Lu Yuan nodded at the girl, thanked her, and then turned to walk to the second floor of the Origin Martial Arts Hall.
He greeted Cheng Peng, saying he planned to practice a little longer and that Cheng Peng could leave without waiting for him.
This was Lu Yuan's first time going to the second floor.
Picture frames hung at regular intervals on the staircase leading to the second floor and along the walls of the corridor there.
Nearly all the frames contained photos of the Hall's disciples holding trophies they had won in fighting competitions.
Lu Yuan examined them one by one.
Some photos depicted winners from city-level competitions, some from provincial ones, and the highest was from a national competition.
However, in one picture, the person smiling brightly, wearing a third-place trophy and belt, seemed to be in attire that didn't belong to the Origin Martial Arts Hall.
"Crane..."
Lu Yuan read the character printed on the individual's clothing.
The photo looked quite old, its edges slightly yellowed.
Was the Origin Martial Arts Hall previously called something like Crane Martial Arts Hall? Lu Yuan speculated, looking at the photo.
Just then, a somewhat authoritative voice sounded from behind him.
"What are you doing here?"
Lu Yuan quickly turned to see a medium-built man in his thirties standing about a dozen meters away, watching him expressionlessly.
Lu Yuan recognized the man at a glance. It was Coach Qin, the instructor for Cheng Peng's class, who had exerted immense pressure on Lu Yuan when he first came to the Martial Arts Hall to observe.
It was also because Cheng Peng had mentioned Coach Qin once sending a boxing post weighing over 100 kilograms flying with a single punch that Lu Yuan's strong interest in practicing martial arts had been sparked.
"Hello, Coach Qin."
Lu Yuan raised the application form in his hand and explained, "I'm a student in Coach Lin Zhiquin's class. I'm here for Coach Lin's signature."
"Oh."
The man's expression relaxed slightly, and he walked over to Lu Yuan in a few strides.
"What signature? Let me see."
"Sure."
Lu Yuan respectfully handed over the application form, though he inwardly exclaimed: So fast!
He hadn't seen the man make any distinct movements, yet he had covered the dozen-meter distance in an instant, almost like the "shrinking the ground into inches" described in novels!
Of course, the reality couldn't be that exaggerated. It was likely due to the man's high agility attribute or advanced footwork level. Is this the power of a professional Martial Artist? Lu Yuan marveled inwardly.
"A formal disciple assessment application form?"
The man glanced at the form, then swept his gaze over Lu Yuan and casually asked, "How long have you been at the martial arts hall?"
"One month and one week," Lu Yuan replied honestly.
"Have you mastered the three basic skills? Have you tested your Fist Strength? What is it?" The man fired off questions one after another.
Lu Yuan guessed Coach Qin was essentially pre-screening him for Lin Zhiquin. It was like being summoned to a subject teacher's office, only to bump into your homeroom teacher who would undoubtedly grill you: "What are you here for?" "Did you skip homework or eat in class again?" "Did you even pass that subject in the last exam?" It was pretty much the same principle.
Lu Yuan answered honestly, "I've tested my Fist Strength; it's over a hundred. I feel I've practiced the three basic skills quite well, but Coach Lin will have to be the judge."
"Hmm."
The man nodded, returned the application form to Lu Yuan, and casually pointed forward. "Go to the second-to-last office up ahead. Coach Lin should be inside."
"Thank you, Coach Qin."
Lu Yuan politely bade the man farewell and turned in the direction he had pointed.
Two or three seconds later, the feeling of being watched from behind gradually disappeared.
He reached the office door the man had mentioned. Before knocking, Lu Yuan glanced back in the direction he came from.
The man's figure had already vanished. Upon closer inspection, the old photo he had been looking at earlier also seemed to be gone, leaving an empty space on the wall.
Why would he take that photo? Lu Yuan wondered. He didn't dwell on it, though, as his own business was more pressing.
He knocked on the door.
Lin Zhiquin's voice quickly responded from inside.
"Come in."
Lu Yuan pushed the door open and went in.
