Chapter 185

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Zhang Xiaohua immediately followed up: “Then do you think the manual of this sect’s core divine technique could contain errors?”

He Tianshu hesitated for a moment and said: “It shouldn’t. Even if there are some mistakes, they wouldn’t be as full of errors as your execution.”

Zhang Xiaohua clapped his hands and said: “Exactly, Captain He. If the Piaomiao Step manual was flawed, how could Sect Master Ou and the others succeed in practicing it? And if we were to say that just these few pages were mistaken, that’s also unlikely, since you’ve already mastered a good portion of it.”

He Tianshu was still confused and asked: “But why is your execution so different from the proper technique?”

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and then said: “Captain He, what do you think of my martial arts foundation?”

He Tianshu laughed and said: “You have no foundation at all, you’re completely starting from scratch.”

Zhang Xiaohua followed up: “Then how does your martial arts foundation compare to mine?”

He Tianshu glanced sideways at Zhang Xiaohua and said; “What are you trying to say? How could your martial arts foundation compare to mine? It’s like heaven and earth.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled apologetically and said: “No need to rush. Since you know your foundation is better than mine, you must also understand that when I was looking at this manual, I was just blindly reading it. It wasn’t until you taught me the first level that I could even begin to understand the manual. My ability to execute the technique is purely based on my own improvisation, so it definitely doesn’t fully follow what is recorded in the manual. I just do as much as I can. It’s not a direct copy of the manual at all. You’re different from me. This Piaomiao Step recorded in the manual is tailor-made for elites of the Piaomiao Sect like you. If you try to comprehend it the way I did, in a makeshift, haphazard way, it would go against the manual’s teachings, and you wouldn’t be able to fully understand it, would you?”

Upon hearing this, He Tianshu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua continued: “Captain He, to go even further, do you feel a bit uncomfortable because you saw me fully execute the second level of the Piaomiao Step on the platform, while you haven’t comprehended it yet?”

He Tianshu’s face blushed slightly at these words, but he shook his head in denial: “Not at all, not at all, that’s simply not true.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t help but think of himself and quietly shook his head on the side.

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t argue and simply said: “Actually, Captain He, although the ancients rightly said, ‘One who excels in learning can be a teacher,’ if you think back to how awkward I was when learning martial arts, there’s no need to be jealous just because I’ve managed to achieve a little progress in the Piaomiao Step.”

Upon hearing this, He Tianshu playfully smacked Zhang Xiaohua on the head with a smile and said: “You little rascal, I’m not jealous of you at all. I just feel a bit guilty because Sect Master Ou entrusted me with teaching you this technique, yet I haven’t fully mastered it myself, while you’ve already figured it out. I just feel like I’ve let him down.”

Zhang Xiaohu also joined in, speaking seriously: “Martial Uncle He, I know that when practicing internal energy techniques, if one focuses too intensely and becomes fixated, it’s easy to go astray and fall into a state of deviation. But is the practice of this footwork technique the same?”

This statement hit He Tianshu’s heart like a heavy blow. His expression immediately became serious, and he said: “Zhang Xiaohu, you’re absolutely right. It’s not just internal energy techniques; the cultivation of other martial arts is the same. The most feared thing in martial arts is getting stuck in a dead end. Not only does it easily lead to bottlenecks, making it difficult to break through, but in severe cases, it can indeed lead to becoming obsessed, from which one cannot escape. I was truly stuck in a vicious cycle today. I really must thank you both for coming to find me. If I had continued like this for a few more days, it might have had serious consequences for me.”

Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua were both stunned and asked in unison: “That serious!”

He Tianshu smiled bitterly and said: “The path of martial arts is extremely difficult, far beyond what you can imagine. As you progress in the future, you’ll understand.”

Having let go of the burden in his heart, He Tianshu put the manual away in his chest and temporarily stopped thinking about it. Then he asked: “By the way, Zhang Xiaohua, you haven’t told me yet. You’ve been staying at Piaomiao Manor for quite some time now. You should hurry back to check on the herb fields. Don’t let anything go wrong.”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head nonchalantly and said: “What could go wrong? It’s just weeding, right? Recently, it seems like the weeds in the fields haven’t been growing as much, so there’s not much to clear out.”

