Madman!

Chapter 21: Be Bold, Be Tough!

As Chen Wujun walked back, the day's experience still felt surreal.

'I never imagined becoming a disciple would be so easy. I thought there'd be some kind of trial or test...'

'And a man of Master's caliber — why would he be living in a place like this, like some ordinary retiree, watering flowers in his spare time? Someone like him should have no trouble making money.'

Chen Wujun had no idea how powerful Zhou Qing truly was, but judging by the tone in which the old man spoke of the successive generations of Old Arts prodigies, his strength couldn't be anything ordinary.

Not to mention that mere breathing sounds had thundered like war drums, dragging him bodily onto a battlefield. His mouth had filled with the taste of iron and blood, and he'd forgotten everything else — reduced to nothing more than a common foot soldier.

Even now, recalling that metallic tang on his tongue, it still felt overwhelmingly real.

'And he told me not to tell anyone who my master is... A man of his power surely isn't worried I'd cause trouble that could drag him into it, right?'

'And that thing where he pulled me into the battlefield — what kind of technique was that? It was like he could control a person's mind. Yet Master called it just a little trick...'

'Old Arts and New Arts... Magnetic Field Crystals... Old Arts require Magnetic Field Crystals too... Senior Sister did warn me about that before.'

He'd absorbed far too much information today. Thoughts of every kind swirled through Chen Wujun's mind, leaving him no room to notice the changes Old Bear Hugging Tree had wrought on his body.It wasn't until he'd walked for quite some time that he realized his steps felt light yet solid, his body agile and strong.

His whole frame seemed noticeably lighter.

'So this is the effect of the Old Bear Hugging Tree stance. Just a series of postures and breathing techniques, combined with a Magnetic Field Crystal, and in such a short time, the transformation is this dramatic. Truly remarkable.'

'But this effect is probably temporary. I'll need to keep practicing this stance consistently.'

Chen Wujun pulled out his phone and called Ji Xiang, learning that Shark Jiu was drinking on the rooftop.

Shark Jiu often spent time on the rooftop — which was exactly how she'd discovered he'd been training using the Stealing Heaven's Opportunity method.

Chen Wujun returned to his rented room, changed clothes, and made his way to the rooftop of Lianghe Building. It was dim up there.

He searched carefully before finally spotting Shark Jiu, sitting on the parapet wall in a corner of the roof.

A can of beer rested beside her.

"Senior Sister!"

"Saw the old man?" Shark Jiu picked up the beer and took a sip, a smile playing on her lips.

"I met Master!" Chen Wujun scratched his head. A thousand questions crowded his mind, but he had no idea where to begin.

"So should I call you Little Sixteen from now on?" Shark Jiu grinned.

"Senior Sister, you're the Ninth? Then where are the other senior brothers and sisters?" Chen Wujun asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I only know a few of them... and two of those are dead. The others might be in prison, might be dead, or might be on some wanted list somewhere. Who knows...?" Shark Jiu's voice drifted casually, as if carried from somewhere far away.

"Two of them... are dead?" Chen Wujun froze for a moment.

But thinking back to the questions Zhou Qing had asked him, and recalling what Shark Jiu had once told him... death didn't seem all that unusual.

"A general's success is built on ten thousand rotting bones. Either you climb to the very top, step by step, or you become part of those bleached bones beneath," Shark Jiu remarked with casual indifference.

"Senior Sister, how much does a shard of Magnetic Field Crystal like this cost?" Chen Wujun produced the soybean-sized Magnetic Field Crystal Zhou Qing had given him.

This one was a gift from Zhou Qing. The rest, he'd have to figure out on his own.

"Five thousand. And that's no shard — it only looks like one through the old man's eyes," Shark Jiu answered without even glancing at it.

Clearly, Zhou Qing gave each disciple roughly the same thing.

Shark Jiu flicked her wrist. Something dark struck Chen Wujun square in the chest; he caught it reflexively and found a small box. Inside lay five identical Magnetic Field Crystals.

"A gift. Consider it a welcome present from your senior sister." Shark Jiu flashed him a smile.

"Including the one in your hand, that's enough for a month. After that, you're on your own."

Chen Wujun did the math. If he needed one every day, a month would require five crystals — that was twenty-five thousand.

These things were even more expensive than he'd imagined.

He had some money saved up, but it would only last one month at best.

As for the eight thousand a month Shark Jiu paid him — setting aside the fact that he'd only be getting six thousand for the next few months — even the full amount would be a drop in the bucket.

Zhou Qing and Shark Jiu's attitudes had been telling him the same thing all along.

On this path, whether it was resources or anything else, you had to fight for them, seize them, take them by force.

Chen Wujun thought it over, then broke into a wide grin.

He should have felt pressure. Anyone in this situation would have felt pressure.

But all he could think was that those countless hours he'd spent watching crime documentaries were finally going to pay off.

Shark Jiu had been watching his expression closely. When she saw that grin spread across his face, she smiled too, baring a row of sharp white teeth:

"Everyone in our lineage has guts the size of the sky!"

Then she hopped down from the parapet wall, her voice trailing behind her.

"But your guts have to be bold, and your life has to be tough! Only when you're tough enough to survive does boldness have any value!"

