Pujiang District, White Bird Martial Arts Hall.
Bai Xiao, with a backpack slung over his right shoulder and his left hand in his pocket, walked into the martial arts hall. Today, the marble hall did not smell of disinfectant, but the floor was clearly mopped by the cleaning lady, smooth and shiny.
He continued towards the changing room, occasionally meeting some students wearing gray training uniforms coming toward him along the corridor, whom he did not recognize; they were from other classes.
At 9:58, Bai Xiao changed into his training clothes and quickly walked out.
The training uniform of the White Bird Martial Arts Hall was quite loose. Even though he had rapidly grown in size recently, he did not feel it tight and could still move well.
Training Hall Number Two.
Bai Xiao walked in, stepping forward under the gaze of some of the students.
At the front, Zhang Hongtao wore his black coach uniform, still clutching his ever-present thermos cup. Sensing footsteps behind him, Zhang Hongtao turned his head for a glance and saw Bai Xiao. His usually stern face broke into a smile, and he nodded, "Join the line."
Bai Xiao nodded back and headed for his row.
Zhang Hongtao, watching the increasingly broad figure of Bai Xiao, thoughtfully stroked his chin, feeling his stubble's tough texture, "Has this kid gotten more robust again? He seems even more muscular than yesterday…"
He shook his head, feeling this was a good thing. The stronger Bai Xiao's physical and perceptual talents were, the more he deserved to remain in the elite class.
Competition in the elite class was fierce and brutal, even involving a lot of actual combat. Only the true elites were filtered out, eligible to understand the core secrets of the White Bird Martial Arts Hall and join the Fierce Bird Sect.
Originally, Guo Hao was the most talented in their class. Compared to the top talents in other classes, he really had no advantage. Outmatched in talent and outworked in diligence, he was frankly nothing noteworthy. Zhang Hongtao estimated that even if he recommended Guo Hao to the elite class, unless there was some significant change, Guo Hao would be eliminated in two or three rounds—directly disqualified.
But, if Bai Xiao demonstrated the strength he exhibited yesterday in the elite class, he would undoubtedly be a pillar. He could surely pass smoothly.
So, Zhang Hongtao virtually didn't even need to think about it.
He decided to recommend Bai Xiao to the elite class of the White Bird Martial Arts Hall.
"I hope you don't disappoint me, Bai Xiao…"
At ten o'clock sharp, the training class began its daily combat practice.
Bai Xiao was also doing his practice, accumulating experience for the next upgrade of various professional skills, reducing the need for potential points. While practicing various combat techniques, he noticed to his right in the same row, Guo Hao's lackey, He Hao with a freckled face had several adhesive bandages on his face today, with bruise outlines at the edges like he'd been hit by someone.
As he practiced combat, his brows furrowed in pain and he hissed through his teeth.
Next to him, Guo Hao, who had been taught a lesson by Bai Xiao the day before, kept his face cold. When he felt Bai Xiao's gaze, his sandboxing arms twitched slightly, distorting his motions. He seemed under immense pressure, trying to appear calm, but his awkward punches and kicks betrayed him.
Guo Hao didn't dare meet Bai Xiao's eyes, nor did he dare to look back at him.
The lesson of the previous day seemed to have left a significant psychological shadow on him.
Throughout the training session, Li Xuefei, who used to get along well with Guo Hao and seemed to be his schoolmate, was hardly interacting with him. Li Xuefei and another girl with short hair deliberately kept their distance from Guo Hao and He Hao.
To be honest, what Guo Hao did in Training Hall Number Two yesterday, taking out his frustrations on his lackey, He Hao, was downright clownish. The slight goodwill Li Xuefei and the short-haired girl had felt for an impressive image of Guo Hao was completely erased. Guo Hao's impotent fury pushed everyone away.
Even He Hao now dared not speak to Guo Hao.
I praise you, you insult and hit me, what does that mean?
Bai Xiao didn't have time to delve into the resentments and vendettas between Guo Hao and others. He was only quietly practicing various enhanced combat techniques, making his moves smoother and more powerful, more practical for combat. Additionally, Bai Xiao was practicing wrestling moves, hoping to master his fourth skill.
In a one-on-one situation, wrestling could be deemed a divine technique.
Grabbing the opponent's lower back, a backward arch throw could even break the opponent's spine and cause severe damage to the back of the head, quite deadly.
One-on-one, use wrestling. When facing multiple opponents, use boxing.
This was commonly acknowledged.
As the most threatening solution for different combat scenarios.
In Bai Xiao's corner, he began to practice, sweating profusely.
As always, focused, earnest, and calm.
With his talent of Pure Heart unlocked, Bai Xiao's every movement tended towards perfection, improving bit by bit with each practice.
In the center of the training hall, Zhang Hongtao sipped his tea while watching Bai Xiao in the corner, "Tsk tsk, this kid has even started to teach himself wrestling. Let me see, Sandboxing, boxing, jujutsu, wrestling, that's four types. Except for the newly practiced wrestling, he's learned the others quite well…"
"He has truly mastered the Ren and Du meridians."
Today's training did not last long before Bai Xiao, with the help of Pure Heart, had grasped the basics of wrestling. He then began to practice all combat skills.
Until three-thirty in the afternoon, when the training session ended.
[Your profession 'Fighter', experience +6!]
[Skill 'Advanced Sandboxing', experience +8!]
[Skill 'Basic Boxing', experience +8!]
[Skill 'Basic Jujutsu', experience +9!]
[Skill 'Wrestling Beginner', experience +6!]
Bai Xiao noticed something was amiss. Although he had mastered the basics of wrestling, the growth rate of his Fighter profession experience had not increased. Moreover, the experience gains from other professional skills had noticeably decreased. Even with wrestling, it was only about the same as the total experience gained previously with three skills.
"The overall training time is fixed, and there is a limit to experience gain, which won't increase once reached. The total experience gained from three or four professional skills is about the same…" Bai Xiao muttered to himself.
"It seems that increasing the number of skills won't enhance the speed of experience gain. The quantitative approach isn't working, so should I focus on quality?"
He speculated internally.
Bai Xiao decided to temporarily stop learning other combat skills. That wouldn't help him gain more professional experience and would instead consume a lot of time on basics. Four skills were enough.
"Class dismissed."
In the training hall, Zhang Hongtao announced that the training time was over.
The multitude of students began to leave, heading towards the changing rooms. Guo Hao walked the fastest, seemingly eager not to see Bai Xiao anymore, feeling suffocated inside.
The number of people at the entrance gradually dwindled.
"I have something else today, go home and practice by yourself for a while."
"I just watched your practice, and your movements were standard, nothing was off… Keep it up!" Zhang Hongtao patted Bai Xiao on the shoulder.
He then glanced at his phone and hurried away.
Bai Xiao watched Zhang Hongtao's retreating figure, pondering to himself.
"White Bird Martial Arts Hall, they definitely know something..."