Chapter 24

The basketball club had their heads hung low at the end of the competition, even the basketball drill team were out of sorts. The spectators on the bleachers might have been there to support the basketball club, but they were bubbling with excitement.

They just witnessed an amazing match.

“This boy is interesting. Check on him for me.” A female headhunter smiled and left the bleachers.

Huo Wennu frowned at the man below. This man was a box of mysteries. He caused a stir during Ye Qingxue’s birthday and now here he was, single-handedly defeating the basketball club.

She was curious; what kind of man is he? Why hadn’t she heard of him before?

She planned to clear her doubts with Ye Qingxue when she got back.

The literature and art club were cheering nonstop. Today, they had achieved an overwhelming victory. Even though four of the players on today’s match were from the literature and art club, they still won the match against the basketball team.

They bad brought honor to their club.

“Yan Xu, I recall you saying that if we were to win, you’ll crawl around the court and bark like a dog, am I right?” One of the literature and art club members who felt insulted earlier brought it up.

“Humph, it’s just dumb luck,” Yan Xu furiously snorted. It was but a miracle in his eyes.

“What? You can talk the talk but won’t walk the walk?”

“Who knows what dirty tricks you had up your sleeves to win. Maybe you colluded with the basketball club.” Yan Xu sneered at their presence.

“Sigh, the sports club isn’t what it used to be.”

“What’s so good about your literature and art club anyway? You still come running to our sports club for help. You eggheads should just keep to your own art otherwise I challenge you to attempt our sports club training.” Yan Xu forced his way out of the crowd.

“If we win, are you going to bark like a dog and crawl around the training grounds?” Xia Tian smiled. He despised people like Yan Xu the most, putting down others when they themselves did not possess the ability.

“Fine; physical training regime. If you can win over our men, I’ll bark like a dog.” Yan Xu huffed away down the corridor.

“Then let’s do it tomorrow afternoon,” Xia Tian dully answered.

“Xia Tian, don’t bother with him. I don’t even know the guy. He heard that we had a match with the basketball club and volunteered to help,” Ye Qingxue advised.

Today was a great day for the literature and art club. Ye Qingxue was going to throw a party, but Xia Tian had other matters to attend to.

Tang Yan was not in a good mood but she was also in shock. The bad news was that she lost the competition, but on the other hand, she discovered a great asset. With great nurturing, he would become a superstar.

However, she was still faced with a huge problem. She lost the bet. She had to address Ye Qingxue as Sister Xue and that disgusting guy as Darling Sweetie Hubby.

She cringed at the thought.

If she refused to do so, she would be considered a dirty dog for not accepting the consequences of her own actions. She could not feel more dejected.

“Xia Tian, where are you going?” Ye Qingxue saw Xia Tian heading to their opponent’s lounge area.

“I’m going to pay my mistress a visit,” Xia Tian said without turning back.

“Are you for real? Winning the match is more than enough. Don’t put her on the spot.” Ye Qingxue could not care less for the bet. She was not really going to get Tang Yan to call her Sister Xue.

That would be going overboard. It was just a spat with Tang Yan.

“Hey Missus, I’m here to see you,” Xia Tian crackled in front of Tang Yan. Tang Yan had no words for Xia Tian. She had never experienced such shamelessness. Sure, she lost. but there was no need to swing it in her face there and then. At worst, she would just avoid him from then on.

However, Xia Tian came forth to make her realize the bet.

“B*stard, don’t you dare talk to Lady Boss that way.” Fang Li was not happy losing the game but he admitted his defeat. The other party might have won but what business did he have in picking a fight here?

“I won’t lower myself to your level, for my mistress’ sake.” Xia Tian refused to look at Fang Li.

“Stop teasing them. Xia Tian, let’s go.” Ye Qingxue did not want Xia Tian to cause any trouble. “Tang Yan, the grudge between us is all in the past and done for. As for that bet, just forget it.”

“Ye Qingxue, what do you mean? Do you think I’m a person who can’t take a loss?” Tang Yan could not accept failure. “Sister Xue, Darling Sweetie Hubby.”

Tang Yan ran out of the arena promptly after. She was deeply embarrassed.

