Holy Fist

Chapter 38: 038 Next time, you won’t be so lucky.

Three forty in the afternoon.

Bai Xiao had changed into his clothes in the locker room and, carrying a canvas bag on his back, quickly walked out of the martial arts hall. Coach Zhang Hongtao was already waiting at the entrance. He was dressed in casual black sportswear, holding a cellphone in his left hand and clutching a thermos that he never seemed to part with in his right. The two men made eye contact and turned to step forward.

Together they headed toward the nearby street parking.

Halfway there, Coach Zhang took out the car keys and lightly pressed them in the distance.

“Click, click.” A muffled unlocking sound echoed.

As he approached the vehicle, Bai Xiao saw Coach Zhang’s SUV. It was taller and more imposing than a sedan, with rugged lines. Metal struts at the bottom edge shimmered with a bright silver luster, while the body’s paint was mostly a gray-green.

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“Let’s go, get in the car.”

Coach Zhang climbed into the driver’s seat, and Bai Xiao got into the passenger’s side.

The interior design of the car was also robust and forceful, matching Coach Zhang’s martial arts coach identity. It was the type that tough guys would like.

“Coach, this car must have been quite expensive, right?”

Bai Xiao glanced over the instruments on the driver and passenger seats as he spoke.

“About five hundred thousand or so, not too expensive.”

Coach Zhang started the car and made a turn, speaking as he did so.

He drove onto the main road, glancing at Bai Xiao from the corner of his eye.

“Feeling a bit envious?”

“Actually, you don’t need to be envious; what I earn is on the lesser side. If you train hard enough in fighting and manage to attain a rank, participate in various professional competitions, becoming a professional competitor, then what you’ll earn will only be more than me. Like those at the Boxing King level, they get appearance fees of several million, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions for a single event. Heh, mastering fighting can definitely support you…”

Coach Zhang continued as he drove.

“Oh, and the tuition fees you paid earlier, go to the martial arts hall’s front desk to get it back when you have time. As long as you are selected for the martial arts hall’s elite class, you won’t have to pay tuition. And if you perform exceptionally, the gym will even provide you with financial subsidies. If you officially pass the elite class selection, then you can directly get a salary from the gym, which means you get paid to train…”

Bai Xiao nodded thoughtfully.

It seemed that White Bird Martial Arts Hall provided very good benefits.

Two minutes later, in a location not far from the martial arts hall.

Ahead was a training ground similar to a school. Next to it was a lush park where many elderly people were leisurely strolling around.

“This is our White Bird Martial Arts Hall’s training base in Huai Shui City. The students selected from Huai Shui’s six White Bird branches train here…”

“There is also another training base in Heng Guang City, where many students from the other several cities’ six White Bird branches come together to practice…”

The SUV pulled into a parking spot.

As Coach Zhang got out of the car, he continued to introduce the place to Bai Xiao.

“Come, let me take you inside to have a look.”

Afterward, the two men walked along the pedestrian path toward the front.

The entrance to the White Bird Training Base was marked by two tall pillars linked to white painted walls, with a classic heavy black iron gate between them.

“This base has been in use for nearly twenty years now, so it looks a bit old in terms of decor, but rest assured, the facilities inside are absolutely professional and complete…”

Coach Zhang and Bai Xiao went directly through the wide-open gate.

Striding along the concrete road, Bai Xiao looked left and right. The surrounding area was full of lush trees and bushes, which gave off a rather cool ambiance.

In the distance, there was a standard canteen, a warehouse filled with various fighting equipment, a tall building used for rest, changing, and washing, and a spacious playground. Half of it was a track and the other half was a demonstration arena.

Furthermore, according to what Coach Zhang had said.

To avoid rain and other weather conditions, there was also an indoor gymnasium.

“This layout is a bit like a martial arts school,” Bai Xiao thought.

“Pretty much. It’s actually built similarly to a martial arts school.”

As he spoke, Coach Zhang led Bai Xiao to a large building covered in white tiles. The tiles gleamed under the light, creating a halo effect.

“Wait here for me for a bit; I’ll go up first to see if the people from the Fierce Bird Sect have arrived…” With that, Coach Zhang went up the stairs.

“Fierce Bird Sect?”

Standing there, Bai Xiao murmured to himself, repeating this name he had heard for the first time.

“Coach Zhang previously mentioned to me that inside the White Bird Martial Arts Hall, there’s a more core circle of master-and-disciple inheritance, similar to the ancient Martial Arts schools.”

“Is that what you mean?”

It wasn’t yet four o’clock in the afternoon, and the sunlight was still fiercely blinding.

White Bird didn’t stand at the entrance of the building but took a few steps forward.

He arrived at a somewhat shady, spacious marble vestibule.

Once there, he saw several young men he didn’t recognize, all of them tall, well-built, strong, and powerful. Clearly, they were elite class members selected from other training classes or branches.

Bai Xiao wasn’t the type to familiarize himself with strangers instantly, nor did he go up to greet them.

He just stood quietly in his spot, waiting for Coach Zhang to return.

However, within a few seconds, he felt a sharp gaze from the side as if someone was looking at him. Bai Xiao instinctively turned his head to look.

A familiar face caught his eye.

Fierce phoenix eyes, filled with an aggressive glare.

Proud expression, with a hint of contemptuous cold sneer on the lips.

Chu Ming.

Sensing that prickly intense stare.

The next second.

White Bird didn’t back down at all, meeting Chu Ming’s gaze with his own undisturbed demeanor, his lips forming a slight cold smirk as well.

A true villain…

When faced with provocation from others, they only respond coldly and fiercely!

Bai Xiao didn’t mind teaching Chu Ming a harsh lesson right there and then.

“So defiant? Interesting…”

Chu Ming’s eyes suddenly narrowed, the corners exceptionally sharp.

With outstanding talent, he had always been the leader among his peers. His haughty character had been fostered on the back of repeated victories.

Chu Ming never feared an opponent because that would only serve as his stepping stone!

In the marble vestibule.

Chu Ming, with a profound gaze, looked at Bai Xiao, his lips silently moving.

“Try?”

White Bird raised his eyebrows, just about to take the meat that was served up to him.

“Tap tap tap tap…”

On the left staircase, a series of dense footsteps came down.

Coaches from various classes frequented by the students said one after another.

“Let’s go, to the training ground behind the base, let’s all gather there.”

The noisy voices interrupted the stand-off between Bai Xiao and Chu Ming. Chu Ming’s expression turned sour, he gave Bai Xiao a vicious glance: “I’m letting you off the hook.”

Unexpectedly, Bai Xiao turned slowly, his face expressionless, and ignored him.

“Next time, you won’t be so lucky.”

Behind the White Bird Training Base, on the training ground.

A throng of coaches brought their classes of students, all arriving here. The teams were loose, each going their own way, entering the innermost part of the ground.

This was a dirt training ground without a rubber track, surrounded by lush trees. Further away, there was a thick and tall perimeter wall.

At the moment, on the dirt ground next to the small woods.

Two formidable figures were fiercely entangled in close combat.

Bang bang bang!

The sound of fists colliding with flesh created a series of deep, muffled noises.