From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

Maki Ayase supported herself on her knees and knelt in front of the Bai family's plaque.

Her riding outfit was covered in dust, her right arm hung limply, and her wrist was still numb.

Four attendants stood by the courtyard gate, but no one dared to help her.

Lu Yunzhou picked up the short knife from the ground, and the blade pressed against the blue brick, making a soft scraping sound.

"Finish what you have to say first."

Maki Ayase gritted her teeth and looked up at the Bai family: "Today I led people to smash up the door and challenge the dojo, and even insulted the Great Xia Martial Arts. The Bai family won, I admit defeat and apologize to the Bai family."

She spoke slowly, each word tinged with suppressed emotion.

Bai Xiaoxi stood under the plaque, her chest heaving a few times, gripping the broom handle in her hand even tighter.

Lu Yunzhou stared at Ayase Maki: "There's one more thing."

Ayase Maki's face darkened.

"Leave Sheng'an. From now on, you are not allowed to use the guise of exchange to cause trouble at local martial arts schools."

Upon hearing this, all the apprentices in the academy raised their heads.

Maki Ayase braced herself against the ground, leaving several red marks on her palms.

She brought her people here intending to establish her authority by stepping on the Bai family, but now she is kneeling in front of everyone, and even the long sword at her waist is broken.

She did not continue to argue, but simply had her attendant produce a check and wrote down the amount of compensation on the spot.

The costs included the gate, the signboard, the damaged wooden stakes in the courtyard, and the medical expenses for the injured apprentice.

Bai Heming took the check, glanced at it, and casually placed it on the stone table.

Lu Yunzhou sheathed his short sword and raised his hand to remove the restraints on her legs.

Maki Ayase stood up, her knees still trembling.

She turned and walked towards the courtyard gate, but stopped after a few steps and glanced back at Lu Yunzhou.

I will remember what happened today.

Lu Yunzhou tossed the dagger back to the ground: "Just remember who you lost to."

Maki Ayase clenched her fist and left with four attendants.

The vehicles parked outside the courtyard gate started up quickly, their wheels rolling over the stone slabs, the sound fading into the distance.

The Bai family courtyard was filled with human voices again.

The martial arts masters who had lost to Ayase Maki arrived one after another. Some had bandages on their noses, some had their arms in slings, and some walked with a limp.

After they entered, they first bowed to Bai Heming, and then their gaze fell on Lu Yunzhou.

"Mr. Lu, thanks to your intervention this time, Sheng'an Martial Arts School was able to save face."

A master of Iron Palm clasped his hands in greeting, his eyes still bruised and swollen.

Lu Yunzhou waved his hand: "No need for thanks. Ayase Maki has already made amends for the beating you received."

The masters exchanged glances, and the topic quickly turned to the Martial Arts Alliance.

Some suggested that Lu Yunzhou should take over as the leader of the alliance, while others said that it would be more appropriate for Bai Heming to take charge.

The noise in the courtyard grew louder and louder as several people argued heatedly, their faces red and necks bulging, as if as long as a title was set, Sheng'an Martial Arts could immediately turn the tide.

Bai Heming placed the teacup back on the table, making a soft sound as it bumped against the bottom.

"You're already rushing to find someone to lead after winning just one game? Are you practicing boxing or just fighting for positions?"

Everyone immediately fell silent.

The old man scanned everyone's faces: "Young friend Lu avenged you, and you can thank him. But what kind of skill is it to hand over martial arts to someone you've just met? He won today, and you pushed him forward. If he loses tomorrow, who are you going to replace him with?"

The person who had spoken earlier lowered his head and rubbed his fingers on the hem of his clothes.

Bai Heming continued, "The name of the Martial Arts Alliance should not become a weapon in anyone's hand. If you want to hold your head high, straighten your back first. Don't hand over your path just because someone else has won."

Lu Yunzhou glanced at the old man, and the slight agitation in his heart subsided.

At noon, Bai Xiaoxi set up several tables of food in the front hall.

After the injured masters finished their meal, they left one after another, each bowing to Lu Yunzhou in farewell before departing.

Only Bai Heming, Bai Xiaoxi, and Lu Yunzhou remained in the courtyard.

Bai Xiaoxi collected the empty bowl and couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Lu, you fought against eighth-rank opponents last night, are you going to fight again today?"

