Situ Yiyun explained and demonstrated as he went.
From basic theory to breaking down actual combat.
He spoke at length, holding nothing back.
He darted and weaved, his fists and feet cutting through the air.
He strove to clearly demonstrate every key point of New Martial Arts to Lu Jing'an.
The busy session lasted a full two hours.
Lu Jing'an sat upright in a grand armchair.
A cup of tea sat beside him, and he took an occasional sip.
His gaze stayed fixed on Situ Yiyun as he moved around the training hall.
He listened attentively and watched closely.
Whenever something was unclear, Lu Jing'an immediately called a halt.
The system of New Martial Arts was an entirely new world to Lu Jing'an.
It was worlds apart from the Ancient Martial Arts he had studied before.
But that was precisely why he found it so fascinating.
After a detailed comparison,
Lu Jing'an keenly picked out the many strengths of the New Martial Arts system:
its simplicity, efficiency, and greater emphasis on real combat.
As he listened to Situ Yiyun explain profound concepts in simple terms,
he increasingly understood the deeper meaning behind his master Chen Xuan's arrangement.
"Young Master Lu, what I've explained so far is only an outline of the main features of New Martial Arts."
Situ Yiyun's breathing was slightly labored, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
"When we spar in a moment,
I'll use specific movements
to demonstrate and explain each point to you."
Lu Jing'an's gaze swept over Situ Yiyun's training clothes, soaked through with sweat.
He could tell the man was doing it on purpose.
But that tireless effort,
and even his deliberate display of exhaustion as a show of respect,
still made Lu Jing'an feel quite comfortable.
Lu Jing'an immediately instructed the servants standing nearby:
"Someone, bring Headmaster Situ ginseng tea and a hot towel."
"Thank you for your consideration, Young Master Lu."
Situ Yiyun cupped his hands in thanks.
He downed the ginseng tea, then wiped his face with the hot towel.
Taking advantage of the break,
he didn't forget to glance at his old rival, Chen Heqing, standing nearby.
There was a hint of smugness in his eyes.
Chen Heqing saw it all.
He gritted his teeth inwardly.
The hand behind his back clenched into a fist without him realizing it.
A flicker of barely perceptible irritation crossed his face.
That subtle change in expression
didn't escape Lu Jing'an's notice.
Lu Jing'an raised his teacup.
The steaming warmth hid the knowing smile at the corner of his mouth.
Once again, he admired the brilliance of Chen Xuan's arrangement.
He had invited both rivals at once.
Besides giving Lu Jing'an a more direct comparison between the old and new martial arts,
there was probably a deeper purpose:
to make the two of them secretly compete with each other.
Only competition
could push them to bring out their true abilities
and teach him with greater dedication.
After resting for a while, Situ Yiyun was refreshed.
He rose and walked to the center of the hall, then stood solemnly with his fists cupped. "Young Master Lu, please!"
Lu Jing'an had been itching to try.
At once, he sprang up from his chair.
He landed nimbly opposite Situ Yiyun.
His eyes gleamed with eager anticipation.
Situ Yiyun didn't hurry to begin. Instead, he asked first:
"May I ask what realm Young Master Lu has reached?
Which style of boxing do you mainly practice?"
He needed to gauge Lu Jing'an's abilities so he could set the right intensity for their spar.
Lu Jing'an answered concisely. "First Blood Transformation. Tongbei Fist."
"First Blood Transformation?"
A trace of unconcealable surprise flashed through Situ Yiyun's eyes.
He didn't know exactly how long Lu Jing'an had been practicing martial arts.
But he assumed it couldn't have been long.
After all, the past exploits of this young master of the Lu Family
were no secret in Yinshan County.
He'd spent his days listening to music in brothels.
At night, he either stayed at a Shuyu or went to a gambling den.
To reach First Blood Transformation in such a short time
was truly astonishing.
But he knew his place. He suppressed his curiosity and didn't ask further.
He merely nodded and said:
"In that case, I'll also suppress my strength to the First Blood Transformation level and spar with you."
Lu Jing'an looked somewhat surprised. "Can cultivation in New Martial Arts also be clearly matched to the cultivation realms of Ancient Martial Arts?"
