Cao Tong’s Surprise
Translator: CinderTL
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"Wow, you're early."
In the martial arts school changing room, Lin Hao arrived before Chen Feng, dressed in a white training uniform, and greeted him with a smile.
"You're not late either."
Chen Feng nodded and quickly took out a black short-sleeve shirt from his bag, then began to undress.
"Damn, it feels like you've gotten even stronger!"
Lin Hao, standing beside him, looked on with a mix of surprise and envy.
He had been practicing for so long, but his progress was slow.
In comparison, Chen Feng seemed to have gained strength as if he were on some kind of supplement.
"Just practice more."
Chen Feng shrugged, which made Lin Hao feel a bit frustrated.
While they were talking, several people came and went in the changing room, including Wu Tian and Pei Yue. They entered together and exchanged a cold, somewhat malicious glance with Chen Feng.
Neither of them spoke, and it wasn't until they left the changing room that Lin Hao glanced inside again.
He quickened his pace and closed the distance with Chen Feng, whispering, "I checked into this yesterday."
"No wonder Wu Tian is a bit arrogant in the school. Guess what?"
"What?"
"His aunt is a core disciple of the martial arts school."
Chen Feng's footsteps faltered as soon as he heard this.
"Core disciple?"
It was the first time he had heard this term.
"Let me put it this way," Lin Hao quickly continued, seeing the confusion on his face. "Coach Cao is amazing, right? But even he's not a core disciple. When he sees Wu Tian's aunt, he has to call her 'senior sister.'"
Hearing this, Chen Feng more or less understood.
No wonder Wu Tian acted like a snob.
It turned out he had been coddled and protected so well that no one dared to provoke him in the martial arts school. He took it all for granted.
Shaking his head, Chen Feng didn't dwell on it too much.
Instead, he was more concerned about the surveillance from the Tian Heng Society.
"Forget about that, what's the progress with the Tian Heng Society? Have you found anything?"
"We agreed to wait three days, so don't rush it."
"Some information takes time to gather."
Lin Hao smiled and made a gesture with two fingers, signaling Chen Feng to wait for another two days.
Seeing this, Chen Feng nodded without saying more.
Soon after, the two of them walked together into the practice room.
With the clock striking 9:00, the day's standing and punching practice officially began.
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"How's the investigation going?"
At the same time, on the top floor of a high-rise building in Nanjiang City, a middle-aged man sat behind a red-painted wooden desk, holding a cigar and reclining slightly in his leather chair.
"Boss, we've found out."
"That Chen Yun's younger brother doesn't have much of a network, but he seems to have some talent for martial arts. He's currently training in the core class at Flame Tiger Martial Arts School."
"They were worried about being noticed by the people at Flame Tiger, so the men retreated."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow.
"Core class? When was this?"
"A couple of days ago. He passed the Flame Tiger Martial Arts School's test and became a core student."
The middle-aged man's eyebrows relaxed, and he took a puff of his cigar.
"Anything else?"
"That's it. He's a bit of a loner and rarely interacts with others."
"Mm."
Nodding, the middle-aged man's expression returned to its neutral state.
"Well then, since this kid has joined the core class, he should be under the school's radar now."
"No need for bloodshed. Handle things at the research institute quietly, using reasonable methods, and make sure we don't leave any traces."
The man reporting nodded seriously, but he still didn't leave.
"Anything else?"
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and asked.
"The gold shop… Ah Biao lost two brothers, and there's some tension…"
The man didn't finish his sentence, but the middle-aged boss understood.
He took another puff of his cigar, his face obscured by smoke.
"Let him in."
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"The core class has rules. You practice every day, and every three days, you fight."
"Fists are trained for combat, and this way, we can assess your foundations and test your stamina."
Inside the Flame Tiger Martial Arts School practice room, as Cao Tong's words echoed, many students' faces lit up, and their expressions varied.
Most were excited, cracking their knuckles, eager for a good match.
Similarly, Chen Feng noticed the malicious gaze coming from afar.
Wu Tian, wearing a white martial arts uniform, he was warming up as he gazed at him. His lips curled into a mocking smile, his eyes filled with provocation.
It seemed like he was saying, "No matter what you do, your defeat is inevitable."
"Idiot," Chen Feng thought, shaking his head, but he didn't respond.
His perception had already upgraded, allowing him to sense the strength of his opponents.
Wu Tian's level was roughly at the ninth rank of the amateur level, slightly stronger than average, but still far from professional.
Perhaps to the other students in the core class, he seemed unbeatable.
But to him…
He couldn't be bothered to waste time with him.
With that thought, he quickly put it out of his mind and focused back on Cao Tong.
True to expectations, after discussing future plans, Cao Tong quickly moved on to another topic.
"Another thing. To help you better practice the Flame Tiger Stance, from today onwards, anyone who joins the Flame Tiger Stance can receive a bowl of Qi and Blood soup at noon."
"This is for strengthening your body, boosting your energy, and improving your physical strength. If you want some, hurry up and get started."
After giving his instructions, Chen Feng's gaze shifted. He couldn't help but wonder what the Qi and Blood soup was.
Could it be some kind of secret medicine?
He pondered briefly but didn't ponder any further since he'd be able to find out at noon.
Before long, he saw Cao Tong directing everyone to practice their stances. Chen Feng seized the opportunity to settle into his stance and prepare for the Flame Tiger stance.
The Flame Tiger Stance, also known as Flame Tiger Fist, consisted of eleven movements, combining stillness and motion, suitable for both practice and combat.
At once, with his mind focused, he entered a calm state.
Chen Feng soon visualized the Tiger Imagery Visualization Chart in his mind.
With a deep stance and claws formed by his fingers, he rooted his feet firmly into the floor.
As his body moved, the first move of the stance, Fierce Tiger Crouching, was unleashed.
In that instant…
A tearing sensation surged throughout his body.
Chen Feng could clearly feel the muscles in his legs being strengthened by the motion.
After holding the position for a moment, he shifted his movements and quickly extended his arms forward, crossing his tiger claws.
For a brief moment, Lin Hao, standing nearby, felt as though a man-shaped tiger had appeared in front of him.
He didn't understand what was happening, but in his heart, he couldn't help but secretly envy Chen Feng's progress with his stance.
"Hmm?"
Unlike Lin Hao, who was somewhat clueless, Cao Tong, experienced and sharp, immediately sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere as Chen Feng immersed himself deeply in his training.
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, he initially thought it was due to Wu Tian. But as he scanned the room, he realized something was wrong.
A bold guess formed in his mind, and he quickly turned his gaze to the left corner of the practice room.
The sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and a young man in a black short-sleeve shirt was standing in place, his fingers formed into claws, crossing over one another.
It looked like an ordinary scene, but in Cao Tong's eyes, it seemed as though a ferocious tiger was leaping out, furious and charging through the mountains.
His vision froze.
What was supposed to be a teaching moment for others, Cao Tong now stood frozen in place.
"Tiger form?"
(End of the Chapter)
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