I Thought This Was a Slice of Life

He deliberately left an opening to test Shuya.

If he could seize this opportunity, he would offer him some pointers.

But taking on an apprentice was out of the question; at his age, Li Shuhong had little interest in teaching others.

He had already witnessed the bug-like nature of the Natural Martial Bone, and Li Shuhong felt that Shuya didn't really need his instruction anyway.

Thus, in a tacit understanding where one was willing to chase and the other was willing to be caught, Shuya caught up to Li Shuhong in a quiet park.

Shuya didn't know how far he had run in this marathon-style sprint, but he was nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

He bent over, pressing his hands against his knees, gasping for air.

Li Shuhong leaned against a tree, idly fiddling with a leaf. His entire body was dry; he wasn't just breathless, he hadn't even broken a sweat.

Shuya wasn't surprised by this.

Li Shuhong looked young, but if one were to truly calculate his age, he was likely over a hundred years old.

At his age and level of strength, he would have been called an immortal sage in ancient times; it would be abnormal for him to sweat just from a little running.

Seeing that Shuya had arrived, Li Shuhong dropped the leaf and said, "What do you want by chasing me all this way? I'm an old man, I don't have any money."

"Ha, haha... Ha! Coach, I want to... play, play, play basket—cough, cough... I want to learn martial arts!"

Shuya was panting like a dying dog, but he still insisted on shouting it out.

"Why? These days, practicing martial arts is thankless work."

Li Shuhong curled his lip: "Just hitting the gym is enough to handle daily life. In this era, no matter how high your martial arts are, you can block bullets but not artillery shells."

He sighed: "The times have changed, kid. Go back, study hard, and get into a good school."

"I, ha, ha... ha! My grades are very good!"

"Is that so."

Li Shuhong was noncommittal.

He said: "After I learned you would be playing Ikeda Ichinosuke, I looked into your background. Your knowledge is indeed at a decent level."

"But learning martial arts... I don't see any necessity for you to learn it. For the average person, mastering martial arts means opening a dojo, fighting in tournaments, and so on; fame and fortune are the real goals. But you are already famous, and you don't lack money."

He said flatly: "Some people learn martial arts to strengthen their bodies, but from what I see, you are already quite healthy."

"Others learn martial arts to be popular with the opposite sex, but your face is already enough to attract women, so why go through all this trouble?"

Li Shuhong brushed back his hair and sighed: "Looking at it this way, the only thing left to martial arts is looking cool. When qigong is practiced to a profound level, one can lock away their essence and stay forever young, just like me. You wouldn't want to tell me that you're learning martial arts for such a trivial matter, would you?"

At this point, Shuya had gradually recovered and stopped panting.

Hearing this, he puffed out his chest and said: "I don't know if martial arts are powerful or not, but looking cool is a lifelong pursuit! That is no trivial matter!"

Li Shuhong: "..."

"Hahahaha!"

He burst into loud laughter.

He shrugged: "What an interesting kid. Fine, I'll teach you."

"...R-really!"

Shuya suppressed his joy and fatigue.

Truth be told, if he hadn't been working out for a while, he probably would have died of sudden cardiac arrest after running like that.

He wasn't joking; he was stating a fact.

"I had this intention all along anyway; just now was merely a routine test."

Li Shuhong said lazily: "You possess top-tier aptitude, and when I gave you an opportunity, you were able to make a decisive choice without hesitation. Furthermore, through that run just now, you also demonstrated extraordinary perseverance."

"But, most importantly..."

"You and I are fated."

"Or perhaps, to be more precise, you and Ikeda Ichinosuke are fated."

Li Shuhong paced slowly: "Back then, before Ikeda Ichinosuke died, he gave me his weapon and his legacy, hoping I could help pass them on."

"But I never met the right person. I couldn't let mediocre talent disgrace my little brother."

"Th-then...?"

Shuya stopped mid-sentence.

"But you are different. You are very similar to him, and you share the same Natural Martial Bone. You are even going to play him—you are simply the perfect successor."

A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Li Shuhong's eyes: "I also hope that Ikeda Ichinosuke's name becomes known to more people; it would be a shame to let his bravery go to waste."

He looked at Shuya and said solemnly: "One month!"

"I will teach you for one month. How much you learn depends on you... though I'd like to say that, based on my understanding of the Natural Martial Bone, learning martial arts won't be difficult for you. One month is enough."

"However, learning the theory and actual application are two different things. I can teach you all the theory within a month. But as the saying goes, a master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to the individual. If you want to truly achieve something, you will still need to practice arduously."

"But regardless, I will teach you the swordsmanship of Ikeda Ichinosuke."

"The swordsmanship of Ikeda Ichinosuke...?"

"That's right, its name is—"

I believe that as you have all read this far, you know I am a person with very thin skin, and I have never forced anyone to give tips. I only ask for votes and follows.

But without benefits, where would the motivation come from? You tell me. (Sips tea)

And so, um... there will be two updates today.

Consider it a reward for the masters who have voted and tipped. Furthermore, a friend mentioned wanting to climb the rankings and suggested I do a promotional shout-out at midnight, but I wanted to update now, so I thought about it and decided, why not just do two updates today?

