"Oh! No, it's more like returning the favor!"
Huang Rong blinked her bright eyes, looking as cunning as a little fox.
"We've been group members for years, and you're already Fourth Tier powerhouse. Even a little something slipping through your fingers would be an incredible opportunity for a weak woman like me from a small world, right?"
Her words were half a joke, half a test.
Having been a member of the Chat Group for several years, her perspective has broadened considerably, and she now deeply understands the vastness of the myriad worlds.
Lin Yu's true form was a powerful being who had achieved great success in the Immortal Dao. Even though this was just a blank slate clone, his knowledge and understanding of cultivation were far beyond what she could compare to now.
Lin Yu couldn't help but smile at Huang Rong's expression, which seemed to say, "I'm very reasonable, but you'd better know what's good for you."
"Sister Huang Rong is right." Lin Yu nodded, his expression becoming more serious.
"Since I currently possess nothing of value but a few shallow insights, if Sister Huang Rong doesn't mind, I can discuss Martial Dao with you as a token of my gratitude. What do you say?"
"Discuss Martial Dao?" Huang Rong's eyes lit up; this was exactly what she wanted!
I asked him about it before, but he just casually brushed me off with that "harmony between man and nature" thing. Now I have to have a proper discussion about it.
"Okay! But this isn't the place to talk. Let's go to the bamboo forest behind the mountain; it's quiet there."
The two quietly left the courtyard and soon arrived at a dense and secluded bamboo forest on the back mountain.
The morning dew had not yet dried, the bamboo leaves were fragrant, and the occasional chirping of birds added to the tranquility.
Lin Yu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the lush, tall bamboo all around him.
She spoke slowly, her voice calm yet carrying a rhythm that seemed to point directly to the source. "Sister Huang Rong, I can't give you anything right now, but I believe the greatest expression of that is an understanding of the Dao."
"You have practiced martial arts for many years and are exceptionally intelligent, but have you ever considered what the Tao is?"
Huang Rong's joking expression vanished. She focused her mind and pondered, then replied, "The Dao... is profoundly mysterious."
"Both Father and Seventh Master said that when martial arts reach a high level, one must pursue one's own path."
"Whether it be fierce, agile, or gentle, it is all a manifestation of one's own Dao."
Lin Yu nodded slightly, then shook his head gently. "What you said is true, but your perspective is still narrow."
"All things are manifestations of the Tao."
"Practicing martial arts can lead to enlightenment, farming can lead to enlightenment, reading can lead to enlightenment, even the breath we take, the withering and flourishing of a blade of grass and a tree, all are manifestations of the Dao in operation."
He casually plucked a bamboo leaf, releasing only a small amount of Internal Force from his body.
The bamboo leaves slowly swirled in his palm, their trajectory mysterious.
"Look at these bamboo leaves falling; do they follow a trajectory? They seem random, but in reality, they are guided by the rhythm of the wind, the shape of the leaves, and even the subtle, imperceptible energy between heaven and earth."
"This is the manifestation of the Tao."
Huang Rong stared intently at the bamboo leaf that seemed to have come to life, a realization dawning on her mind.
Lin Yu continued, "Have you ever carefully observed nature?"
How do dark clouds gather, churn, and hang low before a summer thunderstorm?
"The oppressive, suffocating, and pent-up feeling in the world reached its peak, and then suddenly, with a thunderous roar, lightning, and a torrential downpour."
This is what is meant by "the bell hanging like clouds collapsing and shaking."
Lin Yu turned around, looked at the stunned Huang Rong, and continued speaking.
"The pursuit in martial arts, especially superior martial arts, is precisely this kind of spirit, this kind of momentum that resonates with heaven and earth and nature."
"Move with the wind, sensing the changes in airflow; ride the water, experiencing the fusion of flexibility and strength."
As he spoke, he slowly began to move.
