Chapter 83: Part-time Job, Circle of Friends

“Lie down,” Song Hailong said.

Hearing Song Hailong’s words, Zhang Yu turned to look at Bai Zhenzhen beside him. “Lie down? Is my job scope that broad? Is this 5,000 yuan that hard to earn?”

Song Hailong twisted his neck and replied, “I mean, let’s hurry up and start the ground combat training directly. I lost on this, so of course, I’m spending money to win it back.”

Saying that, Song Hailong walked to a button switch on the wall and asked, “What flavor do you like?”

Zhang Yu looked at the switch, thinking it was for the air conditioner, and asked in confusion, “Are you talking about the air conditioner’s smell? Air freshener?”

Song Hailong said, speechless, “I’m talking about the flavor of the nootropic. I’m more used to peach or mint flavor…”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s bewildered expression, Song Hailong remembered that the other party was from Songyang High School, so he casually said, “Never mind, let’s go with mint.”

As he pressed the switch a few times, Zhang Yu gradually smelled a minty scent coming from the air. His blood slowly accelerated, and his spirit began to become excited.

Song Hailong then pointed to a faucet nearby and said, “The pipe on the right is full of energy drinks. Just drink directly if you feel tired later.”

Zhang Yu was already speechless, thinking to himself, “Adding stimulants to the air conditioning and energy drinks to the water, right? Damn… they’re too rich.”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s surprised look, Song Hailong said with a hint of pride, “You don’t need to be surprised. Bailong High School is, after all, called a place flowing with potions and needles by many outsiders. Even the bathwater can be tested for components of Dao Heart Buffer.”

“A few years ago, a group of poor people secretly ran into the sewers here, wanting to steal our school’s discharged water to drink. Heh heh… A bunch of people who didn’t get into high school xian-dao and didn’t learn anything, thinking they could achieve immortality by drinking some of our wastewater.”

“Some people’s bodies did improve, but others couldn’t withstand the medicinal power and died suddenly. It was investigated afterward.”

Zhang Yu felt even more speechless. “Damn, ordinary people stealing immortal medicine, right?” But he couldn’t help but ask, “This stolen water was?”

Song Hailong chuckled, “It was wastewater discharged from restrooms, bathhouses, and so on. It often had residual medicinal ingredients, which were then stolen and used by these illicit poor people.”

Zhang Yu said, “Thankfully, the people were caught, so there won’t be any more victims, right?”

Song Hailong nodded, smiling, “Yes, later the school decided to sell the gutter water to those poor people themselves, and there have been no more thefts in the sewers since.”

“Damn…” So, in Bailong High School’s eyes, the only victim was Bailong High School itself, right? Zhang Yu was speechless for a moment and simply started his warm-up.

A moment later, seeing Zhang Yu had finished warming up, Song Hailong elaborated on the training rules.

When the topic turned to training, the smile on his face immediately vanished, and his expression became serious: “For training, you don’t need to go for a kill. As long as you can control me, I’ll count that as a loss for me.”

“If the battle continues until your strength weakens, and you are no longer at your peak, but I still haven’t controlled you, that also counts as a loss for me.”

“If I can control you, then I win.”

“If you can’t win against me even once within these two hours, then the tutoring ends here, and you two won’t need to come anymore.”

Zhang Yu understood. Little Song wanted to defeat him in a head-on confrontation while Zhang Yu was at his peak.

Then Song Hailong said to Bai Zhenzhen, “As for Bai Zhenzhen, as you said yourself, either fight me or provide me with some guidance from the side.”

“But as long as you can’t beat me, or if I find your advice useless, then you won’t need to come anymore either.”

Zhang Yu then walked over, and in a flash, he and Song Hailong were wrestling on the ground again. Their hands clashed and grappled back and forth, constantly exchanging moves with the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand, trying to lock each other’s bodies.

At this moment, Zhang Yu had pushed the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand to Level 10. Even without actively exposing it, maintaining a Level 2 Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand standard, his understanding of this martial art, his grasp of grappling and throws, was already far beyond what Song Hailong could match.

Especially since Zhang Yu had also tried to integrate the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand into the Formless Cloud Aura of the Wuji Cloud Hand, using qi energy to assist in various grappling and throwing techniques.

Song Hailong only felt that every move he made was thoroughly seen through by Zhang Yu. The white qi energy could not only disarm his power but also execute techniques similar to the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand.

And so… almost as soon as the battle began, Song Hailong was already at a disadvantage, only able to forcefully break through his opponent’s moves by relying on his sheer brute strength and physique.

This greatly surprised Song Hailong: “This Zhang Yu… his technique has become much stronger than yesterday.”

“How could he improve so quickly in just one day?”

A sudden realization flashed through Song Hailong’s mind: “This kid must have practiced the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand frantically after returning, just to defeat me again now.”

Why would he think that? Of course, it was because Song Hailong had been desperately looking for people to practice the Back Dragon Overturning Mountain Hand with since the match ended yesterday. Even his meals today were directly injected into his digestive system and blood vessels for absorption, all for the sake of vigorous progress and quickly closing the gap with Zhang Yu in terms of technique.

