Xuan Shen rolled up his sleeves, still feeling displeased.
âI refuse to believe it! Again!!â
He launched himself at Chen Changsheng once more. This time, holding nothing back, he poured every ounce of his martial skill into the attack.
Yet, every punch and every kick was effortlessly dissolved by the otherâs clever force. Sometimes, the force even rebounded, pushing him back several steps.
The two faced each other once again.
By now, Xuan Shen was panting heavily, one hand braced on his knee, sweat beading on his forehead.
âWhat exquisite techniqueâŠâ
Chang Shan replayed the Great Masterâs earlier movements in his mind. It felt like the door to a new world had swung open.
âSo this is how Taiji is used!â
Chang Shan possessed exceptional insight. Just by witnessing the fight, he grasped what kind of art Taiji truly was.
Combining soft force and using an opponentâs strength back against them to perfection. Without even a hint of Blood Qi, he could defeat Xuan Shen, who had trained for years.
Truly formidable!
Shang Lu and Zi Su, however, looked bewildered. They couldnât quite understand where the Great Masterâs power came from.
Chen Changsheng looked at Xuan Shen before him and asked, âAnother try?â
Xuan Shen opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure of what to say.
He knew continuing was pointless. He had no chance of winning against him.
Pursing his lips, he lowered his head. âYou win.â
Xuan Huang inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried the boyâs stubbornness would stop him from admitting defeat.
Xuan Shen lifted his head. âHow⊠how did you dissolve my force?â
âWant to learn?â Chen Changsheng inquired.
Xuan Shen nodded. âYes!â
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Shang Lu stepped forward then. âGreat Master, I want to learn too!â
Seeing this, his junior sister Zi Su also approached. âMe too.â
Chang Shan simply stepped forward to stand in line with the others.
Chen Changsheng swept his gaze over the four before him and smiled. âBut arenât you already learning?â
âAlready learning?â Shang Lu looked puzzled.
âThe essence of Taiji lies within the Taiji Quan. Youâve simply thought of the fist form as too ordinary. Practice diligently, and it will come naturally.â
Chen Changsheng added, âBesides, passing on a method is easy; teaching it is hard. I am not skilled at teaching. That depends on your Master.â
Their gazes turned to Xuan Huang.
Xuan Huang strode forward. âYears ago, I told you this boxing form isnât easy to master. Itâs not just about simply mimicking the form.â
âMaster,â Shang Lu spoke up. âMaster, you only taught us the shape, not the meaning. How were we supposed to know it was Taijiâno, I mean the Great Ultimate itself?â
Chen Changsheng said, âThe form calms the heart. If the heart is not calm, where can the meaning arise? Do not blame your Master. He himself learned this way.â
Chang Shan listened to the Great Masterâs words and felt that familiar strangeness again.
Why did this Great Masterâs speech always make him sound ancient?
Chang Shan struggled to understand.
Could this Great Master truly be very old?
He glanced again at Chen Changshengâs youthful face and shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.
He looks so young. Even if he is old, how old could he possibly be?
There must be something else going on.
Chang Shan walked forward and looked at Chen Changsheng. âGreat Master, may I test myself against you?â
âSenior Brother?â
His juniors looked at him in surprise. Xuan Huangâs gaze also focused on Chang Shan.
Chen Changsheng looked at him. âHow much did you understand from watching earlier?â
Chang Shan started inwardly. It always felt like this Great Master could see right through him. âAbout thirty percent,â he replied.
Chen Changsheng shook his head. âI could not withstand you.â
âHuh?â Chang Shan stared at him, stunned.
Chen Changsheng explained, âThere is one thing I did not deceive you about. I truly do not know martial arts. Not a single bit. I managed against Xuan Shen only because his Blood Qi was not overly potent, giving me a gap to exploit. But the Blood Qi within you is far, far stronger than his.â
âThough Taiji is an art of yielding and borrowing force, against overwhelming power, sheer force can break through any technique.â
Hearing this, Chang Shan understood. He sighed deeply and clasped his hands respectfully. âChang Shan⊠understands.â
He felt a wave of admiration stirring within him.
Just one Taiji principle allowed an ordinary person to defeat Xuan Shen, who had trained in martial arts for three years.
This Great Master truly possessed profound skill!
Yet, the thought that he couldnât test himself against him filled him with deep disappointment. Such a shame.
Beside him, Shang Lu muttered under his breath, âForce can break any technique⊠Force can break any techniqueâŠâ
The phrase echoed in his ears, lingering long after.
After the little drama concluded,
peace returned to the Taoist Temple. The brothers began pondering Taiji, practicing the moves, but their forms remained crude and unrefined.
Though Chang Shan had grasped thirty percent of the concept, putting it into motion felt incredibly difficult. His thoughts couldnât keep pace with his movements. He finally understood why learning Taiji demanded a tranquil heart.
Chen Changsheng, meanwhile, went back to his reading.
Xuan Huang, after instructing his disciples, found Chen Changsheng to discuss digging the well.
After all, going up and down the mountain each time was far too troublesome.
Chen Changsheng chuckled. âI merely spoke impulsively, to illustrate a point. Youâre really digging a well?â
Xuan Huang replied, âI thought it over all last night. I feel you speak great wisdom. We need a well, and we need fields. Later, we can plant a Peach Tree in the small courtyard. The Taoist Temple could become self-sufficient, so my disciples wonât go hungry. And when you visit next time, we could offer something proper to serve you.â
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng felt deeply gratified. âGo down the mountain and buy some soybeans. Plant three beans in a group at several places within the courtyard grounds, then cover each group with a bowl. The next day, the group whose beans have swollen the most indicates abundant groundwater beneath, suitable for digging the well. Behind the mountain lies a plot of wasteland. Turn and hoe the soil repeatedly, then it can become fields. As for the Peach TreeâŠâ
Chen Changsheng had an idea and smiled. âWhen you buy the soybeans, just bring me one peach back up the mountain.â
Overjoyed, Xuan Huang bowed deeply. âThank you, Great Master.â
Xuan Huang then went down the mountain alone to buy soybeans and the peach.
Chen Changsheng stayed in the pavilion in the backyard of the Taoist Temple. He did nothing but read, read, and read more.
At one point, Chang Shan came to the backyard looking for his Master. Seeing Chen Changsheng there, he asked,
âHas the Great Master seen my Master?â
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Chen Changsheng answered, âYour Master went to the market to buy a few things. He probably wonât be back until dusk.â
Chang Shan nodded. He intended to leave,
but hesitated. Then he walked further in.
He glanced at the book the Great Master was reading. Just as before, the pages were completely blank.
Chang Shan couldnât help asking, âWhy does the Great Master always stare at a blank book?â
Chen Changsheng replied, âThe book has no words in your eyes. But in my eyes, it contains text.â
Chang Shan found this hard to comprehend. He pressed on, âThen how can one see it?â