He didn't use any Internal Force; it was just the most basic boxing stance and footwork. But as he moved, the surrounding air seemed to be moved by him, and the bamboo leaves moved without wind, making a soft rustling sound.
"Man follows the Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows Nature." Lin Yu's voice seemed to carry a certain magic, each word striking Huang Rong's heart.
Our bodies are the most exquisite microcosm in this world.
"Practicing martial arts is the process of harmonizing this small world with the larger world outside, gradually achieving harmony and resonance."
"Everything in the world, both tangible and intangible, is the work of creation. If one can comprehend even a fraction of it, one can reunite with the universe, draw upon its power to nourish oneself, and transcend the limitations of mortal martial arts."
Huang Rong listened with rapt attention. These were words that Hong Qigong had never spoken, nor had Huang Yaoshi ever explained them so clearly.
She felt as if a new door had opened before her, behind which lay a much wider and deeper world of Martial Dao.
"I... In the past, when I practiced martial arts, although I pursued exquisite moves and profound Internal Force, I had never thought about the relationship with heaven and earth and nature so systematically," Huang Rong murmured, her eyes sparkling with excitement and contemplation.
"Taking detours... it's true. I relied on my cleverness to learn a lot of things in a haphazard way, sometimes knowing the 'what' but not the 'why,' and when I encountered a bottleneck, I felt stuck."
Lin Yu stopped what he was doing, his breathing as steady as ever, and smiled slightly, "This is normal. In my past cultivation, I also took countless detours, often getting stuck in them, not knowing where I went wrong."
"Learn from the old friends, learn from nature, and you will be a celestial being."
This is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires constant reflection and constant vigilance.
He looked at Huang Rong: "With your talent and comprehension, Sister Huang Rong, if you can use this mindset to observe martial arts, yourself, and the world, given time, you will surely break through your current limitations and reach unprecedented heights."
Huang Rong took a deep breath, feeling a sudden sense of clarity in her chest. "Master Xiao Yu, do you think there's anything I can improve in my Dog-Beating Staff Technique?"
"Um..." Lin Yu was speechless for a moment after being choked by Huang Rong's address of him as "Master Xiao Yu".
However, Huang Rong didn't care. As she spoke, she began to demonstrate the Dog-Beating Staff Technique.
Huang Rong's martial arts skills were passed down from her father, Huang Laoxie, and Hong Qigong.
It is inherently versatile and adaptable, drawing on the strengths of many.
When she practiced the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, she brought out its skill, adaptability, and speed to the extreme.
The bamboo stick seemed to come alive in her hands; she used it to point, poke, flick, and guide, her movements flowing smoothly and effortlessly.
Like a serpent emerging from its hole, she attacks from unexpected angles, her agile and graceful movements weaving through the bamboo shadows, truly dazzling and impossible to defend against.
Lin Yu watched quietly, his gaze following the trajectory of the bamboo stick.
With his knowledge of the original body, the Dog-Beating Staff Technique was dissected in his eyes; no detail could escape his notice.
After Huang Rong finished demonstrating her staff technique, her breathing was slightly labored, and sweat beaded on her forehead, but her face was filled with anticipation and confidence as she looked at Lin Yu: "Master Xiao Yu, how was it? Was there anything you didn't understand?"
"Sister Huang Rong's staff technique is skillful and exquisite, reaching an extremely high level, and she is rarely matched in the martial arts world."
He first acknowledged Huang Rong's skill, then changed the subject, "However, from the perspective of learning from nature and following the laws of nature, perhaps we could try incorporating some different ideas."
As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, and the bamboo stick was handed out horizontally. The starting stance was seven or eight parts similar to a certain move of the Dog-Beating Staff Technique.
But what happened next made Huang Rong's eyes widen in surprise.
In his hands, the bamboo branch no longer seemed like a light and agile stick, but rather transformed into a corner of a mountain, a stream of a river, and an extension of the earth.
He was still using the basic moves of the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, but the spirit behind them was completely different.