Master of Kaidan
Chapter 204: Can a Young Man Without a Protagonistic Fate Dream of Adventure?

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Can a Young Man Without a Protagonistic Fate Dream of Adventure?

(Note: The worlds in this book are all parallel worlds, and the city and power structures differ from reality, so please don’t match them directly to real-life counterparts.)

Shangshu City is a three-dimensional city built against and surrounded by mountains. It’s not unusual to see cars driving on rooftops, where the twenty-second floor might look straight across to the first.

You might have just climbed what seems like a rugged trail trodden by forest animals, only to find yourself on someone’s rooftop the next moment.

In such a mountain-bound city, there are also old houses built in hidden corners, often overlooked.

They seem to merge with the mountains, appearing less like houses and more like a part of the landscape.

Feng Xue appeared on this mountain road, draped in a small blanket, thinking she had wandered into some deep, wild forest. Looking back, she saw a jumbled jungle of steel and, turning again, she found a village made of flat-roofed brick houses; classic and modern separated only by a thin line, yet seemingly splitting into two different worlds.

However, she didn’t linger long in surprise, even finding it no big deal—after all, in a way, South District was an upgraded version of this architectural style.

Her gaze swept around, focusing on a flat house with a small courtyard. It was an old brick and tile house that seemed to have been there for years. Despite its size and a small yard, it didn’t give off the impression of a villa for the wealthy. Instead, its ancient charm and moss-covered walls suggested a house untouched for decades—even making one wonder if it had water or electricity.

At that moment, a young man in his twenties, wearing a loose autumn outfit, was practicing boxing in the courtyard.

While his movements appeared decent, his technique and power delivery were all over the place, clearly mimicking patterns he’d found online or elsewhere.

This isn’t to say that online Boxing Manuals are inherently faulty. On the contrary, in the world Feng Xue had lived in before she became nothingness, many secrets previously kept within different families could be found online. However, traditional martial arts, like ancient texts lacking punctuation, require a guide to unlock their essence; mere rote learning is useless.

"Form without form, intention without intention..." Feng Xue shook her head softly but confirmed that the young man was indeed the target for her descent.

The "Kung Fu Dream" of the current world rules was simple—allow Feng Xue to descend next to someone harboring dreams of martial arts training and teach them martial arts.

But the flexibility in transmitting skills was high. Feng Xue could throw out a Secret Manual, pass on a decade of Inner Strength, or even stay to teach diligently. However, before she could utter her prepared lines, their eyes already met in midair.

"I..."

Just as Feng Xue tried to speak, the young man stopped his practice and said,

"Hold on a moment!"

"Eh, I haven’t even said anything yet..." Feng Xue smirked, standing outside the courtyard. Soon after, the young man came out with a bowl of steaming white porridge and a stack of pickles:

"I haven’t made much this early, but have something to fill your stomach."

"..." Feng Xue wanted to speak, glanced at her own attire, then remained silent. She simply unfolded her blanket on the ground, took the bowl of porridge from him, and began to eat.

Feng Xue turned and saw him punching at the doorway and smiled:

"Young man, if you enjoy boxing so much, why not find a proper master?"

"I don’t have the money!" the youth replied nonchalantly, "The boxing gyms in Shangshu are expensive, and with the new rules last month, they’ve weeded out a lot, now they dare to ask for tens of thousands a month for a ’Pattern Certificate’. Who can afford that!"

"You’re up early practicing boxing, don’t you have a job?" Feng Xue looked at the young man incredulously, but the youth remained calm:

"I quit my job to write novels because I didn’t want to be exploited by my boss. Work, work my ass off!"

"Tsk, young man, have you ever heard a saying? Young people in their twenties without a job usually imagine themselves as writers."

Feng Xue smiled, but the young man became anxious and blurted:

"I’ve seriously signed a contract!" followed by puzzling remarks like "Not making money is the fault of pirated copies", "Even a flop writer is still a writer", "Attendance bonuses are higher than salaries."

However, Feng Xue didn’t mock him this time, she just stood up, placed the empty porridge bowl on the stone platform at the gate, and looked at the youth with sharp eyes:

"You don’t seem like you have deep-seated vendettas, why such a special love for martial arts? Don’t tell me you’re counting on martial arts to play hero and save the damsel?"

The youth’s face darkened upon hearing this. Oddly enough, he was somewhat socially anxious, but today, facing this completely unfamiliar beggar, he found it easy to converse, as if he wasn’t in reality but chatting through a screen online.

Facing Feng Xue’s earnest eyes, the youth inexplicably felt a desire to confide. However, he wasn’t the typical heroic type with deep grudges or magical experiences with martial arts, so he ended up saying:

"As a person from Yan Country, isn’t it normal to like Kung Fu?"

"Fair enough." Feng Xue nodded in agreement, her expression suddenly relaxed. Just as the youth thought she was going to say more, he suddenly felt something hit his waist twice, making his body stiffen.

"Consider this a token of gratitude for the meal, let me teach you something real." Feng Xue murmured in a voice the youth could just catch, then she picked up her quilt and walked away along the mountain path. Her voice, however, continued to reach the youth’s ear:

"Don’t find the horse stance boring. Power originates from the root, strength from the legs. Without a solid foundation, all your training is mere show..."

...

Watching Feng Xue’s figure vanish, the youth stood stunned, but his posture began to change involuntarily.

A strange warmth spread from the spot on his waist where he’d been hit, down his legs, and then his leg muscles began a rhythmic contraction and relaxation.

"Is this... an adventure?" As a web novelist, even the dullest would recognize this moment. He immediately focused inwardly, monitoring his state, including changes in leg muscle strength and body rhythm. Whether it was some master’s doing or his own innate talent, all the crucial points during the process were clear in his mind.

At that moment, an unexpected thought popped into the youth’s head—

"Should I have added a bottle of wine just now?"