Chapter 97

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Chapter 97: Realization

Zhang Xiaohu made a few arrangements and then went out. After all, he was still a porter at the escort agency and needed to report daily. Although he was new and had no tasks for the time being, and didn’t have to travel long distances like the bodyguards, there were many matters to attend to at the escort agency. Paying attention to these daily tasks would allow him to learn a lot. Moreover, the escort agency paid him a monthly salary, so how could he not show up?

Once Zhang Xiaohu left, the room became quiet.

Zhang Xiaohua was still a teenager and hadn’t stayed so still for a long time. Unfortunately, the pain in his right hand constantly reminded him of his injury. Zhang Xiaohua really wanted to sleep a little more, but after several attempts of closing and opening his eyes, he decided not to sleep. Staring at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but think about his martial arts skills.

Yesterday, Zhang Xiaohu fought with Yu Deyi. Although Zhang Xiaohu was utterly defeated by Yu Deyi’s inner energy in the end, purely in terms of fist techniques, Yu Deyi didn’t have much of an advantage over Zhang Xiaohu. Thinking about Yu Deyi’s ferocious inner energy, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy. Zhang Xiaohu had only seen the extremely fast speed of the purple palm without experiencing the strength contained within, while Zhang Xiaohua had felt it firsthand. When their fists and palms met, he felt an overwhelming force flow into his fist, destroying anything in its path and sending him flying under the impact of the inner energy. Zhang Xiaohua even remembered the sensation of that inner energy entering his body just before he fainted. Although Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t practiced martial arts much, he knew that such effects couldn’t be achieved by sheer strength alone.

Moreover, after Yu Deyi used his inner energy, he demonstrated lightness skills with movements as swift as a rabbit leaping and a falcon diving, catching Zhang Xiaohu off guard. All of this was based on inner energy. Thinking further, when Great Hero Wen and Heroine Xue left, they probably used lightness skills as well, which couldn’t be performed without inner energy.

As he thought about this, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but long for a while, when could he practice genuine internal energy cultivation methods? However, based on what Yu Deyi and Shangguan Yun said yesterday, it seemed impossible for someone like him, without any background, to access such secret techniques.

“Sigh.” Zhang Xiaohua sighed. He decided to focus on learning his fist techniques first. If he couldn’t master the basic martial techniques, even if someone taught him, he would only disappoint them.

Actually, if Zhang Xiaohua knew that Yu Deyi had held back a significant portion of his inner energy during their encounter and did not go all out, he might not have had the confidence to continue practicing martial arts.

When he encountered Li Jinfeng and learned that Zhang Xiaohu only practiced one set of Six Harmonies Fist, Zhang Xiaohua already had a vague idea but had kept delaying and not thought it through. Now, being injured was an opportunity to carefully consider how to practice his fist techniques.

My talent is not as good as my second brother Zhang Xiaohu. According to Captain He, my aptitude is probably quite poor. Under such circumstances, I have to spend a hundred times the effort and energy compared to others to practice. However, I can’t understand why my mind seems to be so uncooperative. As a child, when I took a test at school, the teacher said he wasn’t very stupid. So why was it that, whenever he practiced martial arts, he always forgot everything as soon as he started training? Fortunately, he managed to remember some of the moves, and it seemed like he had a natural knack for them, as he didn’t forget them. Otherwise, if he practiced one set and forgot another, it would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket every day.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua naturally thought again about the fist techniques taught by Captain He, Nie Xiao’er, and the others. The moves he had already remembered flowed through his mind like a stream, each move clear and distinct like pebbles in clear water. Techniques he had forgotten were simply absent from his memory, with no trace whatsoever.

It was really strange.

