Chapter 8: Apprenticeship

Hu Tailai said: "Secondly, after achieving mastery, one must also obtain the consent of the master to establish a school. Can you accomplish this?"

Wang Xiaojun could no longer endure it; he suddenly stood up and said at the door: "So what do you want?"

Hu Tailai said with a frown: "It is not anticipation, it is fear! I truly do not know what I would do if they came. I can only hope that it is just a fleeting whim."

Hu Tailai said: "Alright, since there are no issues, I will reiterate once more, entering my Black Tiger Gate means you are a disciple of the Black Tiger Fist. From now on, you must abide by the rules of the school and diligently learn the art! Kneel and bow three times!"

Hu Tailai said: "Thirdly, among fellow disciples, there should be benevolence, righteousness, and friendship; one must not bully the weak with strength. Can you all achieve this?"

Before he finished speaking, his wish was dashed—just as the door opened, Pile Sister led the blue-haired one in quickly, smiling and saying: "Master, we have arrived!"

Tang Sisi said leisurely: "The fourth heir of the Iron Palm Gang is a person who is not in the martial world, and there are no legends about him in the martial world."

He vaguely remembered that he officially joined the Iron Palm Gang at the age of 16. His grandfather organized a rather perfunctory initiation ceremony. At that time, the senior brother was also present, while his father observed coldly throughout the event. His father had always been firmly opposed to him practicing martial arts since childhood. Wang Xiaojun did not have any particular feelings about this; after all, he had no interest in so-called martial arts. He instinctively interpreted his father's behavior as "a carpenter family does not wish for their descendants to continue being carpenters" or "a family of chefs does not wish for their descendants to continue being chefs"—nothing more than that. Therefore, later on, when he transformed the Iron Palm Gang into a mahjong parlor, he felt no psychological burden; it was merely a different means of making a living. He did not think much about the appearance of Hu Tailai either; with so many people in China, it was not surprising to see a few extraordinary individuals. As for Chu Zhongshi, his ability to jump high did surprise him a bit, but again, there were so many Chinese people, it was nothing remarkable. ... Eventually, he fell asleep ...

Hu Tailai said: "To pay respects to a master, one must bow to the master. Do you have any objections?"

The person with blue hair seems to be most concerned about this issue: "Ultimately... how much is the tuition fee per month?"

Are you going to die if I don't criticize you

Yes

Hu Tailai said: "Alright, then I will state the rules of the Black Tiger Fist. First, any of my disciples wishing to seek another master must obtain the approval of their current master. Can you all comply with this?"

Hmm, you go ahead and practice, oh oh oh oh oh—" Wang Xiaojun moistened his mouth in preparation to brush his teeth

The person who followed behind Pili Jie and Lan Mao into the room surprised Wang Xiaojun as well; it turned out to be Chen Jing

I am exasperated! Wang Xiaojun began to rummage through the bricks on the ground

Wang Xiaojun gazed at the wall for a long time in silence, and suddenly spoke: "I am a bit confused right now—was that fellow just able to jump high?"

Sister Pili and Blue Hair exchanged glances, and suddenly they both burst into laughter, saying: "What mountain are we opening? We are not the Foolish Old Man of the Mountain."

A white figure flashed before everyone's eyes, and the person in white had already exited the main hall, turning around to enter the west wing. Wang Xiaojun and the others were taken aback and quickly moved to the base of the west wall

The man in white said: "If you intend to capture me, why not give it a try?"

Wang Xiaojun was quite surprised. He could tell that Pili Jie and Lan Mao were the so-called problem students who did not take their studies seriously and were giving up. However, it was difficult to understand why Chen Changting would allow a top student like Chen Jing to go out and fool around at such a critical time in her second year of high school.

