Chapter 108

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Chapter 108: Joy

He Tianshu sighed and said: “Xiaohua, it’s not that I don’t want to teach you, but first, the internal energy technique I learned is exclusive to the disciples of the Piaomiao Sect. It cannot be passed on to anyone outside the sect. If it’s discovered that I taught it privately, not only would I be punished by the Law Enforcement Hall, but your martial arts would also be abolished. Second, practicing internal energy techniques is different from practicing normal martial arts, it requires a certain level of aptitude. If you lack the necessary talent, at best, you’ll spend years without making any progress, at worst, you could suffer from a qi deviation and harm your life. Didn’t your second brother tell you the same thing? He can’t teach you internal martial arts, can he?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded in disappointment and said: “Yes, my second brother said the same thing.”

He Tianshu patted Zhang Xiaohua’s head and said: “Go back. Everyone has their own destiny, which has already been arranged by heaven. If you are destined for it, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, you will achieve your wish. Otherwise, no matter how hard you try, you will gain nothing.”

With his head hanging low, Zhang Xiaohua followed He Tianshu back.

Under the oil lamp, Zhang Xiaohua carefully read a book, but it wasn’t a martial arts manual, it was one of the books left to him by Li Jinfeng. During his recovery period, he developed a habit of reading something at night, whether it was a martial arts manual or a book. If he didn’t read, it felt like something was missing.

Having finished all the martial arts manuals he could read, he was left with books. And since there were countless books, they would last Zhang Xiaohua a lifetime.

Suddenly, while reading, he came across the phrases “reviewing the old to learn the new” and “learning and practicing regularly”. These words stirred something in Zhang Xiaohua’s heart. He carefully put down the book, closed his eyes, and recalled the martial arts techniques he had memorized. He hadn’t mentioned these to He Tianshu today, not for any particular reason, just like a child who gets a beloved toy, he wouldn’t immediately show it to the adults. The child would wait for an unexpected moment to show off and surprise the adults, then laugh heartily as the adults stared in amazement, that’s all.

Zhang Xiaohua harbored similar thoughts, but more importantly, he lacked confidence in himself. He feared that he wouldn’t be able to practice the martial techniques well. It was better to wait until he had truly mastered them before saying anything.

Fortunately, as Zhang Xiaohua’s thoughts flowed, the martial arts techniques were as clear as a river in his memory. However, his expression remained unchanged as he raised his right hand, looked at the bandage on it, and after rubbing it gently with his left hand, he decided not to remove it.

Late into the night, Zhang Xiaohua finally extinguished the lamp and peacefully drifted into sleep.

In the days that followed, Zhang Xiaohua spent his mornings learning about the cultivation of various medicinal herbs with Nie Xiao’er, while his evenings were devoted to practicing his horse stance. His days passed quite leisurely.

However, Zhang Xiaohua was unaware that Elder Yu, whom he hadn’t seen for several months, had been secretly checking on them every night.

One evening, as Zhang Xiaohua was reading under the oil lamp, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. 

Startled, he put down his book and opened the door, surprised to see the one-armed Elder Yu standing there.

Greatly astonished, Zhang Xiaohua said: “Elder Yu, hello! Please come in.”

After inviting Yu Lao inside and offering him a seat, Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Elder Yu, I’ve been back for quite a few days now but haven’t seen you. Have you been very busy?”

[TL_Note: The Elder I use here is more of a title of respect for the old, not in the sense of being a sect elder]

Elder Yu smiled and replied: “It’s not just these few days since you returned. Even during the month you previously spent at the villa, how many times did you see me?”

Zhang Xiaohua said: “It’s just that I haven’t seen you in several months, so I was a bit surprised. What brings you here tonight?”

Elder Yu explained: “There’s nothing special, really. I just heard you were back and came to check on your injury.”

Zhang Xiaohua, feeling a little flattered, responded: “Thank you for your concern, Elder Yu. I believe it’s already healed. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Captain He to take a look and remove the bandage.”

Elder Yu waved his hand and said: “No need to wait until tomorrow, I’ll help you take it off now. Whether a bone injury has healed or not doesn’t depend on just a day or two.”

Zhang Xiaohua was a bit puzzled by Elder Yu’s sudden concern. From the very first time they met, Elder Yu had always been rather indifferent towards him, so this newfound attentiveness was rather intriguing.

