I can return to the age of mysterious

Chapter 44: 044 Not Cowed_1 Chapter 44: 044 Not Cowed_1 Ahead, Lixia glanced at her three disciples.

Starting from the left. Damo, a middling talent, lazy in character and quick to anger, fooling around all day with a bunch of bad influence friends.

His face bore a bruise today, seemingly from a fight.

In the center, Sharon, whose talent was above average. Perhaps due to her beauty, she carried a certain girly affectation. She feared pain and strain, sometimes even worried that martial arts practice would affect her figure and complexion. She was from a wealthy family, here more for the prestige than the training.

The Wind Elephant Gate was not just a secret martial arts sect. Its influence was widespread, spanning several nearby cities, its tradition very ancient.

On the right, Li Wei, with an above-average core bone. Because he was the only one left in his family, he was diligent and willing to learn. His martial arts progression was actually quite good. However, his personality was timid and submissive. The strength he had developed from training was hardly ever fully utilized. He consistently lost to his junior brother, Damo.

In conclusion, a bunch of hopeless cases.

The only salvageable one was Li Wei, if he could overcome his mental block. But who knew when that would actually happen…

“Ah…” Lixia let out a sigh, but showed no signs of it on her face, only quietly scanning her three students with a glance.

“It’s about time, let’s start the Monthly Test,” she stated unequivocally. “First match, Li Wei and Damo. Second match, Li Wei and Sharon, Third match, Damo and Sharon. Focus, we’re starting.”

Upon hearing that his first match was against Damo, furtive glances were exchanged between Casio and Damo. Thus, Casio turned to the side, laughing inexplicably.

Damo’s mouth twitched as he rubbed the bruise on his face. Even after five days and application of the Golden Sores Medicine, it hadn’t healed. The feeling of being beaten so badly that he pissed himself was too memorable…
Damo was petrified at the thought, already presenting signs of psychological trauma. Seeing Casio’s smirk right now amped his stress levels even higher.

“Alright, Li Wei, and Damo, stand up…”

Damo suddenly stood up, interrupting Lixia.

“What is it?” Lixia frowned as she looked over.

“Teacher I need to use the toilet, my stomach isn’t feeling well.” With this, Damo bolted towards the entrance of the Quiet Room as if he were running away.

“You hold it right there!” Lixia was up on her feet instantly.

She was very angry: “I told you both to go to the bathroom before the Monthly Test. Don’t make such excuses in front of me! Regardless if you and Li Wei get along, or who’s stronger, Li Wei is your senior brother! Damo, can’t you show even the basic respect? Come back!”

In fact, backing out of a sparring match on the pretext of an excuse is disrespectful to the opponent. Combine this with Damo’s habit of bullying Li Wei in private, Lixia, who was aware of these incidents, naturally assumed that Damo was humiliating Li Wei.

But the truth was, Damo was scared. Scared of his senior brother who was unlike before, whose methods were brutal.

“Teacher… I…” Damo stammered, standing rooted in place. He wanted to tell Lixia that she had it all wrong. But he couldn’t think of the right words; he couldn’t possibly say he has psychological trauma from being defeated to the point of incontinence by Li Wei, and was terrified of facing him head-on.

Not too far away, Casio’s gaze drifted towards them, somewhat sardonically.

Damo felt it, gritted his teeth, and blurted: “Teacher, I really can’t hold it in!” He then promptly ran out the door.

“Ah…” Lixia watched the closing door with a cold expression.

She turned and looked at Casio, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, and said comfortingly: “Li Wei, don’t take it to heart. Your junior brother has been a bad influence due to his no-good friends. I will sort him out in a few days…”
“Teacher, I haven’t taken it to heart.” Casio responded.

Lixia nodded and seemed to want to change the subject. She asked, “How’s your practice with the Elephant Soul Secret Technique?”

“I’ve made some progress.” Casio replied.

“And the Wind Elephant Fist?”

“I’ve made some progress.”

“Have you been practicing the Basic Fighting Technique?”

“I haven’t slacked off.”

Lixia cast a curious glance at Casio, as his demeanor seemed different from the previous years.

His attitude had become inexplicably confident and composed.

Had he attained enlightenment?

Then let’s have a match to see!

“Sharon, Li Wei. Both of you, get up…”

One minute later, in an area bathed in sunshine filtering through the window, Casio and Sharon stood, each on a different side.

They both bowed with fists enclosed in their palms as a sign of respect, then immediately took their fighting stances, shuffling their feet and maintaining a distance of five meters as they stared each other down.

“Hm?” Lixia quirked an eyebrow. This time Sharon was not the first to attack. Usually, she started the fight.

In the arena, the two had a stand-off for another moment. Casio seemed to grow impatient and said, “Junior sister, be careful.”

Casio’s words piqued Sharon’s alertness. After a brief, ineffective resistance, she was cleanly, swiftly defeated.

“I yield.” Casio opposite her retracted his fist.

Nearby, Lixia, who had been observing the entire match, her eyes gradually lit up. Li Wei had changed. He was entirely different now. His combat style experienced a complete turnaround!

His previously weak punches were now filled with grit, his fighting style extremely aggressive, his movements crisp and to-the-point, aimed straight at the key points.

Due to Sharon’s quick defeat, Lixia could only deduce so much in such a short span. Holding down her excitement as a teacher, she commended Casio and encouraged Sharon.

She then indicated that the Monthly Test was over. Sharon exited first, leaving only Li Wei. There was a tranquil silence in the room.

Casio sat cross-legged on the floor, while Lixia stood next to him, regarding him with a strange, intense gaze.

Though this scrutiny made him feel somewhat unsettled, Casio’s emotional resilience was fairly good. He sat quietly, waiting for Lixia to speak first.

Finally, after a few minutes had passed.

Lixia’s voice broke the room’s silence.

“Have you had a breakthrough?”

“You could say that.” Casio responded. His soul replacing that of Li Wei could also be considered a special kind of enlightenment.

“You’ve made peace with yourself?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t be a pushover anymore?”

“No more.”

“Good!!!”

Lixia let out a proud smile.

She felt a pang of sentiment.

In this world, she was likely the closest person to Li Wei, who was all alone. As her first disciple, Lixia had poured a lot of time and effort into Li Wei.

She genuinely hoped that Li Wei could overcome his shadows, tap into his potential, and prove himself to everyone.

Lixia walked happily around the Quiet Room, the fact that Li Wei had “enlightened” brought her a lot of surprise. She was pacing back and forth when, suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. Lixia looked intensely at Li Wei and said loudly, “Stand up, spar with me. Let me see your progress!”