Chapter 007 – Old Fart Wei
Translated by: BerrryBunz.
Edited by: Robin and Boost Turtle.
Hesitating slightly for a short moment, Tang Tian then bravely walked towards the door. For the sake of seeking the secrets of the Bronze Plate, he had spent five whole years practising the fundamentals in order to reach the million points needed to unlock the Bronze Plate. It was all for this day.
As he stepped across the Southern Cross Door, the scenery before him changed completely.
The very first thing he saw was the black ground beneath his legs, unaware of what material it was made of. It was as glossy as a mirror, and reflected Tang Tian’s figure. It was as hard as metal, and after taking a few steps, Tang Tian curiously sized up the place; It was roughly nine metres in circumference, devoid of life and the outside was shrouded by a boundless thick grey fog. He tried walking to the edge to the fog, but it seemed there was a bizarre repelling force. No matter how much force he used, he could not enter the grey fog.
Suddenly, red words emerged from the mirror-like ground beneath his feet.
Black background and red words, it was deep and demonic.
“Regardless of whether you’re strong or weak, you will always be your lifetime enemy, It is a lifetime fight. You have nowhere to run, you cannot rely on luck. If you win, you will be unparalleled, if you lose, you’ll realise that you have attempted nothing and accomplished nothing.”
“Prevailing over one’s self. Grade: Good. Rewarded practise time: Ten Days.”
Prevailing over one’s self?
Good?
Rewarded practise time?
Tang Tian’s mouth twitched in disdain, “Bullshit!”
“Thinking back, that man in grey and I used the exact same moves, whatever dog shit over one’s self. Whatever i knew, that guy knew too. However, didn’t I still beat him in the end?” Tang Tian thought joyfully.
This realistic brat, immediately focusing on his own victory. What can excite the heart more than victory?
Ten days of practise time? What is this nonsense?
Tang Tian scratched his head, paced up and down for awhile. It’ll be better to clarify a few things. The Bronze Plate was an object originally meant to help cultivation, reaching a million points, was its opening criteria.
Tang Tian did not understand, when his mom was still living, she never urged him to practise martial arts before. What if his mother also did not know of this object’s use? Where did Mom get the Bronze Plate from?
Unless….
Tang Tian’s face turned gloomy. Unless, this Bronze Plate was something that bastard man gave mother?
Once this thought arose, Tang Tian thought it was the most probable. Every time his mother helped changed the red string, she would be entranced looking at the Bronze Plate, having a look of recollection.
Tang Tian grasped his fists tightly!
Despicable!
After fuming for half a day, Tang Tian cleared his thoughts and let go of his anger. If the Bronze Plate was really given to mother by that bastard man, it’s better!
He would make full use of the Bronze Plate to help himself get stronger, and finally defeat that bastard!
Haha! At that time, that bastard man will definitely regret giving the Bronze Plate to mother that year!
Yes, it will be done this way!
Thinking about how that bastard will regret until his guts turn green, Ha Ha, that will be invigorating!
Tang Tian was again in high spirits, and he knew that the decision he made was really a genius plan.
The number ‘0’ distinctly lit up on the door. Why did it reset to zero? Will it still need fundamental martial arts to increase? Tang Tian shook his head, guessing it should be rank two martial arts.
Finally being able to practise rank two martial art techniques, finally touching upon the Bronze Plate’s secrets, yet still he still knew nothing.
In addition…. This place does not have any trace of mother….
Tang Tian looked at the Southern Cross Door, seemingly entranced, Did mother used to come here as well?
A sense of longing appeared on his face.
He stood in a daze for awhile before returning back to his senses. He clenched his fists and muttered to himself, “Mom, I will definitely unravel the Bronze Plate’s true secrets! I will definitely find that bastard, and drag him to your tomb to repent!”
With a face filled with resolve, he did not hesitate anymore, and turned to walk towards the Southern Cross Door.
The moment Tang Tian stepped out of the Southern Cross Door, he passed through countless lights and shadows that travelled back and forth rapidly for a brief moment, and in the next, the feeling he got from his feet led Tang Tian to know that it was his own home’s floorboards.
Sure enough, in the next moment, Tang Tian appeared in his own bedroom.
The surroundings were so familiar, like everything that happened previously was just an illusion.
He subconsciously placed his hands on his neck to feel for the Bronze Plate, but all his hands felt was air.
Tang Tian quivered and turned pale with fright!
His neck, aside from being empty, only had 5 red strings tied together.
The Bronze Plate!
Where did the Bronze Plate go to?
At that moment, there was a burning feeling on his palm.
Tang Tian lowered his head to look, and an exact replica of the cross on the door appeared on his palm.
The cross slowly dissipated, until it disappeared.
Unless….
