Chapter 84: Beating Zhu Hong Senseless (Part 1)

"Ah?"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Zheng Yang and the others almost cried.

Teacher, can't you see?

It's not that we're afraid of beating him to death and not being able to explain; it's that... we simply can't win!

And you're asking Yuan Tao to go... He's only just started training, at the first level of the Fighter realm, the Gathering Qi stage. How could he possibly defeat this peak expert before him?

"Beat me into a pig's head and still demand compensation for the door? Haha!"

Zhu Hong laughed so hard he could barely breathe. He knew the strength of these students the moment they exchanged blows, especially Yuan Tao, who ranked dead last in the entrance exam. Want to beat him into a pig's head?

He had long heard that this Teacher Zhang was a poor instructor, but he never expected his judgment to be even worse!

When his laughter subsided, his eyes gleamed with amusement. "Fine, if any of you can beat me, I'll not only compensate you for the door but also give you a thousand gold coins!"

The poor studied literature, the rich trained in martial arts. For Zhu Hong to have such strength at his age indicated a wealthy background. A thousand gold coins, though not a small sum, was something he could easily afford.

"Whoever wins gets compensated?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Of course!" Zhu Hong clasped his hands behind his back, a cold sneer on his face, full of arrogance.

Hadn't they just fought? For these people to beat him, they'd need another ten years of training!

"Here's your chance to make money!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand and looked at the students before him. "Yuan Tao, you go first. Remember what I said, go easy on him!"

"I..."

Yuan Tao's face scrunched up. This guy was so strong; even Zhao Ya couldn't beat him. How could I fight him?

"I said you can win, so you will win!" Knowing what he was thinking, Zhang Xuan sat on the chair at the podium. "Because... you are my student!"

Zhang Xuan's student?

Hearing this, Zhu Hong burst out laughing again.

Your reputation as Teacher Zhang is indeed great, almost surpassing Teacher Lu Xun's, but... isn't it a notorious reputation?

If you were someone else's student, I might have a hard time winning, but your student...

Zhu Hong was full of contempt.

While he sneered, Yuan Tao on the side straightened his face, hot blood surging through him, no longer looking like a bitter gourd.

That's right! Teacher Zhang is so formidable, yet he's being mocked. As his student, it's my duty to clear his name!

Even if I'm beaten to death, I can't let him be looked down upon!

With this thought, a fierce determination rose in him. Without any fear, he stepped forward, ready to act.

"Hold on!" Seeing him charge over, Zhang Xuan waved his hand again.

"What? Teacher Zhang wants to back out?" Zhu Hong sneered.

"Back out?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You're overthinking it... Yuan Tao is too powerful. I'm afraid I might beat you to death, and that wouldn't look good. So, Yuan Tao, come here. I'll teach you three simple boxing moves."

"Three boxing moves?"

Yuan Tao and the others had no idea what their teacher was up to.

"Sharpening the spear just before battle? Learning martial arts now? Isn't it too late?"

Zhu Hong was full of disdain.

What a joke!

Every martial technique requires thousands of repetitions, training day and night through heat and cold, to achieve mastery. Teaching now and expecting to beat him?

Dream on!

"Teacher..."

Yuan Tao shared the same thought. He hesitated as he stepped forward, his face full of confusion.

He really couldn't understand what Teacher Zhang was trying to achieve.

If he truly wanted to vent for them, losing would only bring more shame and loss of face.

"Yuan Tao, trust the teacher. If he says so, he must have a way!" Liu Yang, having personally experienced the Heart Inquisition, knew how formidable this notoriously bad teacher really was. His confidence was unshakable.

If he could break through a cultivation level that normally took half a year in just ten minutes, what couldn't he do?

"Alright!"

Hearing this, Yuan Tao gritted his teeth.

He had already been beaten once; another beating wouldn't hurt. Besides, he was thick-skinned and not that afraid!

"You all should learn too. It'll help you win the bet later."

Zhang Xuan looked at Zhao Ya and the others.

"Yes!"

The five of them came over.

"Watch closely. This is the first move!"

Zhang Xuan spread his five fingers and grabbed forward with his left hand.

The move was very simple. Even an ordinary person could understand it at a glance, let alone a martial artist.

"Second move!"

Without stopping, Zhang Xuan swayed his foot and moved from left to right.

"Third move!"

He clenched his right hand into a fist and hammered downward toward his chest.

He withdrew his fist and stood upright.

"Teacher Zhang... is... is that it?"

Seeing no further movements, everyone was dumbfounded.

Teacher Zhang, are you joking? These three moves are as trashy as street brawlers fighting—no technique at all...

How could these three moves win?

You must be joking!

Zhao Ya and the others were on the verge of tears.

Even Zhu Hong on the side widened his eyes, about to go crazy.

You kept saying you'd beat me into a pig's head. I thought you'd teach some brilliant secret technique... What is this nonsense?

Is this even martial arts?

The most crucial part is... when teaching, you should at least do it secretly. Teaching such garbage moves in front of me and still planning to beat me? Do you take me for dead?

"Alright, these three moves are very simple. Yuan Tao, go ahead. Use them well, and beating this guy won't be a problem!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"I..."

Yuan Tao's face was bitter.

He knew he was unreliable, but what Teacher Zhang just taught was even more unreliable!

These three moves, even in his usual fights, he wouldn't use them because... they were too pathetic.

They had no technical content at all. Even if the opponent were a dog, it could easily dodge them.

"Go!" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

"Yes!"

Gritting his teeth, with the feeling of a martyr going to his death, Yuan Tao walked up to Zhu Hong. "Let's fight!"

"You really want to fight me?"

Zhu Hong looked at him as if he were an idiot.

What a bizarre teacher and bizarre student.

Learning three farmer's moves and thinking you can beat me... If word gets out, how can I live?

"Hmph!"

Ignoring him, Yuan Tao, already prepared to be beaten, let out a loud roar and pounced forward.

His moves were completely unrefined, no different from a street thug's brawl.

He didn't use a single move Zhang Xuan had just taught.

In his view, since he was going to get beaten anyway, he might as well not embarrass himself further...

"You're asking for death!"

With a cold sneer, Zhu Hong stepped back, dodging the attack, and pushed casually.

Thud!

Flying sideways, Yuan Tao crashed to the ground.

But he was thick-skinned; the fall didn't hurt at all. He stood up again, gritted his teeth, and charged once more.

He had been training for too short a time, basically knowing nothing, so he could only rely on his instinct from past brawls.

Such moves might work against some thugs, but against a trained martial artist like Zhu Hong, they were as laughable as a child's game.

He had decided that to win face for Teacher Zhang Xuan, he would never give up, even if beaten to death!

Just as he was about to charge again and fight to the death, Teacher Zhang's voice transmission rang in his ear.