I achieved mastery of martial arts during the Republic of China era.

Chapter 8: The Coldness and Warmth of Human Relationships, Remaining Calm and Composed

The sun had climbed to its zenith, and the morning training session at the martial arts school came to a temporary end.

The trainees stopped their stances and hastily wiped their faces with the towels draped around their necks. The courtyard was filled with the cracking sounds of joints moving and the sound of tired exhalations.

The core group of people, as usual, have their own shows.

A student in a silk robe raised his chin and shouted, "Let's go, let's go! Jufeng Restaurant, it's on me today, so hurry up!"

The group responded with laughter and started packing their things to leave.

Song Jie subconsciously turned his head to look at the corner, and saw Zhou Tong washing his face with cold water in a wooden basin after finishing a set of punches. Water droplets trickled down his slightly thin jawline.

Song Jie's feelings for Zhou Tong resurfaced, and he raised his hand halfway, about to shout, "Zhou Tong, want to grab something to eat?"

The young man from the Li family who lived nearby nudged him with his elbow to stop him.

"Old Song, that's enough. His family is in trouble, we've offered our condolences, and that's enough to save face. Are you still planning to try and pull him onto our side?"

The young man from the Li family lowered his voice and pursed his lips, saying, "If his family is in such a state, and they can still get into our circle, then wouldn't everyone else in the martial arts school be able to get in too? What kind of place would this be?"

Song Jie's raised hand froze in mid-air, a hint of struggle flashing across his face, but in the end he said nothing, slumped his shoulders, and followed the crowd out the door in silence.

After Zhou Tong finished cleaning, he glanced at the backs of Song Jie and his group as they filed out. He had seen everything out of the corner of his eye, but it didn't evoke much emotion in him.

He stretched his body as he walked toward the dining hall in the side courtyard of the martial arts school.

Along the way, he could clearly feel that the gazes directed at him were different from before. Some were pitying, some were indifferent and watching the spectacle, and many were gloating.

If it were in the past, being so blatantly rejected and looked at like that, he would probably have blushed with embarrassment and wished he could disappear into the ground.

But now, he feels completely at peace.

He never expected to achieve anything significant with these people; it was merely a formality, a nice bonus.

Now the "flowers" have faded, but the tree remains; the most important thing is for him to grow strong and healthy.

Arrived at the canteen.

Martial arts training is physically demanding, so the canteen at Longhu Martial Arts School serves hearty meals. Large buckets of rice are served as refills as you like, and while the dishes aren't particularly refined, they're oily and plentiful. The braised pork is stewed until tender, and the bone broth is simmered until milky white, which is just what martial arts practitioners crave.

Zhou Tong filled a plate to the brim, found a quiet corner by the window, sat down, and began to eat.

He had just taken a few bites of rice when the light across from him dimmed, a plate was placed on the seat next to him, and a voice rang out: "Hey, in this world, there are too many people who fawn over the powerful. Junior brother, take it easy and don't take it to heart."

Zhou Tong looked up and saw a young man with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a handsome appearance.

He recognized the man; his name was Ji Chang, a disciple of the training grounds in the academy. He didn't have a powerful family background, so he couldn't squeeze into Zheng Hao and Liu Qing's small circle.

Zhou Tong swallowed the food in his mouth and smiled:

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. But I don't think it's a big deal. I was able to hang out with them before because of my family's connections. Now that those connections are gone, they don't include me anymore. Isn't that normal?"

Ji Chang raised an eyebrow in surprise, looked Zhou Tong over carefully, and saw that his eyes were calm, not like he was putting on a brave face. He couldn't help but praise, "Junior brother's mentality is impressive, it's rare to see that."

Zhou Tong took a sip of soup, spread his hands and laughed, "It's rare to see someone like you, Senior Brother. I have no background left now, and you still came all this way to tell me this. You're so kind."

Ji Chang picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and chuckled, "Then you've misunderstood. I'm not that kind of compassionate. I came to find you, of course, with my own agenda."

