That’s right—just a moment ago, when Jack Young almost fell into the oil, he secretly dipped his feet in. Then, using the oil’s slickness, he glided along the rim like he was ice skating. Now this is what you call a real slippery escape!
"You think all those days of Barrel Balance Stance on this vat were for nothing? Anywhere else, maybe I couldn’t pull off a stunt this fancy, but here, with this oil? Good luck getting me to fall!"
Out of those fifteen days, Jack Young spent at least half of them perched on this vat. His feet now knew every curve, every angle, every detail. After countless climbs up the oily rim, Jack finally mastered the art of the slippery step!
"Nice! Now that’s what I call a slick move!" Dr. Thomas Tang shouted from outside the door, immediately adding, "Ninety seconds left! Hang in there, Mr. Young!"
Dr. Thomas Tang stepped forward to chase, while Jack Young fought and retreated. His feet slid around like he was skating—no need to switch stances, he was actually steadier this way. Every punch and kick sent Jack gliding backward with the recoil. Trading blows, sliding and borrowing momentum, the two quickly circled the vat rim. The clock was ticking down.
The martial artists started counting down, excitement buzzing in the air—Jack Young’s victory looked just within reach.
But Jack wasn’t getting cocky—he was more focused than ever. Five minutes? Pfft, he wanted to win, but not like this. Surviving the timer wasn’t his style. What he really wanted was to send Dr. Tang flying into the oil vat!
Everything up till now was just a setup for this final moment. Toughing it out for five minutes was just bait to get the other guy to drop his guard. Who knows if Dr. Tang had fallen for it, but whatever—Jack Young was gonna give it a shot!
Jack dodged a punch and grabbed Dr. Thomas Tang’s shoulder. Before Tang could shake him off, Jack suddenly leapt up, flipping head over heels right over Dr. Tang’s head!
"Didn’t I tell you? Beginners shouldn’t try aerial moves—too many openings!" Before Jack even landed, Dr. Thomas Tang shrugged him off and grabbed Jack’s collar: "Down you go!" With that, he was about to toss Jack straight into the oil vat.
This time, Dr. Thomas Tang wasn’t letting go—he was dead set on tossing Jack Young straight into the oil.
Just then, Jack Young shouted, "You’re the one who should be going in!" He curled up tight, then shot out his arms and legs, locking onto Dr. Tang like a human octopus—arms around his, feet on his waist, clinging for dear life. With his weight and momentum, he tried to drag Dr. Tang into the vat with him.
"Nice try!" Dr. Thomas Tang hooked his foot on the rim, leaning out just enough to keep his balance. With just one arm, he held Jack Young in midair—Jack was stuck, dangling and helpless.
"Come on, how is one arm that strong?" Jack strained so hard his face turned red, but he still couldn’t budge Dr. Tang. "Am I really gonna lose like this? No way, not when I’m this close! If only I had a bit more power... Saint King, lend me a hand!"
Fueled by his burning desire to win, Jack Young felt a surge of heat rush through his body. His bones crackled and popped—then, in a flash, a wave of pure satisfaction hit him. The Titan Spirit Method, which had been stuck for days, finally broke through! First level, mastered!
"I said you’re going in, so just accept your fate!" Jack braced his foot against Dr. Tang’s knee and turned himself into a perfect lever. With a mighty push, he yelled, "We’re going down together!"
With a squeak, the oil Jack had smeared all over the rim finally did its job. Powered by Jack’s full strength, Dr. Thomas Tang’s foot slipped—
Splash! Jack Young landed squarely in the oil vat. He popped his head up, only to see Dr. Thomas Tang standing firm on the opposite rim—though his shoes were now slick with oil!
"Didn’t make it to five minutes, so you lost," Dr. Thomas Tang said, cool as ever. "But you don’t have to stand on the oil vat anymore. You’ve passed this round." He smiled at Jack, a flash of approval in his eyes.
"Yahahaha! I did it!" Jack Young flipped out of the vat and started roughhousing with the other martial artists. "I knew you could do it! You really pulled it off!" John Zhao shouted, grabbing Jack and tossing him into the air. The whole crew laughed and cheered, tossing Jack up and down, finally hoisting him onto their shoulders and carrying him off in a noisy parade.
