Chapter 11: Interlude
Chapter 11: Interlude
Chen Chuan reflected on his shortcomings after Yu Gang pointed out his mistakes and inaccuracies. Although he had won, it was a close call.
Initially, he had a well-thought-out plan—how to attack, how to strike, and how to defend—but when it came to execution, things didn't go as smoothly as planned. Additionally, there were issues with deformed movements and inaccurate timing that didn't need to be mentioned.
Although he eventually landed a palm strike on Lu Ke, it was a lucky opportunity that arose. If Lu Ke had simultaneously grabbed and pressed down on his head when he jumped, the strike might not have been as smooth, and Chen Chuan could have lost.
Through this live combat, Chen Chuan realized that even with well-practiced techniques, real fights are more complex than training sessions.
Lu Ke complained, "Master, you don't allow me to use throwing and choking techniques. I feel restricted, and I often realize I can't use certain moves. I'm just not used to it..."
Yu Gang spoke sternly, "Every place has its rules. Now, I'm setting the rules for you, but in other places, others will set the rules. If you don't follow them, do you think you'll have a chance to argue? You'll only be marginalized and eliminated. If you can't adapt, find a way to do so."
Lu Ke was resentful, but his complaint was mainly directed at Chen Chuan. He usually listened to Yu Gang, so he bowed his head and said, "Yes, Master, I was wrong."
Yu Gang said, "Both of you take some time to rest and relax using the method I taught you. We'll continue later."
Chen Chuan stepped aside. Without sitting down, he took a few sips from his water cup. Guided by his breathing technique, his depleted energy quickly recovered, and he began strategizing for the next round, anticipating Lu Ke's moves.
This prediction and analysis were not just about physical combat; in a scenario where both fighters were relatively evenly matched, it was more a battle of wits.
Five minutes passed quickly, and the second round began.
Chen Chuan didn't become conservative after winning the first round; he maintained a positive attitude. Lu Ke, having learned from his previous lesson, utilized a combination of real and feigned attacks, but he still hesitated against Chen Chuan's strikes, resulting in a generally conservative approach.
Neither could gain an advantage over the other, so Yu Gang declared a draw for this round.
After the second round, Chen Chuan believed that Lu Ke was saving his best for the third and final round, making it the real test. However, he didn't feel discouraged; instead, he was excited.
Yu Gang stood calmly to the side, silently observing both fighters' performances and reactions.
Five minutes later, the two fighters stepped into the center for the final round.
Lu Ke immediately rushed forward, having adapted to the rules by now. In this last round, he didn't need to conserve energy and could afford to go all out. If he didn't knock Chen Chuan down, he would lose. So, he attacked without hesitation.
Lu Ke, already stronger than Chen Chuan, unleashed his full power, immediately suppressing his opponent.
Chen Chuan, faced with Lu Ke's fierce strikes, swift footwork, and relentless offense, could only defend passively, finding it challenging to launch effective counterattacks without his 'second self'.
However, his breathing technique sustained his stamina and resilience, allowing him to handle the fast-paced assault. He kept searching for opportunities, occasionally landing threatening strikes that forced Lu Ke to pause his continuous attacks.
Throughout the round, Chen Chuan managed to avoid Lu Ke's decisive blow.
After the third round, Yu Gang, seeing Lu Ke's clear advantage, awarded him one point. With Chen Chuan winning the first round, the responsibility for cleaning up fell to Lu Ke.
Chen Chuan, feeling suddenly hungry after the match, knew his breathing technique had increased his energy expenditure. He sat down and consumed three nutrition pastes to regain some energy and vitality.
Lu Ke, lacking Chen Chuan's recovery ability, breathed heavily, drenched in sweat. He drank water and massaged various parts of his body to relieve the tension and soreness from the intense combat.
Yu Gang addressed them both, "Today is just the first day. From now on, you'll engage in combat daily, and I'll gradually increase the frequency. You need to adapt quickly."
