"Here are your key card and uniform. If they don't fit, you can exchange them. The changing room is just ahead. Once you're dressed, please report to Training Room 4."
"Thank you."
Lu Yuan accepted the items from the receptionist, expressed his thanks, and then turned into the room marked "Men's Changing Room."
He had, after all, become a student of the Origin Martial Arts Hall.
He was currently just an ordinary seventeen-year-old high school student.
It was incredibly difficult to change a decision his parents had already made.
Just as he hadn't been confident he could persuade his parents to agree before registering, he also couldn't convince his father, Lu Xinghua, to withdraw from the course after the fees had already been paid.
Since the money's been paid, I might as well train seriously, Lu Yuan thought, pushing aside his jumbled thoughts. Can't let it go to waste.
He quickly found locker number 1002 using his key card.
It was Sunday, so the martial arts hall was quite busy with people training.
Listening to their laughter and chatter, Lu Yuan gently swiped his key card over the locker's electronic lock.
BEEP.
The locker door swung open, revealing an empty space with nothing but a few white plastic hangers.
A large mirror was affixed to the inside of the door, barely reflecting Lu Yuan's upper body.
He scrutinized his reflection.
His features were well-defined, but his skin was a bit pale from a long-term lack of outdoor activity.
His slightly long bangs covered half of his eyes, giving him the distinct look of a handsome, melancholic teenager.
Lu Yuan had sarcastically called himself "scrawny" more than once, but at sixteen or seventeen, how many boys were truly physically imposing?
Most, like him, were on the leaner side.
He was quite popular at school; his looks had always appealed to the girls.
After his grades had skyrocketed and he "evolved" into a good student, the number of confession letters he received each week had only increased.
If I get in better shape, I'll definitely be more attractive, he mused.
Lu Yuan took off his shirt, revealing a pale, lean upper body, his ribs clearly visible.
He stuffed his clothes and the bag he'd brought into the locker and quickly changed into the martial arts uniform.
Wearing the brand-new uniform, emblazoned with a large "Origin" character, the handsome boy in the mirror seemed to carry himself with a new air of dignity.
Lu Yuan tightened the belt around his waist, closed the locker door, and walked out of the changing room.
Following the directions, he found the designated meeting room.
Training Room 4 was even smaller than Lu Yuan had anticipated.
It was about the size of a classroom.
The floor was covered with white soft mats, and a few people were already waiting inside.
Two of them looked to be around his age, high school student types.
The others appeared older, carrying the air of individuals who had navigated the complexities of society for many years.
"Ooh, a handsome boy has arrived!" a girl with her hair in a bun and light makeup, who was quite pretty, exclaimed cheerfully as Lu Yuan entered.
Her words drew the attention of everyone in the room.
Lu Yuan, however, showed no signs of nervousness. He calmly nodded to everyone, then found a spot and sat down.
He's quite a poser... Lu Yuan overheard a curly-haired young man sitting next to the girl with the bun mutter teasingly.
"What's the big deal? He's just a student," the girl with the bun retorted, lightly slapping the young man's arm. He immediately seized the chance to grab her hand.
"Are you sticking up for him because you've got the hots for him?"
"Get lost! Let go of my hand..."
The two began to laugh and playfully tussle.
Their interactions were somewhat flirtatious, yet they didn't seem like a couple.
Several other men sitting near them, who presumably all knew each other, watched with envy, eager to join in.
"Hey! Do you guys think that once we finish one course, we'll be considered official disciples of the Origin Martial Arts Hall?" one of the men, sitting on the other side of the girl with the bun, interjected loudly, noticing the curly-haired youth constantly making physical contact to curry favor with her.
"Keep dreaming," another man from their group scoffed before the girl could reply.
"Even finishing all the courses doesn't guarantee it.
"The Origin Martial Arts Hall possesses a true heritage of Ancient Martial Arts and is certified by the Sum Country Martial Arts Association. Their formal disciples must pass an assessment; it's not just about paying money.
"After all, there's a huge difference between a disciple and a student. Disciples don't pay tuition; they even receive a monthly salary.
"If you could become a formal disciple of the Origin Martial Arts Hall, you could go back and fire your manager!"
"Is it really that amazing?" the girl with the bun paused her playful banter with the curly-haired young man, her surprise evident.
"Yes, it is," the man who had spoken earlier affirmed, and seeing he had her attention, quickly added, "But becoming a formal disciple is incredibly difficult.
"Generally, if you manage to become one, you'd be skilled enough to compete in amateur fighting competitions and win rankings and prize money.
"You could completely make Martial Arts your profession..."
"Heh, what's so hard about it? Siqi, just watch how I get accepted as a disciple by the Origin Martial Arts Hall," the curly-haired young man chimed in with a grin.
"You wish!" the girl with the bun laughed, rolling her eyes at him.
"..."
Formal disciple... salary... prize money... Lu Yuan had been listening intently, and at these words, his eyes couldn't help but light up.
Previously, when Cheng Peng had mentioned that his greatest goal was to become a formal disciple of the martial arts hall, Lu Yuan hadn't thought much of it.
Only now did he realize that qualifying as a formal disciple was no simple feat.
It turns out you not only get to waive tuition fees but can also earn a salary!
If I could become a formal disciple, wouldn't that significantly relieve my family's financial burden?
A flicker of ambition sparked within Lu Yuan.
But he quickly suppressed it.
I've only just registered and haven't even started my first lesson yet. Thinking about these things is obviously premature.
The primary goal right now is to improve my physical fitness as soon as possible and not let the tuition fee go to waste.ŸŸŸ
Just as he was mulling this over, a middle-aged man in his forties walked into the training room.
One look at this man, and it was clear he wasn't an ordinary student like them.
Not only was he wearing a black martial arts uniform, but his very bearing exuded an uncommon aura.
Evidently, Lu Yuan wasn't the only one to guess the man's status; the noisy room swiftly fell silent.
The middle-aged man scanned the room, likely doing a quick headcount, then smiled and said, "Hello, everyone. My name is Lin Zhiquin. From today onwards, I'll be in charge of teaching you the first stage of your training.
"You can call me Coach Lin, or Brother Lin is fine too."
"Coach! What will we mainly be practicing in the first stage?" someone from the group with the girl with the bun immediately asked as soon as Lin Zhiquin finished speaking.
Another, not to be outdone, chimed in, "Yeah, why aren't there any punching bags in this room? When do we get to hit punching bags? I really want to hit some punching bags!"
He even winked and chuckled to the others, adding, "I'll tape my manager's picture to the punching bag."
"Haha..."
Lin Zhiquin glanced at these few individuals, showing no sign of anger, and simply stated, "The foundation of combat is strength.
"The first stage of the course will primarily focus on strength training.
"Next, I will teach you some scientific and rational training methods and techniques, so that you can train on your own, whether here or at home.
"As for hitting punching bags..."
Lin Zhiquin paused, then continued, "It's not time for that yet.
"For now, you can only practice air strikes."
With that, Lin Zhiquin suddenly raised his hand.
Lu Yuan hadn't even clearly seen what kind of move he made when he heard a sudden, sharp CRACK!
The sound was loud and crisp, like a firecracker had been set off in the room.
"This," Lin Zhiquin said calmly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, "is an air strike."