Learning Martial Arts, Part One

"Mm." Black and White Impermanence nodded calmly.

"Oh, please, don't say that." Li Yichen hurried forward and clasped the three men's hands, saying earnestly, "I grew up hearing stories about you three. I've always admired you masters. It's truly an honor to meet you today."

Li Yichen was only nineteen, after all. Having grown up watching all sorts of films and television shows, he held these three masters in considerable respect.

"You're too kind, Young Master Yichen." The three masters' expressions shifted, and a hint of emotion even appeared in their eyes.

Black and White Impermanence exchanged a glance and nodded despite themselves. "Brother Yichen, you've stayed true to yourself. We were right about you."

If Li Yichen had been an ungrateful wretch, they would have had to reconsider whether their investment would ever pay off.

After all, there were always people who became insufferably arrogant once they gained status and power, forgetting loyalty at the first sight of profit. Even a dog passing in front of them would have to take a slap before being allowed to leave.

For Li Yichen to remain unchanged despite being the Ghost Emperor's successor was what made him truly remarkable.

"May I ask why you summoned us here, Young Master Yichen?" Wong Fei-hung was the first to lose patience and asked with a cupped-fist salute.

A little embarrassed, Li Yichen said, "I admire your martial arts so much that I asked the Seventh and Eighth Lords to invite you three teachers up here to teach me a few moves."

The three exchanged glances, seeing shock in one another's eyes.

They did not know who Li Yichen was, but the mere fact that he could enlist Black and White Impermanence's help proved he was no ordinary person.

Yet he still treated them with such courtesy that their opinion of him immediately rose several notches.

"As long as you wish to learn, Young Master Yichen, we will hold nothing back." All three had already resolved to pass on everything they had learned throughout their lives.

"In that case, we brothers won't interrupt your martial arts lessons, Brother Yichen. We'll return between five and seven in the morning to pick them up." After bidding him farewell, Black and White Impermanence turned and vanished.

With Black and White Impermanence gone, the three men visibly relaxed.

After all, Black and White Impermanence were Underworld deities, numbered among its Ten Great Yin Marshals, and naturally exerted absolute suppression over spirits.

"Then let's begin. I can hardly wait." Li Yichen was thoroughly excited, and a little smug as well. Having three masters teach me martial arts at once—surely no one's ever done that before?

Huo Yuanjia, the most impatient of the three, stepped forward first and cupped his hands toward the other two. "Gentlemen, shall I get the ball rolling?"

"Of course." Neither was petty, so they naturally had no objections.

Huo Yuanjia nodded, then turned to Li Yichen. "Young Master Yichen, may we begin?"

"Teachers, please stop calling me young master. I hardly deserve that title." Li Yichen hurriedly waved his hands. "You're both men I admire and my teachers. Just call me Li Yichen, or Yichen."

The three were so moved that they hardly knew what to say. Finally, they replied sincerely, "Then we'll take the liberty of calling you our young friend Yichen."

"Well... all right." Li Yichen hesitated, then nodded his agreement.

The three were delighted. Huo Yuanjia smiled and said, "Good, young friend Yichen. Watch carefully. My Lost-Track Fist follows this principle: 'The fist springs from the heart, the body turns with the steps. Feints and true strikes intertwine, beyond the discernment of man or ghost.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, his feet moved, and his figure shifted unpredictably. His punches alternated between fierce power and supple agility.

"This fist technique emphasizes adapting to the situation and countering each move as it comes." Huo Yuanjia explained in a low voice as he demonstrated, making sure to show Li Yichen every movement clearly.

Once the demonstration was over, Huo Yuanjia withdrew his fists and stepped aside.

Li Yichen's eyes lit up, but he did not rush to begin. Instead, he gently closed his eyes. Every movement Huo Yuanjia had just performed replayed in his mind like a film.

He took a deep breath and abruptly opened his eyes, a dark gleam flashing within them. Then his body moved and he threw a punch, exactly matching Huo Yuanjia's movements.

