Chapter 24: Ghostly Lotus Steps

Soon, Saturday arrived again.

After breakfast at home, Chen Meng headed straight for the martial arts school, but at this hour, Mo Xiaoyi, who was usually already there, hadn't shown up today.

"What’s going on?"

Chen Meng wanted to find Mo Xiaoyi to discuss his insights into practicing the Little Lotus Step. Since that PE class, he had realized the Little Lotus Step didn’t have to be restricted to a single patch of ground—it could be freely transformed and maneuvered.

But with Mo Xiaoyi absent, he didn’t know who else to share his thoughts with.

“Stop looking for him. That little monkey has something at school today and won’t be coming.” At that moment, a familiar old man walked out from the back hall—it was Hong Qi.

Hong Qi carried a lounge chair over to the entrance and settled in.

Only then did Chen Meng recall he actually had another teacher. But as Hong Qi lay down on the chair, basking in the warm sunlight, he looked utterly uninterested.

Chen Meng wasn’t about to let him off the hook, though. Considering that this teacher’s son was Major General Hong Qing, a man capable of raising such a formidable son must have some real skills. Chen Meng was determined to learn a few more tricks from him.

“Master, what brings you to the martial arts school?” Chen Meng grinned.

Hong Qi yawned, enjoying the sunshine. “This school belongs to me. Isn’t it normal for me to be here?”

Chen Meng was speechless. So you remember this school is yours? Do you even act like a teacher? The fact that this place hasn’t shut down yet is honestly a miracle.

“Master, since you’re here, why not teach me something new?” Chen Meng sidled up.

“Not teaching. Last time I taught you the Little Lotus Step, I was already losing out.” Hong Qi waved his hand dismissively. “Whatever you want to practice, do it yourself. I’m old, just want to soak up the sun.”

Hearing once again that teaching the Little Lotus Step was a loss for him, Chen Meng almost believed it this time.

After all, he’d already witnessed the magic of the Little Lotus Step.

“Master, come on, whether it’s a loss or not, we’re disciples and teacher now.”

“No, this is just a martial arts school. Teacher and disciple? Not really. At most, I took your money and taught you something.” Hong Qi quickly waved him off, seeming almost sensitive to the term “teacher and disciple.”

Chen Meng chuckled inwardly. This stubborn old man simply wouldn’t budge.

Fine. He’d just practice according to his own understanding for now.

The Little Lotus Step unfolded beneath Chen Meng’s feet, his movements tracing circles and arcs, leaping and darting across the entire school with remarkable agility.

Hong Qi, initially lounging in the sun, gradually squinted his eyes and started watching Chen Meng practice.

Whoosh!

After half an hour, Chen Meng felt more exhausted than after a thirty-minute run, almost as if he was about to collapse.

This step technique was truly uncanny.

“If you keep practicing like this, you’ll ruin yourself sooner or later,” the old man remarked nonchalantly. “It’s fine to use this technique in a confined space—the demands on stamina aren’t high. But if you treat it as a true combat movement, constantly shifting and evading, you’ll have to pair it with a breathing technique. One breath, one step—never break the rhythm, and your strength will flow without end.”

“Ruin myself? Old man, what do you mean? You can’t be trying to harm me!” Chen Meng was startled.

“Kid, look over here.” Hong Qi pointed to the entrance, where a collection QR code was posted.

Come on!

Chen Meng was speechless. The old man was trying to charge him a second time!

“So, tell me, how much for your breathing technique?” Chen Meng felt like he’d fallen into a trap. Maybe this was all planned: teach him the Little Lotus Step, wait for him to hit a wall, then sell him the breathing method.

“Twenty thousand!” Hong Qi raised a finger.

“Twenty thousand? One thousand!” Chen Meng gritted his teeth.

“No haggling!”

“Last time you said thirty thousand would buy all your lifetime skills. Three thousand at most!”

“No haggling!”

“Ten thousand! If you won’t agree, I’ll leave.”

