Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"So, Miss Luo Shui, having overheard someone else's secret, what advice do you have?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Shui immediately perked up.

Who is she?!

Life mentor!

Although I've never been in a relationship, I'm willing to give dating advice to others.

Although she has never quit gambling, if you ask her for advice on Ying Qin Guan, no problem, it has to be me!

"Cough cough!" Luo Shui coughed forcefully and said, "Then you've come to the right person..."

—This is also one of her frequently used lines.

"Whatever the reason, to sum it up, Teacher Ying, you want to quit playing cards, right?" Luo Shui asked.

Ying Qin Guan nodded and said, "Yes... it feels so good to beat others, so I can't help it."

—Actually, he's bad at the game but addicted to it. He gets beaten so badly he doesn't want to play anymore, but he can't help himself.

"This matter is simple in some ways and difficult in others. The key is to find the right method. The reason why Teacher Ying thinks it is difficult is because he has not found the right method."

Ying Qin Guantian truly believed Luo Shui and earnestly said, "Please guide me!"

"Easy!" Luo Shui said smugly, "First, let's go through the logic. Teacher Ying, have you ever heard the idiom, 'When you're full and warm, you think about...you know,' which means that when people are well-fed, they start to think about sex? Conversely, if people aren't well-fed, they naturally won't have the energy to do sex—"

Ying Qin Guan interrupted Luo Shui expressionlessly, "You're not suggesting that I hand over my salary card and school ID to you, so that I won't have any money and won't be able to gamble."

"...How...how could that be!" Luo Shui retorted loudly, "That's not how it is...Let me finish. What I meant was..."

Luo Shui was at a loss for a moment, but quickly came up with a new explanation.

"What I mean is! Hunger is bad, and so is playing cards, but hunger, as a debuff, is more life-threatening than playing cards. In other words, a low-level state can be crushed or overwhelmed by a high-level state. So by the same logic, if you have a hobby that gives you more positive feedback, you will naturally not want to play cards."

"I feel something's not right," Ying Qin Guan said, squinting. "Then shouldn't I be obsessed with..."

He abruptly stopped talking, but Luo Shui's eyes sharpened.

"You just said 'addicted,' right? So you didn't just win too much, but are you addicted to playing cards? You should have told me beforehand. I thought you were just trying to avoid beating others, which is why I made this suggestion. But if you're addicted to games, that's a different story!"

Ying Qin Guan let slip the secret, broke out in a cold sweat, and rushed over immediately to deny it, while trying to divert Luo Shui's attention.

"I just misspoke! I'll do as you say, and I won't get addicted... Tell me, what new hobby can you develop for me!"

Luo Shui stroked her chin, thinking, "Although I wanted to suggest mahjong, that probably won't save you, so I'll have to find something else."

"Teacher Ying, you...don't have a girlfriend, right?"

Chapter Sixteen: Sigh

To be stubborn or not to be stubborn.

Throughout Ying Qin's relatively short life, this was a problem that had always troubled him, just like... now.

What did Luo Shui mean by saying that?

This guy...

Luo Shui's approach was really too unconventional. Ying Qin Guan couldn't understand what she was thinking at all. Could it be that she was thinking about finding a girlfriend or something?

Ying Qin was momentarily surprised and uncertain, but Luo Shui continued speaking.

"Look, the dean is the same way. He was like a salted fish before. But after he found a girlfriend, he suddenly started practicing martial arts. Maybe he was inspired by his girlfriend."

"Jiu Yi wanted to enter the time-space to kill..." Ying Qin Guan originally wanted to refute. However, the students received the information that Jiu Yi had a girlfriend much slower than him. Perhaps, during the time before and after Jiu Yi resumed martial arts training, the students learned about his girlfriend, so it's not surprising that he was misunderstood like this.

He was too lazy to correct anything, as explaining it would be too troublesome, so he just casually replied, "That's different."

Heaven help me, Ying Qin Guan's words were absolutely true. However, Luo Shui took it as Ying Qin Guan being stubborn and, instead of backing down, went further.

"What's the difference? It's all the same, it's all because of my girlfriend!" Luo Shui coughed, showing no shyness whatsoever. She patted Ying Qin Guan's shoulder and said in a mature tone, "Little Ying, I see you're not young anymore. Is there anyone you've taken a fancy to? Tell your Aunt Luo about them."

Ying Qin Guan put his hand to his forehead and sighed, "I hope you talk to your parents like this at home too."

"Haha... I wouldn't dare."

The conversation ended there. Luo Shui was quite tactful and didn't continue, otherwise she would have become annoying.

-

That night, back in his room, Ying Qin Guan opened the door and found a stack of documents. Judging from their location, they had been slipped in through the crack in the door from the outside.

Ying Qin was used to this; it wasn't the first time he'd experienced something like this.

