A Fortuitous Encounter

A faster update of My Many Masters!

That night, Yuan Ci broke with tradition and did not make Wang Anfeng chop trees. Instead, he had him practice the thirty-two forms of Shaolin Long Fist over and over again. From the brilliant river of stars until the Golden Crow rose in the east, from then until the mountains awoke from their slumber, birds sang, insects chirped, and all living things revived. Throughout it all, Yuan Ci offered the boy no guidance, merely letting him ponder for himself how to change and link the movements.

Although, after those five hours, the Shaolin Long Fist that had once been exceedingly familiar in the boy's hands had become disjointed and bizarre, like Handan's learner imitating a walk, in Yuan Ci's eyes, this somewhat chaotic Fist techniques was far more worthy of praise than the strictly regulated Shaolin Long Fist he had practiced before. Master and disciple continued practicing their fists here until the time was up. Then the Shaolin mountains before Wang Anfeng's eyes shattered into countless fragments, and he returned to the back room of the medicine shop in Wangxian County's town.

Lying on the soft bed, Wang Anfeng found that the county town was still shrouded in darkness. The occasional sound of the watchman's wooden clapper drifted over, yet he remained full of vitality, his eyes faintly bright. The thirty-two forms of boxing, which had nearly become instinctive principles in his mind, had been beaten into disorder, only to be recombined again and again, as if he had entered an entirely new realm. The joy in his heart was more than ten times greater than that of defeating an enemy.

Unable to restrain himself, he rose from the bed. The room was dim, and the boy, draped in his clothes, paced to the window and slowly pushed it open. With a creak, a hazy, tranquil light poured into the room, illuminating the dark chamber until it was crystal clear. Looking up, he saw a sky scattered with stars and a bright, spotless moon. Between heaven and earth lay an even greater vastness.

The scene before him perfectly matched the delight in his heart. His mind and chest opened wide, and for some reason, a trace of lofty, unrestrained pride rose within his calm heart-lake. He murmured:

"Beneath the stars, the plains stretch vast; the moon surges with the mighty river's flow..."

This was a poem his father had taught him when he was still alive. At that moment, he could remember only this line. Looking out through the window, he saw neither open plains nor a mighty river, but he still loved it dearly. All things and all forms were born from the heart. With a broad heart, even amid bustling splendor, one could see the boundless vastness of the plains; though not a drop of water flowed within his sight, he could still feel the endless surging of the great river.

He stood by the bed and watched for a long while, yet still felt not the slightest hint of sleepiness. He simply sat cross-legged on the bed and began meditating and circulating his energy. Wang Anfeng felt that cultivating One Zen Skill today was exceptionally smooth. Torrents of heat flowed through his body like waves, surging again and again as though they knew no fatigue. Only when the cool moonlight turned into warm morning rays did he slowly end his circulation.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the sun rising outside the window. He instinctively inhaled, and it seemed that a thread of hot current, faint as a phantom, entered between his mouth and nose. It then slowly dissipated without being absorbed, yet it spurred the Internal energy of One Zen Skill—which had grown exceptionally dense after a hundred days of bitter cultivation—to tremble its way over the final tiny threshold.

Barriers were the most torturous things. A tiny bottleneck could trap a martial artist for years, even more than a decade. During these hundred days, Wang Anfeng had cultivated bitterly without pause, taken medicinal pills internally, and used External martial arts to temper his body and invigorate his internal energy. On top of that, his state the previous night had been remarkably good, and his internal energy had just reached the first barrier.

His foundation was not yet sufficient for a breakthrough. However, with all these factors piling together, plus that current of air making a circuit between his mouth and nose, it became the final straw that broke the camel's back. His internal energy, incomparably more vigorous than before, rolled down like snow accumulating atop a snowy peak. With unstoppable momentum, it poured into every meridian in his body. Then, riding that momentum, it swiftly changed course and entered the route of the second stage. Streams of heat radiated into the meridians and muscles throughout his body, slowly opening up tiny channels. Once he eventually entered the third heaven and perfected One Zen Skill, he would be able to circulate his energy throughout his entire body, making it one seamless whole.

Wang Anfeng withdrew his internal energy and slowly exhaled a breath of foul air. White vapor shot straight out like an arrow, traveling three inches. He clenched his fists and felt the surge of his internal energy, clearly thicker and more vigorous. Normally, after cultivation ended, that feeling of abundant internal energy would slowly fade, becoming like a stream. Now, however, not only had it failed to dissipate in the slightest, it was even slowly growing stronger. His heart filled with still greater delight.