At this moment, feeling Zhang Yu’s progress, Song Hailong secretly thought: “Did he think the same as me? As expected of someone who managed to win against me by a small margin.”

Thinking this, Song Hailong’s face showed a hint of unyielding determination. His qi and blood surged within him, and torrents of magic power continuously augmented his physical body, allowing him to unleash furious strength repeatedly, gritting his teeth and resisting Zhang Yu’s onslaught.

He felt as if he was caught in an ocean amidst a fierce storm. Zhang Yu’s hands were like powerful undercurrents, and his qi energy was like wave after wave, constantly dragging him deeper towards the seabed.

As for Zhang Yu… he felt as if he were tying down an enraged giant dragon. Even after repeatedly binding his opponent with chains, the opponent could always forcefully break free with brute strength.

As for Song Hailong’s technique? To Zhang Yu, it was… has it improved? Maybe too little compared to me; I can’t really tell.

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen, standing by and watching their fight, sighed inwardly: “These two, one has an absolute physical advantage, the other has an absolute technical advantage.”

“Song Hailong’s moves are often countered by Zhang Yu’s technique.”

“Zhang Yu’s moves are often broken free from by Song Hailong’s superior strength.”

She couldn’t help but frown: “Today, there’s no martial arts arena or out-of-bounds rule, so Yu Zi can’t win by clever tactics.”

“I’m afraid they’ll have to fight until Yu Zi runs out of strength.”

Just as Bai Zhenzhen thought, about three minutes later, Song Hailong suddenly stopped: “Your strength has weakened, and you’re no longer at your peak. This round counts as my loss. Take a break and prepare for the next round.”

While the two rested, Bai Zhenzhen began to analyze their recent combat process and their respective flaws.

Initially, Song Hailong was a bit dismissive, but he soon listened intently, and his gaze towards Bai Zhenzhen also changed: “This woman’s insight is indeed very accurate. I originally thought she was just a freebie, but now it seems she wasn’t invited for nothing.”

During the break, Zhang Yu curiously turned on the nearby faucet and took a few sips of the energy drink. He immediately felt a fire ignite in his stomach, and his stamina began to recover rapidly.

“The effect is this good?”

Zhang Yu had already made up his mind that next time he came to Bailong High School, he would definitely bring a basin to collect some.

Subsequently, they fought and rested repeatedly. Zhang Yu and Song Hailong engaged in consecutive bouts, but almost every time it ended with Zhang Yu’s stamina depleting. Only once did Zhang Yu win by controlling Song Hailong’s joints.

Zhang Yu rubbed his slightly sore hands, thinking: “Although he said he lost, if it were real combat, it would be me who loses after my stamina drops, wouldn’t it?”

“This Song Hailong is too tough. Without the out-of-bounds rule of the arena, it’s hard for me to defeat him before my stamina declines.”

“Indeed, I still need to improve my physical strength.”

At this moment, Zhang Yu became even more impatient to make his physique stronger.

Before leaving Bailong High School, Song Hailong paid them their remuneration, then looked at Zhang Yu and reminded him: “I won’t stop improving my physical strength for our training.”

“When the sports competition officially begins in two months, my physical strength will have increased to at least level 4.0 or above.”

“So… I hope you can keep up, otherwise, if the physical strength gap is too wide, the training will be meaningless.”

As soon as they exited the gates of Bailong High School, Bai Zhenzhen quickly pulled Zhang Yu towards the subway station.

Zhang Yu asked in confusion, “Zhenzhen, why are you in such a hurry?”

Bai Zhenzhen said, “I drank too many energy drinks; I need to use the restroom!”

“That trashy Bailong High School charges ten yuan for using the restroom, making me hold it in until now.”

While Zhang Yu and Song Hailong were wrestling, in a quiet room at Ziyun High School, Yue Mulan slowly ceased the operation of the Purple Saint Mind Method that she had been continuously running in her mind. She made an effort to stop the thoughts of ‘the rich are pure, wise, kind, and strong, while the poor are filthy, foolish, evil, and weak.’

Originally, under the influence of the Purple Saint Mind Method, she only needed to look at her bank balance and her stock profits each day. As the numbers grew larger, the mind method would operate more smoothly, having a greater effect on enhancing her Dao Heart, and her spirit would become calmer and more stable.

However, in contrast, this made her aversion and disdain for poverty and the poor grow increasingly strong.

But the original Yue Mulan didn’t see any problem with it. Whether it was poverty or the poor, they could all be shielded by money. Until she encountered Zhang Yu on the arena.

Thinking this, she took a deep breath and opened Zhang Yu’s social media posts.

Yue Mulan encouraged herself in her mind: “Poor people’s social media, here I come.”

The first thing that caught her eye was a selfie of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen standing at the entrance of Bailong High School.

The accompanying text read: “Back at Bailong High School again! Song Hailong, the top student of the first year, invited us for tutoring. If any friends want guidance, feel free to contact us anytime.”

“Song Hailong actually paid the poor Zhang Yu for guidance?”

Seeing this, Yue Mulan’s eyes brightened slightly: “He didn’t want 400,000, but he’s willing to be paid for lessons?”