Xiao Zihan, having returned to the dormitory of Dianheng University after dinner, found three additional people in the room besides Yu Zeming and Hu Weimin. The five of them had nothing to do and ended up playing poker. While others playing poker was understandable, seeing Hu Weimin doing it surprised Xiao Zihan.
As they were engrossed in the card game, they heard the sound of the door being pushed open. All heads turned towards Xiao Zihan when he entered. This allowed him to get a clear look at the other three people.
The other two seemed quite ordinary, and Xiao Zihan just glanced over them. However, the last person surprised him. It was none other than Wu Xiaofeng, the mysterious figure who had visited the "Minglin" Mahjong Club. How could he be here?
Although Xiao Zihan was extremely surprised, his facial expression showed a slight awkwardness, but he quickly regained composure. When Wu Xiaofeng's gaze met his, Xiao Zihan had already walked over with a smile, greeting the three.
The other two were very enthusiastic in chatting with Xiao Zihan, but Wu Xiaofeng was carefully examining him. He was certain that he had seen Xiao Zihan before, but for a moment, he couldn't recall where.
When Xiao Zihan extended his right hand towards him, Wu Xiaofeng smiled and shook hands with him. The two exchanged names.
Later, the other two also introduced themselves—one named Wang Mu and the other Zhou Tong. The five of them quickly became acquainted. Especially Xiao Zihan and Wu Xiaofeng, their personalities were very similar, and they started addressing each other as brothers.
While the two were engrossed in their conversation, Yu Zeming interrupted, expressing concern to Xiao Zihan, "Brother Xiao, be careful when you go out later. Your behavior at noon has angered a group of people. This afternoon, when I was wandering around the campus, I heard people discussing it near the boxing club. They said they want to find members of the boxing club to teach you a lesson."
Before Xiao Zihan could respond, Hu Weimin nervously added, "Comrade Xiao, you must not fight. That is illegal. What you did at noon was wrong. You better go and apologize, and it would be even better if you could buy something. According to philosophy, the world is first material, then consciousness. As long as you show something material, I believe they won't be mad at you anymore."
Xiao Zihan chuckled and said, "I hope so."
Wu Xiaofeng, showing interest, asked, "Why, Brother Xiao, have you made some serious mistake? Brother Hu seems quite nervous."
Xiao Zihan, calm and composed, said, "Brother Wu, do you think it's a mistake to use a little trick to pursue a beautiful woman?"
Wu Xiaofeng shrugged and said, "Even if it's a mistake, it's the right thing to do."
Others, looking confused, wondered what they were talking about. The conversation between the two seemed quite chaotic.
The next day at noon, just as Xiao Zihan was about to go out, he saw Yu Zeming coming back from outside.
"Brother Xiao, let me tell you something," Yu Zeming whispered to Xiao Zihan.
"What's the matter, Zeming, go ahead," Xiao Zihan said lazily.
"Brother Xiao, do you still remember that beautiful teacher? Do you know why, despite being so beautiful, no one pursues her?" Yu Zeming asked.
Xiao Zihan, intrigued, replied, "I don't know. Hearing your tone, it seems like you know. Tell me, what's going on?"
"I accidentally overheard this. They say that the beautiful teacher is a jinx. Anyone who gets close to her is destined to have bad luck," Yu Zeming explained.
Xiao Zihan was taken aback but then burst into laughter, "Zeming, are you kidding me? You, a high-tech talent, still believe in such things?"
Yu Zeming, however, remained serious, "Brother Xiao, I didn't believe it either, but it's true. Just think about it. She's such a charming beauty. Everyone should be attracted to her. Can you believe she has no suitors?"
Xiao Zihan nodded, "That's been my puzzle too."
Yu Zeming said, "Based on my inquiries, the beautiful teacher has had seven suitors: two rich young masters, three promising young teachers at Dianheng University, one student, and one wanderer. But look at the outcomes for these seven individuals. Both rich young masters ended up in the hospital; one was hit by a car, and the other had his head injured by falling glass from a building. Two out of the three teachers resigned from their teaching positions for no apparent reason, and one developed delusional disorder. The wanderer, associated with the underworld, accidentally encountered the beautiful teacher and pursued her persistently. Within a few days, he was chopped into a vegetative state by enemies and is still lying in the hospital. Only the student wisely retreated from the pursuit, and he is unharmed. Brother Xiao, you see, these are all facts. Be careful, and it's better to stay away from that beautiful teacher."