Chen Heqing, who had been left out the whole time, finally found a chance to speak.
He let out a scornful snort. "Situ Yiyun is hardly a pure practitioner of New Martial Arts.
He only switched paths halfway through!
He used to practice Ancient Martial Arts, too.
Now he's teaching this foreign stuff—
isn't that turning his back on his ancestors?"
Facing the sharp accusation, Situ Yiyun didn't get angry.
Instead, he admitted frankly, "Headmaster Chen is right.
I, Situ Yiyun, did indeed train in Ancient Martial Arts first."
Then he shifted gears and looked at Lu Jing'an, speaking earnestly. "It's precisely because I experienced it firsthand
that I know how difficult it is to get started in Ancient Martial Arts.
Breaking through later on requires mountains of resources.
The saying 'the poor study while the rich practice martial arts'
has kept countless talented children from poor families outside the gates of the martial path.
Meanwhile, those foreigners are using simplified, easy-to-learn New Martial Arts
to constantly recruit our gifted young people.
I teach New Martial Arts
not because I've abandoned my ancestors.
I do it with the resolve to 'learn from the barbarians to resist the barbarians,'
hoping to use it to stand against them and preserve the flame of martial arts in our land."
Chen Heqing's face darkened, and he was about to argue back.
At last, Chen Xuan, who had been standing to the side, spoke calmly:
"I invited you both here to teach martial arts, not debate philosophy."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.
Situ Yiyun hurriedly bowed. "This junior spoke out of turn. Please forgive me, Elder Chen."
Chen Heqing could only awkwardly cup his hands as well.
He swallowed the words that had been about to leave his mouth.
Lu Jing'an had little interest in this dispute over principles.
In his eyes, strength had no old or new.
Any skill that could serve him was a good one.
Seeing the argument die down, he gave Situ Yiyun a slight nod.
The two then squared off in the middle of the hall.
It was both a matter of etiquette
and a way for Situ Yiyun to gauge Lu Jing'an's true strength and foundation.
Lu Jing'an wanted to test himself,
so he held nothing back. His blood surged, and he unleashed his full strength.
Their wrists touched.
A powerful force, far beyond that of an ordinary First Blood Transformation martial artist, came through.
Situ Yiyun was startled once again.
Lu Jing'an's solid foundation and robust physique
couldn't have been built up with medicinal ingredients alone.
He must have been exceptionally gifted.
Situ Yiyun quickly composed himself and settled on the appropriate intensity for their spar.
"Young Master Lu, please!"
The spar began in earnest.
Lu Jing'an struck first.
He opened with a probing move from Tongbei Fist—Oriole Probes the Crop.
His hand flashed forward, aiming straight for Situ Yiyun's throat.
Situ Yiyun saw that although Lu Jing'an's form was textbook,
his angle was slightly off.
He slid his foot subtly and turned his body just enough to meet the attack.
At the same time, he used a simple New Martial Arts hook punch
to redirect and defuse Lu Jing'an's force by the narrowest margin.
Then Situ Yiyun paused to explain:
"Young Master Lu, your fundamentals are exceptionally solid!
But in actual combat, practicality comes first.
You need to break free of rigid routines and adapt on the fly,
with defeating your opponent as your sole goal."
Lu Jing'an grasped the point.
He kept moving and immediately changed his technique.
A fierce Slap Palm lashed out like a whip.
The back of his hand whistled toward Situ Yiyun's face.
This follow-up strike sought a force that was cold, springy, crisp, and fast!
But the swift blow was still half a step off target.
Situ Yiyun had to shift slightly once more to meet it.
At the same time, he deftly blocked and deflected the attack with his shoulder and elbow,
then immediately pointed out the key to generating force and timing the move.
And so it went: one poured everything into attacking,
while the other deliberately fed him openings.
He met each move as it came, explaining in real time.
Another hour and more slipped by.
Situ Yiyun's forehead was already beaded with sweat.
His breathing had grown somewhat labored, too.
Maintaining such intense concentration and coordinating his body for over an hour
had taken more effort than teaching his own disciples.
Lu Jing'an, however, felt he had gained a great deal.
Actually fighting someone,
felt entirely different from practicing his punches alone.