Dr. Thomas Tang didn’t object. He turned, clasped his hands respectfully, and said, “Chairman Huo, I’ll be heading to Tianjin this afternoon. Looks like you’ll have to part with Instructor Young.”
"Ha! Dr. Tang, you’re too much. With talent and temperament like Mr. Young’s, it’d be a shame not to teach him. If I didn’t know I’m no match for you, I’d be fighting to steal this student myself!" Henry Huo strolled over, marveling at Jack Young’s progress.
Fifteen days—from clueless newbie to this, in just fifteen days…
That afternoon, amidst cheers and farewells from the Jingwu Athletic Association, Jack Young said goodbye to everyone and headed off with Dr. Thomas Tang to the Shanghai train station. It was Jack’s first time stepping outside since joining Jingwu. He traveled light, with almost no luggage, and Dr. Tang was even more carefree—he didn’t bring a thing.
"You’re not even bringing money?"
"Nope."
"So where are you planning to eat and sleep? Don’t look at me, my pockets are as empty as yours. If you’re counting on me, you’d better go back and grab your wallet."
"Relax. This trip to Tianjin? Everything’s covered—food, lodging, even the train tickets. We don’t have to pay a dime."
"Seriously? What’s the special occasion?"
"Of course! No special job, no special perks. We’re basically acting as escorts, taking an important person to Tianjin. All expenses are on them, so don’t worry about a thing—just treat it like a vacation."
As they chatted, the car pulled up to Shanghai train station.
Shanghai had only recently built its train station, right in the Zhabei District—not far from the Jingwu Athletic Association. Jack Young followed Dr. Thomas Tang through the crowds. He wasn’t some wide-eyed kid anymore, but seeing all these old-timey sights was still pretty cool.
Trains in this era were steam-powered, and there weren’t many departures. Jack and Dr. Tang arrived just in time—the train was waiting at the platform. They boarded, no secret agents or code words, just two regular guys finding their bunks.
Back then, the trip from Shanghai to Tianjin took nearly three days by train, so of course they got sleeper berths—and not just any bunks, but the fancy kind.
"Hey, Dr. Tang, who’s this VIP anyway?" Jack Young poked his head out, scanning the car with his sharp eyes. "Aren’t they riding with us?"
"The VIP’s got their own bodyguards and a private car for security. We’re just here in case things get weird. Normally, I don’t have to lift a finger, so it’s pretty much a free vacation."
"Didn’t know you were such a big shot, Dr. Tang." Jack Young grinned and leaned back. "So what counts as ‘weird’?"
"‘Weird’ would be, say, the whole train full of passengers are actually undercover assassins or something—but that’s not likely. If there’s a super dangerous hitman, though, I’ll step in." Dr. Tang shrugged.
Jack Young nodded, deciding not to ask dumb questions like ‘what counts as a super dangerous hitman.’ As long as Dr. Tang wasn’t worried about the trip, Jack could relax. Sitting quietly, he could feel that after breaking through the first level of Titan Spirit Method this morning, the power of the Auric Relic was running low.
Man, I guess I’m just not cut out for external martial arts. Even with the Auric Relic’s help and Dr. Tang’s brutal training, it took me fifteen days to reach the first level. But Insight Technique? That’s zooming ahead—I’m almost at the second level already.
The Auric Relic itself never practiced Insight Technique, so it’s got no tips to offer. And its energy isn’t really meant for Insight Technique anyway, so while it helps a bit, it’s not a game-changer. With no mentors and barely any outside help, making it to the edge of level two this fast means I’ve actually got some talent here.
Thinking about it, Jack Young couldn’t help but wonder—does Jill Young have a knack for external martial arts? Somehow, it just feels like she’s got a natural talent for it.
Soon enough, the whistle blew and the train chugged out of the station. No lovesick fools chasing after the train like in TV dramas—Jack Young just started his journey to Tianjin, nice and normal.
What a peaceful, relaxing trip—yeah, right!
Jack Young glanced at a certain someone across from him—there’s no way things will stay peaceful with this guy around. If I make it out alive, I’ll count myself lucky! Better rest up while I can, who knows what’s coming next.