CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62: LATE-NIGHT ATTACK (HAPPY NEW YEAR!)

In the private room, everyone was chatting enthusiastically. As Luo Guanyun and Meng Chuan entered, everyone stood up to greet them.

"Hello, Hall Master!"

"Hello, Senior Brother! We’re riding on your coattails today."

After the two of them gestured for the crowd to sit down, they did so.

Once the dishes were served, Luo Guanyun spoke:

"Today’s main character is your senior brother Meng Chuan. Let’s raise our glasses to congratulate him on winning first place in the underage group, bringing glory to our Infinite Martial Arts Dojo!"

"Cheers!"

"Senior Brother, you’re awesome!"

Once the commotion settled, Luo Guanyun continued:

"Meng Chuan will teach you fist skills at the dojo on weekends whenever he has time.

Your senior brother is now the golden signature of our dojo, attracting many to enroll here."

Meng Chuan nodded and replied with a smile.

"I’ll do my best to teach everyone. If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me."

Meng Chuan had discussed the teaching matter with Luo Guanyun beforehand. Initially, Luo Guanyun was reluctant to let Meng Chuan waste time teaching, but after hearing his reasoning, he agreed readily.

"Moreover, Advisor Liu Ru has informed me that she might not be coming back to work at the dojo.

The new instructors are two skilled fist experts at the Qi Blood level 7. Everyone should study hard and aim to graduate soon!"

The crowd cheered and applauded, and at this moment, the phrase "people leave when the tea is cold" was especially clear.

Finally, Luo Guanyun gestured to Meng Chuan to say a few words.

He thought for a moment; it was all the same old things, nothing much to say.

"Everyone, help yourself while the food’s hot."

...

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone scattered and went home.

Meanwhile.

Liu Ru, wearing a thin martial arts uniform, was walking aimlessly down the street.

She had figured it all out and didn’t feel it was unfair, just that she was mentally exhausted.

She recalled the bold words she spoke when she left Yong’an Martial Arts University, standing at its gates.

At this moment, they could only turn into a bitter smile.

After hours of inner questioning, she finally came to terms with it.

She repeatedly asked herself, and the answers were always the same.

"Perhaps I am just not capable enough."

Liu Ru recalled the words her parents often said since she was a child, saying they were proud of her and that she didn’t need to worry about anything.

But she was always too competitive.

She wanted everything but ended up with nothing.

Since childhood, this is the kind of person she was, unwilling to yield to fate.

While studying at Yong’an Martial Arts University, she wanted to have Chen Sihua, Grandmaster Chen, as her mentor, but was bluntly refused multiple times, stating that he had limited time and couldn’t take on students.

Before graduation, perhaps out of pity, he finally told her, "I see your bone structure is mediocre, and your comprehension is lacking. To achieve anything, you must compensate for your weakness with diligence to have a sliver of a chance."

But she had always worked hard and never slacked off.

But since graduating, eight years had passed, yet she remained stuck at the peak of Dark Strength with no progress.

"Grandmaster Chen didn’t accept me as his disciple, and Hall Master Luo doesn’t think much of me either. Enough."

Thinking of her family waiting for her to come home for dinner, the warm lights at home in her vague imagination dispelled some of her inner gloom.

"My dream is dead. Liu Ru, give up unrealistic fantasies."

"Go be a teacher at school; mother would likely be happy for me to be a teacher."

The martial artist’s path was only ever her personal dream, and her family always thought it was too far-fetched. Having a decent job would be good enough.

Although still a bit unwilling, the matter had reached this point, so she should just keep moving forward.

Her steps gradually became lighter.

After letting go of the pressure in her heart, she finally noticed the cold weather, tightening her sleeves and blowing warm air into her hands.

Seeing a taxi approaching, she immediately waved it down.

As soon as she got in, the driver turned on the heater, making Liu Ru’s hands and feet much warmer in the back seat.

"To Rongmin Garden, please."

"Alright."

Then, the driver reached out to steer the wheel fully to prepare for a U-turn.

In that instant, Liu Ru instinctively grabbed the car door to get out!

The inspection certificate next to the dashboard showed that the inspection date was January 15th of this year.

In Great Chu, inspection photos for any profession were taken on-site and couldn’t be replaced with previous photos.

The headshot showed a chubby middle-aged man, but the hand on the steering wheel was very slender, with visible veins on the wrist.

As Liu Ru tugged at the door handle, it made a rattling sound, yet it seemed welded shut and wouldn’t open.

Without further thought, Liu Ru turned and punched the driver’s seat from the side.

But Liu Ru’s fist went right through the driver’s arm as if plunging into a waterfall, nothing but ripples visible.

’Celestial Demon,’ Liu Ru’s heart was alarmed.

At this time, the door handle area was also undergoing a change.

A lot of black liquid slowly trickled from the window gap, clinging to the floor without any sign of flowing.

Watching this eerie scene, she immediately decided to throw her whole body against the car door, regardless of what happened next, to just get out first.

The black liquid kept increasing, forming a small mound on the car’s floor, and as Liu Ru rushed toward the door, a sudden change occurred!

The liquid emitted an inexplicable screech.

In a flash, the piled-up black liquid transformed, shooting like a sharp sword toward Liu Ru’s neck.

The tip of the liquid stuck to Liu Ru’s back neck, splitting into five slender branches, fastening her neck tightly.

Breathing heavily, Liu Ru realized she, at the peak of Dark Strength, was completely powerless, suffocating as the giant hand grabbed her.

She tried prying it open, but to her dismay, her hand passed through the black liquid to touch her neck!

The choking around her neck was real, yet she couldn’t touch it. What should she do?

The liquid at the end thickened, gradually forming a black arm that twisted Liu Ru’s neck, turning her around.

"Sssss,"

"Miss, you’re truly delicious. I could just eat you!"

As the words fell, the black arm’s roots seemingly formed by invisible hands in the air, gradually coalescing into a human shape.

Liu Ru, her neck tightly held, couldn’t move, and the liquid kept twisting and stretching, resembling a human more and more.

First, another powerful arm took shape, followed by a sturdy upper body that stood firmly on the ground, and finally, a large head gradually formed, with two narrow white eyes flashing with eerie light.

Grabbing Liu Ru’s neck, it pulled her to its front, leaned down, and opened its bloody mouth, the black liquid at its mouth corner dripping onto Liu Ru’s terrified face.

"Venom, let her go first."

The driver in the front seat turned around, commanding the unformed Celestial Demon.

"Sssss, Mirror, are you ordering me?"

"Such delightful flavors of despair, helplessness, disappointment, and fear. I can’t wait any longer!"

With that, Venom suddenly lunged downward, aiming to bite Liu Ru’s head fiercely.

Crack!

Venom’s sharp fangs emitted a piercing clash, passing through Liu Ru’s head, and her body became illusionary.

Seeing this, Venom turned and roared in anger:

"Mirror! What are you doing!"

The driver turned around, his eyes fixed on Venom as he said calmly:

"Fool."