That night, Du Mingxuan went home and told his father what had happened at the martial arts hall.
Although Mr. Du didn't understand martial arts, he knew a rare commodity when he saw one. After some thought, he called Gao Yunxiang, and the two of them talked for a long time.
The two men were actually quite good friends.
After the call, Mr. Du told Du Mingxuan to invite Yu Fei over for a meal at their home, with Gao Yunxiang also attending.
Mr. Du spared no effort for Du Mingxuan's future. As an ordinary person, it had been incredibly difficult for him to fight his way to where he was today. Although he had some family wealth, his business had hit a plateau. Without a powerful Martial Artist to back it, further progress was nearly impossible.
Du Mingxuan had some talent, and his father was willing to pour everything he had into helping his son get ahead in life.
But no one could predict the future. Du Mingxuan worked hard, but his talent was only average.
Yu Fei's future was limitless. Mr. Du was more than happy for his son to befriend him. Friendships formed during school were the most precious; money was just a worldly possession, hardly worth mentioning.
He understood that helping someone in need was far more valuable than helping someone who was already successful.
Time passed. Yan Sea didn't teach them any new fist styles. He required Yu Fei and Jiang Yifan to study their existing techniques as deeply as possible.
Yu Fei poured all his energy into martial arts, and his hard work paid off. He mastered the Straight Punch Style, his fists whistling through the air. At this point, a full-power punch from him could probably break Jiang Yifan's bones.
Mastering the Straight Punch Style meant Yu Fei's linear control over his Qi Blood was now almost as smooth as instinct.
He could unleash it with a single thought. Not only was its power more than doubled, but its activation speed was also thirty percent faster.
A new month arrived. He chose not to copy Jiang Yifan's talent. Yu Fei wanted to run an experiment. He wasn't sure if the number of uses for the Fate-Reversing Bead's talent-copying ability could be saved.
The future was long, but the bead's copying charges were limited, so he had to be even more selective. If the charges could be saved, the potential returns later on would be much higher.
Tianning County was just a small place with limited talent.
If he could save his copying charges until he got to university, the payoff should be huge. The Martial Arts University brought together geniuses from all over the country. He would be in for an epic power-up.
Yu Fei went to the Aurora Martial Arts Hall every day after school.
Professional training equipment was still a great help to a Martial Artist.
After his martial arts progress entered the Flesh Tempering stage, his speed slowed considerably. After all, a person has far more muscle tissue than skin.
The effects of his mastered Ox Subduing Pile Skill were significant, but Yu Fei could only practice it twice every three days. He just didn't have the resources.
Li Mengyao still brought him yogurt every day, but it was no help on the path of martial arts.
Sometimes, when Yu Fei made something delicious, he would bring some for her too.
The girl had tried to give him energy drinks, but he had firmly refused. Drinking some yogurt was fine, but energy drinks were going too far.
At this stage, who wasn't short on energy drinks?
Xiaoqiang had finally taken the first step in martial arts, but he still wasn't very invested. His ambitions lay elsewhere. Everyone has their own path, and trying to persuade him would be pointless.
Sparring with Mr. Gao was remarkably effective. Later, the two changed their routine.
Gao Yunxiang would focus on attacking, and Yu Fei would focus on defending.
A Fourth-Gate Martial Artist's fists and feet packed immense power. If Yu Fei got caught in Gao Yunxiang's rhythm, he found it incredibly difficult to parry.
To ease the pressure of the attacks, Yu Fei pushed his Yin Stream Shattered Jade to its limits. His progress in this fist style was incredibly fast, and he was on the verge of initial mastery.
In early November, Yu Fei went to Du Mingxuan's house as a guest.
Mr. Du fit Yu Fei's stereotype of a businessman perfectly: a portly figure who treated people with a warmth that felt like a spring breeze.
And most importantly, the man was a smooth talker.
When Yu Fei went, he bought some seasonal fruit, which cost him over a hundred yuan—a good chunk of his pocket money.
Showing up at the Du Family's home with such a small gift felt a bit shabby, but it was a token of his appreciation. Others might not care, but he couldn't neglect his manners.
