Chapter 122: Tai Chi (Part 2)
Bang!
After a fierce exchange, the two figures paused slightly, then quickly separated, each standing firm in a standoff.
The two had very different expressions.
Bang looked at Wu Jian with a face full of shock and doubt. What was that move the kid just used? Why did it feel like my attack sank into the sea like a stone, with the resistance getting stronger the deeper it went? It was also like punching cotton; that soft, yielding feeling made him almost want to vomit blood. What a strange martial art.
Wu Jian, on the other hand, was stunned. That move I just used instinctively was... Wild Horse's Parting Mane? Yes, this is a move I just learned from that nameless person who calls himself King. Wait a minute, how could his slow, soft boxing style possibly block Bang? Did I miss something?
He frowned deeply, lost in thought. What did that guy say... use slow to beat fast, use soft to overcome hard, borrow strength to strike with strength, four ounces deflect a thousand pounds, the cleverness lies in neutralizing and borrowing force... and moves like "Wild Horse's Parting Mane," "Strike Opponent's Ears with Both Fists"... Tai Chi emphasizes forgetting emotions and self, where having no move is superior to having moves...
At some point, a sharp glint flashed in his dazed eyes. So that's how it is. "No moves" doesn't mean having no moves, but having no fixed moves. One can improvise a move at any time based on the opponent's attack, counter-attacking quickly and gaining the upper hand by striking second.
He seemed to have grasped a sliver of martial arts inspiration.
Unfortunately, time waits for no one, and Bang wasn't a fool who would stupidly wait for him to comprehend the ultimate principles of martial arts.
"Wu Jian, if you continue to be so stubborn, don't blame this old man for being merciless."
Bang gave Wu Jian, who had fallen into an epiphany, a deep look. This guy's martial arts talent is astonishingly high. He learns through battle, growing stronger with each fight. If he were a good person with a righteous heart, it would be a great thing for the martial arts world. But unfortunately, this guy has killed over a dozen martial arts masters in just a few years and is a heinous wanted criminal. In that case, the higher his martial talent, the greater the danger he poses to the world.
This person cannot be allowed to live.
"Wu Jian, it's time for you to pay the price for your actions."
Bang shouted, then pressed forward. His hands shot out, swift as dragons, his entire aura sharp and fierce, like surging waves crashing against the shore, moving forward relentlessly.
Clearly, Bang was no longer holding back this time, vowing to take down Wu Jian, this disgrace to the martial arts world.
Bang!
In the face of Bang's attack, Wu Jian didn't have many thoughts. He had entered a profound and mysterious state, commonly known as an epiphany. In this state of epiphany, his mind was clear and empty, and all his martial arts responses were driven by instinct.
This time, Wu Jian's moves were even more unpredictable and profound, untraceable and free-flowing. He was no longer confined to specific forms; every gesture was a brilliant move, and every action was filled with deep meaning.
The more Bang fought, the more shocked he became. He felt that some of the opponent's moves were familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he'd seen them. He couldn't help but attack with even more force, displaying his full power. His attacks were sometimes like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, rolling in endlessly; sometimes like surging waves crashing on the shore, powerful and majestic; and sometimes like lightning and thunder, swift as the wind, leaving behind a flurry of afterimages.
Even though Wu Jian was in a state of epiphany, the gap in their strength created an uncrossable chasm between them. Although he could gain the upper hand for a moment, he ultimately couldn't maintain it for long.
Bang! Pfft!
As expected, with one careless move, Wu Jian was struck by Bang's fist. He was instantly snapped out of his state of epiphany, sent flying backward, spitting fresh blood, and collapsing on the ground with a listless expression.
"Truly worthy of being a grandmaster of a generation. I'm still lacking, after all."
Wu Jian sat on the ground, staring blankly at Bang who was retracting his fist, and smiled bitterly.
Bang felt no joy in his victory. He frowned and said, "You... what was that boxing style you were just using?" That strange style seemed familiar.
Wu Jian's gaze shifted to King, who was nibbling on melon seeds, and said softly, "Tai Chi."
"Tai Chi?"
Bang and King were startled at the same time.
Bang's gaze instantly shot towards the melon-seed-nibbling King, his eyes burning. If he recalled correctly, King had been practicing Tai Chi for the past few days since coming up the mountain!
King almost dropped the melon seeds in his hand. Seeing Wu Jian use Tai Chi with such mastery that he could fight almost evenly with Bang, he felt that in his own hands, Tai Chi was a worthless clay pot for rotten vegetables. But in the other's hands, it became an antique worth a fortune. This was just... fucking bullshit.
Wu Jian struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and staggered towards King. Then, his knees went weak, and he knelt on the ground. "This junior thanks Senior for teaching me this supreme martial art. Before, I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai, and offended you greatly. I ask for your forgiveness."
"Heh heh."
King let out a faint, melancholy laugh. This plot development was just asking for mockery.
"You're saying King taught you Tai Chi?"
Bang's eyes widened, ten thousand alpacas galloping through his heart. This old man saw King practicing Tai Chi long ago, but I didn't see the profundity in it, letting Wu Jian get there first. He felt the loneliness of "I'm getting old."
"Senior didn't mind this junior's repeated offenses and taught me patiently. This junior feels ashamed to have received it."
Wu Jian recalled how, when King was teaching him Tai Chi earlier, his face was full of disdain, and he would periodically make sarcastic or disruptive comments. Yet King never got angry, patiently explaining Tai Chi bit by bit, like a magnanimous elder earnestly teaching a stubborn disciple, never giving up on him because of his many flaws.
At this thought, he felt even more ashamed. This was the bearing a true grandmaster should have.
King's face was full of confusion. How did spreading a bit of traditional Chinese culture suddenly make him a grandmaster? Heh heh.
Bang looked at King with turbulent emotions. King knows martial arts! King fucking actually knows martial arts!
He commanded Wu Jian without room for doubt, "Wu Jian, explain the mysteries of Tai Chi." No more "this old man" attitude, no more selfishness.
Wu Jian looked to King for permission. King curled his lip. "Tai Chi belongs to everyone." *Yes, hurry up and explain, so I can secretly learn along with you.*
Wu Jian understood instantly and sighed softly, "Actually, this junior has only scratched the surface. Tai Chi is like water. Water has no constant form, and neither does Tai Chi. It emphasizes adapting to circumstances, letting things happen naturally..."
If what King said were the general principles of Tai Chi, then what Wu Jian was explaining were his insights into the details. The general principles are vague and elusive, hard to grasp, whereas insights can speed up everyone's comprehension, allowing them to understand Tai Chi more quickly.
After Wu Jian finished speaking, Bang's expression was truly a sight to behold. The emergence of Tai Chi had subverted traditional martial arts concepts, as if opening the door to a new world, immersing one in it, unable to pull away.
"Hoo... Tai Chi... It's wonderful beyond words."
After a long moment, Bang came back to his senses. He looked at King with a complicated expression. He had originally planned to take King as his disciple, and had even questioned King's strength in the days that followed. But now, the other party had displayed an unparalleled understanding of the martial way, enough to be his own martial arts master. What else could he say?
Could King be a fake? If someone said that, Wu Jian's own skill would be a Tai Chi slap to their face. Could a fake create such a legendary martial art?
Taking King as a disciple was even more of a joke. The man had already established his own school of thought. What qualifications did he, someone who just parrots the wisdom of his predecessors, have to teach him? By pulling rank with his old age?
Sigh, this old man's heart is sore! After practicing martial arts for most of my life, I can't compare to these two young lads before me. I've wasted all these years; it's like I've lived my life as a dog.
(end of chapter)