At that moment, Zheng Yanbo looked at Jiang Shu, his voice gentle as a spring breeze.
"You're Jiang Shu, right? Have a seat. There's no need to be nervous."
There was no pretense in his manner. Zheng Yanbo sat down first and got straight to the point. "I wonder whether you've been following the news, besides practicing martial arts. If you pay even a little attention, you'll notice that the world seems to have entered a new era. It's a time of flourishing growth and rapid change."
"There are many things you may not know, but they've already been circulating on certain forums. Medicinal herbs more than a hundred years old have been appearing in remote mountain forests. Some wild animals seem to have entered a phase of rapid evolution, with their intelligence and physical strength increasing by the day. And in the depths of the oceans, deserts, and tropical rainforests—in dangerous, forbidden regions where few people ever venture—small-scale natural disasters occur from time to time."
"None of this is fake. The world is undergoing a great transformation, just as the agricultural age once encountered the Industrial Revolution. If you don't progress and develop, you'll fall behind! That's why we in the East practice martial arts, while the West researches genetics. We're all trying to break through the limits of the human body and meet the opportunities and challenges to come."
After turning on the air conditioner, Zhang Taining set aside his status and began brewing tea. He handed a cup at just the right temperature to Zheng Yanbo, then passed a second cup to Jiang Shu.
"Thank you, Principal Zhang."
Jiang Shu accepted the tea with both hands, took a small sip, then set it aside and sat upright.
His expression remained calm, but inside, his thoughts surged like a tide.
After breaking through the In-Utero Mystery, he had kept his eye on changes in the world whenever he wasn't practicing martial arts.
Events that had once puzzled him suddenly became clear, as though a mist had lifted.
For instance, the zoo's relocation had most likely been because some of its animals had begun to evolve, their intelligence and physical strength increasing dramatically.
If animals could evolve, and plants could evolve, what about people?
Eastern martial arts, Western genetics!
Unlike the passive evolution of plants and animals, humanity's evolution was a matter of choice.
People would choose their own path of evolution and adapt to this ever-changing world!
In those few simple remarks, Zheng Yanbo had both stated some things outright and hinted at others.
For instance, he had spoken of meeting more opportunities and challenges.
What were the opportunities? What were the challenges?
He hadn't explained.
But he had made it clear that the real world was nothing like what the various countries presented to the public.
Jiang Shu wondered to himself but didn't ask. He listened quietly, waiting until Zheng Yanbo took a sip of tea before continuing.
"Jiang Shu, since you've trained your Horse Stance to mastery, you've probably realized this too. The Horse Stance is only the most basic form of martial arts. Its sole purpose is to strengthen your vital energy. It can steadily take you from Qi and Blood Sensing to Full Body Vital Energy Circulation."
"But that's its limit. No matter how talented a martial artist is, they can't break through that limit. So once your Horse Stance is perfected, you need to practice another martial art: the Guiding Technique."
"The Guiding Technique condenses the vital energy throughout your body into force. And the Clear Force, Hidden Force, and Transformation Force I discussed at the lecture are three realms, as well as three ways of exerting force."
"Do you know what that means? It means martial arts realms can't be attained simply by piling on resources! The practitioner has to train in earnest and comprehend the techniques through their own talent!"
"If you lack talent, even a mountain of resources can only strengthen an ordinary person's vital energy. If you don't know how to exert force and can't produce Clear Force, then no matter how many precious medicinal herbs or rare beast meats you eat, you'll never break the thousand-jin limit! You'll be nothing but a slightly stronger ordinary person your whole life!"
"So including the Horse Stance in the college entrance examination is really a large-scale screening of young students' martial arts talent!"
"If students can reach a certain level through practice without any supplements of medicinal herbs or beast meat, that means the martial arts students among them may have what it takes to become martial artists. They can comprehend how to exert force for themselves and break through the limits of the human body!"
Sitting upright in his chair, Zheng Yanbo spoke with conviction. "The martial arts college entrance examination isn't really about how strong you are! Nor is it about how much vital energy you've built up. It's about your martial arts talent!"
"Qi and Blood Sensing, Qi and Blood Transportation, and Full Body Vital Energy Circulation aren't realms. They're three levels of talent! The greater your talent, the more resources you'll receive in the future!"
The more Zheng Yanbo spoke, the more animated he became.
But the more Zhang Taining listened, the more alarmed he was.
Even as a principal, the information available to him was limited.
The evolution of all things and the practice of martial arts—an entirely new world seemed to unfurl before him in an instant.
He couldn't help interrupting. "Mr. Zheng, if that's the case, isn't it unfair to students who didn't choose the martial arts track? They don't know this is a screening for talent. What if they have martial arts talent too?"
"Fair? There's no such thing as absolute fairness in this world!"
Zheng Yanbo gave a cold laugh. "In every field, choosing the right path matters more than working hard! The world is developing, and people's understanding is developing along with it. We're keeping some information under wraps only to maintain social stability. But Xia Kingdom hasn't stopped promoting martial arts for a single day!"
"The martial arts track has been added to the college entrance examination system. Films about martial arts are in development. And then there was the important speech at Shengjing Academy. The students of today need a new look. Principal Zhang, surely you can guess what that new look means."
