Truth Revealed

Nalan Qing had regained his serious expression by then. Taking the registration form from Li Congxin again, he gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I got you wrong just now. Since you're here to learn martial arts, we shouldn't waste any more time. I'll explain the techniques taught in the elite class at Nalan Martial Arts School."

Nalan Qing looked solemn and businesslike. If Li Congxin hadn't seen his shoulders trembling from time to time, he really would have believed that the whole "coward" joke had passed.

However, seeing how hard the other man was trying not to laugh, Li Congxin decided not to call him out. He might as well keep holding it in.

Still forcing back his laughter, Nalan Qing said, "The technique we teach students in the elite class at Nalan Martial Arts School is Tan Leg. As a Chinese person, I imagine you've heard the saying 'Southern Fists, Northern Legs.' The 'Northern Legs' refers to Tan Leg."

"Like many traditional martial arts, Tan Leg split into several schools during its transmission. What our Nalan Martial Arts School teaches is the most orthodox Shaolin Twelve Road Tan Leg."

Once they got onto the serious topic, Nalan Qing finally dispelled the laughter he had been suppressing, and Li Congxin began listening attentively as well.

"Tan Leg was first created during the Northern Song Dynasty. It was the signature skill of Longtan Temple of Linqing, Shandong, hence the name Tan Leg. Its characteristics are simplicity and precision, left-right symmetry, seamless momentum, and great power."

"Of course, although Tan Leg was powerful in those days, it wasn't perfect."

"Tan Leg originally had only ten routines. During the Song dynasties, it was a martial art with extremely distinct strengths and weaknesses. It wasn't improved until the Zhengde Era of the Ming Dynasty."

At this point, Nalan Qing stood with his hands behind his back, gazing through the window toward the eastern horizon as if communing spiritually with the sages of ancient times. His air of grandeur shot straight into the heavens.

"During the Zhengde Era of the Ming Dynasty, Zen Master Xiangji of Shaolin Temple visited Longtan Temple. Together with Grandmaster Yuekong of Longtan Temple, he combined Shaolin Luohan Fist with the Tan Leg of Longtan Temple. Building upon the original Tan Leg, he incorporated the strengths of Luohan Fist, made up for the weakness of the original form—an unstable lower stance when kicking—and added several offensive hand techniques. That was how the current Shaolin Twelve Road Tan Leg came into being."

Nalan Qing withdrew his gaze and continued, "That's enough about Tan Leg's origins for now. To practice Tan Leg, you have to start with the fundamentals of leg techniques: front kicks, side kicks, back kicks, downward chops, hook kicks, spinning back kicks, push kicks, and other basic techniques. You should all stop for a moment and come over to review the fundamentals."

His last sentence was directed at everyone else in the classroom.

Hearing him, everyone stopped their own practice and gathered around. Nalan Qing then began patiently and meticulously explaining the characteristics and power-generation techniques of the basic leg moves.

"Calories, Calories, Calo... Calories, my mortal enemy! Burn My Calories!..."

BGM was Li Congxin's greatest cheat, so of course he couldn't casually give it up. As the saying went, martial arts strengthened the body, so practicing martial arts could also count as physical exercise and fell within the range of "Calories"'s enhancement effect!

After obtaining Nalan Qing's approval, Li Congxin decisively started playing music while practicing martial arts. He immediately felt that the effect had multiplied. After only one afternoon of training, he had already completed the most painful stretching stage of beginner training and could perform all the basic kicks with proper form.

"Your basic movements are already very polished, so you can practice on your own after you go back. Ordinary students usually practice for about half a month to a month before using weighted training to accelerate the growth of their leg strength. Your situation is rather special, so you should be able to begin weighted training in three to five days. Prepare yourself mentally in advance."

After the two-hour lesson ended, Nalan Qing stopped Li Congxin separately and gave him these instructions.

Li Congxin certainly wouldn't refuse a suggestion that benefited him. He was just about to agree immediately when someone at the classroom door said, "He can begin weighted training now. I just saw on the surveillance footage that his leg strength is already sufficient for the most basic weighted exercises."

Li Congxin turned to look and saw a lean old man who appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. He was also wearing a traditional Chinese tunic suit. Though thin and wiry, he radiated vitality. Despite his age, he gave off an extremely capable air that was difficult to forget after meeting him once.

Upon seeing the old man, Nalan Qing immediately perked up and chuckled. "Dad, you're here."

"Mm!" The old man nodded, then said to Li Congxin, "You have good talent. Since you want to learn martial arts, don't be afraid of hardship, and don't waste your gift." With that, he turned and left.

Received 3 Impression Points from Nalan Long!

Only after watching the old man disappear from sight did Li Congxin turn back to Nalan Qing and ask, "Coach, are the names on the forms at your school all supposed to be written vertically?"

At the mention of this again, Nalan Qing's expression became strange. "Actually, names are normally written horizontally. I seriously suspect that you offended Xiao Bai and got deliberately tricked by that little imp."

Li Congxin frowned. "Xiao Bai?"

"That's right!" Nalan Qing said. "There are three siblings in our family. I inherited our father's teachings and teach Tan Leg in the elite class. My second younger sister, Nalan Hong, learned some basic fighting techniques and external martial arts, and is in charge of teaching the regular class. The one who filled out your registration form was our third younger sister, Nalan Bai. Her heart isn't in martial arts; she's only helping with management during summer vacation."

Li Congxin nodded in understanding, then said goodbye to Nalan Qing.

When he went downstairs, he found Nalan Bai still there. The girl seemed to be angry with him. When she saw him pass by, she deliberately turned her head away and muttered indignantly, "If I hadn't thought you were good-looking, I wouldn't have bothered reminding you. You ungrateful jerk."

Hearing this, Li Congxin stopped and turned around. "I want to buy a set of leg weights. The lightest kind will do."

The same equipment was naturally cheaper at a sporting-goods store, just as drinks at a restaurant cost more than they did outside.

However, Li Congxin still chose to buy them here.

After all, he still had to learn martial arts here. If he was going to haggle over such a small amount of money, why would they teach him anything genuine?

Even when teaching the same material, a teacher's level of dedication could make a world of difference!

Leaving a bad impression over a little money was truly irrational, and completely unnecessary.

Perhaps those foreigners failed to inherit the true teachings precisely because they didn't understand this principle?

As he thought this, Nalan Bai coldly took out a brand-new pair of sandbags. "That'll be ten dollars."

That really wasn't just a little expensive.

As Li Congxin took out his money, he casually said to the girl, "First of all, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Also, I have a question I'd like to ask you. I wonder if Miss Nalan would be willing to clear up my confusion?"

Nalan Bai turned her head toward him. "Ask."

"Xiao Bai looks exactly like her older brother. Name a four-character idiom."

Nalan Bai rolled her eyes. She had thought it was something important, but it turned out to be a riddle. Still, Li Congxin's question had successfully piqued her interest, and she couldn't help guessing at once, "Blue emerging from indigo?"

"No!" Li Congxin shook his head. "The truth revealed."

Received 6 Impression Points from Nalan Bai!

"Tch, boring!"

As the girl rolled her eyes, Li Congxin had already walked out of Nalan Martial Arts School. He failed to notice that even as she verbally scorned him, the corners of her lips had curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

"Truth revealed? Hah, who would've thought this pretty boy would be so funny?"

Received 1 Impression Point from Nalan Bai!