Chapter 3: Sun Chantang

Chapter 3: Sun Chantang

The next morning.

Qin Feng woke up.

After washing up and eating the breakfast his father had prepared, he tapped open his wrist terminal and found the contact named “Sun Chantang.”

[Qin Feng: Hello, Master Sun. I’m Qin Feng, introduced by Wang Ming. I’d like to sign up for the martial arts school.]

Within ten seconds of sending the message, a reply came.

[Sun Chantang: Come to the school at ten this morning. The address is Building B, 7th Floor, No. 3 Industrial Zone.]

The reply was concise and crisp.

[Qin Feng: Okay, I’ll be there on time.]

Putting away his terminal, Qin Feng said goodbye to his father and headed out to take a maglev bus to the No. 3 Industrial Zone.

The No. 3 Industrial Zone was located in the distant suburbs of the city, a world apart from the bustling downtown.

The sky here was always gray and hazy. Huge pipes coiled like steel pythons between the buildings, and the air was thick with the smell of machine oil and metal dust.

Large cargo shuttles rumbled dully along low-altitude air lanes. On the ground, workers in blue or gray uniforms hurried past everywhere.

Following the address, Qin Feng found Building B.

It was a towering, multi-purpose building with a rough metal exterior, looking more like a massive factory.

He entered the building and took a freight elevator to the 7th floor.

The elevator doors opened, and the scene before him suddenly opened up.

Unlike the rough industrial zone downstairs, this floor had been completely opened up into a vast space of over three thousand square meters.

The floor was covered in black high-strength composite material. One wall was floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the industrial zone outside.

On the other wall hung all kinds of training equipment.

Gravity chambers, reaction speed testers, punching force targets… everything was available.

The four bold metal characters “Limitless Martial Arts School” hung on the front wall, the strokes vigorous and forceful, exuding a spirit of iron-blooded determination.

A dozen or so people were already training in the school, their shouts and the clatter of equipment rising and falling, filling the air with a masculine, passionate energy.

Qin Feng walked to the front desk, where a young staff member received him.

“Hello, I’m looking for Master Sun.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes, at ten.”

“Alright, please wait a moment. Master Sun is inside. You can wait in the rest area with those over there.”

The staff member pointed to a nearby area.

Qin Feng thanked him and walked over.

The rest area had a few metal benches, and two people were already sitting there.

When he recognized one of their faces, he couldn’t help but pause.

The man was dressed in clean sportswear, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, with a scholarly air. It was his homeroom teacher, Li Weiguo.

Li Weiguo also saw him and looked equally surprised.

“Qin Feng? What are you doing here?”

“Teacher Li.”

Qin Feng greeted politely. “I… came to sign up for the martial arts school.”

Li Weiguo nodded, with no great surprise in his eyes, only a hint of understanding.

He pointed to the two teenagers beside him.

“Liu Xiaoli, Zhou Heyuan—same choice as you.”

Qin Feng looked over and indeed recognized his classmates.

Liu Xiaoli, like him, was a “poor student” who had been advised to drop out due to a low vitality index.

He was thin and looked a bit nervous, giving Qin Feng a shy smile.

The other, Zhou Heyuan, was completely different.

He had a well-proportioned build and smooth muscle lines. Though his grades were also in the “poor student” category, everyone knew he was just lazy and not focused on his studies. His father was a second-level official martial artist, and his family was well-off.

“Qin Feng, you came too.”

Zhou Heyuan greeted him casually. “I thought you’d just go straight to a vocational school.”

“I want to give it one more try.”

Qin Feng replied.

“Ambitious.”

Zhou Heyuan smiled. “My dad forced me to come too. He said if I don’t work hard, he’ll throw me into a mine on an industrial planet to dig ore.”

Li Weiguo listened to their conversation and spoke up. “Since you’ve decided to walk the path of martial arts, you must be prepared to endure hardship. This isn’t school—no teacher will chase after you. How far you go depends entirely on yourselves.”

His tone was as calm and serious as it was at school.

“Yes, Teacher Li.”

Liu Xiaoli and Qin Feng both nodded in agreement.

“By the way, Teacher Li, why are you here too?”

Zhou Heyuan voiced his curiosity.

Li Weiguo adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, “I’m a part-time coach here, to supplement the family income.”

This answer left Qin Feng and the other two silent for a moment.

On an educational planet like Qiming, a middle school teacher’s salary wasn’t low, but Li Weiguo still needed to take on extra work, showing how heavy the pressure of life was.

Li Weiguo seemed to read their thoughts and continued, “Martial arts cultivation requires wealth, companions, methods, and a place—none can be lacking. It’s not just you; it’s the same for us. Alright, sit down. Master Sun should be out soon.”

He walked over to Zhou Heyuan and patted his shoulder.

“Your father has high hopes for you. You have a good physical foundation—don’t waste your talent.”

“Got it, Teacher Li.”

Zhou Heyuan replied.

After encouraging Zhou Heyuan, Li Weiguo glanced at Qin Feng and Liu Xiaoli. He didn’t say any words of encouragement, just nodded and sighed, “You two coming here is a bit of a waste of money. Why bother?”

With that, Li Weiguo turned and went to instruct other students.

—

The three waited quietly for about ten minutes.

A metal door deep inside the martial arts school slid open silently, and a tall figure walked out.

The newcomer stood nearly two meters tall, his body as robust as a black iron tower, his bronze skin reflecting a metallic sheen under the light.

He wore a black tight-fitting vest, his knotted muscles straining the fabric, brimming with explosive power.

His fists were covered in thick calluses, the knuckles particularly prominent, clearly the result of years of striking hard objects.

Most striking were his prominent Adam's apple and the unusually developed muscles on either side of his neck, giving his entire silhouette a fierce aura, like a Muay Thai fighter who had survived countless life-and-death battles.

He was Sun Chantang, the master of the Limit Martial Arts Hall.

Sun Chantang's gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Qin Feng and his two companions.

"You three, here to sign up?"

His voice was low and hoarse, like metal grinding.

"Yes, Master."

Zhou Heyuan was the first to stand and answer.

Qin Feng and Liu Xiaoli quickly rose as well.

Sun Chantang's eyes scanned over the three one by one.

"Your sponsors should have explained the rules of the hall. I'll repeat them."

Sun Chantang spoke slowly, but each word was clear and forceful.

"The regular class is taught by the hall's certified instructors, covering the Essence of the Empire's Basic Body Forging Method. Three thousand imperial coins a month."

He paused, raising one finger.

"I teach personally, ten thousand imperial coins per session. Only one session, and each person gets only one chance. Based on your individual circumstances, I will point out the most suitable path for you."

(End of this chapter)