Chapter 45: Drop Out

Zheng Fa could never have guessed that the Lady had logically yet absurdly deduced from his mastery of the Spirit Crane Body that a Nascent Soul True Person lurked behind him.

Now his problem was that the old man behind him—White Old Man—had grown tired of studying.

No, he wanted to drop out.

One evening, after tutoring Tang Lingwumin, he suddenly said to Zheng Fa: “Little Zheng, I probably won’t have time to practice martial arts anymore.”

White Old Man’s progress in martial arts was too slow, yielding no visible results, so his enthusiasm naturally waned day by day.

Zheng Fa had been watching all along and had long anticipated this day.

Looking at White Old Man, Tang Lingwumin couldn’t help but suspect: “Grandpa Bai, you’re giving up because martial arts is too tiring and painful, right?”

“Giving up?” White Old Man retorted firmly: “I have other important matters—I’m too busy to spare time! Don’t you understand? Important people are always occupied!”

“What important matter could a retired person possibly have?” Tang Lingwumin clearly didn’t believe him.

“Don’t you dare doubt it!” White Old Man lifted his head: “Just the other day, someone from Beijing University Press called me, waiting for my new book!”

Upon hearing this, both Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwumin were slightly startled.

“You’re still writing books? I never heard you mention it before.”

“Do you think I’d brag to you two kids?” White Old Man sneered: “I’m retired, old and useless, but they’re begging me to write!”

Hearing this, Tang Lingwumin grew suspicious: “What kind of book are you writing?”

At this, White Old Man sighed: “You don’t know—some university textbooks were written back in the last century. They’re not bad, and they were penned by great scholars. But now people realize: hmm? They could be written better, and some new knowledge hasn’t been updated.”

“So you’re writing a textbook for Beijing University?”

Tang Lingwumin’s tone grew reverent.

“Just one. Just one book,” White Old Man waved his hand modestly: “It’s not an important book at all—just that they’re pushing me hard, and honestly, I really don’t have time!”

Seeing he wasn’t bluffing, Zheng Fa began to view the old man with new respect.

“So it’s not that I gave up martial arts—I simply have no time,” White Old Man explained again. “When I think of those students still learning outdated textbooks, starving for knowledge, my heart burns with anxiety—I can’t even sleep!”

Hearing this, Tang Lingwumin glanced at Zheng Fa, a hint of worry creeping into her eyes.

Sure enough, White Old Man turned to Zheng Fa: “Little Zheng, if you have questions in the future, come to my house on weekends. I’ll spare one or two hours to explain them to you. As for topology and such, you don’t need it yet—learning it after the college entrance exam won’t hurt.”

Tang Lingwumin opened her mouth as if to speak, but didn’t know how to phrase it.

Zheng Fa nodded, yet held no resentment toward White Old Man.

Zheng Fa had truly benefited from White Old Man’s private tutoring for a while. Though he hadn’t yet grasped university-level topology, he felt he’d gained far deeper insight into the college entrance exam math topics.

As for White Old Man… he’d practiced the Pine Crane Stance for some time, yet achieved absolutely nothing.

In truth, he was the one who’d gained the advantage.

As for White Old Man’s current change, one reason was certainly the lack of positive feedback from martial arts practice.

The other reason was that Zheng Fa was learning too slowly.

Disciples choose masters, and masters choose disciples—this principle was even stronger in the Xuanwei Realm.

White Old Man had taught the brightest students of Beijing University; seeing Zheng Fa’s slow progress, his disdain was only natural.

Moreover, he hadn’t meant any harm—in his view, Zheng Fa’s main task was the college entrance exam, not learning topology from him.

Zheng Fa actually felt a touch of gratitude: White Old Man inviting him over on weekends was a gesture of genuine goodwill, especially since the old man now had nothing to gain from him.

Seeing Zheng Fa nod calmly, Tang Lingwumin exhaled softly—then, as if noticing something, fixed her gaze on Zheng Fa’s face, her expression deeply puzzled.

“Why are you staring at Zheng Fa?” Seeing her fixed stare, White Old Man bristled, frowning:

“He… looks different?”

White Old Man squinted, scanning Zheng Fa up and down, seeing nothing unusual: “No change. One nose, two eyes.”

“You’re too nearsighted to see anything,” Tang Lingwumin ignored him, staring intently at Zheng Fa: “Zheng Fa, what skincare have you been using lately?”

Zheng Fa knew this was Tang Lingwumin noticing the changes after his mastery of the Spirit Crane Body.

“I’ve made some progress in martial arts.”

He explained to Tang Lingwumin.

“Martial arts!” Tang Lingwumin’s mouth opened in surprise—she hadn’t expected this answer.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought…” Tang Lingwumin glanced at White Old Man, who was rummaging for his reading glasses: “you were just fooling Grandpa Bai.”

White Old Man, now wearing his reading glasses, leaned close to Zheng Fa’s face, scrutinizing him as if conducting a scientific study.

“Can you see the change?” Tang Lingwumin asked.

“No!” White Old Man replied.

“Then why did you stare so long?”

“I don’t know what he looked like before—how could I spot any change?” White Old Man replied confidently: “Unlike you, a girl who stares at boys all day!”

“….”

“So you’re saying you mastered a martial art, and your skin improved?”

Tang Lingwumin, as if ignoring the old man, turned curiously to Zheng Fa.

“Yes. One morning, I woke up feeling like I’d shed a layer of skin.”

“And the longevity claim—was that true too?” Tang Lingwumin’s eyes shone brighter than ever.

“Of course it’s true. Do you think I lied to you?” Zheng Fa asked her, then turned to White Old Man: “Do you think I was lying to you too?”

Both nodded in unison.

“Then why are you still practicing?”

“It’s just… retired boredom. Practicing for fun.”

White Old Man chuckled awkwardly.

“So amazing…” Tang Lingwumin extended a finger, as if to prod Zheng Fa’s face, then stopped.

“Wait—you two really see me as this kind of person?”

Zheng Fa felt slightly annoyed.

Had these two been playing house with him all along?

“There are too many scammers on short videos.”

Both smiled apologetically at Zheng Fa.

“Now do you believe me?”

“Believe! Believe! Believe!” Both nodded frantically, eyes glued to Zheng Fa’s face.

After a moment, White Old Man’s expression turned awkward: “Little Zheng… I want to practice martial arts again.”

“Want to practice again?”

“Yes!”

“But aren’t you busy writing your book?”

“Busy? I’m not busy! I’m a retired old man—no one cares anymore!”

“But you’re writing a book!”

“I can write slowly.”

Zheng Fa slowly shook his head: “That won’t do—your students are starving for it every day.”

“Let them starve—they won’t die!” White Old Man didn’t care: “What am I? Not some great mathematician. Do I really think I’m that important? My book’s so stiff, I’d rather use it to wipe my ass. It’s not important, not important!”

Zheng Fa couldn’t bear to look at the old man’s sycophantic face and turned to Tang Lingwumin.

Tang Lingwumin pushed the unopened milk tea toward Zheng Fa with one finger.

“?”

“I want to learn too,” Tang Lingwumin said, her eyes glowing with a rare intensity: “I’ll buy you milk tea from now on.”