Chapter 11: Chapter 11 : Master Shen X Trial (1)
The Dragon Den gym loomed before Ash, it stood as a harmonious fusion of modern and traditional architecture. The exterior, a seamless blend of sleek glass panels and intricately carved wooden accents, presented a striking visual contrast. Tall, polished columns flanked the entrance, adorned with traditional dragon motifs that seemed to come to life in the morning sunlight.
"wow, I'll give it eight out of ten for just this building design!" Ash marveled at the Dragon Den gym's exterior.
"it doesn't look like a gym but more like a five star hotel!" Ash was curious how this beautiful building will look from the inside, so with anticipation, he walked toward the doors.
Ash approached the sliding glass doors, The entrance, marked by a polished brass plaque engraved with the gym's name in bold calligraphy, conveyed a sense of both strength and elegance.
As he entered through the sliding glass doors, the muted sounds of training filled the air. The gym was abuzz with energy, each corner resonating with the echoes of fists hitting bags and feet thudding against mats.
"It's incredibly spacious, and they seem to have a wide array of machines. Those people in uniforms must be the instructors. Good. I liked this gym. Now, let's check out the pricing."
Ash nodded in satisfaction, appreciating the gym's interior design and the blood boiling ambiance that stirred his excitement. He eagerly anticipated engaging in straightforward fist-to-fist combat with average individuals, free from the complexities of Nen and superpowers. The battles he experienced in the Heavens Arena, relying on Nen and superpowers against non-Nen users, had grown monotonous. He now wish for a challenge where martial arts skills alone determined the outcome, and this gym seemed like the perfect place for such encounters.
since he couldn't find a suitable beginner Nen user who could fight him equally, and he doesn't want to fight those experienced Nen users which may endanger his life. after all he is not a battle maniac, he only seek thrill but not at the cost of his life, he needs to live so he could enjoy all the pleasure this world had to offer him.
He approached the sleek reception desk where a composed young woman in a dark green cheongsam greeted him with a polite nod.
"Welcome to Dragon Den Gym. How may I assist you?" she asked, her voice steady and professional.
Ash, his curiosity piqued, inquired, "i am interested in joining this gym. Can you tell me more about your pricings?"
The receptionist smiled, revealing a hint of pride. "Certainly. Our gym operates on a tiered membership system. We have three levels: ordinary disciples, inner disciples, and core disciples."
'huh, it sounds like those cliche ways of sorting sect disciples in xianxia novels.' Ash complained inwardly, but he listened carefully to the pricing of each tier.
"Ordinary disciples pay a monthly fee of 5000 Jenny. They gain access to gym machines and have the opportunity to spar with instructors once a week. They receive instruction in basic fighting skills to build a strong foundation."
Ash listened intently, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
"And the next level?" he wasn't interested in learning basic stuffs so he moved to the following tier.
"the second tier, Inner disciples pay 10,000 Jenny per month. They receive specialized training in some of Dragon Den's advanced techniques. An assigned instructor spars and teaches them three times a week. It's a step up from the basics, honing more advanced skills." the receptionist answered briefly.
The mention of advanced techniques piqued Ash's interest further. "And the highest tier?"
"The highest level is the core disciples. Currently, there are only three core disciples. They have the privilege of being taught directly by the gym's founder, Master Shen. He imparts his most powerful technique, the Dragon Roar Fist, you must know that this particular technique played a pivotal role in Master Shen achieving the prestigious title of Battle Olympia champion. It stands as the apex of a lifetime dedicated to the martial art path! it priceless! yet Master Shen decided to share it as long as you have enough money!" the receptionist noticed that Ash didn't seem very interested in the previous two offers, so she started boasting about the last tier, and sure enough Ash was hooked.
Ash's eyes gleamed with excitement, a person like Master Shen had years worth of combat experience, and to be able to win battle olympia means that his Nen mastery is also high, so if he can get his teachings then it will save him a lot of detours, he doesn't have time searching for a certain a fake blonde loli and waste efforts to convince her to teach him advanced Nen techniques, maybe he could learn it here, from this Master Shen.
"I'm interested in this tier so What's the price?"
The receptionist leaned in, her tone dropping slightly. "One million Jenny each month." this price was very expensive, so she was ready to see Ash's shocked expression and then he will leave like the previous ones.
"huh?" sure enough Ash was caught off guard by this expensive price, one million each month, heaven! this Master Shen really know how to earn money. i'm afraid he is targeting only rich people or top fighters who can earn this amount easily. so with just this price he filtered out all those he deemed unqualified to learn his technique.
although Ash managed to earn nearly two million from his previous matches above the fifty floor of heavens arena, he felt distressed to pay one million without experiencing and knowing the value of Master Shen teachings. so he asked.
