Celestial Taoist

Chapter 4 Joining the Martial Arts School

The stone in the center of the jade plate suddenly burst forth with dazzling light. Whether it was because so much time had passed or his memory was playing tricks on him, Li Mofan felt that this time it was much brighter than the last.

"Why is it so dazzling! Old Zhou, is there something wrong with your equipment?" Under the dazzling light, Li Mofan couldn't open his eyes at all, and only heard Zhao Qiankun's questioning voice.

Elder Zhou narrowed his eyes as well, but his tone was very certain: "Impossible. This spirit-testing plate was issued from above, and it has never been wrong in more than ten years. This kid's brilliance is so great, he must have excellent aptitude. Master Zhao, you've really struck gold this time!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the dazzling colored light slowly subsided and gradually softened.

Li Mofan slowly opened his sore eyes, and before he could recover, he met Zhao Qiankun's suddenly changed gaze.

Just moments ago, Master Zhao had been casually observing and maintaining a calm demeanor, but now his eyes were filled with shock and fervor as he stared intently at Li Mofan and strode forward step by step.

He looked him up and down carefully, his expression solemn yet filled with undisguised joy, his earlier doubts completely vanished.

"I never expected... I really never expected this." Zhao Qiankun sighed softly, "I thought that No. 1 Martial Arts School only valued you so much, but it turns out that you have the talent that even Elder Zhou thinks is good."

He moved closer, his attitude becoming much more humble, and he took the initiative to lower his stance: "Young man, I was blind to your abilities before and underestimated you. From now on, when you enter my academy to cultivate, you will have priority access to all resources."

Upon hearing this, Li Mofan was overjoyed. Thinking of his elderly parents and his years of wandering, he hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the courage to raise his head. His tone was somewhat reserved, yet deeply sincere: "Master, thank you for your high regard. I am very grateful. But… I would like to ask you, after we begin our training at the academy, will we receive a salary?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiankun was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to ask such a question. Elder Zhou, standing beside him, also raised an eyebrow. Li Mofan's cheeks flushed slightly, and he quickly added, "I'm not greedy, it's just that I have parents to support, and I want to save some money so I can settle down and start a family sooner, so..."

Before he could finish speaking, Master Zhao burst into laughter, patted him on the shoulder, and said in an increasingly friendly tone, "Don't worry, I, Zhao Qiankun, never mistreat my own people. After you join the academy, I'll pay you 50,000 yuan a month. How does that sound?"

He thought for a moment, then added, "Besides, you have outstanding talent, so I will focus on training you. You'll become a core member of the organization, and your salary will double. Forget about starting a family and building a career; even if you just want your parents to enjoy their retirement, that'll be no problem at all!"

Upon hearing this, Li Mofan's eyes lit up instantly, all his worries vanishing. He quickly bowed to Zhao Qiankun, saying, "Thank you, Master Zhao! I will definitely practice martial arts diligently and live up to your expectations!"

Zhao Qiankun looked at the light in his eyes, nodded in satisfaction, raised his hand and pressed on his shoulder, his tone suddenly becoming solemn: "It's good that you have this intention, but I must tell you, once you join my school, I will not teach you ordinary fist and foot martial arts."

Li Mofan paused in his bowing motion, his smile froze, and he looked up with a puzzled expression: "Master, what... what do you mean by that? If you won't teach me martial arts, then what will you teach me?" He couldn't help but feel uneasy. Could he have misheard? After all, he thought that entering a martial arts school meant practicing martial arts and strengthening his physique so that he could gain a foothold with his martial arts skills.

Elder Zhou, standing to the side, stroked his beard and smiled without interjecting, clearly already aware of the reason. Zhao Qiankun released his grip, slowly pacing forward, his gaze falling on the spirit-testing plate, and slowly spoke: "Ordinary martial arts training is merely for strengthening the body, at most enabling one to fight others, but unlikely to lead to greatness. You possess top-tier spiritual aptitude; the light from the spirit-testing plate just now is the best proof. You are not cut out for martial arts, but rather a natural-born potential superhuman. If you only practice those rudimentary fist and foot techniques, it would be a waste of your talent."

