After getting the files from Wuyi Academy, Chen Chuan went straight to Quan's House. Once there, he found Yu Gang and explained the situation.
Yu Gang said, "So you refused the sponsorship?"
Chen Chuan said frankly, "Yes, Mr. Yu. I don't want to be tied down by the so-called Mutual Aid Association."
"As long as you've made up your mind, that's fine," Yu Gang said. "Let me see those student files you picked up."
Chen Chuan took the files out of his satchel. Yu Gang accepted them and flipped through the pages one by one. "It's not that there's too little information here," he commented, "it's just too vague. It would be difficult to formulate a detailed, rational strategy based on this."
Chen Chuan nodded. Other than the students' names, ages, heights, weights, and areas of expertise, there was nothing else specific in the files.
"Without the sponsorship, you won't have any informational advantage," Yu Gang said. "You'll just have to rely on your own strength and go head-to-head with those students."
Chen Chuan just smiled nonchalantly. "Then let's go head-to-head."
In truth, after mastering the Shocking God Fist, he had the confidence to take on the upperclassmen who had grasped Power. He had been a bit mentally conservative before, but for some reason, after yesterday's chaotic street brawl, something had shifted. Though he felt unchanged, that sense of awe he once had for the senior students had suddenly vanished.
Yu Gang seemed to sense the change in his state and asked in a low voice, "Kid, did you run into someone after you left yesterday?"
Chen Chuan was surprised by Yu Gang's perceptiveness, but he had nothing to hide. "On my way back yesterday, I was attacked by some suspected gang members."
Yu Gang looked him over. "It seems you've drawn blood. That's good, too."
He didn't press for details. Getting attacked by gangsters was hardly a big deal here; people living in West City dealt with them almost every day. Besides, Chen Chuan was Nian Fuli's nephew, so there was no need for him to pry.
"Back to the re-examination," he said. "There's one way to fight when you have information, and another when you don't. My advice is this: over the next month, you need more practical combat experience. You need to face opponents with different styles. Lu Ke is no longer a suitable sparring partner for this."
"So, you can go to some boxing halls and challenge them under the pretext of sparring and exchange. Some fighters will never turn down a good opponent. But you have to pick your boxing club carefully. Some don't see it that way. If you don't have any backing, they'll just be thinking of ways to cripple you."
There was, in fact, another option: the underground fighting rings run by the two major gangs. He could encounter all sorts of opponents there. However, considering Chen Chuan was Nian Fuli's nephew, he didn't bring it up.
Chen Chuan nodded. The first place that came to mind was the Xiujiang Boxing Hall. It had left a decent impression on him last time, and it was nearby. 'Might as well try that place first.'
After noon, he finished his basic training for the day, then left Quan's House early. He jogged all the way to the Xiujiang Boxing Club in Xigang District.
He had arrived rather early. The lightbox sign outside wasn't even on yet. Inside the hall, there were only a handful of people training; the rest were all fighters from the Xiujiang Boxing Club.
Xiaoliang was practicing his strikes with a resistance band. He froze for a second when he saw Chen Chuan walk in, then remembered something. Coach Gu had told him to let him know if this young man ever came back. But looking at Chen Chuan now, he wondered if he had the right person. 'This guy is good-looking. He doesn't have the ferocious air of a long-time fighter.'
He went over to greet him with a smile. "Hey man, been a while. Here for a workout?"
Chen Chuan got straight to the point. "I heard you can spar with the fighters here. Is that possible today?"
A chill went down Xiaoliang's spine. He looked at Chen Chuan and said tentatively, "Well... how about you wait a bit? Our coach just stepped out..."
Just then, a voice cut in. "Why bother the coach? I'll give him a try."
A burly man got up from a mat and walked over.
He was about twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a rugged face and a solid, muscular build. A white towel hung around his neck, and his eyes were locked on Chen Chuan as he approached.
Xiaoliang said quickly, "Hey, this is our club's veteran fighter, Senior Brother Yan."
Senior Brother Yan came to a stop in front of Chen Chuan. He'd initially pegged him as the type who learns a few moves, thinks he's hot stuff, and tries to challenge gyms like he's seen others do. He'd planned to intimidate him, but Chen Chuan looked perfectly calm—and it wasn't a front. "Interesting," he said. "How about you and me have a go?"
Chen Chuan wasn't picky about his opponents; he wanted to gauge the skill of a veteran fighter from Xiujiang Boxing Hall anyway. "Alright," he said.
"Protective gear?"
"No need," Chen Chuan replied.
