"An ant dared bare its teeth at a divine dragon? This was a little lesson for you!" Zhang Yu's face was full of disdain.
"Heh..." Lin Fan gave a soft chuckle, but there was no warmth in it. "Senior Brother Zhang, I'll certainly engrave this lesson in my heart. Can you teach me Gang-Breaking Fist and Gale Leg now?" He climbed to his feet as he spoke.
Zhang Yu gave him an icy glance, then flicked his sleeve and left, leaving Lin Fan with a haughty view of his back.
"Wait here." The words drifted back.
Lin Fan stared after him, intense killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Before long, an outer court disciple approached, his gaze toward Lin Fan decidedly unfriendly. "You're Lin Fan, right? Follow me."
Lin Fan followed him to a training room.
"Watch carefully. I'll only demonstrate Gang-Breaking Fist and Gale Leg once. How much you learn is up to you." After tossing out those impatient words, the disciple began demonstrating Gang-Breaking Fist, paying no attention to the anger rising on Lin Fan's face.
Only one demonstration? Who but a once-in-a-millennium genius could remember it? Zhang Yu, and you, you bastard-once I'm strong enough, I'll grind your bones to dust and scatter your ashes! Lin Fan cursed inwardly.
Though furious, he kept his eyes fixed on the disciple, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. Yet deep down, he had no confidence at all. Reality was not a novel; no one could remember every detail after seeing something once.
As the disciple demonstrated, he recited the key principles of Gang-Breaking Fist, making things far more difficult for Lin Fan. He had to remember not only the movements but also the verbal formulas.
Gang-Breaking Fist had eighteen forms in total. The disciple soon finished demonstrating them, but Lin Fan froze.
He stared at the panel, surprise and excitement surfacing in his eyes.
Fate bearer: Lin Fan Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence (with unrelenting perseverance, success is certain; no realm barriers of any kind) Aptitude: ordinary Cultivation technique: Iron Cloth Shirt (perfection) Gang-Breaking Fist (entry level 0/400), progress +1 for each practice.
Just like that, the Fate Panel had recorded Gang-Breaking Fist. At the same time, every form and every key principle of Gang-Breaking Fist was clearly engraved in his mind. He was fully confident that he could perform it.
I really remembered it after seeing it once. Am I actually a once-in-a-millennium genius? No, it must be thanks to the Fate Panel, Lin Fan muttered inwardly, his eyes remaining fixed on the disciple.
The disciple had already begun demonstrating Gale Leg. This time, Lin Fan was no longer anxious. With a cheat, he had confidence to spare.
Sure enough, after the disciple finished his demonstration, another line appeared on his Fate Panel-Gale Leg (entry level 0/400), progress +1 for each practice.
"All right, take your time practicing." The disciple's gloating voice interrupted Lin Fan's excitement.
Lin Fan coldly watched the disciple's retreating back. He closed the door and began practicing. With both martial techniques in hand, he could hardly wait to improve.
Then Lin Fan learned what it meant for the brain and body to each have ideas of their own.
Brain: "I've memorized it."
Body: "Sorry, I can't remember it."
Although he remembered every move and form of Gang-Breaking Fist, only when he actually began practicing did he realize how badly his movements were distorted. He could only correct them slowly.
His first repetition took almost an incense stick's worth of time. Lin Fan immediately looked at the panel, and the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
Gang-Breaking Fist (entry level 10/400), progress +1 for each practice.
Once again, a single practice added ten progress points, meaning that he only needed to practice forty times for Gang-Breaking Fist to reach entry level.
Unlike Iron Cloth Shirt, Gang-Breaking Fist was nowhere near as damaging to the body, meaning he could practice it many times a day.
"I'll aim to get both martial techniques to entry level today!" Lin Fan set himself a goal.
He began practicing Gang-Breaking Fist again. This time, his movements flowed much more smoothly, and he finished a repetition in less than an incense stick's worth of time. His improvement was obvious.
Meanwhile, in Li Feng's training room, Li Feng sat in a chair with one leg crossed over the other, while Zhang Yu stood before him, his head drenched in sweat.
"You're the outer court's senior-most disciple, yet you can't even deal with a piece of trash?" Neither anger nor pleasure could be heard in Li Feng's tone, but to Zhang Yu's ears, it cut like a bitter winter wind.
Zhang Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Junior Brother Li, Lin Fan had a stroke of dogshit luck and caught Young Master Tang's eye. If we get rid of him right away, it'll be hard to explain things to Young Master Tang."
Li Feng's expression darkened. "The martial academy has plenty of apprentices. One fewer makes no difference to Young Master Tang. What are you afraid of?"
"Junior Brother Li, this is different. Young Master Tang's background is very special!" Zhang Yu hurriedly explained. "Although his father is only a merchant, he has an uncle who serves as a deacon in a sect."
The word "sect" calmed Li Feng down. Of course he knew what a colossal force a sect was.
A saying had long circulated throughout the Great Yin Dynasty-the imperial family and the sects ruled the world together. The power of the sects was plain to imagine.
Jealousy and irritation surfaced in his eyes. "Are we supposed to just let Lin Fan keep wandering around right under my nose?"
"Of course not," Zhang Yu declared, a cruel smile curling his lips. "Young Master Tang instructed me to teach Lin Fan Gang-Breaking Fist and Gale Leg. I've already told Han Feng to demonstrate them only once. I refuse to believe he can learn them that way. When he fails to meet Young Master Tang's requirements as a living training dummy, Young Master Tang will naturally abandon him. Then I'll make him leave the martial hall on his knees."
Li Feng nodded, but he still had a question. "Aren't you afraid Lin Fan will complain to Young Master Tang?"
Zhang Yu smiled confidently. "Junior Brother Li, Lin Fan can say he was only taught once, but I can have a whole crowd of junior brothers testify that he was taught many times. Who do you think Young Master Tang will believe?"
A smile appeared on Li Feng's face as well. "Senior Brother Zhang, that's a truly brilliant move. When Lin Fan leaves the martial hall on his knees, make sure you let me know. I want to see him off on his 'final journey'!"
"Junior Brother Li, that's easily arranged. We're only crushing an ant to death. Nothing will come of it."
"Then let this ant hop around for a few more days."
In the course of their conversation, the two had already decided Lin Fan's fate. To them, Lin Fan was merely an ant they could casually crush to death. Had he not caught Young Master Tang's eye through sheer dogshit luck, they would already have trampled him to death.
Meanwhile, the ant in their eyes was immersed in the joy of making rapid progress with Gang-Breaking Fist.
Gang-Breaking Fist (entry level 50/400)... (entry level 100/400)... 150/400... 200/400...
Tireless, Lin Fan practiced Gang-Breaking Fist over and over, his fists whipping up fierce gusts.
Heat kept rising from his stomach and sweeping through his body, easing his fatigue and restoring his stamina. He knew the medicinal meal he had drunk at noon was far from ordinary. Its medicinal effects were much better than those of what he had drunk in the rear courtyard.
Young Master Tang, I really must thank you properly. If I have the chance in the future, I'll repay you a hundredfold. Lin Fan silently resolved. He had always drawn a clear line between gratitude and grudges.
As the sun sank westward, Lin Fan drew back his fists and stood still, exhaling a breath of stale air. He looked at the Fate Panel, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.
Gang-Breaking Fist (entry level 400/400).
In less than an afternoon, a newly learned martial technique had reached entry level. This efficiency once again filled Lin Fan with confidence in his path through the martial way.