Night falls in Xie Laodao's study.
After Chen Zhe finished brewing tea for Master Xie, he cautiously asked, "Master, how long do you think it will take to learn Zhang Kai? It won't be like in TV shows or novels where it takes decades, will it?"
Chen Zhe watched Zhang Kai practice all day today, and he felt a little apprehensive.
Obtaining a martial arts manual is a good thing, but can Zhang Kai really learn it? If so, how long will it take?
If it takes ten or twenty years, it would be better to have him practice marksmanship; that would be faster.
After all, even the most skilled martial artist is afraid of a kitchen knife these days, and he figured that assassins also use guns.
After putting down the book "Hun Yuan Ba Quan", Master Xie raised one finger.
"Ten years?"
Chen Zhe asked.
Master Xie shook his head.
"It can't just be a year, can it?" Chen Zhe's expression became excited.
Ten years is too long for him; if it were just one year, he could accept it perfectly.
But to everyone's surprise, Master Xie shook his head again.
"It's not 10 years, and it's not a year, it's a month."
"What????"
Chen Zhe was startled and looked at Xie Laodao in shock.
"Master, you're not lying to me, are you?"
"Why would I need to lie to you?" Old Xie rolled his eyes at him.
"But a month is too exaggerated, isn't it? Don't they say on TV that it takes decades to learn martial arts? I thought you were being conservative when you said 10 years, but you said a month... Master, this really seems a bit like a lie."
Chen Zhe felt like he was watching a TV shopping channel. He didn't want 1999, 899, or 199; he just wanted 99 to take it home.
It's no wonder Chen Zhe thought that way; after all, if a good product is too cheap, people's first instinct is to suspect that it's fake.
"So television has misled many people. As for skeletal memory, as long as you are willing to put in the hard work, you can master it in a month. That kid's foundation was not bad to begin with, and this handwritten copy is indeed a good thing."
As he spoke, Xie Laodao weighed the book "Hun Yuan Ba Quan" in his hand again.
Do you know what's so good about this book?
Master Xie asked.
Chen Zhe glanced at the book and, apart from being somewhat old and difficult to understand, he couldn't see anything different about it.
"Hehe, so being uncultured is being uncultured."
Old Master Xie said something without any mercy.
"Look at the words in this book. What are your feelings?"
"I……"
Chen Zhe looked at it carefully again, and this time he indeed noticed the difference.
"The brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, bold and sweeping, giving it a very domineering feel..."
"That's right. Good martial arts manuals are all handwritten copies, preferably written by someone who has a deep understanding of the martial art. Such manuals are the best of the best. We have a saying, 'It can only be understood intuitively.' Here, 'intuition' is very important. It is the soul of the book. As long as you understand this 'intuition,' you can achieve something in your studies."
"Master, if I can grasp this level of meaning, can I also learn it quickly?"
Chen Zhe asked with some anticipation.
Master Xie shook his head; "You can't do it. Your physical foundation is too poor. Even if you understand it, you won't be able to use it."
Chen Zhe was taken aback by those words.
"Master, I've had a medical check-up, and I'm perfectly healthy. Why do you think I'm so bad?"
"Hehe, those technological methods in hospitals can only prove that you are not sick, but they can't prove that you are perfectly fine."
Chen Zhe: "Then are there any tonics...?"
No! Even if I had one, I wouldn't give it to you!
After saying this, Xie Laodao kicked him out.
After being kicked out, Chen Zhe came to the courtyard and saw Zhang Kai still squatting in a horse stance. Compared to the daytime, he was in much better condition now. He was in a very stable horse stance and his back was very straight.
Seeing how hard he was working, Chen Zhe couldn't help but go over and say something.
"Brother Zhang, it's getting late. You should get some rest. You can't be too tired."
Zhang Kai said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, I was indeed a little tired during the day, but I feel much better now. I think I've gotten used to it. Actually, it's just a matter of posture. Before, when I was driving, I had to put in a lot of effort to maintain stability. Now, by combining martial arts training with that, I feel much more relaxed."
Chen Zhe nodded.
"No wonder the Taoist priest said you have talent; it seems you really do have your own understanding."
"Haha, I kind of understand. Actually, I don't think it's difficult. Maybe I'm just naturally suited to doing manual labor."
Chen Zhe thought of what Xie Laodao had said earlier. Xie Laodao said that his body was not good enough and he wanted to try to see if he really was not good enough.
He tried to squat down in a horse stance, but he fell to the ground before he could even hold the position for a minute.
"Mr. Chen, are you alright?"
Zhang asked with concern.
Chen Zhe stood up, supporting his back, his face flushed. He had originally thought he could squat for an hour, since he had already squatted for an hour when he first arrived today.
He felt that he was young and strong, and even if it wasn't an hour, he should be close. But he overestimated himself and underestimated Zhang Kai.
This thing really is something that everyone has their own expertise in.
There's no denying the power of talent.