The man in white smiled at her and said, "Be careful, I can steal hearts too." His facial features were quite well-defined, resembling the currently popular type of ruggedly handsome man, though his nose was somewhat high and had a slight hook, making his profile appear somewhat comical. He then fixed a cold gaze on Wang Xiaojun and said, "Remember my name, I am Chu Zhongshi, the charming thief Chu Zhongshi"

Sister Pili chuckled and said, "Interesting, we will certainly comply."

Wang Xiaojun stamped his foot and said, "What do you think of the door—" Suddenly, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Catch the thief!"

Sister Pili said in silence: "I was afraid of you, is it wrong?"

Pili Jie seemed to be influenced by his solemn tone, and at that moment, without any hesitation, knelt down in front of Hu Tailai and bowed three times.

"Puh—" After Wang Xiaojun finished brushing his teeth, he splashed water into the tree pit and asked, "You are looking forward to those two little girls, aren't you?"

The girls nodded again

Hu Tailai only felt a tightness in his scalp and waved his hand vigorously, saying: "Don't call me master yet!"

Hu Tailai stood on the steps and said somewhat awkwardly: "Before formally becoming a disciple, I have a few words to say"

"Aren't you having class today?" Wang Xiaojun asked

Hu Tailai increasingly felt embarrassed and said: "This... back in the day, I gave my master one third of my monthly salary, so you should do the same. From now on, give me one third of your monthly allowance, and just bring me some random gifts during the holidays."

Do you practice like this every day

Tang Sisi looked up and slowly nodded, saying: "Hmm, not bad looking."

"Old Hu, how long have you been practicing?" Wang Xiaojun asked while holding a toothbrush holder.

Hu Tailai stammered a bit and said: "Learning martial arts is a hard endeavor. If you are only here for fun and just want to try it out before running away, I advise you to think twice and not come at all. Furthermore, our sect is called the Black Tiger Gate. Once you join us, you must abide by the rules of the sect. If you commit any acts of great treachery or betray your master and ancestors, I, as your master, will not hesitate to turn against you without mercy"

Hu Tailai suddenly blushed and said: "Article 4, disciples have the obligation to support their masters..."

Wang Xiaojun became increasingly bewildered: "Secret manual? This thing is even more nonexistent!"

The blue-haired individual disdainfully remarked, "Are you afraid that we will learn to trouble you?"

"Lightness skill? What lightness skill? Where is such a thing?" Wang Xiaojun was completely baffled

Hu Tailai said with a serious expression: "Can you do it?"

Sister Pili and the blue-haired one exchanged a glance, seemingly finding it even more interesting, and together said: "No!" Chen Jing also shook her head

The man in white who had just entered the room complained again: "What kind of antique is this? This television is not even a rear projection model. This cabinet... tsk tsk, who still uses this kind of thing nowadays? And there's a basin rack, is this a prop for a Republic of China drama?"

I heard my master say that the art of lightness has not been lost, and I never expected to witness it today, and in such a marvelous manner! Hu Tailai was lost in thought.

Hu Tailai, drenched in sweat, said: "Get up, from now on you may call me Master."

Hu Tailai looked at his palm in astonishment, doubting whether what had just happened was merely a dream. He could not believe that despite his skills guarding the door, the other party had managed to escape. The movements of the man in white were truly bizarre

I also want to learn martial arts from you, " Chen Jing said timidly

Pili Sister impatiently said: "What a small matter, once I, Pili, have said it, it's settled." She glanced sideways at Chen Jing and added, "In the future, can I just avoid you when I see you?"

Wang Xiaojun said with a sneer: "Keep pretending, just tell me how you plan to get out of this door now"

Lying in bed, Wang Xiaojun reflected on the events of the day, his mind a whirlwind of complexity. The words he heard most frequently today were "martial arts world" and "rivers and lakes." For the first time, he felt so close to these two terms, yet he could not make sense of it at all; everything still felt like a dream, elusive and intangible.

Chen Jing stated word by word: "I am learning martial arts from you, and my father has personally agreed to it"

Wang Xiaojun interjected and asked Pili Jie: "You are no longer seeking an explanation from Chen Jing, are you?"

