Bruce POV
The fight against Wei Jun had been the last event of the night.
When the referee announced my victory and the crowd roared my name, the tension that had gripped the courtyard finally broke.
Music returned, the lights inside the mansion brightened, and the smell of food drifted out as everyone poured back inside to continue the party.
I walked out of the ring, surrounded by my friends, their faces lit with excitement.
Tao kept slapping my back every other second as if he couldn't believe I was still standing in front of him.
"Rank five! Do you know what this means, Bruce? You're officially a monster in the school. Nobody's going to question it anymore."
"Rank one doesn't sound impossible anymore," Zhang Weiren added, grinning wide.
"Don't you dare forget about us when you're at the top," Mei Yanyan teased, though her smile was genuine.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Their confidence in me was warming, a steady anchor against the endless chaos I'd been living.
We stepped through the doors into the mansion, where the party had already started again in full swing.
Bright chandeliers lit the grand hall, music thumped from hidden speakers, and trays of food and drinks were carried around by staff in black suits.
For a while, it was easy to get lost in the wave of congratulations.
Dozens of students clapped me on the back, others raised glasses and everywhere I went, people were whispering my name. Bruce Chan, Rank Five.
But then, the crowd shifted.
Two familiar figures approached.
Qin Yue, calm and elegant, her long black hair flowing like silk, and beside her, Han Zixuan, tall, sharp-eyed, and carrying an aura that never seemed to waver.
My friends noticed them too and immediately grew quiet.
Qin Yue stopped in front of me and dipped her head slightly. "Congratulations, Bruce. That was an impressive display."
Her words were polite, but her gaze carried more weight than casual admiration, it carried friendship.
Han Zixuan didn't smile.
He simply nodded once, his eyes locking on me with a focus that made me feel like he could see past skin and bone. "You're ready."
I blinked at him. "Ready? Ready for what?"
Instead of answering directly, he asked his own question.
"Are you related to the Chan family?" His tone was calm, but there was something behind it.
A certainty, almost like he already knew the answer. "Do you have an elder brother or cousin named Jackie?"
For a second, my stomach tightened
'Why does he know Jackie?'
My brow furrowed before I could stop myself.
That single reaction was enough.
Han Zixuan's expression shifted slightly, the faintest confirmation flashing across his eyes."Looks like you are related to Jackie Chan."
I straightened my shoulders. "What are you trying to say?"
He lifted a hand lightly, as if to calm my suspicion. "Don't get me wrong but I guess you didn't know. Your surname, Chan, holds a seat as one among the Ten White Lotus."
The words made no sense to me.
"Lotus… families?" I asked, confusion written on my face.
Han Zixuan gave the smallest of smiles, though it carried no mockery. "You will find out soon. For now, take care of yourself and enjoy the victory."
With that, he turned and walked away, Qin Yue offering me one last nod and a faint smile before following him back into the swirling crowd.
The moment they were gone, my friends swarmed me.
"What the hell was that about?" Tao asked, eyes wide.
"Ten White Lotus Families? What's that supposed to mean?" Zhang Weiren demanded.
"Bruce, you know something about it?" Mei Yanyan pressed, leaning closer.
I shook my head slowly, still processing. "I'm not sure… but I have a guess. The Lotus… it could be connected to my chi technique. Uncle always said his master created this unique method that I'm using right now—the Justice Lotus Method. Maybe… maybe these families all practice versions of it."
They exchanged looks, half confused, half curious.
"Sounds complicated, yet troublesome," Guo Minghao muttered.
"Or opportunity," Tao said, grinning despite everything. "Either way, Bruce, you're in the middle of it now and I'm confident you will be able to deal with it"
I exhaled, tension tightening and releasing in my chest. The words Five Lotus Families kept circling in my mind, but answers weren't here, not yet. For now, all I could do was guess.
I forced a smile for my friends. "Forget it for tonight. It doesn't change the fact I'm Rank Five now. We came here to celebrate, didn't we?"
That did the trick. Mei Yanyan raised her glass juice. "Finally, you're talking sense. To Bruce Chan—our own Rank Five!"
"To Bruce!" the others echoed, lifting whatever they had in hand.
The questions about Lotus Families didn't vanish from my mind but as music swelled and laughter filled the hall again, for tonight at least, I'll let them sink beneath the surface.
For tonight, I'll enjoy my victory.
Dawn came like a promise but I was already awake before it — not because I didn't want the extra sleep, but because sleeping past Uncle's first cup of tea always invited a scolding that could last the entire morning.
The habit of rising at first light had become part of me: a ritual now, familiar and steady.
Even after the party at the mansion, my body woke early and sharp, like it knew there was work to be done.
I stepped into the backyard training ground and took everything in with a slow breath.
Jackie was there already — relaxed, stretching with that lazy smile that made everything look easy.
Uncle sat at the small weathered table to the side, a steaming cup of tea in hand, but his eyes never left me.
His gaze was steady, the kind that measured more than the surface.
Today, it looks like I had a different weight.
Jackie's grin said one thing: this is another training match but Uncle's posture — straight, hands around the cup, chin tilted just so — told another story: this was something else.
Uncle had told Jackie to "fight seriously." Uncle never used that tone lightly. I could see the lines in the corner of his eyes, he must have a reason.
I centered myself. The air tasted like winter grass and the faint smoke of the brazier Uncle used to heat his tea.
I let my chi circulate gently, feeling the power under my skin.
Today I allowed more than usual — a controlled 1%. Not much: just enough to start steady.
It sharpens my reflexes, and strengthens my muscles.
Uncle had said Jackie would use chi too, and that the fight should be used to test my limits. So I drew a quick map of my condition in my head and I am in peak condition
Jackie watched me take my stance, an easy grin sliding across his face. "All right, rookie. Uncle says I can't go easy on you. You ready to eat dust?"
I gave him a curt nod. "I'm ready."
We set up in the old circle where we had trained since I'd arrived — stone slabs underfoot, the plum tree shading the edge.
Jackie took a breath, and for the first time in months I watched him move as more than a teacher; he moved like a warrior remembering the taste of an old rhythm.
We started slowly, testing distance. My chi pulsed at 1% and felt the subtle hum under my skin — like steel wrapped in silk.
Jackie widened his stance and let a shallow wave of his own chi roll through him. Uncle's lips tightened; his eyes flicked between us like a clock hand marking an important hour.
I am ready to find out my Limit too.
-----END-----
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