Lu Ke took a gulp of water and said, "Master, Chen Young Master might not be able to handle those tiring tasks. Let me continue doing them without worrying about winning or losing."
Chen Chuan said, "Lu Ke, you're too kind. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. With the breath technique, you won't feel too exhausted when taking on tasks."
Lu Ke fell silent and quietly drank some water.
In the following days, under Yu Gang's arrangement, the two focused on live combat training. After each session, Yu Gang analyzed their performance, identifying the issues and providing corrections. He ensured they understood the right way to execute the techniques.
During this period, Yu Gang began teaching Chen Chuan more complex free-fighting techniques, including elbow strikes, knee strikes, grappling, seizing, throwing, and choking. As they progressed, Yu Gang gradually loosened the restrictions during sparring, which also benefited Lu Ke, as he became more familiar with these skills.
Chen Chuan didn't back down from the challenges; instead, he welcomed the intense sparring, believing it would help him master the techniques faster in real combat.
Lu Ke, however, had a different perspective. He felt that Yu Gang's training was just right, not too overpowering, and it gave him a chance to catch up. Every day, he could feel his strength growing, and he genuinely enjoyed this sensation. The overlapping time of his "Second Self" was also gradually increasing during this phase.
The only regret Lu Ke had was that Yu Gang limited their sparring sessions to just three times a day—once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Lu Ke felt that with their stamina, they could handle more sessions, so he suggested increasing the frequency to Yu Gang, but the latter didn't respond.
One day, after a sparring session, Lu Ke noticed that Lu Ke's breathing had become slightly rapid, and he saw him running to a corner as if swallowing something. Lu Ke had a hunch about what was happening, and he didn't bring up the idea of increasing the number of sparring sessions again.
Given the high-intensity nature of the training, proper nutrition was essential. Lu Ke's daily meals were provided by Yu Gang, including nutritional paste and a staple of black meat squash rice.
Yu Gang believed that the damage caused by the breath technique was deeply hidden and might accompany a fighter for life. It was crucial to repair this damage while still young, and it required two months of consistent consumption to achieve a certain level of recovery. However, some of the damage was irreversible.
This was an unfortunate reality, a consequence of taking shortcuts. For a fighter from a humble background, with limited funds and resources, the only thing they could afford to sacrifice was their body.
Chen Chuan couldn't easily explain the concept of the "Second Self," but he didn't object to the idea of consuming the medicine. After each day's training, his body sustained injuries, and the medicinal food helped with the recovery. The "Second Self" could take on the physical burden caused by the breath technique.
Eating the same food every day for several dozen days could become monotonous, but Lu Ke always enjoyed his meals. Lu Ke genuinely admired his dedication.
As the uninterrupted training continued, time flew by, and soon it was the end of June. On this particular morning, after a sparring session, Yu Gang called Chen Chuan aside and said, "There's something I need to remind you about. It's time to pay again."
Chen Chuan nodded. He had initially paid fifty yuan, and in the middle of the month, he added another fifty jianyuan. Now, it was time for another payment.
However, this was a necessary expense, mostly for his own well-being. Yu Gang didn't profit much from these payments. The nutritional paste, daily meals, equipment, venue rental, and sparring partners were all part of the investment, and the costs far exceeded what Chen Chuan paid.
"I'll deliver the payment to Mr. Qi tomorrow," Yu Gang said.
Just then, a commotion of footsteps approached from outside, interrupting their conversation. Chen Chuan looked out and saw that the entrance was at the end of two long alleys. In the month he had been there, it was usually just them, but now, someone seemed to have disrupted the peace.
Lu Ke glanced at Yu Gang, who signaled him to put down the water bottle and quickly run outside. After a while, Lu Ke's voice could be heard from outside, speaking with the visitors. The tone was polite, and soon, Lu Ke rushed back in, saying, "Master, it's the Iron..."
Yu Gang cut him off, saying, "I know." He stood up and told Chen Chuan, "Continue your training. I'll go out and handle this." With that, he strode outside, followed closely by Lu Ke.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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