Chapter 5
Broken Mountain Martial Arts School
dong dong dong.
Boom boom boom!
Duan Xuan knocked twice on the door, and with a creak, the wooden door, adorned with two handwritten couplets, was pulled open from the inside.
"What is it?" A disciple dressed in a light yellow martial arts school uniform poked his head out and looked Duan Xuan up and down before asking.
"Greetings, senior brother. I've come to formally become your disciple."
"Looking to become an apprentice? Come in!"
Huangshe County is divided into an inner city and an outer city. The inner city, needless to say, is the highest-level gateway emerging from the surrounding mountains.
They live in the inner city, enjoying a good location, good resources, and ample security.
The outer city was also part of the county town, but it was neither as prosperous nor as safe as the inner city.
Most importantly, the outer city served a protective function, gradually expanding outwards from the inner city.
If a major trouble were to strike one day, the outer city would be the first to suffer. That is why there are many small-scale martial arts schools in the outer city.
This also gave a glimmer of hope to the poor people in the surrounding mountain villages.
Strictly speaking, this cannot be considered a martial arts school; at most, it is a martial arts training center.
Today is the day all martial arts schools are recruiting new members.
As Duan Xuan walked along, the streets were bustling with activity, as countless newcomers poured into other martial arts schools, while those schools also sent out their disciples to recruit new members.
Only this dilapidated martial arts school was deserted and quiet, with hardly anyone having stepped on the snow in front of the door.
Upon hearing the words "become an apprentice," the disciple in the pale yellow robe was taken aback for a moment, then closed the door and ran out.
Duan Xuan waited for three to five minutes before the door reopened.
The disciple who opened the door also wore a completely different expression than before—a smile!
"The master is in the backyard, come with me!"
The martial arts school wasn't large; upon entering, Duan Xuan glanced at only three rooms.
Between the three houses was a training ground devoid of snow, furnished with various knives, forks, axes, wooden dummy training equipment, and other such implements.
A dozen or so disciples, dressed in matching light yellow training uniforms, were practicing their punches with loud shouts and laughter.
But they were all tall and strong, clearly not like the newcomers who had arrived this time.
After passing through the front yard, Duan Xuan soon saw an old man in a yellow robe standing in place, his white beard mixed with black hair, and his face full of vicissitudes.
His movements were slow and he couldn't feel any fluctuations in power. In Duan Xuan's eyes, he was no different from the old man practicing Tai Chi in the park in his previous life.
But, just as the idea popped into my head...
boom!
Whoosh!
The sound of the blow was faster than the sound of the punch. Duan Xuan didn't even have time to see what happened before the solid wooden stake directly in front of the old man took a solid punch.
Strangely, the wooden stake remained motionless, and there were no cracks on its surface.
"Master, the person has arrived."
Chen Feng gave a calm "hmm" and walked towards the armchair with his hands behind his back.
As the two passed the wooden stake, Duan Xuan carefully examined it.
"Nothing's wrong? Then where did the hitting sound come from?" However, he pointed lightly with his finger.
Then they heard a sound from inside that resembled bones being crushed.
Duan Xuan's eyes widened in disbelief. Had the wooden stake suffered internal injuries?
"Which village?" Chen Feng's voice trailed off, and Duan Xuan continued to ponder.
"Shetougou, Duan Xuan, age seventeen."
"He's getting on in years, but he's very thin."
Alas, your blood and qi are far deficient compared to the average person.
I'm giving you this advice out of kindness: go back. You can't practice martial arts. At the very least, practicing martial arts can improve your health, but you'll die if you do!
Duan Xuan quickly bowed and said, "Master Chen, please accept me as your disciple! I want to learn martial arts!"
As he spoke, Duan Xuan presented the tuition fee, the amount of which he had already inquired about, with both hands. Chen Feng glanced at it coldly with his hands behind his back.
He walked up to Duan Xuan and groped around with his hands like a pair of iron clamps.
Because he was so thin, he could almost wrap his arms and legs around Duan Xuan's legs with one hand.
Duan Xuan felt as if he was being torn apart; Chen Feng's strength was extraordinary!
