot straight out.

He drove his final punch toward the rising sun. Six explosive cracks rang through the air, and a terrifying aura unlike anything he usually carried surfaced around him.

Pao Fist was a style focused on killing. It called for a relaxed stance and explosive power, with a deep, imposing aura; it was the finest of the Xingyi Sect's three third-rate boxing techniques.

It was no wonder Meng Chuan had such an aura. With a burst of inspiration today, combined with the boost from One Proof Eternal Proof, his Pao Fist had reached the Great Mastery stage. Each punch now rang out six times.

[Pao Fist: Proficient (88%) → Great Mastery (1%) Awaiting Limit-Breaking]

[Limit-Breaking Trait: Heavy Strike (Beginner)]

"Pao Fist has reached Great Mastery!"

Teacher Luo had told him before that even those with average or above-average roots, while still in the three lower stages of qi and blood, needed at least several months—and sometimes nearly a year—to advance a third-rate boxing technique from Beginner to Great Mastery.

The only people who could progress as quickly as he did were those with traits related to comprehension and the very best among those with superior roots.

When one's martial arts strength was high enough and one had studied enough techniques, one's experience with boxing and physical strength meant that even someone with poor roots could learn martial arts far faster than a talented person in the three lower stages of qi and blood.

That was because the path of martial arts united a practitioner's qi and blood, mind, and technique.

For example, when a martial artist's qi and blood and mind were powerful enough, learning ordinary martial arts techniques came as easily as turning over a hand.

But at that level, practicing these techniques would be a waste of time. They were far weaker than True Techniques, and they did nothing to stimulate one's qi and blood, just as Meng Chuan had experienced when practicing Guoyi Fist.