Chapter 123 – Not That Impressive, What’s So Funny?

“I have something urgent to attend to. Can you wait a bit longer? I’ll come to pick you up as soon as I’m done.”

“How long will it take?”

“About… one to two hours.”

“Forget it. Just send me the address.”

“…”

Lu Yuan hung up the phone, his expression unchanged.

Before he arrived, Lin Zhiqin had given him a number to call upon arrival. Someone was supposed to pick him up.

Lu Yuan had called while still on the high-speed rail.

After waiting at the station for fifteen minutes, he was informed that the person couldn’t come due to an urgent matter.

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded sincere, as if genuinely held up by something.

“Hey, handsome, where are you heading? Want to take a carriage ride?”

A girl with a bamboo hat, slim and dressed in traditional attire, had been watching Lu Yuan for a while before finally approaching him.

Lu Yuan was waiting for the address from the phone call. Following the direction of the girl’s sun-kissed arm, he indeed saw a two-horse carriage parked in the shade not far away.

The carriage was wooden, just like in ancient dramas, with plain curtains hanging on all sides. When the wind blew, it had a certain romantic, wandering-the-world feel to it.

“A tour around the outer city, passing by a hundred martial arts gyms, making you feel like you’re back in the world of ancient martial arts…”

The girl with the bamboo hat rattled off a practiced spiel, clearly something she had said many times before.

“Ding-dong.”

Lu Yuan’s mobile phone chimed. He picked it up to check, hesitating whether to experience the feeling of galloping through the martial world.

Just then, a middle-aged man with dark skin and a water bottle interrupted.

“Young man, think it over. This thing can’t go into the inner city, it can only run on certain routes in the outer city. It’s slow, and it’s hot inside. Worse comes to worst, you might still need to take a taxi afterwards.

Why not just take our taxi directly…”

“Is this how you steal business from others?”

The girl with the bamboo hat glared at him.

The middle-aged man looked indifferent, “This isn’t stealing business, just offering advice. Ultimately, the decision is up to the young man…”

After a brief consideration, Lu Yuan decided to take the taxi.

The girl with the bamboo hat wasn’t angry. She just followed Lu Yuan and kept calling out, “Handsome, if you’re not taking the carriage, at least give me your contact information.”

Thirty minutes later, Lu Yuan stepped out of the taxi.

In front of him was an antique courtyard entrance.

This place was quite remote; the taxi driver had mentioned it was already in the suburbs.

“Linghexuan.”

Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered slightly as he read the three gilded characters above the courtyard gate.

The blue-gray courtyard wall was engraved with many small ancient characters. After staring at them for a while, Lu Yuan realized it was a recipe.

Hmm, it described how to cook snake soup.

Interesting…

Lu Yuan called the contact person again, and this time, he was told to come straight in.

He stepped through the archway into the courtyard, where a stone screen greeted him.

Both sides of the bluestone path were lined with welcoming bamboo, and a gentle breeze blew through, leaving no trace of the summer heat.

The courtyard was much larger than Lu Yuan had expected.

Rockery, fish ponds, pavilions… Everywhere was filled with a serene, elegant charm, resembling an ancient garden.

However, after walking for nearly three minutes, he hadn’t seen a single person.

“No one guarding the entrance? Aren’t they afraid of thieves?”

Lu Yuan thought to himself, but then he remembered that this was the main gym of the Sky Water Stream Crane Style, and probably not many thieves would dare to sneak in here.

“I forgot to call Lin Zhiqin…”

Lu Yuan realized he hadn’t informed Lin Zhiqin of his arrival and was about to take out his mobile phone.

Suddenly, a voice sounded in his ear.

“Who are you? How did you get in?”

Lu Yuan was startled. With his current level of sensitivity, he hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.

He immediately turned towards the voice and saw two people standing several dozen meters away.

Communicating over a distance?

Lu Yuan was momentarily stunned but then calmly replied, “I’m a student of Coach Lin. I’m here for the direct disciple assessment.”

“Lin Zhiqin?”

With his excellent vision, Lu Yuan saw that the middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle and a ruddy complexion seemed to twitch his lips slightly.