Many techniques for generating force that were hard to grasp in everyday practice,
as well as controlling distance and choosing the right moment,
had become clear through each successive clash.
He signaled for a pause.
Once again, he had someone bring out ginseng tea and hot towels.
After Situ Yiyun had recovered a little,
Lu Jing'an suggested another round of continuous sparring.
This time, they would not stop midway.
Situ Yiyun had no objections.
In this round, Lu Jing'an did his best to combine everything he had just learned.
His punches flowed together, and his attacks were smoother.
Situ Yiyun continued to guide and respond with small movements and blocks.
However, in the final few exchanges,
a thought crossed Lu Jing'an's mind, and he quietly activated the power of [Clear as Fire].
In an instant, the world seemed to slow before his eyes.
The faintest twitch of Situ Yiyun's muscle fibers,
the subtle signs of his qi and blood circulating,
even the slightest change in his gaze,
all became clear as day.
From these telltale signs,
Lu Jing'an accurately predicted that, in the next instant, Situ Yiyun
would throw a side kick to disrupt his balance.
The opportunity would vanish in a flash!
Lu Jing'an did not hesitate.
His arm, which had been about to block, suddenly pulled back.
His waist and legs moved as one, power rising from the ground.
A plain, unadorned [Gathering Fist] shot out like a venomous snake from its hole,
striking straight at the opening in Situ Yiyun's chest and abdomen left by his rising kick!
The change came out of nowhere,
fast and vicious.
It was well beyond the bounds of a training exchange.
Though startled, Situ Yiyun did not panic.
A martial artist's instincts drove him to jerk his arm back and block.
But in his haste, he could not bring his full strength to bear.
Thud!
A muffled impact rang out.
The powerful force contained in the punch sent Situ Yiyun staggering back.
Step! Step! Step!
He retreated three paces
before managing to steady himself.
His qi and blood churned in his chest.
He drew a deep breath and suppressed his discomfort.
A flash of astonishment crossed his face, then turned to admiration. He clasped his fists and said:
"Young Master Lu, what splendid skill!
Your eye, your courage, your change of move—all top-notch!
I concede."
Lu Jing'an immediately checked his status panel in secret.
But he found no record of a victory.
It seemed that forcing someone back with a surprise attack
did not count as a genuine win.
Lu Jing'an understood.
Yet he remained humble, returning the salute with clasped hands:
"Master Situ, you flatter me.
It was all thanks to your excellent guidance.
This junior merely seized the initiative for half a move by chance.
It was a mere trick. How could I claim victory?"
Then he turned to the steward and instructed him:
"Bring five hundred silver dollars for Master Situ, as thanks for his efforts."
Five hundred silver dollars!
At the words, Situ Yiyun's fatigue vanished at once.
Delight flashed in his eyes.
His Zhengxin Martial Hall was already among the best in Yinshan County.
He had only a dozen or so disciples.
Its monthly tuition income was no more than a hundred and fifty silver dollars.
Yet for sparring with Lu Jing'an this once,
he had been generously given five hundred silver dollars—nearly three months' income for the martial hall!
At that moment, he wished he could immediately fight another three hundred rounds with Lu Jing'an.
Chen Heqing, who had watched from the sidelines with a cool gaze,
felt the corners of his eyes twitch.
He was both envious and bitter.
But Lu Jing'an spoke up just then. "It's getting late."
"Why don't the two masters have dinner first?"
"We can study with Master Chen tomorrow."
Chen Heqing grew anxious at once.
"Young Master Lu, it's no trouble even if it's late..."
But Lu Jing'an waved a hand, cutting him off. His tone was gentle but firm:
"I appreciate Master Chen's kind offer.
But Master Situ has worked hard today.
I also need time to digest and understand what I've learned.
I'll ask Master Chen about the essentials of Ancient Martial Arts tomorrow."
Chen Heqing opened his mouth, but seeing that Lu Jing'an had made up his mind,
he could only swallow all the words he had been about to say and clasp his fists in resignation. "Yes, then... I'll come bother you again tomorrow."
Lu Jing'an smiled and nodded, thinking to himself:
Let him stew all night.
Tomorrow, Master Chen will surely be more willing to bring out the real skills he's kept up his sleeve.
Before you continue