One day in June of ai era 745, five months had passed since Zhou Zilong became Master Roshi’s disciple. Over these five months, the master-disciple bond between Zhou Zilong and Master Roshi deepened daily. They trained together, lived together, and faced difficulties together. Master Roshi not only taught him how to cultivate strength but also how to be a person and how to conduct himself in the world.
Under Master Roshi’s guidance, Zhou Zilong’s combat power advanced by leaps and bounds, increasing from an initial 200 points to 1000 points (with Xiao Ling’s help in masking his aura, so it couldn’t be detected). However, Master Roshi knew that a true strong person was not merely someone with powerful combat ability but also someone with the mental fortitude to control his own power. Therefore, during Zhou Zilong’s training, Master Roshi focused on teaching him how to control his aura and how to remain calm in battle. Zhou Zilong also understood his Master’s painstaking efforts; he trained diligently, constantly honing his will. With his aura controlled, Zhou Zilong’s displayed combat power was around 100, which was temporarily sufficient for now.
However, Zhou Zilong knew he still had a long way to go, so he never showed the slightest slack.
In the evening, the sea breeze carried a hint of coolness. Zhou Zilong finished his training for the day and returned to Kame House, his body tired but satisfied. He pushed open the door and saw Master Roshi leisurely sitting inside, holding a cup of tea, smiling as he looked at him.
“Zilong, you’re back?” Master Roshi put down his teacup and asked kindly.
“Yes, Master,” Zhou Zilong replied respectfully, then walked to Master Roshi and bowed his head in a salute.
“Hmm, excellent. Over these five months, your progress has pleased me greatly,” Master Roshi nodded with satisfaction and continued, “However, the path of martial arts is not achieved overnight. What you need is persistent effort and continuous cultivation. Of course, balancing work and rest is also very important!”
“Yes, Master, I understand,” Zhou Zilong nodded seriously, knowing that Master Roshi’s words came from the bottom of his heart.
“Therefore, I’ve decided to give you a few days off,” Master Roshi suddenly announced.
“A holiday?” Zhou Zilong was a little surprised; he hadn’t expected Master Roshi to suddenly suggest such a thing.
“Yes, a holiday,” Master Roshi explained with a smile, “Over these past five months, you’ve been very diligent, hardly resting at all. I know you’re eager to become stronger, but your body is the capital for revolution. How can you continue to cultivate without a good body? So, I’ve decided to give you a few days to rest well and adjust your state!”
“But…” Zhou Zilong wanted to say something else, but Master Roshi interrupted him.
“There are no ‘buts’,” Master Roshi said sternly, “Zilong, you must remember that the path of martial arts is not just about blindly pursuing power; more importantly, it’s about your mindset and state. Only by maintaining a good mindset and state can you go further on the path of martial arts!”
Upon hearing his Master’s words, Zhou Zilong’s mind suddenly cleared. He understood his Master’s good intentions and realized that he had indeed been a bit too impatient before. So, he respectfully replied, “Yes, Master, I understand. I will rest well!”
As night fell, Zhou Zilong lay in bed, looking at the bright moonlight outside the window, but he couldn’t help but think of Xiao Ling, the system that had fallen into a dormant update.
“Five months have passed, but Xiao Ling still shows no signs of waking up. It seems this update is truly long!” Zhou Zilong muttered.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window onto Zhou Zilong’s face. He rubbed his eyes, sat up from bed, and after a simple wash-up, he bid farewell to Master Roshi, then took out the jet capsule.
Zhou Zilong threw the capsule into the air, and a jet appeared before him. He boarded the jet, started the engine, and with a roar, the jet soared into the sky, heading into the distance.
After flying for about half an hour, Zhou Zilong finally arrived at a small town. He steadily landed the jet in an open space, retracted its wings, and walked towards the town center. At this moment, the town seemed calm, but the air was filled with a tense atmosphere.
Zhou Zilong walked down the street, his gaze sweeping around. Not far away, a group of people were gathered, with shouts and sounds of fighting occasionally coming from them. He curiously walked over and squeezed into the crowd. In the center, a burly man about three meters tall, wearing camouflage, was swinging his fists, constantly attacking a strong man over two meters tall. Although the over two-meter tall strong man resisted fiercely, he was clearly no match for his opponent. He retreated repeatedly, his face covered in sweat.
Suddenly, two vicious-looking people darted out from behind the over two-meter tall strong man. They grabbed the strong man’s arms, one on each side, firmly pinning him in place. Seeing this, the over three-meter tall man showed a trace of a triumphant smile. He swung a punch fiercely, hitting the over two-meter tall strong man hard in the abdomen.
“Ah!” A scream rang out. The over two-meter tall strong man bent over in pain, spitting out a mouthful of bitter bile. The over three-meter tall man did not stop there; instead, he intensified his attacks, punching the over two-meter tall strong man repeatedly until he finally fainted from the unbearable pain.
“How despicable!” an old man in a suit shouted angrily, “It was supposed to be a one-on-one fight; how could you use such underhanded tactics!”
Zhou Zilong watched this scene, filled with anger. He stepped forward and said coldly, “Since it’s a one-on-one fight, it should be fair and square. Your sneaky actions are truly contemptible!”
The over three-meter tall strong man turned around, glared at Zhou Zilong, and said coldly, “Kid, you want to play the hero, do you? Let me tell you, this town is the new base that our Predator Mercenary Group has set its sights on. If you want to live, then get lost!”
Zhou Zilong was unmoved. He puffed out his chest and said, “Since I stumbled upon this, I can’t just ignore it. You bullying people like this, I must stand up and speak for justice!”
Seeing this, the old man quickly advised, “Young man, you should leave quickly. The people of the Predator Mercenary Group are very cunning; they won’t let you go!”
Zhou Zilong shook his head and said firmly, “Old man, don’t worry. Since I dare to stand up, I have the confidence to deal with them!”
Seeing that Zhou Zilong refused to back down, the over three-meter tall strong man shouted loudly, “Brothers, let’s go! Take care of this kid!”
At his command, a group of mercenaries in camouflage rushed out from all directions, surrounding Zhou Zilong. However, Zhou Zilong showed no fear. He took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing and posture, and prepared for the upcoming battle.