Once inside the building, Chen Chuan thought it over, walked to the public telephone, and called Cheng Zitong. "Teacher, I'm back."
Cheng Zitong's voice came through the receiver. "How was it? Everything go smoothly?"
"Very smoothly," Chen Chuan replied. "Senior Brother Ren taught me a great deal."
"Xiaotian is very experienced. Don't let his brazen name fool you; he does things strictly by the book. Sticking with him ensures you won't get the short end of the stick. Oh, right—since you made it back safe and sound, you're entitled to a cut of the pay. I'll speak to Xiaotian later."
Chen Chuan said, "Teacher, I really didn't do anything this time."
"Don't say that, and don't feel like you haven't earned it," Cheng Zitong countered. "On a commission like Xiaotian's, having someone backing you up is completely different from going alone. Even if you just sat there the entire time, that still served a purpose. The key is trust, understand? Having someone you can trust with your back at a critical moment gives you tremendous confidence. No matter how extraordinary your martial prowess, seeing you alone might give people ideas they shouldn't have—especially fools who love trying their luck."
Chen Chuan took the advice to heart. "Teacher, I'll follow your arrangements."
"That's the spirit. For every ten-day rest period this month, I'll arrange a commission for you. Do your best to complete them. You won't necessarily go with Xiaotian every time; I might have you handle some alone. The main point is to build up some experience and earn some extra pay along the way. Given your physical constitution, you'll certainly go through more medicine than others, so you'd better prepare more money."
Chen Chuan thoroughly agreed. Even if Cheng Zitong could secure baseline prices for him, taking medicine in large quantities would still be quite costly. It made good sense to save up as much as possible for future needs.
After finishing the call, he rode the elevator upstairs to Area 1. Seeing the door to Dormitory 2 across the hall wide open and several freshly unpacked items sitting in the living room, he recognized them and smiled. Stepping forward, he tapped lightly on the door.
With a whoosh, a figure darted out from the inner room. Spotting him, the youth cried out in pleasant surprise, "Brother Chen!"
Chen Chuan smiled and greeted him. "Brother Wei, long time no see."
"Has it been a long time?" Wei Dong looked puzzled and scratched his head. "I guess it really has."
Chen Chuan chuckled. "Not that long—just two months. Did you bring all of that old gentleman's belongings over?"
"I couldn't get used to the school's stuff," Wei Dong said. "Things from my own place are just easier to use. I moved all the big things over, and there are only a few small items left. I'll finish in a couple of days. By the way, Brother Chen, how did you find me? I couldn't find you at all."
Chen Chuan took a step sideways and pointed toward Dormitory 4. "Here. I live right there."
Wei Dong poked his head out, looked, and had a sudden realization. "So you live diagonally across from me! No wonder I never ran into you."
Chen Chuan thought silently to himself, *Brother Wei, when walking, you need to watch both sides, not just straight ahead.*
Wei Dong stepped back inside. "Don't just stand in the doorway—come on in."
As Chen Chuan walked in, he noticed a crate of sodas sitting in the corner. Shazhen soda seemed to be a universal favorite among peers their age.
He glanced around and asked, "With so much to move, why didn't you ask the classmates in the neighboring dorms to lend a hand?"
Wei Dong shook his head. "I don't like them."
Chen Chuan understood. Even though he had spent the last two months training incessantly, he had learned from sharing meals with Feng Xiaoqi and Luo Kaiyuan that the students across the hall frequently associated with upperclassmen from the Mutual Aid Society and had likely joined their ranks. Joining did not necessarily make them enemies, but the Mutual Aid Society was no charity. Accepting benefits meant returns were expected, which inevitably left one constrained. Staying clear of them when possible was indeed a sensible choice.
After briskly arranging his belongings one by one, Wei Dong dashed back with eager eyes. "Brother Chen, how about another spar?"
He raised a fist. "I've been training hard lately. I should be able to catch up to you by now!"
Chen Chuan smiled. "Sure."
Wei Dong waved his hand excitedly. "This way!" With thumping footsteps, he bolted outside.
Chen Chuan followed along.
Two minutes later.
With black and blue bruises across his face, Wei Dong lay sprawled on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.
Chen Chuan rolled his wrists and smiled. "Brother Wei, you've improved."
Wei Dong sprang up in a carp kip-up and squatted there, asking with genuine delight, "Really?"
