136. Putting the cart before the horse?

Hearing Li Xiang say this, Chen Jue smiled slightly: "Master Li, you flatter me too much. There are still many experts left; who wins and who loses remains to be seen after we actually fight."

"Heh! Those few kittens left? I know their backgrounds like the back of my hand!"

"I suspect only that monk Yantong from Shaolin Temple could barely trade a few blows with you, Master Chen," Li Xiang said with a contemptuous laugh.

Having served as the former chief instructor and concurrently holding the position of president of the Baji Quan Association, Li Xiang had vast connections and was well-versed in the various masters of the martial arts world. Had he not encountered a freak of nature like Chen Jue, and had he not chosen to concede, the top spot in this grand tournament would likely have gone to him.

"But Master Chen, I noticed you seem to practice more than one school of martial arts, don't you?"

"The Wudang Tiger Claw, the Taihe Sect’s Tiger Roaring Golden Bell Shield and Dragon Roaring Iron Shirt—these are all secret techniques. Even your Taiji frame appears extremely refined. To block my 'Standing Sky-Piercing Cannon' with a single 'White Crane Spreads Its Wings'—aside from my senior martial brother, you are the first outsider I’ve encountered who is this formidable!"

"And you are so young. It seems the position of chief instructor will surely be yours in the future," Li Xiang remarked, observing Chen Jue. He felt a sense of affinity toward the energy radiating from the young man, prompting him to chat a bit more.

Chen Jue was too embarrassed to reveal that he was only there to secure the prize money and go through the motions, with no intention of staying on as chief instructor. He steered the conversation back to their recent sparring match: "Master Li, I recall that after the 'Heart-Piercing Elbow,' one can follow up with the hip strike of the 'Iron Mountain Lean.' Why did you suddenly change tactics and use Bagua Palm?"

"It’s because your hard-body technique is simply too rigid!"

"If I had continued to clash head-on with you, my arms and hands would have been ruined," Li Xiang replied huffily, lifting his injured arms. He felt that while this young man’s martial arts were impressive and his physical constitution incredibly formidable, his thinking was a bit stubborn.

...

The two left the venue, chatting as they walked until they sat down in a quiet, deserted training field to discuss their respective martial arts knowledge.

When Chen Jue brought up the concepts of intent and emotional resonance in boxing, Li Xiang fell silent. After pondering for a long time, he said: "The eruption of heart-intent isn't anything particularly miraculous; much of it has been hyped up by our predecessors. Just like when I struck you earlier—I had already utilized the 'Transformation Energy' that erupts with both manifest and hidden force—yet I still couldn't break through your tough, hard-trained skin."

"My emotional resonance was something I realized myself through repeated competitions in the past; there isn't much I can teach you."

"However, Master Chen, you are already an elite expert. Looking across the entire country, there probably isn't anyone who can be your match. Why seek the trivial and neglect the essential? Why pursue this talk of 'emotional resonance'?"

"Even though I realized emotional resonance and can erupt with hidden force, didn't I still lose to you?"

"In my view, martial arts are nothing more than combat techniques. It’s a competition of whose fists are harder, whose speed is faster, whose body is more resistant to damage, and finally, whose stamina is more abundant and enduring. No matter how much it’s boasted about, it’s useless. There is no need to pursue these metaphysical things."

"If it weren't for the fact that my foundation is in Baji Quan and it’s more comfortable for me to use, I might have just switched to Sanda or grappling techniques when sparring with you earlier."

Li Xiang lived up to his reputation as a former chief instructor, possessing a soldier’s straightforward and forthright character. A few words from him cleared up many of the doubts in Chen Jue’s heart.

...

Chen Jue thought about it and realized it made sense. If he hadn't only used thirty percent of his strength, he might have flattened Li Xiang in a single move during that sparring session. What good was "heart-intent eruption" then?

After coming to this realization, Chen Jue smiled and said: "Thank you for the guidance, Master Li! This problem has troubled me for a long time. Hearing you say this, I feel I understand much more."

After chatting for a while, the two prepared to leave the training field when they saw Zhou Gang hurrying over from outside.

