I Have Mastered It

Seeing Gao Yuan and the other person carrying lunchboxes, Instructor Xu retracted his fist. "Let's eat first. Zheng Fa, you must be hungry after a day."

All four were martial artists and didn't pay much attention to formalities. They directly placed the food from the lunchboxes on the bluestone slabs in front of them, sitting in a circle on the ground to eat and chat.

"The Crane Body Technique is truly wondrous. When I sparred with you just now, I could feel it. Your internal energy didn't actually increase by much, did it?" Instructor Xu said, holding his bowl, unable to hide his praise.

Gao Yuan couldn't help but glance at Instructor Xu's nephew beside him and saw the same surprise in his eyes as his own.

Zheng Fa has mastered the Crane Body Technique?

"That's right," Zheng Fa's chopsticks paused in mid-air as he frowned, recalling. "When I made a move, I always felt a strange power circulating with my will, as if it were all around me. The power of those moves didn't come from my internal strength, but from the outside."

"That sounds a bit like those Immortals from legends who borrow the power of heaven and earth?" Instructor Xu said, his eyes filled with unconcealable envy.

"Is this what it means to Enter the Dao through Martial Arts?" Instructor Xu's nephew couldn't help but ask.

"How would I know? I haven't mastered it!" Instructor Xu shook his head, a little emotional. "But Zheng Fa has been practicing martial arts for less than one percent of my time, and his internal strength is not even one-tenth of mine. Yet, when we sparred just now, he was no weaker than me. Besides Entering the Dao through Martial Arts, I can't think of any other reason."

"That's because the instructor was going easy on me," Zheng Fa corrected.

"I'm still a little stronger than you now, mostly because of my many years of sparring experience," Instructor Xu said, taking it in stride. "In less than a few months, I probably won't be able to beat you anymore."

Zheng Fa wanted to comfort him, but Instructor Xu waved his hand. "Something I've been practicing for over twenty years without even getting a glimpse of, you've mastered in over twenty days. If I don't accept it, I might as well go hang myself."

After speaking, he glanced at Gao Yuan and his own nephew beside him and suddenly reminded them with a hint of worry, "You two should also accept it. Don't compete with Zheng Fa anymore in the future."

Gao Yuan was stunned and glanced at Instructor Xu's nephew, who was also dazed.

"Before, I pushed you two because I wanted to use Zheng Fa as motivation. Now..." Instructor Xu paused. "It's better not to aim too high or be too eager for quick success."

Gao Yuan felt a strange mix of emotions.

He had thought what Instructor Xu's nephew said earlier made sense.

In the past, when Instructor Xu was strict with him, he had complained inwardly.

Now, what Instructor Xu said was something he had hoped for, yet he felt no joy, only a fullness of bitterness.

Beside him, Instructor Xu's nephew picked up his cup and drank its contents in one gulp.

As if sensing Gao Yuan looking at him, Instructor Xu's nephew turned his head to look at him, his eyes slightly red, and said with a smile, "This wine today is a bit spicy."

Gao Yuan looked at the wine cup in his hand and remained silent.

What we're drinking is clearly water...

"Eating?"

The Seventh Young Master walked into the training grounds. He walked over to the four of them, sat down with a thump, and patted his stomach. "Get me a bowl and chopsticks."

Zheng Fa handed him a clean pair of chopsticks, asking with some confusion, "Young Master, you haven't eaten yet?"

It was already quite late.

Instructor Xu and the others were waiting for Zheng Fa, but the maids in the Seventh Young Master's room should have already served him his meal.

"I forgot earlier," the Seventh Young Master said, his fingers stiffening as he took the bowl and chopsticks, acting as if nothing was wrong.

Zheng Fa glanced at him, always feeling that the other person's behavior was a bit unusual.

The Seventh Young Master lowered his eyes, not looking up, and ate distractedly, as if he had no appetite, picking up grains of rice one by one.

As if noticing Zheng Fa staring at him, the Seventh Young Master looked up and scanned everyone, asking with a smile, "What were you talking about just now?"

Zheng Fa felt that he was deliberately avoiding his gaze, as if he had a guilty conscience.