"Oh?" Zhou Tong put down his chopsticks, intrigued. "Looking at me now, what could possibly catch your eye, Senior Brother?"

Ji Chang laughed: "You don't have it, but your father does."

"My father?" Zhou Tong was slightly taken aback.

"Yes," Ji Chang nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "Your father's name is well-known in Cangzhou's business circles; he's very skilled at doing business."

He gave a thumbs up, then shook his head and said, "It's a pity. Now that he's left the Zhou family, without a strong martial arts force to support him, he has the skills but can't use them."

He paused, then looked at Zhou Tong with an honest gaze: "As for me, I'm currently stuck at the peak of muscle training. I feel like I'm just one thin layer away from breaking through it, and who knows when I'll step into the threshold of bone forging."

So, I'm just here to get acquainted with you first. If I happen to break through in the future, maybe I can team up with your dad to do something.

"At that time, I have military strength, but I don't know how to do business; your father is an expert in business, but he lacks someone to keep things in check. If we could join forces, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Hearing his straightforwardness, Zhou Tong couldn't help but laugh: "Senior brother, you speak the truth."

Ji Chang looked completely at ease and shoveled another mouthful of rice into his mouth:

"That's just how I am; I don't like beating around the bush. Of course, when working together, the most important thing is trust. And trust isn't something you can just talk about."

He put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "With my aptitude, breaking through to the Bone Forging stage isn't something that can be done in a few days. We've got a long way to go as fellow disciples, so let's take it slow. You observe me, I observe you, and if we feel we're on the same page and can trust each other, then it won't be too late to bring up the matter of cooperating with your father."

Zhou Tong raised an eyebrow slightly.

Ji Chang is a straightforward person with a clear purpose, yet he is not annoying; on the contrary, he has a rare kind of frankness and sincerity.

He smiled and nodded, "Since you're so straightforward, Senior Brother, then I won't beat around the bush. Alright, let's do as you say. We have a long time ahead of us, let's take it slow."

The two exchanged a smile, said nothing more, and focused on eating the food in front of them.

After resting for a while after the meal, Zhou Tong returned to that familiar corner in the front yard and continued to immerse himself in his world of stance training.

As the sun gradually slanted westward, the golden afterglow cast long shadows of the trees.

At one point, Zhou Tong slowly stopped and ceased his movements.

He felt he had mastered the four new moves and was ready to ask his senior brother to teach him the final four moves.

Looking up, he saw that his senior brother, Chen Zong, was already standing not far away, quietly watching him.

Chen Zong had witnessed all the ups and downs in the museum today, and Zhou Tong's reactions from beginning to end.

If people are born to roll around in the mud, they'll get used to it.

The most painful thing is falling from a height; the psychological impact is even more frustrating than getting beaten up.

Seeing that Zhou Tong was not discouraged by these events, but instead became more calm and focused, practicing his skills with the same concentration as always, Chen Zong felt even more respect for him.

"It seems you've figured out the trick."

Chen Zong slowly walked up to him, his voice still steady, "Then today I will pass on the last four forms of the Dragon Tiger Flesh Training Stance to you. Watch carefully."

Before he finished speaking, he had already taken flight.

Chen Zong continued his explanation patiently, pointing out the last few key points on breathing transitions and the techniques for using muscles and bones.

"Take good care of yourself. From now on, you'll have to rely on persistent practice. You can't slack off for even a day. Only then can you slowly develop real skills." After giving his instructions, Chen Zong turned to leave.

He took two steps, then suddenly stopped, turned to stare at Zhou Tong, and added:

"Practice hard. Relying on others is unreliable; the skills you develop yourself are the foundation for a secure life."

Senior Brother is cold on the outside but warm on the inside... Zhou Tong quickly clasped his hands respectfully: "I have remembered what Senior Brother said."

Once Chen Zong was out of sight, Zhou Tong immediately calmed himself down, his eyes narrowed, and the transparent frame reappeared.

Then, his eyes suddenly lit up.

After collecting all the Dragon and Tiger Meat Training Stakes, the anomalies on the panel finally came to light.