https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-972-Cultivating-the-Body-and-Nurturing-Power/13041499/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-974-The-Swiftness-of-the-Empty-Sky-Current/13041504/
Chapter 973: Seeking the Past, Cherishing the Heart
Chapter 973: Seeking the Past, Cherishing the Heart
As the off-road vehicle entered the central city, Cheng Zitong looked around. Although he had been to the central city on business before, this time, it felt noticeably different.
In his memory, the central city was a bustling yet chaotic place, teeming with a large number of non-citizen immigrants. Street violence, gang conflicts, prohibited drugs and implant trafficking, organ smuggling, private armed organizations' weapon deals, corporate disputes, and more were a daily occurrence.
However, since entering the city, he rarely heard gunshots or witnessed any conflicts. The city patrol vehicles remained as prevalent as ever, appearing every now and then. Surprisingly, there seemed to be a sense of order, and the previous air of disarray and laxity was gone.
The news on the World Token light screen refreshed from time to time, mostly about the upcoming connection of the Skyline Initiative and the city patrol's commitment to citizen safety. Additionally, a new bio-tech park was being established in the Shen Wei District, an old and dilapidated area undergoing a new round of renovation, which would attract a large number of job opportunities.
Cheng Zitong sighed, "The central city has changed quite a bit from what I remember." He tapped the World Token and sent an address to Chen Chuan, "Xiao Chuan, let's go and take a look at this place first."
Chen Chuan glanced at the address, which was located in the Shen Wei District, and nodded, "Okay, Teacher."
The off-road vehicle drove onto an overpass, and after half an hour, it turned into the Shen Wei District. Cheng Zitong pointed to a location.
"Xiao Chuan, do you see that rooftop? I used to come here alone to practice my punches. There weren't many disturbances, and only occasionally some drug dealers would show up at night."
Chen Chuan looked over and saw a dilapidated building over ten stories high, covered in vines. However, the view was good. Standing there, one could see the distant skyscrapers, and there were no tall buildings nearby. There was also a simple playground in the vicinity.
Cheng Zitong said, "I remember you mentioned living in the Wu Ding District before, Teacher."
Cheng Zitong nodded, "Since I was young, I've been training with my fellow disciples under the Old Master's guidance. There was no special treatment; if it weren't for the fact that I'm his son, no one would know. I ate and used the same things as my fellow disciples. If I didn't train well, the Old Master would come over and whip me without any hesitation."
"I don't blame him for treating us all the same. We trained together, and it was up to each of us to prove our worth. But the Old Master always looked down on me, feeling that I didn't live up to his younger self. I thought it was because I wasn't diligent enough, so I often came here alone to practice, away from distractions. But no matter how hard I trained, I couldn't catch up to my fellow disciples, and the gap only widened."
"Those kids from families that practiced martial arts would secretly make fun of me and laugh at me behind my back."
"The Old Master initially had high hopes, but eventually, he became disappointed and stopped paying attention. I felt it was my own fault, and I didn't blame the Old Master. When I saw that some of my junior disciples who were similar to me couldn't make any progress and left the master, I thought it would be better not to embarrass the Old Master, so I told him I wanted to leave and venture out on my own."
"The Old Master didn't stop me. He didn't say a word, just waved his hand and let me go."
Cheng Zitong gave a short laugh, "I was probably around fifteen or sixteen at the time, about the same age as you when you entered school, Xiao Chuan. When I left, I didn't really have a clear plan. It was just a sudden impulse."
"Coincidentally, after I left, I saw a commission to solve a ghost story, and I had been particularly fascinated by them for a while. I had studied and daydreamed about them in my head, but I had never taken action. At that time, not knowing where to go, I accepted the commission, and unexpectedly, I actually managed to solve it."
"After that, people kept seeking me out, and each time, I solved their problems beautifully. Maybe I have a bit of talent in this area. I always seem to come up with solutions that others wouldn't think of."
As he spoke, he pointed to his head, "At that time, I relied solely on my brain, without using any martial arts, to solve problems that others couldn't."
Chen Chuan nodded. Many ghost stories required finding the root cause, and it wasn't something that could be solved purely by force. If one could find the right approach and had enough time, there might be other ways to resolve them.
"That was when I realized that my talent might not lie in martial arts. Back when I was still with the Old Master, my fellow disciples and I ate, used, and went about our daily activities, and I, despite my young age, managed everything efficiently. Even the most chaotic and tedious matters were easily organized by me, while others found them headache-inducing. I could understand them at a glance."
"Later, I joined a commission company and specialized in logistics and auxiliary support. Over the years, not only did I not cause any trouble, but I also helped optimize their processes, saving significant expenses and solving various business challenges. Gradually, I gained some reputation."