“Huh?” He Tianshu looked a little puzzled and said: “The weeds in the herb fields are always thick and difficult to clear. How could it be as you say, that they aren’t growing? If that’s the case, that’d be great—we could just keep an eye on the herbs.”

Seeing that He Tianshu didn’t believe him, Zhang Xiaohua said: “If you don’t believe me, Captain He, why don’t you go take a look now?”

He Tianshu waved his hand and smiled: “I trust you. It’s hard enough for me to hide away in the Medicine Hall, so why wouldn’t I stay a few more days?”

Then, as if he suddenly realized something, he asked: “But hold on, why haven’t you gone back to the herb garden yet, kid?”

Zhang Xiaohua spread his hands, looking helpless, and said: “It’s not that I don’t want to go back—someone won’t let me.”

“Who?” He Tianshu was furious and said: “Who has the nerve to stop you? Tell me, and I’ll stand up for you.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled slyly and said: “I’m afraid this person is someone you won’t dare to provoke.”

“Won’t dare to provoke?” He Tianshu’s eyes rolled as he guessed: “Could it be that Sect Master Ou asked you to stay? Or maybe Villa Owner Ou agreed to it?”

“Hehe,” Zhang Xiaohua burst into laughter, self-mockingly saying: “Captain He, do you really think I’m someone important, someone who can casually hang around those two big shots?”

He Tianshu became a bit anxious and said: “Then just explain it clearly. Who exactly won’t let you go back?”

Zhang Xiaohu, unable to watch any longer, scolded: “Xiaohua, stop messing around and quickly explain everything to Martial Uncle He.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua finally chuckled and said: “Here’s some good news for you: Yesterday, I fought nine times and drew nine times, advancing to the second round of the Martial Arts Competition. Captain He, it’s a shame you missed it yesterday—you really missed a great show.”

He Tianshu was indeed surprised when he heard this. He said: “Nine draws only give you nine points. With just those nine points, you were able to get into the second round?”

Zhang Xiaohua patted his chest and said: “Absolutely genuine!”

He Tianshu smirked and said: “That just means you got lucky. Even if you passed, you must’ve been the last one to qualify. Besides, with your turtle-like defensive fighting style, there wasn’t much to watch. What great show could I have missed?”

Zhang Xiaohua sheepishly replied: “You really have sharp eyes. My number was indeed the last one.”

Upon hearing this, He Tianshu suddenly realized something, then smiled knowingly and said: “Today is the second round of the competition, isn’t it? Zhang Xiaohua, were you beaten badly today?”

Before Zhang Xiaohua could respond, he continued: “Those who made it to the second round are all at least at the Cloth-Robe First Level. Plus, the matches are longer now, so I doubt your fist techniques will hold up. Most of them have developed their internal energy, so they probably have ways to counter your strength. And besides, if you keep relying on the Piaomiao Step, the referee will eventually rule against you. No matter how you look at it, you can’t escape the word ‘defeat’.”

“Heh,” Zhang Xiaohua grinned, unwilling to admit defeat, and said: “Captain He, do you really think so little of your most beloved disciple? Do you really think I’ve made such a mess of the martial arts you’ve taught me?”

He Tianshu chuckled as well and said: “Well, I’m just calling it like it is. Besides, the disciples from Young Eagle Hall have been training in martial arts for many years, and you’ve only been learning for how long? It’s normal if you’re not their match.”

However, he soon noticed Zhang Xiaohu’s smiling expression and couldn’t help but gape in surprise. Pointing at Zhang Xiaohua, he asked: “No way, could it be that you actually won a match?”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head with a smug look and said: “I didn’t just win one match, I’m now one of the contestants challenging the third round!”

Upon hearing this, He Tianshu hurriedly ran outside, opened the door, and peeked around. Only after checking did he come back inside. Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu were both confused and asked: “Captain He, what’s going on? Are you afraid someone is eavesdropping?”

He Tianshu replied: “Not at all, I just wanted to check where the sun was setting today.”

Zhang Xiaohua said in surprise: ”It goes without saying that it’s set in the west.”

He Tianshu laughed heartily: “After hearing your news, I thought the sun might be rising in the west today!”

Zhang Xiaohua pouted and said: “Is that necessary? Are my martial arts really that bad?”

He Tianshu chuckled and said: “It’s not about necessity, it’s a certainty. I thought if you won a single match, you’d be incredibly lucky. But to think you passed all the way with complete victories—impressive, very impressive! Could this be the legendary ‘heroes arise from the young’? Come on, tell me how you made it through!”