The man then turned to say a few words to a young man who looked to be in his early twenties and then walked away.

Lu Yuan remained where he was, watching as the young man who had been with the slicked-back man approached him.

“Here for the direct disciple assessment, right?”

The young man had short hair and an ordinary appearance. There was a mark of a piercing on his left earlobe, but nothing was hanging from it.

“Come on, I’ll take you inside so you don’t wander around.”

When the young man spoke to Lu Yuan, his expression was somewhat peculiar. His eyebrows slightly drooped, as if he was smiling, but it was unclear what he found amusing.

Lu Yuan keenly sensed that the young man’s emotions were a bit unsettled.

Especially when mentioning the direct disciple assessment.

Guessing at the situation, Lu Yuan didn’t say anything and silently followed the young man.

The young man led him through the courtyard until they reached a hall where they encountered a middle-aged man with a short ponytail, dressed in white clothes and black pants.

He handed Lu Yuan over with a casual remark.

“Make sure to treat Martial Uncle Lin’s disciple well. They’ve spent a lot of money to get here…”

The young man instructed the middle-aged man with a ponytail, then smiled at Lu Yuan and turned to leave.

“Lu Yuan, right? I apologize, I apologize…”

Once the young man left, the middle-aged man with a ponytail apologized to Lu Yuan, explaining, “Senior Brother Tang arrived just as you got off the high-speed rail, so we really couldn’t spare anyone to pick you up.”

“Senior Brother Tang… Is he the…”

Lu Yuan described the appearance of the slicked-back haired man he had just seen.

The middle-aged man with a ponytail nodded, “Yes, that’s Senior Brother Tang. The young man who brought you here is Wang Xu, the candidate Senior Brother Tang recommended this time.”

No wonder.

Lu Yuan nodded and then asked, “How should I address you?”

“Just call me Liu Si.”

The middle-aged man with a ponytail smiled at Lu Yuan and then led him further inside.

The interior seemed even larger than the courtyard outside.

Everywhere was decorated with an antique charm—screens, calligraphy, paintings, antiques—each item looked like something Lu Yuan couldn’t afford to damage.

Liu Si led Lu Yuan to the innermost area, stopping in front of a room along a corridor.

Nearby was a traditional courtyard, surrounded by pines and bamboo, with stone tables and benches in the center. The environment was quite pleasant.

“You’ll have to make do with staying here for the next few days.”

Liu Si opened the door and handed Lu Yuan a key.

Inside was a tastefully decorated room, and at a glance, it had all the modern amenities, comparable to a hotel.

“All three meals will be delivered to you, but you can also eat in the dining room. It’s the second-to-last room you passed when you arrived. If you need anything, feel free to call me.”

Liu Si informed Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and then asked, “Can I walk around when I’m free?”

Liu Si hesitated and then replied, “You can walk around the entrance and nearby areas, but try not to go any further. The master likes peace and quiet and hates having people wandering around in front of him. It wouldn’t be good if you ran into him…”

“Oh.”

Lu Yuan nodded, indicating that he understood.

Liu Si quickly left.

Lu Yuan walked into the room and tested the lights and the bathroom faucet. Everything was in working order, so he sat down on the bed.

He was quite satisfied with the living conditions.

He picked up his mobile phone to inform his dad and mom that he was safe and had checked into a hotel. He had told his family that he was traveling to Weishan for a vacation.

Then he called Lin Zhiqin, but there was no answer.

He decided to send a text message instead.

Not allowed to wander, not allowed to stroll around, and the room didn’t even have a TV.

Lu Yuan felt a bit bored. After thinking for a moment, he closed his eyes and entered the Consciousness Space.

…

Deep in the tranquil bamboo forest.

A small stream meandered by, producing a gentle gurgle.

The rustling of the bamboo leaves in the wind created a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

By the stone table beside the stream, Lin Zhiqin and a middle-aged woman with neat short hair sat across from each other.

“…Back then, you defied the teacher’s orders and secretly let him go. Now that he’s back, he’s very likely to come looking for you, at least to see you. The teacher’s attitude is unclear, but it seems he’s still angry…”

The short-haired woman, with long eyebrows and fine eyes, and a smooth, wrinkle-free face, spoke softly as she picked up the sand pot on the table and poured Lin Zhiqin a cup of tea.