Lu Yunzhou picked up a piece of fish, swallowed it, and wiped his mouth: "Just parry the moves, don't use your true energy. I want to see what weaknesses I still have in my close-range fighting style."

Bai Heming raised his teacup, his wrist hovering in mid-air: "You want to spar with me?"

"Please enlighten me, Mr. Bai."

Lu Yunzhou put down his chopsticks, got up and walked to the center of the courtyard.

Bai Heming also stood up.

He took off his coat and handed it to Bai Xiaoxi. He was only wearing an old cloth shirt, his back was straight, and he stopped moving after his feet touched the ground.

The two were three steps apart.

Lu Yunzhou raised his right hand, stepped his left foot into the center line, and leaned his shoulder forward.

"I'll go first."

Before he finished speaking, he was already in front of Bai Heming.

The first punch goes straight for the chest, and the second punch follows closely behind, landing on the ribs.

The punches are short and land close to the target, giving the opponent no chance to create distance.

Bai Heming did not block it.

He placed his left hand on Lu Yunzhou's wrist, turned his right shoulder away with the force of the punch, and only moved his foot half a step.

Lu Yunzhou's fist grazed past the cloth shirt.

As soon as he landed firmly, he thrust his elbow into the old man's chest.

The white crane cried out and bent its arm, diverting the force to the side.

Lu Yunzhou shifted his body slightly, his elbow brushing against the old man's sleeve before striking empty air.

Bai Xiaoxi stood under the eaves, the bowl in her hand stopped moving.

Lu Yunzhou did not stop and continued walking forward.

Bajiquan emphasizes close-quarters combat and seizing positions. Once close, punches, elbows, shoulders, and hips can generate power in succession.

He pressed down on Bai Heming's arm with his right fist, pushed up with his left elbow from below, and simultaneously forced his knee toward the old man's leg.

Bai Heming crossed his palms and gently pulled his arms.

Lu Yunzhou's fist was deflected to the outside, his elbow lost its landing point, and his knee grazed the old man's trouser leg.

The old man took half a step back, but Lu Yunzhou was pulled around half a circle by him.

He immediately pulled his foot back and bumped his shoulder into Bai Heming.

This is Bajiquan's backing mountain collision.

Bai Heming's heels pressed against the blue bricks, and his waist twisted to the side.

Lu Yunzhou's shoulder missed its target, and the old man's hand landed on his back, pushing him forward in the direction of his momentum.

Lu Yunzhou took two steps back, his shoes scraping against the brick surface.

After he steadied himself, he looked up and stared at Bai Heming's hands.

The old man remained standing in the same spot, his clothes only swaying slightly.

"Again."

Bai Heming lowered his hand, his tone calm.

Lu Yunzhou did not answer. He pressed his feet back onto the ground, leaned forward, and brought his fists to his waist.

In his previous attacks, he relied on speed and power, but each time he was about to hit the old man, his landing point was diverted.

This Tai Chi style doesn't rely on brute force, nor does it rush to be the first to act.

As soon as the opponent's force arrived, the old man turned around, moved his feet, and used the momentum to send the attack to a useless position.

Lu Yunzhou raised his arm and lightly touched his knuckles to his palm.

He changed his playing style.

This time, he didn't charge straight at Bai Heming. Instead, he cut in from the side with his foot, and his fist changed direction halfway through its trajectory.

Bai Heming dodged to the side, then met the attack with both palms once more.

Their arms touched.

Lu Yunzhou lowered his waist, his left shoulder pressed close to the old man's chest, and his right elbow thrust out from below.

Bai Heming pressed down on his elbow with his palm, twisted his feet, and Lu Yunzhou's body was pulled to the side again.

Lu Yunzhou smoothly retracted his arm, stepped his right foot to the side, and thrust his fist upwards from below.

Bai Heming raised his wrist to parry, his palm sliding down Bai Heming's forearm to his shoulder.

The next moment, Lu Yunzhou stopped completely.

His fist was less than a palm's width from Bai Heming's chest, but the old man had already gripped his wrist.

The hand wasn't very strong, but Lu Yunzhou was unable to move forward even an inch.

Only the sound of two footsteps remained in the courtyard.

Bai Heming looked at him and said, "You can be strong enough to open the door, but once you're inside, you still need to learn how to turn around."

Lu Yunzhou withdrew his wrist and stretched his shoulders.

He assumed a fighting stance again, his gaze fixed on the old man's feet.

This sparring match has only just begun to see the real changes in techniques.