Chapter 14

Ameri also perked up, pricking up her ears.

"The Heavenly Path." Old Wei's face took on a nostalgic look, tinged with a hint of bewilderment: "It's a place full of danger and opportunity."

He glanced at Tang Tian and Ameri, then changed his tone: "Alright, the Heavenly Path is still far from you two. Let's talk about something more practical now."

"More practical?" Tang Tian pouted in dissatisfaction: "Hey, old man, you're not trying to trick us into doing something bad again, are you?"

Ameri looked shocked: "Basic Tang, have you also seen through his plot?"

"Of course!" Tang Tian looked smug and said with a grin: "In front of a man like a god, all demons and devils are reduced to their original forms! With his sleazy personality, why would he treat us to grilled meat? Offering kindness without reason, it must be either a trick or a crime!"

"Right! Either a trick or a crime!" Ameri raised his voice in agreement.

Old Wei: "..."

"There's no need to deny it, old man. Considering you're our principal, well, anything can be discussed." Tang Tian had a "you know what I mean" expression.

"Right, name your price, and we'll haggle!" Ameri added.

Old Wei fell silent for a moment, then slapped his thigh: "Truly worthy of two geniuses! Nothing can escape your eyes. Fine, I'll speak plainly."

The two remained still, staring at Old Wei.

Old Wei felt a bit of pressure and cleared his throat: "Well, a few days ago, I checked our school's points and found that they weren't sufficient. As you know, if the school's points are not enough, it will lose its qualification. The Star Wind Martial Meet is coming up soon. If you participate and achieve good results, the school's points will be fine. As geniuses of this school, you can't just let the school fall, right?"

"Can't you?" Tang Tian suddenly turned to Ameri.

Ameri looked puzzled: "Why not?"

Tang Tian retracted his gaze, looking righteous: "I can."

Old Wei was taken aback, then flew into a rage: "As students of this school, how can you be so indifferent to its fate? Has your blood run cold? Are you even men? You..."

The two squatted, eyes wide open, looking at Old Wei with innocent, pure gazes.

Seeing this tactic was ineffective, Old Wei gritted his teeth: "Fine, what conditions do you want?"

"Fly Cow, you speak!" Tang Tian waved his hand with the air of a leader.

Ameri's large eyes sparkled, and his thick fingers began to gesture rapidly: "Points are hard to earn now. The Star Wind Martial Meet is open to all students in the city. Oh, oh, oh, just thinking about the brutal process, it's simply outrageous. We'll have to fight so many people..."

He spoke with great enthusiasm, non-stop.

After a few minutes, Ameri finally stopped.

Old Wei smiled: "Done?"

Ameri and Tang Tian exchanged glances, sensing something was wrong.

Old Wei spread his hands, looking like a scoundrel: "I forgot to mention, I've already signed you up."

Tang Tian: "..."

Ameri: "..."

It was proven that a cunning merchant couldn't match a scoundrel.

Not getting any benefits, Tang Tian and Ameri were a bit dejected.

"Third-stage cultivation method, young man, what do you think?" Old Wei suddenly asked Tang Tian: "Your True Energy is already at the peak of the second stage. It's time to advance to the third stage!"

"Third-stage cultivation method? What do you suggest?" Tang Tian asked casually.

"You asked the right person!" Old Wei looked pleased: "To advance to the third stage, besides the cultivation method, it's more important to clearly define your development path. Greed will only分散 your energy and lead to failure."

Tang Tian was taken aback: "That sounds quite reasonable."

"Spending so much time on basic martial techniques, to be honest, you've missed the golden period." Old Wei's expression turned serious: "A person's golden five years are between the ages of twelve and seventeen. You spent these five years on basic martial techniques. Many people think you wasted your time, but I see both advantages and disadvantages."

"Oh, tell me more!" Tang Tian's spirits lifted. For years, almost everyone who talked about him expressed regret and confusion. This was the first time he heard someone mention both advantages and disadvantages.

"You spent five whole years on basic martial techniques, which has given you a very solid and comprehensive foundation. This will greatly help you in future martial technique cultivation. You can quickly master other martial techniques. As long as you persist, you can make up for the lost time. Young man, I have high hopes for you!"

Tang Tian nodded without any modesty: "Hahaha, old man, you have a good eye!"

"Ha ha!" Old Wei laughed: "But your path is destined to be bumpy. You need to be mentally prepared."

Tang Tian shook his head without a care: "In front of a man like a god, all bumps are just trash!"

"Full of spirit! I like spirited young men!" Old Wei chuckled: "Let's talk about your development path. You have excellent physical attributes, a solid foundation, quick reactions, strong momentum, and a fierce and domineering aura. These are all your advantages. Do you know what they suit?"

Tang Tian listened intently and asked: "What do they suit?"

"Close combat!" Old Wei emphasized: "Close combat requires balanced physical attributes, superlative reaction speed, a fierce aura, and a fearless heart. It places particularly high demands on basic martial techniques. How does that sound? Young man, isn't it exciting? A close combat expert, what a cool title!"

