"The scope of your arm swing should be minimal; after pressing the water, your arms should come together, almost like a gesture of prayer."

The young man explaining the technique was of medium height with a well-built physique, the clear result of consistent fitness training. A vivid azure dragon was tattooed across his back, and the gold chain around his neck was as thick as a little finger.

"Beauty, Niu Zi used to be a swimming instructor—he’s seriously skilled. You should learn a lot from him."

The young man chiming in was short and sturdy, with a dark complexion and a flat nose, his expression lending him a distinctly frivolous air. A tiger's head, the size of a palm, was inked onto his left shoulder.

"Heh, I'm no certified coach, just a part-timer," the young man nicknamed Niu Zi laughed, turning to Qi Fei. "This is my buddy, Di Lei. We swim here often. What should I call you, miss? Are you here alone?"

"I came with a friend, just for a casual swim. No need to trouble you," Qi Fei offered a polite smile, shifting half a step to create space between them, then bent over and slipped into the water.

These two young men didn't look like the type she wanted to associate with; Qi Fei simply wanted to keep her distance.

The two exchanged a look; Niu Zi tilted his head, Di Lei understood, and both dove into the water, following her.

Most people playing in the shallow end were parents with children or couples. Their movements lacked any set pattern. Before Qi Fei had swum far, her path was blocked by a little boy paddling doggy-style, forcing her to surface.

Niu Zi immediately surfaced about a meter away, wiped his face, and smiled at her. "Too many kids here; you can't really swim. You should head to the deep end. I’ll look out for you; it won’t be dangerous."

Di Lei also drifted closer. "Yeah, pretty girl, why don't we get acquainted and become friends?"

Qi Fei smiled and shook her head. Seeing this, Niu Zi's impatience began to show. Just as he was about to speak, a calm voice interrupted him.

"Sister Qi, come up for a soda."

Niu Zi and Di Lei turned to look. On the edge of the pool stood three boys who looked to be of high school age. One was so pale and fat he resembled a grub; another was so skinny he barely had pectoral muscles. The one in the middle possessed a perfectly sculpted, lean musculature, and he was the one who had spoken, his gaze fixed on the two men with a distinct mix of caution and warning.

Qi Fei responded affirmatively, maneuvering around the two men and walking over. She had been wanting to shake off those persistent fellows, and Wang Zhuo’s arrival was perfectly timed.

Having just been firmly rebuffed by the young woman, and now having some student sticking his nose in, Niu Zi’s simmering anger flared up. He spat forcefully into the water, glaring sharply at Wang Zhuo, and sneered, "Kid, where are you from?"

Wang Zhuo spared him a contemptuous glance. Guys who got a tattoo and immediately thought they were triad members were beneath Wang Zhuo’s notice; he couldn't even be bothered to speak to them.

That one look instantly enraged the pair. Di Lei pointed at Wang Zhuo and started cursing, "Damn it, you little punk, you looking for a fight?!"

Wang Zhuo’s expression immediately turned cold. He beckoned toward Di Lei and said, "If you have the guts, come up here and say that."

"You little bastard, you wait!"

Di Lei and Niu Zi turned and headed toward the pool ladder. The water here was about 1.4 meters deep; they could have easily walked to the edge and climbed out. But Wang Zhuo and his friends were standing above them, looking down. Climbing out that way would not only put them at a disadvantage in terms of posture but also risk them being kicked back into the pool mid-climb.

Qi Fei was pulled out of the water by Wang Zhuo, her voice laced with concern. "Wang Zhuo, let's leave quickly, okay?"

Fat Dragon chuckled darkly. "Sis, it’s fine. Coach Wang handling two of them is no problem. Besides, we’re here too."

Sun Donghao nodded immediately. Qi Fei surveyed the pair, not holding out much hope for their fighting prowess.

Wang Zhuo casually shook his wrists, smiling. "It's alright, Sister Qi, watch how I educate them."

Across the pool, Niu Zi and Di Lei climbed out and immediately began marching around the edge toward Wang Zhuo's location. Midway, Di Lei yelled loudly into the pool, "Da Yu, Tie Dan, get up here! We’re fighting!"

Two young men instantly swam to the edge, where Niu Zi and Di Lei each grabbed one and hauled them out.

"Where are they? Who are we fighting?"

"Where is he?"

"Who are we hitting?"

One of the newcomers was short, skinny, and dark as charcoal; the other was nearly 1.9 meters tall, built like he’d been fed growth serum, with no excess fat beneath skin that seemed to bulge with explosive power.

"Over there—three of them, and a woman!"

"Let's go! We’ll crush these brats."

"Hey, hey, wait up! We’re coming too!"

Two more women were pulled out of the pool, and the group of six strode forward with a menacing air.

This display immediately alerted the swimming center’s lifeguards, instructors, and security guards. The other patrons stopped playing; both those on the deck and in the water stood up, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.

Seeing that the opposition had not only added two more people but one of them was a monstrously muscular man, Wang Zhuo’s eyes shone with a burning light. His adrenaline surged, his sympathetic nervous system excited, and his fighting spirit blazed.