Chen Chuan nodded with certainty. "Really."
In truth, Wei Dong's techniques had advanced considerably. Previously, he had trained entirely on his own, but now that he had people to spar with, his progress had accelerated. His resilience had also increased noticeably. Chen Chuan had initially held back, but when Wei Dong managed to take the hits, he had to unleash more force to knock him down.
Curious, Chen Chuan asked, "Brother Wei, who is your advising instructor?"
"Teacher Guan from the Sanshou Division," Wei Dong said.
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and recalled who that was. It was an instructor renowned for external conditioning Jin techniques. In this day and age, however, no matter how refined one's external conditioning was, it offered little defense against a firearm without protective gear, which was why few chose that path. Yet that was only under ordinary circumstances; with mutated tissue in the picture, it became a different matter entirely.
Wei Dong tapped his fists together. "Teacher said I can begin formal training in a couple of days. I'll spar with you again then!"
Chen Chuan readily agreed. "Sounds like a plan!"
After chatting a bit longer and telling Wei Dong to reach out if he ever needed help, Chen Chuan returned to his own dormitory.
Only upon stepping inside did he realize that rain had quietly begun to fall outside.
He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, listening to the patter of raindrops against the glass, and looked down toward Spring and Autumn Lake. Countless ripples spread across the water's surface under the falling rain.
At that exact moment, behind the administrative building in the Class B student teaching area, a group of students continued to train in the pouring rain across the vast cinder sports field.
A coach stood in the downpour, shouting harsh instructions at them: "You've been enrolled for over a month! Prepare yourselves for formal training as quickly as possible! The school has already prepared the medicine! Don't fear catching a cold, and don't fear getting hurt! As long as it doesn't kill you, push yourselves to the brink!"
A student suddenly raised his hand and shouted, "Teacher, I already started training in breathing techniques last month! Can I skip this?"
The coach marched over, glared at him, and kicked him straight down onto the cinder-strewn ground, roaring, "Did I give you permission to speak?! Whether it's necessary is my call to make! Keep training! Unless I say stop, you do not stop! Do you hear me?!"
The student scrambled up and bellowed alongside the others across the field, "Heard, sir!!"
Wind and rain swept east past the administrative building, swaying the woods atop North Peak.
In a garden villa halfway up the mountain, recommended student Xiao Ran was training in an indoor hall. A burly youth served as his sparring partner, while two hired instructors stood nearby to correct his form at every turn.
Just then, a young maid entered, escorting a middle-aged man dressed in training robes. She addressed Xiao Ran, "Young Master Qiu, Teacher Li has arrived."
Xiao Ran stepped forward to shake the instructor's hand, looking eager. "Teacher Li, can I begin formal training now?"
Teacher Li had him perform several movements, then kneaded and massaged various points on his body before nodding. "Young Master Qiu, your body is in excellent condition. You have trained for a long time and have taken almost no drugs that harm the body. You are ready; you can begin formal training."
Xiao Ran spoke with great deference. "Then I will be in your care, Teacher Li."
Breathing techniques typically required solitary self-cultivation. However, wherever there was demand, a service emerged. Powerful families specifically fostered specialized talent to assist their scions in initiating training. Yet such specialists required rare innate gifts and were exceedingly difficult to nurture, and the slightest error could cripple a student. To this day, Teacher Li was the only person in Yangzhi City skilled in this technique, and assisting someone required him to rest for a prolonged period afterward. Xiao Ran's family had called in substantial favors to secure his services.
Teacher Li said, "Please lie down, Young Master Qiu."
Xiao Ran complied and reclined on the lounger, asking curiously, "Do I need medicine applied?"
Teacher Li smiled. "No need. Young Master Qiu's body is precious. I will apply the medicine to my hands first, using massage techniques to let its properties seep in, and then guide your breathing. If you feel bored, feel free to take a brief nap. It will be over soon..."
Outside, the heavy rain continued without pause.
Chen Chuan stood by the window for a while longer before slowly drawing his gaze away from the curtain of rain.
He walked into the training room and resumed practicing Orthodox Sanshou and the Zhouyuan Jin stance.
Of the allotted three months, more than one had already passed. He had to intensify his training and master the Zhouyuan Jin technique as early as possible so he could bind the mutated tissue within the time limit.
Chapter 62