"It took me three years to earn some money, and I returned home to pay the Old Master's tuition fees. It just so happened to be the amount the Old Master had spent on me since I was a child. I worked through several sleepless nights to earn that money, and I didn't expect the Old Master to take it without a word and even say that I finally understood something."
"Hmph!"
Cheng Zitong slapped his thigh, "I wanted to make the Old Master angry, but he ended up making me angry instead. That really got to me."
The old man also said that since he understood, he wouldn't bother with him anymore, and he shouldn't come to him with problems. He should make his own way in the world.
Chen Chuan listened and smiled, slowing the car down a bit. "Did Teacher go to Yangzhi later?" he asked.
"Not yet," Cheng Zitong shook his head. "After all, I've lived in the central city for nearly twenty years. I never thought about going so far away, and at that time, I didn't even think about the world beyond the central city."
Later, the more I thought about it, the more frustrated I felt. I had to fight back, no matter where I fell, I had to get back up. I contacted a few of the brothers who had left the teacher, and with the remaining money, we set up a fighting gym and started taking in students. I thought, if the old man could teach good students, why couldn't I?"
Chen Chuan thought about the time Cheng Zitong had spent in Yangzhi; it must have been at least twenty years. It seemed that he hadn't been able to do this for long.
"I didn't expect that after opening the fighting gym for only a month, the old man sent people to come and tell those brothers to leave. He told me that I needed to understand the rules, and if I couldn't make a name for myself, I wouldn't be able to teach others properly."
Cheng Zitong crossed his arms and said, "I really don't agree with that. If I can't practice well, I know how to teach. Later, I even argued with the old man. Without my brothers, I taught on my own. But no matter where I went, even if I didn't take students secretly, my brothers would always find me. They used all sorts of methods to stop me from doing this."
The old man also said that as long as I was still his son, I had to follow his rules. My brothers were all the same, telling me not to cause trouble. Ai, this place..." He patted the back of the chair. "...stop by the side of the road for a bit."
Chen Chuan slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road. Ahead, there was a seemingly ordinary residential building.
Cheng Zitong took off his sunglasses and looked at it. "Ai, later on, it must have been about half a year. I compromised with the old man. I couldn't fight him, so I went back to collecting strange stories.
This is where I rented at that time. I lived here for more than half a year. Don't worry, I don't mind if you, my student, laugh at me. Here, I met my first girlfriend. She said she wasn't treated well by her family, so she ran away from home.
At the time, she became my assistant. We worked together very well, and she had some spiritual talents. She had also learned martial arts, and she could sense danger in advance. Together, we resolved many anomalies and gradually gained some reputation.
But later, I found out that she was actually a rich girl. She was just arguing with her family and came out to experience life. I don't know why, but I got very angry and had a big fight with her..."
As he spoke, he felt a bit lost and shook his head, self-mockingly. "My pride, you know? After the fight, I regretted it. Later, I waited for a month, but she never showed up, so I just left the central city and went back to Yangzhi, to my hometown. I found a job at Wu Yi Academy."
He pointed upwards, "There, I lived in the room at the very back on the east side. There were three rooms; I lived in the outermost one, and she lived in the inner one."
In a 6-1-9-1-bar-1-look-1-no-1-wrong version!
Chen Chuan asked, "Does Teacher want to go down and take a look?"
Cheng Zitong shook his head. "It's been so many years; there's nothing much to see. Let's go."
Chen Chuan drove the car and sent Cheng Zitong to the designated location. It was a two-story small building made of blue bricks, with a grape trellis outside. From its style, it seemed to be from before the Great Expansion, a very old building. Although the location seemed a bit remote, the environment was still pretty good.
The two of them got out of the car and walked towards the small building. At that moment, a middle-aged man carrying a bag walked out from inside.
Cheng Zitong took a look and called out, "Flathead, is that you?"
Hearing this nickname, the middle-aged man felt a bit displeased. He looked him up and down and suddenly widened his eyes in surprise, pointing at him, "You...are..."
Cheng Zitong took off his sunglasses. "Me, it's Cheng Zitong."
"Brother Tong?"
The middle-aged man was suddenly excited. He ran over in a few steps and looked him up and down. Grabbing his arm, he said excitedly, "Brother Tong, it's really you! After all these years, you've come back?"
Cheng Zitong smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm back."
The middle-aged man became even more excited. "It's good that you're back, really good! Ai, I say, why do you look so...well-off?"
"Is that so?" Cheng Zitong touched his face. "I feel like I've lost weight recently."
"It seems like you're doing well in Yangzhi."
"It's passable."
The middle-aged man nodded. "Yes, it's far from the central city, so there are fewer worries. Brother Tong, seriously," he became more serious, "this time you've come back...you're not planning to leave again, right?"
Cheng Zitong tapped his sunglasses in his hand and then put them back on. He lifted his head and smiled, "This time I've come back to stay for a while. I want to walk around, see some old friends, and sort out some old matters."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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