Fat Dragon also clenched his fists tightly, showing no trace of fear. Sun Donghao’s eyes flickered as he rapidly calculated options; he excelled at solving problems with intellect, and physical confrontation was not his strength.

Qi Fei’s palms were slick with sweat. She hadn't anticipated things escalating so suddenly and rapidly. Just as she was about to rush forward to stop them, Wang Zhuo grabbed her arm.

Placing himself between her and the approaching group, Wang Zhuo turned back to her with a relaxed smile. "Stay back a bit, watch me."

Just as Qi Fei was about to struggle, Fat Dragon's mountain-like body positioned itself beside Wang Zhuo, and he grinned at him. "I'll tackle that big guy and drag him into the water. You handle the other three. How about that?"

That tactic was certainly creative. Wang Zhuo couldn't help but laugh wryly. "You want to have a breath-holding contest with him?"

"Exactly," Fat Dragon boasted, puffing out his chest. "On land, I can’t beat him. But in the water, with my weight, I’ll drown him."

As they were speaking, Sun Donghao suddenly snatched a mop bucket used for cleaning, and with a loud whoosh, he splashed the water onto the tiled floor in front of Wang Zhuo.

The sudden rinse made the tile surface shine brilliantly; anyone moving too fast on it would certainly slip.

Fat Dragon let out a yell. "Damn it, look at Hao Zi—that kid is treacherous!"

Wang Zhuo nodded, saying to Sun Donghao, "Good job. You stay back a little."

Sun Donghao acknowledged this and retreated; his fighting ability was less than a fraction of Wang Zhuo's, so it was better for him to stay back and provide flexible support.

"Wang Zhuo..." Qi Fei pulled hard on his arm but found her strength utterly incapable of moving him.

"Young man, you should run quickly. Those kids are connected; you can't afford to mess with them," a middle-aged man advised quietly from the pool behind them before submerging and swimming away.

"Those boys are going to have a tough time. Anyone who swims here knows Da Yu; you don't cross him."

"Last week, some kid splashed Da Yu’s girlfriend while diving, and they knocked out his two front teeth."

"This time it must be because of Niu Zi, that pervert. Didn't you see? That beautiful woman was standing with those three guys just now."

"Serves her right, coming to swim dressed like that. Isn't that asking for trouble?"

The swimmers murmured amongst themselves. Wang Zhuo's side was universally regarded as doomed; getting beaten up seemed a foregone conclusion.

With the two groups still about ten meters apart and conflict imminent, the swimming center management finally intervened.

"Beep—"

"Whistle—"

The security guards’ whistles and the lifeguards’ calls sounded almost simultaneously. Several security guards rushed forward to stand between the two groups, and the lifeguards jogged over, ready to assist in maintaining order.

The muscular man didn't hesitate. He pointed directly at the lead security guard. "Ma Dongsheng, move aside. Those punks aren't respecting my brother. I’m going to fight them right now!"

The guard raised his right hand, blocking the pointed finger. "Da Yu, you can take this up outside. Fighting inside the facility is absolutely forbidden."

"I can't hold back! I'm going to fight him now!" Niu Zi snarled, lunging forward, clutching a steel mop handle in his hand.

Two security guards immediately grabbed him. The lead guard slapped Da Yu’s hand away and said sternly, "Da Yu, if you insist on fighting here, don't say I didn't warn you. You know how my boss gets!"

The short, dark, and skinny Tie Dan hastily pulled Da Yu back, whispering, "Let's fight outside. There are too many people here. If a fight breaks out, who will dare come swimming later? The pool owner won't allow it."

Da Yu paused; he understood that logic. For small-time toughs like him, the only favor they had was free entry. If they caused trouble that seriously disrupted someone else's business, it would bring trouble onto themselves.

"Niu Zi!" Di Lei called out. "Let's go change clothes and wait for them outside!"

Niu Zi reluctantly dropped the mop handle, pointing at Wang Zhuo's group. "I’ll be waiting for you outside! If you have guts, stay in this swimming pool and don't come out!"

One of the women also pointed at Qi Fei and cursed, "And you, look at your face! I’ll be waiting for you outside!"

After issuing their threats, Niu Zi and the other five swaggered away.

The head guard, Ma Dongsheng, walked up to Wang Zhuo, sizing him up before saying coldly, "You better start thinking about who to call for backup. Call your people now."

Wang Zhuo nodded, then countered, "Will they call backup?"

Ma Dongsheng sneered, returning the question, "Do you think they feel the need to?"

Wang Zhuo chuckled lightly. "Then we have no need to call anyone either."

Ma Dongsheng paused, then gave a cold, dismissive shake of his head before turning and walking away with his men.

In his view, if someone was determined to seek death, no one could stop them; they were beyond saving. . . . . .

For a fantasy cultivation novel, I recommend Eternal Creation. If you feel the current word count is too short, feel free to bookmark it for now.