14: Chapter 14 Martial Arts Course, Instructor Gu Chen

"Okay, Zhou Bai, wait for me to change my clothes!"

Zhao Shiyu nestled in Zhou Bai's arms and said coquettishly.

At this moment, Zhao Shiyu was still wearing her Azure Bird Academy school uniform, looking pure and with a hint of aloofness.

"No, don't change, just wear this..."

Zhou Bai grabbed Zhao Shiyu's hand.

Hearing Zhou Bai's words, Zhao Shiyu playfully stuck out her tongue. Zhou Bai was just too naughty.

"Tonight, you're the senior sister..."

Savoring Zhao Shiyu's charm, Zhou Bai continued softly...

...

Two days later, Azure Bird Academy.

In a spacious, bright classroom, a middle-aged man with white hair and beard, dressed in martial arts attire, was explaining a martial skill.

The originally rather obscure martial skill became easy to understand under the middle-aged man's explanation.

His class was also lively and interesting, occasionally interspersed with other knowledge from the martial arts world. He was clearly a highly skilled instructor.

However, among the fifty-plus students below, half were fast asleep in class.

Another small group was holding their phones, tapping away furiously on the screens...

The remaining students were studying hard, and the instructor explained things clearly.

But even so, these students still seemed as if they were listening to a foreign language, scratching their heads and ears, their eyes filled with pure confusion...

"Instructor, am I really that stupid? You've been teaching for over half a month, and I still haven't grasped the basics!"

After a while, a young man dressed in white clothes, with delicate features, spoke guiltily.

The young man was Fang Mingyang.

"After all, Shadow Step is a B-grade movement martial skill. It does pose a certain level of difficulty for you students of Azure Bird Academy. Take it slowly, don't rush!"

Instructor Gu Chen said amiably to Fang Mingyang.

"Instructor, I understand. I'll listen attentively!"

Fang Mingyang continued.

Instructor Gu Chen nodded, then, as if remembering something, he slowly said,

"Moreover, this Shadow Step is the lower-tier martial skill of Grandmaster Yingyue's S-rank Martial Skill, Phantom Sky Travel."

"Grandmaster Yingyue has stated that if any enrolled martial arts university student can cultivate this Shadow Step to the Perfection stage, they can practice her S-rank Martial Skill for free..."

"This... might be the only chance you have to access an S-rank Martial Skill. So, keep working hard..."

"Cultivating to Perfection grants free practice of an S-rank Martial Skill!"

Hearing the instructor's words, a wave of fervor surged in Fang Mingyang's heart.

S-rank Martial Skills were true divine martial techniques with immense potential and power. Even for high-grade martial artists, they represented a precious opportunity.

"I must work even harder. Starting tomorrow, I'll get up at 2 AM!"

Fang Mingyang secretly vowed in his heart.

"Damn, why didn't you say so earlier? There's such an opportunity? I really need to study this properly!"

"An S-rank Martial Skill... I want it..."

Now, the other students in the classroom who heard Instructor Gu Chen's words all began to focus intently, listening seriously.

However, just ten minutes later, some of the students who had just gained momentum slumped back down.

Clearly, they had all realized that this S-rank Martial Skill was not something they could delude themselves about attaining.

Fang Mingyang, however, remained as pumped as if he'd been given a shot of adrenaline, studying diligently.

Instructor Gu Chen looked at the classroom below, which had returned to its usual state, and sighed inwardly.

But Instructor Gu Chen didn't dwell on it. He had seen this situation far too many times at the Vocational College.

For these students to persist for ten minutes was already quite commendable.

One could only say,No wonder it's a junior college.top1,He's got some skills.. (Translator's note: This phrase is left untranslated as it contains a specific cultural reference/jargon. It roughly means "They are indeed the top-ranked Vocational College, they do have something going for them.")

"Sorry, Instructor Gu Chen, I'm late!"

Shortly after, a handsome young man wearing a white T-shirt arrived at the classroom door.

Instructor Gu Chen was taken aback. At the martial arts Vocational College, someone who was late would still come to class??? This is Azure Bird Academy for you...

"It's fine, come in!"

Then, Instructor Gu Chen suppressed his many thoughts and said to the young man.

"Zhou Bai, you dare to be late for Instructor Gu Chen's class? Do you think just because you have a Double S-rank Talent, you can do whatever you want? Do you know how hard our principal worked to invite Instructor Gu Chen to lecture here?"

Fang Mingyang in the classroom, watching Zhou Bai enter, felt a surge of anger and snorted lightly.

Gu Chen was an Eighth Grade Sky Soaring Realm martial arts powerhouse, with terrifying strength. He was also an honorary professor at one of the Top Ten Star Martial Arts Universities.

"It really wasn't easy!"

Zhou Bai glanced at the classmates around the classroom and nodded.

This course was recommended to Zhou Bai by Zhao Shiyu because movement martial skills were indeed important, and there was also a chance to learn an S-rank Martial Skill. So, Zhou Bai came.

"Alright, let's continue the lecture. I just finished going through it once, so I'll start over from the beginning now!"

Upon hearing that Zhou Bai was that student with the Double S-rank Talent, Instructor Gu Chen glanced at him and continued.

Although Double S-rank Talent was powerful, Instructor Gu Chen had seen plenty and wouldn't pay it excessive attention.

The other students perked up again, all looking at Zhou Bai. Many were seeing him for the first time.

"Hmph, I want to see what's so different about a Double S-rank Talent prodigy and us. Don't we all have two eyes, two noses, and one mouth?"

"Idiot, it's one nose..."

"Usually, students from Qingcheng University look at us like we're trash..."

"I refuse to believe that, being the same humans, the gap is really that big? I think talent is secondary. If I could get into one of the Top Ten or a higher-tier university, I could also become a top-tier martial arts powerhouse..."

"Deciding everything based on talent is wrong..."

Many students whispered in discussion, their gazes towards Zhou Bai growing increasingly complex.

Fang Mingyang was also secretly observing Zhou Bai, wanting to see what was so great about a Double S-rank Talent.

Zhou Bai, however, paid no mind to the other students. Sitting upright, he began to listen to the lecture.

Instructor Gu Chen above flipped the PPT to the first page, displaying the cultivationmnemonic and method for Shadow Step, and began explaining the essentials of cultivating it.

"Seriously? Is this all a Double S-rank Talent is? Staring blankly at the PPT?"

"I'm laughing. A Double S-rank Talent isn't even as good as me. At least I take some notes. This guy stares at the PPT for so long..."

"See, I told you the notion that talent decides everything is wrong. I'll go post on the spirit net tonight..."

"That's it? That's all? I thought a Double S-rank Talent would be much stronger. Too disappointing..."

Now, the surrounding classmates, seeing Zhouwhite staring blankly at the PPT for a full five minutes, whispered among themselves, their words filled with disdain for the Double S-rank Talent.

Zhou Bai ignored the idle chatter of his classmates and continued staring at the Shadow Step on the PPT.

"Instructor Gu Chen, I have something to attend to. I'll leave class early!"

Another five minutes later, Zhou Bai raised his hand and said to Instructor Gu Chen.

"Haha, even a Double S-rank Talent can't figure it out. What's the use of this talent? Tell me, what's the use..."

"So disappointing. Indeed, this world is wrong..."

"Talent is a scam. I knew it. Those who occupy the upper positions first use this rhetoric to forcefully suppress us..."

Seeing this, the other classmates felt even more disdain, and the smiles on their faces grew wider.

...