Chapter 23: The True Art
Chapter 23: The True Art
"Teach me some real skills?"
Hu Ma was a bit surprised but quickly straightened up.
In this vast uncertainty and fear of the unknown, there was nothing more appealing to him now.
"These young lads in our village, they follow me, Second Uncle, to learn the art of worshiping the evil deity... in simpler terms, it's about cutting the flesh."
Second Uncle sighed, speaking slowly, "But the truth is, my skills have a lineage and a method. They can not only teach you to light the stove and ward off evil spirits, but also have techniques to drive away evil and defeat enemies."
"And the most important part of this art is teaching you how to draw the fire from within your body..."
"Have you practiced the techniques I had Zhou Datong teach you? How are you doing with them?"
"..."
"Techniques?"
Hu Ma thought seriously for a moment and said, "I've been very diligent. I remember every move."
"How could I not know if you've been diligent or not?"
Second Uncle recalled Hu Ma's usual laziness and cunning, frowning. "Show me a round."
"Alright."
Hu Ma immediately stood up and performed the techniques in front of Second Uncle.
His movements were smooth and well-structured, his steps powerful, each move and stance practiced to perfection.
"Hmm?"
Second Uncle was surprised, "You didn't slack off?"
He didn't know that Hu Ma had only avoided strenuous activities like mountain running, wrestling, and lifting stone pillars to conserve his energy and avoid wasting the stove's fire.
But he also knew the importance of survival, so he had taken the practice of the techniques and old forms very seriously. He often observed how others practiced and rehearsed the moves in his mind, practicing them slowly and steadily whenever he had the chance.
Others might see his slow and deliberate movements as laziness, but slowing down actually helped him better control the details of the techniques.
After all, in his past life, he had been a square dance instructor, so he had a natural aptitude for movement.
"This smart kid is different from the dull ones..."
Second Uncle shook his head, a bit helplessly, "It would be even better if you were a bit more diligent."
"You're talking about Zhou Datong. I'm different..."
Hu Ma thought silently but didn't interrupt Second Uncle, just listening as he continued.
"Have you noticed that these techniques seem strange, not quite like martial arts or sword techniques?"
Second Uncle cleared his throat and explained seriously, "In fact, these techniques are another method of practicing the art."
"When you practice, you draw the fire into the stove, which is internal practice."
"These old techniques, however, are for external practice, which involves drawing the fire from your stove to strike evil and dispel malevolent spirits."
"Of course, I only teach you what I know."
"In reality, the young people in our village will likely never need to use external techniques. Their fire will be extinguished once they marry and have children, so I just let them practice for fun, without teaching the real methods."
"..."
No wonder...
Hu Ma finally understood why Second Uncle taught the techniques but not how to use them in combat.
He usually just had people wrestle and fight, and they would learn through practice.
"During the early stages of lighting the stove, the goal is to make the fire as strong as possible, and it's too risky to draw the fire outward..."
Second Uncle continued, "So, I only teach these techniques when the fire is ready. But ordinary young people, with their limited talent and insufficient blood food, might not reach that stage even after three to five years of practice."
"Even with better nutrition and a daily diet of evil deity flesh, it would be impossible for you to reach that stage in less than a year or two."
"As for you..."
"..."
Second Uncle hesitated again.
He had always planned to teach Hu Ma the true techniques, given that he ate green evil deity flesh every day, a luxury no one else could afford.
He had expected to test Hu Ma in about a month, and if his fire was ready, he would teach him.
But who could have thought that in just ten days, not only had Hu Ma's fire reached the required stage, but...
...Second Uncle felt a bit down.
"In any case, your fire is now ready."
Second Uncle tried to maintain his dignity and regained his composure. "So, it's time to teach you the true techniques..."
He stood up and demonstrated, "Look at the first move of these techniques: hands loosely clenched, stepping forward with a punch. This is actually simulating holding a knife, though you can also use it as a fist. The important part is the posture."
"As you punch forward, exhale and let out a loud shout, making the stove's fire rise. At the same time, reverse the talisman technique to draw a surge of fire from the stove, which will accompany the punch."
"Without this technique, the punch is just brute strength."
"With this technique, the punch becomes stronger and draws on the stove's fire."
"Whether it's an evil spirit or a ghost, being hit by this punch will either kill or severely injure them..."
"You were able to knock Cui Xie unconscious with one punch because you inadvertently drew on the stove's fire. Of course, for a normal person, drawing the stove's fire takes a lot of practice, but you... well, your fire is so strong that it just came out with the punch."