However, Elder Yu was an elder and showed concern for him, and Zhang Xiaohua, being respectful towards the elderly by nature, allowed Elder Yu to help remove the bandage from his hand.

In truth, Zhang Xiaohua’s injury had already healed, and the bandage was more of a psychological comfort. As Elder Yu had said, whether it was removed today or tomorrow made little difference. So, even though Elder Yu only had his right hand, with Zhang Xiaohua’s assistance, they easily removed the bandage.

Zhang Xiaohua’s right hand looked just as it did before, except the skin was unusually pale, likely due to the lack of exposure to light.

Instead of immediately examining Zhang Xiaohua’s fingers, Elder Yu instructed: “Try clenching your fist.”

Following his instructions, Zhang Xiaohua attempted to curl his fingers. What used to be a simple action now felt extremely awkward, and his fingers seemed to resist control. Worse still, when Zhang Xiaohua’s fingers reached a certain point, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t close them any further, meaning he was unable to form a fist.

Panic surged through Zhang Xiaohua’s heart: “Elder Yu, what’s happening? My hand… What’s wrong with my hand?”

Elder Yu responded calmly: “Don’t worry, this is normal after an injury. You’ll need to practice opening and closing your fingers regularly over the coming period to gradually regain full mobility. Now, let me check the bones more closely.”

Elder Yu then used his thumb and forefinger to carefully examine Zhang Xiaohua’s fingers, inch by inch. After a long while, he finally finished his inspection. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t discern the expression on Elder Yu’s face.

Zhang Xiaohua wanted to ask about the condition of his bones but, after looking at his own hand and seeing nothing visibly wrong, he held back his question.

Instead of commenting on the state of the bones, Elder Yu unexpectedly asked: “Why do you want to practice martial arts?”

Zhang Xiaohua, confused by the sudden question, replied: “Of course, to protect my family.”

“Aside from protecting your family, if you were to master martial arts, what else would you do?” Elder Yu pressed further

Furrowing his brow, Zhang Xiaohua honestly answered: “I haven’t really thought that far ahead. Right now, I just want to focus on practicing my martial techniques.”

Now it was Elder Yu’s turn to frown. He continued: “If you were to master martial arts, would you help the weak and draw your sword when you encounter injustice?”

Hearing those words, images of his father and himself being bullied in Lu Town immediately flashed through Zhang Xiaohua’s mind, as well as the scene of his eldest brother and himself being trampled by the bandits of West Cui Mountain. His blood began to boil, and he blurted out: “Of course I would! If I learned martial arts and had the ability to help others and support the weak, I would definitely do it.”

Elder Yu pressed further: “But how can you be certain that the weak are always innocent and deserving of help?”

Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled and replied: “Elder Yu, I don’t quite understand. If the weak had no reason, why would they be targeted by the strong?”

Elder Yu chuckled and said: “This is a difficult question. You’re still young and don’t yet understand the complexities of human nature. Perhaps you’ll come to understand it in the future.”

Then, he asked: “But what if you want to stand up for the weak, and the strong person has martial arts skills that are far superior to yours? Would you still take action?”

This question left Zhang Xiaohua unsure how to respond. He vividly remembered the incident in Lu Town, where Zhang Xiaolong had bravely stepped forward, unafraid of the strong, only to suffer a severe outcome. He also recalled how Mr. Liu and Liu Kai had repeatedly advised him to act within his limits. This was indeed a difficult question to answer.

However, a sudden inspiration struck Zhang Xiaohua, and he smiled as he replied: “Isn’t that precisely why I need to keep practicing martial arts, and even inner energy?”

Elder Yu frowned slightly but then relaxed. He stopped asking Zhang Xiaohua questions and instead focused on his right hand. He said: “Zhang Xiaohua, although the bones in your right hand have healed, they were severely damaged by inner energy. They will never be the same as before. It’s like a vase that’s been shattered and then glued back together, it can still be used, but the internal cracks remain, and they can’t be fully repaired. If you’re not careful, it could break again. This will be a significant obstacle in your martial arts path. You need to be mentally prepared for that.”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t fully grasp the severity of the issue and replied with a smile: “The doctor at the escort agency already mentioned this to me. I’ll just take it slow and recover gradually. Bones can heal over time, after all, they are different from vases. As long as I can practice martial arts and cultivate inner energy, that’s enough for me. I’m not aiming to save the entire world.”

