Chapter 5

Chapter 4: The Departing Path

As Master Zhang Sanfeng taught me, he spoke about the essence of the orthodox martial arts.

The orthodox martial arts were not originally created to defeat others.

The essence of the orthodox martial arts is the pursuit of self-perfection, a cultivation aimed at self-actualization.

The ultimate goal is transcendence, to become a being that has transcended human limitations, a being that has achieved self-completion.

I am I (我卽我)

Know yourself

I am the Mind (我卽心)

Know your mind

I surpass myself (我極勝)

I transcend myself

In the end, the enemy in orthodox martial arts is none other than oneself.

Only by surpassing oneself can one reach transcendence and become a being that has transcended human limitations.

The superhuman strength displayed by martial artists is merely a byproduct of the cultivation process.

Refining martial arts is refining oneself. The subject should always be one's own growth, not focusing on easy and simple methods to defeat opponents.

Master Zhang Sanfeng lamented this.

The disappointment of a cultivator looking down from a higher place, observing the foolishness of immature successors, was felt so acutely that it struck the heart.

This, I thought, was the essence of Master Zhang Sanfeng, who had become an immortal.

Damn! I trusted you!

...Excuse me?

Why do you start to emit a strange smell in a strange place when things were going well?

Is everything okay in that place called Heaven?

Anyway, that's how it was.

What I learned from Master Zhang Sanfeng was such things.

The real orthodox martial arts, which have faded due to those seeking easy paths and whose traces have disappeared in this era.

The method to reach transcendence, to surpass human limitations.

In Master Zhang Sanfeng's case, he had to achieve enlightenment on his own, so there were many trials and errors. But the teachings he imparted to me were not like that. They were the genuine methods he had refined over a long time in Heaven, even when he was once human.

For some reason, my ability to learn what Master Zhang Sanfeng taught was beyond comprehension. Finding this intriguing, Master Zhang Sanfeng imparted all kinds of teachings to me.

Thanks to this, the hardships I had to endure over the span of a fortnight were beyond imagination.

It was only a fortnight, but considering what I had absorbed, it was natural that Yun Shihou started to seem insignificant.

Provoked by my words, Yun Shihou lunged at me in a fit of rage.

Bow stance (弓步). A typical stepping technique where the leg is extended like a bow, combined with an open-handed palm strike (推掌) called a pushing palm (推掌). He attacked using the technique of bow stance and pushing palm (弓步推掌).

Though it looks simple, the process contains the essence of the Wudang School. From the extension of the leg to the posture of the spine, the movement of the inner energy to draw power, and the solid framework of the Wudang School's true techniques.

But it seemed he thought this was not enough.

"Ha!"

Yun Shihou added a trick to his attack.

Suddenly, he extended his hand vertically, drawing a diagonal line as if wielding a whip.

He struck sharply, like a flick.

A technique that combines a thrust and a downward strike.

Moreover, the tip of his extended hand was slightly curved like a hook.

If he strikes with a flick and I block or deflect it, he will immediately grab and twist my arm.

Before meeting Master Zhang Sanfeng, I would have been overwhelmed.

Not now.

'I can see everything.'

One by one, all of it.

What techniques Yun Shihou uses, how they change, and what teachings of the Wudang School are contained within them.

Even the slight curvature of his fingertips.

I see everything clearly.

A calm and clear perception reads everything transparently.

The world of a clear and still lake (明鏡止水), where the four directions are tranquil, and all changes within it are vividly perceived.

To be precise, it's just that my body is well-trained and my mind is stable.

But even this has changed the world.

The beginning of Wudang martial arts.

I see and feel.

I grasp.

Naturally, I read everything about my opponent as if it were obvious.

After reading, I fight.

The perspective of a worm crawling on the ground cannot see the world, but a bird flying high can gauge the size of all things.

By honing oneself, one sees the world differently.

Grasping leads to understanding.

Understanding is not frightening.

Yun Shihou is not frightening.

'The hook can be deflected.'

My moving hand deflected the sharp hook.

Snap!

Even though it was a glancing blow, my hand tingled.

'I just need to avoid the collision.'

When did Wudang martial arts become about brute force?

Pressing with brute force is not Wudang martial arts. At least, what I learned is not.