Du Mingxuan lived in a villa district on the west side of the county.
Mr. Du was waiting at the door long before he arrived. When he saw Yu Fei, he hurried forward, took the fruit from his hands, and said repeatedly, "I've heard you and Xiaoming are good friends and that you've been taking good care of him at school. I wanted to have you over for a casual meal to show my thanks!
Why'd you bring a gift? You shouldn't have spent your money! Hurry, come on in!"
"It's nothing, Uncle. I hope you don't mind. There's a fruit shop in my neighborhood. It's not big, but the quality is decent. Since it was my first time visiting, I thought I'd grab something on the way," Yu Fei said with a smile.
"Ah, what a good kid. If my Xiaoming had half your charm, I'd be setting off fireworks in celebration."
"Uncle, Mingxuan and I are good friends. He's very outstanding."
The meal was a delight for both guest and host. Mr. Du's social skills were second to none; even with the experience of two lifetimes, Yu Fei found him a bit overwhelming.
The two of them, one young and one old fox, went back and forth with praise and respect. By the end of the meal, Yu Fei was practically Mr. Du's godson.
Du Mingxuan, watching from the side, couldn't help but roll his eyes.
'I wanted to become good friends with Yu Fei, but aren't these two going a bit overboard?'
As he watched Mr. Du, Gao Yunxiang, and Yu Fei laughing and chatting at the table, trading pleasantries back and forth, he suddenly felt like he didn't belong.
The next evening, Gao Yunxiang gave Yu Fei a VIP card for the Aurora Martial Arts Dojo.
He told him that Mr. Du had arranged it and that from now on, he would enjoy the same benefits as Du Mingxuan, all expenses paid.
This VIP card cost 500,000 a year and was valid for two years. In other words, Mr. Du had invested one million in him.
The dojo not only provided energy drinks but also a monthly dose of Blood Storage Powder. It was less effective than a Vitality Elixir but could support Yu Fei's training for a week.
He and Mr. Du had left some things unsaid the day before, but he was certain Mr. Du understood his meaning. He needed resources, and Mr. Du needed backing—not from the current Yu Fei, of course, who wasn't qualified.
Some things just had to take time.
Later, Du Mingxuan and his father were chatting, and he mentioned that while he wanted to be friends with Yu Fei, wasn't his father's support a little excessive?
As far as he knew, his father's assets were only a few hundred million.
Mr. Du chuckled and told Du Mingxuan, "Xiaoming, what Yu Fei and I talked about that day was something else.
After Yu Fei takes the college entrance exams, he will represent the company. The company will slowly expand into the surrounding areas, and at that time, we will need to provide him with even greater support! This is just the first step of our cooperation."
"Huh?"
Du Mingxuan was stunned. "Weren't we all eating together? You two didn't meet again afterward, did you?"
Mr. Du looked at Du Mingxuan with a smile.
"You're still too green. Some things can't be said outright. It's enough that everyone understands.
Besides, a simple investment would only earn his gratitude for a time, a feeling that would eventually fade. Only a bond forged by mutual interest can last."
After a moment's thought, Mr. Du said to his son in a serious tone, "Your classmate is a monster, and I'm not talking about his martial arts talent."
He paused, then continued:
"Most young geniuses who stand out are arrogant, full of themselves, and love to show off. They're actually hard to deal with, always having some strange, overblown sense of pride. But Yu Fei is incredibly steady.
I've had my ups and downs in life, and I'm rarely wrong about people. That kid, Yu Fei, doesn't act like a teenager. He doesn't have a shred of a genius's arrogance. He's sharp and perceptive. From now on, you should just stick with him!
My initial judgment is that he's not the type to forget a favor. He's worth investing in!"
"Huh?"
Du Mingxuan was a little confused.
"Dad! What are you, a fortune teller? How can you see a person's true nature? If you had that ability, your career should have been smooth sailing. Why would you have had so many ups and downs?"
Mr. Du sighed wistfully.
"Xiaoming, what does it matter if you can see through someone? In this world, there are people you can't control even if you understand them completely. Once their power and status reach a certain level, you'd be helpless even with a god's-eye view. In the end, strength is all that matters!"