"It's okay, it's okay, you keep practicing, I'm going back to my room to rest."
"good."
Chen Zhe pretended to be normal and walked back to his room. As soon as he entered, he frantically rubbed his buttocks.
"Holy crap! That hurts like hell! Martial arts training is really tiring!"
Just as Chen Zhe was accepting his poor health, there was a knock on his door.
"Chen Zhe, are you asleep?"
Upon hearing Xie Yuhan's voice, Chen Zhe quickly opened the door.
"Not yet, Xiaoyu. Is there something you need?"
Xie Yuhan hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's like this, Xinrui asked me to go out, and I don't know how to refuse. Can you help me persuade her?"
"Hmm? Zhang Xinrui?"
"Yeah, she kept messaging me after she got back that day, asking me to hang out, but I didn't really want to go..."
Chen Zhe laughed; "Why not go? You're about the same age and get along well, wouldn't it be good to make another friend?"
"That's true, but... I feel it's a bit strange that we only met once before we asked each other out."
Xie Yuhan has basically never had any female playmates since she was a child. The people around her are either her grandfather or her fellow students, so she is not very good at getting along with girls.
"Oh, don't worry. Zhang Xinrui is a good person. She invited you out, so she must really admire you. I think you should go."
"Huh? Is that what you think?"
Xie Yuhan asked.
"Yes, as they say, this is called best friends. It's normal for best friends to meet up and hang out together."
"My best friend..."
Xie Yuhan suddenly had some expectations for this word.
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
"Hmm, where are you planning to go?"
She asked me to go to a bar.
"Pfft!!! What? Why did I invite you to a bar? Bars aren't exactly respectable places!"
"Huh? Inappropriate? Doesn't your club also run a bar?"
“This…this is different.”
"What's different? Where is it different?" Xie Yuhan was genuinely curious.
"Oh, I don't know how to tell you, but bars are not a good place, at least not for you."
"Oh, okay, so you think it's a bad place? Then I won't go. I'll refuse her right now."
Seeing Xie Yuhan actually pick up her phone to refuse, Chen Zhe felt that he might have gone too far. Xie Yuhan finally had a best friend. If she refused this time, would the friend not invite her to hang out next time?
After hesitating for a moment, he still stopped him.
"You asked her if switching to a karaoke bar would be okay?"
"KTV?"
"Yes, nightclubs and KTVs are a bit safer than bars."
"good."
Xie Yuhan replied as Chen Zhe had instructed, and the other party indeed had no objections.
[Okay, Xiaoyu, see you tomorrow night!! Remember to dress up nicely, looking forward to it!]
...
The next morning, Chen Zhe returned to his apartment. As soon as he opened the door, he found Hu Ling standing in the living room, looking at him with hostility.
"Where did you go last night? Why didn't you come back or even call?"
"ah?"
Chen Zhe closed the door, somewhat puzzled as to why Hu Ling was using such an accusatory tone.
I don't need to report to her where I go at night, right?
"Answer me! Where did you go last night?"
Hu Ling continued to press for answers.
"Sister Hu, I went to Qingyun Mountain..."
Seeing that she insisted on asking, Chen Zhe had no choice but to answer truthfully.
"Qingyun Mountain?"
Hu Ling frowned slightly; "You went to find that young Taoist priest?"
"This... Sister Hu, this is my personal privacy..."
Chen Zhe didn't want to say too much about this matter. He didn't want to explain the origin of the martial arts manual, fearing that Hu Ling would press for details and what would happen if she tracked down the gold and silver treasures in the cave.
"Hmph! Personal privacy? You have no privacy since you live with me. You should know my current situation. I can't let anyone know I live here, I can't let anyone know I'm alive."
"Sister Hu, I haven't told anyone that you're still alive."
How can you guarantee that?
"I swear."
"A man's oath is the most useless guarantee; I don't believe it."
"Then what do you want me to do? I really didn't say anything. If you don't believe me, take a lie detector test on me."
Seeing Chen Zhe say this, Hu Ling breathed a slight sigh of relief; "I'll forgive you this time, but if you dare to stay out all night again, watch out for your life."
"Sister Hu, it's not that serious, is it? I just didn't come back for one night."
"Is it really that serious? What if someone knocks on your door at night, and I think it's you and I open it? What if someone sees me? How am I supposed to explain that? Should I kill them to silence them?"
"Well... okay, okay, I'll be more careful from now on. I'll let you know where I'm going, alright?"
"That's more like it!"
Chen Zhe's admission of defeat made Hu Ling feel a little less angry, and she noticed what he was holding in his hand.
What did you buy?
"Steamed Vermicelli Roll."
Hu Ling snatched it away, opened the box, and asked, "Why didn't you put in any chili peppers? Don't you know I like spicy food?"
Chen Zhe's lips twitched. He had bought the rice noodle rolls for himself and hadn't said he was giving them to Hu Ling. Didn't she say she didn't want any?
...
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