After thoroughly examining it from top to bottom, Chen Feng exclaimed, "That's interesting. It's a second-class talent."
Unfortunately, his vital energy and blood were too depleted, and his martial arts training ultimately yielded no results.
Fine, considering your decent potential and sincerity, I'll give you one chance.
If you haven't reached the Ming Jin level in two months, pack your bags and leave. Don't even dream about practicing martial arts anymore.
This is also for your own life, understand?
Duan Xuan immediately knelt on one knee and bowed: "Disciple greets Master!"
"I don't stand on ceremony. You're just a nominal disciple of my academy."
If you want to become my formal disciple, let's talk about it after you reach the Ming Jin level.
Of course, since you've become my disciple, even if you don't reach the Ming Jin level in the future...
Our college will arrange a way for you to support yourself, which will be a fair return on your tuition fees.
After listening, Duan Xuan felt that he had come to the right place. Regardless of whether he could learn the skills, this dilapidated martial arts school was at least responsible.
They didn't completely kick the disciple out, making all that money go down the drain. This can be considered a touch of warmth in a chaotic world.
"But with this system by my side, I can overcome any problem, no matter how big!"
"Alright, Zhang Chen, show your new disciple around the martial arts school and explain the rules. I'll give you your first lesson this afternoon!"
Duan Xuan clasped his hands in a fist salute and left with his senior brother Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen was tall and muscular. Even someone who didn't know martial arts could tell at a glance that he was a skilled fighter.
The temperature was still below zero, and he was only wearing a thin layer of pale yellow training clothes.
Standing at over 1.9 meters tall, Duan Xuan was almost half his height in front of him.
Seeing Chen Feng return to the house, Duan Xuan had expected a very awkward introduction.
When he looked up, Zhang Chen chuckled and said, "Junior Brother, you don't need to be so reserved."
I reckon that apart from you, no new disciples will arrive today.
Let's go, I'll take you on a tour of our Poshan Martial Arts School. We currently have thirty-two disciples.
There are currently twenty people in the institute, including myself; the remaining twelve are on temporary assignments outside the institute.
These are things you're not involved in right now. Do you want to rent a dormitory?
The dormitory costs only three coins a day; currently, we only provide lunch.
The standard meal consists of two steamed buns, a bowl of meat broth, and two slices of pork belly.
If you have a dormitory room, breakfast will be steamed buns.
In the evening, in addition to the above, there was also a dish of green vegetables.
If you don't want a dormitory room, you'll have to bring your own...
It took Zhang Chen more than ten minutes to show Duan Xuan the entire martial arts school.
Duan Xuan then realized that this senior brother, who looked tall and strong and somewhat fierce, was actually a real person.
Actually, he is a person with a huge contrast, being cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
And he's incredibly warm-hearted, always talking on and on, as if he has endless things to say.
As for the rules, Duan Xuan only remembered a few useful ones.
For example, one should not use force to bully others, steal or rob, assist evildoers, or teach martial arts to wicked people.
The master's wife, master's uncle, and senior brothers and sisters are all elders. When meeting them for the first time, one must bow with hands clasped and pay respects, and one should not address them by their given names.
Among fellow disciples, there is a hierarchy, with the one who entered first being the elder brother, regardless of age. Junior disciples must show deference and obedience.
Sparring and counter-moves should stop when the opponent has made a point; killing blows, underhanded tactics, and sneak attacks are strictly prohibited. Injuring fellow disciples will be severely punished, and repeat offenders will be expelled from the sect.
……
These align with Duan Xuan's values.
If a martial arts school is extremely lenient with its students, it may be extremely vicious towards others.
Colluding with evil people, and with disunity among his disciples, forming cliques and engaging in infighting, Duan Xuan will leave on his own in less than two months.
I received a set of rough, light yellow training clothes, just like the other disciples, and had lunch provided by the martial arts school. The afternoon arrived quickly.
Chen Feng stood with his hands behind his back on the training ground, just about to explain his family's Breaking Mountain Fist to Duan Xuan, when there was a knock on the door.