"A superhuman?" Li Mofan murmured the three words repeatedly, his pupils suddenly dilating. The anxiety he had felt earlier was instantly washed away by an indescribable joy, and his thoughts drifted uncontrollably, as he couldn't help but fantasize in his mind.

He wondered if it was one of those superpowers mentioned in novels. If so, he would never have to live that kind of wandering and subservient life again.

Zhao Qiankun couldn't help but chuckle, raising his hand to pat him lightly on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts: "Judging from your appearance, you're quite impatient."

Li Mofan snapped back to reality, his cheeks flushing instantly. He quickly lowered his head, his voice tinged with embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Master, I... I was just too excited."

"It's alright." Zhao Qiankun waved his hand and took out a small booklet from the cabinet opposite him. It had no title.

He handed the booklet to Li Mofan, saying, "This is the method I'm going to teach you. Practice it first."

Li Mofan took the booklet, his voice trembling slightly: "Master, this...this is the supernatural ability cultivation method? Can I use it to practice my supernatural abilities?"

"Of course." Zhao Qiankun nodded, his tone expectant. "However, this mental cultivation method is said to only help you sense the supernatural abilities within your body. As for how to practice those abilities, that's up to you."

Seeing this, Elder Zhou stroked his beard and stood up, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect to Zhao Qiankun: "Master Zhao, now that the spirit-testing is over, I will go back to report." Zhao Qiankun nodded in agreement, watched Elder Zhou leave the storeroom, and then turned to look at Li Mofan, who was still clutching the booklet.

"Let's go, I'll take you to settle in." Zhao Qiankun took the lead. "Our Liefeng Martial Arts Academy has special areas for accommodation, training, and dining. Since you've just entered the academy, you'll stay in a single dormitory first, so you can focus on studying the mental techniques."

Li Mofan quickly followed, clutching the untitled booklet tightly in his hand. The electronic screen on the wall displayed the martial arts school's daily schedule: assembling for training at seven in the morning, independent practice of Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) in the morning, personal guidance from Zhao Qiankun in the afternoon, and lights out at nine in the evening—a regular and well-organized schedule.

They hadn't walked far when they arrived at the accommodation area. Zhao Qiankun stopped, pointed to a room, and handed him the key: "This is your room, a single room. It has air conditioning, a water heater, and a desk. I've already had my assistant prepare all the daily necessities in advance. You can just move in."

Li Mofan took the key and pushed open the door. The room wasn't large, but it was spotless. A single bed was placed by the window, with a simple bookshelf at the head of the bed. A brand-new high-end domestic laptop sat on the desk, and there was a small wardrobe in the corner. The bathroom was fully equipped with toiletries, and there was even a neatly folded set of gray martial arts training clothes.

"Is this my room?" He turned to look at Zhao Qiankun. It was much more spacious than the apartment he used to rent when he was working.

"Of course." Zhao Qiankun nodded with a smile, walked into the room and pointed to the desk, "When you have free time, think about the cultivation method more. If you don't understand anything, you can come and find me."

He added, "Your salary will be deposited directly into the bank account you provided on the 5th of each month. Give the bank account number to my assistant later. Also, it's up to you whether you want to practice with the other disciples."

Li Mofan nodded quickly, his tone firm: "Don't worry, Master, I will study the cultivation method carefully and comprehend my supernatural ability as soon as possible."

Zhao Qiankun patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction, then turned to leave: "You just arrived today and must be tired. Take a good rest and get familiar with the environment. There's no need to rush into practicing your inner cultivation technique." After saying that, he gently closed the door.

The room fell silent instantly. Li Mofan walked to the desk, carefully placed the untitled booklet on it, pulled out a chair, and relaxed. Although he hadn't mastered driving, he had unexpectedly joined the Liefeng Martial Arts Academy and earned a considerable income. If he were to develop superpowers in the future, he would be set for life. He just wondered how Wang Xin and the others were doing. Thinking of his friend, Li Mofan couldn't help but feel a little worried.