"Hosli, senior partner..."


    Tao Yu spent a hundred Yuan Force and easily obtained some junior intelligence on a dojo from the nearby mission hall.


    Although it was only junior intelligence, it already contained some information not circulated in the marketplace.


    According to the intelligence, both Hosli and Liu Yi’s master were from the same school, which theoretically made Tao Yu and Hosli martial brothers. However, the two dojos had a competitive relationship to some extent, so they didn’t exchange much.


    Hosli used to be a senior partner and had a splendid reputation in the Inner City, but hit a snag during an assault mission in the Abyss.


    The details of what happened were not included in the intelligence, but it mentioned that he was seriously injured, even to the extent of damaging his foundation, and had broken limbs.


    Ultimately, he spent all his savings on medical treatment, and his strength was suspected to have been compromised, so he no longer undertook those violent and lethal missions.


    Using the merits of that risky operation, he managed to handle some dojo formalities in the Inner City and started up his dojo vigorously after renting a space.


    "He even suffered injuries, and his strength is suspected to have decreased..."


    Tao Yu had already dismissed Wang Goudan, as it was definitely unnecessary to involve him in this matter.


    He took note of this incident, and would naturally lend a hand in the future wherever possible.


    If the young rich woman started to operate a dojo in the present world, it felt like Wang Goudan’s strength could not be ruled out for potential arrangements.


    For his own family members, given their current strength, it was actually inconvenient to place them in any prominent positions...


    After simply looking into the intelligence this time, even though it was the rough intelligence worth a hundred Yuan Force, Tao Yu had also acquired another very useful piece of information.


    There seemed to be an unwritten agreement among the different legacies of the Myriad Streams Forms.


    They would all control the dissemination of the Myriad Streams Breathing Technique, but when it came to teaching the other forms, it was each on their own skill.


    Apart from this, the several Wanliu Dojos that carried the Myriad Streams legacy both inside and outside the Inner City also had their own methods of competition.


    But the specifics were not elaborated, as this was only rough intelligence.


    "Hey, it seems my previous idea does have practical viability after all. The ’foremost Wanliu Dojo’ master is still recovering from injury, and in a certain sense, I have also entered the Myriad Streams Forms system, which seems applicable..."


    Tao Yu had initially thought to show a hint of his martial prowess and visit for a ’friendly exchange’ to identify his own weaknesses.


    Creating the illusion for the other party that if he won, he could ride on their reputation to also start a dojo, and theoretically, considering the interests at stake, as long as he promised not to establish a Wanliu Dojo, free or discounted learning of other forms should be no issue.


    However, he did not expect that the major sects of the Myriad Streams Forms had some default rules in place already.


    "This is actually to my liking..."


    ...


    The ’foremost Wanliu Dojo’ currently had the most facilities capturing the Myriad Streams Forms legacy in both the Inner and Outer City, and it even held the bottom-line Dragon Form.


    But even the hundred Yuan Force’s rough intelligence had basically confirmed that mastering the Thirteen Forms and merging the unique one is one way to cultivate martial strength without relying on a Breathing Technique.


    Even if one had mastered the Dragon Form, and fused the other forms, reaching the so-called "All Forms Merged," it would still only enhance the ability to activate and control martial strength.


    The limit was the peak of a mid-level partner; relying solely on "All Forms Merged," even reaching lv5, would not be enough to pass the senior partner assessment.


    Without the Breathing Technique, one cannot turn Qi-Blood into a solid mass.


    The most popular items in this dojo were still the basic Five Forms and the advanced Thirteen Forms.


    This was because they could also provide a certain level of assistance to Pioneers with alien implants, and their cost-effectiveness was relatively the highest.


    When Tao Yu, wearing the cloak of a mid-level partner, stepped into the ’foremost Wanliu Dojo’ which occupied the first and second floors of several storefronts, it immediately caught the attention of an exceptionally good-looking service staff member.


    A mid-level partner was definitely considered a high-quality customer with sufficient status to learn.


    The staff approached immediately with a sweet smile,


    Qin Ziru looked handsome in his black robe, which gave him an aura of dignity. He spoke evenly, exuding an air of amiability which suggested that peace was more profitable.


    "I don’t actually like fighting either, but unfortunately I’ve reached a bottleneck, and the martial arts of your esteemed dojo are too expensive for me."


    Tao Yu was neither aggressive nor hasty in his tone.


    This caught Qin Ziru and the other ordinary instructors who had come down to surround Tao Yu off guard.


    What? Are you here to learn skills? And you think our skills are too expensive, so you’ve decided to challenge the dojo?


    What kind of bizarre thought process is that?!


    To put it plainly, their Wanliu Dojo’s ’Thirty-Two Forms’, if bought as a package with the promotional discounts, could be reduced to under three hundred thousand, or even lower.


    A mid-level partner, not to mention the strength required to pass, just to gather enough points from the missions, must complete hundreds of thousands in Yuan Force tasks. That’s the ’guaranteed minimum’!


    Although this sum is indeed huge for many mid-level partners, it’s still more reliable than engaging in dojo challenges.


    Some treatments for tricky injuries are also very costly.


    The dojo has encountered challengers before, but this kind of bizarre excuse was truly a first.


    This made Qin Ziru somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry.


    "This is the first time I’ve heard such a reason. How long has it been since you returned to the Abyss? Or have you absorbed too many skills recently? Forget it, there have always been plenty of madmen..."


    The pollution from the Abyss, skill contamination, hormonal imbalances from implants, and the like of ’joy’, there were plenty of people with mental instabilities. The longer one stayed here, the more one witnessed the diversity of life forms.


    All sorts of strange events occurred daily in the Inner City, and they were not few in number!


    And because of this, law and order in the Inner City was what it was.


    "So, you think that by coming here and challenging our dojo, you will be able to learn skills?"


    Qin Ziru’s lips curled into a smile as he spoke in a somewhat nonchalant manner.


    "Yes, as long as I defeat you all and open a dojo next door, won’t your students come over to my place and pay money? Then I can use that money to come here to learn skills. A win-win situation."


    Tao Yu looked at the students peeking their heads around the stairwell and smiled, waving his hand at them,


    "Don’t forget to come and support me later."


    His words provoked a burst of laughter from the students.


    It was apparent that there were students not yet eighteen years old among them, and coming from families that could afford these skills, they, as consumers, didn’t need to worry too much about the dojo.


    A few of the more excitable onlookers even chimed in,


    "Sure, if you open a dojo next door, we’ll support you."


    "Exactly, you’ve come to challenge us, and if you don’t show something for it, you’d be too cowardly."


    Tao Yu’s subsequent comments, along with the cheeky banter of the students behind him, immediately caused Qin Ziru’s originally smiling face to turn frosty.


    Facing Tao Yu, he couldn’t tell if the kid was genuinely foolish or just pretending to be.


    But regardless, this issue couldn’t just be dropped!


    A dojo challenge was an act that threatened their livelihood, and they would not show mercy in their response!


    "If that’s the case, please come upstairs, and we’ll put on some protective gear."


    "There’s no need for protective gear. I can control my strength."


    Tao Yu looked around and then tilted his head towards Qin Ziru,


    "Let’s just settle it here, shall we? Or do you need to ask your master for permission first, Coach Qin..."