Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Chapter 101: Breathing to Refine Qi and the Fist

“I had no idea that there would be so many experts within the People! That monk’s martial arts may not be at the same level of yours, but his footwork and the amount of water he could shoot out with his lungs was just simply magical! If you were any weaker, then danger would not be that far away. Even Leung Jingmen truly deserved to be called a fellow student with Zhang Wei. With the authentic Leung style Wingchun and Hung Ga, his “Whip Fist” would be something that even my master wouldn’t be able to contend against.”

On the car, Lin Yanan had spoke out with some lingering fear as she drove the car.

“But I have some thoughts. The two of them had such a succinct mastery, although they are not well known and lacks combat experience as you said, they shouldn’t have been that easily defeated by you, right?”

Lin Yanan had been pondering this question within her heart. In her eyes, no matter if it was the monk Gan, or Leung Jingmen, the two of them should be equally matched with her master. These men after all had bitterly studied martial arts for 10 to 20 years already.

But Wang Chao’s age was barely over 20. Even if he came out of his mother’s womb practicing martial arts, he shouldn’t have been their equal. So why was it that he was a level higher than them?

Even if Wang Chao was a genius, a genius wouldn’t be that over the top with skill!

Wang Chao smiled as if he understood what Lin Yanan was thinking about.

“Although their skill could be considered to be perfect, but they are missing something. In a battle of martial arts, the most important thing is inspiration. This inspiration is something that cannot be gained if one does not go through a baptism of blood in a battle for life and death. Without this baptism, one will never understand the meaning of inspiration. From the very beginning, they had lost to me in terms of inspiration. So to battle me while being the loser in inspiration is to be defeated by me even if their skill is higher than mine. The most important thing in a battle is to first have no regard for one’s one life. Then afterwards, one must clean their intent within the moment. And in this moment, they will understand the awe-inspiring inspiration.”

“As long as battle is experienced just once, then even a coward can become a hero. Their skill is pure and are exemplary models of this peaceful era, they have not yet touched upon the true path. In a battle between Zhang Wei and Leung Jingmen, I would dare say that within ten exchanges, Zhang Wei would be able to defeat him despite Leung Jingmen being the elder. A practitioner of Wushu and a practitioner of battle are two different matters.”

Lin Yanan brushed away a loose strand of hair with her fingers before asking the question that had weighed heaviest on her mind. “I have this question I’ve been wanting to ask for a long time. They’ve been practicing martial arts for 20 years or so; a period of time that is older than you were even alive. According to logic, their martial arts should be deeper than yours. But yet, you’ve managed to reach a stage where thunder follows your fist, and your muscles and bones act in unison with each other. Just what is the reason for that? Could the disparity between a genius and a regular person be that wide apart?”

“Haha. Haha….” Wang Chao couldn’t help but to burst into laughter after hearing Lin Yanan as if he was happy to hear it.

“What are you laughing at?” Lin Yanan harrumphed in a protesting manner that showed off her charm a bit.

Her temperament was unlike Zhu Jia who in comparison had a lovely tint to her elegant manner that arose from her experience as a news anchor.

But Lin Yanan was an officer of the military. In normal circumstances, she was meticulous in her bearings and held a strict and proud flavor to her personality.

Seeing how Lin Yanan reacted, Zhu Jia’s heart thumped in thought, “Wang Chao’s secretary has an appealing side to her. If she were to let down her serious nature, then seducing a person would be no challenge to her…”

But then she rolled her eyes without saying word since she didn’t know what to say.

“Did you believe that the more one learned martial arts, the deeper their understanding of it was? Or that the more a person studied, the more amazing they become? Is a person that learned for 10 years destined to be weaker than the one who studied for 20 years?”

Folding his arms across his chest, Wang Chao spoke, “A person has a limited potential. Their martial arts only requires having to be at a certain point. After a long period of time, one would be able to bring out their potential, thus reaching a suitable point in their martial arts. But after this threshold is met, it does not mean they will not grow weaker. To obtain the Way is hard, but to cultivate health is even harder. Take a look at me for example. While I am able to bring out the sounds of thunder, if I do not continue to seek improvement in the future and let down my concentration, then in half a year, I would not be able to bring out the sounds of thunder. Thus, my martial arts would decline.”

“I see. So if one reaches a suitable point in martial arts, it is hard to maintain that same level of skill. Martial arts is like rowing up a river, if one stops moving, then they will be pushed back. Even if someone reaches a high quality of martial arts, if they do not retain that same level of passion they had in their pursuit, then after some time, they will get worse. That’s why after a long period of time, there is a large chance of declining in strength.” Lin Yanan nodded in understanding.