"Master, four more people have come to become your disciples!"
Boom boom boom!
Duan Xuan knocked twice on the door, and with a creak, the wooden door, adorned with two handwritten couplets, was pulled open from the inside.
"What is it?" A disciple dressed in a light yellow martial arts school uniform poked his head out and looked Duan Xuan up and down before asking.
"Greetings, senior brother. I've come to formally become your disciple."
"Looking to become an apprentice? Come in!"
Huangshe County is divided into an inner city and an outer city. The inner city, needless to say, is the highest-level gateway emerging from the surrounding mountains.
They live in the inner city, enjoying a good location, good resources, and ample security.
The outer city was also part of the county town, but it was neither as prosperous nor as safe as the inner city.
Most importantly, the outer city served a protective function, gradually expanding outwards from the inner city.
If a major trouble were to strike one day, the outer city would be the first to suffer. That is why there are many small-scale martial arts schools in the outer city.
This also gave a glimmer of hope to the poor people in the surrounding mountain villages.
Strictly speaking, this cannot be considered a martial arts school; at most, it is a martial arts training center.
Today is the day all martial arts schools are recruiting new members.
As Duan Xuan walked along, the streets were bustling with activity, as countless newcomers poured into other martial arts schools, while those schools also sent out their disciples to recruit new members.
Only this dilapidated martial arts school was deserted and quiet, with hardly anyone having stepped on the snow in front of the door.
Upon hearing the words "become an apprentice," the disciple in the pale yellow robe was taken aback for a moment, then closed the door and ran out.
Duan Xuan waited for three to five minutes before the door reopened.
The disciple who opened the door also wore a completely different expression than before—a smile!
"The master is in the backyard, come with me!"
The martial arts school wasn't large; upon entering, Duan Xuan glanced at only three rooms.
Between the three houses was a training ground devoid of snow, furnished with various knives, forks, axes, wooden dummy training equipment, and other such implements.
A dozen or so disciples, dressed in matching light yellow training uniforms, were practicing their punches with loud shouts and laughter.
But they were all tall and strong, clearly not like the newcomers who had arrived this time.
After passing through the front yard, Duan Xuan soon saw an old man in a yellow robe standing in place, his white beard mixed with black hair, and his face full of vicissitudes.
His movements were slow and he couldn't feel any fluctuations in power. In Duan Xuan's eyes, he was no different from the old man practicing Tai Chi in the park in his previous life.
But, just as the idea popped into my head...
boom!
Whoosh!
The sound of the blow was faster than the sound of the punch. Duan Xuan didn't even have time to see what happened before the solid wooden stake directly in front of the old man took a solid punch.
Strangely, the wooden stake remained motionless, and there were no cracks on its surface.
"Master, the person has arrived."
Chen Feng gave a calm "hmm" and walked towards the armchair with his hands behind his back.
As the two passed the wooden stake, Duan Xuan carefully examined it.
"Nothing's wrong? Then where did the hitting sound come from?" However, he pointed lightly with his finger.
Then they heard a sound from inside that resembled bones being crushed.
Duan Xuan's eyes widened in disbelief. Had the wooden stake suffered internal injuries?
"Which village?" Chen Feng's voice trailed off, and Duan Xuan continued to ponder.
"Shetougou, Duan Xuan, age seventeen."
"He's getting on in years, but he's very thin."
Alas, your blood and qi are far deficient compared to the average person.
I'm giving you this advice out of kindness: go back. You can't practice martial arts. At the very least, practicing martial arts can improve your health, but you'll die if you do!
Duan Xuan quickly bowed and said, "Master Chen, please accept me as your disciple! I want to learn martial arts!"
As he spoke, Duan Xuan presented the tuition fee, the amount of which he had already inquired about, with both hands. Chen Feng glanced at it coldly with his hands behind his back.
He walked up to Duan Xuan and groped around with his hands like a pair of iron clamps.
Because he was so thin, he could almost wrap his arms and legs around Duan Xuan's legs with one hand.
Duan Xuan felt as if he was being torn apart; Chen Feng's strength was extraordinary!
