Extraordinary Realm from Persuasion System

Seeing the bewildered expressions on their faces, Liu Yi became more convinced that he had figured out the truth of the matter!

I just knew it.

How could it be that just a few days had passed, and Zhang Beixing had flawlessly executed the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade?

And the Eight Pieces of Brocade he executed were so effective.

It must have been taught by Chen Rourou, a descendant of the Chen Family!

This could also explain why Chen Fenghua was behaving so oddly earlier.

Because Chen Fenghua was aware of this matter and wanted to keep it concealed.

That's why he was so out of sorts and answered so hesitantly.

Connecting the dots like this, the more Liu Yi thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

To this day, Liu Yi still remembered how, a few days ago, Zhang Beixing had casually walked across the 'Martial Initiation Bridge' as if it were nothing.

Elder Chen's complete one-eighty in attitude toward Zhang Beixing.

He grabbed Zhang Beixing's hand, insisting that he absolutely must become the Chen Family's son-in-law!

"To get a Martial Artist to marry into the family, you definitely have to show utmost sincerity."

"And Elder Chen's sincerity was Chen Rourou and the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade!"

"He broke the family rules, secretly taught Chen Rourou this martial art, and then had Chen Rourou pass it on to Zhang Beixing."

"This way, Zhang Beixing would not only accept Chen Rourou's goodwill and develop a favorable impression of the Chen Family, but also, by learning the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade, he'd be spending every day getting close with Chen Rourou, and feelings would naturally develop over time."

HISS... Old Chen, your schemes run truly deep!

Having figured everything out, Liu Yi couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.

He silently marveled at how Chen Hongguo had truly become craftier with age.

The plot he laid out was truly a series of interlocking schemes.

If it weren't for that conscientious kid, Zhang Beixing, thinking of him, his master, after mastering the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade, and calling him over to learn together...

It probably wouldn't take long for Zhang Beixing to lose all resistance under this barrage of interlocking schemes, surrender to Chen Rourou's charms, and marry into the Chen Family!

The thought of his naive and ignorant disciple being schemed against by the sly old fox Chen Hongguo...

And then imagining the cunning, triumphant smile on Chen Hongguo's aged face on their wedding day...

Liu Yi felt his breath catch in his throat.

"You old fox, Chen! And here I thought we were friends despite our age gap, true brothers!"

"I considered you a brother, heart to heart, and you treat me like a fool, scheming against me!"

Liu Yi said this through gritted teeth, completely forgetting that just a few days ago, he had been the one to proactively take Zhang Beixing to secretly learn the techniques.

No wonder he's so old and still doesn't even have a partner.

There are reasons for everything.

「...」

Just as Liu Yi was lost in his conjectures about Elder Chen's supposed villainy.

Beside him, listening to Liu Yi's teeth-grinding muttering, Zhang Beixing and Chen Rourou exchanged bewildered glances, both utterly baffled.

Seriously, what's gotten into Teacher Liu?

First, he accused Zhang Beixing of selling his charms, and now he's started muttering about Elder Chen.

"Teacher Liu, what on earth are you talking about? When did I ever sell my charms? Even if you're my master, you can't slander my innocence like this! I'm still an innocent young man, you know!"

Before Liu Yi could say anything to Zhang Beixing's words, it was Chen Rourou beside them who froze for a moment. She looked at Zhang Beixing, a silent question mark forming in her mind.

Normally, shouldn't I be the one saying that?

Why is your reaction even bigger than mine?

Chen Rourou felt insulted but didn't dare to say so directly. She pouted aggrievedly, her little face falling.

Neither Zhang Beixing nor Liu Yi paid her any mind.

Hearing Zhang Beixing's cry of injustice and seeing his complaining expression, Liu Yi scoffed, "Kid, still playing dumb with me, huh? If you didn't sell your charms, if you didn't offer yourself to Chen Rourou, then tell me, how did you learn this Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade?"

"It's just learning the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Is it supposed to be that hard? Wasn't Yue Family's Chain Boxing easy to learn too? It's like looking at diagrams; just watch some videos, and that's enough, right?"

"Then where did you get the videos of the Eight Pieces of Brocade? I don't remember you taking out your phone to film that day. Did you secretly film it?"

"Secretly filmed, yes, but it was Chen Rourou who did the secret filming. Then I learned by watching it."

After hearing this, Liu Yi paused, stunned. He turned to look at Chen Rourou, who was looking resentful and keeping quiet, and asked, "Is that really true? You didn't teach him the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade?"

"Yes. I made a deal with Uncle Zhang back then. I film the videos for Uncle Zhang, and Uncle Zhang teaches me the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade. The Eight Pieces of Brocade I performed at the Karate club before, I learned all of it from Uncle Zhang..."

