Chapter 169: Abundance of Martial Virtue
"Are you planning to teach swordsmanship?" Yamada's eyes lit up. "That's great! In the past, after Miss Yagyū obtained her plaque, she also needed help. Now, consider it as accumulating experience for the future."
"You're mistaken," Bai Wei raised his hand and unveiled not the Izumi Dojo's signboard, but the signboard of a Sichuan restaurant. "I'm looking at this."
"Ah, well..."
"Hmm?" Bai Wei was taken aback. This place didn't seem like a Sichuan restaurant, but where was the smell of spicy peppers coming from?
"Hmm?" Several boys who were squatting on the ground, eating spicy hot pot, also looked over with their heads tilted.
"Sorry for the interruption." Bai Wei turned around to leave.
"Wait!" A teenager who appeared to be sixteen or seventeen jumped up. "This is the side entrance, you've come to the wrong place. The main entrance is over there! We're just having a small gathering, definitely not stealing food!"
Another teenager grabbed his sleeve. "Quick, bring him over. This person must be here to sign up! If the sensei (master) finds out that we scared people away, we'll have to train until our legs are sore tonight."
Bai Wei hurriedly said, "You've got it wrong. I'm looking for a Sichuan restaurant!"
He took out a flyer from his pocket and unfolded it. "I'm here to apply as a chef..."
When he opened the flyer, there were four big characters that read "Izumi Dojo," along with a picture of a tanned man showing his teeth and giving a thumbs-up with a healthy smile.
"And you said it wasn't!" The three boys chattered. "This is Izumi Dojo right here."
Damn, how can Izumi Dojo and a Sichuan restaurant be in the same building?
Bai Wei looked down at the Sichuan hot pot and then glanced at the three boys.
In that instant, he understood everything. Indeed... only the brave dared to face the mildness of Sichuan cuisine.
There was nothing more satisfying than having a spicy hot pot after exercising. It was all planned out.
Bai Wei wanted to leave, but the three boys eagerly dragged him to the entrance of the dojo, where quite a few people had already gathered.
Not everyone came to sign up; many were just here to join in the fun and take a look. Most of them were young boys and girls, and there were very few adults.
For most people, kendo was only limited to physical fitness and mental training, and it couldn't be used in actual combat.
Bai Wei remembered a news story he had heard before. It was about a young boy who bravely fought against a criminal and took thirty-two stab wounds while performing sixteen sets of military boxing.
You could say it was useless, and indeed it seemed pretty useless. After all, being stabbed thirty-two times, even if you tried to run, you wouldn't necessarily get stabbed that many times.
But if you said it was useful, well, it was indeed useful. After all, despite being stabbed thirty-two times, the person was still alive.
The best time to cultivate interests is during one's youth. Junior high school and high school students are the most suitable age group. If they really intended to sign up, there would definitely be parents accompanying them. Even if they just wanted to watch and experience kendo, it would be enough to pay a small amount of pocket money.
Boys may come because they think kendo is cool, and girls may come because of the boys. In fact...there are indeed more girls than boys.
In elementary school, boys who could run fast were popular. In junior high school, boys who could fight were popular. In high school, boys who were academically excellent or had skills were popular.
The gender ratio is not balanced.
Bai Wei, as an adult, seemed somewhat outstanding among a group of teenagers. The girl responsible for reception immediately noticed him, her eyes sparkling.
She seemed to lick her lips. It's unclear whether she was trying to ease her nervousness or if it meant something else.
"This person came with flyers." Three boys took out the flyers. "He deliberately came here."
"Hello, I'm Yuzi, the receptionist at Izumi Dojo. Are you here to experience kendo or to register?" The receptionist asked straightforwardly.
...I'm here to apply for the position of Sichuan cuisine chef.
Bai Wei could already see the Sichuan restaurant, bustling with customers, right across from Izumi Dojo. He hoped he hadn't entered the wrong place or picked up the wrong flyer.
However, to put it in the words of the Night Hunter, the die is cast.
There's no way around it. Since I'm already at the dojo, I can't miss the opportunity to learn the true essence of the Ippukugan style, right?
"I'm here to apply," Bai Wei said. "As a representative of the dojo."
Yuzi blinked in surprise and exclaimed, "You also practice kendo?" She then reached out and squeezed Bai Wei's arm. "Oh my, you're quite strong!"
Bai Wei hesitated, wanting to say something but kept quiet.
You're taking advantage of me like this. It wouldn't be fair if you didn't pay.
"Ahem!" With so many people watching, Yuzi didn't feel comfortable making too many physical tests to see how brave the other person was. After coughing, she asked, "May I ask what style you practice and where you've trained?"
"I studied for three years in Foshan and spent two years in Tianjin. Initially, I started at the Youth Palace, then moved to the National Martial Arts Dojo. The style I practice is Pigan."
"???" Yuzi was stunned for a moment, but fortunately, she also practiced kendo and had some knowledge. She had watched international tournaments and knew about a series of competitions in the Ming Country, such as Kirin, Grandmaster, War Saint, and the Peak of Forbidden Purple. She asked, "Are you...?"
"I'm from the Ming Country." Bai Wei bowed and saluted with a fist.
Yuzi was speechless and thought to herself, "Are you here to challenge us?"
"This is a kendo dojo."
"I can do that too," Bai Wei said. "As for styles, I have some knowledge of Hokusinn Itto-ryu and Mugen Shinmyō-ryū."
"That's good to hear." Yuzi breathed a sigh of relief. "Here, we teach Shinkendo and Hokusinn Itto-ryu."
"Can you teach multiple styles together?" One of the older teenagers asked proactively.
"Of course, as long as you have the necessary licenses from the respective dojos," Yuzi explained, then turned to Bai Wei. "If you want to be a representative, you can directly join if you have the required licenses..."
"I don't have them," Bai Wei shook his head. "Is there any other way?"
"We can only try it out in real combat," Yuzi suggested. "Luckily, Izumi Dojo's representative is here, and he has the required licenses for Shinkendo."
Receiving all necessary licenses is the highest level in a style, reaching this level means one can establish their own dojo and take on disciples.
"Sure." Bai Wei didn't mind at all. It was just a real combat test, and he knew that the ultimate technique of Hokusinn Itto-ryu was drawing the sword.
"No spears or hidden weapons allowed," Yuzi interrupted.
"?" Bai Wei was puzzled. How did she know what he was thinking?
"The head family of Izumi Dojo practices Hokusinn Itto-ryu," Yuzi said, with a polite yet embarrassed smile.
...It seems that Hokusinn Itto-ryu's combat techniques can be quite dirty. She realized this deep down as an insider.
"It's not to that extent," Bai Wei shook his head. "In the Ming Country, martial arts emphasizes martial virtue, using virtue to conquer others. I possess abundant martial virtue, so there's no need to worry."
Martial virtue means fighting until the opponent surrenders. I can strike to kill, but I won't go that far. I'll fight until you're afraid.
In this way, martial virtue would become strong, very strong indeed.
Xiaoyu smiled knowingly, "I'll go inform them."
After waiting for three minutes, a robust man in kendo attire, without any grooming, arrived in front of Bai Wei, glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think it's necessary to fight, he's just overestimating himself."
Xiaoyu frowned, "Daimon Shihan, that's too impolite."
The robust man smirked, he didn't have any courtesy for those who came to snatch his position. If they wanted to be a Shihan, they had to at least be on par with him.
Bai Wei noticed his arrival and an exclamation mark of hostility appeared above his head.
[No style, overall level eleven]
Bai Wei's expression gradually became playful.
