[Dear readers, if you're enjoying this fan fiction, I'd love to hear your thoughts—so don't forget to leave a comment! Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to help the story grow, please consider dropping a few power stones and adding it to your collection. Every bit of encouragement keeps me inspired to write more!]
[Big Chapter]
[2100 words]
Morning light streamed in through the window as Bruce opened his eyes. Another day, another chance to grow.
His morning routine had taken on a comforting rhythm. He washed up and headed downstairs to find Uncle already awake, sipping tea and flipping through an old scroll. Jackie was nearby, sweeping the training area with slow, easy motions.
Bruce greeted them both, then began his exercises—push-ups, squats, running laps in the alley behind the shop and more.
Jackie occasionally glanced over, nodding in approval at Bruce's growing strength, control and stamina.
There was no Chi Understanding session today. Bruce had made a decision—and he was sticking to it.
Instead, when he finished his workout, he sat cross-legged in the training corner and meditated.
He slowed his breathing, allowing his awareness to explore the sensation of his inner pathways. No force. No pressure. Just observation and mapping.
Occasionally, he would jot down notes for potential new Intents that might guide him in the future.
[Calligraphy Club Begins]
School passed by quickly until lunch, where Bruce joined Tao, Gua Minghao, Feifei, and the ever-quiet sketcher, Liang. Their table—the Geek Table—had become his comfort zone. Today's topic was Qin Yue.
"She's like the empress of our grade," Feifei whispered, eyes flicking toward the club noticeboard. "Smart, stoic, terrifying."
"She is also the president of Calligraphy Club, Bruce," Tao added. "Calligraphy Club is crazy strict on entry qualification and only the talented are allowed, Dude!."
Bruce gave a quiet nod. He'd submitted the form yesterday and today, he would see what all the seriousness was about.
[The Clubroom]
After classes ended, Bruce headed toward the Calligraphy Club room. The scent of fresh ink and aged wood greeted him.
Inside, a serene atmosphere blanketed the room. Wide tables lined the space, each with ink stones, paper scrolls, and brushes. A few windows were open, letting the late afternoon breeze carry the smell of dried herbs and old parchment.
Uncle had given Bruce an old wooden-handled brush carved with faint sigils, a bundle of absorbent rice paper, and a small bottle of thick black ink.
A hush fell over the students as the club's teacher entered.
An elderly man with silver hair tied in a loose topknot and sharp eyes beneath bushy brows stepped into the room. His posture was straight, his expression unreadable and was looking straight at the new member-Bruce
"I am Master Hou Xian," he announced with quiet authority. "Calligraphy is not just an art. It reveals the soul. If your hands are not steady, your spirit is not ready."
The air tensed. All seventeen students—including Zhao Lifen and Qin Yue—stood in silence.
"I will train you with the basics, but in one week, you will present your first script. If it shows no effort or potential, you will leave. This is not a hobby club."
Bruce bowed respectfully. "Understood, Teacher Hou."
Zhao Lifen smirked, arms folded, as if she already imagined Bruce being escorted out. But Qin Yue's face remained still, her focus already on her brush.
[The First Lesson]
Master Hou began with the foundational stroke: Heng—the horizontal line. He demonstrated how to dip the brush, the exact angle to hold it, and how to steady the breath and hand movement.
Bruce listened to his voice and watched his movements carefully, following every motion. His first attempts were shaky. Ink bled at the wrong corners. His fingers twitched from unfamiliarity, but he adjusted fast. Slowed down his pace. Focused and improved stroke by stroke.
Around him, others worked in practiced silence.
Qin Yue's brush moved like water—deliberate, precise but sometimes it was sharp, as if she wrote to strike and she was one of three in the whole class to get Master Hou recognition
The other two- A bespectacled boy from Class 2 who has a strange rhythmic tempo, almost like he was composing music. The next one is a quiet girl at the far end humming softly as she paints flowing characters of some kind of poetry.
Bruce kept working and also observing others, but Qin Yue in particular. He was correcting his mistakes by watching her.
