Chapter 58

(58) The Demon's Whip

However, another problem awaited them.

They had decided on the martial arts each would teach, but a tense battle of nerves ensued over who would teach first.

Despite their various reasons and justifications, the result was the same.

The three, who refused to budge an inch, ultimately decided to leave their fate to a draw of lots.

Fortunately, this time, the heavens favored Fan Jiwei.

As a result, Neng Suomil found herself in an unfair situation.

Because she was holding the lots to ensure fairness, Neng Suomil could feel her life expectancy shortening.

Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua, who drew shorter twigs than Fan Jiwei, were as murderous as ever.

Regardless.

Fan Jiwei, with a beaming face, approached Dan Aoxian first.

"From today, I'll teach you how to handle weapons, Dan Doctor."

"Yes!"

Seeing the eager look in Dan Aoxian's eyes, Fan Jiwei felt pleased.

"What do you think is the most important thing in handling weapons?"

"Understanding the characteristics of the weapon, right?"

"Exactly! As expected, our Dan Doctor!"

Fan Jiwei, who enthusiastically agreed, continued with his questions.

"Then, how do you understand them?"

After a moment's thought, Dan Aoxian answered without difficulty.

"I would try holding the weapon first."

"And then?"

"Feel the weapon itself."

Dan Aoxian had never handled a weapon before.

So he approached it in a way that was typical of a doctor.

To understand a patient's condition, one uses observation, auscultation, palpation, and percussion.

Learning to handle a weapon is no different.

He believed that using one's senses to grasp the essential situation was the priority.

Fan Jiwei nodded in great satisfaction.

It was the most basic and core answer, closest to the fundamental principles he had been pursuing.

"Did you know this without me teaching you? Have you handled weapons before without me knowing?"

Fan Jiwei looked back, just in case.

He saw Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua standing at a distance, watching them.

But it was an unnecessary suspicion.

Dan Aoxian shook her head with a smile.

"Acupuncture is similar in a way. You need to listen to what the needle is saying through the sensation in your fingertips."

"Come on, are needles and weapons the same thing?"

"I've heard that some sects use needles as hidden weapons?"

Fan Jiwei, who was dumbfounded, was interrupted by Chao Ailiang.

"Are you talking about the poisoners of Sichuan?"

"Oh, the Tang family! They exist!"

Chao Ailiang explained on behalf of Fan Jiwei, who nodded.

"While they do use needles as hidden weapons, it's not through martial arts. They use mechanisms to launch them. The Jinming Fan (禁命扇) is a typical example. It's a folding fan with steel blades that can be extended, and it has a mechanism to launch hair-thin needles inside."

Fan Jiwei frowned and glared at Chao Ailiang.

"Stop butting in. This is my time, isn't it?"

"Hey, I helped you out, and this is what I get…"

"Did I ever ask for your help?"

Without giving Chao Ailiang a chance to respond, Fan Jiwei turned back to Dan Aoxian.

"Anyway, such hidden weapons are only used by weaklings like girls. In contrast, this Zemei Whip…"

Thud.

Fan Jiwei lifted the iron staff he was holding and struck the ground, sending a heavy shockwave through the entire valley.

"It's the ultimate weapon, only to be handled by real men."

Fan Jiwei continued his explanation with a smug look.

"Those fancy finger techniques? If you get hit properly, your fingers will be shattered."

Chao Ailiang's eyebrows twitched.

"All those fancy qi techniques? Just break them and be done with it."

This time, Han Xuehua's lips trembled.

Fan Jiwei, feeling more confident, continued.

"Some people say the sword is the king of all weapons, but that's nonsense. The best is this Zemei Whip I'm teaching you. Why? Because I've never lost to anyone handling any other weapon."

"Wow!"

Dan Aoxian, impressed, fiddled with the wooden staff in her hands.

Fan Jiwei swung the iron staff.

A chilling sound of air being split and a chaotic afterimage filled the sky in an instant.

"When you get used to the weapon, you'll feel it the moment you use a move. It feels like the weapon is a part of your body!"

Crash.

The iron staff, which had just passed in front of Dan Aoxian's eyes, spun and shattered a nearby boulder.

"Exactly like this!"

Seeing Fan Jiwei's proud demeanor, Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua, standing at a distance, were speechless.

"You're really bad at teaching."

Han Xuehua muttered, unable to hold back, and Chao Ailiang laughed and stopped her.

"Let him hear it."

"He's not wrong, though."

At that moment, Fan Jiwei turned his head sharply and glared at the two.

"Stop that. I can hear you."

Han Xuehua turned her head, and Chao Ailiang gestured for Fan Jiwei to continue.

Fan Jiwei, who had been huffing and puffing, turned back to Dan Aoxian.

Dan Aoxian swung the wooden staff, trying to mimic Fan Jiwei's movements. But she couldn't swing it a few times before dropping it.

The staff was too long, and its ends hit the ground.

