Starting as a dockworker

Chapter 29 Joining the Martial Arts School, a Martial Arts Prodigy!

"It's over, it's over, it's over, it's over..."

"Old man, you've been saying those two words the whole way, my ears are practically calloused..."

On the way out, Lao Gang kept babbling on and on, just like a monk chanting sutras.

Li Xiao was completely exasperated. He picked at his ear and asked, "Old man, did you think I looked handsome just now?"

Old Gang wore a bitter expression and said, "Ah Si, you're certainly cool, but I'm finished. You know, there are four car dealerships in Wuling City that have divided up their territory. The guys who were fighting just now belonged to another dealership. I crossed the line first. Although it was a misunderstanding that I didn't solicit customers, the misunderstanding was cleared up later, wasn't it..."

"Wait a minute," Li Xiao interrupted him, saying, "You call it clearing up a misunderstanding after being beaten up in the street by five people and not even receiving an apology?"

Old Gang sighed, "Ah, it was just a misunderstanding. I only got a beating. I'm still healthy and fine, but I've offended Wang Mazi from the North District. Things won't be easy for me from now on..."

Li Xiao asked, "Then let me ask you, can you intimidate people by mentioning my name?"

Old Gang: "What title?"

Li Xiao smiled and said, "He is a closed-door disciple of Xiao Zhenshan, the master of Guiyuan Martial Arts School."

Old Gang: "Are you bragging?"

Li Xiao said, "Never mind whether it's bragging or not, I'm just asking you, is it useful or not?"

Old Gang said, "That's really useful. Once that name is mentioned, Wang Mazi will have to kneel on the ground..."

Li Xiao laughed and said, "That settles it then, let's go!"

Old Gang: "Where to?"

Li Xiao: "Guiyuan Martial Arts School!"

hiss! ! !

Old Gang gasped, stopped pulling the cart, turned to look at Li Xiao, and then burst into joy: "Hahaha, you really are me! I'm so lucky to have you as a brother!"

As he spoke, he pulled the rickshaw with all his might, pulling it very fast, rushing towards Guiyuan Martial Arts School.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!!!"

Old Gang stood tall and proud, walking with a brisk pace, utterly excited.

He was already fantasizing that tomorrow, even the foreman of the car dealership would speak to him respectfully.

Due to excessive speed...

Throughout the journey, Li Xiao felt the wind constantly stinging his eyes...

After half an hour.

With a sudden stop, the rickshaw came to a smooth halt in front of the imposing gate of Guiyuan Martial Arts School.

Li Xiaoyue got out of the car and squinted at the scene.

The bluestone steps have five levels, each polished to a mirror-like shine.

The two stone lions have bulging muscles and are poised to pounce, their mouths wide open as if a low roar is about to escape.

The huge plaque above the door, "Guiyuan Martial Arts School," is as if carved by a knife and axe, deeply embedded in the wood.

As the wind blew, one could faintly hear the unified shouts, the muffled thuds of flesh colliding, and the sharp whistling of weapons cutting through the air coming from inside the walls.

Old Gang's excitement from the previous journey diminished somewhat in front of this solemn gate.

He swallowed hard, tugged at Li Xiao's sleeve, and lowered his voice, "A-Si, this...this facade is too impressive. You really are...Master Xiao's last disciple?"

"Is that even possible?"

Li Xiao smiled, took a step and started walking upstairs, with Lao Gang putting down his rickshaw and following closely behind.

Boom boom boom!

Li Xiao knocked on the door using the tiger-biting copper ring.

A moment later, the door creaked open.

A young man dressed in shorts and a shirt poked his head out and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Li Xiao said, "Please inform them that I am looking for the head of the martial arts school, Xiao Zhenshan."

The man sized up Li Xiao and Lao Gang—one a coachman, the other looking like a laborer—and immediately his face lit up with disdain. He said, "How dare you even see the master? Get lost!"

Snapped!

The door was closed immediately.

Li Xiao: "..."

Old Gang: "..."

Li Xiao: "Old man, let me explain, I haven't even taken it out yet..."

Old Gang: "No, you don't need to explain. You are indeed the last disciple, the door is closed..."

Old Gang, on the verge of tears, ran back to the rickshaw, his face a picture of misery: "Ah Si, you'd better find a way to hide for the next few days, or Wang Mazi might have you drowned in the river. I need to hide too..."

With that, he pulled the cart and sped away.