The real thing is different!

The moment I deflected the hook-like curved fingertips, I also deflected the heavy force coming from Yun Shihou.

No matter how much power he exerted, without a place to release it, it would dissipate in vain.

The dissipated force left a large opening.

I saw that opening.

Before, I could only hit his jaw with Master Zhang Sanfeng's guidance.

Smack!

Palm strike. A technique to hit the jaw with the palm.

This time, I hit it with my own power!

"Ugh!"

Yun Shihou staggered back, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

"...Shit!"

Perhaps out of pride, despite his head shaking like jelly, Yun Shihou managed to stand on his two feet.

"How... How!!"

He is being dominated by someone he always looked down upon. The confidence he gained from taking the elixir is being crushed.

All the emotions swirling within Yun Shihou were starkly visible to me.

I smiled at such a Yun Shihou.

'Yeah, it's better to finish this clearly.'

Seeing my smile, Yun Shihou unleashed a technique in a fit of rage.

However, the momentum was not the same as before.

His lower body and waist, which support his body, wobbled. Thus, his upper body, which extends his arms, could not be stable.

Whip!

It was an attack without proper power. Although it was not something to be taken lightly due to the inner energy, it was clearly clumsy.

Avoiding it was easy.

Smack!

Striking was even easier.

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.

I repay everything without leaving anything out.

"From now on, I won't be held back by you."

Smack!

"I will go high and far."

Given the reversal of the situation, it would be too much to be obsessed with someone like Yun Shihou.

I won't have the time to look back and worry about trivial matters.

"So, don't catch my eye from now on."

My hand grabbed Yun Shihou's face. The twitching of his facial muscles left a clear sensation on my palm.

Bang!

"Unless you want to keep being trampled."

I ended the sparring by slamming Yun Shihou's head into the ground.

Crush.

The result was clearly one-sided, a complete domination.

The sound of the other Wudang lay disciples swallowing their saliva was as loud as the sound of me striking Yun Shihou.

In the silence, a voice came from nowhere.

"Yes."

Wudang is a small place. If Yun Shihou continues to be a lay disciple, we will keep clashing.

Now that it's clear who will be crushed, the one who will leave Wudang will be Yun Shihou.

I almost had to flee Wudang like a fugitive because of this Yun Shihou.

This is repaying that debt. Just as I almost had to, I will make him crawl out on his own.

It doesn't matter.

As long as I crush him every time we spar until he leaves.

I said I wouldn't look back, but I didn't say I would ignore what's in front of me.

Considering Yun Shihou's temper, there will likely be a few more opportunities to step on him.

Master Zhang Sanfeng also understood and supported me.

Hearing those words, I felt as if Wudang was on my side.

That's how I thought.

***

After crushing Yun Shihou, I was summoned by a high-ranking person.

I was prepared to receive a scolding for being a bit too harsh when I beat up Yun Shihou.

It was a bit disappointing that they remained silent while Yun Shihou was tormenting me, but I suppressed that disappointment.

Now, it's time to show my true worth.

I walked confidently.

"Leave the mountain."

"..."

I found myself at the Xian Dao Hall, where all the Wudang lay disciples are managed, and the words I heard were these.

Xian Dao (賢道).

The path of virtue and wisdom.

The words I heard on this path were an order to leave it.

The cold expression of the Xian Dao Hall master left me speechless.

Master Zhang Sanfeng, who seemed to share the same sentiment, was also silent.

"What... do you mean?"

"You are dull. That's why you have achieved so little. Tsk."

The Xian Dao Hall master clicked his tongue at my hesitant question.

"Leave the mountain and never come back."

Words can be weapons. The Xian Dao Hall master's words pierced me like a dagger.

I was so stunned that I couldn't even stutter as I had before.

The Xian Dao Hall master drove the point home.

"Do not go around calling yourself a Wudang lay disciple."

"..."

"Is that not true? The title of Wudang lay disciple is not a light one. Even as a lay disciple, one must have the qualifications to be called a disciple of Wudang. What have you achieved to call yourself a Wudang lay disciple?"

The words were long, but the meaning was simple.

You don't even deserve the title of lay disciple.

Wudang lay