"Got guts." Senior Brother Yan grinned. "Don't come crying to me when it hurts."
Chen Chuan just smiled. "I don't think it'll come to that."
"Tough guy. I like your attitude." Senior Brother Yan gave him a thumbs-up, yanked off his towel, and went to the side to warm up.
Chen Chuan took off his jacket, leaving him in just his shirt, and began to stretch his limbs.
His warm-up routine followed the methods from the booklet Yu Gang had given him. It wasn't unique to Wuda; the booklet had been out for more than ten years and had long since circulated to the public, adopted by countless people. As a result, anyone trying to discern his fighting style would see nothing out of the ordinary. They would have to wait until he was in the ring.
It wasn't time for matches in the ring yet, but everyone loves a good show. The sparring partners were usually the same old faces, so a newcomer immediately piqued everyone's interest.
Everyone in the hall gathered around. Even the people who had been training got up to watch the excitement. Someone even found a few watermelons, cut them open on the spot, and passed slices out to the crowd.
Someone catcalled, "Old Yan, go easy on him! Don't scare the little guy."
"Yeah, not like that last guy who pissed himself on the floor."
"We're eating watermelon here, that's disgusting! Get lost."
"HAHAHAHA..." A wave of boisterous laughter erupted from the crowd. Training was a grind, and a rare bit of entertainment was a welcome distraction, so everyone let loose.
Senior Brother Yan pursed his lips. "He won't get the chance."
Once they were both sufficiently warmed up, they entered the ring one after the other.
It was Chen Chuan's first time in a fighting ring. The canvas under his feet had a slight give to it, and he found it a little difficult to keep his center of gravity low.
Senior Brother Yan noticed immediately. He narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
Since this wasn't a formal match, there was no need for a referee. How far the fight went was entirely up to the two of them.
Xiaoliang, remembering the sandbag from the other day, suddenly felt a little uneasy. He shouted up to the ring, "Hey, don't go too hard!"
Senior Brother Yan didn't realize the warning was actually about Chen Chuan, and said impatiently, "I know what I'm doing."
Someone eagerly pulled the rope, and the ring bell let out a sharp DANG.
Senior Brother Yan immediately pressed forward. He also adopted a stance with one hand forward and one back, but his front hand was low and his back hand was high. The ball of his lead foot tapped the canvas repeatedly, as if he might launch a kick at any moment.
Chen Chuan assumed the stance of the Great Scattering Hand, his center of gravity sinking slightly. It was a common stance, one that looked like anyone could pull it off, but when he settled into it, he projected an unshakable solidity.
An ordinary person wouldn't see the difference, but many in the hall noticed it at a glance. The jeering died down, and the onlookers grew more serious.
Senior Brother Yan also shed his contemptuous attitude. Seeing how stable Chen Chuan was, he didn't stay put. He lifted his lead foot in a feigned kick, but it was a deception—he spun his body for a rear sweeping kick.
But at the very instant he began to move, a light flashed in Chen Chuan's eyes. He suddenly strode forward, executing the "Millstone Pushing Hand" from the Great Scattering Hand. His hand landed squarely on Senior Brother Yan's hip and waist. The rear sweep was stifled before it could even begin, and he was slammed down from mid-spin, hitting the canvas with a heavy THUD.
Unless he was facing a powerful enemy or sudden danger, Chen Chuan wouldn't maintain his Second Self for long. He only activated it for the briefest instant as he struck. This kept it concealed, made it unpredictable, and conserved the time he could remain merged with his Second Self.
Seeing Senior Brother Yan's sorry state on the canvas, someone in the crowd hissed. "Old Yan underestimated him. Didn't even do a single probe. He just went in blind without knowing anything about his opponent. A little too arrogant."
"Exactly. If this were a real match, getting slammed to the ground like that would be an instant loss."
In reality, they were just talking. The boxing hall was a business; it needed to attract an audience. You had to be both skilled and flashy. Anyone who got in the ring would be too embarrassed to show their face if they didn't show off a few fancy moves for the crowd.
Having scored a hit, Chen Chuan didn't press his advantage. He immediately backed away.
This was a spar, not a deathmatch, and he was on their turf. Besides, he was hoping to fight the club's coach later; he had to give them some face.
Senior Brother Yan scrambled back to his feet. He acted completely unbothered. Taking hits was part of fighting in the ring; if you couldn't control your emotions, you had no business being up there in the first place.
He knew, however, that Chen Chuan had held back. He didn't need to say thanks. The best way to return the respect was to show his true strength and knock his opponent down in turn.
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