Guidance

Huo Shan thought of the dazzling geniuses he had seen over the decades in the prefectural city. Every one of those who had become masters or even grandmasters possessed exceptional natural aptitude.

Take his final disciple, Chu Fan, for example. Though his perseverance and diligence fell short of Zhao Feng's, his second-tier natural aptitude had made him a Dark Force expert after barely half a year of training. His potential was limitless. If Huo Shan could cultivate a grandmaster, his name too would go down in history.

Though he appreciated Zhao Feng's intelligence and diligence, the martial academy's future still had to rest on Chu Fan's shoulders. Its resources also had to be tilted toward Chu Fan, because he was the hope of both Huo Shan and the entire academy.

After finishing a full routine, Zhao Feng spotted Huo Shan and hurriedly clasped his fists in salute. "Master."

"Your mastery of both the Small Frame and Great Frame is fairly good, but in actual combat, they often need to be blended together more thoroughly," Huo Shan said.

"Blending does not simply mean combining close-range strikes with extended Pigua techniques, nor does it merely mean balancing hardness and softness. At the same time, you must combine emptiness and sinking in order to build momentum!"

Seeing the confusion on Zhao Feng's face, Huo Shan said, "Come at me without holding back."

"Forgive my offense, Master!" Zhao Feng sprang forward and immediately launched a flurry of close-range attacks. His first form of boxing was already honed to perfection, and this rapid assault was terrifying in both speed and power. Huo Shan did nothing but block.

Yet Zhao Feng soon realized something was wrong. His attacks were like a clay ox sinking into the sea, his fists landing on cotton. When his rapid barrage had run its course, Huo Shan's left fist traced a semicircle before striking out sharply.

Bang! Zhao Feng watched the inch punch come at him, yet he had no way to defend against it. The blow struck his elbow, sending him stumbling backward.

His entire right arm was numb and aching, utterly unable to rise. If Huo Shan counterattacked now, he would have no strength to resist.

"What have you understood?" Huo Shan asked.

"Combine emptiness and sinking. The sinking force guards one's openings, while the empty force deflects attacks and gathers momentum, waiting for a chance to counterattack," Zhao Feng answered.

"Not bad." Huo Shan nodded, slightly surprised. This disciple's comprehension was quite good.

"But you are only half right. Momentum must also be gathered when attacking."

"My Eight Extremes Fist places equal importance on offense and defense. As I said before, strikes should erupt like thunder. Use momentum to overwhelm the opponent and seek a swift victory. But if the opponent is strong and cannot be defeated quickly, then besides using extended Pigua techniques to deal with them, you must also use empty force to gather momentum and store power, waiting for the right moment to win with a single inch-force strike!" Huo Shan said.

"It would be best if this inch force struck the opponent's vital points. If not, hitting joints and acupoints on the limbs, such as the elbow tip or wrist, can likewise reduce their combat strength and seize the initiative. If you can break through to Dark Force, the effect of this inch force will be truly astonishing."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master." Zhao Feng felt as though a blockage in his mind had suddenly cleared. He hesitated briefly before asking.

"Master, I have a question. If an opponent is agile in movement, and neither close-range strikes nor extended Pigua techniques can do anything to them, apart from gathering momentum and power while waiting for an opportunity to win with one blow, is there any other way to deal with them?"

"Oh?"

"You are not the first to raise this question." Huo Shan nodded.

"What are your thoughts on it?" Interest appeared on his face.

"Forgive your disciple's boldness, but does our Eight Extremes Lineage not have a matching movement technique? That way, whether fighting at close, middle, or long range, we would not be at an obvious disadvantage."

"The fact that you can think this way shows that you are good at reflection. Such comprehension is rare." Huo Shan's face showed approval.

"My Eight Extremes Fist emphasizes the cross-shaped sinking force. Its strikes erupt like thunder, while its defense forms a level cross, immovable as a mountain! Movement techniques are indeed a relative weakness, and there is no fully compatible movement technique or kicking art," Huo Shan said.