Wang Xiaojun squatted on the steps and said with a smile, "You can't avoid it; haven't you heard your master say? One must be benevolent, righteous, and friendly!"

Hu Tailai smiled wryly: "I understand, before me, you didn't even believe in martial arts." He focused and said, "This Chu Zhongshi knows that this is the Iron Palm Gang, which means he didn't stumble in here by accident. What valuable things does your Iron Palm Gang have that are worth stealing?" Then he added, "For example, martial arts manuals or the like."

Hu Tailai assumed a stance, still swaggering around the courtyard, occasionally glancing towards the entrance, as if waiting for someone.

Sister Pili chuckled and said, "What outrageous things can we possibly do? Master, please get straight to the point."

Sister Pili rested her arm on Lan Mao's shoulder and said: "Both of us are the kind who take each other's word at home, but we don't know about others' situations." As she spoke, she cast a glance at Chen Jing.

Chu Zhongshi disdainfully said: "If you have the ability, come up here!"

Lan Mao Dao: "So you're saying that once I register with you, I can no longer go to places like the taekwondo gym?"

Sister Pili exaggeratedly said: "Today is Sunday, big brother, are you still going to leave us a way out?"

"What brings you here as well?" Hu Tailai asked in surprise

Sister Pili said: "Master, you speak."

Wang Xiaojun pointed his spear and shouted angrily: "Come down if you have the guts, you son of a b*tch!"

As evening approached nightfall, a scene unfolded in the front yard of the Iron Palm Gang: an uninvited guest broke in, deeming the host's family poor, while the host sulked outside, quarreling with the thief

You stand guard at the door! Wang Xiaojun instructed Hu Tailai, then suddenly rushed in, extending his arm towards the man in white. The man in white appeared unmoved, but his shoulder slumped as he slipped behind Wang Xiaojun. Hu Tailai saw him evade Wang Xiaojun and then, in a flash, the man in white pressed against him from behind. Hu Tailai shouted sharply and, with lightning speed, reached for the collar at the back of the man's neck. The man in white twisted left and right; his movements were not particularly fast, yet he often dodged Hu Tailai's hand at the critical moment. Hu Tailai clearly saw that he was about to grab the man's clothing, his shoulder, his hair, but he missed each time, as if he were merely grasping at an illusory hue. The man in white swept past him and had already reached the center of the courtyard.

Chu Zhongshi looked down at the courtyard and said lightly: "The Iron Palm Gang is indeed just a name without substance. I might as well tell you that I will be coming back in the future". After saying this, he floated away.

Hu Tailai rushed forward, while the man in white remained motionless, yet his body floated steadily up to the top of the wall, as if someone had hoisted him up with a wire. He had never looked back, but upon hearing Wang Xiaojun's shout, he suddenly turned his face and angrily said: "I am not a thief, I am a master thief"

Hu Tailai paused for a moment and said: "Exchanging and learning with peers is a different matter; as long as one does not call the other 'master', it is acceptable"

Three girls nodded together

The man in white turned his back to Wang Xiaojun and did not look back, showing no surprise. He lazily said: "I have known for a long time that you have been following me for half a day, sneaking around and thinking you are clever. Whatever I want, I will find it myself; asking is pointless."

Hu Tailai slowly stepped back, withdrew his fist, and adjusted his breathing, then smiled slightly and said: "After about two hours, today's basic training is complete"

Before dawn, Wang Xiaojun drowsily felt that Hu Tailai seemed to have left the house. After sleeping for a while, he got up and discovered that Hu Tailai was already in the front yard, practicing vigorously and sweating profusely. He was moving quickly in circles around the yard, with long strides and a slow frequency. Accompanying this movement, Hu Tailai's fists were like the wind, and every time he passed by, a slight chill could be felt.

... ...

Hu Tailai said: "In light of your situation, I must ask one more question: Do your families agree with you learning martial arts from me?"