After thoroughly examining it from top to bottom, Chen Feng exclaimed, "That's interesting. It's a second-class talent."
Unfortunately, his vital energy and blood were too depleted, and his martial arts training ultimately yielded no results.
Fine, considering your decent potential and sincerity, I'll give you one chance.
If you haven't reached the Ming Jin level in two months, pack your bags and leave. Don't even dream about practicing martial arts anymore.
This is also for your own life, understand?
Duan Xuan immediately knelt on one knee and bowed: "Disciple greets Master!"
"I don't stand on ceremony. You're just a nominal disciple of my academy."
If you want to become my formal disciple, let's talk about it after you reach the Ming Jin level.
Of course, since you've become my disciple, even if you don't reach the Ming Jin level in the future...
Our college will arrange a way for you to support yourself, which will be a fair return on your tuition fees.
After listening, Duan Xuan felt that he had come to the right place. Regardless of whether he could learn the skills, this dilapidated martial arts school was at least responsible.
They didn't completely kick the disciple out, making all that money go down the drain. This can be considered a touch of warmth in a chaotic world.
"But with this system by my side, I can overcome any problem, no matter how big!"
"Alright, Zhang Chen, show your new disciple around the martial arts school and explain the rules. I'll give you your first lesson this afternoon!"
Duan Xuan clasped his hands in a fist salute and left with his senior brother Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen was tall and muscular. Even someone who didn't know martial arts could tell at a glance that he was a skilled fighter.
The temperature was still below zero, and he was only wearing a thin layer of pale yellow training clothes.
Standing at over 1.9 meters tall, Duan Xuan was almost half his height in front of him.
Seeing Chen Feng return to the house, Duan Xuan had expected a very awkward introduction.
When he looked up, Zhang Chen chuckled and said, "Junior Brother, you don't need to be so reserved."
I reckon that apart from you, no new disciples will arrive today.
Let's go, I'll take you on a tour of our Poshan Martial Arts School. We currently have thirty-two disciples.
There are currently twenty people in the institute, including myself; the remaining twelve are on temporary assignments outside the institute.
These are things you're not involved in right now. Do you want to rent a dormitory?
The dormitory costs only three coins a day; currently, we only provide lunch.
The standard meal consists of two steamed buns, a bowl of meat broth, and two slices of pork belly.
If you have a dormitory room, breakfast will be steamed buns.
In the evening, in addition to the above, there was also a dish of green vegetables.
If you don't want a dormitory room, you'll have to bring your own...
It took Zhang Chen more than ten minutes to show Duan Xuan the entire martial arts school.
Duan Xuan then realized that this senior brother, who looked tall and strong and somewhat fierce, was actually a real person.
Actually, he is a person with a huge contrast, being cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
And he's incredibly warm-hearted, always talking on and on, as if he has endless things to say.
As for the rules, Duan Xuan only remembered a few useful ones.
For example, one should not use force to bully others, steal or rob, assist evildoers, or teach martial arts to wicked people.
The master's wife, master's uncle, and senior brothers and sisters are all elders. When meeting them for the first time, one must bow with hands clasped and pay respects, and one should not address them by their given names.
Among fellow disciples, there is a hierarchy, with the one who entered first being the elder brother, regardless of age. Junior disciples must show deference and obedience.
Sparring and counter-moves should stop when the opponent has made a point; killing blows, underhanded tactics, and sneak attacks are strictly prohibited. Injuring fellow disciples will be severely punished, and repeat offenders will be expelled from the sect.
……
These align with Duan Xuan's values.
If a martial arts school is extremely lenient with its students, it may be extremely vicious towards others.
Colluding with evil people, and with disunity among his disciples, forming cliques and engaging in infighting, Duan Xuan will leave on his own in less than two months.
I received a set of rough, light yellow training clothes, just like the other disciples, and had lunch provided by the martial arts school. The afternoon arrived quickly.
Chen Feng stood with his hands behind his back on the training ground, just about to explain his family's Breaking Mountain Fist to Duan Xuan, when there was a knock on the door.
"Master, four more people have come to become your disciples!"