Elder Yu sighed, didn’t say anything further, and simply nodded, advising Zhang Xiaohua to rest early before turning and leaving.

Zhang Xiaohua walked to the door and watched Elder Yu’s silhouette fade into the night, feeling quite puzzled. Why had the old man spent so much time in his room, asking so many questions? Zhang Xiaohua didn’t believe it was just to remove the bandages and check his injury.

 But no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out Elder Yu’s true intentions. Eventually, he consoled himself with the thought that time would reveal all answers and drifted off to sleep without even blowing out the oil lamp.

The next morning, Zhang Xiaohua followed his usual routine and headed to the place where He Tianshu and the others practiced martial arts, flexing his fingers and exercising them as he walked.

As usual, Zhang Xiaohua was the first to arrive. Instead of practicing his horse stance, he tried to form a loose fist and executed a few martial arts stances. He discovered that even without fully clenching his fist, he could still perform the moves smoothly without any discomfort. However, some techniques required a transition between fist and palm, which felt a bit stiff, and his fingers were somewhat rigid. He figured that with continued practice, this would gradually improve.

Reflecting on how he had avoided practicing martial arts out of fear of hindering his finger’s recovery, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but laugh at himself. If he had known earlier that he could practice without issue, he would have started sooner instead of just standing by and watching He Tianshu and the others train every day while he was stuck practicing the horse stance.

However, he conveniently forgot that when the bandages were still on, he couldn’t even form a fist.

Just as Zhang Xiaohua was happily practicing his moves, He Tianshu and the others arrived. He Tianshu greeted Zhang Xiaohua with a smile, saying: “Zhang Xiaohua, why are you up so early? Couldn’t wait to have the bandages removed, huh?”

Zhang Xiaohua grinned as he extended his right hand, forming a loose fist to show off: “Captain He, look! The bandages are already off, but my fingers still can’t fully bend. I’ll need to keep exercising them.”

He Tianshu playfully scolded: “You kid, you are really impatient. Didn’t we agree that I’d help you remove the bandages today? How did you end up taking them off on your own?”

Zhang Xiaohua earnestly explained: “Captain He, you’ve got it wrong this time. I was planning to wait for you to remove them today, just like we agreed. But last night, Elder Yu came to my room and helped me take them off.”

He Tianshu was puzzled: “What’s that all about?”

Zhang Xiaohua then recounted everything that happened the previous night to He Tainshu, from Elder Yu’s unexpected visit to the series of questions he had asked. As He Tianshu listened, he was just as confused as Zhang Xiaohua had been. However, when he heard about the questions Elder Yu had posed, He Tianshu couldn’t help but furrow his brow. Could it be that Elder Yu had been testing Zhang Xiaohua’s character, almost as if he were considering him as a potential disciple?

He Tianshu didn’t know much about Elder Yu’s background, only that he was a notable figure in the Jianghu, according to some vague rumors. If Elder Yu had taken a liking to Zhang Xiaohua, it could indeed be a stroke of great fortune for the young man. But what about Zhang Xiaohua’s hand? He Tianshu’s suspicions arose again, though he quickly dismissed them, realizing that these were other people’s business. After all, it wasn’t as if he could take Zhang Xiaohua under his own wing, so why worry?

Then, he recalled Zhang Xiaohua’s straightforward answers to Elder Yu’s questions. He couldn’t help but think to himself that Zhang Xiaohua was truly an honest kid. If it had been someone more cunning, they would have long seized the opportunity to curry favor with Yu Lao, making grand declarations about justice, peace, or the well-being of the people in the martial world. But Zhang Xiaohua? All he cared about was protecting his family and practicing martial arts, completely oblivious to the hidden meaning in Elder Yu’s words. If he had realized the implications, he might have thrown himself at Elder Yu’s feet, begging to be taken as a disciple. Maybe he might have been successful.

What a missed opportunity.

But then again, if Zhang Xiaohua had done that, would he still be the same Zhang Xiaohua?

He Tianshu shook his head. Such a vain Zhang Xiaohua is not the earnest and down-to-earth Zhang Xiaohua that everyone likes. The martial world needed people who could get things done, not those who were all talk and no action.

Zhang Xiaohua noticed He Tianshu shaking his head and furrowing his brow and couldn’t help but ask: “Captain He, Elder Yu was just trying to help by checking on my injury. Please don’t be upset.”