"We were talking about how amazing the Crane Body Technique is..."

Gao Yuan answered, but looking at the Seventh Young Master's expression, he couldn't continue.

Upon hearing the words "Crane Body Technique," the Seventh Young Master's hand gripping the chopsticks bulged with veins, and his expression became even more unpleasant.

Now, not only Zheng Fa, but the other three also noticed something was wrong with him.

Everyone fell silent.

"Hoo..." The Seventh Young Master let out a long breath and smiled. "You three go down first. I have something to say to Zheng Fa."

Instructor Xu and the other two exchanged glances, puzzled, but they still stood up.

"Wait, Instructor Xu, you stay too."

The Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke.

Instructor Xu's brow furrowed even more in confusion.

After Gao Yuan and the other two had walked away, the Seventh Young Master lowered his head, his breathing heavy, as if he were struggling internally.

After a long silence, he looked up at the two of them and said, "Before I say something to you, I hope you will promise me one thing first."

Zheng Fa and the other man became serious. They knew the Seventh Young Master well enough to know he had never been this serious before.

"Zheng Fa, what I'm about to say today is ultimately because of me. If you have any grievances, blame me, but don't blame my mother."

Zheng Fa frowned.

The Seventh Young Master held up his hand to stop him and turned to Instructor Xu. "Instructor Xu, I apologize for any past wrongs the estate may have committed against you."

Instructor Xu's mouth hung open, not understanding what he was saying.

"Listen to me finish, don't interrupt, I'm afraid I won't have the courage to say it again!"

The Seventh Young Master raised his palm, stopping the two from speaking, and continued in one breath:

"The Crane Body Technique can't be mastered! It's not that you're incapable, it's that it simply cannot be mastered."

"My mother gave it to you because she wanted you to be frustrated, obedient, and serve my family!"

"So Zheng Fa, don't think about the Crane Body Technique anymore. Instructor Xu, you haven't understood the Crane Body Technique in twenty years, and it's not your fault."

After he finished speaking, his expression was unreadable, but he clearly felt much lighter.

Seeing the two staring at him blankly without speaking, the Seventh Young Master felt a bit uneasy. He said to Zheng Fa, "Zheng Fa, my mother did this for me... Instructor Xu, if you wish to leave..."

"Seventh Young Master!" Instructor Xu suddenly interrupted him, his expression very serious. "You shouldn't say that."

"I didn't want to say it either, I actually wanted to bury these things in my heart! But today... I couldn't even eat!" As he spoke, the Seventh Young Master showed a rare look of determination on his face. "I've made up my mind. She's my mother, and I'll bear the burden of her wrongdoings."

"I know you and Madam don't get along, but you shouldn't fabricate these things to slander her!" Instructor Xu seemed not to have heard him, looking at him like an ignorant child.

The Seventh Young Master glared at Instructor Xu. "I'm telling the truth! The Crane Body Technique can't be mastered!"

Seeing his anxious look, Instructor Xu nodded, as if he understood something, and his expression softened slightly.

"I know, I know, Seventh Young Master, you're saying this with good intentions, you don't want me to lose faith in martial arts."

"I'm not— I didn't!" The Seventh Young Master scratched his head, having anticipated countless reactions from Instructor Xu and Zheng Fa: anger, hatred, even weeping and cursing.

He had prepared himself mentally.

But he never expected that Instructor Xu wouldn't believe him?

The Seventh Young Master was stunned. Under Instructor Xu's gaze, which held gratitude mixed with disapproval, he was on the verge of a breakdown. "Why don't you believe me!"

"I believe you, I believe you. Don't say such things again in the future, lest Madam hit you."

The Seventh Young Master mulled it over. This was still disbelief!

He was treating him like a child!

Beside them, Zheng Fa watched the two talk past each other, a look of understanding dawning on his face.

"I've mastered it," he said.

"Mastered what?" The Seventh Young Master was a little confused by Zheng Fa's sudden statement.

"I've mastered the Crane Body Technique."

"Ah?"

The Seventh Young Master stared blankly, watching Instructor Xu nod kindly at him, a knowing and doting smile on his dark face.