Challenging the Dojo? A Friendly Spar!

Ever since he had gained the ability to copy his opponents' talents, Chen Yu had been thinking about how to fight martial arts prodigies.

Other than Wang Qianjun, who was also a student in the martial arts class, Chen Yu simply had no chance to encounter martial arts prodigies from other schools.

But as he passed by a martial arts hall, an idea suddenly struck him.

Any martial arts hall capable of opening its doors had to have at least a few experts holding the fort, right? Otherwise, how would they deal with rival halls coming to challenge them?

"I can just challenge the dojo directly!"

"But challenging a dojo would make people hate me too much. It should be a friendly sparring exchange instead."

Chen Yu's heart stirred. He immediately stopped heading home and turned toward the martial arts hall that had just opened.

The martial arts hall had only just opened, and the ground outside its entrance was littered with festive red firecracker scraps.

"Heroic Martial Arts Hall."

"They're even running an event for a new opening. Looks like I came at just the right time!"

Only when Chen Yu moved closer did he notice a conspicuous sign standing before the entrance to Heroic Martial Arts Hall. It read:

[Martial arts hall opening challenge event now underway.]

[Win one match and receive one thousand Red Radiance Coins. No fees are required if the challenge fails.]

[Everyone is welcome to participate!]

"Not only can I copy talents, I can even make money if I win. This is great!" Chen Yu could not help but feel delighted at the sight.

Without further hesitation, he stepped through the doors of Heroic Martial Arts Hall.

"Young man, Heroic Martial Arts Hall has just opened. We're currently offering a special price—nineteen thousand nine hundred for thirty lessons, personally taught by an expert at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm!"

"If you have any concerns, our hall also offers free trial lessons. You can give them a try before making your decision!"

The moment Chen Yu entered, a smiling middle-aged man proactively came over and began his introduction.

"Boss, I'm here to take the challenge. That's okay, right?" Chen Yu pointed at the sign behind him and waved his hand.

"A challenge? Of course that's no problem!" Hao Sangui's smile did not fade.

The whole point of this event was to use the gimmick of challenges to promote the strength of his martial arts hall.

The more challengers came, the happier he would be.

As for losing money?

Since he dared to run this challenge, he naturally had experts capable of holding the line. There was no way he would lose much.

As long as it attracted even one person to sign up for lessons, he would make a profit!

"What's your name, young man? And what level of the Body Tempering Realm are you currently at?" Hao Sangui gestured for Chen Yu to follow him.

"Chen Yu, third level of Body Tempering."

Chen Yu followed him and soon arrived at the arena.

Inside Heroic Martial Arts Hall, several young people in the hall's uniforms were also curiously sizing Chen Yu up.

"Hehe, the hall master tricked another one in. Judging by that uniform, he looks like a high school student too. Let me go first later!"

"Take it easy, kid. Go a little easy on him. You have to give him a taste of something sweet if you want to lure him into signing up."

Several martial arts hall students secretly watched Chen Yu and chuckled in low voices.

Since the hall's opening today, quite a few people had come to challenge it, but only one had managed to win a match.

After some people lost, they found it hard to save face. In a moment of impulse, they signed up for lessons.

Hao Sangui led Chen Yu onto the arena, then looked down below it.

"Wang Zhou, you're also at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm. Spar with this young brother Chen Yu."

"Be careful. Don't hurt Chen Yu."

"Master, don't worry!" A young man with a somewhat immature face leaped onto the arena and chuckled.

Tsk, this Wang Zhou probably isn't a newly recruited student of the hall. Going by the usual sect settings in novels, he's at least on the level of an inner disciple, Chen Yu mused.

Since they were accepting challenges, Heroic Martial Arts Hall naturally had to send out someone capable. Otherwise, it would be even more embarrassing if they lost.

As he thought, Chen Yu drew a wooden saber from the edge of the arena.

On the other side, Wang Zhou held a wooden sword.

Only after the two men on the arena had chosen weapons that suited them did Hao Sangui slowly speak.

"With me watching, fight without worry. I'll step in at a critical moment."

Seeing that Chen Yu had no objections, he swiftly lowered his raised hand and said in a deep voice:

"Ready..."

"Fight!"

The moment his words fell, Wang Zhou and Chen Yu moved at the same time.

Bang!

The wooden saber and wooden sword collided. Neither yielded, and they fell into a contest of strength.

Yet though both were at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm, and their strength and speed should have been roughly equal, Hao Sangui keenly noticed that Chen Yu seemed to be stronger.

After only a brief stalemate, Wang Zhou's sword was forced back.

"This kid's arm strength seems a little greater than ordinary."

Even so, Hao Sangui was not particularly worried.

Some people were naturally strong, while others could jump higher or run faster. That was all perfectly normal, but it was nothing more than that.

Such a slight advantage was not particularly noticeable in a fight between martial artists.

Wang Zhou had cultivated the Seven-Star Sword Technique under him since childhood. His swordsmanship had already reached minor mastery, and he might even break through to major mastery within two years.

Against an ordinary high school student at the same realm, victory was guaranteed.

On the arena.

Winning would be easy. The hard part is figuring out how to make it look difficult. That really tests my acting skills, Chen Yu thought as he knocked Wang Zhou back with his saber and let out a soft breath.

Naturally, defeating Wang Zhou was not difficult for him. With the talent of a saber grandmaster backing him, even Wang Qianjun had not been his match, let alone a martial arts hall student.

But if he won too easily, the martial arts hall would definitely send an expert to fight Chen Yu directly in the second match.

Then he would only get to fight two matches in total.

That was not what Chen Yu wanted. He still hoped to fight more people!

Even if the talents he copied were mediocre, a mosquito was still meat.

Even a talent as lousy as Xiao Feng's would still be better than nothing, right?

With that in mind, Chen Yu held his wooden saber and did his best to make it seem as though he and Wang Zhou were evenly matched.

They fought for a full five minutes before he "barely" defeated Wang Zhou.

"Huh? Wang Zhou actually lost."

The martial arts hall students beneath the arena exclaimed in low voices.

They had never expected their junior brother to lose in the very first match.

"Master, I lost." Like a defeated rooster, Wang Zhou lowered his head and did not quite dare to meet Hao Sangui's gaze.

"Victory and defeat are common in war. Who can remain undefeated their entire life?" Hao Sangui did not mind and instead comforted him.

At the same time, he looked at Chen Yu with far greater seriousness.

Yet he still felt that something was off, especially when Chen Yu had fought Wang Zhou. The awkward feeling had been intense.

"Lü Ang, you're next."

Hao Sangui raised his chin in indication.

As his words fell, a tall man stepped onto the arena and casually took Wang Zhou's wooden sword.

"Young man, I'm at the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm. During the fight, I'll try to suppress my strength and speed to around the third level. You don't mind, do you?"

Chen Yu sized up Lü Ang, his gaze falling upon the man's legs.

Lü Ang's legs were extremely thick. Even beneath long pants, they could not be concealed and were particularly eye-catching.

I didn't copy a talent from Wang Zhou, but this Lü Ang might have some kind of talent related to his legs!

Chen Yu thought silently.

As Hao Sangui's raised right hand slammed down, Lü Ang made the first move.

From merely the opening stance, Chen Yu could tell that this man's swordsmanship far surpassed Wang Zhou's. It had at least reached major mastery.

Damn, this won't be easy to act out!