"Yes, sir! I mean, Master!" Huang Liang replied instantly, his voice snapping with a discipline he didn't quite feel.
But as the words left his mouth, a delayed reaction kicked in. He blinked, looking at Huang Wen, then at the floating Gwen Stacy. Wait, why was he suddenly the designated babysitter for a girl who had just tried to dropkick the most powerful man in New York?
Huang Wen didn't say a word, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a mocking, knowing grin that said more than a ten-minute lecture ever could. Seeing that look, Huang Liang felt a sudden, intense heat rush into his cheeks. He quickly averted his eyes, pretending to be very interested in the wood grain of the floorboards, though his heart was hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
"What? Aren't you going to catch her?" Huang Wen's voice didn't fill the room; it was a private transmission, a sliver of sound that vibrated only in Huang Liang's ears.
Before Huang Liang could even process the tease, he saw Huang Wen subtly withdraw the telekinetic pressure. The invisible platform that had been holding Gwen Stacy vanished into thin air. Gravity reclaimed its prize, and Gwen began to fall straight toward the hard floor.
"Whoa!" Huang Liang didn't think; his body moved on pure instinct. He took two swift steps forward, his arms reaching out.
Oomph.
He caught her mid-air, a perfect bridal carry that looked like something out of a classic romance movie. Gwen's hood was still down, and for a second, they were just two teenagers staring at each other in the quiet of the martial arts hall.
"Are you... are you alright?" Huang Liang asked, his face now a shade of crimson that rivaled Peter's costume. He tried to sound stern to hide his nerves. "Now do you get it? Do you finally see how powerful the Master is? You can't just go around kicking people, Gwen!"
Gwen, who was usually the most composed person in any room, looked a bit dazed. The feeling of losing control of her own limbs had been terrifying, but the sudden transition to being held was... different. She nodded quickly, her eyes wide. "I'm fine. I... I won't be that careless again. I promise. No more surprise attacks."
"Uh, why are you guys still holding that pose?"
The voice of Peter Parker shattered the moment like a brick through a window. Peter was standing a few feet away, tilting his head with a look of genuine confusion. "I mean, she's on the ground level now, Liang. You can let go. Is this part of the training?"
Huang Liang jumped as if he'd been electrocuted. "Cough! Right! Of course!" He practically dropped Gwen, letting her feet hit the floor with an unceremonious thud. He stood there, frozen, his hands stuffed awkwardly into his pockets as he stared at the ceiling. "I was just... checking for injuries. Standard procedure."
"Mind your own business, Peter!" Gwen snapped, glaring at the boy in the red-and-blue rags. She had actually felt quite safe in Huang Liang's arms—there was a strange, grounded energy to him—but Peter's big mouth had turned the whole thing into an 'incident.' "The second we get back to school, I'm finding Mary Jane. I think she'd love to hear about how much you enjoy 'teaming up' with girls in tight white suits."
"I didn't do anything!" Peter shrieked, his voice hitting a pitch only dogs could hear. "We were fighting a lizard! It was a professional collaboration! Liang, tell her! Tell her I was being professional!"
Huang Liang didn't say a word. Instead, his eyes lit up as he processed Gwen's threat. He looked at her, then back at the sweating Peter, and a small, secretive smile played on his lips. He realized he finally had a bit of leverage over the talkative Spider-Man.
"Alright, enough drama," Huang Wen interrupted, his voice turning serious. The playful atmosphere evaporated instantly. He looked at his disciple, his gaze piercing. "Liang, what did you actually learn out there today? Aside from how to catch a teammate?"
Huang Liang straightened up, his embarrassment fading into the focus of a martial artist. "I realized that the Sunflower Acupuncture Point Tapping technique has a major flaw when dealing with non-human biology. The Lizard's anatomy is too chaotic. The pressure points aren't where they should be, and his regeneration is so aggressive that the 'lock' doesn't hold."
He paused, his expression darkening. "Also, I was reckless with my inner energy. I dumped too much into that one strike before I knew if it would actually end the fight. If Gwen hadn't pulled me out, the Lizard's tail would have finished me while I was stuck. I relied too much on raw power and not enough on tactical conservation."
Huang Wen nodded slowly. "The martial arts I've given you aren't just for 'winning' fights, Liang. The Acupuncture strike is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. And 'Walking Without a Footprint in the Snow' is for self-defense and positioning. But you... in every single battle, you have this urge to charge in and trade blows like a brawler."
"But Master," Huang Liang said hesitantly, his eyes sparking with a hidden fire. "I like the feeling of the close-quarter exchange. The 'hidden' stuff is great, but is there nothing you can teach me for the front lines? Something that lets me stand my ground?"
Huang Wen chuckled. "Most of the advanced techniques require you to reach the Xiantian—the Innate—realm first. Your current level is... unique. You're strong, but you're still bridging the gap between a human and something more. I could teach you the Ice and Fire Palm that I gave to John, if you're interested?"
Huang Liang shook his head immediately. "John's technique is impressive, but today showed me that elemental power isn't enough against a high-tier regenerator. The Ice and Fire would just be more energy I'd have to manage. I'd rather spend that time pushing for the Xiantian realm."
"Good answer," Huang Wen said, his smile widening. "Since you're so determined, I'll give you a goal. When you break through to the Xiantian level, I will teach you the Rulai Shenzhang—the Buddha's Palm. After that, you won't have to choose between close combat and distance. You will be the battlefield."
"Rulai Shenzhang?!" Huang Liang's jaw dropped. He remembered seeing a blurred recording of Huang Wen once leveling a mountain ridge with a single, golden palm strike. "The one where you flattened the enemy against the mountain? That palm?"
"That's the one. Now, get some rest. You've earned it," Huang Wen said, waving them off. "And try not to fail that chemistry quiz tomorrow."
While the teenagers were dreaming of golden palms and school bells, Nick Fury was sitting in a darkened room at a classified SHIELD facility, his one good eye fixed on a blinking pager on the desk.
He'd been waiting for hours. Based on his data, Carol Danvers could cross lightyears in the time it took him to make a sandwich. So why was she taking so long to get to New York?
Snap.
The air in the room suddenly ionized, and a golden glow filled the space. Captain Marvel materialized beside his chair, her suit still humming with the residual energy of trans-atmospheric travel.
"You're finally back," Fury said, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Having her on the planet made the world feel a little less like a powder keg. "What took you so long? Did you stop for a burger on the way?"
"I took the scenic route," Carol said, her voice calm but carrying a strange edge. "I thought you called me because the planet was being invaded again. But honestly, Nick, Earth looks... surprisingly handled. Though I did see some interesting things on my way in."
She paced the small room, her boots clicking on the metal floor. "There are some kids out there playing with spider-webs. A man in a high-tech suit who talks too much. But then... I saw someone else. A man who isn't like the others. He's powerful. Even by galactic standards, his energy is focused. He's not a god, and he's not a machine, but he's definitely the top of the food chain here."
Nick Fury's heart did a slow, painful somersault in his chest. A cold, oily premonition began to seep into his mind. He looked at Carol, a forced, tight smile on his face.
"This person you saw..." Fury started, his voice a bit raspy. "The one who's 'powerful enough'... he wouldn't happen to be a young man in a Chinese-style martial arts hall, would he? Tall, dark hair, looks like he could kill you with a look?"