Zhang Xiaohua had learned many martial techniques from everyone at Huanxi Villa. He could only remember about thirty moves, which came from different fist techniques and were not related to each other. Even within a single technique, the moves were not connected. Usually, when Zhang Xiaohua practiced a few moves from a fist technique, he just pieced them together haphazardly. Even Captain He would shake his head in disapproval when he saw it. Now, as these thirty moves flowed through his mind, Zhang Xiaohua slowly began to feel dizzy and sleepy. The order of the moves became chaotic, and suddenly, among the disordered moves, two of them connected perfectly. This unexpected moment startled Zhang Xiaohua, banishing his drowsiness. However, when he focused again, those two moves had disappeared.

This small, unexpected discovery stirred up a storm in his mind. How could moves from different techniques be perfectly linked together? Was it just his imagination, or was there another reason?

Zhang Xiaohua grew more and more excited as he pondered this. He was about to try out the moves, forgetting that he was still lying on the bed and that his right hand was in a splint. He accidentally moved the injured area, and the sharp pain made him cry out.

At that moment, a worried voice came from outside the door: “Xiaohua, what’s wrong? Is it starting to hurt again?”

When Zhang Xiaohua looked up, he saw that Zhang Xiaohu had already run into the room. Zhang Xiaohua smiled at his older brother and said: “It’s nothing, Second Brother. I just accidentally moved the injured area just now.”

“Sigh, why are you so careless?” Zhang Xiaohu scolded Zhang Xiaohua while carefully wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel. He said: “I reminded you to be careful when I left this morning. How could you forget? Make sure the bone doesn’t heal crookedly.”

“Hehe, I’ll be more careful in the future.” Zhang Xiaohua felt a warm sense of comfort as his second brother nagged him like their mother, and he quickly reassured Zhang Xiaohu.

However, Zhang Xiaohua soon asked Zhang Xiaohu curiously: “Second Brother, you just left a while ago. Why are you back so soon? Is there nothing to do at the escort agency?”

Zhang Xiaohu smiled and said: “I’ve only been at the escort agency for a little over a month. I’m still a novice, so there’s not much for me to do. Mainly, I’m familiarizing myself with the agency’s affairs. Because I practice martial arts well, Sixth Master Li told me to focus on my martial training, so they don’t assign me many tasks. Now that they know you’re injured, they’ve been understanding and let me take care of you. Besides, last night, Third Master Qu agreed to let me train at the martial arts hall. Sixth Master Li must have found out, so he didn’t give me much work today, allowing me to come back and check on you.”

Zhang Xiaohua said: “That’s great. You can practice martial arts here in the room. When I came in yesterday, you seemed to be thinking deeply in the room. By the way, Second Brother, what do you usually do here at the escort agency?”

Zhang Xiaohu smiled wryly and said: “I’m just a porter, not a bodyguard. My status at the escort agency is just a bit higher than the servants. We have to do all kinds of work and can’t pick and choose. Oh, what about you? I wanted to ask you yesterday but didn’t have the chance. What do you do at Huanxi Villa?”

“Guess?” Zhang Xiaohua asked playfully.

“What’s there to guess? I remember when Miss Qiu Tong took you away last time, she mentioned something about growing herbs?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied with a hint of annoyance: “You already know, so why ask?”

“I just wanted to confirm if it’s really about growing herbs. Are you tired from working there?” Zhang Xiaohu asked innocently.

“Not at all, Second Brother. It’s almost the same as working with the crops at home, and it’s quite relaxing. By the way, how is the food at the escort agency? Over at the villa…” Zhang Xiaohua began to talk animatedly about his life at the villa, recounting everything to his second brother.

Zhang Xiaohu felt a great sense of relief when he heard this. He had been worried that his younger brother might be bullied in a strange place, but it seemed he had worried unnecessarily. The minor tricks played by people like Ma Jing were merely adding fertilizer to his brother’s growth. Though unpleasant, it was valuable for the crops’ development. Without these small schemes, how could his little brother grow so quickly?

Looking back, Zhang Xiaohua had nearly a thousand jin of strength in his arms, it was already good that he didn’t bully others, so why should he be worried? Perhaps this was just another interpretation of the saying “A mother worries for her child over a thousand miles”.

