Chapter 195: A Martial Artist Must Have Ambition!
Chapter 195: A Martial Artist Must Have Ambition!
"It's... you!"
Jiang Xiaofan looked back and, upon spotting Ling Feng, was almost overwhelmed with excitement. He felt like jumping up right then and there.
My savior!
Had it not been for Ling Feng's decision to give up first place in the willpower test to Jiang Xiaofan, he might have faced ruthless elimination.
"Savior!" Jiang Xiaofan threw his baggage aside and dashed to Ling Feng's side in three quick steps. With his strong and sturdy hands, he grabbed Ling Feng's shoulder, expressing gratitude. "Savior, this is fantastic! You've also been assigned to Tianmu East Court!"
"Tianmu?" Ouyang Jing rolled his eyes. "Brother, this is Tianshu East Court!"
"Hehehe..." Jiang Xiaofan scratched the back of his head, blushing as he said, "Um... I didn’t recognize that Chinese character..."
However, due to the dark complexion of this young man, even when he blushed, others couldn't tell.
"Don’t worry about it, no harm was done," Ling Feng said with a faint smile, patting Jiang Xiaofan's shoulder. "So, you've also been assigned here. From now on, we're roommates."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Jiang Xiaofan nodded eagerly. "Savior, I truly owe you a debt of gratitude for last time. If it weren't for you, I might have faced elimination. And your infusion of true qi was also a lifesaver; I couldn't have persevered on without it."
Jiang Xiaofan was genuinely thankful and was on the verge of kneeling before Ling Feng as he expressed his gratitude.
"Under a man's knees lies gold[1]," Ling Feng said, helping Jiang Xiaofan up. "It was a small gesture; your determination moved me more than anything. Let's not dwell on the past. I'm Ling Feng, and this is my friend, Ouyang Jing."
"I'm Jiang Xiaofan! Haha!" Jiang Xiaofan looked sincere and unpretentious, his face radiating innocence.
It was evident that he came from a peasant's family in a small mountain village and had persevered step by step to reach the Tianwei Academy, aiming to change his fate.
Just then, a few figures entered the courtyard from outside. A young man, elegantly dressed and accompanied by several servants and maids, strode arrogantly inside.
As soon as he noticed Jiang Xiaofan's pile of baggage, resembling a small hill, he furrowed his brow with disdain and kicked the baggage aside, grumbling, "Damn it, what a poor scumbag. They can't even afford a storage spirit ring and still dares to come to the Tianwei Academy!"
Ling Feng and the others looked up to see a young man dressed in a luxurious purple long gown, emanating an arrogant and domineering aura. He deliberately stomped on Jiang Xiaofan's bag and spat out, "You filthy beggar! Is this worthless trash yours?"
Jiang Xiaofan quickly approached, wearing an apologetic smile. "I apologize, I apologize sincerely. These belongings are mine and are obstructing your path. Please accept my heartfelt apologies!"
Observing Jiang Xiaofan's compliance, the young man in purple became even more brazen. "You beggar, why did you drag all of this garbage into your living quarters? This is the Tianwei Academy, not some beggar's refuge!"
Jiang Xiaofan looked embarrassed. He clenched his fists, but dared not offend the arrogant and domineering young man. He could only crouch down, clutch his bag tightly, and grit his teeth. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me, sir. Please raise your noble feet[2]."
"Raise my noble feet? Hahaha..." The young man in purple burst into laughter. "You stinky beggar, you sure know how to talk! But guess what? I’m not going to! What are you going to do about it?"
"Such insolence! Big brother, let me teach him a lesson!" Ouyang Jing clenched his teeth, prepared to rush out and aid Jiang Xiaofan.
"Not so fast," Ling Feng shook his head. "Jiang Xiaofan must experience these challenges to integrate into his new life. He needs to understand that he has left his old life behind. He is a martial artist, and he must find his dignity."
"Oh," Ouyang Jing nodded, feigning comprehension.
The dignity of a martial artist?
As the young master of the Treasure Pavilion since birth, how could he comprehend the struggles of the common people?
However, Ling Feng was different. He too had been an ordinary person, experiencing the warmth and coldness of human relationships. Therefore, he understood that merely possessing a strong will was insufficient to become a martial artist; one also needed the dignity befitting a practitioner of martial arts.
Although Jiang Xiaofan was an honest person, he also had a temper. When his stubbornness finally surfaced, he gritted his teeth, seized his bag, and pulled with force.
His strength was considerable. With that pull, he nearly sent the young man in purple tumbling to the ground.
"Young Master!"
Several servants rushed to support the young man in purple, sparing him from significant embarrassment.
"You beggar!"
The young man in purple kicked Jiang Xiaofan, flipping him over, and then fiercely pummeled him with his fists while cursing, "You worthless scoundrel! How dare you cause me to fall!?"
"I'm sorry... I... I didn't mean to!"
Jiang Xiaofan quickly raised his hand to protect his vulnerable areas. Due to his deep-seated sense of inherent inferiority, he simply didn't dare to resist.
"Hmph!"
After landing a few punches and realizing that Jiang Xiaofan wouldn't retaliate, the young man in purple felt quite satisfied. He now had another punching bag at his disposal. Whenever he felt unhappy, he could beat up this odious beggar without any fear of reprisal.
"I'll let you off since I'm feeling generous today," the young man in purple clapped his hands. He then glanced at the loft's numbering with a furrowed brow, while saying "What a joke! My room is actually the side room on the right?"
Wearing a displeased expression, the young man in purple turned his head and spotted Ling Feng standing before Room No. 5, positioned right in the center. With immediate arrogance, he declared, "Kid, come here. Let's switch rooms!"
"Switch rooms?"
Ling Feng, unlike Jiang Xiaofan, was puzzled. Where did this young man in purple’s sense of superiority come from?
He walked over to Jiang Xiaofan's side, assisting him to his feet deliberately. With a gentle smile, he spoke, "Xiaofan, from today onward, you're not just a peasant’s boy; you're a martial artist."
Jiang Xiaofan blinked and asked, "I am a martial artist?"
"No, you are not yet considered a true martial artist," Ling Feng turned his head to look at the young man in purple, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. "A martial artist must have ambition!"
The young man in purple felt a chill down his spine from Ling Feng's gaze. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, he threatened, "You little brat, why are you glaring at me? Be careful, or I'll gouge your eyeballs out!"
"If you want to test my fists, feel free to try."
Standing with his hands behind his back, Ling Feng used his actions to demonstrate to Jiang Xiaofan the dignity and ambition of a martial artist.
"You scoundrel, how dare you speak to our young master like that?"
An armored guard nearby became furious and, with a swift slap, aimed directly at Ling Feng’s face.
"Savior, be careful!" Jiang Xiaofan exclaimed in shock.
But his warning came a bit too late!
In an instant, Ling Feng's hand seized the guard's hand, and several crisp “cracks” followed.”
"Ahh!"
The guard then let out a scream reminiscent of a slaughtered pig, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Clutching his hand, he trembled all over as he took several steps backward, before falling heavily to the ground.
With that single grab just now, Ling Feng crushed three segments of his finger bones!
1. The meaning behind this proverb is that when a man kneels down, it is as valuable as gold, indicating that he should not kneel easily. It signifies that a man should have dignity and should not bow down easily. This represents the integrity and pride of a man. ☜
2. Imploring forgiveness or pardon from others. ☜