Tang Tian's eyes sparkled, and he nodded repeatedly: "I like this! I love fighting! Old man, I didn't know you had such skills!"

"Hehe, when you grow up, well, your women will also like this title!" Old Wei looked sleazy.

"Will Chihui like it too?" Tang Tian's eyes sparkled.

"Of course!" Old Wei almost choked on his own saliva, coughing a few times: "However, you are still far from being a close combat expert. To become a qualified close combat expert, besides the traits you already possess, you need excellent lightness skills to quickly close the distance between you and your opponent. If your lightness skills are poor, you're dead."

"Right!" Tang Tian clapped his hands: "I must practice lightness skills!"

"You need to master various unarmed combat skills. Remember, you are a close combat expert, not a boxer. You need to practice fist techniques, palm techniques, finger techniques, and joint techniques. You must ensure that after closing the distance, you have enough means to quickly defeat your opponent."

"Reasonable! I'll practice all of them!"

"You need to further enhance your reaction speed to act more accurately in a shorter time."

"Absolutely right! I must enhance it!"

Old Wei said: "If you can do all these things, you will become a qualified, even an excellent, close combat expert."

Ameri raised his hands high: "I want to be a close combat expert too!"

Old Wei ignored him.

Tang Tian didn't say anything but looked at Old Wei strangely.

Old Wei was taken aback by Tang Tian's gaze and touched his face: "Is there something on my face?"

"Qualified? Excellent? I want to be a god-like close combat expert!" Tang Tian looked matter-of-factly, then became very upset: "You actually look down on me! Humph! That's not very nice!"

Old Wei realized and laughed: "Full of spirit, but even a qualified close combat expert needs to endure hardships."

"I'm not afraid of hardship." Tang Tian shook his head, speaking seriously.

"Ah." A glint of light flashed in Old Wei's eyes: "Hehe, let's talk about the cultivation method. Since you've chosen to be a close combat expert, I have a very powerful cultivation method soul card here, but it's not easy to cultivate."

"Very powerful?" Tang Tian asked curiously.

"Very powerful!" Old Wei nodded.

"Then it's this one!" Tang Tian's eyes sparkled.

"It's not easy to learn." Old Wei reminded.

"Don't underestimate me!" Tang Tian glared.

"Hehe, very spirited, young man!" Old Wei chuckled, taking out a card: "I hope you won't disgrace this soul card."

Tang Tian's eyes scanned the soul card and he was taken aback: "A silver card?"

A silver-white card, bright and shiny, with a white figure sitting cross-legged on it. The card was cold and hard to the touch. Tang Tian never expected Old Wei to give him a silver card.

The price of a silver card for a third-stage cultivation method was unimaginable.

"Wow, old man, didn't you say you only had one silver card?" Ameri exclaimed, as if he had discovered a new continent: "You're really cunning! But since you're giving it to Basic Tang, I won't argue. Basic Tang, it looks very powerful, start practicing!"

However, to Old Wei and Ameri's surprise, Tang Tian shook his head and pushed the soul card back: "I don't want it."

"Don't want it?" Old Wei was taken aback: "Why?"

"It's too valuable." Tang Tian looked up, speaking frankly: "Such a valuable thing, I can't accept it."

Old Wei was surprised, staring at Tang Tian for a while, then suddenly smiled: "This soul card isn't given to you for free. I have a task for you. If you don't become a close combat expert, my task will be in vain. Well, are you afraid to take it, or do you lack confidence?"

Tang Tian glared at Old Wei: "Old man, who's afraid to take it? Who lacks confidence?"

Slap! Tang Tian snatched the soul card, speaking seriously: "I know you're doing this for my good. I will definitely become a close combat expert and will give my all to any task. Tell me, what is it?"

Old Wei chuckled: "It's no use telling you now. I'll tell you when you become a close combat expert."

"Alright!" Tang Tian nodded, raising his palm.

"What are you doing?" Old Wei looked puzzled.

"Making a pact with a handshake! Wow, old man, you're so old-fashioned!" Tang Tian looked disdainful.

"You brat, don't imitate adults. Do you even know what a handshake pact means?" Old Wei countered with the same disdain.

"Rubbish!" Tang Tian glared: "Underestimating me, I made a handshake pact with Chihui!"

Slap!

An old and a young hand clapped heavily.

"Done!" Tang Tian said, satisfied.

"You brat, you have quite a few tricks." Old Wei muttered.

"I want to join! I want to join!" Ameri came over, extending his palm, but no one paid attention to him.

"Well, let's talk about this soul card now." Old Wei's expression suddenly turned serious: "This card I obtained in my early years, but by then I had already surpassed the third stage, so I kept it. This soul card is called [Crane Qi Technique], an ancient cultivation method soul card."

"An ancient soul card?"

Tang Tian and Ameri were visibly moved.

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