After listening, Xiao Zihan sneered inwardly. While it was plausible that one person clashed with another due to differing fortunes, it was absolutely impossible for one person to clash with everyone. If such a situation occurred, the only explanation could be an artificially created illusion.
Thinking about this, Xiao Zihan laughed heartily, patting Yu Zeming on the shoulder. "Zeming, those people approached Xinran because they lacked blessings and fortunes, making them unworthy of receiving the grace of such a beautiful woman. But look at me, Xiao Zihan—I am full of pride, sharpness, and courage, with just a bit of a fierce aura. There's nothing to fear."
Yu Zeming, wide-eyed, looked at Xiao Zihan. "Brother Xiao, don't tell me you already know the beautiful teacher? Is Xinran her name?"
Xiao Zihan gave Yu Zeming an affirmative look and said with a smug expression, "Kid, you need to learn more. When it comes to pursuing women, especially those beauties, if your skin isn't thick enough, you better step aside early."
Yu Zeming scratched the back of his head, lowered it, and said, "Brother Xiao, I understand. But knowing and doing are two different things. Isn't what Brother Xiao said similar to what the wanderer did?"
Xiao Zihan furrowed his brow, waved his index finger in front of Yu Zeming's eyes, and said, "Zeming, it seems like you lack the courage. Find a suitable opportunity to try it out, and you'll know that what Brother Xiao said is correct. In a few days, I'll help you find a candidate."
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"Brother Xiao, I can't do that, and you..."
"You won't know until you try. Just listen to me."
In the afternoon, Xiao Zihan visited the place where the four men were training again. He felt satisfied that their training had entered a good state. They were making excellent progress. Even Liu Jing, who had initially been rebellious, was gradually adapting to the training routine. Xiao Zihan was confident that, in two months, their overall combat strength would see a significant improvement.
After leaving, Xiao Zihan returned to the city center. Feeling relaxed, he took out his phone and dialed Yan Mei's number.
"Hello, how are you? I'm Yan Mei." Yan Mei's sweet voice came through the phone.
"Hello, I'm looking for Xiaohu," Xiao Zihan said in a flat tone.
"Hehe, really, it took you so long to make a call, and instead of saying sweet words to me, you're looking for Xiaohu. Do you not miss me at all?" Yan Mei said playfully.
"Haha, I just wanted to test how familiar Meier is with me. Now it seems to work well," Xiao Zihan laughed.
"Humph, even if you intentionally lowered your voice, I would still know it's you. Did you think changing your phone number would hide it from me? Xiaohu already told me; I have caller ID here," Yan Mei said, suppressing a smile.
Xiao Zihan's eyes widened for a moment, then he tapped the back of his head with his fingers, thinking he had miscalculated. He hadn't expected that his new number would be exposed by Xiaohu so quickly. He had initially planned to tease Yan Mei and Xiaohu, but now he was the one being mocked. Truly, the higher the magic, the higher the road.
"Hello, what's wrong, my big teacher? Did I hit a nerve and leave you speechless?" Yan Mei teased.
"How is that possible? My Meier, I'm just fantasizing about how proud you must be right now, soothing my lovesickness," Xiao Zihan replied.
"Hehe, missing me that much, huh? Well, I'll come to see you," Yan Mei said.
"Sure, I was just lamenting about being lonely. Your visit will fill the void in my heart," Xiao Zihan knew that Yan Mei had accumulated a large pile of unprocessed files recently, making it impossible for her to come over. Taking advantage of the gap in Yan Mei's words, he teased her.
The two chatted for a while, and then Xiao Zihan called Xiaohu.
Xiaohu, on the other end of the phone, enthusiastically talked about the progress of Xiao Zihan's student Cao Meng, praising Xiao Zihan's excellent judgment in selecting talents. He praised Xiao Zihan so much that Xiao Zihan started to feel a bit arrogant.
As they continued chatting, someone passed by Xiao Zihan, handing him a note and then quickly walked away.