He Tianshu, caught between amusement and exasperation, shot him a glance and replied: “Do you really think I’m that petty? You think I’d be mad just because someone else got to take off your bandages first?”

Zhang Xiaohua stuck out his tongue playfully, not daring to say more.

Then he said: “Since you’re not upset, Captain He, the bandages are off now, and I want to practice my martial arts. Could you maybe watch over me and give me some pointers?”

As soon as He Tianshu heard this, he took a step back, preparing to use his lightness skill. “How about this? Start with some recovery exercises and go over the old techniques first. As for new martial techniques, I’ll have Nie Xiaoer teach you later, alright?”

Without waiting for Zhang Xiaohua to respond, He Tianshu used his lightness skill and quickly disappeared, leaving Zhang Xiaohua standing there, perplexed.

Zhang Xiaohua was left wondering: “Why did he run off so quickly? Captain He, I wasn’t asking you to teach me anything new. I’ve already memorized a lot of complete martial techniques. I just wanted you to watch and guide me a bit. Why did you run away?”

He looked around to find Nie Xiao’er and the others, but they were nowhere to be seen.

Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but admire them. Having lightness skills must be great.

Without anyone to guide him, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t mind too much. He had so many martial arts techniques stored in his mind that he didn’t necessarily need anyone to teach him. 

Zhang Xiaohua smiled to himself, thinking: “Once I’ve perfected all these techniques, let’s see if I don’t end up sweeping up your dropped jaws with a dustpan.”

With that thought, Zhang Xiaohua took his stance and began practicing for the first time since his injury.

His mind was full of martial arts routines, and without much deliberation, he picked one at random. Closing his eyes slightly, he searched his memory and followed the shadowy figure in his mind, moving through the stances.

After finishing the first set, it was nearly flawless, almost identical to the routine in his memory. Zhang Xiaohua was elated. Could it be that he wasn’t as talentless as he once thought? Maybe Captain He’s teaching methods were flawed, or perhaps he could only truly learn a complete martial art by first memorizing the martial techniques?

This series of questions prompted Zhang Xiaohua to immediately go through the routine a second time, and the result was equally satisfying. He hadn’t missed any moves. Unfortunately, the day was drawing to a close, and there wasn’t enough time for him to go through the sequence a third time before he had to hurry to the dining hall.

However, Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t noticed, or perhaps couldn’t notice, that the figure in his mind had faded significantly, no longer as clear as before.

Now fully settled into his role, Zhang Xiaohua worked alongside Nie Xiao’er, performing simple tasks. He had become quite accustomed to using his left hand, completing tasks with agility. But whenever he found himself with free time or felt that he had a moment, Zhang Xiaohua would persist in using his right hand, despite its awkwardness. Today, he was particularly intentional about using his right hand, picking up a small shovel or a pair of scissors, because he knew that the sooner he trained his right hand, the sooner he could truly master the martial arts techniques. After all, he had already managed to flawlessly execute an entire routine earlier in the day, and just thinking about it filled him with a fiery determination.

After dinner, Zhang Xiaohua eagerly headed to the practice area. However, instead of staying in the usual spot, he ventured further away, distancing himself from He Tianshu and the others. But he didn’t worry about He Tianshu being unable to see him, the lantern he had hung on a tree was visible from a distance, ensuring that they could still find him if necessary.

Just as Zhang Xiaohua had predicted, when He Tianshu and the others stepped outside, they immediately spotted the glow of his lantern. Assuming that Zhang Xiaohua was feeling shy and embarrassed to show off his incomplete techniques, He Tianshu even mentally praised Zhang Xiaohua in his heart. Looks like he’s shy, it seems the injury has taught him a bit of humility. He used to be so thick-skinned when practicing, never blushing even when he forgot half a routine.

Under the tree, Zhang Xiaohua took a moment to calm his nerves before slowly going through the routine he had practiced in the morning. Remarkably, he was able to complete it without missing a single move. His heart swelled with joy, finally, he could confirm that he could execute an entire martial arts routine. How could he not be thrilled?

He was about to rush over to share the good news with He Tianshu, but then he remembered that they were still practicing and decided he could still tell them tomorrow. Instead, he tried to see if he could attempt another martial technique. Without hesitation, he began working on a second set of moves, all of which were clearly imprinted in his mind. The result was just as satisfying as the first set, he could execute the entire routine flawlessly.

His excitement soared as Zhang Xiaohua practiced both routines over and over again, relishing in his newfound skill.