“Why did she just leave like that?” Xia Tian then left the arena, sulking, taking a cab to his old living quarters.

Yan Xu was feeling blue. He wanted to help out the literature and art club to worm himself into Ye Qingxue’s favor but ended up losing face.

There was no way he could swallow his pride, especially after they held his word against him to bark and crawl around the court. Although he did not do it anyway, he was humiliated.

He would not stand for being made a fool in front of Ye Qingxue.

“President Li, the guys from the literature and art club are such bullies. I was there to help but they don’t know what’s good for them. They insulted me and called the sports club a piece of crap. Today, the literature and art club won the basketball game. Tomorrow, they want to win the sports club in sports.” Yan Xu exaggerated the matter.

“They sure have the guts to challenge us with only four boys in their club.” President Li had quite a temper.

“President, you should have seen their faces, especially that outsider they got. What an arrogant prick. He said that you’re nothing and an unworthy opponent.” Yan Xu loathed Xia Tian for stealing the show. When he scored a basket, Ye Qingxue kissed him in the heat of the moment, leaving Yan Xu green with envy.

“He really said that?” President Li hit the roof.

“That’s right. He challenged our sports club, adding how easy our physical training is, that he alone would be enough to deal with our training set’s best performers.” Yan Xu has successfully provoked President Li.

“Yan Xu, throw down the gauntlet, I’m going to teach that b*stard a lesson.”

Xia Tian reached his old residence and waited for about two hours before the person in white appeared. The person in white was still in the same outfit and holding the same sword. Although there was no change of wardrobe, his apparel was always kept clean.

“Master, you’re here,” Xia Tian greeted with reverence. This person in white, as his father’s friend and his lifesaver deserved his respect.

“Your father never mentioned martial arts to you because he didn’t want you to follow in his footsteps, but since you’ve found yourself entering this circle, I will carry out my promise to him.” The person in white gazed straight into Xia Tian’s eyes. “From now on, I will teach you Unrestrained Cloud Sage Step and Resonating Finger.”

“Resonating Finger?” Xia Tian has only seen such martial arts on television. It was from The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng. (TN: The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng 陆小凤传奇 is a Chinese TV series adapted from the wuxia novel series, Lu Xiaofeng Series by Gu Long.) He would have never in a million years thought that the person in white was going to teach him the same martial arts.

“That’s right, these were the skills that brought your father fame,” The person in white dully answered.

“My father? Was my father a master then?” Xia Tian hoped to learn more about his father from the person in white.

“I have never cultivated these two techniques, so I can only guide you through the cultivating method and internal mind cultivation.” The person in white was not easily taken in, biting his tongue on the information about his father.

“Master, could it be that my father’s martial arts are less superior than yours, causing you to find that they’re not worth mastering?” Xia Tian asked.

“I chose not to learn them because of one thing; you must remember, don’t bite off more than you can chew. The drive needed to cultivate one martial art is far greater rather than mastering several at the same time.

“Thank you for your teaching,” responded Xia Tian.

“Unrestrained Cloud Sage Step can be learned through the Book of Changes and eight trigrams. Resonating Finger focuses on body acupoints and accuracy of the attack,” The person in white clarified the Unrestrained Cloud Sage Step and Resonating Finger’s origins and cultivating methods.

The moment Xia Tian set his hands to these skills, he finally understood why his father filled him with knowledge since he was a child. The Book of Changes, eight trigrams, and body acupoints were among the few things he acquired throughout the years.

He did not understand then why his father had insisted on him learning these. Without comprehension of the Book of Changes and eight trigrams, it was impossible to cultivate the Unrestrained Cloud Sage Step. The bar was set higher for Resonating Finger, requiring not only the understanding of the human body’s acupoints, but also the summoning of knowledge and insight on the composition of the human anatomy and muscles.

It was absurd to expect this from a regular person but quite the contrary for Xia Tian, who had been learning this all his life.

He seemed to have been molded by father’s hands with everything coming into place. His father filling him with knowledge since his childhood was all in preparation for this day.

“You are blessed with the greatest gift I’ve ever seen, you’ll one day bring your father’s martial arts to great heights.” The person in white imparted Xia Tian skills for an hour before departing, leaving Xia Tian on his own to cultivate.