This is a true tradition of the Martial Arts Department. Most of the teachers in the Martial Arts Department, including Ying Qin Guan, don't have offices, and their class locations are not fixed at all. In addition, the Imperial Academy is so large that sometimes they can't even find anyone. So when they can't find anyone, they just stuff the documents into the room like this. Later, it even developed into not hiring anyone at all, and just stuffing things into the dormitory.

Of course, if it's really urgent, we'll also choose to use a broadcast notification.

Ying Qin Guan picked up the document, turned on the light, and closed the door.

He wasn't in a hurry to look at the documents. After returning to his room, he habitually took a shower first. The Seven Luminaries Imperial Academy was a perfect ivory tower built by Seven Luminaries at great expense, and even the teachers' dormitories were equipped with bathtubs.

Entering the bathroom, applying shampoo to his head, and rinsing his hair with the showerhead, for some reason, Ying Qin Guan remembered Luo Shui's joking words from earlier that day.

"Girlfriend...?"

"I'm not young anymore..."

After taking a shower, Ying Qin Guan wrapped himself in a towel, circulated his inner energy to evaporate the water droplets clinging to his body, and then sat down at his desk to open the document.

First, there was a feedback form about televisions. Many teachers said they were great and suggested getting one for everyone so they wouldn't have nothing to do in the evenings. However, the school couldn't cover all the costs, so a survey was conducted to see how many people wanted to install a television in their rooms, what price range they preferred, and how much subsidy they hoped the school would provide.

"No wonder I heard Jiu Yi complain last time that the Imperial Household's budget was being spent faster than it was being lost..."

Ying Qin Guan shook his head, not paying much attention to the matter. He casually ticked a few boxes based on his intuition and considered the matter closed.

Following the opinion form was a mid-term commission intention form for Ying Qin Guan's students. Ying Qin Guan glanced at it a few times, and the only ones that caught his attention were Zhong Hongyu and Fu Feihan. Zhong Hongyu's side had a note indicating that she was quite dangerous, while Fu Feihan's side actually wanted to go to Polya to hunt down a fugitive.

The table contains detailed records and instructions regarding this mission. It is extremely dangerous, as the fugitive is wandering in the wilderness of Polya, which is extremely cold with short days and long nights. The outdoor temperature can reach tens of degrees below zero. Even with cold-weather gear, the special police officers would find it difficult to fight effectively. Furthermore, the fugitive is a martial artist with exceptional strength, so some special methods must be used.

This task was intended for the graduating senior class. It was one of those positions that "only one person is recruited nationwide." Naturally, this post was meant for those who had already been selected. The graduating senior class had already formed a perfect team and planned to use this as their graduation task. However, Fu Feihan suddenly jumped out and took on the task.

This was naturally unacceptable, so he was summoned and given a lecture. But in the end, he actually convinced the senior students to join in. Considering Ji Qiuming's disappearance there last time, one couldn't help but suspect Ji Qiuming had ulterior motives. However, Ying Qin Guan could probably understand that Fu Feihan simply longed for a real trial.

Just as Ying Qin Guan himself overcame that earth-shattering, unprecedented battle, barely managing to redeem a fragile soul from his painful past and survive in this world, Fu Fei Han must also have a trial in his heart. If he cannot overcome it, he will never be able to find himself again.

Ying Qin Guan put down the documents. He instructed Nephalem to notify him if Ji Fenming from the City of Truth sent any news. However, Ji Fenming had not woken up. He had sealed his brain in a special way, keeping himself in a deep sleep. This was the right thing to do. Under the modern and sophisticated interrogation system, there was no such thing as willpower. Once the methods were ruthless, no one could withstand it.

—This is the experience of the top agent Nephalem. He once had two teeth pulled out and two dentures installed. One denture contained poison, and the other also contained poison.

One kills the enemy, one sacrifices for the country.

This is the last resort, the only option available.

Now that Ji Fenming has fallen into a deep sleep using this method, it can only be said that peerless masters have many tricks up their sleeves, and for the time being, no countermeasure can be found. The City of Truth invited Mu Nandong to go there, but he refused. He seems to be doing something more important, and lately he has become increasingly stingy with his time. Ying Qin Guan used to occasionally see him drinking tea under the red maple forest in the royal courtyard, but now he has never seen him again.

"Ju Qiuming..." Ying Qin Guan murmured the other's name. He had heard that Ju Qiuming had fled to the sea with the Corpse Dog and had sent out many people to search for him. However, the sea was vast and scattered with many isolated islands. Finding someone at sea was like finding a needle in a haystack, and it was unknown how long it would take to get any results.

"Ugh.."

Chapter Seventeen: No Way Out

As time went by, more and more people learned about the World Martial Arts Tournament. The boss didn't want the matter to become widely known before it was even finalized, but some things were indeed unavoidable.