Annoyed by He Tianshu making fun of him, Zhang Xiaohua refused to say anything. Left with no choice, He Tianshu turned to Zhang Xiaohu with a pleading look. Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t bear his “grievous” expression for long and soon gave in, recounting everything that happened on the platform today in full detail.

When He Tianshu heard how Zhang Xiaohua passed through in different ways, even managing to advance due to a bye, he exclaimed that the heavens were unfair. Why hadn’t he encountered such luck in his youth?

When Zhang Xiaohua asked how He Tianshu had passed the second round back then, He Tianshu hesitated, unwilling to answer. Pressed to the point of no choice, he finally admitted that he had been kicked off the platform in the first round with just one kick.

Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but clutch his stomach, laughing heartily.

Although He Tianshu mocked Zhang Xiaohua’s unconventional success, he was genuinely happy, as Zhang Xiaohua was his disciple after all. Thinking about how Zhang Xiaohua would be challenging Cloth-Robe Second Level disciples tomorrow, He Tianshu carefully instructed him on several important details. He then urged Zhang Xiaohua to rest early, replenish his energy, and prepare for a healthy battle tomorrow.

Although Zhang Xiaohua didn’t have high expectations for the challenge tomorrow, it was still a competition, and he couldn’t take it lightly. So he didn’t dare be negligent and went to the guest room in the Medicine Hall early, closing the door to rest.

At this time, it was still early. Normally, Zhang Xiaohua would be reading books about medicinal herbs. Although this guest room belonged to the Medicine Hall, there wasn’t a single book on herbs available, which made Zhang Xiaohua feel rather uncomfortable. He paced back and forth for a while, then suddenly thought of the [Carefree Heart Sutra] tucked away in his chest. Ever since he retrieved this book from the Piaomiao Sect’s library, he had only studied the first level of the technique. Zhang Xiaohua’s original plan was to wait until he had fully mastered the first level before starting on the second, following the old saying: ‘Proceed step by step, for that is the proper way of learning’.

But recently, seeing He Tianshu’s struggle—stemming from not thoroughly studying the entire Piaomiao Step manual—made Zhang Xiaohua realize that this had caused some mistakes during his cultivation. It was only after Zhang Xiaohua’s reminder that He Tianshu managed to correct those errors. Taking this as a lesson, Zhang Xiaohua decided to read through the entire <Carefree Heart Sutra> first, memorizing all eighteen levels of the technique and paying attention to the differences and key points of each level, ensuring that he would remember everything clearly.

At least, if he accidentally lost the Heart Sutra, he won’t have to worry about being unable to cultivate it.

The [Carefree Heart Sutra] didn’t contain a lot of information, but it did have a total of eighteen levels. This time, Zhang Xiaohua was determined to thoroughly imprint it in his mind, unlike the previous time when he had only skimmed through it hastily. So, even by the late hours of the night, he hadn’t read much. It’s fortunate that Zhang Xiaohua is now sharp-minded, with almost a photographic memory, or he would have long been dizzy and drowsy.

As the oil lamp flickered and a small bloom of light appeared on the wick, Zhang Xiaohua blinked his slightly sore eyes, closed the manual, and closed his eyes to carefully recall everything he had just learned. Only after confirming that he had memorized it all perfectly did he return to the kang, sit cross-legged, and begin to regulate his breathing and channel his energy.

Not long after, the ambient Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth in the Medicine Hall began to be drawn toward Zhang Xiaohua, slowly entering his body and being refined. Meanwhile, the starlight in the night sky also arrived as expected.

The next morning, Zhang Xiaohua rose early, as usual, and practiced the Big Dipper Divine Fist in the courtyard. Just as he completed his first round and the flow began tempering his bones, Zhang Xiaohu also woke up.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua diligently training at the crack of dawn, Zhang Xiaohu, naturally, didn’t want to fall behind. He began practicing his favorite Six Harmonies Fist.

On the other hand, He Tianshu, who had seemingly resolved his mental block the day before, slept soundly through the night. He only lazily got up after the sun had risen. When he saw both Zhang brothers training, he smiled awkwardly and said: “You two are quite diligent. You go ahead with your practice; I’ll go see if there’s anything else to do in the hall.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua stopped and curiously asked: “Captain He, today is the day of the third round of the Martial Arts Competition. Aren’t you going to participate?”