Lin Zhiqin’s face was solemn, his brows tightly furrowed.

The short-haired woman sighed softly and continued to persuade him, “This is such a good opportunity. If you seize it, the teacher might forgive you. Junior Brother Lin…”

Lin Zhiqin was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, “If he comes back to find me, I will report it to the teacher…”

The short-haired woman’s eyes relaxed slightly, but then she heard him continue.

“…But not to seek the teacher’s forgiveness. I did nothing wrong back then. Even now, I would do the same.”

“Junior Brother Lin!”

The short-haired woman exclaimed, a hint of anger appearing on her face.

Lin Zhiqin lowered his head and remained silent.

The short-haired woman’s expression turned helpless as she waved her hand and said, “Fine, do as you wish…”

She then changed the topic, asking, “How is Momo?”

Lin Zhiqin’s shoulders moved slightly, and this time he spoke up.

“The surgery is next month.”

“It’s good that the surgery can be done.”

The short-haired woman nodded. “I sent some money to Xinlan. You don’t need to worry about the surgery fees.”

“I…”

Lin Zhiqin pursed his lips, about to say something when his mobile phone suddenly vibrated.

He took a glance at the screen and quickly put it down.

“The disciple I recommended has arrived.”

The short-haired woman’s expression changed slightly. “Is it the one who paid twenty million?”

Lin Zhiqin looked at her and nodded. “Yes. But even without the twenty million, I would have brought him here.”

The woman’s eyes flickered, and she took a sip of tea, moistening her lips.

“I heard from Qin Feng that you have high hopes for him?”

“Yes.”

Lin Zhiqin nodded, a slight glow appearing on his face.

“His physical talent is excellent, and his comprehension is outstanding. A month ago, I only taught him the stance technique, and he managed to grasp the essence of the true skill…”

“How many times have you seen him?”

“Once. But there might have been a second time in private.”

“Perhaps it was just a lucky encounter.”

“Even so, it’s impressive enough. Besides him, I’ve never seen such an outstanding martial arts prodigy…”

“That’s just what you think.”

The short-haired woman spoke calmly, “Maybe this kid’s talent is as great as you say, but this time, you can forget about it. The position of direct disciple is almost decided.”

“What do you mean?”

Lin Zhiqin frowned.

The short-haired woman looked at the purple clay teapot in front of her and said indifferently, “Second Senior Brother has accepted a disciple on behalf of the teacher. He’s young, already in Organ Training, has mastered a true skill, and… has developed Crane Power. This so-called assessment is just a formality.”

“On all visible fronts, he’s far superior to yours.”

The short-haired woman turned to Lin Zhiqin, “Tell me, why would the teacher choose your disciple over his?”

Listening to her explanation, Lin Zhiqin’s expression became dazed.

Suddenly, a wave of dejection washed over him, and he held onto the stone table without saying a word.

The stream gurgled on.

The short-haired woman picked up Lin Zhiqin’s teacup and casually poured the now-cold tea into the stream at her feet.

…

Consciousness Space.

“Huff—huff—huff—”

Lu Yuan’s breathing was steady. His veins bulged, and the corded muscles on his chest rose and fell rhythmically like steel cables.

His large, iron-like hand gripped a figure by the throat, lifting him off the ground.

The figure flailed helplessly, fists and feet striking Lu Yuan’s arm to no effect.

He resembled a fish in its death throes.

The young man’s pale face had turned bright red, and the earlobe on his left ear was conspicuously swollen from the blood rush.

“Crack—”

Lu Yuan casually snapped the young man’s neck and tossed him aside like trash.

“His strength was quite average… I don’t know what was so funny.”

“Crack, crack—”

With a series of bone-cracking sounds, Lu Yuan’s body returned to its normal size.

“Let’s try that Surname Tang guy next.”

Lu Yuan thought, exiting the Consciousness Space.

After a brief moment of clarity, he closed his eyes again.

This time, his [imaginary enemy] was the middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle and a ruddy complexion he saw when he arrived—the one with the Surname Tang.

It’s said… he’s one of the direct disciples of the crane style.