Martial Arts Master

When Lou Cheng was about to fetch his clothes and take a shower, Qi Fang knocked on his door and came inside. “Cheng, you just won the Tournament. It’s a big thing in Xiushan. How about throwing a party? Let’s celebrate your victory!” She said with a smile.

“Mom, no need to make a fuss.” Lou Cheng said in frustration upon hearing this.

Qi Fang stared at him and said, “Why not? I do not want people to talk behind our backs. Saying things like our eyes are above our head because we do not want to look at them, or that we do not contact friends and family because we look down our nose at them after you won this championship… ”

“Just let them talk, why should I care…” Lou Cheng thought to himself. Suddenly an idea occurred to him. He put on a big smile and replied, “Mom, if you decide to hold a party, people might gossip more about us. Just think of it, if you are invited, will you go empty-handed? Help them avoid the expenditure. They will be happier. After all, it’s their hard-earned money… Plus I just threw a party last year for getting into the college, and now this? Who knows how many championships will I win in the future? Should I throw a party every time I get a title? People would hate our entire family for this. It’s not like wedding ceremonies where all the gifts and money will return to you one day… ”

He tried his best to make up an excuse, while holding his moms arm, and went outside together.

He knew he was talking nonsense but it did not matter. He had made his point and his mom wouldn’t feel so embarrassed about being refused.

Qi Fang did not quite get what her son was saying. She glanced at him, took a breath and said,

“Well, that makes sense… We will not throw a party then. But I will ask your dad to order some champion cakes to share with our friends and families.”

As a special custom in Xiushan, special cakes were made for different celebrations so that guests could take them back home as gifts. There were all kinds of cakes, specially-made for celebrating longevity, marriage, getting into college, having a daughter, or even having twins.

“Fine. Let’s do that.” Lou Cheng said and grinned.

…

The next morning, in Back Water Lake Park.

“That’s how you talked your mom out of this?” Yan Zheke asked curiously.

She was wearing a female martial arts suit with a sign that represented Longhu Club, and also matched the outfit Lou Cheng was wearing.

Lou Cheng was smiling as he said, “Actually, I did not talk her out of it… Now that I have more achievements in martial arts and more money, I’m more confident in front of my mom. When we disagree with each other, I still insist on my opinion. Now my mom thinks I am not a kid anymore. I am all grown up. I am a mature man now. So she will ask my advice and see what my attitude toward a certain event is. But in the old days, by no means would my mom ask my opinion. She would just say, ‘Cheng, we will throw a celebration party in a couple days, remember to act properly. Greetings always matter.’”

That was exactly how his mom celebrated his college admission last year.

Yan Zheke laughed out loud and said, “Do you think you can make your own decisions now? I hate it when a man acts like a baby that hasn’t been weaned. A grown man still asking for help from his parents because he can’t make a decision on his own. Funny!”

She secretly thought to herself, “if it was like that, his mom and I might not get along well. Luckily Cheng is not a mama’s boy.”

OMG, what am I thinking? Pooh, get along with his mom? I am not his wife yet!

Taking note of his fairy’s attitude toward this event, Lou Cheng put on a shocked expression and asked, “What should I do now? I think you might stop loving me.”

“Ahh?” Yan Zheke blinked in bewilderment.

“I do everything you ask. I never have my own opinion… ” As he said this, Lou Cheng could not help but laugh.

“Gee, you are so funny!” Yan Zheke said, amused by his words. She kept laughing until she gasped for breath. She continued with a blushing face, “Haha, remember your words. You better remember what you just said!”

After a few seconds, her facial expression finally became normal. She looked up a bit and cast a quick glance at her boyfriend. Her lips were moving as if she wished to speak but stopped on second thought.

“What’s wrong?” Worry clenched Lou Cheng’s heart as he asked anxiously.

Yan Zheke pursed her lip and confessed, “I worried about you just now. I did not want you to become unhappy because of what happened to Geezer Shi. But I see you are still joking, still being so humorous. I am so relieved that I almost mentioned it again in front of you, so I stop myself from making you feel bad again.”

Lou Cheng held the girl in his arms and sighed with a gentle smile before saying, “Actually I was feeling under the weather today, but I did not want my mood to affect the people around me. I will try my best not to let that influence my current state, to turn these worries into motivation, and to keep improving.”

This is the meaning of being a guardian.

“I can feel your changes. Back then, if we hadn’t seen each other for few days, you will definitely kiss me before morning practice… ” Yan Zheke said while comforting Lou Cheng jokingly.

“So I am not a qualified pervert right now?” Lou Cheng said as he adjusted his mood and chuckled. He lowered his head, ready to make his move, but she pushed him away.

“Nah, did I say it was okay? Just focus on your practice. Work harder!” Yan Zheke said and then ran away laughing.

Lou Cheng did not force her. After several minutes talking with Zheke, he already felt better.

Yan Zheke positioned herself and suddenly remembered something as she suddenly looked up. “Cheng, Song Li has been asking us for a treat. So I was thinking about inviting Sister Jing, Shuang Shuang, and your friends like Fatty Jiang. Without their cover-ups, our relationship won’t go so well. We should give them a nice treat.”

“Okay, I will call Fatty Jiang and the other guys at noon. Fix a date. Gee, he has been bugging me for a treat,” said Lou Cheng. He had no problem with this kind of social activity.

Actually, it was not a social activity, instead, it should be considered as reinforcement of friendship.

After their discussion, Lou Cheng and Yan Zheke started their practice separately. Yan Zheke was exercising Meteor Force from inside and outside while Lou Cheng just repeated his daily practice. He could feel his inner changes when his body was about to make a breakthrough. Upon finishing his last step, he finally understood Prairie Fire Diagram and Zhu Rong Diagram.