Holding her numb hands, Dan Aoxian smiled bitterly.

"The Zemei Whip is a more difficult weapon to handle than I thought."

"Huh? That can't be."

Fan Jiwei, realizing his mistake, felt a bit embarrassed.

The Zemei Whip should reach the height of one's eyebrows when standing upright.

But the wooden staff Dan Aoxian was holding was much taller than her.

This was because Fan Jiwei had cut the staff to his own eyebrow height when making it.

Sure enough.

"Tsk."

Chao Ailiang's tongue clicked.

"How could you entrust Dan Doctor to such a guy?"

Blushing with embarrassment, Fan Jiwei used his water technique to cut the wooden staff to the right length.

Only then did Dan Aoxian start to move the staff around, feeling its weight and length with her hands.

Without the length restriction, she could handle the Zemei Whip much more easily this time.

Dan Aoxian, who was already short, could only reach Fan Jiwei's waist.

Her swinging the staff, which was about her height, was so cute it made one want to laugh.

"So, the key is that since all weapons are ultimately held in the hand, you need to understand the proper way to hold them to fully master them."

"Huh? Oh, right. Exactly. That's what I meant."

Fan Jiwei hesitated for a moment.

He heard Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua talking from a distance.

"He talks like a fool, but she understands him perfectly."

"Who's teaching whom, I wonder…"

Fan Jiwei glared at them.

"Both of you, come at me!"

Fan Jiwei's loud command shook the air.

"Let's settle this by fighting! The winner teaches everything!"

Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua's eyes met.

Fan Jiwei's heart sank.

He had spoken without thinking, and now he realized his opponents were none other than Chao Ailiang and Han Xuehua.

Sure enough, the two started walking towards him.

"Wait! Isn't a one-against-two fight a bit unfair?"

"You were the one who challenged us."

Fan Jiwei turned to Han Xuehua, feeling a bit flustered.

"Do we have to do this?"

"What kind of relationship do we have?"

"Well… we held hands and spent the night together?"

"…!"

Han Xuehua's expression turned as cold as ice.

It wasn't entirely wrong.

They had often spent the night together, holding hands, while researching the treatment for the daughter of the Wulin Alliance leader.

But the tone of the words was extremely unpleasant and irritating.

"Just die."

Han Xuehua, emitting a cold aura, lunged at Fan Jiwei.

Chao Ailiang was the same.

With no choice but to fight, Fan Jiwei also lunged.

At the moment the three were about to clash.

"Ah!"

A sudden, childish scream drew their attention to Dan Aoxian.

They found her rolling on the ground, covered in dust.

The three rushed to Dan Aoxian's side.

She was rubbing her ankle, which seemed to be sprained, but greeted them with a bright smile.

"Martial arts are really interesting."

But the three only stared at her blankly.

"You're bleeding from the nose."

Upon hearing Chao Ailiang's words, Dan Aoxian smiled awkwardly and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

This only spread the blood, making her face even messier.

Han Xuehua quickly approached and stopped the bleeding, then carefully cleaned Dan Aoxian's face with her sleeve, not minding the dirt on her own clothes.

Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiwei were secretly surprised by her actions.

It showed how much she cared for Dan Aoxian, given her usually obsessive cleanliness.

"What happened?"

In response to Han Xuehua's question, Dan Aoxian demonstrated the movement Fan Jiwei had taught her.

Han Xuehua shook her head.

"Don't focus on the staff; start with your feet. Like this."

As Han Xuehua corrected Dan Aoxian's posture, Fan Jiwei, who had been dazed, came to his senses.

"I'll teach her! This is my turn!"

Chao Ailiang frowned.

"At least teach her properly! Her nose is bleeding because of you!"

"No, why is it my fault? If Chao Brother and the witch hadn't interfered, this wouldn't have happened!"

Fan Jiwei darted between Han Xuehua and Dan Aoxian.

Then, like a hawk snatching a chick, he tucked Dan Aoxian under his arm and dashed towards the cliff.

The wind in the valley seemed to be startled by his imposing momentum.

"Is it really okay to leave her with him?"

Chao Ailiang, full of worry, frowned, and Han Xuehua also frowned.

"It's fine. I'll teach and improve her. After all, it's my turn next."

Chao Ailiang hesitated.

"Why is it your turn next? My twig was longer, right?"

"My twig was longer."

"…"

"…"

The two stared at each other in silence, and a tense atmosphere settled between them.

In the end, they sought out Neng Suomil to verify the results.

Chao Ailiang asked bluntly.

"Whose twig was longer among the ones we drew just now?"

Neng Suomil, though puzzled, answered honestly.

"Of course, Senior Fan's was the longest…"

"Who else? I mean, between the two of us, whose twig was longer?"

Neng Suomil couldn't hide her confusion.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't confirmed that part.

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know! You made them, so you should know!"

Chao Ailiang's outburst made Neng Suomil look distressed.

"Why are you treating me like this?"