“Correct. If one continues to push onwards with passion without ever stopping, then their martial arts will naturally grow deeper with understanding. If one doesn’t have this mentality, then even if they learned for ten or twenty years with daily exercises, then even their initially sturdy level of martial arts will worsen.”

“Have you read the Journey to the West? When Xuanzang and Sun Wukong arrived at the Lei Yin Temple, they obtained the sutras. But they didn’t just obtain the sutras in name, but in meaning as well. It was this idea that obtaining the Way was formed. If one doesn’t cultivate this Way, then the Way will be lost.” Wang Chao smiled and spoke in a way that made him seem like a master teaching a student.

“Journey to the West?” Zhu Jia spoke in interest after hearing Wang Chao speak of it.

“Journey to the West is actually a classics about the fist. At the beginning, Sun Wukong was undefeated and had muscles of copper and bones like iron. But in the end, he was still captured. Then when he was finally able to become Enlightened, he went to the Lei Yin Temple to acquire the sutras and accomplished his goal. Lei Yin Temple, the sounds of thunder. Without the sounds of thunder, then one’s goals would become as realistic as the flowers in a mirror and the moon reflected in the lake. No matter how much one’s ability is on fighting, they can only stir the waters by the side and never accomplish their goals. But even if one arrives at the sounds of thunder and they aren’t careful, then they will lose the meaning of the sutra, and all will be futile.”

“With my martial arts, I have arrived at the sounds of thunder. But even this can be considered to be without the meaning for now. From now on, I must make sure that I maintain my passion and continue to practice that I will be able to cultivate this Way. Otherwise, all will be lost.”

Wang Chao let out a sigh, “As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous , so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along. A practitioner must be careful for the remainder of their life as if they are walking on thin ice.”

“Isn’t that tiring, to live your whole life without relaxing?” Zhu Jia asked in surprise while Lin Yanan’s eyebrows narrowed.

For a man to be careful his entire life as if he was walking on thin ice, just how much determination did that require? Just how much willpower and intent did one need to have?

“With today’s society and its monstrous and grotesque politics, people are always pulled into it. After practicing martial arts, to not maintain one’s composure isn’t easy. To live one’s entire life on thin ice and to move forward, very few people would be able to do such a thing.” Lin Yanan muttered.

“Nothing can be done about that. With the great changes, development, and enrichening of today’s era, there isn’t much that can help one defend themselves against it.” Wang Chao spoke openly.

“When that monk spat out the water in his mouth like an arrow, was that a skill from martial arts?” Lin Yanan had begun to see Wang Chao as a know-it-all and begun to ask him all the questions she had.

“That is the Qi techniques of Daoism.”

Wang Chao didn’t fail to disappoint.

“Breathing techniques? To call the winds and summon the rain? Cultivating the fundamental essence of life, the nascent soul, and Chinese Alchemy? Daoism as in the Sword Immortals who can soar through the clouds and mist?” Zhu Jia immediately began to think about all sorts of things relating to spirits and monsters.

Wang Chao gave Zhu Jia a strange look before saying, “The Qi techniques are breathing exercises. To us practitioners, the external ones strengthen their muscles while we internal practitioners strengthen the marrow. In the end, both the internal and external parts provide support for each other to finally strengthen the inner organs. The Qi techniques are breathing exercises to help strengthen the inner organs. Using these breathing exercises strengthens the lungs first before it affects the heart. When the breathing stabilizes, then the heart rate slows down. When the breathing is erratic, the heart rate quickens. The five organs of the body can be controlled with breathing. When one’s mastery over this Qi is proficient enough, then the intestines and lower abdomen are affected as well. With a single gulp, the large intestines will emit a thunder like sound. When the inner organs can be controlled freely, then the realm that is achieved is the same goal a practitioner of martial arts would strive for. Only this goal is achieved by a different method. These Qi techniques are a way to cultivate the health and strengthen the inner organs. But cultivating health is only that. In a true battle, one must learn how to fight to live. Even one who has lived for a long time just cultivating would not necessarily know how to win.”

“I’ve seen Chen Aiyang’s Fishing Toad Jin. With that, he is able of emitting the sounds of thunder from all five organs. As of now, I am merely able of emitting the sounds of thunder from my muscles and bones. But the Qi techniques focus on the inner organs while the muscles and bones wasn’t directly borne from my practices as a martial artist. The external and internal parts of the body helps strengthen the person.”

Lin Yanan spoke out her question, “Between the two of you, who would win?”