He saw a modest-sized office. Inside, there was only one office desk, a coffee table, and a boxing post in the corner.
Some plants sat in front of the window, but they were mostly withered, their leaves yellowing, likely unwatered for a long time.
Lin Zhiquin was sitting on the sofa in front of the coffee table, smoking. The ashtray before him was overflowing with cigarette butts.
As Lu Yuan entered, Lin Zhiquin was extinguishing a cigarette.
"Who are you?" Lin Zhiquin looked at Lu Yuan with a frown.
"I'm Lu Yuan, Coach Lin, one of your students."
Lin Zhiquin really was unreliable. He was, by all accounts, one of the top-performing students in the class, yet Lin Zhiquin had no impression of him at all. It went without saying for the others. No wonder his classes were becoming increasingly perfunctory; anyone enrolled in his course was truly out of luck. If it weren't for his Profession Panel and his own hard work, the ten thousand yuan his father, Lu Xinghua, had paid for tuition would have long gone down the drain.
"Lu... Yuan... Oh, I remember now."
A look of sudden realization crossed Lin Zhiquin's face, though it was unclear if he genuinely remembered.
He picked up the pack of cigarettes on the coffee table, drew one out, lit it, and then asked Lu Yuan, "What brings you here?"
"I'd like to apply for the formal disciple assessment, so I came to get your signature, Coach Lin."
As he spoke, Lu Yuan handed him the application form.
Lin Zhiquin, however, didn't even glance at it. His indifferent gaze drifted through the slowly dispersing cigarette smoke to size Lu Yuan up.
"If I recall correctly, you've only been in class for a month? And you had no prior foundation, did you?"
"Yes."
Lu Yuan nodded, meeting Lin Zhiquin's gaze without flinching, and replied seriously, "But my Fist Strength has now exceeded 100 kilograms, and I believe I've practiced the three fundamental techniques well."
"Heh..." Lin Zhiquin couldn't help but laugh.
"You're saying your Fist Strength exceeds 100 kilograms?"
"Yes. I just measured it downstairs before coming to see you."
"Then hit me."
Lin Zhiquin, a smirk on his face and a cigarette between his fingers, stood up from behind the coffee table. He walked up to Lu Yuan and beckoned. "Hit me with your punch. Let me feel your Fist Strength. Don't worry, hit me as hard as you can. There's no need to worry about me—"
WHOOSH—
The sound of a fist tearing through the air.
Before Lin Zhiquin could finish his sentence, Lu Yuan's punch came thundering towards his face.
"Watch out, Coach," Lu Yuan warned, though the words only came after he had thrown the punch.
Beneath his eager expression lay genuine ferocity.
His father, Lu Xinghua, had managed to scrape together ten thousand yuan for this course despite their dire financial situation. And you, Lin Zhiquin, you damn coach, you're always late, leave early, or just don't show up at all! Out of ten classes, we were left to practice on our own for at least six of them! Hit you? Damn right, I'm hitting you!
BANG!
A soft thud.
Lu Yuan's fist was caught securely by Lin Zhiquin's right hand, but the force pushed Lin Zhiquin back half a step.
The smile on Lin Zhiquin's face had completely vanished, replaced by deep astonishment.
He stared blankly at Lu Yuan, his gaze suggesting he was truly seeing him for the first time.
"Sorry, Coach, I didn't hurt you, did I?" Lu Yuan gently pulled his fist from Lin Zhiquin's grip and scratched his head apologetically.
"No, of course not... there's no way you could hurt me."
Lin Zhiquin snapped out of his astonishment, muttering a couple of phrases.
Suddenly, he abruptly tossed aside the cigarette he was holding, his eyes lighting up as he stared intently at Lu Yuan.
That expression...
It was as if he had unintentionally pushed aside a pile of gravel, only to discover a shimmering diamond beneath!
"Quick! Show me the three basic techniques I taught you in class! Perform them for me now!" Lin Zhiquin urged Lu Yuan on, his tone hurried and insistent.