Chapter 16: A Lost Fragment of a Heaven-Defying Martial Art?
Looking at Chen Yiyi, I Ai Yigenchai recalled the times spent with my daughter.
What a pity.
Because of issues on my ex-wife’s side, my daughter and I gradually drifted apart, our relationship growing increasingly distant. By my reckoning, it’s been five or six years since I last saw her.
Sigh.
At this thought, I Ai Yigenchai couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
Being a man is truly hard.
Being a middle-aged man is even harder.
“Disciple, why the long face? What’s troubling you?”
“Thinking about something unhappy? Tell your master and cheer up a bit.”
Old Lu noticed my sigh and came over with concern.
“Master, I was just thinking about my daughter.”
I spoke honestly.
To me, everything in the gaming world is an illusion; my personal matters aren’t exactly state secrets. If I tell him, so be it.
No one in real life is willing to listen to my inner thoughts. If Old Lu is willing, then I’m willing to share.
“Daughter? You have a daughter? You’re married? How old are you?”
Old Lu was surprised. He hadn’t expected that his extraordinary disciple, who looked quite young, was already married with a child.
No way, this simpleton is married?
Why is my little Yuan still single?
The heavens are unfair.
“Master, I’m forty.”
I Ai Yigenchai smiled bitterly. I looked young because I tweaked my age in the game to appear younger.
In reality, I had long since entered middle age.
“I see. Tell me about your past.”
“Alright.”
I Ai Yigenchai began to recount my story to Old Lu.
My real name is Chai Jin. I was once the kind of child other parents boasted about—excellent grades from a young age, admitted to a prestigious university, and after graduation, I joined a foreign company making over ten thousand a month. I married my childhood sweetheart after ten years of romance.
Raising children, having a gentle wife, a smooth career—it all seemed so perfect.
Yet fate sometimes delights in cruel twists.
Due to an accident, my son passed away; my wife’s personality changed drastically, and our marriage ended in divorce, with my daughter awarded to her custody.
Work was no better—I was frequently backstabbed by colleagues and eventually fired.
Middle-aged and unemployed, I had to deliver takeout to make ends meet.
When it rains, it pours: a car accident nearly left me paralyzed. Thankfully, the surgery was successful, though it left me with lasting impairments, making heavy labor impossible.
The game’s launch gave me a new beginning.
My goal now is to become a secondary profession player, earning money through my side job.
“Wow, I didn’t expect this,” Old Lu shook his head in sympathy.
My disciple’s fate was truly pitiful.
“Haha, that’s all in the past.”
“Life moves forward.”
“I’m doing pretty well now.”
“I have something to look forward to.”
I Ai Yigenchai remained optimistic.
“Emmm~”
Old Lu glanced at Chen Yiyi a few times, then looked at me.
“Disciple, do you want to learn martial arts?”
Old Lu suddenly asked.
“Huh?”
“Learn martial arts? Me?”
“Forget it, martial arts is too expensive. I can’t afford those manuals, and besides, it’s not really my thing.”
I Ai Yigenchai shook my head decisively. It’s not that I didn’t want to learn martial arts, but from my perspective, it wasn’t cost-effective.
The game had just launched, and players still knew little about this world.
At present, getting a good martial arts manual was difficult and costly.
As for the inferior ones, they were simply a waste of time.
No need at all.
Since I’m a secondary profession player and don’t need to fight, it’s better to invest resources in leveling up my profession rather than my combat skills.
“Expensive? Can’t afford it?”
“You’re underestimating your master.”
“I’m still a person of some standing.”
“Here.”
Old Lu tossed me a manual. I caught it, and the system’s prompt sounded in my ear.
[Beep, you have obtained a mysterious-level martial arts manual fragment.]
“Eighteen Hammer Techniques” (Mysterious Level): A decent mysterious-level martial art, capable of refining true energy. Each strike grows stronger, Strength +10.
[Beep, would you like to learn?]
A figure appeared in my mind, wielding a large hammer in the night rain. Each swing summoned howling winds and thunderclaps.
A flash of lightning struck.
A familiar face appeared before me.
That was... Master?
My master when he was young?
...
“Ah?”
“Master.”
“Did you create this martial art?”
I looked at Old Lu, tears of emotion welling up in my eyes.
This NPC master was too kind to me.
“That’s right. This is a martial art I created back in the day.”
“Great-grandfather’s martial art?”
“Let me see?”
“Eighteen Hammer Techniques? Hmm.”
“What a terrible name.”
Chen Yiyi appeared behind us, tiptoed, and glanced at the manual in my hands.
Upon seeing the name, she instantly lost interest.
The Eighteen Hammer Techniques—it’s such an old-fashioned name.
Not as grand as the Earth-Shattering Divine Palm at all.
“Yiyi, how can you say that?”
“Eighteen Hammer Techniques, what’s wrong with the name?”
“That’s great-grandfather’s own creation.”
Old Lu looked a little displeased.
He thought the name was fine.
Back when he roamed the martial world, how many masters had fallen to his hammer?
Besides, does the name really matter?
It’s not about how it sounds, but about power.
“It doesn’t sound good. It’s not as nice as Uncle Yuan’s martial art.”
Chen Yiyi raised Lu Yuan’s Earth-Shattering Divine Palm with a mischievous smile.
Old Lu was speechless.
Uncle Yuan’s martial art?
It’s just some hammer technique.
Yiyi, when you grow up, you’ll understand.
[Beep, detected a Heaven-defying level martial arts fragment.]
“Ah?”
“Heaven-defying level?”
I Ai Yigenchai’s eyes widened in disbelief as I looked at the manual Chen Yiyi held high.
Heaven-defying level?
A martial arts manual’s levels were supposed to be limited to Heaven, Earth, Mystery, Yellow, and inferior grades.
What on earth was this Heaven-defying level?
“Yiyi, can I see it?”
“Here.”
Chen Yiyi didn’t refuse and casually handed it over.
To her, my master’s disciple was family.
Besides, he treated her well and bought her sweet and sour candied hawthorns every day.
“Ah?”
“Is it really that simple?”
I Ai Yigenchai could hardly believe my luck.
A Heaven-defying level martial art, just handed to me like that?
[Beep, you have obtained a Heaven-defying level martial arts manual fragment.]
Earth-Shattering Divine Palm (Heaven-defying Level Fragment): Created by a Heaven-defying master, an immensely destructive martial art. When mastered, every movement shatters heaven and earth. Strength +1000.
Learning requirements: ???
[Beep, you do not meet the requirements and cannot learn.]
[Beep, you have not obtained permission and cannot learn.]
“Ah?”
...