Little Brother Ma

[You have come into contact with a miraculous ancient martial art and gained a sudden insight.]

[You have acquired the skill: Falcon Strike Technique!]

The high-intensity training had nearly squeezed Zhou Kai dry.

Exhaustion surged like a dam breaking, instantly submerging him.

This Falcon Strike Technique was even more difficult than he had imagined; even with the buff, it took two full hours of grinding to finally dismantle its framework.

On his panel, the skill slot displayed "Falcon Strike Technique Lv0 (0/1)," but since it hadn't reached Lv1, it couldn't be considered mastered.

However, the tougher the bone, the more worth it was to crack it open and marrow-suck.

For a high-value skill like this, even a single level of improvement would bring about a transformative change.

On the other side, Chen Ping, who had been watching Zhou Kai train, finally softened his tense features.

Seeing Zhou Kai in a state where he might collapse at any moment, his heart finally felt balanced.

This kid had finally reached his limit...

He had almost thought he was a perpetual motion machine wrapped in human skin.

After all that, he was just a human after all.

One had to know that Chen Ping himself hadn't closed his eyes for nearly forty hours; even as a True Strength martial artist, his eyelids were starting to fight each other.

If Zhou Kai's stamina really could surpass his, then this world would be far too unreasonable.

"Stop. Your form is mostly correct; you're just one step away from mastery."

Chen Ping paced over to Zhou Kai with his hands behind his back.

"Remember, your talent is a double-edged sword. Don't squander it just because it's sharp, and don't be too eager for success and snap yourself in two."

"Tonight, and tomorrow."

"Go back to sleep, clear your mind, and don't think about anything."

Zhou Kai was so tired his scalp felt numb.

"Many thanks, Senior Brother. I understand."

He understood the logic... but sleep? Clear his mind?

Why don't you try it?

At midnight tonight, he had more important things to do.

Although his body felt hollowed out, as long as he returned to the fireplace and let that warm light bake him for a few minutes, he would recover instantly.

Zhou Kai's gaze refocused on the panel in the void.

[Character: Zhou Kai]
[Status: Eroded, Exhausted]
[Skills: Comprehensive Combat Lv2 (19/25), Light Footwork Lv3 (3/50), Soraka Swordsmanship Lv1 (3/15), Occultism Lv1 (0/15), Falcon Strike Technique Lv1 (0/15)]
[Items: Residence Permit, Blood-Stained Axe, Rusted Chef Knife, Morning Star Notes, Moonlight Orchid Seed (Plump), Drying Oil Lamp, Rusty Two-Handed Sword]
[General Experience Points: 7]

That non-fight with Wang Jinquan had actually granted his Comprehensive Combat a point of experience, moving it from eighteen to nineteen.

Good. Zhou Kai felt a stir in his heart.

This meant that the remaining seven experience points were just enough for him to push Falcon Strike Technique to level one, while also bumping Comprehensive Combat to level three.

Two level threes, three level ones... five skills should be enough to cope...

As soon as this thought emerged, he snuffed it out himself.

Born in sorrow, die in peace.

Indeed.

Beyond the original meaning, there was another layer.

Living is all sorrow, and dying is no different from euthanasia, even if the dreams themselves are far from peaceful.

He took a deep breath; the soreness and numbness throughout his body actually gave him a sense of fulfillment.

"Add points, Falcon Strike Technique."

[You have used one General Experience Point, Falcon Strike Technique experience +1]

[Falcon Strike Technique Lv0 → Lv1]

In a flash, Zhou Kai's brain felt as if an entire rushing river had been poured into it.

Phantom memories of countless clawing, wrist-twisting, and tearing motions washed over his nerves.

The next second, this torrent settled, transforming into the most primal instinct of his arms and fingers.

The soreness in his palms intensified tenfold in an instant, and the muscles in his arms bulged as if they had been inflated.

This intense discomfort, however, made his spirit soar.

He could clearly feel that his wrist and finger strength had climbed to an entirely new level.

The magnitude of this improvement was more than a grade higher than the Soraka Swordsmanship!

Zhou Kai was ecstatic. He subconsciously clenched his fist, calculating what he could use to test it out.

He remembered watching an anime where a character used exaggerated finger strength to crawl out of a prison like an insect.

"No need to come in this afternoon, and I'll give you tomorrow off as well," Chen Ping's voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Come straight here the day after tomorrow; I've prepared something good for you."

Zhou Kai's eyes lit up. The word [Secret Medicine] that Wu De had mentioned instantly jumped into his mind, and his heart began to burn with anticipation.