When Master Hou passed by his seat, he paused and looked down. He didn't say anything and walked on, but Bruce took that as a win and continued to focus.
[Evening Routine]
After class, Bruce returned home, reporting the club activities over dinner. Uncle raised an eyebrow and commented.
"A brush teaches more patience than a sword."
Bruce nodded. "I'll need more ink and paper though."
"Aiyah! No worry, Uncle provide"
"One More thing! remember—every drop of ink like blood. Do not waste."
"Understood, Uncle."
The week passed in a steady rhythm
Mornings: Strength and endurance training under Jackie's watchful eye.
Midday: School was fun, studying was easy, hanging out with friends.
Evenings: Meditation, brainstorming Intents for Chi or silent drills with brush and ink..
Each night, he read the Ancient Language and Paper Talisman Book, noting links between the script forming meaning and energy channels. Slowly, he began to understand the thread connecting language to the energy flow from Chi to make a proper Paper Talisman.
His notes were growing thicker and by the end of the week, Bruce stood in his room, looking at the tidy lines he had drawn that evening. Not perfect. But better.
On his desk sat the photo of his parents and old Bruce. He smiled at it and whispered. "One step….. No, one stroke at a time."
He capped the ink bottle, closed his journal, and turned out the light.
Tomorrow would bring new strokes, new trials—but he was ready and just like that months passed by.
[Time Skip] [Months Later]
[Progress, Companionship and Challenge]
Spring had deepened into early summer and the campus of Wanshan Middle School was awash with the gentle rustle of leaves and the murmurs of students preparing for final exams.
The scent of ink and paper clung to Bruce's sleeves more than ever now—his days were packed, but fulfilling.
After consistent effort, Bruce had become a part of the Calligraphy Club. He wasn't just accepted—he was lauded. His talent, raw yet precise, had stunned even the elderly master who led the club.
"You've got hands that understand the soul of ink," the teacher had said after looking at Bruce's third submission. The other students, including the cold and ever-elegant Qin Yue, couldn't deny the truth about his talent.
She didn't say anything, of course—just nodded slightly, her expression unreadable as always but Zhao Lifen's expression soured as her eyes settled on Bruce, who stood basking in the quiet glow of his growing talent.
Jealousy flickered behind her cold gaze, her mood darkening with every passing moment.
At home, Uncle had gifted Bruce a set of hand-carved calligraphy tools—a brush with a polished sandalwood handle, handmade rice papers from a temple in Taiwan, and ink made from powdered herbs and resin.
"Only tools made with patience can teach patience," Uncle had said, placing the set gently into Bruce's hands.
He thanked Uncle for the gift and was determined to improve the quality of his work, now that he has gotten hold of better tools to elevate his output
In the past months Bruce made significant progress in everything he's been working at
[Completed Chi Mapping]
"Your chi mapping is complete?" Uncle asked with raised eyebrows.
Bruce nodded. "Every meridian. I marked out pressure points too. No more unknown pathways or repeated feedback loops."
Jackie grinned. "Your form's improved too. Strength, balance, even breath control."
Bruce smiled sheepishly. "Still not as good as you."
Uncle sipped his tea. "You're not trying to be him. You're mastering you."
[Completed Paper Talisman Book]
"I finally finished translating the paper talisman book. It's… incredible. I even made my own side notes."
Uncle's eyes gleamed. "Let me see them later. You're beginning to think like a proper talisman scribe. What about Ancient Language?" he questioned
"I can understand it, but can't handle complex meaning.. for now."
[Strong Body and Martial Arts]
Bruce had officially begun formal martial arts training, after uncle confirmed that his Chi was no longer leaking. His body has been tempered through months of training and was finally able to handle his Wild Chi.
Jackie offered options like Hung Gar, Praying Mantis, Northern Shaolin, but Bruce chose Wing Chun.
Effective close-range, efficient and the most important factor was Ip Man.
Ip Man movies moved him in his previous life and wanted his first Martial Arts to be Wing Chun.
Uncle nodded in approval. "Will suit you. Short bursts, Rapid Punches and Quick Defense. Well Balanced."
