Zui Wu Dao Vol 2 Chapter 17

Chapter 17     Discussion

Hearing Xuan Luo’s determined howl, Tian Yu Zi smiled.

Xuan Luo came out from the house, with the answer within his heart. If one were to look closely, his whole body language has changed.

A better way to explain it would be, Xuan Luo was originally like a lost sheep. He had no directions. But now, after realizing his true “WHY” from Tian Yu Zi’s questions, it’s as if he has transformed into a fierce tiger. He will use his abilities to do his very best.

No matter what obstacles are in his way, he will not be stopped. The determination comes from his goals. Now he has a purpose! (Like they say, if you aim for nothing, you will hit nothing).

Tian Yu Zi is sitting on a rocking chair, relaxing, “Your heart has the answer to my questions now, right?”

“Yes.” Xuan Luo was about to tell Tian Yu Zi his thoughts, but the moment he opened his mouth, Tian Yu Zi interrupted him.

“Those thoughts are for yourself. No need to say them out!”

Since Tian Yu Zi said that, Xuan Luo didn’t see a need to continue. At least, he is no longer lost. He has came in tune with his deepest thoughts. Hence, his respect for Tian Yu Zi is slowly going up.

“Okay. Mastering Martial Arts isn’t something that can happen in a short time. Since you have your mindset now, you need to persist. Here at Wu Dang, there are many different types of styles you can choose from. We can focus on your fist, palm, sword, and step. Take some time to think about what you want to focus on first.”

“Can’t I pick more?” Xuan Luo has thick skin.

Tian Yu Zi rolled his eyes at Xuan Luo. “Pick more? You could.. but first you have to be good in one! Or else it will be a mess. The point is to be very skillful at one type first.”

“Oh!” Xuan Luo knows he is too greedy. Thus, he responded with only a word and remained in silence.

“Honestly, nei li is only to a.s.sist you. To some extent, nei li can raise your ability, but the style is also very important. That’s why I will not expect you to practice nei li. I will be pinpointing your style. Obviously, if you want to, you can practice nei li on the side.”

Hearing these words, Xuan Luo couldn’t help but blurted, “But don’t you need nei li to be consider a true wu zhe?”

“Bulls.h.i.t!” Tian Yu Zi was angered by Xuan Luo’s false a.s.sumption.

“Let me ask you. When you are about to strike, if you want to use nei li, don’t you need to use it on something? You need to have a foundation to strike.”

“Yes.”

“Now let me ask you again. If your style is poor, even with a strong nei li, can you hit your opponent?”

Xuan Luo felt troubled. But wasn’t the ranking in Jiang hu based on a person’s nei li? He has never heard a person become famous in Jiang hu for not having nei li.

Seeing Xuan Luo’s confused expression, Tian Yu Zi elaborated, “Nei li is to a.s.sist you. Obviously, it can be a great help. But practicing nei li has a very serious flaw. And this flaw can kill you.”

“Currently, most people think practicing nei li is the most important. They use style to a.s.sist. But in my opinion, that’s wrong. It doesn’t matter how strong your nei li is if your style is weak. If you cannot even strike your opponent, what use is the nei li? It would be useless.”

“Perhaps initially, nei li may seem to have a very noticeable effect. But the more you practice, the less noticeable it will become. Plus, a person’s plasticity only lasts until sixteen years of age. After that, it decreases dramatically. That’s why I say practice the outer first, before working on the inner!”

Xuan Luo doesn’t know how to respond to Tian Yu Zi’s words.

Tian Yu Zi sighed, “Wu Dang has now split into two separate groups. One group focuses on nei li, while the other focuses on style. This situation has already continued for many years…”

“But it’s within the same Clan? Why is there a split?”

“I know. We’re in the same Clan. What’s the point of splitting? But that’s what’s happening right now.” Tian Yu Zi grunted.

“Anyhow, out of the four styles (fist, palm, sword and step), step is a definite must. Do you know why?”

“Probably because it makes running away easier?” Xuan Luo joked. His response almost caused Tian Yu Zi to spit blood.

“Running!? To some extent! But the most important reason is during combat; when you’re fighting an opponent in a close distance, if your steps are faster, then you can disappear like a ghost. It makes it almost impossible for someone to hurt you. Whereas, you can use steps as an advantage and hurt others. Of course, if you fail to win, you could also run away and make it difficult for them to catch you. Hehe!” Tian Yu Zi giggled, changing from his former serious expression.

Xuan Luo nodded. He is used to using his fists to fight, but definitely understood the importance of steps. When it comes to battling in a close distance, a fist and a kick doesn’t guarantee victory.

“But in our Jiang hu, we don’t actually have a recorded version of steps. Therefore, it really depends on your intuition. If you can figure it out on your own, that’s amazing. If not, then that’s that!”

“As for fist and palm, those two have similar purpose. So when you are practicing your fist, you can also practice your palm; since both of them are part of your body and it relies on the hand to receive and transmit. Aside from the attack itself, everything else is practically the same.”

“Mastering the sword is more challenging though. A weapon is an extension of the body. The body must lead the weapon. It is much harder. But the sword is like a chief to a hundred soldier (This is really hard to explain but I hope you understand). It has its advantages. There are many different combinations and it can definitely be a great threat to your opponent. But again, mastering the sword is not something that happens in a day. Remember, the sword is an extension to the body. Hence, I urge you to master the fist first. When your arms, fists, and legs are flexible and you’re able to control and release your power with ease, then you can practice the sword. But I reckon your physique is quite good. Thus, practicing the fist shouldn’t take too long. It wouldn’t take long until you hit the requirements to practice the sword!”

Xuan Luo attentively listened to everything Tian Yu Zi said. He nodded in agreement to most, but when it came to the nei li and the style part, he is still conflicted.

“Okay. Go and think about it. Prepare a plan to make your Martial Arts dream come true!” Tian Yu Zi then dozes off on his rocking chair.