Tang Tian’s eyes widened, with a surprised look, and with a thought in his mind, the scene before his eyes took a change; He was once again standing in front of the Southern Cross Door.
The Bronze Plate was actually implanted into his body!
After being surprised, thick-skinned Tang Tian felt that this way was actually much better.
Finally, there was not a need to worry about losing the Bronze Plate.
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After entering and leaving a couple of times, Tang Tian roughly grasped the usages of the Southern Cross Door.
What he was most surprised about was the rewarded practise time. Once he stepped through the Southern Cross Door, the time in the outside world would stop flowing. Even when he stayed there for an entire day, the outside time did not move at all.
This astounding discovery was too inconceivable, leaving Tang Tian dazed for a period of time before coming back to his senses, a smile spreading out on his face, before he started facing the sky and laughing out loud.
It’s time!
Over the past five years, he had spent countless unexplainable hours on fundamental martial arts. His time, was slower than others by a whole four years! Yet now, he had the possibility of catching up to all of them!
He could finally get back all those hours!
Tang Tian’s current mood was very hard to describe. Five years of time, from when he was twelve years old, to seventeen, he had already become Andrew Academy’s oldest student.
Although his outer appearance was one that did not care about, in his heart, he had always carried an enormous pressure. The things that encouraged him forward everyday were the numbers on the Bronze Plate that jumped each time he mastered some fundamental martial art, and the longing hidden deep inside his heart. He longed to find the bastard who abandoned his wife and son, beat him up like a dog and drag him to his mother’s tomb to repent. This longing was enough to fulfill his promise, he promised Qian Hui that he would eventually find her at Immortal Constellation, and they agreed to go to Heaven’s Road together.
Therefore, he always clenched his teeth and persevered.
Today, five years of stupidly persevering and looking like a fool, finally had its rewards.
“Haha, I must definitely defeat Little Grey a few times! That way, I will gain much more time!”
“I want to go to Heaven’s Road! I want to find Qian Hui! Waoooooo!”
“I am actually a godlike person, huh! HAHAHAHAHA!”
Cheering sounds could be heard from outside the house.
Suddenly, the cheers stopped, Tang Tian’s smile froze. He suddenly realised that there was a problem. Where would he go to learn rank two martial arts?
Rank two martial arts were different from fundamental martial arts, as Spirit Cards were required to attain them. Without the Spirit Cards, it was impossible to practise. Martial artists used their own spirit’s brand to imprint onto the card, becoming a Spirit Card. Spirit Cards had two uses, and one of them was to learn its imprinted martial arts.
“Spirit Cards! Spirit Cards! Spirit Cards….” Tang Tian eyes were fixed, mouth repeatedly saying.
Bronze Grade Rank Two Spirit Cards were not cheap, and Spirit Cards were usually self-provided, whereby after entering an establishment, the school will give out Spirit cards according to the student’s strength.
Tang Tian’s gaze was more and more focused.
Peng peng peng!
An earthshaking knock on the door made Tang Tian jump in fright. The door shook violently, like it was falling apart.
Tang Tian snapped out of his fright, instantly remembering that he had no money to fix the door if it broke! He hurriedly got up to the door.
Peng!
The wooden door could not take the knocking any longer, and loudly shattered into many pieces.
Tang Tian finally understood what it meant when they say that ‘when the roof is leaking, that’s when you’ll get several continuous nights of rain’. He stood there looking at the shattered parts of the doors in a daze….
[Robin: To those who don’t understand, the idiom basically means that one bad thing usually leads to many others]
“Fundamental Tang! You have finally been fired! Ahha, That’s great! Truly great!” Ah Mo Li was roaring from the outside with joy.
Tang Tian’s eyes shifted with a vicious look, and finally lost it.
His face twisted into a maniacal expression, if any normal man saw him at this moment, he would most likely turn tails and run!
“Hahahaha! Freaking great! Freaking great!” Ah Mo Li’s saliva splattered everywhere, rushing into the house with his enormous body, resembling a fierce wind. “Fundamental Tang! This is your karma! You are destined to work with me to create a new Martial Dao! Come, come to my Beast Academy! Let us work together to create a New Martial Dao!”
Tang Tian, who was just about to blow, was startled. Beast Academy….
“Cough” Tang Tian relaxed his fists, feigned a cough, acting like a veteran in the field and said, “Dumb cow, tell me, does your Wild Beast Academy have any good opportunities?”
“Opportunities? What do you mean?” Ah Mo Li ignorantly replied.
Tang Tian immediately gave up, “Fuck, can’t believe there are so many people in this world dumber than me!” Disappointed, he waved his hand, “Let us discuss about how’re you’re going to compensate for my door.”