At first, he simply copied each move in sequence, his form so precise that it was like watching a perfect reproduction.

Watching from the side, Huo Yuanjia nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of approval.

But when Li Yichen finished his first round, Wong Fei-hung stopped Huo Yuanjia just as he was about to speak. "Wait. Give him a little longer."

Huo Yuanjia paused, then looked back at Li Yichen.

Li Yichen had not stopped. Instead, he began again from the start.

Huo Yuanjia nodded approvingly. "Getting more familiar with it is good. This fist technique combines hardness and softness. It's easy to practice, but difficult to master."

"Mm." Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man nodded repeatedly.

"Still, for our young friend Yichen to reproduce it without a single mistake after seeing it only once—he truly is a martial arts genius," Ip Man said, unable to resist praising him.

At that moment, Li Yichen seemed to have entered a subtle state. The Great Netherworld Scripture quietly began circulating, sending netherworld power through his meridians and throughout his body.

Then he let out a low cry that rang like clashing metal. His movements grew faster and faster, until all that remained was a flickering figure and the whistling wind of his punches.

What he did not notice was that the three masters' mouths were hanging wide enough to fit a duck egg. Their eyes were tracking him so frantically they seemed ready to burst, yet they still could not keep up with his movements.

"Does he even need us to teach him?" Only after a long while did Ip Man close his mouth and speak with a wry smile.

Huo Yuanjia smiled bitterly too. "An ordinary person needs three years just to grasp the basics of this fist technique. He reached godlike mastery in three minutes. Calling him a heaven-sent prodigy would be no exaggeration."

"A monster," Wong Fei-hung said despite himself. "No wonder he can call those two divine lords his brothers. Common sense simply doesn't apply to him."

"Mm..." The other two nodded involuntarily.

When Li Yichen finished his moves and exhaled a breath of stale air, he immediately felt refreshed, every limb and bone brimming with strength.

His eyes shining, he turned excitedly and cupped his hands toward Huo Yuanjia. "Master Huo, did I do it correctly?"

Huo Yuanjia blushed a little. He could hardly say, You were moving so fast that I couldn't see what you were doing...

Then he sighed despite himself and cupped his hands. "Young friend Yichen, you are a heaven-sent prodigy. I admit I'm no match for you." With that, he stepped aside.

His meaning was clear: he could teach Li Yichen no more. There were still two others here; Li Yichen should go to them.

"Hehe, surely I'm not as good as you say?" Li Yichen scratched his head bashfully, then turned to Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man exchanged wry smiles.

"After you, Master Wong."

"After you, Master Ip."

Neither wanted to embarrass himself first, and in the end, they both spoke at once.

After another wry smile, Wong Fei-hung stepped forward. "Since Master Huo just taught you a fist technique, I'll teach you the Shadowless Kick."

As he spoke, he kicked up the hem of his robe and smoothly tucked it into his belt. The flowing movement left Li Yichen starry-eyed. "That looks so cool."

"The Shadowless Kick emphasizes intent over form. When you strike, your kicks must be as swift as lightning, leaving neither shadow nor trace." With that, Wong Fei-hung pushed off the ground and leaped into the air, his legs flashing as he kicked toward the wall of a brick-and-tile house.

Bang, bang, bang... Countless kicks struck the wall, their points of impact shifting unpredictably. Finally, with a crack, a large hole burst through it.

"Beautiful!" Li Yichen's eyes gleamed, and he practically drooled. To a young man, kicks like these were far cooler than punches—an absolute secret weapon for picking up girls.

"Give it a try..." Wong Fei-hung pushed off the wall and flipped back to his original position, his movements graceful and effortless. He truly lived up to his reputation as a master.

"Okay!" Li Yichen had long since run out of patience.

Netherworld power instantly gathered in his legs. Then he pushed off the ground and soared into the air.

"Good heavens, he's about to fly!" Wong Fei-hung looked up at Li Yichen, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.