Chapter 89: Chapter 58: New Sprouts Have Arrived, Poised for Action

“Whether the new recruits show up or not, we’re under a lot of pressure. December is a packed month for Martial Dao competitions. There’s not just the provincial tournament, but all kinds of other cup matches too. Let’s all get back to training!”

Qin Rui sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

“You seem really tired, Senior Sister. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. I know a bit about medicine; I could give you a massage to help you relax.”

Zhao Rui offered kindly.

“Hey, Junior Sister, I know how, too! And I’m really good at it, you know.”

Hearing this, Zhang Kui raised an eyebrow and added with a sly grin.

“You two bastards! How dare you hit on me!”

Qin Rui’s elegant brows furrowed in anger, and her pretty face instantly froze over. Her slender palms flipped outward, striking toward the two of them like a Vajra Pestle.

“Vajra’s Furious Gaze!”

“Junior Sister, have mercy!”

Zhang Kui turned tail and ran.

Zhao Rui was stunned. He extended his hand to parry and deflect, avoiding her Palm Force. His feet moved in the Wandering Dragon Step, and as he dodged, he said, “Senior Sister, I really do know massage. You don’t have to take off your clothes.”

“You’re still talking!”

Qin Rui’s pretty face flushed red with embarrassment. Her Techniques became even more fluid and powerful.

“Senior Sister, I’m not lying to you!”

“That son of a bitch Zhang Kui!”

Zhao Rui hurriedly explained while dodging, but Qin Rui didn’t believe him at all.

’Alright, time to make a run for it!’

Seeing an opening in Senior Sister Qin’s Bodhisattva Palm Technique, Zhao Rui ducked to evade her assault. Then, as if he’d greased the soles of his feet, he WHOOSHED away into the distance.

As he ran, he called back, “Senior Sister, I give up!”

“Zhao Rui!”

Qin Rui stomped her foot lightly, let out an indignant cry, and leaped after him.

…

The review process didn’t take long. The next day, twenty-four freshmen gathered inside the Martial Arts Academy’s Mingcan Temple.

They became the new team members.

After a simple introduction and a brief speech, Wang Zhanshan said to Zhang Kui, “You’ll handle the new students’ registration again. Zhao Rui, you help him.”

Zhang Kui grunted an unwilling “oh.” All the dirty and tiring work fell to him. For crying out loud, he was the sole victor from the last exchange meet.

After the team was dismissed, the twenty-four new members, like hungry chicks waiting to be fed, all turned to look at them.

Zhang Kui scratched his head and said, “We haven’t been divided into squads yet. Split yourselves into two groups. One with me, one with Zhao Rui.”

Shortly after he finished speaking, the twenty-four freshmen quickly split into two teams. Then, led by Zhang Kui and Zhao Rui, they headed toward the two-story building behind the main hall.

Luo Min naturally chose Zhao Rui’s group, and her friends came over with her.

As a result, girls made up the majority of Zhao Rui’s group.

Zhao Rui saw this, of course, and gave Luo Min a slight nod as a greeting.

“Senior Brother, where are we going?”

As the group was walking, a petite girl asked curiously.

“We’re going to register your identification information. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enter Mingcan Courtyard.”

After speaking, Zhao Rui added, “Um, I have to tell you all something. I’m not your senior brother. You can just call me Zhao Rui. I’m a freshman, too.”

“Huh?”

When he said this, not only did Zhao Rui’s group cry out in surprise, but even the people in Zhang Kui’s team looked over curiously.

“Um, Senior Brother, did you fail your exams and get held back a year?”

“…”

’Creative, but wrong.’

“Like you, I just enrolled this year. I’m just not a student at the Martial Arts Academy. I’m in the accounting department. I guess you could say I just got here a few months before you.”

“That’s allowed?”

“Haha, so you’re a freshman too. And here I was calling you ’Senior Brother’ all this time.”

“Exactly.”

The group immediately relaxed, and the chatter became more casual and lighthearted.

However, some people narrowed their eyes in thought, looking at Zhao Rui with a new sense of caution.

In this world, there are ordinary people, and there are those who are not.

For those who are different from the ordinary, there are generally two possibilities.

One is that they have an amazing background, and the other is that they themselves are amazing.

Regardless of which it was, this freshman who had arrived early, Zhao Rui, could not be underestimated.

“Are the Martial Arts Team assessments strict?”

“What do we usually do?”

“Are there a lot of competitions?”

A barrage of questions, like a bomber raid, poured from the mouths of several girls.

Zhao Rui patiently answered a question, and then the group arrived at the two-story, antique-style building he had visited once before.

“There’s a senior inside. Let’s not be loud when we go in.”

Zhao Rui shushed them, signaling for the freshmen to stay quiet.

“A senior?”

Hearing this, many of their eyes instantly lit up.

In legendary biographies, the word “senior” doesn’t just refer to an old person. It could mean a bountiful, fortuitous encounter!

Zhao Rui was all too familiar with the look in their eyes. He couldn’t help but think of the old man he’d met in the woods before—the one with white hair but a youthful face.

If nothing else, that old man was definitely the real deal—a master at least above the Grandmaster Realm.

As for how much higher, he had no idea.

The group entered the two-story building quietly, but the moment they reached the martial arts analysis room, the noise level exploded.

“Damn, what’s this for?”

“How is this like something out of a sci-fi world? This is incredible!”

“This capsule-like thing… it’s not a physical function recovery pod, is it?”

Hearing the astonished gasps, Zhao Rui couldn’t help but exchange a look with Zhang Kui.

’We were just as clueless back then!’

“Alright, quiet down, everyone. One at a time. The rest of you, line up outside. No shouting.”

Zhang Kui cleared his throat and directed the crowd.

Before long, the new members, now lined up, entered the analysis room one by one to undergo a physical function test administered by Zhang Kui.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep