Chapter 46

Li She released his grip on Yip Man’s neck after hearing his response.

The feeling of suffocation and impending death that Yip Man had gradually subsided, replaced by a burning gaze. Yip Man was certain that this man, Li She, possessed a lost internal martial art. Even his master, Chan Wah-shun, a master of the transformational force, could not draw an opponent from a distance of four or five meters using internal energy. After all, even at the level of transformational force, internal martial artists could not project their internal energy outward; they could only rely on close combat to strike their enemies.

Yip Man bowed deeply and said, "Disciple Yip Man pays respects to Master." Yip Man, obsessed with martial arts, always believed that the knowledgeable should be the teacher. Regardless of Li She’s age, his cultivation was evident, far beyond what Yip Man could ever achieve. Yip Man had been idly dispatching those who challenged him, hoping to break through to the transformational force, but most of those challengers were superficial and few could force him to use his full strength. Li She’s single move left Yip Man completely helpless, which naturally stirred his desire to break through to the transformational force.

Li She smiled faintly and said, "Kneel and kowtow nine times; that is the rule of our school."

After kowtowing six times, Yip Man invited Li She to take a seat and called his wife, Zhang Yongcheng, and his son, Yip Chun. Zhang Yongcheng, hearing Yip Man’s call, came out with her son, puzzled as to why this challenge had been so quiet.

Upon entering, she saw Li She seated at the head of the table, with Yip Man standing respectfully beside him. Yip Man said, "Yongcheng, Yip Chun, come and serve tea to Grandmaster."

Zhang Yongcheng was stunned for a moment, then picked up a teacup and walked to Yip Man’s side, surprised to see her husband kneeling on the ground, holding the teacup and saying loudly, "Please drink tea, Master."

Li She took the teacup with a light and easy manner, sipped it, and said, "Hmm, breaking through to the subtle force at thirty is quite good. You might break through to the transformational force before sixty. Our school is called the Free and Easy School. There are not many rules, mainly that you must not betray your teacher or harm your fellow disciples. As for the rest, there is nothing else. You can call me Brother Li outside. I don’t want too many people to know about the Free and Easy School. You must abide by this rule. For every person who knows the name of the Free and Easy School, you must kill one person, except for your family."

As he spoke, Li She’s killing aura inadvertently revealed itself, making Yip Man tremble with fear and respond, "Disciple will remember."

Li She said this to avoid changing the world too much, as this world was connected to his future world.

Seeing the future grandmaster of martial arts meekly like a cat before him, Li She couldn’t help but smile and said, "I came early and haven’t eaten yet. Can you prepare some food?"

Yip Man, still adjusting to Li She’s sudden change in demeanor, hesitated for a moment before quickly instructing Uncle Wong to prepare the meal.

Zhang Yongcheng, an ordinary person, naturally did not sense Li She’s killing aura. She was puzzled as to why her husband had suddenly taken this young man as his master. However, seeing Yip Man’s behavior and Li She’s words, she did not dare to ask.

During the meal, Zhang Yongcheng watched Yip Man respectfully serve wine to Li She. Since Yip Man had taken Li She as his master, he was now her senior, and although she did not understand why, she did not dare to speak casually.

"Your Wing Chun is already quite good, but it lacks killing power. The inch force is still internal energy, alas. You are already over thirty, and even if you practice internal martial arts, it would be too late. Master will teach you a few life-saving techniques," Li She said indifferently.

To Yip Man, these words were different. Although Yip Man was not arrogant, he could say that his Wing Chun had reached a level of perfection, capable of internal energy entering the body. He never imagined that the inch force of Wing Chun, which he was proud of, was only considered good by Li She. Hearing Li She mention internal martial arts further confirmed that Li She possessed a lost internal martial art.

Only such a mysterious internal martial art could draw a person from a distance. Although internal martial arts had disappeared, the various ancient legends of the martial arts world still existed, such as leaves and flowers being able to injure, internal energy being projected outward, and floating in the air. Yip Man had always thought these were exaggerated tales from ancient times, but today’s encounter made him believe they were true.

Yip Man hurriedly responded, "Thank you, Master."

After the meal, Li She and Yip Man went to Yip Man’s training room, a 300-square-meter space with wooden dummies and sandbags.

Li She glanced around and said to Yip Man, "Show me your full-strength strike."

Without hesitation, Yip Man walked to a hanging sandbag, stood in the characteristic Wing Chun stance, gathered his internal energy, and struck the sandbag with a dull thud. The hundred-pound sandbag was stopped in place by Yip Man’s inch force, a sign of advanced practice. The sandbag, filled with iron sand, cracked and burst, scattering the sand on the ground.

"Ah, the preparation time is too long, the technique is too simple! The attack method is monotonous. You are considered top-notch among subtle force experts, but against a transformational force expert, you are certain to die!" Li She commented.

Yip Man was puzzled. His strike could penetrate the body with internal energy, so why was it worthless in Li She’s eyes? Moreover, as far as he knew, there were probably fewer than a hundred transformational force experts in the country.

Seeing Yip Man’s puzzled expression, Li She raised his hand and pointed at a sandbag hanging ten meters away with the "Cold Fire Finger." Yip Man felt a cold aura emanate from Li She’s finger, and when he saw the sandbag, he was speechless. The leather sandbag was frozen solid, and the hemp rope holding it could not bear the weight, breaking with a loud thud. The hundred-pound sandbag fell and shattered into pieces of ice.

The ice blocks, still emitting a cold aura, confirmed that this was not a dream. Yip Man looked at Li She in amazement, never imagining that his skills were so advanced. The casual strike just now showed that Li She’s strength was unfathomable.

"Master, is this the projection of internal energy?" Yip Man asked urgently.

"Yes! This is the projection of internal energy, but you have missed the best age to learn internal martial arts, so I cannot teach you the internal energy techniques," Li She nodded. Possessing the Shaolin supreme internal martial art, the "Bone Marrow Washing Sutra," even someone over fifty could transcend the ordinary, but due to the world’s will, anyone who practiced internal martial arts would be affected by it. Therefore, Li She declined.

With Wang Yuyan, the encyclopedia of martial arts, Li She had gradually stopped being confined to techniques. After integrating and refining his skills, he continuously improved his "Cold Fire Finger" and "Cold Fire Palm." As for the ruthless "Seven Injuries Fist," he rarely used it anymore, as it lacked the ability to project internal energy. Now, with the "Lingbo Step" and "Cold Fire Finger," Li She could directly defeat his opponents without close combat.

Although the lack of internal energy techniques would reduce the effectiveness of martial arts techniques, Li She believed that the legendary martial arts passed down for hundreds of years were still superior to modern internal martial arts, even without internal energy support.

After some thought, Li She said to Yip Man, "Now I will teach you the lost Hua Mountain School’s ultimate technique, the 'Eagle and Snake Life and Death Struggle.' Watch carefully!"

As he spoke, his aura became ethereal, his claw techniques fierce, and his snake-like movements vicious. "Eagle Soaring in the Sky," Li She shouted, leaping into the air like an eagle, his claw techniques continuous and his claw shadows flying. Yip Man, standing beside him, was dumbfounded, never imagining such a refined technique. Each move was extraordinary, and Yip Man was confident that if he were in Li She’s place, he would be killed in one strike.

Landing, Li She moved like a snake, his hands like snake fangs, and with a light touch, the wooden dummy made of rosewood split.

After more than ten minutes, Li She finished the entire "Eagle and Snake Life and Death Struggle" and stood still. He asked, "How much of the technique did you remember?"

"About three or four parts," Yip Man answered in shock.

Li She nodded and said, "Not bad. The 'Eagle and Snake Life and Death Struggle' has thirty-six moves, each with thirty-six variations. I just demonstrated the thirty-six moves, and I will teach you the variations gradually."

In the following days, Li She stayed at Yip Man’s house. Yip Man, from a traditional scholarly family, strictly adhered to the principles of respecting teachers and valued Li She greatly. They discussed martial arts every day, and in a little over a month, Yip Man had memorized all the moves and variations of the "Eagle and Snake Life and Death Struggle."

During this time, Zhang Yongcheng also treated Li She with great respect, as he often played with Yip Chun. As a mother, Zhang Yongcheng felt that although Li She was Yip Man’s master, he did not often act like an elder.

In the evening, the Yip family’s house was brightly lit, and Li She naturally sat at the head of the table, dining with the family. At this moment, Uncle Wong came in and reported, "Young Master, a Master Liao is looking for you at the door."

After this period of time, Yip Man had truly taken Li She, who was over a decade younger, as his master. The lost Hua Mountain School’s ultimate technique, the "Eagle and Snake Life and Death Struggle," could be passed down to him, and where could he find such a master? Yip Man looked at Li She, who nodded, indicating that Yip Man should go and see. Most people who came at this time were likely to challenge him.

Zhang Yongcheng silently served her son, not daring to scold her husband with Li She present.

Li She smiled and said, "Yongcheng, don’t be upset. Troubled times are coming, and a man with martial arts can at least protect his family. Wealth and honor are fleeting, but the safety of you and your daughter depends on Yip Man’s martial arts."

Hearing this, Zhang Yongcheng nodded. Although a woman, she was well-educated and well-informed, listening to the radio every day. She asked softly, "Master, is there going to be a war?"

Li She sighed. The struggle for national fortune among the world’s countries would affect the fate of many generations and change the lives of many people. China had paid a cost of millions of lives.

"China has been weak for many years, with constant civil wars and no wise leaders. In the eyes of other countries, it is a piece of fat meat. Only when the Chinese people unite can this situation be changed," Li She said.