(Act 1: Beginning)Chapter 6: Shattered nightmares

Zou Fan got up from his bed and looked at himself in the mirror. He realized that he hadn't looked at himself in a while. His beard and hair were all over the place, and on top of that, his muscles had bulked up even more due to long training sessions. He laughed at himself. Thanks to martial arts, one of the best things in his life, he had become a healthier and stronger person. After splashing some water on his face and washing it, he started to prepare to go to the training hall. Since it was early in the morning, the prison corridors were quiet. Zou Fan liked walking alone in the corridors. It was a good opportunity to organize his thoughts. When he arrived at the training hall, a surprise awaited him. In the middle of the hall, a young man was practicing and noticed Zou Fan and stopped quickly. "Did another prisoner come?" Zou Fan thought. "But why is he practicing here?" The young man approached Zou Fan and shook his hand. "Hi, I'm Li. They told me you're my teacher. Will you work with me?" Zou Fan was surprised. His student? He had never thought such a thing was possible. However, looking at the young man's confident attitude and strong posture, it wouldn't be wrong to say that he was Zou Fan's new student. Zou Fan thought for a while and then nodded his head to make his decision. He wouldn't take on any students, he would focus on himself and work to become stronger. He would set himself a high goal and work towards it with all his might. A few minutes later, Zou Fan went to the training hall and started working out. He had a tough and intense workout as usual. But this time, he had a goal in mind and was putting in more effort for it. At the end of the workout, Zou Fan was sweating, but he felt stronger. He was now faster, stronger, and more skilled. He was doing this for himself, and it gave him great satisfaction. Zou Fan took a shower and then put on his clothes. When he saw himself in the mirror again, he realized he felt more confident and stronger. He had never felt this good before. Before returning to his bed, Zou Fan set his goal. He wanted to be the best martial artist, and he would do everything in his power to achieve it. He decided to look for challenging opponents to challenge himself and improve every day. Then Zou Fan had a terrible dream. He saw his mother being raped and brutally murdered, and he woke up in cold sweat. All of his emotions felt shattered...