“Deal!” Hong Qi smiled slightly.

Chen Meng was speechless. Old man, didn’t you say no haggling? Why agree so quickly?

He gritted his teeth and paid, but at least the money turned into knowledge points: “Now you can teach me the breathing method, right?”

Hong Qi didn’t say anything. After about ten seconds, a clear female voice rang out from his phone.

“Payment received: ten thousand yuan.”

Hearing this, the old man’s face blossomed into a smile. He rose from the lounge chair, his expression gradually growing serious.

“The Little Lotus Step is a traditional martial arts technique focused on evasion. To master it, you must align heart and mind, mind and breath, breath and strength. First, understand this: what is 'breath'?”

The old man’s seriousness was intimidating.

Without waiting for Chen Meng to answer, he continued: “Breath is not true energy, not vital force, not spiritual energy—it’s simply the air you breathe. Each inhale and exhale is the flow of breath. That high school you attended teaches that you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide—more or less, that’s the concept.”

“That’s it? Then what about Divine Body cultivation later on—there’s no true energy, no golden core, no primordial infant?” Chen Meng questioned.

“You’ve read too many novels. That’s all pseudo-science. Divine Body cultivation involves none of what you just said. The Divine Body is still your body, just no longer ordinary.” The old man was a bit exasperated. “But we’re getting off track. The point is, through breathing adjustment paired with bodily movement, you can greatly conserve stamina, increase strength, and even enhance your mind and will.”

Chen Meng nodded; this much he could understand.

“Alright, stand straight. Watch how I breathe. Start with short breaths, transition with short breaths again, then once more, turn with a long breath, then another long breath…” The old man demonstrated, stepping slowly, but to Chen Meng, he looked every bit like a conman.

You charge me ten thousand and teach me this?

“Have you learned it? If so, practice on your own. This is my lifetime’s secret technique—even Mo Xiaoyi hasn’t learned it,” the old man said shamelessly.

Chen Meng felt like cursing. What a scam! Mo Xiaoyi probably wouldn’t be foolish enough to pay ten thousand for this. Still, considering the old man’s background, he dared not say it aloud. “Old man, could you demonstrate the Little Lotus Step at full strength so I can really see?”

“Fine. Since you show some talent, I’ll let you witness its power.” As he spoke, the old man’s figure flashed and vanished.

Chen Meng saw the old man rush toward him like a ghostly shadow. Startled, he retreated, only to feel a tap on his shoulder from behind. Turning, he found the old man’s mischievous face.

Somehow, the old man had gotten behind him.

Cold sweat broke out on Chen Meng’s back. If this had been an enemy, he’d have been finished.

The old man smiled, widened the distance between them with a few steps, then charged again. This time, Chen Meng saw three figures—as if the old man had split into three.

“Damn, this is unreal! I have to master this step—it’s incredible.”

Chen Meng couldn’t help but mutter, utterly shocked.

If it were simply speed causing afterimages, that would be one thing, but clearly the old man wasn’t moving any faster than Chen Meng had earlier. It seemed there was a hypnotic effect, able to deceive the mind.

“Wake up!”

The old man barked, seeing Chen Meng still dazed.

Chen Meng shook his head, as if waking from a dream.

“Old man, what is this ghostly step technique?” Chen Meng couldn’t help but ask in a trembling voice.

“Ghost Step Technique—you guessed right. Ghost Lotus Step is indeed a ghostly step.” The old man murmured as though recalling something.

“Ghost Lotus Step?” Chen Meng found the name eerie. Was this the true name of the Little Lotus Step?

Just then, the old man’s phone rang.

“Master Qi, we’re one short for mahjong. Waiting on you.”

“Alright, wait for me. Yesterday I lost, today I’ll win it all back.” Hong Qi replied loudly, then hung up, checked his account balance, and rode off on his electric scooter.

Chen Meng was dumbfounded. The old man played mahjong?

At that moment, he also noticed the system data had changed.