Ah Mo Li looked at the door, looked back to Tang Tian and fervently said, “Fundamental Tang, come to my Beast Academy….”
Tang Tian looked at Ah Mo Li unbelievably, thinking in his heart “How can there be such a dimwit in this world…”
Wait a minute!
“How did you know I quit school? Tang Tian’s face darkened.
“You didn’t know? The Zhou Clan originally did not want to spread it out, but that stupid Young Master Zhou, joyfully exclaimed that he will be the Big Boss of Andrew Academy from now on, and the entire Star Wind City caught wind of it. The Zhou Clan this time has lost a lot of face!” Ah Mo Li answered.
Zhou Clan!
Tang Tian finally saw the reason why he was fired, with a vicious look in his eyes, he clenched his fists tightly. This debt will definitely be repaid!
“Come to my Beast Academy! Come on, come on!” Ah Mo Li impatiently looked at Tang Tian.
Seeing this, Tang Tian knew he had to be more direct.”I only know fundamental martial arts. I just got fired, How can Beast Academy even think of taking me in?”
“Huh, good point!” Ah Mo Li’s face suddenly changed, nodding his head immediately.
Seeing him act like this, Tang Tian did not even have the heart to scold him anymore.
Ah Mo Li frowned, squatted down, and looked like he was racking his brains thinking about something.
“Hey, hurry give me compensation for the door.” Tang Tian reminded Ah Mo Li, “Don’t waste my time, I still have to find work. Even godlike men need to find work!”
Just at this moment, Ah Mo Li slapped the ground with delight in his eyes and happy replied “Ha ha! I have a plan!”
Peng!
Tang Tian felt the floor shaking for a second, almost losing his balance.
With both his hands completely embedded into the ground, Ah Mo Li tensed his fists, causing spider web-like densely packed cracks and crevices to appear.
Dust from the ceiling started to fall, rustling sounds from the roof could be heard, and Tang Tian stood there like a dumb wooden chick, both eyes staring blankly.
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Tang Tian looked at the dirty old man in front of him, sloppier and shabbier than him. He turned his suspicious face and gazed at Ah Mo Li, thinking if the dumb cow actually really did a kind deed?
Although Ah Mo Li grew up to look like a good man, it was not the time to do a good deed!
“Old Fart Wei, I have brought a genius to your school!” Ah Mo Li shouting loudly, seemingly very close to the old man.
School?
Hearing this word, Tang Tian was even more suspicious. Which school would actually allow such a sloppy person to hold a position in the school?
“Genius?” Old Fart Wei squinted his eyes: ”Fundamental martial arts genius?”
Ah Mo Li was shocked, admiringly said, “ Ah Ah Ah! Even you can tell!”
Standing there rolling his eyes, Tang Tian could not believe that Ah Mo Li could not understand the irony in the old man’s speech.
Pleased with himself, Ah Mo Li continued, “He is the martial artist I respect the most, he has the strongest martial artist heart, and is determined to create his own Martial Dao. He is Perfect Fundamentals Tang, Tang Tian, a godlike man!”
“Hehehe! That sounds really powerful!” Old Fart Wei laughed, squinting his eyes and sizing Tang Tian up.
“How is it? We have struck it big now!” Ah Mo Li vouched for Tang Tian, patted his chest, vibrating them. Proudly, he continued, “Once you let him in, that broken school of yours, will definitely turn over.”
“Wuwuwu, that makes sense that makes sense. Yet, such an interesting matter, Ah Mo Li, you don’t wish to participate?” Old Fart Wei beamed at Ah Mo Li.
Tang Tian could not take it anymore. In his eyes, the old man just wanted to hit on Ah Mo Li, like a kidnapper. Although he wished to enter a school, if it was at the expense of Ah Mo Li, he would not accept it.
This housefly cow might be a bit dull, but as an older brother I couldn’t help but feel obligated to help him.
He was about to stop the conversation when he suddenly saw Ah Mo Li pulling out his carrot-like fingers and started counting, “It’s not that I cannot go, but you have to promise. At least a Silver Grade blade related Rank Four Spirit Card. Three times the usual pay. Five grade four star rocks, fifty grade three star rocks, full marks on every test results yet I am excused from class. If I can achieve the rank of top 50 in the Star Wind City government exam, the reward will be five grade four star rocks. If I manage to hit top 30, ten grade four star rocks. If I hit top 10, twenty grade four star rocks. If I hit top 5, forty grade four star rocks. And if I get the first place, one grade five star rock.”
Hearing that, Tang Tian was flabbergasted, Such a swindling deal!
Once this lion opened its mouth… It was truly brutal and inhuman!
“Deal!” Old Fart Wei said without the slightest hesitation, sealing the promise in one word.
Tang Tian momentarily had tears flowing across his whole face.