Chen Rourou nodded, her reply confident and matter-of-fact.

Hearing this, Liu Yi was taken aback.

Seeing his reaction, Zhang Beixing didn't beat around the bush and directly confessed how he had threatened... no, convinced Chen Rourou to film Elder Chen's Martial Arts Training sessions.

After understanding the full story, cause and effect, Liu Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was reassured!

See? I knew it! My old friend Chen, while he might have a few tricks up his sleeve, he wouldn't be *that* much of a sly old fox!

So, all this drama was just a misunderstanding in the end.

"Wait a second..."

Liu Yi suddenly froze, as if he'd realized something was amiss. He quickly turned his head to Zhang Beixing and asked.

"Zhang Beixing, you said you learned the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade by watching Elder Chen's Martial Arts Training videos. Are you talking about the kind of videos I'm thinking of—purely Martial Arts Training, without a single bit of explanation?"

Hearing his question, Zhang Beixing looked at Liu Yi with a peculiar expression. "Yeah, what else would it be?"

Getting Elder Chen's Martial Arts Training videos was already a huge stroke of luck.

And with explanations too? What was he dreaming of?

Was such a treasure something that he, an outsider, or Chen Rourou, a female of the Chen Family, could possibly have access to?

Don't forget, the Chen Family's Northern Sect Eight Pieces of Brocade was traditionally passed down only to men, never to women!

"Teacher Liu, in what state of mind did you ask such a... technically unchallenging question?"

Liu Yi's mouth twitched.

"You figured out the true teachings of the Eight Pieces of Brocade just by watching a Martial Arts Training video?"

"Yeah. It wasn't that difficult. Not much different from practicing Yue Family's Chain Boxing."

"..."

Liu Yi was speechless. His composure shattered yet again!

It wasn't that Zhang Beixing had angered him. Rather, he had realized a problem.

In the past, I sparred with the Chen Family members so many times and watched them perform the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade countless times.

Yet, to this day, I haven't grasped the slightest knack for it.

But Zhang Beixing, now, had completely learned the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade just by watching a video!

Am I... a good-for-nothing?

The blow from Zhang Beixing was so great that Liu Yi, who had never doubted himself before, couldn't help but lower his head, lost in thought.

Fortunately, his mental fortitude was still there.

After a period of self-doubt, Liu Yi thought things through and readjusted his mindset.

You can't compare different people using the same standards.

Zhang Beixing nearly reached Great Accomplishment in Yue Family's Chain Boxing in just one month and spent another half a month training his stance until it was as solid as a coiling dragon.

That alone proved his talent—a Martial Arts prodigy rarely seen in a century!

As a genius among ordinary people, I was quite dazzling in my youth. But comparing my talent to a once-in-a-century Martial Arts prodigy like him? That's just asking for trouble.

Even if I take a huge step back and insist on comparing...

My talent might not match Zhang Beixing's, but surely it's better than Chen Rourou's?

It's rude to say, but Chen Rourou's talent... that's truly abysmal. As a member of the Chen Family, she grew up immersed in it, watching for so many years, yet she still couldn't learn it by observation, right? Didn't she also have to ask Zhang Beixing to teach her?

Understanding this point, Liu Yi felt much more enlightened.

It was a good thing Chen Rourou didn't know what he was thinking. Otherwise, she would probably be so enraged by Liu Yi that she'd lose her composure, turn traitor on the spot, and report this to her grandfather. Then nobody would get any peace!

「...」

「Afterwards.」

Liu Yi and Zhang Beixing chatted about this and that for a while longer.

When the topic shifted to learning the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade, Zhang Beixing mentioned he was about to teach Chen Rourou and asked Liu Yi if he wanted to join in and learn too, saying it would be no extra trouble.

Liu Yi was quite tempted by this offer. After all, the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade was, so far, the only method he had encountered that showed potential to heal his hidden injuries with minimal side effects.

"But, if I learn from you, how should we address each other?"

"You call me Master? And I call you Master too?"

Liu Yi looked at Zhang Beixing, posing his dilemma.

If we do that, wouldn't it mess up the whole seniority?

Liu Yi was pondering this problem precisely because of their unequal seniority.

To this question, Zhang Beixing grinned and proposed a very 'good' solution. "Simple! You can just consider my status elevated for this, right?"

"And then, from now on, I, Zhang Beixing, will call you Brother Liu."

"That way, you won't have to feel awkward calling me 'Master' just because I'm from a younger generation, and you won't lose face."

"It's the best of both worlds, convenient for everyone!"

As soon as this proposal was out, Liu Yi repeatedly exclaimed, "Excellent!" Then, he reached for his belt, declaring he was going to exercise his rights as a master today and properly discipline this rebellious disciple, Zhang Beixing!