Zhang Beixing furrowed his brow. "The Primordial School, Chen Taishan, may I ask what this is?"

"You don't know?" Elder Chen glanced at Zhang Beixing and then said, "This is a martial arts sect with old grudges against Teacher Liu. Their teachings are widespread. Just like Eight Pieces of Brocade has variations in the north and south, the Primordial School has also branched out extensively across the nation. They have many followers, are highly united, and form a significant force within the martial arts community."

"Years ago, when Teacher Liu was traveling through Great Xia, sparring with martial artists from north to south to hone his skills, he defeated a few drunk and disorderly members of the Primordial School in front of a large crowd. The incident caused a significant stir locally. Consequently, the people of the Primordial School developed a grudge against him. After several more clashes, they became lifelong sworn enemies."

"However, normally, if you don't get along, you simply avoid each other, and that's the end of it. The real issue arose recently when Teacher Liu returned to the martial arts scene. Due to past events before his retirement, he took a trip overseas and unexpectedly encountered a group of the Primordial School's successors—the very ones he had beaten years ago."

"It's a testament to how widespread the Primordial School's teachings are that some members even became mercenaries abroad. And it just so happened to be those same younger martial artists Teacher Liu had beaten years ago! When they saw Teacher Liu and remembered the past incident, they naturally felt resentful. They wanted to challenge him, but before they could even properly fight, they lost their tempers, pointed guns at Teacher Liu, and ganged up on him. Isn't that why he returned to the country after taking such a beating?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Beixing's eyes widened in astonishment; he hadn't expected there to be such ill feelings.

Teacher Liu had made countless enemies from fighting his way from the north to the south in his youth!

No wonder he had been slicker than me in getting out of jail in the past. It turns out he was quite the troublemaker in his younger days.

In fact, could his demoralized retirement have something to do with the sheer number of troubles he had caused back then?

But being held at gunpoint and beaten overseas... that seems a bit too much!

Thinking back to when I fought the tiger on the mountain not long ago, Teacher Liu seemed to have already been injured then. Could it have been right after he got beaten and returned to the country?

"Ah."

Teacher Liu sighed and smiled bitterly. "I can't blame others. I did indeed go too far when I was younger, so it's normal for them to hold grudges. But having guns pointed at me... it's somewhat humiliating and breaks the rules of our martial arts community. It shows no martial morality!"

Speaking of this, Teacher Liu's face showed his frustration.

But what could he do? Alone and unsupported abroad, he had no choice but to bow his head. Otherwise, could he really have stood up against several burly men wielding assault rifles? That would be pure nonsense; reality isn't Wolf Warrior.

"Fortunately, the beating wasn't entirely in vain. After all, we are all Great Xia people. They just meant to scare me and likely never intended to actually shoot me. While they were ganging up on me, I fought back too, which is how I managed to break through to the Grandmaster level. This trip abroad, although a bit humiliating, can be considered a training experience!"

Teacher Liu rationalized it to save face. Otherwise, it would have been too embarrassing. He couldn't just get beaten for nothing, could he? At least by achieving the Grandmaster breakthrough, he redeemed some of his pride. If not for that, this episode would have been a permanent stain on his life. Utterly humiliating!

In the end, to cover up his embarrassment, Teacher Liu turned to lecture Zhang Beixing, "Do you see, Zhang Beixing? No matter how skilled a martial artist is, they're helpless against modern technology. So, young man, weigh your actions carefully when you're looking for trouble. Take killing that Black Ghost, for instance. How are you going to travel abroad now? AHEM..."

Seeing Zhang Beixing staring at him with an odd expression and not responding, Liu Yi couldn't continue.

Damn it, this is still so embarrassing!

But there was no chance for revenge unless those guys stopped being mercenaries and returned to the country—then I could regain some dignity. If they've settled abroad, then I'm out of luck. After all, guns aren't banned overseas; that's a fight I just can't win.

"Well, Teacher Liu, although I've never had a gun pointed at me, I did kill a Black Ghost. That's nothing to be ashamed of; I can even boast about it. As for traveling abroad? What's so great about going abroad? Isn't it perfectly fine for me to stay in my own country? I'm not like you, always wanting to run around everywhere."

Liu Yi's face darkened slightly. He gave Zhang Beixing a silent glance, too lazy to bother arguing with him.

"Brother Liu, tell me," Elder Chen said, turning to look at Liu Yi. "This time, did you go to the Primordial School to demand an explanation, only to get beaten by them again?"

In response, Liu Yi nodded, then shook his head.

This gesture puzzled both Elder Chen and Zhang Beixing.

Then, Liu Yi scratched his head and said awkwardly, "Pretty much. But this time, my visit to the Primordial School wasn't primarily to demand an explanation. The main reason was that I wanted to take a look at their core martial arts heritage!"

"???"

Hearing this, the anger on Elder Chen's face instantly froze.

What the hell? You went to the Primordial School to ask for their martial arts heritage? How thick is your face!

Elder Chen, who had been somewhat angry, fell silent. He slowly walked over to a nearby chair and sat down. He looked at Liu Yi, his expression extremely peculiar.

You already have a feud with these people, and then you go and ask them for their martial arts secret book? It's a wonder they didn't put you in the hospital!

"What on earth were you thinking?" Elder Chen asked.

Liu Yi spread his hands, glanced at Zhang Beixing, and then said with an air of innocence, "I was just thinking, Beixing is so young and already a Grandmaster—he's unique throughout history! His future potential is limitless. He might genuinely have a chance to become a Great Grandmaster, the first modern Great Grandmaster in seven hundred years!"

"But, old brother, you know that the minimum requirement to become a Great Grandmaster is to be a Master of All! Only after that can one even think about creating their own martial arts. And just achieving that 'Master of All' status is incredibly difficult. Modern times aren't like ancient times; where would one get the chance to acquire the teachings of a hundred schools? So, as his master, I thought I'd try to collect as many as I can for him, to pave the way a bit! If five years isn't enough, then ten. Little by little, maybe one day we could gather them all, right?"

"So, I started with the Primordial School. After all, I was beaten up by their people abroad. It's not unreasonable for me to ask for some fitting compensation, is it?"

"Who would've thought those brutes would be so unreasonable!"

Liu Yi said this, sounding very righteous and also very angry.

Although collecting the teachings of a hundred schools might be somewhat unrealistic, as difficult as ascending to the heavens, one must at least try. Success depends on human effort, after all. But who'd have thought the first attempt would be a failure!

It had only been half a year since Zhang Beixing became his disciple. In all the time Beixing had been training in martial arts, Liu Yi felt he hadn't really helped him with much. Liu Yi believed he had to do something significant for Zhang Beixing. Otherwise, wouldn't he seem like a terribly disappointing master? That recent incident abroad had given him the perfect pretext, so he'd gone.

'I was assaulted by your people abroad, even held at gunpoint! This is a breach of conduct, an unprecedentedly vile incident in the martial arts community! So, your Primordial School owes me an explanation, reasonable compensation—let me see your martial arts heritage!'

Who would've thought? He barely said two words before they beat him up! After all, they have their own Grandmasters, and he couldn't stand against their whole crowd. He was chased for over ten streets like a dog—it was fucking miserable! And yet, he was clearly in the right!

"Is this the 'surprise' you mentioned you had for me a few days ago? Teacher Liu, this..."

After listening to Liu Yi's account, Zhang Beixing's feelings were extremely complicated. Outrage, speechlessness, gratitude... all sorts of emotions were intertwined, leaving him momentarily unsure of what to say.

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