Many self-proclaimed insiders have jumped out to offer their opinions, expressing certainty that the martial arts tournament will be held and even speculating on the favorites to win. However, in reality, even the boss and Nocturne, the two true behind-the-scenes forces, aren't confident they can guarantee its success. The World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament is far too sensitive. While modern times are different from ancient times, and many things considered taboo in the past are no longer taboo, no one can say for sure what will happen until it occurs.

However, this matter is indeed being steadily advanced, and it has also sparked some public opinion. Some people say that Feng Xingyu's poison strategy is recorded in history books, while others say that the past is the past and the present is the present. Both sides hold their own opinions, and the matter has become very heated.

"But speaking of which, if there really are any reclusive masters of unparalleled skill, would they appear because of this competition?"

A jumble of thoughts flashed through Ying Qin Guan's mind. All peerless masters, before meeting other peerless masters, believe themselves to be the only peerless master in the world, and Ying Qin Guan himself was no exception. Therefore, when he first met Himura Tan's Sakura, he didn't think much of it. He didn't believe anyone could hide their strength right under his nose... but in reality, Himura Tan's Sakura did just that.

After that, he met the red-eyed man—Ying Qin Guan did not know Ji Fenming's name.

Since there are two, could there be a third, or even a fourth?

That's hard to say...

Ying Qin Guan wasn't interested. He wasn't a battle maniac who would insist on going up and testing his strength against any powerful opponent.

In late April, the students of the Imperial Academy began their mid-term assignments. At the same time, news of the World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament was finally leaked completely, this time no longer confined to a particular city or circle, but spread far and wide.

With the combined efforts of the boss and Nocturne, the matter has been officially reported. If it passes the final review, then the rest will be no problem.

But the problem lies in the final review.

To be fair, this won't bring much benefit. But it's not entirely without benefit either; as the biggest and most anticipated program ever, it will undoubtedly generate substantial advertising revenue. But as for its specific use to the country... do we really expect such a program to boost the national economy?

—Besides, the seven celestial bodies are already major economic powers.

As for other benefits, there are quite a few, but none of them seem particularly important, at least not as much as the disadvantages brought by the martial arts tournament.

This is where the boss needs to continue his efforts. Things have come to this point, and even Nocturne can't do anything about the rest.

-

Meanwhile, Ji Qiuming experienced another major turning point in his life.

He left the Mirror Flower Water Moon where he had lived for exactly half a year and joined the remnants of the Black Dragon Party. He had only met that man once before being assigned to one of the leaders of the Black Dragon Party, codenamed Ghost Spirit. This man had been seriously injured in a great battle and had not yet recovered. He was currently recuperating and asked Ji Qiuming to find him and carry out his first mission.

Ji Qiuming obtained a fake identity and a fake passport from the remnants of the Black Dragon Party. After several days of travel, he went to the place where they were resting and recuperating. It was a small country in the south, the kind of country that even if you knew its name, you might not be able to find it on a world map even after searching for two or three minutes.

After several days of travel, Ji Qiuming finally arrived at that small country and found Youjing, a middle-aged man with a pale face and no beard, not even eyebrows. When Ji Qiuming met him, he was sitting on a futon, looking somewhat listless. Ji Qiuming could vaguely sense that the other man's blood energy was somewhat lacking, probably due to the great battle.

"You're the newcomer to the organization?" the middle-aged man spoke. He glanced at Ji Qiuming, unable to gauge the man's strength, but he still had a general idea. "Not bad... to have this much strength at such a young age... what are you?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Qiuming was secretly alarmed. He naturally knew that the question was directed at his own race. Although he had long guessed that the Black Dragon remnants were bound to be a mixed bag, and encountering people of other races was not surprising, he hadn't expected that the other party would ask about his race right off the bat... For this middle-aged man to ask such a question, he must not be human.

Ji Qiuming did not hide anything and replied in a low voice, "Rebellious Ghost."

“Rebellious Ghost…” The middle-aged man slowly stood up and assumed a fighting stance. “You can call me Ghost Spirit. For a long time to come, you will be working under me. I have already been informed of the mission you are to carry out. But before that, I need to have a more specific understanding of your strength.”

Ji Qiuming remained expressionless and assumed a fighting stance.

They only exchanged a few words before starting a fight; that's typical of martial artists.

"I'm still recovering from serious injuries, young man, please be gentle..."

Before he could finish speaking, Youjing suddenly made a move, swinging his right hand. Ji Qiuming assumed a defensive stance, and a dagger suddenly appeared from his wide sleeve. Youjing grabbed the dagger and thrust it back, aiming straight for Ji Qiuming. Just as it was about to pierce his arm, Ji Qiuming remained unmoved. He channeled his inner energy, advancing instead of retreating, and punched Youjing in the forehead!

This playing style...

It can no longer be simply explained by terms like ruthless, unconventional, or vicious.