"Coach! I finally found you!" Zhou Gang had run all the way there. Having practiced the "Manifest Energy" technique of closing the pores, he let out a long breath the moment he stood before them, his pores relaxing and steam rising from his body.

"Zhou Gang, is there something you need?" Chen Jue asked curiously.

"Nothing! It's just that your sparring match with Instructor Li was so spectacular, I just wanted to see you," Zhou Gang said with a simple, honest smile, scratching his head. He looked at the two with admiration, much like a fan chasing a star.

That match had dominated the entire event; the explosive sounds and the sight of the floor shattering had left an indelible impression on all the soldiers and civilian martial artists present. In their eyes, the match between Chen Jue and Li Xiang was the only "true" martial arts on display; the others, while seemingly exciting, were worlds apart.

Li Xiang, standing to the side, squinted as he looked Zhou Gang up and down. After a moment of contemplation, he asked: "Young man, have you ever taken a master?"

"Taken a master? No, I just learned a bit of Hung Ga from my family," Zhou Gang replied with slight confusion.

"Hung Ga? Can you demonstrate a set for me?" Li Xiang asked. Chen Jue, sensing the intent, nodded and signaled: "Zhou Gang, go ahead and perform your family's routine. Master Li wants to see your level of skill."

"Yes, Coach!" Zhou Gang, who deeply admired Chen Jue, set aside his confusion and immediately took his stance in the training field, performing a set of the vigorous "Gong Zi Fuhu" (Character 'Gong' Taming-Tiger Fist).

When the routine was finished, Li Xiang nodded in satisfaction: "You have indeed integrated the skill into your body. Your name is Zhou Gang, right? Are you interested in becoming my disciple? I can teach you Baji Quan."

It seemed that having reached the level of "Transformation Energy" and possessing a wealth of life experience, Li Xiang had developed a talent similar to Chen Jue’s "Heaven-Man Connection." With just one glance, he could basically see the "innocent sincerity" inherent in Zhou Gang. Furthermore, Zhou Gang was young, had a good foundation, and, having learned the technique of closing pores from Chen Jue’s guidance, he was an excellent candidate who could achieve great things with just a little polishing.

"Ah? Become your disciple, Chief Instructor?" Zhou Gang was stunned by this unexpected stroke of luck, his face flushing with excitement.

"I am only the former chief instructor. You don't need to call me 'Instructor' anymore; call me Master Li. Once you retire from the military, you can come find me to apprentice." Li Xiang seemed quite taken with the young man, chatting with him for a long time and even inquiring about his family background.

In ancient times, martial arts masters were fastidious about a disciple's clean background, often going around the neighborhood to investigate a potential student's reputation. This was tradition, and even Li Xiang was no exception. Fortunately, soldiers who joined the military were all from reputable families, and after a few questions, Li Xiang was even more satisfied with Zhou Gang.

What Chen Jue didn't know was that Li Xiang had already taken an interest in him during the first round when he defeated the Wudang sect's Daoist Liu Shiqing. However, after clashing with him, Li Xiang realized that this young man was even more formidable than himself—a master of the grandmaster level—and had thus abandoned the idea of taking him as a disciple, choosing instead to treat him as an equal.

As for Chen Jue, who had watched this scene of master and disciple connecting, he knew this was Zhou Gang’s own opportunity and offered a few words of blessing. If Zhou Gang could truly apprentice under Li Xiang and learn a few of his techniques, it would be a promising path for his future.

...

The three chatted for a while in the training field before heading to the cafeteria for dinner. During the meal, Li Xiang mentioned his senior martial brother, who specialized in Taiji, and invited Chen Jue to visit Cangzhou for an exchange. Chen Jue thought for a moment and agreed immediately.

His Taiji Fist stance had been stuck at level 4 for a long time, and without enough free attribute points to break through, he had to find a way to grind for proficiency. There were only a few ways to increase proficiency: status buffs, observation and exchange, and environmental influence—such as practicing in the ocean during a typhoon, which could significantly boost progress.

Given Li Xiang’s level, the man he called "senior brother" must also be a grandmaster. The prospect of exchanging Taiji techniques with such an expert was likely to be much faster than observing tigers to learn the essence of the Tiger Form, filling Chen Jue with a sense of anticipation.