"Talent isn't as common as cabbages, something everyone can have. The Horse Stance was made public nearly four months ago, and martial arts have been promoted for nearly four months. If someone still hasn't taken up martial arts, doesn't love it, and isn't devoted to it—if they can't cultivate a genuine martial heart—then how can you talk about talent?"
The chapter had been blocked.
Talent first!
Xia Kingdom wasn't short on resources. What it lacked were talented martial artists!
Zheng Yanbo laid bare the truth. "Aside from Jiang Shu, can you find another martial arts student in your school who's reached Qi and Blood Transportation, Principal Zhang? And if not that, can you find even one martial arts student who's achieved Qi and Blood Sensing and reached the minor achievement stage in the Horse Stance?"
It felt like a dagger driven into Zhang Taining's heart.
Zhang Taining gave an awkward chuckle. As principal, he naturally kept an eye on the martial arts students at his school. Just as Zheng Yanbo had said, there wasn't a single one besides Jiang Shu—not even one who had reached Qi and Blood Sensing!
Martial arts really was a path only the talented could enter.
Why had he suddenly let those careless words slip back then? If he actually made every student in the school practice martial arts, he'd probably have to resign as principal next year.
He'd be sending a batch of students who could have gotten into undergraduate programs to vocational colleges.
That would be one hell of a joke.
Jiang Shu was simply an exception!
Seeing that Zhang Taining had realized his thinking was mistaken, Zheng Yanbo said no more. He looked at Jiang Shu with undisguised admiration and said, "Jiang Shu, you've mastered the Horse Stance, and you're only a step away from perfection. But taking that final step may not be easy. That's why I only said you had a chance of getting into an academy. Still, with your talent, you're all but certain to become a martial artist someday."
"When that time comes, you'll truly understand why we practice martial arts, and what purpose it serves."
He extended his arm to check the time on his watch, then continued, "You've heard me talk at length, so I'm sure you have plenty of questions. We still have a little time. Why don't you ask them? I'll answer whatever I can."
"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Zheng."
Jiang Shu stood and bowed respectfully.
Practicing martial arts gave him a proud backbone.
Not arrogance.
Zheng Yanbo's visit to Fifth High School to give a lecture on martial arts had been part of his job.
But explaining the changes in the world and the practice of martial arts to him—and even giving him a chance to ask questions in private—was a personal kindness.
He wouldn't forget it.
"You don't have to be so polite. I'm much older than you. If you don't mind, little genius, you can call me Uncle Zheng." Seeing how respectfully Jiang Shu treated him, Zheng Yanbo laughed heartily, pleased.
"Then, Uncle Zheng, you said the Guiding Technique comes after the Horse Stance. Will Xia Kingdom make the Guiding Technique public, or will we need to apply to study it after perfecting the Horse Stance?"
"Martial arts students who enter university are being screened for talent. Once they've passed the screening, what differences are there in martial arts resources between ordinary universities, key universities, and academies?"
Jiang Shu stood thoughtfully for a moment before asking two questions.
It wouldn't be appropriate to ask about government policies.
The only things he could ask about were the Guiding Technique and martial arts resources.
The former was a method of cultivation.
The latter was the wealth needed for cultivation.
To obtain either one would be like catching a favorable wind that carried him to the clouds.
To obtain both would be like soaring ninety thousand miles.
"According to the government's plans, the Guiding Technique should be made public next year. But for this year's martial arts students, once they perfect the Horse Stance and achieve Full Body Vital Energy Circulation, they can apply through their schools to study the Guiding Technique early."
"As for martial arts resources, the most important ones are Heaven and Earth Precious Medicine and Exotic Beast Meat." Zheng Yanbo's voice dropped slightly. "Exotic Beast Meat is extremely rich in energy. Even the lowest-grade Exotic Beast Meat is equivalent to ten jin of pork belly per jin."
"Once they begin martial arts training, martial artists develop enormous appetites. Ordinary meat won't keep them full, and it can also leave behind various impurities that affect their future progress. So as long as students reach Full Body Vital Energy Circulation, both ordinary universities and academies provide Exotic Beast Meat at the same steady rate."
"The real difference lies in Heaven and Earth Precious Medicine. It can be used in medicated meals and medicinal baths to strengthen a martial artist's vital energy to the greatest extent. No matter how many resources there are, they can't withstand a large population. Exotic beasts can be crossbred and raised, but precious medicine takes time to mature—every plant used is one less. One resource is practically limitless; the other is finite."
They went back and forth, question and answer.
One by one, many of the questions in Jiang Shu's mind were answered. Before he knew it, it was almost noon.
"Mr. Zheng, I've arranged a meal..."
"Thank you, Principal Zhang, but I have other business at noon. I'm sorry."
After politely declining Zhang Taining's invitation, Zheng Yanbo turned to Jiang Shu. "You can take down my phone number. I might not be able to help you with martial arts, but I can tell you about related matters, as long as government policy permits."
"I hope you can give me a big surprise next time we meet, Jiang Shu."
He stood and waved goodbye to Zhang Taining and Jiang Shu.
"Goodbye, Mr. Zheng."
"Goodbye, Uncle Zheng."
After seeing Zheng Yanbo out of the school gates, they watched the government car drive away.
"Principal Zhang, I'm going home to practice martial arts too."
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