That's that, don't misunderstand and think I'll be doing two updates every day. (Winks aggressively)

Section 56: 50 Demons and Monsters

Northland New Snow Thousand-Fold Style.

This is the name of the swordsmanship practiced by Ikeda Ichinosuke. It was originally an ordinary style, but after his modifications, it has become a superior swordsmanship.

"This swordsmanship, how can one tell if it is superior?"

Shuya asked curiously.

"It's simple. All superior martial arts contain the manipulation and application of qi."

Li Shuhong's answer was very brief.

"Then how does one cultivate qi?"

Shuya asked a question he was very concerned about.

Li Shuhong did not hide anything: "Generally speaking, by training the body to a certain intensity, combined with a powerful heart, will, and intent, qi can be born."

Shuya was dumbfounded: "Heart? Will? Is it that mystical?"

"That is why the martial path has declined."

Li Shuhong said quite freely: "Martial artists like us are already relics of a bygone era. Such a peaceful world is simply not suitable for the survival of martial artists."

"Although it is inappropriate to say so, the best era for martial artists was during times of war."

"As the saying goes, 'The nation's misfortune is the poet's fortune; when the world is in chaos, the verses become masterful.' This sentence is just as appropriate to describe martial artists."

"Whenever there is a crisis, hearts are restless and the world is in turmoil. The world becomes a purgatory, but that is exactly when our kind comes to the fore. For instance, during the world wars, people like us naturally shed blood and sacrificed our lives with fervent will."

"For the common people, those days were naturally miserable beyond words, but those were the most glorious moments for us martial artists."

"In those days, countless people broke through their realms... and of course, countless people died."

Li Shuhong smiled: "Don't misunderstand. I am not advocating for war, I am merely stating an objective fact."

He said: "There are no such conditions now, so breaking through is truly difficult, but those things have nothing to do with you."

"Why?"

"You have a Natural Martial Bone. As long as you train your body appropriately, 'qi' will naturally be born. You don't need to worry."

Excellent!

Confirmed by the look in his eyes, this is his true golden finger, the true benefit of transmigration!

"Moreover, your intent is exceptionally strong. In the future, practicing exotic arts will be like a fish in water. Your aptitude can be called a talent in both literature and martial arts. As long as you don't die, your future achievements will surely surpass mine."

Li Shuhong revealed a bit more, but when Shuya wanted to ask for details, he only said he would tell him later and not to be impatient.

Shuya then asked another question: "Um, Master."

"Don't call me Master, call me Teacher."

Li Shuhong shook his head.

"Alright, Teacher."

Shuya changed his address immediately; whatever Li Shuhong said, he would follow.

He figured that even if he only taught him for a month, he would have the reality of a master-disciple relationship even without the title.

In any case, he was determined to cling to this thigh.

But Shuya wouldn't take any action for now; the relationship was still too shallow. He would build a closer connection after they were more familiar.

He just wanted to satisfy his curiosity for now.

"Teacher, since qi exists in this world, do the demons and monsters from myths and legends also exist?"

Li Shuhong did not avoid the question this time and said directly: "Their existence is likely different from what you imagine, but I can tell you, they do exist."

"To think that..."

Shuya's expression was incredibly complex. Countless movies, animations, and other works flooded his mind. He looked around suspiciously, as if nothing was safe anymore.

...Good heavens, I, Senior Shu-chan, look so cute, handsome, and adorable, with such dashing grace and unparalleled talent; it's not impossible for some demon or monster to take a fancy to me and snatch me away!

Could it be that I will be targeted and snatched away by beautiful, seductive, and incredibly lewd demon girls in the future, and then be inhumanely ooo-ed and xxx-ed?

It's just so... pfft, it's just so despairing!

Miss Rena, I might have to let you down!

Shuya thought about it, then casually wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, successfully destroying the evidence.

Li Shuhong didn't guess his wild train of thought and just sneered, "What is there to be afraid of regarding demons and monsters? They're nothing but a bunch of weaklings."

"That might be how you see it."

Shuya said.

Li Shuhong said, "Then let me give you a simple breakdown. Demons and monsters can't beat us, and we can't beat the state apparatus, so what makes you think demons and monsters could throw the world into chaos? You've been reading too many novels, kid."

"From ancient times until now, demons and monsters have been suppressed by us. They only dare to bully ordinary civilians; they couldn't even defeat ancient states, so what ability do they have to contend with modern technology?"

Li Shuhong said domineeringly, "They are nothing but a bunch of rats in the gutter! How dare they speak of courage!"

Shuya felt his blood boil from being told this: "So that means, Teacher, you kill one whenever you see one?"

"Idiot!"

Li Shuhong held his head high and said, "This old man doesn't dare to provoke them!"

"So it really is like that!... Huh? Wait, Teacher, what... what did you just say?"

Shuya doubted whether something was wrong with his ears.

"I said, this old man doesn't dare to provoke those demons and monsters!"

Li Shuhong's voice was full of vigor: "In fact, the reason I came to the Far East this time is that I was forced to leave home to take refuge from them!"

Shuya: "..."

???