Meanwhile, the remaining man—the one who had been standing farther away—finally understood what was happening.
His face went pale.
"Ma... Martial Artist..."
He pointed at Chen Feng with a trembling finger.
"You... you’ve become a martial artist!"
Then he turned around.
And run.
He ran so fast that he nearly tripped over the unconscious man.
The fat man, meanwhile, was still covering his eyes.
He heard the commotion outside.
"What happened?!"
He couldn’t see anything.
But he could hear the sounds of fighting.
He could hear his little brother repeatedly crashing into things.
And then he heard another scream.
The fat man’s heart trembled.
What the hell is happening out there?!
The moment he heard someone say that Chan Feng had become a martial artist, his courage evaporated.
"Little Brother...?"
Silence.
"Little Brother?!"
Still nothing.
The fat man swallowed.
He immediately turned around and ran.
"WAIT FOR ME!"
He sprinted away in the completely wrong direction.
He crashed into a wall.
"OW!"
He changed direction.
Ran into a barrel.
"WHO PUT THAT THERE?!"
Then he finally found the exit and disappeared.
Chen Feng stood there, watching the two surviving men flee in completely different directions.
He was quite happy to see those three idiots from the Beggar Sect getting beaten by their own hands and then fleeing in such a pathetic manner but things had now become even more complicated.
These three beggars were only third-rate martial artists but they had connections with first-rate martial artists within the Beggar Sect.
If those three managed to escape and make it back to the Beggar Sect, Chen Feng would be in serious trouble.
What should I do?
Chen Feng was still thinking about his options.
Should he leave this town?
The problem was that he knew almost nothing about the places outside this town.
From what he had heard, sects existed in almost every other town and city, and those sects essentially ruled their respective territories.
Ordinary people had a much harder time surviving under their influence.
There didn’t seem to be anywhere he could safely settle down.
But Chen Feng was now a second-rate martial artist.
Perhaps he could join one of those sects that ruled over the surrounding towns and cities.
"Master!"
Chen Feng turned around to see Su Yun rushing toward him. Despite her malnourished, unsteady legs, a sudden surge of adrenaline seemed to fuel her steps as she practically flew across the ground.
She collapsed to her knees right in front of him, bowing her head deeply.
"Master, I know I failed your test! But please... I still want to be your disciple!"
Chen Feng blinked, genuinely dumbfounded.
Disciple? What is even happening right now? Why on earth is this girl deciding on her own that I want to take her as a disciple? I barely even know how to use martial arts myself!
Before he could object, Su Yun continued breathlessly, tears shimmering in her eyes, "I realize now... when you first approached me and gave me those copper coins, it was all a test! I don’t know what kind of test it was, or if I passed or failed... but you must have seen my hidden martial arts talent! That’s the only reason you were so kind to me."
She sniffled, her voice trembling with regret. "My father always told me I had incredible martial talent, that I could become a powerful martial artist if I tried. But back then, I was always too busy eating and sleeping. I never listened to him... and after my father passed away, I was kicked out of my home with nothing. Without food, my body wasted away to this state."
She pressed her forehead against the dusty ground, a sob escaping her lips. "Master, I know I made a huge mistake by ignoring my father’s wisdom. I don’t want to make that mistake again! Please, accept me as your disciple. You can test me however you want!"
Chen Feng stared down at her with a complicated expression, his inner thoughts running wild: Your father stopped you from eating? What an absolute idiot! Doesn’t he know that your body needs proper nutrition and expensive medicinal herbs to fuel martial arts growth?
If you have money, eating is just as important as training—no, for someone like you, eating is the foundation of everything! How could a father be that dense?
Clearing his throat to mask his inner rant, Chen Feng put on a serious, stone-faced expression.
"You’re right. I was testing you," Chen Feng said slowly, his tone deep and authoritative. "I wanted to see if you would squander the money on worthless things, or if you still retained a shred of self-respect. To be frank... you failed that test miserably."
Upon hearing those words, Su Yun turned entirely pale. Her worst nightmare unfolded before her eyes; in her mind’s eye, she suddenly hallucinated her future being utterly destroyed, her emaciated body collapsing from starvation right here on the streets.
Just as despair threatened to swallow her whole, Chen Feng’s voice cut through the air again:
"However... your natural martial arts foundation is indeed exceptionally high. Because of that, I am willing to make an exception and accept you as my disciple."
Su Yun’s head shot up, her eyes widening in brilliant, starry disbelief. "R-Really, Master?!"
"Yes, really," Chen Feng said calmly. "But under one condition: you must obey my every command, no matter what, without question."
The girl shuddered slightly at the strict demand, but having already made up her mind, she bowed deeply once more, her voice resolute. "This disciple will obey Master’s every word!"
A faint smile touched Chen Feng’s lips. If she was going to blindly obey him, managing her and pumping resources into her through the system would become infinitely easier.
DING!
[Target: Su Yun Likability Increased by +30%!]
[Relationship Status Updated: master and disciple]
Chen Feng smiled inwardly. The girl was genuinely emotional and completely sincere about treating him as her master, even if she had completely misunderstood him.
"Get up," Chen Feng commanded gently, gesturing for her to rise. "And follow me."
He didn’t have the luxury of time right now to feed her properly or begin her rigorous training out in the open. His top priority was finding a secure place to hide.
Mentally checking his inventory, he saw the dazzling numbers waiting for him: 190 Copper Coins and 20 Silver Taels.
A confident grin spread across his face.
To everyone else in this slum, I’m just a dirt-poor beggar.
But if I use this silver to buy decent clothing, mask my identity, and let Su Yun eat enough to put some meat on her bones... nobody in their right mind would ever connect us to the skeletal beggars we were just moments ago.
Although, her past could still cause me trouble.
Her family might come looking for her again, or some other problem could arise. I need to be careful about that as well.
Changing our identities and leaving the town might actually be a good idea.
And joining a sect with my disciple could be an even better option.
That way, I wouldn’t have to personally train Su yun.
After all, I don’t know that many martial arts myself. I only know one or three martial skills.
Finding a sect that can teach her would save me a lot of trouble.
Recalling the location of a reputable textile and clothing shop he had scouted during his scavenging days, Chen Feng turned on his heel and strode forward, leading his new disciple into the shadows.