When they reached the school gate, they all hopped on their bicycles and headed for the riverside beach on the city's outskirts.
There was a stretch of beach along the river with soft, clean sand, perfect for running, jumping, and roughhousing.
"When I'm rich, I'm going to build my own private Martial Arts Hall, with all the best, top-of-the-line equipment!"
Cui Jian fantasized about the future as he rode his bike.
"Then I'll hire seven or eight sparring partners to train with me every day and keep my skills sharp!"
Hearing Cui Jian's words, a thought struck Zhao Rui. 'Since I'm planning on sparring anyway, why not get paid for it?'
'A decent job as a private sparring partner wouldn't be bad at all!'
'It'd be just like private tutoring in my past life.'
'But I'd have to find someone reliable. This world is far more chaotic than my last one.'
Since they were outdoors, the three of them didn't need to wear protective gear. They had all reached the rank of Third-level Martial Artist, so they had at least some basic control over their strength.
After a quick warm-up, they began to spar. Free from their teacher's restrictive rules, the three of them held nothing back and immediately launched into a free-for-all.
Unorthodox techniques appeared one after another, their movements dazzling. They even unleashed techniques they wouldn't dare use in front of their teacher.
One moment, Zhao Rui and Cui Jian would team up against Bai Xuening. The next, Bai Xuening and Cui Jian would join forces, attacking Zhao Rui from high and low.
Cui Jian's style was all about grand, sweeping motions. Each technique was immensely powerful, like a rolling boulder that could sweep away an army.
Zhao Rui's Cyan Cloud Palm balanced both internal and external training. At times it was fierce and resolute, at others, flexible and nimble, like a tiger lurking in the tall grass, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
But whether they attacked with ferocity or agility, neither could shake Bai Xuening, whose power was rooted in the ground, her stance as firm as a mountain.
In the midst of the fight, Bai Xuening used a downward plowing hand technique with her pale arms, her knees bent slightly into a classic Wing Chun stance. In a flash, she shifted into a triangular step, and her fists blurred into a sky full of silver stars.
Her left fist executed a Continuous Sun Character Punch straight for Zhao Rui's face, while her right palm, a Pillow Hand Ambush, struck at the weak point on Cui Jian's waist. At the same time, her knee shot out like a venomous dragon leaving its cave. It was the devastating three-in-one technique, Small Thought: Three Bowing to Buddha.
With a single technique, she forced back two opponents. The longer she fought, the more stable she became, and her movements grew ever smoother.
After sparring for some time, it had devolved into Zhao Rui and Cui Jian ganging up on Bai Xuening.
The young woman handled their combined assault effortlessly, without a hint of panic. In fact, she seemed on the verge of launching a counterattack!
"Alright, that's enough! No more fighting!"
Bai Xuening executed a sweeping lotus palm, forcing the two boys back. She leaped away, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, and said in a clear voice, "You two ganging up on me is too much. I can barely hold on."
Cui Jian's cheek twitched. "I feel like *we're* the ones who can barely hold on," he said, a hint of envy in his voice. "Your Yong Chun Boxing is seriously impressive!"
Zhao Rui chuckled. "Let's take a break. I'll go buy us some drinks."
With that, he started walking toward the small snack stand at the edge of the beach.
"I'll go with you!"
Hearing this, Bai Xuening happily skipped along after him.
The stars twinkled in the night sky. In her white dress, the girl seemed to dance as she walked, like a fragrant, new-bloomed plum blossom adorning the inky heavens.
Zhao Rui glanced at her, and like Cui Jian, he couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
'This is the advantage of having a master teacher,' he thought. 'Her Cultivation Technique is top-notch. As soon as she gains enough experience, her combat prowess will skyrocket.'
'It's nothing like those half-assed, dime-a-dozen techniques.'
The Yong Chun Inquiry Cultivation Technique that Bai Xuening practiced was an Inner Sect Technique from the Emei Sect, one perfectly suited for women. When paired with the Emei Internal Heart Method, it produced a uniquely sharp yet graceful aura.