Xiao Zihan was surprised and turned to look at the person, who had already walked ten meters away and entered an alley. The speed was so fast that it shocked Xiao Zihan.
Picking up the note that had just fallen into his hands, it read: "If you are Mo's son, please come to the New Life Martial Arts Hall at 6 PM."
No signature, just this short sentence, but Xiao Zihan's face turned serious. Mo was the alias for Xiao Zihan's father in the underground black market fighting scene. Although Xiao Zihan didn't often hear his father mention it, he knew the significance of this term. This meant that the other party must be someone from the underground black market fighting arena.
"Hello, hello, Big Brother Han, what's wrong? Did something happen? Damn it, if you don't speak, I'll think something bad happened. Tell me!" Xiaohu, who was happily chatting with Xiao Zihan, suddenly lost the sound on the phone. Thinking that something had happened to Xiao Zihan, he became anxious.
"Hello, Xiaohu, it's me. I suddenly encountered something here, and I need to deal with it. If I have time, I'll call you again. Teach Cao Meng well, and if the results aren't good when I come back, I'll punish you," Xiao Zihan said absentmindedly.
"No problem, I'll take care of teaching Cao Meng. When you come back, I'll make you marvel, truly amazed," Xiaohu said. After that, he hung up the phone.
Xiao Zihan checked the time; it was 4:25 PM, still ample time. He randomly found a small restaurant, ate something, then took a taxi to the New Life Martial Arts Hall.
The New Life Martial Arts School is located on the outskirts of Pin Gang City, to the south of the city. It is surrounded by single-story houses, except for the martial arts school itself, which stands as a four-story building. It gives off a distinct impression of standing out from the surrounding structures.
In front of the martial arts school is a spacious sports field, a rare sight among various martial arts schools. Acquiring a larger piece of land for personal martial arts school use is not easy, requiring not only a significant amount of money but also crucial social connections.
To the surprise of Xiao Zihan, on the lawn of the martial arts school's sports field at this moment, about a hundred students are sitting in an orderly manner. These students have their eyes slightly closed, palms resting flat on their knees, facing the setting sun, engaging in meditation.
In front of them stands a middle-aged man with broad shoulders. The middle-aged man remains motionless, resembling a long-standing statue.
As a gentle breeze sweeps through, causing the grass to sway, the lingering glow of the sunset bathes the meditating crowd, creating a profound and solemn atmosphere.
Xiao Zihan takes a few steps forward, gazing at the peculiar scene of a hundred people meditating, reminiscent of the tranquility outside the city.
"Stop, time's up," a heavy voice echoes from the middle-aged man suddenly. After the sound, the students open their eyes one after another, standing up with satisfied expressions, chatting with each other. After a while, they bow respectfully to the middle-aged man and leave, presumably for dinner.
After all the students have left, the middle-aged man turns his gaze to Xiao Zihan not far away and indifferently says, "You've arrived."
Xiao Zihan has already deduced from the figure that this middle-aged man is the one who gave him the note in the afternoon. He just didn't expect him to be the owner of a martial arts school, teaching his students in such a unique way, reminiscent of the methods his father used to train him.
Xiao Zihan nods slightly and asks casually, "Do you know my father?"
A glint flashes in the middle-aged man's eyes as he says in a deep voice, "You are indeed Xiao Du's son."
Before Xiao Zihan can respond, the middle-aged man suddenly changes his posture. His right foot lifts swiftly, sweeping towards Xiao Zihan's head like a gust of wind.
Xiao Zihan is caught off guard by the sudden attack, and the speed of the leg is astonishing, creating a fierce wind. Unable to dodge in time, he can only confront it. Both hands instantly lift, one in front and one behind, blocking in front of his head. At the same time, his body tilts slightly backward, legs forming a bow shape. When the middle-aged man's leg makes contact, Xiao Zihan's hands alternately extend, offsetting the powerful force.
By the time Xiao Zihan completely neutralizes the force from the middle-aged man, he finds himself five meters away on the grass, hands sore, and chest feeling oppressed.
"Not bad, kid. Your reaction is quick. It seems Xiao Du has trained you well," the middle-aged man observes Xiao Zihan with a piercing gaze.
Xiao Zihan calms his internal energy and furrows his brow, asking, "What do you mean? Are you testing me?"
