Chapter Ten: Nurturing the Fierce Tiger Within (Please Support with Favorites, Monthly Votes, and Recommendations)

Old Meng spoke from the side.

“I once heard Master mention that, when it comes to Xingyiquan alone, it would be hard to find a second person with such skill anywhere in the country.”

“If it weren’t for your modesty, you’d surely have a place in today’s world of extraordinary martial artists.”

Yue Huyang shook his head. “Little Meng, don’t listen to your master’s nonsense. I’m not that formidable. The truly powerful one is Shilao. What are we, just a small family with modest skills?”

Then, his eyes gleamed as he looked at Meng Fan and said, “But young Meng, your son is a promising talent. Old man here likes him very much. Since you’ve entrusted him to me, I’ll definitely nurture him into a capable disciple!”

“If that Chai fellow could raise someone like Ruhu, then why can’t I? My disciple will eventually surpass Ruhu.”

“I’m not as petty as that Chai, always holding back, afraid of being overshadowed by his own student. Isn’t it natural for the pupil to outshine the master?”

Hearing this, Meng Fan immediately realized that the Chai surname Yue Huyang referred to must be Chai Yan from the Chai Sect’s Horizontal Training. From Yue Huyang’s tone, there seemed to be some grudges but not many—more like a rivalry born of pride.

Still, anyone who could have a rivalry of pride with Chai Yan was certainly no weakling. Comparing to characters from the original story, Meng Fan now had a clearer impression of Yue Huyang’s strength.

However, relying on his youth, Meng Fan still wanted to test the waters and draw out some of Yue Huyang’s secret skills.

Feigning ignorance, Meng Fan asked, “Um… Grandfather Yue, what exactly makes Xingyiquan so formidable?”

Yue Huyang seemed to see through Meng Fan’s cunning and chuckled. “Very well. Words can’t compare to a demonstration!”

His eyes narrowed slightly, yet he appeared like a supreme fierce tiger about to pounce. He took the Tiger Stance, his aura like a demonic tiger manifesting in the mortal world—violent and terrifying.

An overwhelming, savage, demonic aura exploded forth!

Meng Fan felt as if he were prey to a fierce tiger, unable to control his own body. Cold sweat broke out across his forehead in an instant.

Just as Meng Fan trembled, barely able to hold on, Yue Huyang suddenly laughed heartily. The aura dissipated and he returned to normal.

He patted Meng Fan’s little head. “Well, how’s that? Enough skill to teach you?”

Meng Fan nodded repeatedly. “More than enough, more than enough! I want to learn!”

***

“Ha ha ha!”

Under Old Meng’s witness, Meng Fan respectfully offered tea and formally became Yue Huyang’s disciple.

Seeing the two fine bottles of wine that Old Meng brought, Yue Huyang laughed heartily like a glutton, his inner wine worm awakened. “Ha ha ha, your master used to hide this wine like a treasure. I wasn’t even allowed a sip before, but now I finally get some!”

Then Yue Huyang introduced the three senior brothers from the martial practice ground to Meng Fan: the eldest senior brother Song Yulin, the second senior brother Cheng Yuangang, and the third senior brother Zhao Yunting.

As for the fourth senior brother Zhou Ji…

He was his own disgrace—reckless and frivolous in youth, with his skills still immature. At the urging of bad companions, he signed a death match with someone from the Chai Sect’s Horizontal Training and fought in the arena, ultimately dying from his injuries.

Of course, the opponent didn’t come out unscathed either; his skills and one arm were crippled by Zhou Ji.

This was also the main cause of the enmity between Yue Huyang and Chai Yan. But since it was a sanctioned match, with life and death at stake, the rules of the extraordinary martial world forbade further grudges.

Still, the grudge was definitely there.

Meng Fan’s admission as the fifth disciple was met with the three senior brothers addressing him as Fifth Junior Brother. They were quite pleased with his arrival.

After all, since the death of Fourth Junior Brother Zhou Ji, their master had been grieving and unwilling to accept new disciples.

Now that Meng Fan was accepted, perhaps it meant their master was moving on.

Regardless, it was a good thing. By extension, the three senior brothers held a favorable impression of Meng Fan.

Yue Huyang led Meng Fan inside to begin formal instruction. He said, “To learn Xingyiquan, you must first understand its origins.”

“Bodhidharma came west with no written words, practicing kung fu purely through heart and intent. To seek Buddha’s law from paper, the pen must be dipped dry in Dongting Lake.”

“Xingyiquan was created by the Patriarch Bodhidharma, known as the ‘Inner Canon.’ It was later developed by Song Dynasty’s General Yue Fei. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it nearly vanished due to lack of texts.”

“At the turn of the Ming to Qing, there was a master named Ji Gong from the Pu Dong Zhu Feng clan, with the courtesy name Longfeng. Skilled in martial arts and experienced, he discovered several of Yue Fei’s boxing manuals on Zhongnan Mountain, assimilating their subtle mysteries.”

“Since then, Xingyiquan continuously grew, forming many branches such as Xinyi Liuhe Quan, Xiangxing Quan, Liyi Quan, Xingyi Bagua Quan, and the Five Elements Xingyiquan. My master’s lineage is part of Xinyi Liuhe Quan.”

***

“I was highly perceptive in Xingyiquan when young. I started studying qi and martial arts at six years old, and within ten years, I defeated my master.”

“Not satisfied, I sought knowledge from other Xingyi sects.”

Yue Huyang spoke casually, but this ‘seeking knowledge’ was actually challenging them to fights. He was proud and wild in youth, especially skilled in the tiger form of Xingyi.

With each challenge, he gained momentum, eventually nurturing a fierce tiger in his heart.

Recalling this, Yue Huyang sighed, “Times change, and we extraordinary martial artists must keep up and continually strengthen ourselves!”

“After absorbing the best from many schools, I created this new style of Xingyi: first focusing on form, then intent; then forgetting form to emphasize intent; then realizing intent to shape form; again emphasizing both form and intent; and finally transcending both to return to simplicity.”

“In my vision, there are five levels of mastery. I have only reached the third level. The fifth level is just a fantasy of mine, but the fourth is real and attainable.”

“I seek nothing else but to have a disciple who reaches the fourth level. Unfortunately, your senior brothers are all disappointments.”

“Now, I can only place my hopes on you!”

Meng Fan smiled awkwardly. The sudden weight of responsibility felt surprisingly good.

Yue Huyang continued, “Xingyiquan is divided into twelve forms and intents, representing twelve animal images and their spirits!”

“‘Images’ means imitating forms.”

“At the beginning of training, one must emulate nature, learning animal postures through the human body, capturing their forms, then innovating from there, forming one’s own will.”

“Xingyi martial art originates from beasts; the more you practice, the more beast-like you become, but you must not become entirely animalistic.”

“Supplemented by the unique Xingyi qigong methods, one’s qi gradually aligns with the twelve forms, merging closely. That’s why our style, when qi is refined to a high level, exudes tiger’s might, dragon’s aura, and other mystical energies to intimidate foes.”

“To achieve this means you are close to mastering intent!”

“This is the first step: emphasizing form first, then intent!”