He didn't ask Chen Ping why he wasn't giving it to him now.

This senior brother had already done everything he could for him; some procedures simply had to be followed.

"It's actually done? Kai, you're too top-tier!"

Lu Yan hopped around in front of Zhou Kai like a rabbit, her small fists waving vigorously in the air; she was even more excited than Zhou Kai himself.

"That Wang Jinquan, with his sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, he didn't look like a good person from the start! And he bragged about studying for months? Look at him now! He can't even compare to you after a single week!"

She chattered away, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Alright, alright, Sister Yan." Zhou Kai helplessly rubbed his rumbling stomach. "Let's find a place to eat first."

"I haven't eaten a single bite since last night; I'm so hungry my chest is sticking to my back."

Lu Yan finally realized the situation and nodded heavily, her expression serious. "Right! Food! Even the biggest matter in the world has to wait until after a meal!"

On the other side, Ma Yifan finally went through with his withdrawal procedures.

He had no intention of staying at the Falcon Wing Martial Arts Hall any longer.

Initially, he had come for the sake of Chen Ping's reputation, believing the nonsense about "treating everyone equally and giving everyone a chance at secret ancient martial arts."

The results, however, were the exact opposite.

He couldn't swallow that bitterness and decided to go somewhere else.

At noon, he followed behind Zhou Kai and Lu Yan as the three of them left the martial arts hall.

Just as Zhou Kai and Lu Yan were preparing to hail a cab on the side of the road, Ma Yifan finally stopped hesitating and spoke up directly: "Brother Kai, Sister Yan, how about... I give you a ride?"

Zhou Kai glanced at him and readily agreed: "Sure."

Two minutes later, Lu Yan sank into the leather seats in the back of the luxury car, looking up at the dazzling "starry sky" on the ceiling, her tongue tied.

"Star... starry sky roof?"

"A private chauffeur?"

"You kid, keeping such a low profile—turns out you're a rich boy!"

Ma Yifan gave a stiff smile, clearly still not fully recovered from his earlier mood.

He whispered an address to the driver before saying somewhat desolately: "My parents... just happened to make a little money."

That confirmed it completely.

Zhou Kai chuckled: "Brother Ma, you hid that well."

Ma Yifan's face turned even redder, and he said embarrassedly: "Brother Kai, please don't make fun of me."

His eyes darted around as if he had thought of something, and he took the opportunity to extend an invitation: "Since we're all going to eat anyway, how about... we go to my place? Uh, I mean, a restaurant my family owns."

Zhou Kai and Lu Yan exchanged a glance, two words appearing in their eyes simultaneously.

A free meal?!

Who could refuse that?

The two said in unison: "We wouldn't dare refuse!"

The restaurant owned by Ma Yifan's family was located among the dense skyscrapers of the Xishan City CBD—specifically, on the middle floor of one of the buildings.

They didn't accept walk-ins, only reservations, and there wasn't even a sign outside.

"Cool! This place has so much style!"

Unlike the cyberpunk-style architecture outside, the interior featured pure, classic Western decor. From the oil paintings on the walls to the candlesticks on the tables, everything exuded the elegance and heritage of "old money."

"Can I take a photo?" Lu Yan pulled a card camera from somewhere and pointed to an Impressionist landscape painting in the corner.

Ma Yifan nodded. Because his jawline was soft, his smile always had a likable quality: "Please, feel free... It was a bit rushed today, so I could only bring you here. Please forgive any lack of hospitality."

Zhou Kai waved his hand and patted him on the shoulder: "What are you talking about? We're the ones gaining experience by following you."

He winked at Lu Yan: "Don't mind her; this sister of mine is a total country bumpkin."

Lu Yan was busy snapping photos of a crystal chandelier and turned around abruptly upon hearing this, her eyes wide.

"Hm? What kind of bad things are you whispering about?"

Ma Yifan finally laughed out loud. The haze that had been lingering in his heart completely dissipated under their banter.

The dishes served, whether it was the lamb stewed with peas, the cheese pizza, or the vegetable medley, were vastly different in flavor and texture from the local cuisine of Red Star.

Zhou Kai and Lu Yan were eager to dig in, devouring the food as if a storm were sweeping through the table.

Lu Yan's craving for alcohol flared up again, and she insisted on having a few drinks.

Zhou Kai could not refuse her, so he had no choice but to open a bottle of semi-sweet red wine.

Lu Yan took a few sips, and an intoxicating smile blossomed across her face.