Is the family well-off? Wang Xuan considers it neither high nor low; his parents never lacked for him anything, but expecting luxury was not possible.
"Don't worry, how could I not live well outside? At worst, I've got some strength and won't let myself suffer," Wang Xuan doesn't have a lot of money, but some pocket money isn't lacking; he can earn it himself.
His father was silent for a while, then asked, "Where are you working now? How's the environment?"
Wang Xuan never talks about his role in the Hunting Team; it's a bloody affair and who knows when he might die, though the money does come fast.
"I've always been at the Martial Arts Hall. Recently, I switched to a full-time position, hanging around at the Immortal Martial Combat Hall," Wang Xuan replied.
"It's better than just being a typist at Yuewen's Culture Department," his father snorted, still harboring resentment over past events.
Remember a year ago, Wang Xuan told his family he was a web novelist, and he got cursed heavily, urged to find a serious job.
After all, if you can't ensure steady income, being a writer who doesn't make a penny in months, that truth is prevalent.
Some relatives even think he's daydreaming with no talent for writing, dismissing him outright.
Later on, Wang Xuan learned to be wiser, didn't mention his writing, just said he worked at Yuewen Group's Culture Department as a typist.
But it didn't take long before his father asked his sister, who knew exactly what his so-called typist job at the Culture Department of Yuewen Group was, simply a euphemism for being a web novelist.
And then, no more was said, Wang Xuan no longer talks about writing, and the family's nagging is tiresome.
"Hmm, come back to visit when you have time, remember to bring a girlfriend home for New Year, don't say you can't find one, that's really useless," his father bluntly remarked.
Warned the family to stay safe, Wang Xuan only said he had offended someone and feared retaliation. He also called his sister who was out of town, but before he could speak, she started yelling, "Brother, urgent help needed!"
Wang Xuan rolled his eyes, she's definitely out of money again.
"Brother, you know I don't earn much as an intern, buying groceries, cooking, utility bills, plus makeup and clothes, it costs a lot.
I'm really, really, really poor, lend me some money, you see, I haven't bought new lipstick in a month."
Wang Ruo's voice was exaggerated, as if she was starving, she's adept at playing the poverty card, her father at least buys it.
After chatting for a while, transferred some money, a few thousand, Wang Xuan didn't give much, it's her time to strive, he doesn't want spending to hinder her career.
Getting used to a certain life, suddenly receiving wealth may not be a good thing, because it's hard to control, even with spending.
Wang Xuan sighed and asked Chen Qingniu, since he got involved with the Meiling affair, would it implicate his family.
Chen Qingniu assured him that Celestial Sword Mountain wouldn't act in such a disgraceful manner, and it wouldn't be effective anyway.
After the meeting, Wang Xuan started his assistant teaching duties, the Martial Arts Hall has its system, students have their hierarchies, membership fees are paid well, and they can learn good things.
Of course, this part of income isn't much, the main revenue source is elsewhere.
"Wang Xuan, these few newcomers have some issues with their Posture Stance, could you advise them?" A veteran coach spoke up, Coach Lin worked at the Martial Arts Hall for over thirty years.
Without systematic guidance, martial arts practitioners may have deviations in their movements, even if it's just a tiny fraction, accumulated over time it becomes apparent.
"Lower the fists, adjust the torso and hips to integrate the whole body's force with open arms, the body should have slight ups and downs with breathing, like a spring."
Wang Xuan occasionally pointed at a new trainee's part, correcting their posture, helping them feel what the right movement is like.
His Mixed Element Stance has reached Perfection Realm, guiding others is not difficult, soon even the new trainees were convinced.
If there's genuine skill, you don't take long to know.
From a distance, Wang Xuan saw Zhao Huang and Liu Gang, these two sneaky fellows staying far away, glancing at him as if fearing his vengeance.
"Zhao Huang, Liu Gang, come over here," Wang Xuan waved.
The two jumped in surprise, thought Wang Xuan was going to hit them, hurriedly said, "My stomach hurts, need to go to the toilet," and ran away, who knows when they'll come back.
Just a slight scare reveals their courage wasn't too high, honestly, not impressive.
A coach manages plenty of students, usually newcomer groups are tricky to handle, veteran trainees follow routines with familiar techniques, after all, Cultivation and Martial Skills aren't mastered overnight.
Veteran Coach Lin soon started teaching Fierce Bull Fist, which is a common fist technique spread by the Martial Arts Hall, and one of the benefits paid for by the students.
"Wang Xuan, let's demonstrate together for them. Your skills are pretty good, and you understand the Fierce Bull Fist," Coach Lin said amiably.