"Old man, old man, wait..."

Li Xiao called out from behind, but to no avail.

A short while later, he and the panicked rabbit disappeared around the street corner.

"....."

Li Xiao was somewhat speechless, so he had no choice but to knock on the door again.

A moment later, the door opened again.

It was the same short-sleeved man from before. Seeing Li Xiao, he said impatiently, "What, it's you again? Didn't I tell you to get lost? You think you can see my master?"

"Watch your tone!"

Li Xiao spoke calmly, releasing his aura.

Surprisingly, the man was actually intimidated and paused for a moment.

At this moment, Li Xiao slowly took out a letter from his body and handed it over: "Give this to your master. He will know what's going on after he sees it."

The man in short clothes took the letter with some skepticism, wondering if it was sent by some important person.

"Well, you wait..."

After thinking for a moment, the man took the letter, closed the door, and presumably went to deliver it.

This letter of recommendation was given to Li Xiao by the old woman when he came down from the mountain.

There are three martial arts schools in this city whose owners are truly skilled, with Xiao Zhenshan being the best.

The fortune teller wrote a letter of recommendation for Li Xiao to take with him, which would save him a lot of trouble.

So Li Xiao sat on the steps and waited patiently.

Who knew this wait would last so long...

Not far away.

A group of men in short-sleeved shirts walked toward the martial arts school, chatting as they went.

"Seventh Senior Brother, how many disciples did our Master actually keep behind?"

"Of course, there are only three who can be called 'closed-door disciples': the eldest brother Chen Zhenyue, the second brother Qin Xiao, and the third brother Zhao Liqun..."

"Isn't it strange? Today I went to the hospital to visit someone and met someone who claimed to be the master's last disciple, but I didn't recognize him. He was dressed in a laborer's uniform."

"An imposter! This guy dares to impersonate our master's last disciple, he's really got some nerve..."

The group of people were dressed in black short-sleeved shirts with the words "Guiyuan" embroidered on them, clearly indicating that they were disciples of a martial arts school.

Suddenly, one of the outer disciples saw something and exclaimed, "Hey! Seventh Senior Brother, it's this person... Yes, the one sitting at the door, he's the one who said he's Master's last disciple."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people swarmed towards Li Xiao.

One of them, with a well-proportioned build and flowing hair, was probably the seventh senior brother. He sized up Li Xiao and said, "You... are you the last disciple of the master of Guiyuan Martial Arts School?"

Li Xiao immediately sensed that the person inside was up to no good; he must have encountered someone from inside.

Thinking that they would inevitably run into each other again, he stood up and politely said, "Not yet."

The seventh senior brother frowned and asked, "What does 'not yet' mean?"

Li Xiao said, "It means...it will be soon..."

"Hahahaha..."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone around him burst into laughter.

This is hilarious! This imposter is incredibly audacious!

Not only did he dare to impersonate someone, but he even dared to come here to impersonate someone else. Nobody knows him. He's not even a disciple, let alone a closed-door disciple. He probably can't even afford the tuition.

The seventh senior brother laughed, "You? Don't even mention being a closed-door disciple, you wouldn't even be accepted by the outer sect. Do you know how strict Master is in accepting disciples? The outer sect looks at aptitude, the inner sect looks at talent, and the closed-door disciples... well, that depends on comprehension. I've trained for five years and only managed to become an inner sect disciple. Go back to where you came from. I'm in a good mood today, so I won't punish you..."

Li Xiao laughed and said, "You are you, and I am me; we cannot be compared."

The seventh senior brother looked completely bewildered: "Oh my, what kind of background do you have? What makes you think Master would accept you as his last disciple? Even the county magistrate's son has no chance of getting into the martial arts school as a last disciple, let alone you..."

Li Xiao found this person quite interesting, so he joked, "Because I'm a martial arts prodigy."

"Pfft—"

The seventh senior brother chuckled in exasperation, sizing up Li Xiao. "You're quite something, kid. Looks like you won't leave without a beating. Although my Guiyuan Martial Arts School doesn't bully ordinary people, you're really asking for it. I have no choice but to give you a beating..."

As he spoke, he looked at another young man, tilted his head, and said, "Young man, you've been at the martial arts school for three months now. It's a good opportunity to have someone spar with you. Go easy on me, don't cripple me."

"Alright... Seventh Senior Brother, watch closely!"

The young man named Xiao Erzi smiled and then rushed towards Li Xiao.