PCJ – Chapter 504 The End of Military Training

Zhang Jiaohua wasn’t that foolish. He smiled and looked at Chen Hongyi. “Don’t expect me to help you for no reason. I don’t even know who you are. You show up and make such a big fuss. Don’t think you can manipulate me like this. At worst, I just won’t attend this school.”

Zhang Jiaohua had already noticed that these people’s techniques were similar to Zeng Lei’s, meaning they learned about him from Zeng Lei. However, they shouldn’t have gone through so much trouble. If they had approached him directly, it wouldn’t have been such a hassle, and he might have even agreed. But now, with Chen Hongyi pulling such a stunt, it was obvious he wanted to box Zhang Jiaohua into a corner, which Zhang found highly displeasing. Cultivators acted on their own will, not because someone forced them into anything.

Chen Hongyi hadn’t anticipated this outcome. He had treated Zhang Jiaohua as an ordinary child, thinking that this approach would leave him no choice but to compromise. What he didn’t realize was that cultivators couldn’t be judged by conventional standards. Not only did his actions fail to achieve the desired effect, but they also backfired.

“Student Zhang Jiaohua—no, Daoist Zhang—I genuinely came to ask for your help. I had no intention of coercing you. I heard about you from Zeng Lei, but I wasn’t sure about your situation. So I took this opportunity to confirm it. Today’s events are indeed my fault,” Chen Hongyi admitted.

“Let’s leave it at that and go our separate ways,” Zhang Jiaohua replied firmly. He had no desire to be entangled with Chen Hongyi. Once involved, it would be challenging to extricate himself. So, he shook his head resolutely.

“Alright. But could you at least explain the Six-Character Mantra to the first-year students of Fourth High School?” Chen Hongyi knew Zhang Jiaohua’s type well. Once they made up their mind, there was no room for negotiation. To avoid further straining their relationship, he decided to stop there. As long as he could gain insight into the Six-Character Mantra, the trip wouldn’t be in vain.

Zhang Jiaohua thought for a moment and nodded. “Fine. That’s it, though.”

Without waiting for Chen Hongyi’s response, Zhang Jiaohua turned and walked away. Chen Hongyi deeply regretted his actions. If he had trusted Zeng Lei and approached Zhang Jiaohua directly through him, the outcome might have been different. Even if Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t be recruited into the team, they might have at least built a good relationship. The way things turned out was truly unfortunate.

The next day, Chen Hongyi gathered all the first-year students on the soccer field. But it wasn’t just the students present; all the instructors and some unfamiliar faces had also shown up.

“Today, we’ve invited Zhang Jiaohua to explain the applications of the Six-Character Mantra. This is a highly practical breathing technique that can prolong life and improve immunity. Please listen carefully,” Chen Hongyi announced, glancing over the crowd before resting his gaze on the unfamiliar faces.

Zhou Qimu clenched his fists. “This Zhang Jiaohua just loves showing off! Ridiculous! No matter how skilled you are, one bullet is all it takes to bring you down.”

But the people around him started clapping, especially those from his class, who were clapping the hardest.

“Madness. Everyone’s gone mad!” Zhou Qimu muttered, standing motionless while others focused on Zhang Jiaohua. His strange behavior went unnoticed.

Zhang Jiaohua stepped onto the stage, took the microphone from Chen Hongyi, and casually said, “I’ll explain this once. Whether you understand it is up to you.”

Afterward, Zhang Jiaohua briefly explained how to use the Six-Character Mantra while standing in military posture.

“Strange. It’s the same explanation as last time, but I feel like I’ve learned something new this time,” Lu Cunyang remarked, puzzled.

Chen Hongyi sighed. “What a pity he won’t join us. Don’t underestimate the Six-Character Mantra. You think it’s just about Zhang Jiaohua explaining it more thoroughly? While he is thorough, the real value lies in the aura he exudes while teaching. That aura subconsciously draws you into the cultivation state, which is the most crucial part.”

“I see,” Lu Cunyang said, finally understanding.

After his explanation, Zhang Jiaohua placed the microphone on the stage and returned to his class. The crowd remained in a strange state, still immersed in their realizations. By the time they snapped out of it, the mystical feeling was gone.

The instructors benefited the most, experiencing an epiphany-like understanding of orthodox cultivation methods.

Zhang Jiaohua noticed Chen Hongyi’s subtle manipulation but didn’t mind. These people weren’t bad; he simply didn’t want to be too involved with them. However, he didn’t mind teaching them basic techniques.