"Come on, let's hit the Dance Hall. We're celebrating."

"Senior Sister, why do you love watching strip shows so much?" Chen Wujun followed behind her, genuinely puzzled.

Shark Jiu generally frequented three places: the rooftop, the finance company's office, and the Dance Hall — the kind with strippers.

"Who says women can't watch strip shows? I like looking at women, at all those curves. Got a problem with that?" Shark Jiu scoffed.

"Besides, there's a new girl tonight. Supposedly a real stunner, and I haven't seen her yet!"

"Sure, if Senior Sister says it's good, then it's definitely good!" Chen Wujun trailed behind, laughing hard.

The two headed straight for the Dance Hall on Lung Tsun Road.

The lookouts at the door spotted them and hurried to pull the entrance open, then quickly led the way inside.

"Sister Jiu, you're here! Your usual spot's reserved!"

The moment the door opened, music and raucous noise spilled out.

"Bring a case of beer. And where's the new girl?" Shark Jiu asked as she strode inside.

"Since you weren't here yet, Sister Jiu, Karen didn't let her go on stage," the lookout answered immediately.

Inside, dim reddish lighting cast a sultry glow. On the T-shaped stage at the far end, three women wore nothing but the stockings on their legs, their smooth skin reflecting a rosy sheen under the lights.

The seats around the stage were packed with patrons, waving bills and howling with laughter.

Not far away, in a private booth, a woman stood dancing atop a table.

Amid the music and the cacophony of voices, the smells of alcohol, tobacco, and perfume mingled and drifted through the air.

Every corner was steeped in a hazy, intoxicating atmosphere that set the blood simmering.

"Shark Jiu, you're here! Come have a drink!" In that booth sat four men, and one of them — a short-haired man of towering build, his shirt stretched taut across his frame — spotted Shark Jiu and waved her over.

The others quickly rose to their feet as well.

"Brother Elephant, out with friends tonight?" Shark Jiu laughed, took the offered glass, and sat across from him. She clinked glasses, threw back the drink in one gulp, set the glass on the table, and stood up:

"You boys enjoy yourselves! I've got some business to take care of!"

"Go ahead, do your thing!" Brother Elephant waved her off.

Chen Wujun studied the man as he walked past. Even seated, he towered above everyone else. Combined with the bulging mountains of muscle across his body, he radiated an oppressive presence.

And there was something else — a searing heat emanating from him, like a furnace constantly radiating warmth.

This had to be Elephant, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Hetu. Rumor had it he stood two meters ten and weighed two hundred kilograms. Just standing there without throwing a single punch, he could scare people half to death.

And on top of that, he was a New Arts expert.

...

Once they'd settled into Shark Jiu's usual booth, Chen Wujun asked, "Was that Elephant just now?"

"That's him. There are a few people in the Walled City you don't want to provoke, and he's one of them. The guy's got a few screws loose — when he snaps, it's a nightmare. That said, don't be afraid of him either. He's not someone to mess with, but I'm even worse."

"Sister Jiu! Jun!" Karen walked over from the side.

"So, is the new girl really that stunning?" Shark Jiu asked with a grin.

"Absolutely gorgeous — the prettiest in the whole Walled City!" Karen immediately beckoned to someone in the distance, signaling them to fetch the girl. She turned back with a smile. "You'll see for yourself when she gets here."

"Well, now I really have to see!" Shark Jiu said cheerfully.

Moments later, a young woman in a blouse and short skirt followed a runner over, visibly uneasy.

"Come closer. Standing that far away — what, are you hiding from something?" Shark Jiu sat with one leg crossed over the other, fishing a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. She stuck one between her own lips, then tossed the pack to Chen Wujun.

"Give it a try. Bad for the body, sure, but once your martial training reaches a certain level, you don't have to worry about that."

Chen Wujun pulled one out and lit it, coughing twice from the harshness.

Meanwhile, the young woman nervously approached the table.

She looked no older than eighteen or nineteen. Her hair was long, and under the lights, her skin took on a rosy hue. It wasn't particularly fair, but her figure was stunning — her blouse barely containing her curves.

Most striking were her exquisitely delicate features and a pair of large, almond-shaped eyes that, in the dim lighting, seemed to gain an extra allure.

The Dance Hall had its share of beauties with killer figures, but none quite measured up to this one.

"She really is a looker. With a face like that, how'd she end up here?" Shark Jiu marveled, then asked directly:

"Smuggled in, right?"

At those words, the girl's body gave a visible shudder, and the color drained from her face. Her nervousness spiked into something closer to terror.

"Relax. No need to be so scared — it's pitiful to watch. There are easily eight to ten thousand illegal immigrants in this Walled City. You could walk outside and scream that you're undocumented, and no one would bat an eye."

Hearing Shark Jiu's reassurance, the girl relaxed slightly.

"Ah Yue, greet them properly! What did I teach you earlier? Call her Sister Jiu!" Karen reached over and gave her a smack on the backside.

"Sister Jiu!" Ah Yue murmured, head bowed, her voice laced with timidity.

"Now call him Brother Jun!"

"Brother Jun!"

Karen motioned for the girl to get up on the stage, and a runner drew a sheer curtain alongside the booth.

From outside, you could make out hazy silhouettes within, but nothing more.