He Tianshu slapped his forehead and said: “I completely forgot about that. I never made it past the third round before, so I never really kept it in mind. If you hadn’t reminded me, I would’ve completely overlooked it. But, Zhang Xiaohua, this third round is your task for today. As for me, I don’t have to participate. Our Medicine Hall mainly focuses on cultivating medicinal herbs and refining pills. While martial arts are important, they aren’t our primary focus. We spend much less time training than others in the sect, so naturally, if we were to compete, we’d be at a disadvantage. That’s why the selection and competition in the Martial Arts Tournament are different for us from others. A few days ago, I was promoted two levels in a row, so I don’t have to participate in the third round today. However, since I advanced in rank this year, I’m eligible to go to the Council Hall to watch the competition. Let me gather my things, and I’ll go with you both to observe the matches.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked curiously: “So, not all disciples are allowed to watch the competition at the Council Hall’s square?”

He Tianshu nodded and said: “Exactly. Our Piaomiao Sect has many disciples, and how big could the square be? Naturally, only certain qualified disciples are allowed to watch. People like Nie Xiao’er won’t be able to attend.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua was quite pleased. If they couldn’t go, there would be fewer people to witness his potential failures and embarrassing moments.

Zhang Xiaohu, on the other hand, seemed deep in thought and casually asked: “Martial Uncle He, besides the Medicine Hall, are there any other disciples who, like you, don’t need to participate in the third round?”

Without hesitation, He Tianshu replied: “At least the disciples from Ming Cui Hall. They are female disciples, and their strength and internal energy are different from us male disciples. If they were to compete on the same stage, they would naturally be at a disadvantage. That’s why the competition is a bit different for them. Actually, this Martial Arts Tournament is mainly designed for the low-level Cloth-Robe disciples. There are many of them, and they advance relatively easily—usually one level per year—so they’re eager to participate. As for the higher-level disciples, sometimes it takes two or three years for them to advance even one level.”

Zhang Xiaohu nodded, and Zhang Xiaohua asked again: “So, today’s competitors in the third round are all low-level Cloth-Robed disciples, right?”

He Tianshu thought for a moment and said: “Not necessarily. It changes every year. Maybe there will be a few higher-level disciples challenging across levels this year?”

Zhang Xiaohua’s face lit up with excitement as he said: “I really want to see what it’s like when the high-level disciples compete!”

He Tianshu smiled and said: “You’ll know once we get there.”

By the time Zhang Xiaohua, Zhang Xiaohu, and He Tianshu arrived at the square in front of the Council Hall, the sun was already high in the sky.

The square in front of the Council Hall wasn’t very large, so there weren’t many platforms set up—just six. The one in front of the Council Hall’s entrance was slightly larger, while the other five, arranged in a semicircle around it, looked like stars encircling the moon. These platforms were more than twice the size of the ones at Young Eagle Hall, and they stood about one and a half times the height of a person.

Although there were quite a few people in the square, it wasn’t as crowded as Zhang Xiaohua had imagined. Moreover, there weren’t any guards stationed to check waist badges or tokens to verify the disciples’ identities or qualifications. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but turn to He Tianshu and ask: “Captain He, this square isn’t very large. If disciples without qualifications come to watch, wouldn’t it be too crowded? Isn’t anyone overseeing this?”

He Tianshu scoffed at Zhang Xiaohua’s question and said: “Do you think all Piaomiao Sect disciples are like you, without any discipline or sense of order? Our sect’s rules are strict, and the rule for the Martial Arts Competition is that only qualified disciples can come to the square to watch. Those without the qualifications wouldn’t dare to show up!”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded sheepishly, realizing he had indeed asked a foolish question.

Zhang Xiaohu smiled and then asked: “Martial Uncle He, I have a question too, but I’m not sure if I should ask it.”

He Tianshu turned his head and said: “If you’ve got something to say, just say it. You’re a core disciple, so of course you’re qualified to be here. You probably didn’t know that, so I’m telling you now.”

Zhang Xiaohu shook his head and said: “That’s not what I’m asking about. I’m asking something more practical.”

He Tianshu, curious, asked: “Then go ahead, what’s this practical question of yours?”
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