Training sessions were intense. Jackie demonstrated Wing Chun-punches that flowed like rivers, blocks that curved like wind, and steps that rooted like mountains.
Bruce mimicked, sweated, and improved.
His current morning workouts started with a blend of traditional strength training with martial arts conditioning.
Squats, push-ups, stance holds and more. Then followed by bursts of Wing Chun forms and drills. Punches rolled off his shoulders in tight, clean motions, the sound of fists slicing air echoing through the room.
Then came the biggest development
[Breakthrough in Chi Understanding]
Bruce stood in the kitchen one night, after dinner, hands clasped behind his back, looking nervous.
"I wanted to tell you guys something," Bruce said. "I figured out my Intent."
Uncle put his cup down. Jackie paused doing the dishes.
"I thought about it every day for the past few months," Bruce continued. "Why was my chi fluctuating so much? It wasn't just power—it was like a wild beast... but not malicious. Just... misunderstood."
He looked at them both, steady now.
"My intent is Companionship. I stopped trying to control my Chi and started treating it as an equal, a partner. Not a tool!"
Jackie blinked in awe. "You… already...." he wasn't able to finish as he was in shock
"It's working. After every session, the flares are smaller. The surges are stable. It's not tamed... but it's listening now." Bruce said
Uncle leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Bruce… that level of resonance? Aiyah! My own master—the strongest chi user I've ever known—took years to grasp that. You did it in months. Months!!!."
Bruce scratched his head. "I guess I really wanted a friend."
Silence stretched—until Jackie clapped Bruce on the back and burst out laughing.
"You're talent is scary, kid." Jackie said while laughing and Uncle also nodded, but both of their voices held happiness that Bruce had succeeded and were proud of him
What came next, after all those hard-won successes, was something Bruce hadn't trained for—drama. Not the kind found in ancient scrolls or whispered legends, but the kind that brewed in school: pure, unfiltered school drama.
One day after school, Bruce and his friends were walking past the school gates when they saw Zhao Lifen, standing across the road. She wasn't alone. Her underlings were around, but a new one stood next to her.
Beside her stood a broad-shouldered high schooler, muscles bulging under a tight shirt, crew-cut hair gleaming under the sun. His name, whispered by Tao, was Feng Jinhai.
He grinned, flashing perfect teeth. "So you're the middle school genius. I heard you've been mouthing off."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Huh? I don't even know you."
Feng sneered. "Your face irritates me. You've got one week for final exams, after that we fight."
"Why would I do that?" he asked intrigued
"If you win, you take my position in the High School Ranking and a small bonus of 20,000 dollars, but If I win, you immediately drop out of Wanshan. Simple."
Bruce yawned. "Oh, an evil henchman arc. How classic but, What is this ranking?" he questioned.
"Go bother someone else with questions!" he said, his voice laced with irritation and unmistakable arrogance.
Tao whispered, "Bruce… Wanshan Highschool has a ranking system for martial artists. It's unofficial, but big! I'll explain it later!"
Bruce stared at Feng, then at Zhao Lifen who was smirking behind him.
"Fine," Bruce said. "Send the location."
Feng snorted. "You don't even have a phone, do you?"
"I don't need one. My friend does." He pointed at Tao. "Send it to him."
As Feng walked away, Bruce added, " I might be a beginner, but I'm very enthusiastic."
Feng glanced back and smirked. "When we fight, you'll know what despair really feels like."
News spread like wildfire. Wanshan Middle and Highschool were abuzz with talk of the match.
Qin Yue heard of it, of course. She didn't say anything—just gazed at Bruce longer than usual during the calligraphy club.
For Bruce, the days leading up to the exam were normal on the surface. But inside, the fire was lit. He wouldn't just pass these school exams. He would crush it....
-----END-----
[Dear readers, if you're enjoying this fan fiction, I'd love to hear your thoughts—so don't forget to leave a comment! Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to help the story grow, please consider dropping a few power stones and adding it to your collection. Every bit of encouragement keeps me inspired to write more!]