Zhou Qimu was the only one who gained nothing. His disdain for Zhang Jiaohua kept him from following the instructions, leaving him distracted while everyone else reached a state of enlightenment. He dared not challenge Zhang Jiaohua directly, knowing he wasn’t his match.

After two weeks of military training, despite Chen Hongyi’s efforts to mend relations, Zhang Jiaohua remained indifferent.

Following the training, the new students of Fourth High School seemed transformed, their spirits completely revitalized. Initially reluctant about the training, they found themselves reluctant to part when it ended.

On the final day, while most students were in tears saying goodbye to the instructors, Zhang Jiaohua and Zhou Qimu were exceptions. Zhang Jiaohua, though, was seen wiping red eyes before retreating to a quiet corner of the campus—whether he cried there was anyone’s guess. Zhou Qimu, on the other hand, felt nothing but relief that the ordeal was over.

Before leaving, Lu Cunyang placed a hand on Zhang Jiaohua’s shoulder. “What a shame you won’t join us. It would save so much bloodshed. Even in peacetime, there are countless people who dedicate their youth, even their lives, for this country. I know you’re different, but you can’t deny we’re not fighting for ourselves. Regardless, thank you for the Six-Character Mantra—it’s been invaluable.”

As Lu Cunyang departed, Zhang Jiaohua said, “If you ever need anything, you can find me at Guluba Hutong.”

Lu Cunyang, surprised, asked, “Can I bring a few brothers along?”

“You misunderstood. I’m at Guluba Hutong treating patients. If your brothers need medical help, they can come to me,” Zhang Jiaohua clarified.

“But I’m fine,” Lu Cunyang replied, confused.

“If you already knew you were sick, why would you need a doctor?” Zhang Jiaohua retorted.

When military training ended, Zhang Jiaohua finally returned to Guluba Hutong, where preparations for the restaurant’s opening were underway.

The restaurant’s renovation was complete, and the name had already been decided: Koufu Restaurant. Wu Yuan had even chosen an auspicious date for its grand opening, ensuring it fell on the weekend so that Zhang Jiaohua, as the major shareholder, could attend.

When Zhang Jiaohua returned home, Zeng Lei seemed embarrassed. Naturally, it was because of the military training incident.

“This was entirely my fault. No matter what, I shouldn’t have told anyone about you. But I didn’t anticipate the captain would act like that. If I’d known, I would’ve stopped him,” Zeng Lei admitted, scratching his head.

“This is definitely your fault. You revealed information about me to them, clearly hoping they’d pull me into their organization. But I don’t want too much entanglement with groups like that. I won’t pursue the matter further, but in the future, if you have plans involving me, you’d better consult me first. Don’t make decisions for me,” Zhang Jiaohua said, his tone carrying a warning.

Zeng Lei quickly nodded. “This won’t happen again, I promise.”

Wu Yuan interjected, eager to change the topic. “Let’s talk about the restaurant opening. Chef Zhu will start preparing the kitchen tomorrow. We need to build some buzz and get the restaurant up and running.”

“Don’t look at me for that. I don’t know how to do it,” Zhang Jiaohua said, waving his hands.

“That won’t work! You need to understand that you’re the big boss of this restaurant,” Wu Yuan protested.

“We agreed from the start that you’d handle all the operations. I’m just responsible for providing the seasonings. I don’t have time to manage all this,” Zhang Jiaohua said, sounding exasperated.

“Fine, fine. Bad luck for me, the fat guy. If I work myself to death, so be it,” Wu Yuan said with a sigh before remembering something. “Oh, right. Chef Zhu wants to test the dishes tomorrow, mainly to see how good our seasonings are. He doesn’t trust me. I guess he thinks I’ve exaggerated how amazing they are and that they won’t live up to the hype.”

“That’s because you’re so unreliable. If you were trustworthy, why would anyone doubt you?” Zeng Lei teased.

“Sigh,” Wu Yuan sighed again, utterly resigned.

Zhang Jiaohua had heard Wu Yuan mention Chef Zhu before. Zhu Songtao, formerly a master chef at a state-run restaurant, had left when the restaurant was privatized and clashed with the new owner. He chose early retirement and later worked at various private restaurants. However, he never stayed long in any of them—not because of his cooking skills, but because private restaurant owners often prioritized profit over quality, demanding that Zhu lower his standards for ingredients. To Zhu, food was a form of faith, not just a commodity for profit. As a result, he frequently found himself seeking a new employer.