Without the help of the Jindan, he undoubtedly made no progress on his second try.

Yet he did not feel frustrated or sad at all. That was the normal speed he should have. He could not rely on the Jindan for everything. Plus, his master told him to slow down and work on his foundation. There was no need to rush towards the Dan stage. As long as he roughly mastered these two visualization blueprints, that would be enough.

After withdrawing his thoughts, Lou Cheng submerged his spirit into the diagram again.

The fire was burning so furiously that the Zhu Rong diagram had to suppress it. It looked a lot like his current mood. He wanted to improve himself as fast as possible and help his master treat his Burning Flame, but his sense and determination, like the Zhu Rong diagram, was telling him to slow down.

If the burning grew out of control it would only hurt himself.

Though he did not know the exact date, he felt he might master Zhu Rong Force in less than a month.

…

After trying the Sichuan style sweet noodles with Yan Zheke, Lou Cheng hurried home, took a shower, grabbed an outfit, and took a cab to Gushan Martial Arts School.

When he stepped into the entrance, the receptionist at the front desk immediately stood up and gave him her brightest smile. Her eyes became brighter as well.

“Coach Lou, you came back to work! Why not take a few more days to relax?”

She said, smiling timidly and full of awe, not as active as she usually would be.

“School starts soon.” Lou Cheng answered casually. His attitude was so mild that nobody would believe he was condescending.

While speaking, he passed the front desk and walked to the training room for VIP students.

“Hello, Coach Lou!”

“Morning, Coach Lou!”

Students in the summer class and disciple class stood in two separate lines, giving their warmest greetings.

Someone must have organized this… Lou Cheng shook his head while smiling. He saw Chu Weicai, Dai Linfeng, and Qin Rui there as well, standing in front of Wu Ting, Zhang Qiufan, and the other students.

When Wu Ting noticed his arrival, she guided people around. Everyone lined up quickly and greeted him together.

“Sir Lou!”

They were so excited and proud that their voices became loud and sharp.

“Do not assume welcoming me like this will convince me to cut you some slack. Those who took a break in the last couple of days will be found out easily once practice begins.” Lou Cheng said, standing in front of the team and smiling.

“Sir Lou, with you as our model, everyone works harder! Sir Lou, Sir Lou, now you are the number one youth fighter in our province, can you teach us some impressive movements?” Wu Ting asked with a smile.

She already learned to talk like an adult.

“Impressive movements? You guys are too young for that. If I teach you now, em… you might develop a stocky and imposing build. Do you want to look like a bear or a tiger?” Lou Cheng said while chuckling.

“Ah… ” Wu Ting, Zhang Qiufan, and other girls hesitated upon hearing this. Wearing an awkward look, they continued, “Then, then just forget it.”

Imagining themselves with a stocky and imposing build, they could not stand it!

Lou Cheng corrected their moves separately so each could complete their stance well. When he finished the guidance, he turned to three guys standing at the side and asked, “Master Chu, is there anything I can do for you?”

“Nothing important.” Chu Weicai said, and then laughed before changing the topic, “Luckily you aren’t living in the old days. Back then, if someone got a championship and the news went out, people would queue up to challenge them.”

Nowadays, it was the age of information. Through videos, people saw the fighters’ performance, and also had a pretty good grasp of his level, thus knowing whether they had a chance at defeating that fighter or not.

Moreover, among all fighters in Xing Province, those who were able to challenge Lou Cheng all participated in the Youth Tournament. That’s to say, nobody would be challenging him so soon after the youth tournament.

Lou Cheng’s sight swept across Dai Linfeng and Qin Rui. Suddenly, he let out a laugh and said,

“Master Chu, what are you trying to say? Somebody came for a challenge?”

“Who would dare challenge you? It is about my disciple. He wants some guidance.” said Chu Weicai and then smiled at Dai Linfeng.

Dai Linfeng spoke with a bitter smile, “I want to know how big the difference between us is, so I can set a goal for myself.”

Instead of watching videos, he’d rather have a real battle with Lou Cheng.

Dai Linfeng had a strong ego. When other disciples paid for a solo training session, he never got involved. However, after the Youth Tournament, his pride was gone.

Lou Cheng looked at Qin Rui, the other guys, laughed, and then said,

“Fine, but only for learning. That’s all.”

“Okay, thank you for your guidance.” Dai Linfeng postured with great respect.

When he finished his stance, Lou Cheng suddenly strode forward, united all qi, blood, spirits, and force, and got ready to explode all at once.

Pop!

His right arm was like an iron whip, immediately striking toward his opponent.

Dai Linfeng had no time to escape. He blocked the attack by lifting both arms, trying to minimize the damage to his body.

But when they actually made contact with each other, he felt a ferocious force coming toward him. The bones in his arms cracked as if they were about to break within the next moment.

It might really break.

Not only his arms, the momentum from the attack might even shatter his sternum.

He could be severely wounded by this one move.

Is our strength this different?

In a flash, Dai Linfeng suddenly felt the weight in his hand disappear. That Ferocious force disappeared out of nowhere as if nothing had happened.

Lou Cheng drew back his right arm with ease, put both hands on his back, and then gave a gentle smile.

“With the help of Internal Training Methods from special training, you are likely to become a Professional Ninth Pin.”

Dai Linfeng was both shocked and amazed. He looked at Lou Cheng in a trance, as if standing in front of him was a stranger.

Before this battle, he only thought Lou Cheng was an impressive young man.