Half an hour later.
In the spacious training room, Wang Hai and Shen Heng stood facing each other.
"Do you know why I'm teaching you unrestricted combat instead of other fighting styles, like taekwondo or Jeet Kune Do?" Wang Hai asked.
"No." Shen Heng shook his head.
Wang Hai's expression grew serious as he explained:
"Because other fighting styles usually focus more on specific techniques, moves, and exchanges, and all those moves and techniques were developed to be used against people. Against Calamity Beasts, they're completely useless."
"Unrestricted combat focuses more on how to use your own body to fight. It emphasizes your body's flexibility, strength, speed, and adaptability, as well as the ability to fight under different circumstances!"
Shen Heng was slightly taken aback. He really hadn't considered that before.
Wang Hai continued, "So teaching unrestricted combat mainly involves two aspects. One is basic combat knowledge, such as straight punches, hooks, swing punches, jabs, and other punches, as well as how to move and control the distance between you and your opponent while attacking. The other is sparring."
As Wang Hai spoke, he spread his feet slightly and raised his clenched fists.
"First, then, is the most basic straight punch!"
"Remember, when making a fist, fold your thumb over your index and middle fingers. Don't keep it clenched the whole time-that wastes your strength. Wait until you've thrown the punch, then suddenly tighten it in midair!"
"Also, don't just use your arm to generate force. You need to use the strength of your shoulders and waist too!"
"Concentrate all your strength into your fist. Imagine your fist is a cannonball that's going to smash everything in front of it!"
"Like this!"
With that, Wang Hai abruptly threw a punch, whipping up a rush of wind.
Half an hour later.
After going over basic attacks, defense, movement, precautions in combat, and the like, Wang Hai slowly took off his jacket and said:
"All right, now we'll start sparring!"
The corner of Shen Heng's mouth twitched slightly. With the Five Animal Fist, he'd been made to practice after watching it once. Now, with combat, he was supposed to start sparring after watching it once too. Wasn't this pace a little too fast? And besides...
Looking at Wang Hai's bulging muscles, Shen Heng had a bad feeling. He couldn't help making one last attempt to resist.
"How about letting me practice on my own for a few days before we start sparring?"
"No need. That would be too slow. The best way to learn how to fight is to take a beating. The more deeply you feel the pain, the more you'll remember."
Wang Hai looked up at Shen Heng and said:
"Don't worry. I'll hold back. I won't injure or cripple you!"
Seeing that resistance was futile, Shen Heng could only add weakly:
"Not the face!"
Thud!
Wang Hai punched Shen Heng in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.
"When you punch, generate force through your waist, drive your shoulders, then transfer that power to your arm. That's how you throw a powerful punch!" Wang Hai remained where he stood, watching Shen Heng retreat.
Shen Heng steadied himself and adjusted his breathing. This time, he followed Wang Hai's instructions, twisting his waist and driving his shoulder forward. His punch was noticeably faster.
But Wang Hai reacted even faster. He dodged sideways, then followed through with a kick to the outside of Shen Heng's thigh.
Shen Heng staggered and nearly fell.
"What about your footwork? How are you supposed to fight if you can't even stand steady? When you move, bend your knees, lower your center of gravity, and push off the ground with the balls of your feet. Keep your body balanced and agile at all times. Again!" Wang Hai barked.
Shen Heng gritted his teeth and resumed his stance.
This time, he feinted with a punch to draw Wang Hai's attention, then quickly raised his foot and kicked toward Wang Hai's abdomen.
Wang Hai remained unhurried, crossing his hands to guard his abdomen while crouching slightly to dissipate the force of the kick.
Immediately afterward, he grabbed Shen Heng's ankle and yanked hard. Shen Heng lost his balance and pitched forward.
Wang Hai took the opportunity to give his back a light pat, and Shen Heng crashed heavily to the floor.
"When attacking, always watch your opponent's movements. That kick left your lower body completely exposed, giving me an opening. Remember, offense and defense must work as one. Never leave yourself open. Get up. Keep going!"
Shen Heng struggled up from the floor, his body already covered in dust and bruises. Yet determination shone in his eyes, and he moved his feet, charging toward Wang Hai once more.
And so, through repeated falls and getting back up, Shen Heng gradually grew familiar with movements that had initially felt foreign.
Their figures continually tangled in the spacious training room.
A long while later, watching Shen Heng's increasingly practiced attacks, Wang Hai nodded inwardly in satisfaction.
In his field of vision, a fist hurtled toward his chest.
This time, Wang Hai didn't dodge. He put a little strength into his right arm and raised it to chest level, preparing to teach him how to defend.
Thud!
The fist slammed squarely into Wang Hai's arm.
Unexpected force surged through his struck arm. Wang Hai was momentarily stunned as his arm was driven hard against his chest. He even retreated a step, the soles of his shoes scraping two shallow marks across the floor.
The unexpected hit also briefly stunned Shen Heng. But when he saw Wang Hai retreat, his gaze instantly sharpened. He quickly stepped forward with his left foot and raised his fist again, ready to keep attacking Wang Hai.
"Stop!" Wang Hai raised a hand and shouted.
Shen Heng pulled back his strength, just managing to withdraw the punch before fully throwing it. He looked at Wang Hai in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"What's your punching strength now?" Wang Hai rotated his arm.
He had intended to teach Shen Heng how to defend, but the unexpected force that struck his arm had made him take a step back. That wasn't strength someone who'd only been learning for a week should possess!
"It was 232 when I tested it the day before yesterday. Now it should be around 250 or 260." Shen Heng recalled the figures from the day before yesterday.
"Your first punching strength measurement was 120, right?" Wang Hai frowned slightly.
"Yeah, 123 kg!" Shen Heng gave the precise figure.
So Shen Heng's punching strength had increased by around 130 kg in a week?
No, there were still today and tomorrow. Counting those two days, wouldn't that make it nearly 200 kg in a week?
How could it be so fast?
Those numbers would take anyone else at least half a month to a month of cultivation.
Wang Hai drew a deep breath, his gaze fixed firmly on Shen Heng.
"Is there a problem?" Shen Heng asked.
"No. Your punching strength is just increasing a little faster than I expected. How long have you been practicing each night lately?" Wang Hai asked.
"Hmm... whenever I have nothing else to do, I practice!" Shen Heng said after a moment's thought.
"The Five Animal Fist and the Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique?"
"Yeah. I just keep practicing those two. Once I've filled up on Origin Power through breathing practice, I use the Five Animal Fist to temper my body. When my Origin Power runs dry, I sit down and do breathing practice!"
"You can actually stand such a monotonous life!" Wang Hai looked up at Shen Heng, a trace of surprise entering his eyes.
Although he had told Shen Heng to cultivate diligently when he joined the team, he still hadn't expected Shen Heng to take it this seriously.
It was like having someone hold a pen and repeatedly write "one." Doing it for a few minutes was easy, and even ten or twenty minutes wasn't hard. But if they had to keep writing, day after day, year after year, very few people could stick with it.
"With a goal and something forcing you, you naturally manage it!" Shen Heng said.
"Forcing you?"
"Uh... being forced by my goal!"
Wang Hai nodded. "All right, let's keep sparring!"
Shen Heng took a deep breath and raised his loosely clenched fists, ready to take another beating.