Rewritten Text
“……”
becomes (no change, as it's an ellipsis)
Character Names:
Hu Ma (no direct English equivalent; kept as is, assuming it's a transliterated name)
Old Second (already in English)
Little Hongtang (already in English)
Granny (already in English; note: if a more specific name is desired, please provide context or preferences)
Cui family boy (already in English; if a specific name is desired, please provide context or preferences)
Terms and Settings:
True Yang Arrow (kept as is, assuming it's a martial arts or spiritual technique within the story's context)
Mountain Splitter (kept as is, assuming it's a martial arts technique within the story's context)
Ward Off Fist (kept as is, assuming it's a martial arts technique within the story's context)
Monkey Hardly Picks the Peach (kept as is, assuming it's a martial arts technique within the story's context, despite Hu Ma's humorous observation)
Blood Toadstools (kept as is, assuming it's a fantastical or spiritual element within the story's context)
Old Yin Mountains (kept as is, assuming it's a location within the story's context; "Yin" has English equivalents, but in this context, it might relate to Chinese philosophical or spiritual concepts, so it's left as is for consistency)
Rewritten Chapter (with only the requested changes applied):
“……”
“Originally like this?”
Hu Ma's eyes lit up with excitement.
Yes, this world is full of malevolent spirits, so it's not enough for a person to just tend a fire and passively defend themselves.
They need to take the initiative as well.
Seeing Hu Ma's bright, eager eyes, Old Second couldn't help but feel a bit proud.
So this kid isn't completely lazy after all…
He was always smart when he was learning to read and write. His eager expression now clearly wasn't fake.
So, does this mean he just doesn't like to use brute force?
But basic skills are important too. The fire needs to be tended with effort to keep it strong…
…Wait a minute!
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Old Second remembered how Hu Ma had kept the fire blazing, and his spirits dampened.
"The punch I just showed you is called 'Mountain Splitter.'"
He suppressed his wandering thoughts and continued with a hint of reverence, just like his old master used to teach him:
"If you use your fist, it's called 'Mountain Splitter Fist.' If you use a blade, it's called 'Mountain Splitter Blade.'"
"The second move follows the same principle but with a different technique. From left to right, it's called 'Ward Off Fist.'"
"The third move involves a spinning backhand, from bottom to top, and it's called… 'Monkey Hardly Picks the Peach!'”
“…”
Hu Ma, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but chuckle.
You could just pick the peach, but you have to make it 'hardly pick'?
Old Second's face turned a bit red, and he stopped his demonstration. "The names are what they are. My old master taught me this way too. Don't judge by the names; they are all practical and powerful techniques."
"Just these three moves—Mountain Splitter, Ward Off, and Hardly Pick the Peach—along with the True Yang Arrow I taught you earlier, are the skills I rely on for my livelihood…”
“Mm-hm!”
Hu Ma adjusted his posture and looked at Old Second with admiration. "What else?"
"Nothing else."
Old Second slowly relaxed his stance, folding his hands behind his back. "My old master only taught me these."
Hu Ma was surprised. "From the way these techniques are practiced, there should be more to the system, right?"
"More?"
Old Second's cheeks turned red, but fortunately, the dim light and his dark complexion hid it. He insisted, "Well, I only learned these."
He couldn't admit that his old master had considered him too stupid and only taught him these three moves.
"That's enough."
Hu Ma quickly changed his tone. "One good move can take you far, and we have three. Isn't that plenty?"
With that, he stood up, excited. "Teach me!"
"Seems like you're a bit impatient…"
Old Second was quite pleased by Hu Ma's enthusiasm. He chuckled and kicked aside the small stool. "Come on!"
“…”
Old Second had only intended to tell Hu Ma that the fire was ready and that he could teach him later, but now that both of them were in the mood, they started learning under the dim oil lamp.
Old Second was patient, explaining in detail how to throw a punch, how to channel energy, and how to make each move powerful whether with a fist or a blade.
Before they knew it, the sky was turning light.
Hu Ma had memorized all the key points Old Second had taught him and was now left to practice and refine them on his own.
Old Second, still a bit reluctant to stop, finally let Hu Ma go when there was nothing left to teach.
"Even though my body is cold, I've eaten too many blood toadstools, so my fire is stronger than others."
Lying back in bed, Hu Ma thought to himself, "Once I master the techniques Old Second taught me, I can help Granny, can't I?"
He knew that Granny was only trying to save her grandson. If she knew his true identity, she might not be so kind. But thinking of the old woman, who toiled daily in the Old Yin Mountains to gather blood toadstools for him, made him feel a bit uneasy. Enjoying the benefits while pretending to be her grandson didn't sit well with him.
Besides, helping Granny is the same as helping myself, isn't it?
Meanwhile, in the Old Yin Mountains, under a large tree, Little Hongtang shivered as she recounted the trouble she had caused.
Granny sat by the campfire, her expression unreadable.
After hearing that Hu Ma had beaten up the Cui family boy because he disrespected him, she sighed softly, stroking Little Hongtang's head and murmured:
"He used to be so careful, but now he's done something so reckless. It shows he cares about me…”
(End of Chapter)
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