However, when he heard that He Tianshu from the Piaomiao Sect was teaching Zhang Xiaohua’s fist techniques, Zhang Xiaohu was taken aback. He said: “Xiaohua, is there such a good thing? Someone is teaching you for free, and you don’t even have to do anything for them?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Yes, that’s right. That’s why I say Sister Qiu Tong is great. Also, the villa owner is even better. I haven’t met her yet, but she arranged for me to learn fist techniques. When I finish learning, I’ll definitely thank her properly. I also need to learn from Li Jinfeng and make sure to repay any kindness.”

Thinking about how Zhang Xiaohua would never have the chance to practice martial arts again in this life, Zhang Xiaohu felt a pang of sorrow. Yet he couldn’t bear to dampen his younger brother’s enthusiasm. Holding back tears, he said: “Alright, Xiaohua, repay grudges with vengeance and kindness with gratitude. As wanderers in the Jianghu, we should be quick to settle debts. I’ll be waiting for the day when you finish your training.” He then patted Zhang Xiaohua’s head and stood up to get something, hiding the tears that were about to fall.

Zhang Xiaohua spoke with enthusiasm and didn’t notice his second brother’s unusual behavior. He said: “Maybe I won’t be able to finish learning the martial technique.”

Zhang Xiaohu was taken aback and quickly turned around, saying: “Xiaohua, don’t worry about your injury. The doctor said that after some time, it will heal, and you’ll be able to practice martial arts again.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “It’s not that, Second Brother. I heard what the doctor said yesterday too. This injury is not serious and will heal with some rest, but, but…”

Zhang Xiaohu, now anxious, asked: “But what?”

At this moment, a blush appeared on Zhang Xiaohua’s pale face. He said: “Second Brother, I don’t have the talent you do. You practiced martial arts for a month and could defeat bodyguards who had been practicing for years. I can never fully learn a martial technique. I can only manage to learn a few moves from each set.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohu felt relieved and said: “What’s the big deal? I’m just good at martial techniques, but people don’t use inner energy against me. If it were a real fight, how could I possibly be their match? Sigh, this internal energy cultivation method. Also, having poor talent doesn’t matter. Just practice more. If others practice once, you practice ten times. If that doesn’t work, practice twenty times, or a hundred times. I don’t believe you can’t succeed!”

Despite his second brother’s high-spirited encouragement, Zhang Xiaohua still said sheepishly: “Second Brother, you don’t understand. Even if I practice a hundred times, I still forget everything the next day.”

“Ah? Is that so? Did you really practice a hundred times?” Zhang Xiaohu was genuinely puzzled.

“Not a hundred times, but certainly forty or fifty times. Yet I still can’t remember,” Zhang Xiaohua said depressedly.

“That is really strange. I’ve heard that most people can roughly remember after practicing these basic techniques ten times.”

“But, Second Brother, there is something strange about this.”

“What’s strange about it?”

“No matter what martial technique I practice, if I practice it once, whatever I remember the next day is fixed and never forgotten. But no matter how many times I practice after that, I can’t remember any more of the moves.”

Zhang Xiaohu felt a stir in his heart and said: “I see, Xiaohua. Maybe you’re really not suited for martial arts. How about this, when your injury heals, stop practicing martial arts and do something else instead? You could take care of flowers and herbs. After all, Huanxi Villa needs technical talents like that.”

“No, Second Brother, technical talents’ salary depends on the villa owner’s preferences. If she doesn’t favor me, the treatment could be low. Also, I’ve heard that the retirement pension standard isn’t as high as for those with physical strength. I think I’ll continue practicing martial arts. If Huanxi Villa offers good monthly pay, I’ll stay there until I retire, otherwise, I’ll find another place.” Zhang Xiaohua said confidently, envisioning his future. (It’s just a joke, don’t mind it, dear readers)

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s determination, Zhang Xiaohu didn’t dare to persuade him further, fearing he might realize the severity of his injury. He said: “Then it’s up to you. However, it’s always good to learn more skills. While the current healthcare and retirement system is not perfect, it’s better to consider your future thoroughly.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “I understand, Second Brother. By the way, I just discovered… never mind, I’ll tell you when I figure it out.”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua hesitating to speak, Zhang Xiaohu didn’t press further.

