Chapter 31

"This is the combat technique after achieving 'Body Like Water,'" Liu Hai said. "I accumulated it over many years and naturally mastered it. Now I will teach you first. When you reach the 'Body Like Water' realm, you can gradually figure it out and learn it on your own."

Xu Jingming listened carefully.

"Look."

Liu Hai extended his hand, and the single saber in his hand disappeared, replaced by an apple. Liu Hai gently tossed the apple, and when it fell, it hit his hand. "The apple, when it directly hits the hand, still hurts a bit, right?"

Liu Hai tossed the apple again. This time, as the apple fell, Liu Hai's hand also moved downward, catching it smoothly. "This way, it lands in the hand very lightly."

Xu Jingming nodded. "I understand. From a physics perspective, this is relative velocity! If the hand stays still and the apple falls freely, the kinetic energy of the apple is entirely absorbed by the hand! But if the hand moves downward with the apple, the relative velocity might be only one-third or one-fifth of the apple's descent speed! The impact kinetic energy is one-third squared or one-fifth squared, which is much less."

Liu Hai's eyes twitched.

Physics?

What's that?

"Alright, you understand the principle," Liu Hai said. "What I want to teach you is how to control speed in actual combat! The apple represents the enemy's speed! The hand represents your speed. Controlling the speed of the enemy and yourself... makes the enemy's attack only one-tenth or even less effective."

Xu Jingming understood a bit and said, "I learned earlier that one technique for defusing force is to follow the opponent's speed."

"You are passively following the opponent, but what I'm talking about is... controlling speed!" Liu Hai held a saber in one hand. "Forget it, let's get straight to the point. Attack me with your fastest speed."

"Alright."

Xu Jingming extended his hand, holding a long spear, and immediately advanced and thrust it forward.

"Clang." Liu Hai casually blocked it, and Xu Jingming felt the spear being stuck, with only one-tenth of its power being exerted.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Xu Jingming didn't hesitate and thrust the spear at the fastest speed, almost in the blink of an eye, thrusting dozens of times in succession.

Liu Hai stood still, and with each thrust, he blocked Xu Jingming's spear, making each thrust stick and unable to exert its full power.

"Each thrust being stuck, I feel like I'm trapped in a spider web, with no place to exert my strength!" Xu Jingming felt very frustrated.

When Xu Jingming advanced and thrust the spear for the 58th time, Liu Hai also instantly advanced diagonally.

Both advanced simultaneously, closing the distance instantly. Xu Jingming was startled and felt a flash of the blade, which had already pierced his chest.

Xu Jingming could only click on his personal panel to restore his peak state.

"Did you see it?" Liu Hai said. "With 'Body Like Water,' when the enemy moves, the water ripples and senses it, moving accordingly! You thrust the spear over 50 times, and each time, I moved to block, completely sticking to your thrusts."

"This is instinctive sensing, not through the brain," Liu Hai said. "If it relied on the brain, it wouldn't be possible to block over 50 thrusts in succession, and each one perfectly."

Xu Jingming nodded.

Executing moves at the limit of speed exceeds the neural reaction time.

"Facing the enemy, if you can't even exert one-tenth of your strength, you're definitely going to lose," Xu Jingming said.

Liu Hai said, "Blocking over 50 thrusts in succession was defense. The final move, when you advanced to thrust the spear, I also advanced to strike! One strike and I killed you."

"Counterattack?" Xu Jingming couldn't help but ask. "When I advanced to thrust the spear, Master could seize the opportunity to counterattack?"

"Once you achieve 'Body Like Water' and train, you can do it," Liu Hai said. "When the enemy moves, I move first! The moment the enemy moves, it's hard to change. In that instant... I already strike, advancing to cut."

"Can a move be that fast? The body also needs reaction time," Xu Jingming murmured.

"I've said it before, 'Body Like Water' means the mind is integrated into every part of the body, sensing every part, and handling everything with ease," Liu Hai said. "When your mind is integrated into every part of your body, your body can be faster!"

Xu Jingming thought about it.

He hadn't reached Master's level of body control, but he understood Master's meaning.

"Controlling speed is not just for defense but also for offense. Especially in future team battles, controlling the speed of each person, making the enemy's speed a factor in your combat, each person becomes like a chess piece, and your strength naturally becomes much greater," Liu Hai said. "To reach my level, first, you must achieve 'Body Like Water,' where the mind moves, and the body follows! Otherwise, seeing the enemy's speed change, you won't have time to react, and it won't work."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

"When the enemy moves, I move first. Following it, you can control; opposing it, you can kill," Liu Hai smiled. "This is what Tai Chi has always pursued!"

"Is this Master's realm?"

Xu Jingming finally understood. In the past, he only knew that Master's combat skills were stronger than his and stronger than any member of the national team, but he didn't know how much stronger.

"I can only truly execute it when my body reaches its peak," Liu Hai said. "The two lessons Master teaches you: one is to control your body and achieve the 'Body Like Water' realm. The second is to control the enemy's speed, making the enemy like your chess pieces, to be used or killed as you wish." Liu Hai said, "A true teaching is a single sentence, a false teaching is a thousand volumes. I've taught you these two lessons, and you need to practice hard to master them."

"Yes, disciple understands," Xu Jingming felt his horizons greatly expanded, knowing the direction his combat skills should take.

"This is the insight from my 70 years of martial arts. From now on, you have to explore on your own," Liu Hai said. "Alright, go back. Make the most of your time; right now, countless experts around the world are working hard."

"Yes," Xu Jingming bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master!"

"Seeing you become stronger than me is the happiest thing for a master," Liu Hai smiled. "Alright, go quickly." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Xu Jingming.

The training ground was left with only Liu Hai, standing there.

"In this era, there are infinite possibilities. I wonder how far you young ones will grow," Liu Hai treated his valued disciples like his own children.

These disciples, when they first joined the national team, were still quite naive. Under his guidance and leadership, they became more mature, even reaching the highest stage to compete with world-class experts.

Some disciples, due to injuries or other reasons like falling in love, had their martial arts careers cut short, which he found very painful.

Now, seeing many disciples with a brighter future, Liu Hai was very happy.

"However, your master is still your master. While you are working hard, I am also improving," Liu Hai extended his hand, holding a shield in one hand and a saber in the other. "If you have the ability, surpass me honorably!"

...

Xu Jingming returned to his personal training ground.

"Master."

Xu Jingming was very grateful.

Looking globally, the number of people who could reach such a level of combat skills might be only Master. Even if there were more, they could be counted on one hand.

Even Gao Chong, who had once been the world's best, and himself, who was considered one of the top ten spear techniques in history, were far from Master's realm. How many could stand on the same level as Master?

"Such martial arts insight is priceless! Master didn't ask for anything from me and taught it to me," Xu Jingming could only silently remember it. In the current virtual world era, such martial arts insight is even more precious!

"The two lessons Master taught, the second one is the combat technique after achieving 'Body Like Water,' which doesn't need to be learned urgently," Xu Jingming said. "What needs to be learned now is the first one, 'Body Like Water.'"

"Once you achieve 'Body Like Water,' you can better control your body and unleash its potential. Like Master, with the same body index, his strength, speed, and reaction are all superior to mine," Xu Jingming extended his hand, holding a shield. "Let's start training now."