Martial Arts Master

“Shi Yuejian…” Lou Cheng murmured. This name was familiar.

Born in the Internet age, he had tried to find out his master’s full name via search engines and wanted to know more about him. However, like “Unparalleled Dragon King” and “Road to the Arena”, entering “Unique Skill of the Ice Sect” plus “Shi” through keyword searching only produced one result—the Physical Invulnerability Mighty One of Wuyue Club—Expert Shi Yuejian of Three Pin.

Lou Cheng suspected that she was the daughter Geezer Shi had mentioned, also his so-called Senior Sister. But he was not absolutely certain about it. Who knew his master’s real last name?

“Why is he so mysterious?” He could not help but grumble. When he remembered that Geezer Shi had a deep relationship with the military and was involved in many secret matters, he felt relieved.

“Judging from his appearance, he was probably an expert during the time when professional tournaments had just started. During that time, the Internet was not available and television was not popular. Matches recorded on videotape were all well-known events. But clearly, I can’t think of any other Mighty Ones like him. I even suspect that he competed in a few Challenge Tournaments.” The Unparalleled Dragon King continued his analysis.

“So, you mean, he grew up with life and death fights?” The Road to the Arena was clearly shocked.

“It’s only a guess. But at that time professional events and title matches were still in their infancy and many areas were in turmoil, therefore it was not surprising to witness life and death fights.” The Unparalleled Dragon King explained.

Reading the discussions, Lou Cheng suddenly remembered what Geezer Shi had said previously. Before he entered into Physical Invulnerability, he had adventured in war-torn areas and even used the Thunder Roar Zen, shocking a strong opponent to death.

It fits in with the Unparalleled Dragon King’s thoughts…

Lou Cheng scrolled down and found no more chats. Then he logged out of the forum, discussed the issue with Yan Zheke and waited for dinner.

…

Near Weishui Lake the next morning.

Lou Cheng came to his regular spot and performed his routine practice of Yin-Yang Stance. However, he reduced the practice of the skills that he had mastered earlier, such as the 24 Blizzard Strikes. He wanted more time to train in Thunder Roar Zen and to meditate on the essence and spirit of visualization.

The ice sheets were boundless in the white snow and the wind was blowing with biting cold… After looking carefully at this picture several times, Lou Cheng closed his eyes and pictured a scene with freezing temperatures. He combined it with his personal experience of winter, attempting to render unity of both form and spirit.

How cold is it on earth? So cold that you have to wear cotton jerseys, thick sweaters, and down jackets.

How chilly is the wind on earth? So chilly that it feels like a knife cutting your face…

Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but he still failed to integrate his everyday feelings and insights into his visualization.

Gradually, these thoughts streamed into his mind and became tangled up, so much so that he could no longer control his spirit and had to stop.

“You’re being too impatient today.” Geezer Shi chuckled next to him.

“You’re right.” Lou Cheng took a breath and replied in a low voice, also realizing his problem.

Too hasty and anxious!

Since it was already challenging to start with, I should relax, experience it slowly rather than getting too ambitious. However, I keep thinking about succeeding quickly, so it’ll have the opposite effect.

Why have I become so rushed? Does it come from the new pressure in my heart?

Ke’s mother is coming. My mother-in-law is coming…

After setting his goals for his college career in Tiantong Taoist temple, he was quite clear about the road ahead and felt more motivated to work hard. But this urgency and pressure was not overwhelming since he still had an entire three and a half years to go.

But now, the “Queen Mother” was expected to arrive. Even if he didn’t have to face this by himself, the reason to succeed was suddenly before him. Since he wanted to prove himself and anxiety would inevitably follow.

Breathing out… he exhaled out the fresh air, calmed down and entered a peaceful meditative state.

How can I capture the essence and spirit of this visualization?

Is everyday observation, experience, and gradual progress the only way to it?

… Would taking advantage of the natural environment similar to the visualization help me master it faster?

But understanding nature can only be attained by rare geniuses or Mighty Ones. Am I capable to do that?

Even if I could, I have neither the time nor money to go to the Arctic or Antarctic.

Well, maybe I could replace them with other places, such as Ice and Snow amusement parks or mountain ski resorts?

With many ideas flashing through his mind, he considered the viability of visualizing through understanding the nature while thinking of an ideal place.

I am still a university student who can’t support myself financially, also I have to spend so much money on dates and presents, so this method seems unrealistic…

At this moment, Lou Cheng brainstormed what could replace the natural environment for enlightenment!

“How can I be so silly?” He cursed quietly.

Since I have a source of cold ready to help me, why do I still need to bother acquiring it from outside?

The Jindan (the Golden Elixir) in my body is half fire and half ice already!

Of course, I can use my spirit to feel the coldness in the Jindan !

All of a sudden, Lou Cheng felt enlightened as if the world had become clear and bright.

Well, it’s a little dangerous definitely. But don’t I have my master next to me?

At the thought of that, he decided to do it right away. He calmed down and resumed his concealment of spirit and qi.

This time, he did not attempt to picture a scene in the freezing temperatures. Instead, he came into a state of inward vision slowly and allowed the Jindan (the Golden Elixir) in the lower abdomen to amplify before his eyes inch by inch!

Clear and fantastic, these ice crystals rotated round the fiery blaze with distinctive colors just like stars, reflecting their own light and blazing with colors.

Gradually, as though he felt as if he was in an immense universe and it was difficult to work out any direction due to the vastness.

He came to one of the stars cautiously and amplified it before his eyes, allowing the brilliantly fine crystals to make delicate contact with himself.