Seeing the slight disappointment on Zhao Feng's face, he smiled. "I mean that Eight Extremes Fist alone has none, but that does not mean our Eight Extremes Lineage has none. Listen carefully. If one day you are fortunate enough to enter the inner sect of the Eight Extremes Gate, you will naturally be able to choose a compatible movement technique."

Zhao Feng's eyes lit up. He had heard bits and pieces from his fellow disciples that their master had retired from a sect, though naturally, one should not ask what ought not be asked.

"Then, Master, if I find a movement technique elsewhere and pair it with Eight Extremes Fist, is that possible?"

"It is not easy to combine movement techniques from other sects with my Eight Extremes Fist, because Eight Extremes Fist emphasizes sinking, cross force, and using stillness to counter movement. Most movement techniques from other sects are light, nimble, and graceful. But that does not mean they are wholly incompatible. In fact, as long as one's comprehension is high enough, the two can often be effectively combined." In the sect, some disciples with extremely high comprehension had indeed successfully integrated outside movement techniques and kicking arts, greatly multiplying their power. This had nothing to do with natural aptitude; it depended on comprehension and the individual.

Hearing Huo Shan's answer, Zhao Feng felt reassured. Since it was possible, he could try obtaining a kicking art that suited Eight Extremes Fist and make up for some of its weaknesses as much as possible.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master."

Huo Shan nodded without saying anything more, then turned and left. This diligent disciple might soon leave the martial academy. What he had taught and guided him in would be enough for him to earn a living outside.

In the inner city's Waterworks Ward, inside a side room in the rear courtyard of Xue Family Trading House, Xue Xiangling, the Xue Family's second daughter, sat studying the account books with a slight frown between her delicate brows. The accounts for the past few months simply would not balance.

Times had been unstable lately, and the Xue Family's business had suffered as well, resulting in losses. A shipment entrusted to the Might-Reaching Escort Agency had even been robbed by the Blood Wolf Bandits. Though the escort agency had provided some compensation, the losses were still substantial. Afterward, they had been forced to take a long detour and bring goods in through neighboring territory under Huaiyin Prefecture, needlessly increasing expenses and wastage.

"Young Miss." At that moment, a maid entered softly with a cup of ginseng tea.

"It is late. You should rest after finishing the tea."

"I know." Xue Xiangling nodded and rubbed her temples with her slender fingers before taking the tea and drinking two sips.

"By the way, Young Miss, regarding the young master's junior brother, that Young Master Zhao Feng whom he mentioned yesterday, what do you think? How should we reply to the young master?" the maid asked.

At the mention of this, Xue Xiangling's lovely face turned cold. She was, after all, the second daughter of Xue Family Trading House, born into a prosperous household and educated in both letters and etiquette. Yet Wei Yuan had introduced her to a country bumpkin—a martial artist with mediocre natural aptitude, no less. It made her feel insulted.

This distant cousin of hers was indeed a good man with a warm heart, but he was somewhat immature and unable to read the room. No wonder his branch of the Wei Family had gradually been pushed to the margins.

"Reject him for me. There is no need to meet," Xue Xiangling said.

"Reject him?" the maid asked.

"Of course. Do you think I need to meet him?" Xue Xiangling said coldly.

"Yes." Seeing that her expression was off, the maid dared not say another word and hurriedly withdrew.

At the Wei Family residence in the inner city, its layout of three successive courtyards and four enclosed compounds showed that it belonged to one of the county's foremost wealthy households.

Wei Yuan hurried into a side room in the rear courtyard, where his older sister, Wei Ping, sat beside the table with an unpleasant expression.

"Big Sister, what is it?" Wei Yuan studied his sister's face and asked cautiously.

Even though he was a Dark Force martial artist, the pressure of blood ties still made him tread carefully around the older sister he had feared since childhood.

"Wei Yuan, look at the mess you've made!"