The middle-aged man shakes his head, saying, "No, this is my challenge to you. You are the son of the Demon King, and I am the Evil General. You must accept my challenge."
"Evil General?"
"Yes, General Pufan."
"Where and when?"
"Here and now."
As Pufan's words fade into the air, the two figures move. Xiao Zihan understands what the title "Evil General" implies – the strongest warrior in the underground fighting world, second only to the Demon King. Just from Pufan's casual leg strike, Xiao Zihan can sense his strength.
At this moment, Pufan appears entirely different from the composed and measured man Xiao Zihan first saw. He now resembles someone on the brink of life and death, a desperate fighter. Pufan's kicking speed is unprecedented for Xiao Zihan. Even in his memory, not even his father had such speed.
Xiao Zihan initially wanted to use evasion to discern Pufan's kicking patterns, but after just three kicks from Pufan, he has to abandon that idea. Pufan's legs are truly too fast, leaving no trace to follow. Each kick is like a gust of wind from an empty cave, making it impossible to anticipate.
The whistling wind of the kicking legs brushes past Xiao Zihan's ears, startling him into a cold sweat and igniting an endless fury within him. While fists may not be as lethal as kicks, they are more flexible, especially at Xiao Zihan's level, where fists are equally capable of delivering fatal blows. Xiao Zihan's fists move like thunder, launching a continuous barrage towards Pufan.
Describing Xiao Zihan's fists as thunderous is due to the fact that, as he throws punches, he activates his unique Hunyuan Qi. Layer upon layer of Qi is applied to the surface of his fists, significantly increasing their power.
With a series of muffled sounds, Xiao Zihan's fists clash with Pufan's legs. Xiao Zihan distinctly feels a sharp pain in his fists, while Pufan is astonished at the pain shooting through his legs.
"Kid, I didn't expect your fists to be this sturdy, capable of withstanding my kicks. If I'm not mistaken, you must be using your family's inherited Tianyang Hunyuan Qi," Pufan confidently remarks.
Xiao Zihan is surprised to hear about the Tianyang Hunyuan Qi, something he has never heard his father mention. However, the unique Qi Gong he practiced does share some connections with the term "Tianyang."
"What Tianyang Hunyuan Qi? I've never heard of it," Xiao Zihan says with a puzzled expression.
Observing Xiao Zihan's expression, Pufan doubts, "Impossible. Didn't your father teach you?"
Xiao Zihan smiles slightly, saying, "Our battle isn't over yet. Isn't it too early to discuss this now?" Before his words settle, his figure disappears, and an immensely powerful leg strike suddenly manifests in front of Pufan.
Pufan's expression freezes as he senses Xiao Zihan's intense fighting spirit. According to his experience, Xiao Zihan's target with this leg strike is definitely not his chest. True to his instincts, just as he is about to react, Xiao Zihan's leg changes direction. The leg moves with three sudden and phantom-like flashes, appearing unexpectedly at Pufan's right shoulder.
Pufan silently praises his wealth of experience; otherwise, Xiao Zihan's leg strike would have inflicted severe damage. He pivots his shoulder, avoiding the leg, and seizes the opportunity while Xiao Zihan is retracting his leg, launching his own explosive kick.
Seeing Pufan's leg rising, a wicked smile appears on Xiao Zihan's lips. As Pufan's kick approaches, Xiao Zihan channels his Qi into his palm, swiftly tracing a rotating arc. This arc carries a vortex-like Qi, resembling a small tornado, facing Pufan.
Pufan is startled, feeling a numbness spreading from his legs to his brain. Realizing the danger, he urgently swings his right fist, attempting to use it as a countermeasure.
However, in the instant Xiao Zihan's body makes contact with Pufan's leg, he mysteriously shifts sideways, appearing at Pufan's side. His left leg rises, delivering another powerful kick.
At this moment, Pufan finds himself in a predicament. He didn't expect Xiao Zihan to master the use of Qi so skillfully, allowing him to move freely using the power of Qi. Seeing Xiao Zihan's leg striking like thunder, he shouts loudly, crossing his arms in front of his head, adopting a cross-defense technique to withstand Xiao Zihan's powerful leg strike. At this point, he has no other choice.