Within a minute, Lou Cheng was frozen from within his spirit to his flesh. Before his eyes was a blanket of white devoid of life, by his ears was the howling cold wind, and the surroundings were brought into a state of extreme coldness that froze the fire and any movements.

After merely two or three seconds, his spirit bounced back and the dazzling nebula in his lower abdomen expanded and contracted. Such a feeling was so wonderful that this was imprinted in his mind!

At this point, Lou Cheng suddenly understood. With the help of this feeling and after a few more attempts, he would be able to capture the spirit and essence that he had been striving to obtain!

He wanted to have a try at once, only to find that he was exhausted and his mind was sluggish.

“It’s Just a couple of seconds and it has consumed so much of my energy…” Left with no choice, he opened his eyes and shook his head.

“If you feel tired, don’t push yourself.” Geezer Shi watched peacefully and reminded.

“Yes, Master.” Lou Cheng listened to his advice, left his stance and started to run around the lake for morning practice.

“I had no idea that the Jindan could work!” He thought happily to himself while running. Meanwhile, he felt that there were many hidden abilities in the Jindan waiting to be explored. Some things could only be felt, not explained.

Looking at his back, Geezer Shi smiled and said, “Hey, how could it be that easy to succeed with visualization at the first try? At least he also becomes impatient and rushes into things, otherwise, I would not have believed that he is still a young man…”

…

After special training on Saturday morning, this was a rare occasion as Lou Cheng did not leave the martial arts arena walking next to Yan Zheke. Instead, he was pulling Cai Zongming along and following his girlfriend and Guo Qing.

“Cheng, to be honest, did you do something bad?” The witty Talker began to interrogate him while smiling.

Abnormal behavior means trouble!

Lou Cheng rolled his eyes at him and said, “Her mother will be visiting her.”

“So this is about your ‘mother-in-law’…” Little Ming realized.

Lou Cheng was inspired and asked curiously, “Ay, Talker, have you ever met your mother-in-law?”

“You want to ask for my advice based on my experience? I haven’t met my mother-in-law actually, but I was obstructed by my father-in-law once…”

“How did that happen?” Lou Cheng asked wanting to learn.

With a sigh, Cai Zongming said, “It was when I was a senior high school student. It was a stormy day with thunder and lightning. Her mother was away on a business trip while her father worked overtime. She was alone and afraid at home. I braved the rain to go to her house to keep her company. You know… the reaction you get when you put dry wood and fire together? In the end, her father was worried about her as well, so he had returned to check her. When he saw an unfamiliar pair of men’s shoes in the doorway, he locked me in her room…”

“Good thing I was rather skilled. I quickly took the chance to escape. Otherwise, I would have been chopped up by her dad… Ay, after that, she transferred to school, and I was depressed for quite a long time.”

There was still some fear and regret in his voice while he recalled the incident.

Lou Cheng did not joke about it, and instead, he gave Cai Zongming a pat on the shoulder and said,

“Casanova, I believe that your journey to love has been hard…”

…

After lunch, Lou Cheng went back to his dormitory before going to the bus stop to get in line for the bus. A few minutes later, Yan Zheke showed up, dressed casually. However, she did not greet him at first. Instead, she went straight to the end of the line.

“Does it feel like a secret undercover meeting?” Lou Cheng chuckled and texted Yan Zheke to show that he was quite calm.

Yan Zheke looked down on her phone and texted back immediately: “If you’re in a secret gang, you would be a dead man by now because you keep looking at me!”

“With such a pretty girl here, which boy wouldn’t look over? If I don’t, I’ll look suspicious instead,” Lou Cheng said with a naughty smile and took the opportunity to compliment her.

In case they met her mother who may have been coming on the school bus, Yan Zheke decided to stay apart from Lou Cheng.

Although they were just an arm’s length away from each other, they continued to text each other. They were enjoying it and felt that it was fun. Time flew by and the school bus arrived. It stopped and the passengers alighted.

“My mother didn’t come!” Yan Zheke exclaimed. “Get me a good seat later!”

After they got on the bus, the two took seats next to each other without any hesitation.

“Finally, the secret gang is together!” Yan Zheke smiled cheerfully.

Lou Cheng said nothing and held out his hand smiling. Yan Zheke chuckled and also reached out a hand.

In silence, the two touched, their fingers interlocked.

Feeling affectionate, they gradually leaned on each other.

…

On arrival at the campus, they separated and took a detour to the north gate before heading to Songcheng Ocean Aquarium.

Looking at the magnificent entrance, Lou Cheng felt a little nervous because he had not scouted the place ahead of time. He was uncertain of how to proceed with the tour of the aquarium because all he had was a little information on the Internet. In addition, the notes that he had taken down about the marine life was messy too. If he was not familiar with the route they took, he would not be able to remember whatever he had prepared.

Hand in hand, he walked to the ticket office and continued a chatting while he tried to recall the information he had prepared.

Starfish. Every part will be reborn as a brand-new one after being torn apart…

Sea urchin. Very timid.

Jellyfish. Beautiful but dangerous…

Manta Ray. Looks like a bat in the sea…

Angelfish. Has tassels. Appears like dancing while it swims.

…

When he had almost finished remembering, Yan Zheke’s phone rang. She took a close look at it and made an “shh” sign to Lou Cheng immediately.

“Mom?” She answered briskly.

From the other end of the phone came a mature voice of a woman:

“Ke, aren’t you in the dorm?”

When Lou Cheng Heard Yan Zheke calls her mom, a burst of anxiety and loss seized him.

Alright, I guess there’s no need to review…