Ambush

"Could I become as light as willow fluff? Like crossing a river on a reed, or skimming over grass?"

"No." Zhang Kui's expression fell. "Don't bring up stuff from martial arts novels. For kung fu to reach that realm, you'd probably have transcended the mortal world already."

"Can I cultivate true qi?"

"There's no such thing as true qi. The so-called Breathing Technique isn't for cultivating internal energy or true qi. It's meant to make the gas exchange in your organs extremely efficient. Once you reach a certain stage, it will gradually strengthen your physique and push it to its limits."

Disappointment spread uncontrollably across Lu Ren's face. "Then what can it do?"

Zhang Kui tried his utmost to stay calm, suppressing the urge to punch Lu Ren in the face. With a somewhat mournful air, he flexed his muscles. "It can make those idiots stand in front of you and speak to you calmly."

In the past, ordinary people had no way to learn kung fu even if they wanted to. Now, he was practically offering it on a platter, and people still looked down on it.

The world was going downhill. Traditional martial arts were finished!!!

Everyone knew Master Ma, yet no one knew that true traditional martial arts possessed earth-shattering power.

What a pity... Those with even a little real skill kept it hidden, allowing people online to spread claims everywhere that traditional martial arts were fake.

"I'll learn!"

Zhang Kui beamed. "That'll be thirty thousand for the beginner's tuition."

"Goodbye!"

Lu Ren turned and left without looking back.

"Wait!"

Zhang Kui said helplessly, "How about this? I'll give you half off—fifteen thousand. Aren't you unemployed right now? I can pay you an apprentice stipend. Three thousand a month, how about it? Meals included!"

Lu Ren grew even more suspicious and wary. Ever since the Silent Forest Instance appeared, he had become sensitive about everything. It was rare indeed for someone to offer him such warmth.

"Isn't this a little too generous?"

Seeing Lu Ren's guarded expression, as though no pie would ever fall from the sky, Zhang Kui sighed. He raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the ceiling, his expression melancholy.

"This is the best of times, and also the worst of times. Material abundance has greatly enriched our lives, while the safe and peaceful conditions across most of the world have lulled humanity into comfort. The advent of guns and cannons has further accelerated the decline of martial arts. These days, who would spend twenty years working their body day after day, tempering their physique and practicing martial arts? If we don't adapt and promote it, martial arts may disappear completely in a few more decades."

Though he did not say it outright, Lu Ren understood clearly. Zhang Kui was saying that traditional martial arts had completely become empty showmanship, and that few people were willing to practice martial arts tirelessly, day and night.

Was it real or not?

Lu Ren hesitated and glanced at the Character Panel displayed by his system. Just working as a sparring partner tonight had made him feel that he had improved quite a bit.

"I'll think about it."

"I'll wait for your answer! Remember to come be a sparring partner tomorrow!"

Zhang Kui called out. Lu Ren nodded in farewell and left Li Ran Club.

Walking down the street, Lu Ren stared ahead with an unfocused gaze. He was thinking.

Based on Zhang Kui's behavior just now, the man had been extremely eager toward him. Lu Ren, who had never believed that pie fell from the sky, was not interested in that.

Perhaps Zhang Kui's kung fu really was powerful, but it did not mean much to Lu Ren. Even with the proficiency system allowing him to improve rapidly, the man's motives were impure.

Lu Ren disliked that very much, just like when Wang Gang, Luo Zixuan, and the others invited him out to have fun.

Perhaps Wang Gang and the others had only wanted to show off, but it was hard to say what Zhang Kui's true purpose was in approaching him.

That was why Lu Ren had acted so lukewarm just now.

After taking the bus for around forty minutes, Lu Ren got off at a stop not far from his residential complex and prepared to take a shortcut.

Cutting through an alley across the street would save him three minutes on the way home.

As he walked, Lu Ren suddenly heard a muffled whooshing sound erupt from the darkness ahead.

System: "Ding! You have encountered an ambush. Three people want to play some intense bondage games with you."

Complete nonsense!!

It was a stick!

Lu Ren instinctively raised his arm in front of his forehead.

Bang!

A sharp pain shot through his arm. Then, as his adrenaline surged, Lu Ren felt his arm go numb, and the pain was swiftly suppressed by threads of warmth.

"Ding! Because you have been attacked, your Physique Proficiency has passively increased by +1."

He was under attack!

Though startled, Lu Ren did not panic. He immediately retreated several steps in succession to open up the distance, only then seeing clearly the people who had attacked him from the dark corner.

There were three of them!

All wore masks and hats, black jackets, and gloves as they charged at him rapidly.

It was a premeditated attack, and a professional one at that.

When Lu Ren saw one of them pull a gleaming dagger from behind his waist, alarm bells blared in his mind.

His expression remained calm. As he retreated swiftly, he pulled a Telescopic Baton from behind his waist and flicked his wrist. The baton made two soft clicking sounds as two sections of alloy rod shot out from the handle and locked firmly into place.

He had bought this alloy steel baton online after Chen Wen could not be prosecuted due to insufficient evidence following the incident at the hospital.

Ever since gaining some insight into using sticks in the Silent Slaughter world instance, Lu Ren had become increasingly adept at wielding them. Especially this baton—a baton was still a stick.

Wang Gang, Zhang Qingya, and Luo Zixuan were not merely three individuals. Behind them stood their families as well.

It had been a cruel farce from the start. Strictly speaking, no one was entirely right or wrong. After all, Luo Zixuan and the other two had fallen for it the moment they entered; their real bodies had already died, leaving only impostors behind.

From that perspective, Lu Ren truly was the victim.

The three who had been killed in return had remained forever in the Silent Forest Instance world, leaving only Lu Ren to return.

Seeing Lu Ren's stance, the three showed slight surprise. They seemed not to have expected him to be so well prepared, but they did not stop. The leader raised the steel pipe in his hand and smashed it down at Lu Ren's head.

In a fight, one had to keep a calm mind. Even if rage burned in one's heart, one could not let fury cloud one's judgment. The moment one lost their senses, the only outcome would be failure.

And the consequence of some senseless fights could very well be death.

Just like now.

Lu Ren shifted slightly and tilted his head, allowing the other man's steel pipe to strike the muscles between his shoulder and neck.

At the same time, listening to the prompt in his mind, Lu Ren had no intention of retreating. His Telescopic Baton tore through the air with a whooshing sound as he swung it heavily at the man's head.

Thud!

Two heavy collisions rang out at the same time. Lu Ren felt his left shoulder go numb, leaving almost half his body without strength. An electric, numbing pain continuously surged through him.

The man holding the steel pipe did not even make a sound before he fell backward to the ground. Blood rapidly pooled from the gash split open on his head.