After Yu Gang pointed out his mistakes and improper form, Chen Chuan reflected on his shortcomings from the match. Although he had won, he knew it was a fluke.
He had come up with a solid plan at the start—how to attack, how to strike, how to defend. He'd thought it all through. But when it came to execution, everything fell apart. Not to mention other problems like his form degrading and his failure to seize opportunities.
That palm strike he landed on Lu Ke later was just a lucky break, a moment of improvisation. If Lu Ke had grabbed his head while jumping, he might not have been able to land such a clean hit. He could very well have been the one to lose.
He learned a great deal from this combat spar. It made him understand that no matter how well you practiced your techniques, you might not be able to use them in a real fight. The reality of combat was far more complex than training.
Lu Ke complained, "Master, you forbade me from using grappling and Twisting Skill. I was completely hampered. I'd start a move only to remember I couldn't use it. I'm just not used to it..."
Yu Gang said in a deep voice, "Every place has its own rules. Right now, I'm the one setting the rules for you. But when you go elsewhere, others will set the rules. If you don't follow them, do you think you'll have any room to argue? You'll just be ostracized and eliminated. If you can't adapt, then find a way to adapt."
Lu Ke was resentful, but his feelings were mainly directed at Chen Chuan. He always listened to Yu Gang, so he lowered his head and said, "Yes, Master. I was wrong."
Yu Gang said, "You two, take a break. Relax using the method I taught you. We'll continue in a bit."
Chen Chuan went to the side. He didn't sit down. He picked up a water cup and took a few sips. Guided by the Breathing Technique, his depleted stamina recovered quickly. At the same time, he began thinking about how to approach the next round and what moves Lu Ke might use.
This kind of prediction and analysis wasn't just a physical contest. When opponents were evenly matched, it was more a battle of wits.
Five minutes passed quickly, and the two began their second match.
Chen Chuan didn't become conservative just because he had won a round; he maintained an aggressive attitude. Lu Ke, having learned his lesson from last time, used more feints mixed with real strikes. However, he was still wary of Chen Chuan's attacks, so his overall approach remained defensive.
This time, neither could gain an advantage over the other by the end, so Yu Gang ruled it a draw with no points awarded.
After the match, Chen Chuan thought, 'Lu Ke must be betting everything on the third round. That one will be the real test.' Far from being worried, he was actually looking forward to it.
Yu Gang stood calmly to the side, silently observing both of their performances and reactions.
Five minutes later, the two walked to the center of the training area again for the final match of the day.
Lu Ke charged forward right at the start. By now, he had more or less adapted to the rules. Plus, since it was the last round, he didn't need to conserve his stamina. He could attack relentlessly. In this situation, if he didn't knock Chen Chuan down, he would lose, so he was no longer so cautious about Chen Chuan's moves.
His skill was inherently greater than Chen Chuan's to begin with. Once he let loose, he immediately suppressed his opponent.
Facing Lu Ke's sharp strikes, rapid footwork, and near-constant barrage of attacks, Chen Chuan could only defend passively without using his Second Self. It was difficult to mount any effective counter-attack.
However, thanks to the Breathing Technique, his stamina and ability to take a hit were sufficient to handle such a high-paced assault. He was even gradually adapting. Throughout it all, he never stopped looking for an opening, occasionally managing to land a threatening blow that forced Lu Ke to break his chain of attacks.
By the end of the round, Lu Ke still hadn't managed to defeat him.
When the third match concluded, Yu Gang awarded a point to Lu Ke due to his clear advantage. This made the three-round total a win for Chen Chuan. Therefore, the task of cleaning up for the day still fell to Lu Ke.
After stepping out of the ring, Chen Chuan suddenly felt famished. He knew the Breathing Technique had increased his energy consumption. He walked to the side, sat down, and ate three tubes of Nutrition Paste in a row before feeling some of his energy and stamina return.
Lu Ke didn't have his kind of Recovery Power. He was panting slightly, sweat pouring down his body like rain. While drinking water, he slapped and kneaded various parts of his body to relieve the tension and stiffness from the fight.
Yu Gang said to them, "This is only the first day. From now on, you'll be sparring every day. I'll gradually increase the number of matches, so you need to adapt quickly."
Lu Ke chugged some water and said, "Master, Young Master Chen might not be able to handle all that tedious work. How about I just do it from now on? We don't need to bother with winning or losing."