Just then, Aunt called from outside the door, telling him to come eat. He hurriedly rolled out of bed, washed up quickly, folded his bedding, and left the room. Aunt was already waiting outside with a smile. Through the crack in the door, she glimpsed the tidy room and grew even fonder of this polite boy. She raised a hand to straighten Wang Anfeng's hair and said with a smile:

"Feng'er, did you sleep well last night?"

Wang Anfeng scratched his head, showing a hint of boyishness, and smiled. "The bed was so soft. I slept wonderfully."

"Then that's good. You've spent years down at the foot of the mountain, so come and see whether Aunt's cooking suits your taste."

The woman smiled kindly. In just those few steps, the two had already entered the main hall. Several dishes were arranged on a large round rosewood table. Li Kangsheng sat upright at the seat of honor, a trace of awkwardness flashing across his refined face. He coughed and said, "Nephew, you've arrived. Come, take your seat. Your aunt's blanched shredded tofu has a flavor all its own, and Old Gu's pastries are delicious too."

Wang Anfeng nodded and sat beside the table. The aroma of the food wafted into his nose, and he could not help thinking, So even something as simple as eating has so many rules? Judging by this, what I used to eat probably didn't count as food at all. His gaze fell to the table, while Li Kangsheng said with a smile:

"You should try it, Nephew. This blanched shredded tofu is a specialty from my wife's hometown. Specially made dried tofu is cut into fine shreds, washed and blanched repeatedly to remove every trace of bean flavor, then dressed with refined brine, finely ground sesame oil, shredded ginger, dried shrimp, and so on. The flavor is exceptional—you can't get it anywhere else." Wang Anfeng could hear that, on the surface, Li Kangsheng was introducing the dish, but beneath that, he was plainly currying favor with and pleading for forgiveness from Aunt. He could not help laughing inwardly, though his expression remained perfectly proper and he showed no impropriety.

After the meal, Wang Anfeng tried to help tidy up, but Aunt gently refused him. He felt somewhat at a loss for what to do and thought, Cultivating internal energy requires diligence, but I can't overdo it either. Perhaps I should find an empty space and practice a few rounds of boxing. Having made up his mind, he prepared to tell Li Kangsheng. The latter naturally had no objections, only reminding him to return for lunch at noon before returning to his own tasks.

Just as Wang Anfeng was preparing to leave, however, the woman called out to him. Somewhat curious, Wang Anfeng turned back, and she took a silver ingot from her bosom and handed it to him. "You spent money on our behalf yesterday. Take these ten taels of silver back."

Wang Anfeng stepped back and did not accept the silver. He thought that directly refusing it would probably be difficult to explain, so he asked with a smile, "Yesterday, I heard the neighbors say that Uncle and Aunt often treat the poor without charging consultation fees?"

The woman nodded first, then shook her head.

"We're only doing what little we can. That is no reason for us to cheat you of your silver."

Wang Anfeng waved both hands repeatedly. "That isn't what I meant. It's just that Prime Minister Lü once said, 'Those who perform good deeds will surely enjoy blessings in return; those who accumulate hidden virtue will see their descendants prosper.' These ten taels of silver can let Uncle and Aunt help a few more people. One way or another, you could share a little of that hidden virtue with me. After all, my family has only one child—me..."

The woman froze for a moment. As both a woman and a mother, she possessed a peculiar affection for descendants. Hearing Wang Anfeng say that he was the only one in his family, her heart filled with tenderness. After thinking it over, she put away the silver and gently comforted him:

"Then Aunt will keep it for you. Don't worry, Feng'er. You're handsome and know your manners, so surely many young women will fall for you in the future, guaranteeing you prosperous descendants. Why don't Aunt introduce you to one or two good girls?"

Wang Anfeng's expression did not change. He cupped his fists and replied gently, "Your nephew has no such thoughts for now. Besides, I must ask my master and Uncle Li before making that decision."

"Indeed... Once a teacher, a father for life. Hero Li is a bold man. I wonder what your master is like..."

Wang Anfeng smiled. "My master is a very, very good person."

But when it came to the matter of taking a wife, Aunt, you absolutely would not be able to convince him.

And then there are the poems and literary works. Let's just assume this world has them too, okay... I mainly can't write them myself. (ノ=Д=)ノ┻━┻