"Can I pay half the money first, and if I like Master Shen's teaching, then I'll pay the remaining half?"
Upon hearing Ash's request, the receptionist was taken aback. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation. Most people either paid the entire amount upfront or opted for a lower tier. Master Shen had set two conditions for accepting core disciples. The first was paying a one-million-jenny appearance fee to ensure he wouldn't be overly occupied. The second condition remained a secret, disclosed only after meeting Master Shen. If the clients managed to fulfill this undisclosed condition, they would be accepted as disciples. However, failure would result in learning only some advanced fighting techniques, excluding the coveted Dragon Roar Fist, with Master Shen offering less serious guidance.
'i'm sorry you can't, Master Shen's rules are strict, if you don't pay the one million jenny then you won't have the qualification to even meet him." the receptionist carefully replied in a polite tone.
'fine...i'll pay one million jenny, but if this Master Shen turned to be a bad deal then i don't mind using absolute order to get back my money.' in case he was scammed, Ash think of using his absolute order on this receptionist or someone responsible to get back his money.
so Without any worry or hesitation, Ash pulled out a check from his pocket, this is what he got from ascending to the 100th floor, coincidently it's one million jenny. He handed it over.
The receptionist was surprised that this young man really intend to join their dragon den core disciples tier, but she quickly accepted the check with a smile and said "please follow me, i'll take you to meet Master Shen."
'good.' Ash nodded.
As Ash followed behind the receptionist into the elevator, The elevator doors slid shut with a soft hum, enclosing Ash and the receptionist in a sleek metallic box. Soft instrumental music played in the background, creating a calming atmosphere. Ash couldn't help but notice the faint scent of lavender emanating from the air freshener, mingling with the subtle aroma of polished wood.
As the elevator ascended to the tenth floor, Ash glanced at the digital display ticking off each passing level. The floor number blinked, and with a gentle ding, the doors opened to reveal a corridor adorned with dragon-themed artwork and ambient lighting.
The receptionist led Ash down the corridor, the plush carpet beneath their feet absorbing the sound of their steps.
Reaching the end of the hallway, the receptionist halted before a majestic wooden door. With a confident knock, she announced their arrival. To their surprise, the door swung open on its own before even her fingers land on it, revealing a lavishly decorated room.
"Enter" echoed a majestic voice from within the room. Though soft as a whisper, as the words reached his ears, it felt as though the speaker stood right beside him.
the receptionist and Ash entered the room, The room was a visual symphony of dragon motifs, with paintings adorning the walls and statues gracing various corners. The scent of incense wafted through the air, Ash couldn't help but took a few breaths savoring this beautiful smell.
'this Master Shen is really obsessed with dragons.' Ash also like dragons, they are the symbol of power and majesty, which kid didn't dream of ridding a dragon and flying through the sky, naturally Ash had this wish.
'there are dragons in this world, i must definitely get one as my pet!' Ash quickly returned to his sense, He looked In the center of the room.
seated on a magnificent dragon-carved chair, was Master Shen. His keen eyes were fixated on a peculiar dagger held in his hands, illuminated by the soft glow of dragon-shaped lamps.
Ash couldn't help but be taken aback by the old man's distinctive appearance. Master Shen's had a pair of dragon-shaped horns made of his long grey hair, and with a long white beard that reached his chest, he wore a dark green martial art robe adorned with dragons embroideries, Ash was already numb from Master Shen loved to dragons that even reached to the degree of cosplaying them!
After a moment, Master Shen looked up, locking eyes with Ash. The room's dim lighting highlighted the wrinkles on his face, each line a testament to years of experience.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face as he observed the solid Ten surrounding Ash. "A Nen user? Interesting..."
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author thoughts :
Hey, folks! Guess who's back? Yeah, me! I stumbled upon a little surprise on Reddit – someone actually recommended my fanfic! I got a rush of excitement and thought, "Why not continue this wild ride?" But, fair warning, I can't promise to stick around. I'll drop chapters whenever the mood strikes, no schedules allowed. Now, if I start swimming in a sea of super support and maybe a sprinkle of donations, well, you might just see chapters popping out like they're on an assembly line! Remember, money can buy happiness, and apparently, your daily dopamine fix too!
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SaikiKusu
SaikiKusu Hey, folks! Guess who's back? Yeah, me! I stumbled upon a little surprise on Reddit – someone actually recommended my fanfic! I got a rush of excitement and thought, "Why not continue this wild ride?" But, fair warning, I can't promise to stick around. I'll drop chapters whenever the mood strikes, no schedules allowed. Now, if I start swimming in a sea of super support and maybe a sprinkle of donations, well, you might just see chapters popping out like they're on an assembly line! Remember, money can buy happiness, and apparently, your daily dopamine fix too!
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