Chen Chuan said, "You're too kind, Brother Lu. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. With the Breathing Technique, the work won't be that tiring."
Lu Ke immediately fell silent, just drinking his water sullenly.
In the following days, under Yu Gang's arrangements, the two spent most of their time in combat spars. After each session, Yu Gang would analyze the fight, letting them know where their problems were, how to correct them, and what the right approach should be.
During this period, Yu Gang began teaching Chen Chuan the more complex applications of the Great Scattering Hand, including techniques like elbow strikes, knee strikes, grabs, holds, throws, and Twisting Skill. As he progressed, the restrictions on their sparring matches were gradually lifted. This was also advantageous for Lu Ke, as he was more familiar with these techniques, which increased his chances of winning.
Chen Chuan wasn't deterred by the difficulty. On the contrary, he welcomed these spars, as they allowed him to quickly familiarize himself with various techniques in combat and accumulate more experience.
Lu Ke was actually the perfect opponent. He wasn't so powerful as to be unbeatable, but he was strong enough to present a challenge Chen Chuan could strive to overcome. As a result, Chen Chuan could feel his own strength growing almost daily. 'Honestly,' he thought, 'this feeling is incredible.' The duration of his Second Self's overlap was also slowly increasing during this period.
His only regret was that Yu Gang only had them fight three times a day—once in the morning, once at noon, and once in the evening. He felt that with his and Lu Ke's stamina, they could easily handle several more matches. He had even suggested this to Yu Gang, but his master never responded.
Then one day, after a spar, he noticed Lu Ke's breathing suddenly become ragged. Lu Ke had run off to a corner by himself, seemingly swallowing something. A vague realization dawned on Chen Chuan, and after that, he never again mentioned increasing the number of matches.
Combat training was a high-expenditure activity, so it had to be supplemented with ample nutrition. He ate his daily meals at Yu Gang's place. Besides the Nutrition Paste, his staple was a meal of black-meat-and-pumpkin rice.
In Yu Gang's understanding, the damage caused by the Breathing Technique ran deep and could plague a fighter for their entire life. Therefore, it was crucial to mend it as much as possible while young. Eating this meal continuously for two months could achieve a certain degree of repair, but even so, some of the damage could never be fully healed.
This was an unfortunate reality, the price of taking a shortcut. After all, fighters from common backgrounds had limited money and resources. The only thing they could afford to burn was their own body.
Chen Chuan couldn't explain the matter of his Second Self, but he didn't object to eating the special meal. His body sustained damage from training every day, and this medicinal food was perfect for helping it recover. This way, his Second Self could be used entirely to transfer the physical burden caused by the Breathing Technique.
Normally, eating the same thing for every meal for dozens of days would quickly become tiresome. Yet Chen Chuan ate with gusto every single time, something for which Lu Ke expressed his sincere admiration.
Amidst the continuous, uninterrupted training, time flew by, and soon it was the end of June. That morning, just as their spar had ended, Yu Gang called Chen Chuan aside. "A reminder," he said, "it's time for you to pay again."
Chen Chuan nodded. He had first paid fifty Jianyuan Coins, then added another fifty mid-month. Now it was time to pay again.
But it was money well spent, as almost all of it was used for his own benefit. In truth, Yu Gang wasn't taking much of a fee. The continuous supply of Nutrition Paste, the daily meals, the equipment, the facility, the sparring partner—if you tallied up all the costs, it was far more than what he was paying.
He said, "I'll bring it to you tomorrow, Master."
Yu Gang was about to say something when a clamor of footsteps came from outside. They involuntarily stopped talking.
Chen Chuan looked outside. The only ways in and out of this place were two long alleys, one at the front and one at the back. In the month and a half he'd been here, he had hardly seen anyone besides them. Now, it seemed their peace was about to be broken.
Lu Ke glanced at Yu Gang. At his master's nod, he immediately put down his water bottle and ran outside. A moment later, the sound of voices drifted in; Lu Ke was talking with the visitors. The newcomers' tone seemed polite enough. After a short while, Lu Ke ran back in. "Master, it's the Iron—"
Yu Gang cut him off. "I know." He stood up and said to Chen Chuan, "You continue training. I'm going out to handle something." With that, he strode outside, and Lu Ke quickly followed.
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