"Tai Chi was born of the infinite, the mother of yin and yang. In motion they divided; in stillness they united. Neither excess nor deficiency-bend and extend as the movement demands. → Respond swiftly to swift movement, follow slowly with slow movement. Though the transformations numbered ten thousand, one principle ran through them all."
Little Leopard had never understood this Tai Chi Fist formula.
In his previous life, he had been nothing more than a low-ranking civil servant. What had he known about martial arts or fighting skills? He had learned Tai Chi partly for exercise and partly to please his superiors, to butter them up. He had understood absolutely nothing of martial arts. To flatter his superiors, he had memorized all the essential Tai Chi Fist formulas, but that had been like a four-year-old reciting the Three Character Classic-rote memorization, without the slightest understanding of what the formulas meant.
After coming to this world, meeting Wang Tianlei, and learning some fist techniques and internal cultivation methods, he had accidentally discovered the marvelous effects of Tai Chi Fist and reaped enormous benefits. But benefits were all they were. That did not mean he truly understood Tai Chi Fist. At most, possessing Internal Energy had allowed its true effects to manifest.
Wang Tianlei was fairly strong, but at the very most, he was only a second-rank martial artist. Put plainly, a second-rank martial artist had only just touched the threshold of the martial path. What Little Leopard had learned from him was limited, too: a basic internal cultivation method and two sets of fist techniques. He had muddled his way through practicing them and achieved some modest results, but those results showed only in his strength. His skills were the rough moves of a farmhand; he knew what happened, but not why. He had no clear understanding of the true principles behind fist techniques, so there was no way he could comprehend the profound martial truths contained in this formula.
But things were different now. He had Old Xing to guide him. Although Old Xing had not passed the Wu Household's second round of selection and become an inner disciple, he still counted among its elite disciples. In an aristocratic clan like the Wu Household, an elite disciple's abilities were far beyond those of a half-trained former soldier like Wang Tianlei.
Wang Tianlei had merely learned a few sets of fist techniques; no one had ever explained their principles to him. The Wu Household, on the other hand, had instructors specifically assigned to teach those principles to its elite disciples. Old Xing could therefore be considered someone who had truly crossed the threshold into the martial world.
The eighty-one forms of the Chaotic Wind Hammer Method were an unparalleled martial art that an ancestor of the Wu Household had comprehended from smithing and smelting. Although Old Xing knew only the first nine, most basic forms, those nine contained almost all the essence of the Chaotic Wind Hammer Method. In fact, probably no one would have imagined that, once the method reached complete mastery and the eighty-one returned to one, it was these first nine basic forms that combined into the final killing move, Heaven-Breaking Hammer.
Of course, none of this was something Little Leopard could know at present, nor could a master craftsman of Old Xing's standing understand it.
For now, the Nine-Form Hammer Technique brought Little Leopard two benefits. The first was his smithing skill. Since the Chaotic Wind Hammer Method had been distilled from smithing and smelting, practicing it naturally improved his craftsmanship enormously. The second was his Tai Chi Fist Technique.
Tai Chi Fist contained four hammer techniques: Deflect-and-Block Fist, Body-Covering Fist, Elbow-Bottom Fist, Ground-Striking Fist, and Crotch-Pointing Fist. Previously, Little Leopard had understood neither martial arts nor hammer techniques. Tai Chi's greatest benefit to him had been much like that of the body-tempering fist techniques, with the added effect of helping purify and refine his Internal Energy. But that had been all.
Now, however, things were different. After integrating the Nine-Form Hammer Technique, his Tai Chi Fist had begun to acquire offensive capabilities. In other words, for him, Tai Chi Fist was no longer limited to tempering his body; it could also serve as a means of attack. Its power was still slight, of course, but for Little Leopard, it was enough.
"Phew!" Slowly drawing his Tai Chi stance to a close, Little Leopard was drenched from head to toe, as though he had just been immersed in water. He carefully savored the feeling of unity between body and mind he had experienced while practicing Tai Chi's hammer techniques, and a trace of excitement appeared on his face.
So that's it. Tai Chi's hammer techniques evolved from ordinary hammer techniques.
If that's the case, some of Tai Chi's punches and kicks must possess powerful offensive strength as well. My understanding of their intent simply isn't deep enough yet. Given time, if I can thoroughly integrate the whole of Tai Chi Fist, my strength will surely advance by leaps and bounds!
At that thought, he could not help feeling delighted. I wonder when Old Xing will return. He said he would teach me a Bone Tempering fist technique. The Wu Household really does live up to its reputation as a great aristocratic clan. Even someone of Old Xing's rank is qualified to practice Bone Tempering fist techniques. He said the one he practices is second-rate, but that's still better than nothing. Besides, the Skin Training fist technique he taught me is far more sophisticated than the Bear Demon Fist. Unfortunately, my body has already reached the limit for my age, so I can't make use of it now! As these thoughts passed through his mind, he looked down at his soaking clothes and chuckled. Forget it. No point thinking so much. I should rinse off and get to bed!
I don't know what Old Xing is thinking. Those fellows hadn't met the standard at all, yet he still admitted them! Little Leopard pondered this as he walked toward the apprentices' sleeping quarters.
He had been the first to hammer through the wooden post, so he had also been the first to move into the room reserved for newly admitted apprentices.
The conditions here were much better than in the communal sleeping quarters where he had stayed before. Four people shared a room, each with his own bed and one table between them. He had lived here alone for more than two months, and judging by the other apprentices' progress, he had expected to have the room to himself for at least another year.
Yet, to his surprise, when Old Xing returned after an absence of more than two months, he admitted seven more apprentices. Although those seven had performed the best among the group, they had not met Old Xing's original requirements. This left Little Leopard deeply puzzled, and what happened next struck him as even stranger.
When others were present, Old Xing treated him exactly like everyone else. He was even particularly strict with him and occasionally picked fault with him. In private, however, he often sought Little Leopard out, asked about his cultivation, and guided him with great diligence.
This made Little Leopard uneasy.
Could he have gotten himself into trouble and be acting like this to distance himself from me?!
That was the only explanation for Old Xing's differing treatment of him in public and private. But Old Xing was already one of the most important figures at the Wu Ironworks in Green Ram Market. Few people in Green Ram Market could make trouble for him. Could it be Steward Lin?
That did not seem right either. Steward Lin was nominally the head of the Wu Ironworks, but he was only responsible for sales and had no authority over matters in the rear courtyard. Besides, he had been weighed down with worries lately, just like Old Xing.
Could both of them have gotten into trouble at the same time?!
This question had lingered in his mind ever since Old Xing and Steward Lin returned. Still, he could more or less be considered an easygoing person. If he could not work something out, he did not force it, so after turning it over a few times in his mind, he stopped thinking about it.
After a few more steps, he reached the door to his room. He pushed it open and found all three of his roommates fast asleep.
Little Leopard tiptoed inside, brought out a wooden bucket, and walked over to the well in the middle of the courtyard to rinse himself off.
He had previously practiced Tai Chi Fist indoors, but since three more people had moved in, he had been forced to find another place: a spot concealed by an artificial rockery in the ironworks' rear courtyard.
Over the past few days, he had gleaned a little of the Tai Chi Fist Technique's mysteries from the Chaotic Wind Hammer Method, leaving him lighthearted and thoroughly content. Even rinsing himself off felt especially refreshing. Had he not feared disturbing others in the stillness of the night, he would have thrown back his head and sung a song.
Boom!
As he ran, he shouted, "Help! Help! Murder! Murder!"
The piercing cries tore through the sky, shattering the silence of Green Ram Market.