Zhou Nan: I'll Pay Double!

"All right..." Zhao Bin was momentarily at a loss for words and could only take out his ID card to swipe open the door.

The instant the metal door slid open, Zhou Nan flashed forward, actually intending to enter ahead of him.

"Zhou Nan! You... what are you doing?" Zhao Bin immediately began to panic.

"Hm?" Zhou Nan stopped and looked back at him, mischief glinting in her eyes. "Zhao Bin, what are you panicking for? It's not like I've never been in your Training Room before. What, am I not welcome now? Or is there... some secret inside that I'm not allowed to see?"

Zhao Bin's face reddened even further at her words. After stammering for a long while, he finally stepped aside. "N-No... go on in."

Qin Yan, standing to one side and watching this unfold, did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He had not expected Zhao Bin, who usually carried himself with such confidence, to be so thoroughly "suppressed" in front of Zhou Nan.

Qin Yan followed them into the Training Room as well.

"You two go ahead and train. Don't mind me, I'm just looking around."

Zhou Nan casually walked over to the rest area and sat down, looking completely relaxed, as though she were waiting to watch a show.

Zhao Bin stood where he was, at a complete loss. Training felt wrong, but not training felt wrong too.

His gaze kept shifting between the two of them as he wrestled with himself.

Qin Yan naturally understood Zhao Bin's concern.

Principal Wu Ming must have repeatedly warned him to keep his Stance Training level secret. Zhao Bin was truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

Qin Yan glanced again at Zhou Nan in the distance, who looked as if victory was already hers. He knew she had definitely grown suspicious and noticed that something was unusual about them.

They might be able to fool her today, but what about tomorrow? The day after? They could not stay on guard forever.

"Zhao Bin, let's begin," Qin Yan said calmly.

Zhao Bin froze slightly, then hurriedly lowered his voice and said seriously, "Qin Yan, I really didn't leak anything!"

"I know." Qin Yan chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Relax. I took the money, so I have to do the work, right? Let's continue."

With that, Qin Yan gave Zhao Bin no further chance to hesitate and directly began correcting his Stance Training posture and teaching him how to exert force.

Sitting to one side, Zhou Nan watched coldly, her heart full of confusion.

Qin Yan's Blood Qi had improved at an astonishing pace, but his result in the last Monthly Exam had only been 72 Cal. What gave him the right to instruct Zhao Bin, whose Blood Qi had long exceeded 80 Cal?

However, that thought was swiftly and completely overturned by the scene before her.

As Qin Yan explained, he also assumed the opening stance of the Sky-Supporting Qi Pillar.

His movements appeared simple, yet they carried an indescribable smoothness and harmony. The aura around him instantly settled, while the Blood Qi surging through his body produced a faint hum. Though weak, it was clearly audible!

"This is... Five-Layer Stance Training!" Zhou Nan cried out involuntarily, springing to her feet with disbelief filling her eyes.

She had considered countless possibilities, but she had never imagined that Qin Yan's Stance Training had reached the fifth layer!

She could not understand how Qin Yan had achieved it!

For the rest of the time, Zhou Nan's gaze could barely leave Qin Yan.

She watched every minute movement he made with complete concentration, memorizing every word and key point he used to instruct Zhao Bin. She even could not help secretly imitating him from the side, trying to feel it out for herself.

Two hours later.

"Hu—"

Qin Yan let out a long breath and withdrew from his stance. His mouth was dry, and every muscle in his body carried a deep exhaustion.

He walked over to the rest area and had just been about to sit down when a bottle of mineral water emitting a faint chill was offered to him.

"Thirsty? Have some water. It's a functional drink specially supplied by the Martial Association. It can ease fatigue a little."

Zhou Nan's voice came from beside him.

Qin Yan was seated, and Zhou Nan had just finished training as well. Her training uniform was soaked through with sweat and clung tightly to her body, tracing her youthful, full curves. The outline beneath was faintly visible through the drenched fabric...

Qin Yan's gaze involuntarily lingered for a moment longer.

Zhou Nan immediately noticed his gaze. Her fair cheeks flushed crimson with a whoosh, like a ripe apple.

She hastily stuffed the water bottle into Qin Yan's hands, quickly turned around, and sat in the chair across from him. Lowering her head, she awkwardly twisted her fingers together.

Qin Yan's face heated up as well. He had not meant to offend her; it was only an unfortunate angle, and when he looked up, he saw... It could not entirely be blamed on him.

"Sorry, Zhou Nan. I... didn't mean to," Qin Yan apologized sincerely anyway.

"I-It's fine." Zhou Nan's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. She lowered her head even further. "Remember to drink some water."

"Thank you." Qin Yan lifted the bottle and began drinking.

It had to be said that the water really was effective. It was cool and refreshing on the way down, and a comfortable feeling soon spread through his entire body.

The two sat there without speaking for a while, and the silence between them became strangely delicate.

Qin Yan had not expected this girl, who had Zhao Bin completely under her thumb, to be so thin-skinned.

At that moment, Zhao Bin dragged his exhausted body over and collapsed onto the nearby sofa.

He looked at the unusually quiet Zhou Nan, then at the somewhat awkward Qin Yan, utterly confused. "You two... what's going on?"

"Nothing!" Zhou Nan immediately raised her head and answered before anyone else could. The blush on her cheeks had not fully faded, but her tone had already returned to normal.

Although Zhao Bin found it strange, he did not think much of it. Instead, he turned to Zhou Nan and said seriously, "Zhou Nan, I hope you can keep what happened just now, with Qin Yan teaching me Stance Training, a secret."

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone." Zhou Nan nodded, agreeing readily.

Then her gaze shifted to Qin Yan. With a trace of anticipation and barely perceptible nervousness, she softly asked, "Qin Yan... can you teach me Stance Training too?"

"Zhao Bin paid," Qin Yan said flatly. Matters of principle could not be compromised.

"I'll pay double!" Zhou Nan said without hesitation.

"Deal." Qin Yan agreed with remarkable decisiveness.

Zhou Nan paused, not expecting him to agree so readily. She instinctively asked, "Um... how much did Zhao Bin pay?"

"Twenty thousand Huaxia Coins per month," Qin Yan answered honestly.

Hearing that it was only twenty thousand, Zhou Nan visibly relaxed, and a smile returned to her face. "All right. Then from now on, include me whenever you teach Zhao Bin."

Qin Yan nodded.

Teaching one person was teaching, and teaching two was teaching as well. Their Stance Training levels were similar, so it would actually be easier.

And he could earn another forty thousand every month. Why not?

"Just exchange the forty thousand Huaxia Coins directly for Blood Qi Potions of equivalent value," Qin Yan added.

"Blood Qi Potions? Would Blood Qi Pills work instead? I can make the decision to give you one extra Blood Qi Pill," Zhou Nan asked.

One extra pill? A single Blood Qi Pill had a market price of ten thousand Huaxia Coins! Qin Yan did not understand why she was voluntarily raising the price.