This is typical teaching; an assistant generally follows the coach for some time, and can instruct the students when the coach is absent.
Coach Lin, although seemingly seventy or eighty years old, was still full of energy, but truly couldn't perform explosive moves likely to deplete his scarce Primordial Qi and shorten his lifespan.
"This is the starting stance; focus on the momentum of the body, accumulating power to achieve the effect of a fierce bull collision," Coach Lin explained.
Wang Xuan stood before him, executing some of the attacking techniques from the Thirty-Six Techniques, while Coach Lin used Fierce Bull Fist to neutralize each one, breaking down and explaining step-by-step.
Their movements weren't quick, with strength only at the Muscle Training Realm level, incapable of harming people, which allowed the students to clearly watch.
"This technique is called No Return Arrow, when a fierce bull charges at high speed, it focuses the body's power into a line before ramming the enemy, delivering the core line of this virtual force to the whole body, eventually erupting outward.
Wang Xuan, you must be careful, I am about to make a move."
Coach Lin stomped off three steps quickly, his speed suddenly picking up, causing Wang Xuan's eyes to narrow.
In his view, it was as if a fierce bull was charging towards a city wall; the wooden floor underneath Coach Lin's feet cracked, his entire body sounding off like popping bones, enlarging by three to five inches, resembling a strong man.
Without a doubt, such physical fitness and power were not merely a mock drill but a full-force eruption! Even Coach Lin, with his weakened state, unleashed his potential, stimulating his life force to a great extent.
This kind of attack likely represented Coach Lin's peak punch, the strongest punch of organ refining cultivators, capable of killing cultivators in the same realm off guard.
With a roar, a fist suddenly appeared in front of Wang Xuan; if Wang Xuan wasn't prepared, he would indeed be caught off guard.
As the fist reached, Wang Xuan rooted his feet, using his right hand to brace against the incoming force, his arm absorbing the power like a spring and ultimately channeling it into the ground.
Bang!
With a loud sound, Wang Xuan was flung over ten meters but stood straight, obviously dispersing the attack's force completely.
Muscles like a drawn bow not only could unleash power but also absorb the poured-out attack, coupled with the Perfect Realm of Mixed Element Stance, allowing Wang Xuan to remain unharmed.
"Assistant Wang, are you alright?" Several students hurriedly approached, and Wang Xuan waved them off, but some female students still crowded around him.
Suddenly, Wang Xuan felt a tingling all over, hurriedly slapped three palms on certain parts of his body, and then stripped off his shirt to reveal the corpses of more than ten small insects.
Chen Qingniu and Zhou Wu were nearby, immediately witnessing the wide-eyed but already deceased from exertion and exhaustion Coach Lin.
However, the insects on Wang Xuan made Zhou Wu frown; scanning with spiritual power, a stream of magical power enveloped Wang Xuan's entire body like water, soon removing two to three sesame-sized small insects.
"These are Gu insects, lucky we discovered them early," Zhou Wu sighed, baffling the female students who had approached Wang Xuan earlier—what was going on! How could such things be on them!
Zhou Wu placed a palm on Coach Lin's head, his Primordial Spirit invading within; moments later, he shook his head saying, "He was planted with a spirit seed, activated in specific conditions, causing him to erupt uncontrollably, behaving like a puppet being manipulated, far more terrifying than subconscious suggestions.
As for these girls, probably quite similar. Wang Xuan, it seems they genuinely want you dead, and the sooner the better.
This also indicates that the confrontation at Meiling won't last long before it is utterly resolved. It's the darkness before dawn, hope you can endure through."
Wang Xuan knew the assassination attempts against him wouldn't end so easily, but didn't expect it to involve several others and cause Coach Lin's sudden death.
"Damn it!"
It seems the Immortal Martial Combat Hall isn't as safe as imagined, despite top-notch experts not storming in for a kill, hidden hands still lurk.
Leaving the practice hall, Wang Xuan headed towards his dormitory, leaves fluttering along the shady path, but he frowned, standing behind a large tree.
A sharp sense of stabbing pain manifested on his body earlier, somewhat eerie, indicating he was targeted by a sniper rifle; as a sharpshooter, Wang Xuan had such instincts.
Moreover, more than one person was targeting him!
"Do they really think I'm made of mud?"
Wang Xuan moved swiftly, each step covering several meters, taking unpredictable routes, specifically seeking blind spots to navigate.
Soon he returned to his dorm, retrieving and assembling his sniper rifle, loading the bullet into the chamber, donning a color-changing protective suit, and hiding in the darkness.