Forced Acquisition

Pulling open the iron gate, Chen Xu saw the man outside take a step back and cup his fists. "Young Master Chen, I've heard much about you. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Chang Wei from Zhicheng Martial Arts Academy."

"Oh, Coach Chang. What can I do for you?" Chen Xu returned the salute, but his body remained planted in the doorway, with no intention of letting the instructor inside.

"An important matter, an important matter. I'm sure Young Master Chen will be quite interested."

As he spoke, he took out a document covered in dense writing from the bag he carried and handed it to Chen Xu with both hands.

Chen Xu accepted the document and gave it a cursory read, his expression turning faintly meaningful. "Coach Chang, are you unaware that I am the current master of the Chen Martial Arts Academy?"

A trace of disdain flickered in Chang Wei's eyes. He had not even mastered his family's signature art, yet he dared call himself an academy master. If not for the position of vice master, Chang Wei normally would not have spared this brat a glance.

"Of course I know. But I believe this is a win-win situation, and I'm sure Young Master Chen understands the current state of your academy.

"Your academy hasn't taken in any new students for nearly two years. Its income..."

Chang Wei glanced at Chen Xu. Seeing no anger on his face, he rubbed his hands together.

"Zhicheng Martial Arts Academy is willing to pay to purchase your academy. Not only will you receive a sum of money, but you'll also be rid of this burden that brings in not a single coin. Isn't that a win-win?"

Chen Xu folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. He was not the previous owner of this body. If their offer was suitable, it was not as though he could not sell. "A transfer? Sure. But the price on this document..."

Before Chen Xu could finish, Chang Wei understood what he meant. "Everything is negotiable, of course. But this really isn't a suitable place to discuss it."

As he spoke, Chang Wei glanced at pedestrians passing by, signaling Chen Xu.

Chen Xu turned and led Chang Wei toward the reception room.

The Chen Martial Arts Academy was not large, but though small, it had all the essentials. It lacked none of the proper facilities a martial arts academy should have.

The academy had no money to buy tea leaves, so naturally Chen Xu had no tea to serve his guest. The two sat down as host and guest.

"Abyss Coins, two hundred thousand." Chang Wei held up two fingers and looked at Chen Xu, hoping to see shock on his face.

Two hundred thousand was no small sum. There were not many people in the commandery who could produce that much money.

"Too little," Chen Xu said flatly. "If this is all the sincerity you have, then I don't think there's any need to continue negotiating."

Chang Wei met Chen Xu's gaze. The stillness in the other man's eyes made him instinctively avert his own gaze.

"Three hundred thousand. Young Master Chen, you should understand.

"Besides us, no one else would be interested in this academy. Though it is a little below market value, I'm sure you understand."

Chang Wei knew that if he could acquire this academy for three hundred thousand, his position as vice master would be secure.

He had already said all the nice things he could. If this brat still did not know what was good for him, Chang Wei's gaze darkened.

Exchanges and sparring matches between martial arts academies were perfectly normal.

Chen Xu shook his head inwardly. This man truly believed he had him cornered. Outside, he had still concealed himself somewhat, but less than five minutes after entering the academy, neither his gaze nor tone held any restraint. He had even deliberately rolled up his sleeves to show off his muscles.

"Please leave." Too lazy to keep tangling with him, Chen Xu adopted the posture of seeing off a guest.

"What do you mean by this, Young Master Chen?" Chang Wei asked with a false smile, no longer using honorifics.

"I won't sell for less than one million." Based on the previous owner's memories, this academy should have been worth between eight hundred thousand and 1.1 million. This man claimed to be sincere, yet showed none at all.

"Three hundred thousand is no small amount for a teenager. If you take that much money, be careful you don't end up with no chance to spend it." Seeing that Chen Xu was not easy to fool, Chang Wei simply tore away all pretense.

He was determined to take this academy today. If the brat refused a toast only to drink a forfeit, he could simply toss him some money afterward. That would not violate the rules laid down by the Martial Pavilion. He was already thoroughly familiar with forced purchases.

"Calling you Young Master Chen doesn't mean you're truly someone at the level of an academy master. You haven't even learned a ranked martial art. Aren't you afraid people will laugh their teeth out at you for occupying the master's position?"

"So, Coach Chang, you've decided I'm helpless?" Chen Xu asked with a faint smile.

"That's right. You'll sign these transfer terms today whether you want to or not!"

Chang Wei had just begun to cross his legs, intending to enjoy Chen Xu's furious yet helpless expression, when a fist wind rushed at his face.

"You!" Chang Wei leaned back to dodge. He had not expected the brat to dare strike first.

Bracing himself against the ground with one hand, he seized the old wooden chair beneath him with his left and swept it toward Chen Xu.

"As expected, relying solely on the first level of Tiger Howl Fist, even a sneak attack makes it difficult to subdue him directly." Chen Xu was not surprised in the slightest. The first level was merely the entry stage, after all. A martial arts academy instructor was not someone an entry-level martial artist could deal with.

"Tianwu, add points for me!" Chen Xu raised Tiger Howl Fist straight to the fifth level, blasting the wooden chair to pieces.

"How is that possible? His speed and strength increased so much in an instant!" Chang Wei was, after all, one of the academy's veteran instructors. After a moment of surprise, he steadied himself. Veins bulged across his arms, and his skin took on a faint bronze hue.

The two collided, and the surrounding tables and chairs were swept up by the force of the impact. Wood chips flew and scattered everywhere.

"Ahhh..." Chang Wei crashed through the wall and tumbled out of the reception room.

The Bronze Body Technique he had painstakingly cultivated had been breached in a single collision.

Yet even more shocking than that was Chen Xu's talent.

"A faint tiger's roar follows every strike, carrying a trace of tiger's might. Your Tiger Howl Fist has already reached Chen Zhenwu's level!"

The Chen Zhenwu he mentioned was the former academy master. His strength had been widely recognized as among the top ten academy masters in Jinning Commandery.

Back then, Chen Zhenwu had only reached that level when he was nearly forty.

"How old is Chen Xu this year? If I remember correctly, he isn't even eighteen."

Seeing Chen Xu step out of the reception room expressionlessly and prepare to throw another punch, Chang Wei hurriedly shouted, "Master Chen, your strength is extraordinary. I was wrong. I think the price you named can be considered."

The fist stopped an inch from Chang Wei's nose. Chang Wei could not help swallowing.

"You damaged my reception room. You'll have to compensate me for that as well." Chen Xu snatched the bag slung across Chang Wei's shoulder, opened it in front of him, and rummaged through its contents.

Pah, wasn't it you who struck first and smashed the wooden chair? Chang Wei thought, forcing an ugly smile onto his face.

"Master Chen is right. The compensation will definitely be paid."

"Good." Chen Xu looked at Chang Wei with a beaming smile. "As for compensation, I think that ranked martial art you practice is quite good. Consider it compensation in place of tuition."

Though it was phrased as a question, Chang Wei heard the unquestionable tone behind it. He could only force a smile. "I'm just a minor instructor. Without the academy master's permission, I wouldn't dare teach the academy's martial arts.

"Master Chen, how about ten thousand Abyss Coins?"