Chen Che froze for a moment.
Alright.
In reality, being a class officer was often just about doing chores.
He ran to the side of the training grounds, dragged over a huge trash can, and activated the Hurricane Technique, sweeping the cement debris off the ground and into the can.
"As you can all see, this is a technique for pure, hand-to-hand combat. Its power, however, depends entirely on an individual's Physique and Qi and Blood!"
Wei He, meanwhile, took this opportunity to explain the characteristics of the Cultivation Technique.
Only when Chen Che had finished cleaning and rejoined the group did Wei He strike a starting pose, one resembling an old ape hanging its seal:
"Alright, this is the First Technique: the Star-Pulling Hammer! Follow me. Left hand... right hand... in slow motion..."
Without needing to be told, the students had all taken their places and begun to practice along.
Chen Che, too, focused intently, memorizing Wei He's movements.
"This is the Star-Pulling Hammer. Its intent is to make the very stars fall."
Even though Wei He had slowed his movements severalfold, they were still full of vigor and carried an imposing air.
It was as if his hands were truly pulling the stars from the sky and smashing them to the ground.
"For each movement, there is a specific flow for your Qi and Blood. Remember, this punch draws power from your waist and ribs. You must Activate your Qi and Blood as your torso twists so that the power of the punch is maximized on release. Otherwise, its force will be diminished."
Wei He led the class through the drill a few times, then his gaze shifted to Chen Che.
"Class representative, come up and demonstrate."
Chen Che walked to the front of the group and began to practice.
Wei He approached with his hands behind his back, his fan-sized palms repeatedly striking out.
"Leg up!"
"You practiced this move for an entire year as a freshman. How have you forgotten it just because it's in a new position?"
"It's Star-Pulling! You're pulling STARS, not swinging like a monkey!"
...
"Move your body, relax your muscles!"
His slaps were incredibly heavy.
With every slap, Chen Che felt as if he were being crushed by Tai Mountain.
However, after a few rounds of these corrections, his initially clumsy movements gradually began to take proper form.
"Very good!"
"You've got the framework down. Now you just need more practice!"
After watching Chen Che complete the entire sequence one more time, he nodded in satisfaction and immediately gave his instructions: "You lead the class through it three times. The rest of the period is for free practice. In the future, if I'm absent for Martial Arts Class, you will lead everyone in practicing the fist forms!"
With that said, Wei He was already moving like the wind, weaving among the hundred-odd students. Everywhere he went, students were slapped into grimacing.
However, none of their corrections were as detailed as what Chen Che had received at the beginning—not even Huang Zhongfei's or Ye Youwei's.
Clearly, the privileges of being the class representative were already on display.
'Actually, these True Martial Seventeen Scattering Hands are just an extension of what we learned our freshman year...'
Chen Che had already figured it out. The movements were just more complex and profound than what they had learned before. Thanks to his frequent combat experience in Yunzhou, learning them wasn't as difficult as he had imagined; he even felt his movements had a certain flowing grace.
'Power is born from intent; wherever Qi and Blood reaches, you are invincible... So this is what they mean by 'the stronger the Qi and Blood, the greater the power'!'
'However, learning the movements is secondary. The most important thing is Qi and Blood!'
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard a commotion behind him.
He glanced back and saw that Wei He had left at some point. Without the teacher watching them, the students were naturally starting to slack off. Though they were still going through the motions, their movements had become sloppy, and many were whispering amongst themselves.
"The teacher already left..."
"What's with the act!"
"Yeah, who are you trying to impress?"
A few students in the back row had even shoved their hands in their pockets, quietly mocking the classmates who were still practicing seriously.
"Follow me through it one more time, and then it's free practice,"
Chen Che called out, leading them once more.
However, he could still hear muttering from behind him, accompanied by bursts of giggling.
He chose to simply ignore them.
After all, he was just the class representative, not their mom and dad.
He had to let go of his desire to help and respect the destiny others chose for themselves.
There were always some people who dreamed they could just fool around and let things rot, yet still somehow become a Golden Core Cultivator.
How could that be possible?
After pushing through all three repetitions, Chen Che felt an ache in his shoulders, wrists, waist, and legs.
Every technique of this Scattering Hand style was powered by Qi and Blood, making it extremely physically draining. The few students who had persisted with him through all three repetitions were already lying on the training grounds, panting. Chen Che also felt like his energy was completely drained, and he desperately wanted to rest.
'I can't stop now. This is the critical moment to temper my Qi and Blood.'
Wei He had taught them this before.
When your energy was depleted, you weren't supposed to rest immediately; instead, you had to do some gentle cooldown exercises.
This served two purposes: one, to prevent physical discomfort, and two, to unlock the body's potential.
With his recent experience in Alchemy, he felt he could grit his teeth and persevere. Sure enough, after pushing through a set of calisthenics, his boiling Qi and Blood gradually calmed, and he found he wasn't as exhausted as before.
"Chen Che, excuse me."
A soft, sweet voice sounded from beside him.
He turned to see Ye Youwei standing a short distance away, looking as if she had been waiting for a little while.
"What is it?"
Chen Che asked.
Xianmen High School wasn't like an ordinary high school, which would be on high alert against students dating.
But due to puberty, students were gradually becoming aware of such things, and some still maintained a strict distance between boys and girls. Even though they were in the same class, Chen Che and Ye Youwei's interactions were limited to exchanging a few words when homework was being collected or handed out.
"There are a few movements I'm not sure about, so I was hoping to ask for your help."
"Show me what you've got."
Since they were classmates, Chen Che had no reason to refuse.
Ye Youwei didn't hesitate, immediately starting the routine.
"Stop!"
"That move isn't standard. It originates from the 'Ape King Form' in the calisthenics routine. Your body should be like an old ape."
As Chen Che spoke, he reached out, lifting or pressing her hands to adjust her form.
The September weather was still somewhat sweltering.
Ye Youwei was wearing blue school uniform pants and a white, round-collared T-shirt, which stretched across her full chest. Her Cultivation hadn't made her limbs bulky; her arms were slender and jade-smooth. When his fingers touched her skin, it felt unexpectedly cool.
'Girls' bodies seem to be cooler when the weather's hot,'
The thought drifted through Chen Che's mind for some reason.
"Um... is my form incorrect?"
Ye Youwei asked, looking up when Chen Che suddenly fell silent.
"No, it's very standard."
Chen Che smoothly withdrew his hand and nodded. "The posture is pretty much there. The rest just requires more practice."
"Thank you!"
Ye Youwei thanked him politely.
Chen Che rubbed his fingers, as if the warmth of her skin still lingered on them.
Suddenly, after experiencing the cruelty of Yunzhou, he felt that being a student at Xianmen High School wasn't so bad after all. Just as he was having this thought, a clamor arose from a short distance away. Several people were shouting and waving at him.
"Class representative, some people are arguing!"