“That can only be decided on whomever’s Chinese boxing is harder. The amount of people that are able of emitting the sounds of thunder from their muscles and bones are far and few. But the amount of Daoists that can emit the sounds of thunder from their internal organs are quite numerous. Even the ordinary person would be able to emit the same sounds of thunder if they routinely practice a uniform breathing cycle. However, those who understand the Qi techniques are very few while those who practice Chinese boxing truly are less. One emits thunder from the internal organs, the other emits thunder from the muscles and bones. In the end, both wash their marrows. However, even those who aren’t able to emit the sounds of thunder from their fists are still capable of killing people. On the other hand, those who learn the Qi techniques use that strictly to cultivate their health.” Wang Chao spoke.

“Take the Yoga masters from India. While in a performance they are capable of many seemingly impossible tasks, in an actual fight, any martial artists would be able to defeat them.”

“Are you capable of these Qi techniques?” Lin Yanan’s eyes grew wider and wider in surprise, “Do you know everything?”

“I don’t know how to to do those Qi techniques, and neither do I understand it. But when it comes to one technique or even multiple techniques, we martial artists understand the human body to an incredible degree. The ideology of health cultivation is similar to ours, but our paths on achieving it differs, that’s all. The reason that monk was capable of containing all that water was dependent on his lungs, stomach, and intestines to temporarily give strength. Because of that, he was able to shoot out a jet of water that was no less than a hammer in strength. If I didn’t use my hand to block it, then my eyes would had gone blind.” Wang Chao spoke.

“Then for those who learned the Qi techniques to an absolutely absurd realm, would they able to injure someone by blowing?” While Zhu Jia wasn’t a martial artist, her ability to process things was much faster than Lin Yanan.

“Impossible. Every man has a limit, for them to injure someone just by blowing on them, how much energy would that require? Even if a man’s internal organs were to be amplified, it would not be able of such a feat still. However, there is still something called the Hidden Jin of the One Inch Less.” Wang Chao spoke.

“The Hidden Jin of the One Inch Less?” Lin Yanan looked as if she had been given the greatest shock of her life.

“Even I don’t know if there’s such a realm. Legends say that when one’s comprehension of martial arts has reached a detailed level to the point of breaking out with intent that combines with the pores, then the Hidden Jin are able to extend a single inch further into one’s acupuncture point. But this only requires them to stop an inch before the punch actually hits. For someone to strike at someone a few meters away is nothing more than a lie. However, for a single inch, even I don’t know if this is true or not. But I have heard rumors that Yang Luchan and Dong Haichuan were both capable of such a capability. This one inch is strong, but its power isn’t enough to shatter stone, merely to strike at an acupuncture point.”

“You are a true master of martial arts.” Lin Yanan spoke in admiration towards Wang Chao. “In the future, please guide me in my martial arts.”

On the road, Lin Yanan had completely ignored the glare Zhu Jia was giving her and continued to ask her own questions on martial arts. With each one, Wang Chao had been able to give a perfect explanation that seemed as if they were capable of clearing away the darkness that was previously there.

“After listening to you, I feel like my martial arts has improved by a lot!” Lin Yanan’s face had grown flush with a red hue that made her seem incomparably beautiful. On the other hand, Zhu Jia’s face grew darker and darker.

“That is merely an illusion. For a moment, the fog in your mind was lifted away. But your martial arts must be learned with your body, words are of no use. Without this, you will not be able to grasp the actual ideology behind it when you practice.”

“How curious, who was your master?” Lin Yanan suddenly asked.

Wang Chao’s eyes glanced out the window to look at the cloudy sky. His eyes had been absent-minded like the clouds and said nothing. Knowing that she had said something wrong, Lin Yanan didn’t pursue her question and changed the subject.

After the car had left Hongcun village, it left straight for Shantou. The car they had been driving was borrowed in secret, so Lin Yanan had to return it. Afterwards, the three would take an airport from Shantou back to Qingdao City’s airport.

This trip of Wang Chao had been nothing more than a personal matter. After he had finished it, he went back to managing whatever business he had in Qingdao City.

After defeating Ye Xuan, there would be no doubt an unceasing amount of challenges.

From battling Zhang Wei to killing Ye Xuan. Wang Chao was slowly increasing his influence within the Wulin step by step. Just as Cao Yi had once said, his worth was growing larger by the day.

Shantou City Airport.

A steady stream of people could be seen rushing around as Wang Chao, Zhu Jia, and Lin Yanan entered the airport lounge when suddenly, Wang Chao’s phone began to ring.

Picking it up, he could heard the sound of a familiar woman’s voice.

This voice belonged to Chen Aiyang’s sister Chen Bin.

“Hello, is this Wang Chao?” Came the gentle sounding voice.

“I am he.” Wang Chao could tell that there was an unhappy tint to Chen Bin’s mood.

“Are you able to come to Singapore for a trip?”Chen Bin asked directly.