Chapter 98: Longevity Fist

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Longevity Fist

"Cousin Ye Xing, you’re unbelievable! Taking on the entire Changchun Martial Arts Hall by yourself... that was so badass! I practically worship you." Cheng Xiaohai ran over, gesticulating wildly with excitement. He suddenly noticed Wu Qiang by the Audi, and his face froze. He scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "Hey... heh, Master Wu, what are you doing here?" Wu Qiang had been standing with his back to them, partially hidden by the car, so Cheng Xiaohai hadn’t seen him at all.

"Little Hai, Master Ye Xing is your cousin?" Wu Qiang asked, puzzled. Cheng Xiaohai was a student at his martial arts hall; of course, he recognized the sturdy-looking boy.

"Yep! He’s my cousin, my real cousin!" Cheng Xiaohai said proudly.

Wu Qiang’s eyes widened. "Master Ye Xing is this incredible, and instead of learning martial arts from him, you came to my hall to train? What was the big idea?"

"I didn’t know! I thought my cousin Ye Xing was just good at his studies. I had no idea his martial arts were this incredible." Cheng Xiaohai quickly turned to Ye Xing, pleading, "Cousin Ye Xing, come on, teach me a few moves! You have to teach me some moves!"

His younger cousin was quite the pest. Ye Xing gave a wry smile, thought for a moment, and said, "Alright, then. I’ll teach you all a Fist Skill. Little Hai, go to Dazhuang’s house right now and bring him here. You can all learn together; it’ll save me the trouble of teaching you one by one."

"You got it!" Cheng Xiaohai yelled excitedly before tearing off toward Zhu Dazhuang’s house in a whirlwind.

Wu Qiang, standing to the side, was ecstatic. ’From the sound of it, Ye Xing is including me too!’ In Wu Qiang’s mind, Ye Xing was a true master of National Martial Arts, hidden among the people. ’If I could just learn a move or two, I’d benefit immensely. For a martial arts enthusiast like me, this is a heaven-sent surprise!’ This was the exact opportunity he had been waiting for.

Zhu Dazhuang and Cheng Xiaohai returned with incredible speed. Hearing that Ye Xing was going to teach a Fist Skill, the two of them were so excited they practically flew back, arriving drenched in sweat and completely out of breath.

Ye Xing gave the two characters a weary look. "Did you really have to run here like your lives depended on it? Alright, everyone, come on in."

Ye Xing then led Wu Qiang, Zhu Dazhuang, and Cheng Xiaohai into the courtyard of his ancestral home.

「Under a large scholar tree in the ancestral home’s courtyard.」

Ye Xing stood at the front, with Wu Qiang, Zhu Dazhuang, and Cheng Xiaohai standing in a single line facing him. All three wore serious expressions; even the usually hyperactive Cheng Xiaohai had a stern look on his face, trying to look like a diligent student. ’This is a chance to learn from Cousin Ye Xing! If we can just learn a move or two, we’ll be so badass. It’s such a rare opportunity. If we don’t take this seriously, we might never get another chance.’ This was the thought running through all three of their minds.

"Listen carefully. The Fist Skill I’m about to teach you is called the Longevity Fist. Longevity Fist is a type of Inner Breath Boxing Technique, so you must learn to coordinate your breathing with the movements. For instance, when you execute a certain move or hold a particular stance, whether you should be inhaling or exhaling—all of this follows a precise pattern that you must pay close attention to." After a pause, Ye Xing added in a serious tone, "Now, I’m going to perform the Longevity Fist for you once as a demonstration. Remember, don’t just watch the moves of the Fist Skill. It’s even more important to pay attention to the rhythm of my breathing."

After emphasizing the key points to the three of them, Ye Xing began to perform the Longevity Fist.

The Longevity Fist was a long, continuous style, both soft and powerful.

As Ye Xing performed the Longevity Fist, his movements were as smooth as flowing water and as graceful as drifting clouds. Each move transitioned into the next with perfect, natural fluidity.

Wu Qiang, Zhu Dazhuang, and Cheng Xiaohai watched, completely mesmerized. The Longevity Fist, as performed by Ye Xing, seemed to possess an endless charm that completely captivated their minds.

The Longevity Fist followed a soft, gentle path, a hallmark of Inner Breath Fist techniques. Its primary focus was on nourishing life and cultivating Primordial Qi. On the Martial Arts Continent, under the influence of its abundant Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, one could cultivate True Qi by diligently practicing the Longevity Fist every day. However, Earth’s environment was not as conducive; the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was too thin, making it incredibly difficult to cultivate True Qi. Nevertheless, reaching the Peak of Body Refining Stage would be no problem at all. The practice of Longevity Fist improved blood circulation and respiration, thereby enhancing one’s physical constitution and extending one’s lifespan.

A short while later, Ye Xing finished one round of the Longevity Fist.

"Well? What are your thoughts after seeing it once?" Ye Xing asked with a slight smile.

"Cousin Ye Xing, that Fist Skill was just too cool!" Cheng Xiaohai exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Yeah, it looked amazing," Zhu Dazhuang added, nodding vigorously. "I think it looked way better than any of the moves you see on TV!"

"You watch it once, and all you think is that it ’looked amazing’?" Ye Xing’s brow furrowed, and his gaze shifted to Wu Qiang.

At that moment, Wu Qiang was still immersed in the essence of the Fist Skill. His eyes were thoughtful as he occasionally performed a move or two, as if trying to verify something he’d seen. He was completely lost in the world of the Longevity Fist.

After a moment, his contemplation ended, and Wu Qiang finally snapped out of it. He found Cheng Xiaohai, Zhu Dazhuang, and Ye Xing all staring at him and couldn’t help but ask in confusion, "Uh, everyone... why are you all looking at me?"

"Master Wu, my cousin wants to know what you thought of the Fist Skill. What were your insights?" Cheng Xiaohai said.

"The movements of the Longevity Fist are like flowing water, seamlessly fluid. It appears to have several distinct moves, but if one masters each stance, they can be perfectly linked together into what is essentially a single, flowing technique. Its power would be extraordinary. Of course, this is just my humble opinion." Wu Qiang said with a solemn expression, "I’ve seen and practiced many Fist Skills—some hard and ferocious, others insidious and deadly—but this Longevity Fist is, without a doubt, the most profound and formidable I have ever encountered."

"Heh, Master Wu has a fine aptitude for the Martial Dao. Little Hai, Dazhuang, you two should take a page from his book. Whether or not Longevity Fist is the most powerful Fist Skill isn’t something we need to debate. Just remember this: you must practice the Longevity Fist every day. It will bring immense benefits to your bodies. Strengthening your constitution and living to a hundred will be no problem." Ye Xing’s gaze sharpened as he said in a serious tone, "I’m going to perform the Longevity Fist a few more times now. Follow me. Focus on imitating the movements first, and then immediately try to match your breathing."

Ye Xing immediately began to practice the Longevity Fist again, and Wu Qiang, Zhu Dazhuang, and Cheng Xiaohai quickly started to imitate his movements. They went from being awkward and making countless mistakes to barely keeping up with the rhythm, and finally, they gradually grew more proficient.

A gentle breeze blew, sending leaves from the large scholar tree fluttering down. They twirled in the air before blanketing the ground.

The group practiced the Longevity Fist again and again in the small courtyard of the ancestral home. In the blink of an eye, dusk had fallen.

BANG! BANG BANG BANG!

A sudden series of knocks came from the main gate of the ancestral home.