Chapter Twenty: Broadening Horizons-Alta Cultivação: Dez Anos como Parceiro de Treino, Uma Técnica que Surpreende o Mundo(Uma flor do sul do rio Yangtzé)

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Zhao Rui merely paid lip service to the coach’s words. This martial arts school was primarily profit-driven, quite unlike Li Bighead’s Jimin Pharmacy. After all, Jimin Pharmacy, no matter how flawed, was a family-run, master-disciple legacy without the crass entanglements of interest and profit.

By past eight in the evening, the scarred youth Hong Fei had finished sparring with Zhao Rui and left the martial arts school. Zhao Rui lingered a little longer, but seeing no business, he got up to leave. As a part-time sparring partner, his wages were paid daily; he had earned a few hundred yuan today and managed to absorb two rather impressive martial arts techniques—a fruitful haul indeed.

The “Taiyi Dividing Light Sword” was no low-level skill, clearly superior to his own “Taihang Thirteen Palms,” and even rivaled the “Wing Chun Inquiry” of the Emei Sect. The other martial art was Hong Fei’s “Fury Killing Skill,” a technique focused on close-quarters combat.

Neither skill was advanced; mastering them fully would likely take four or five days. But it was summer break, and Zhao Rui was in no rush.

Though working as a sparring partner yielded results, progress was slow. Secretly, Zhao Rui considered another method of sparring. Since the quality of the technique didn’t matter much, why not absorb some simple, common skills? He also wanted to test whether learning the same martial art from different people could accelerate progress. For instance, if he absorbed ten percent progress from Zhang San’s skill one day, could he continue from Zhang San’s senior brother the next day for the same skill? This was something he needed to investigate further.

The holiday was long; there was no hurry.

After leaving the martial arts school, Zhao Rui went home to change into a sharp outfit before riding his bicycle to Yang Fan’s residence. Yang Fan lived in a high-end community where the price per square meter was twenty to thirty thousand yuan, and his home was a three-story villa, indicating considerable wealth.

Outside the community, Zhao Rui called Yang Fan. Soon, a black BMW motorcycle with its lights on rolled out. Zhao Rui locked his bicycle beside the property management booth and climbed onto the back seat.

“You look a lot more handsome with that slicked-back hair!” Zhao Rui laughed, noticing Yang Fan’s glossy hairstyle.

“Of course! Gotta show some respect to the ladies!” Yang Fan grinned, revved the throttle, and sped off.

Half an hour later, they arrived before a towering building nearly twenty stories high. Both looked up at the massive sign hanging above the entrance: “Xiaoyao Pavilion!”

The sign gleamed gold, surrounded by dazzling neon lights. Intermittently spinning lights created a dreamy, enchanting atmosphere. Three-dimensional displays cast shifting hues as they broadcast various exciting internal entertainment videos.

Pai Gow, foot massages with baths, beautiful women, handsome men for competitions, brilliant light shows, pulsating music, and restless hearts—all manifested vividly at this moment.

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“Impressive!”

“Let’s go!”

The two exchanged a glance and strode inside.

Upon stepping onto the stairs, they saw two massive golden bronze doors, each carved with a huge lion’s head clutching a gleaming golden door knocker. Two tall men in suits stood respectfully on either side. As guests approached, they gently pushed open the heavy doors with surprising ease—a display of strength beyond that of ordinary martial artists.

Yang Fan’s face twitched, and his legs trembled slightly. Fortunately, they were not alone ascending the steps; Yang Fan deliberately hung back two paces, observing the behavior of nearby patrons and mimicking their actions.

Zhao Rui’s sharp eyes quickly noticed Yang Fan’s nervousness and jabbed him in the ribs, scolding, “You said you’ve been here before!”

“I’m full of hot air!” Yang Fan replied, unfazed.

Zhao Rui was speechless. He had hoped Yang Fan’s familiarity would guide them through and offer insight. Now, as novices, their experience was worlds apart.

This place was a gathering spot for both the underworld and legitimate circles, far more dangerous than any entertainment venue from his past life. Fights and vendettas were commonplace. Although the venue’s security was formidable, many patrons were skilled martial artists. With greater power came greater tempers.

“Big power means big responsibility,” Zhao Rui thought. Without a regular to show the way, one could not help but feel anxious.

“Keep a low profile!” Zhao Rui hushed, adopting a casual demeanor and tugged Yang Fan along as they approached the doors.

The two suited guards at the entrance glanced at them blankly and pushed the doors open without a second thought. Zhao Rui and Yang Fan raised their eyebrows—clearly, people like them were beneath notice.

They hurried inside, passing through a corridor shimmering with splendid light effects, the entire space bathed in golden splendor. Ahead stood two smaller doors, wide open. Four young women stood at the entrance, clad in form-fitting cheongsams slit high at the waist, revealing glimpses of their delicate, fair legs.

Yang Fan’s eyes immediately widened. Nudging Zhao Rui, he whispered, “Wow, even the greeters are this stunning!”

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“Stay calm!” Zhao Rui said. Unlike Yang Fan, a true novice, Zhao Rui was a seasoned man who had seen women before. Such allure held no sway over him.

“Welcome to Xiaoyao Pavilion! We hope our esteemed guests enjoy their stay!” The four girls bowed in unison. As they bent forward, the white of their necklines rose invitingly, stirring the imagination.

Yang Fan felt his nose itch and hurriedly wiped it, afraid he might nosebleed. He had watched adult films before, but real life was a different matter entirely.

Entering the inner hall, they beheld a golden chamber as grand as a Western palace, spanning the size of two football fields. The hall was set below ground level, connected to the entrance by several steps, lowering it by five or six meters. This design made the hall appear even more vast and towering.

From their vantage point, they could see the hall divided into many sections, each offering different amusements—gambling, exotic dancing, bars, and more.

“Gentlemen, may I assist you?” A clear, melodic female voice sounded beside them.

Zhao Rui turned to see a young woman over 1.7 meters tall, dressed in the attire of an ancient martial heroine, looking at them with lively eyes.

Her pale cyan outfit stood out against the golden surroundings, exuding pure elegance. She wore a chest-high ruqun with a light gauzy outer garment embroidered with peacock feather patterns that shimmered emerald under the lights. Her hair was pinned high with twelve silver hairpins shaped like curled grass, each topped with a teardrop crystal that swayed gracefully.

For a moment, Zhao Rui felt disoriented—if not for the setting, he might have thought he had traveled back to ancient times.

Yang Fan stared dumbfounded at her exquisite face, utterly mesmerized. It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen women before, but the striking contrast amplified her beauty.

“We’re here to relax. Please show us around,” Zhao Rui regained his composure and nodded politely.

“Certainly! Please follow me,” the heroine replied, turning slightly and extending her jade-like hand to guide them.

Zhao Rui pulled Yang Fan forward as they stepped ahead.

“This is our gambling area. Here, esteemed guests can experience all kinds of betting games available on the market…”

“Our beauties are carefully selected and rigorously trained to ensure excellent service,” she continued.