However, Zhang Xiaohua then asked: “Second Brother, I heard yesterday that you only practice the Six Harmonies Fist. I thought it was because you were focusing on mastering one technique rather than spreading yourself thin. Is my understanding correct, or do you have another reason? Could you tell me about it?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s curious face, Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t help but laugh. This wasn’t a big secret, and even if it were, how could he hide it from his little brother, who could no longer practice martial arts? He smiled and said: “Xiaohua, you’re quite right, focus on quality over quantity! I actually practiced other martial techniques too, like the Arhat Fist. But I noticed something peculiar. Each set of techniques has both offensive and defensive moves, but the ratio between them varies. The attack angles, target areas, and defense methods are quite similar across different techniques, with the main difference being the stances. So, I wondered if this was true for all martial techniques. The human body only has so many target areas for attack and defense. Aren’t all techniques just variations on attacking and defending these same areas?

“Following this thought, I learned other techniques like the Lang Famly Fist and the Tathagata Palm, which confirmed my hypothesis. So, I decided to stop learning various techniques and focus solely on the Six Harmonies Fist. First, because it was the first martial technique I learned, and second because its moves are so comprehensive that they cover all possible attack and defense angles. By mastering the Six Harmonies Fist, I effectively encompass the other techniques as well. Think about it, if I devote a month to mastering this single technique, I can become extremely proficient in it, which is far better than learning multiple techniques where the differences are mostly in the form rather than effectiveness. A lot of time is wasted on learning these useless changes in the moves. In reality, the matches have proven this. If we only compare the finesse of techniques without adding inner energy, just practicing the Six Harmonies Fist allows me to compete on par with those who have learned many different techniques without falling behind.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua was astonished. His second brother truly was a genius!

In fact, Zhang Xiaohua’s admiration was not unique. Any great martial arts masters hearing Zhang Xiaohu’s insights would refer to him as a confidant. In the realm of martial arts, all techniques essentially boil down to offense and defense. The various schools and styles circulating in the Jianghu only differ in their specific moves. That Zhang Xiaohu understood all this after just over a month of practice could only be described as extraordinary. However, this Lotus Escort Agency is just a small corner of the world, how could there be any true masters? Thus, Zhang Xiaohu, this pearl, could only be covered in dust.

Reflecting on Zhang Xiaohu’s words, Zhang Xiaohua marveled at his second brother’s profound understanding. However, Zhang Xiaohua himself could not make use of such wisdom. With his ability to remember only a few moves from each technique, how could he achieve a balance of offense and defense?

Sigh, I’m so sad, why is there such a big gap between two people?

“However, practicing this martial technique alone isn’t enough.” Zhang Xiaohu continued. “On one hand, without the cooperation of internal energy, the technique is just as useless as a paper tiger. As you saw yesterday, once Yu Deyi used his inner energy, the technique’s effectiveness immediately dropped. In the face of absolute power, even the most elaborate techniques are rendered meaningless. On the other hand, this Six Harmonies Fist is merely a widely circulated martial technique. I’ve heard there are many other sects in the Jianghu with completely different and more profound martial techniques. If this ordinary Six Harmonies Fist encounters their secret martial techniques, who knows what the outcome would be? Ah, I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of martial techniques are taught in the nearby Piaomiao Sect?”

Zhang Xiaohu gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohu’s troubled expression, Zhang Xiaohua offered comfort. “Second Brother, don’t be discouraged. If the Piaomiao Sect knew about your talent, they would definitely take you in.”

Zhang Xiaohu replied: “Hmm, I know, Xiaohua. You don’t need to comfort me. Just being able to learn this martial technique is enough for me. I don’t have such lofty expectations.”