Taihang Thirteen Palms, Progress: 73%,
Yong Chun Inquiry, Progress: 15%!
The envy in Zhao Rui's heart vanished as he looked at the numbers on his system panel. 'Almost there,' he thought. 'Another twenty-seven percent and I'll have mastered one of them.'
'Then I'll finally find out what this system panel can really do.'
"Why are you so quiet?"
Walking beside him, Bai Xuening noticed his silence and spoke up.
The girl took a few light steps, happily hopping in front of Zhao Rui so she could walk backward and face him as she asked the question again softly.
"I was just lost in thought," Zhao Rui said with a smile.
"You weren't thinking about Luo Min, were you?"
The smile that graced the girl's dimples was more intoxicating than the finest wine.
"Why would I be thinking about her? What do you want to drink?"
Zhao Rui laughed, changing the subject.
"Don't all you guys have a crush on her? To be honest, we girls think she's really pretty too. I wonder how she did on the early admissions exam?"
"Is she? I think you're prettier."
Zhao Rui gave her a half-joking compliment. 'For a guy, any woman who meets the 'pretty' standard just has different good points.'
'It's impossible to say who's the prettiest. To each their own, I guess.'
"You're just spouting nonsense. I can't compare to her at all."
Hearing Zhao Rui's words, Bai Xuening refuted him shyly, but a smile bloomed on her face like a peach blossom.
"I don't know her that well, so I haven't noticed. What are you drinking?"
The two of them arrived at the snack stand, still chatting. After buying a few drinks, they were about to leave when several men with full-sleeve tattoos strode in.
One of them immediately locked his eyes on the youthful Bai Xuening as she was walking out, his gaze filled with open malice.
"Hey there, little lady. How about I buy you a soda?"
The tattooed man raised an eyebrow, blocking Bai Xuening's path.
Bai Xuening's delicate brows furrowed, and she gave the man a frosty glare.
"Ooh, I like 'em feisty..."
"OW! Easy, go easy on me..."
Before the tattooed man could say another word, Bai Xuening had already blocked his arm with a wing-arm technique, her three fingers clamping down on the Daling acupoint on his wrist with a sharp, downward pressure.
As he doubled over in pain, she hooked his ankle with her right foot. Twisting her hips and stance like a grinding millstone, she executed a binding lock and slammed him hard onto the snack stand's sheet-metal floor.
She followed through by pressing her knee into the Lingtai acupoint on his back. The entire sequence was as smooth and fluid as flowing water—effortless and swift.
"You bitch—OW!"
Seeing this, the other tattooed thugs didn't dare move forward. They all started shouting, "This has nothing to do with us! This has nothing to do with us!"
With that, they backed away and scurried out of the snack stand.
"Lady warrior, I was wrong! I was blind and didn't recognize my better! I deserve to die, I really do!"
The thug was in unbearable pain. He wanted to cry but had no tears; this girl who looked so gentle and weak was actually a trained martial artist.
"My older brother is Qian Gaoyuan from Huachen Middle School! This was my fault..."
The man grimaced in pain, continuing to beg for mercy.
"Qian Gaoyuan, Shen Gaoyuan, I don't know him and I don't care. Run your mouth again and I'll snap your arm for real!"
Bai Xuening said in a cold voice.
"Now, scram!"
"Yes, yes!"
The tattooed man nodded furiously, terrified Bai Xuening would change her mind.
"You're a magnanimous hero!"
The thug clutched his arm and backed away. When he saw his companions standing at a distance outside the snack stand, he exploded in a rage and charged, delivering a flying kick to each of them.
"You sons of bitches! A bunch of fucking cowards!"
The group scattered in a chaotic mess and ran off.
"What a buzzkill," Bai Xuening said with a frown, looking in the direction the thugs had fled.
"Punks are infuriating, but on the bright side, it's just proof of how good-looking you are!"
Zhao Rui said with a laugh, handing her a drink before leading the way out of the snack stand.
"Pfft, who cares about that? The Court is just too lenient. If you ask me, they should lock up all these lowlifes."
"You'd never be able to lock them all up."
"Let's go."