Chapter 67: Chapter 48: Finally Can Copy the Prajna Palm

Cao Guannan quickly put on an act, pretending he’d made a careless mistake as he lowered his head and apologized to Zeng Hongyi.

“You couldn’t control it? Get off the stage and practice Prajna Palm ten more times!”

Zeng Hongyi wasn’t a fool. He immediately berated Cao Guannan and ordered him off the stage.

On the stage, Zhao Rui suppressed the slight tremor in his arms and jumped down as well.

’That guy’s leg technique is unbelievably fierce. It took all of my fifteen years of Power just to block it, and it was still a struggle.’

’Great Strength Vajra Leg… I’m taking it!’

After getting off the stage, Zhao Rui regulated his breathing as he checked his system panel.

Prajna Palm progress: eight percent. Great Strength Vajra Leg, which he had just selected, was at zero percent.

’The gains aren’t bad. But mastering this Great Strength Vajra Leg will probably take some time and the right opportunities.’

“Zhao Rui, that was a good performance. Your adaptability was outstanding, and your Technique transitions were smooth…”

“Cao Guannan, you think you’ve mastered Prajna Palm? What, you think your teacher has nothing left to teach you?”

Zeng Hongyi’s expression darkened as he scolded Cao Guannan, who was practicing Prajna Palm on the sidelines.

“Teacher, I was wrong!”

Cao Guannan ceased his practice and stood at attention, admitting his mistake with his head bowed low.

“It’s not wrong to be competitive. In fact, if you had this mindset during an actual competition, I’d be happy.”

After scolding him a bit more, Zeng Hongyi signaled for the next pair to begin.

The next person to take the stage was a girl named Qin Rui. She was petite and wore a purple Martial Arts Uniform, with a long, thick braid resting over her slender right shoulder.

“Coach, I want to fight him! He knows Wing Chun!”

Before she had even stepped onto the stage, Qin Rui suddenly pointed at Zhao Rui and spoke up.

At her words, it dawned on Zeng Hongyi. He quickly nodded and said, “Zhao Rui, I’ll have to ask you to go again.”

Zhao Rui was completely baffled. ’What’s the big deal about Wing Chun?’

’Is there some hidden meaning here?’

But since his teacher had asked, he had no reason to refuse. Besides, getting more sparring practice was his goal anyway.

Zhao Rui pulled back the elastic ropes, ducked into the ring, and stood facing the girl. He gave a slight fist-in-palm salute. “Hello, senior.”

“Hee hee, make sure you use Yong Chun Boxing, okay? No other styles allowed.”

A smile spread across the senior’s fair face, revealing two small dimples on her cheeks that made her look playful and cute.

“Uh… okay, senior!”

Zhao Rui slightly bent his knees, turning them inward into a pincer-like shape. He sank his center of gravity, placed his fists on the centerline of his chest, and tucked his elbows in to protect his ribs.

This was the classic opening stance of Wing Chun: the Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma.

Overjoyed, Qin Rui leaped forward and unleashed the Bodhisattva Palm Technique.

Zhao Rui met her attack with his own counters, and the two instantly engaged.

’Prajna Palm progress: ten percent… fifteen percent…’

Zhao Rui patiently “fed” her techniques to practice against. By now, he understood the situation.

The Yong Chun Inquiry was a signature skill of the Emei Sect. While both men and women practiced it, it was far more common among female martial artists.

’Qin Rui must have faced an opponent who used Yong Chun Boxing in a competition before.’

’So, in her eyes, I must be the perfect practice partner!’

Their exchange was completely different from his bout with Cao Guannan. That one had been a genuine fight, whereas this was clearly more of a guided practice session.

Five minutes passed in a flash.

Qin Rui, still feeling it wasn’t enough, said, “I still have two variations I haven’t gotten to use yet! Let’s go again in a bit!”

To this request, Zhao Rui could only say it was exactly what he wanted.

“Qin Rui, your Prajna Palm has shown some improvement, but it’s not enough. You need to practice and reflect on it more, to the point where your power follows your intent, and your intent directs your power seamlessly…”

“Zhao Rui, a fine performance. I only have a passing knowledge of Wing Chun, but I can see your counters and adaptability are excellent, as if you’ve learned from a true master. Don’t grow complacent; keep practicing diligently!”

As usual, Zeng Hongyi critiqued the two combatants. He also instructed the students watching to analyze the match and consider how they would have countered their opponent’s Techniques.

The great flourishing of the Martial Dao didn’t come from a flood of secret manuals, but from the open exchange of martial knowledge.

Off to the side, Zhang Kui watched as Zhao Rui listened to the teacher’s praise, his expression as calm and still as water. He couldn’t help but start reflecting on himself.

’Teacher Wang told me to “settle down.” What did he mean by that?’

’Did he mean I should be calm and composed like Zhao Rui?’

’Or to get rid of my habit of getting carried away and showing off?’

All sorts of thoughts flooded his mind at once.

「Half an hour later」

After analyzing the two matches, the team members began a new round of sparring.

Zhao Rui had already fought two matches in a row, so it was natural for him to take a break. He wasn’t tired, but everyone else thought he must be.

Zhang Kui stopped him as he was about to get up again. “I’ve sorted myself out. Let me go!”

Seeing this, Zhao Rui didn’t argue. He could only watch helplessly as Zhang Kui took his place on the stage.

There were no particularly outstanding prodigies among the sophomores. When they first enrolled, the strongest among them had been Cao Guannan, at Level 7.

Now, after half a year of training, he was just on the cusp of reaching Level 8.

Zhang Kui’s skill was about on par with the other sophomores, perhaps even slightly better.

This was why Coach Wang had him act as a training partner for a while—to temper his mentality.

Now that he was free, Zhao Rui sat to one side, quietly watching Zhang Kui spar with a senior student on the stage.

Just then, a figure snuck up from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, junior, you’re sparring with me next!”

The speaker was a senior with ear-length short hair. She had a tomboyish style, and her mannerisms were rather masculine.

“But…”

“I’ll introduce you to some girlfriends later. They’re all gorgeous, I promise!”

“Uh…”

“It’s a deal!”

With that, the girl slipped back to her seat.

A short while later, once Zhang Kui’s match was over, the short-haired girl from before leaped onto the stage and yelled to Zhao Rui, “Get up here!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep