“If you, venerable elder, pass such precious martial arts to me, I’ll owe you a favor — and by extension, I’ll owe the Zhang family a favor as well. If Uncle Hongqing comes to kill me again, I’d be too embarrassed to fight back even at the cost of my life. Wouldn’t that mean I’m as good as dead?” Su Jie laughed and declined to learn.
His reasoning was sound: for the time being, he didn’t want to owe the Zhang family anything.
Zhang Nianquan’s intention in coming was already clear to Su Jie: first, to plant a seed of good will; second, to strengthen Zhang Manman’s position. But Zhang Nianquan was Zhang Nianquan, and Zhang Hongqing was Zhang Hongqing.
Even as the Zhang family’s founding patriarch, Zhang Nianquan couldn’t influence Zhang Hongqing’s will.
A spiritual cultivator who had reached Zhang Hongqing’s level wouldn’t be swayed by any external influence.
“So that’s how you see it?” Zhang Nianquan shook his head. “Hongqing is Hongqing, I am I, and the Zhang family is the Zhang family. I genuinely want to befriend you and give the Zhang family another ally. If Hongqing wants to kill you, defend yourself. If you learn this martial art, your chances against him will be much better.”
“To be honest, no matter how miraculous any martial art claims to be, it’s ultimately just a scientific discipline. There’s no such thing as learning a technique and instantly becoming vastly stronger — that doesn’t exist. I would need to study it for a long time before even considering practicing it.” Su Jie understood that even the Nine Palaces Great Yu Thunder Section Orthodox Method — whatever ancient legendary Daoist crystallization it represented — was ultimately just a combination of kinesiology, psychology, and environmental science. Even if Zhang Nianquan taught it to him now, he wouldn’t start practicing immediately. Instead, he’d treat it as research material, repeatedly simulate it using computer data in experiments, improve upon it, and only then selectively practice and test it.
This was the most scientific approach.
“Young man, I like your attitude. Your approach to learning is rigorous.” Hearing this, Zhang Nianquan wasn’t offended — instead, his appreciation grew. “Martial arts have no end, and the human body has no limits. Your research-oriented mindset is exactly what I’m looking for. If you started practicing right away, you’d be wasting something precious. Besides, I’m an old man with one foot already in the grave. I don’t have the energy for research. I’d rather you take this cultivation method further through cutting-edge study.”
“I know a young person who would also be worthy of learning this martial art of yours,” Su Jie said.
“You mean Zhang Jinchuan.” Zhang Nianquan seemed to know what Su Jie was about to say. “He’s studied Liu Guanglie’s Minglun Daoyin Technique, and he’s indeed highly talented. But compared to you, he’s far behind — and the results speak for themselves. Moreover, the complexity of my Nine Palaces Great Yu Thunder Section Orthodox Method far exceeds the Minglun Daoyin Technique. Without reaching the realm of the Living Dead, it’s impossible to understand its secrets. Zhang Jinchuan’s ancestors do have some connection to Mount Longhu, but since he hasn’t reached the Living Dead realm and cannot achieve *Divine Enlightenment*, he wouldn’t be able to learn it.”
“In that case, I have no choice but to learn it?” Su Jie asked. “What conditions does the old master have?”
“The conditions are quite simple. Help Manman and let her develop well outside. This will benefit you too — her appearance and character are extremely auspicious for a husband. In fact, some of your achievements are likely connected to her through karma. Also, if you encounter provocations from the younger Zhang generation, don’t be too harsh. Show mercy when you can. If mercy isn’t possible, then so be it. Finally, if our Zhang family ever faces a crisis, I’d like you to help once. What do you say?”
“Agreed,” Su Jie nodded. In truth, this was goodwill from the elder Zhang Nianquan — beneficial to both sides.
The old man wanted to pass down his knowledge, to preserve a spark. Second, he wanted to resolve some grievances. He had already seen that Su Jie wasn’t the type to turn around and bite the hand that fed him. His temperament was even-tempered, with the bearing of a benevolent person — he kept his word. Planting a seed of good will with such a person would surely yield rich fruit in the future.
“No time like the present. Find a place, and I’ll teach you. An ordinary person would take a full year just to memorize this martial art, but for you, three days and three nights will suffice. You already have a foundation. In fact, I can see that what you practice is a form of hard qigong — there are elements of the Chan school’s Dragon-Tiger Vajra breathing methods within it, which share remarkable similarities with my martial art.” Zhang Nianquan said.
“Understood.” Su Jie was already quite clear. The most essential aspects of this “Nine Palaces Great Yu Thunder Section Orthodox Method” should be the three components — “Observing Heaven,” “Examining Earth,” and “Arranging the Environment” — which could provide him with inspiration.
The rest was relatively secondary.
Matters of meditation and coordinated physical movements held no secrets for Su Jie anymore.
The two soon arrived at Su Jie’s usual training ground.
This was a massive facility. Outside was an urban combat training area where many security personnel practiced search techniques and counter-reconnaissance, with dedicated retired instructors providing teaching and training.
Larry placed enormous emphasis on security, spending no small amount of money each year.
“This place is suitable for cultivating a fierce, aggressive energy — the aura is intense and indomitably brave. Even the equipment in this training room is designed for strength training, sparring, and combat. It’s good for young people to release all their power here, but not suitable for nurturing one’s energy and cultivating the mind. The aura doesn’t harmonize, Heaven and Humanity don’t connect. Training here long-term makes it difficult to enter the proper state.” Zhang Nianquan surveyed the environment.
“What about in here?” Su Jie led Zhang Nianquan through the facility and into an adjacent courtyard.
This area was constructed entirely of wood, similar to a Japanese Zen dry landscape garden — Larry’s spiritual cultivation retreat.
Larry preferred the Japanese minimalist style, and this Zen courtyard had been built accordingly.
“This is somewhat better, but it’s too simple and empty. It’s easy for a person to fall into an excessively empty emotional state here — feeling that even their own body is superfluous. That can lead to obsession, breed world-weariness, and fail to inspire progress. Moreover, this place isn’t positioned high enough — it lacks connection with the celestial constellations.”
Zhang Nianquan pointed here and there. “A pot of flowers should be placed here. As the saying goes, ‘A meditation room is made profound by flowers and trees.’ And here — instead of using a dry stone landscape, you should use clear, flowing spring water. When water and sky share the same hue, the auras merge. When a person cultivates spiritually in such an environment, they’ll be nourished. Over time, great joy will arise in their heart, and they won’t want to leave.”
Su Jie seemed to grasp something. He pointed to the eaves: “If I’m not mistaken, a wind chime should be hung there. When a gentle breeze comes, the chime’s clear sound makes the silence even more profound. As the saying goes: ‘Cicadas chirp, the forest seems quieter; birds sing, the mountain appears more secluded.’ Seeking silence single-mindedly often fails to achieve it. Sometimes, sound is silence.”
“Remarkable.” Zhang Nianquan nodded repeatedly, his expression of delighted approval growing even stronger. “Don’t underestimate these details. They are the most important gateways to cultivation — how a person merges with Heaven and Earth, how auras blend. When done correctly, a person can be transformed in no time at all. Foreigners don’t understand this knowledge, but we do. The four elements of cultivation are wealth, companions, method, and place. Wealth goes without saying — without money, cultivation is out of the question. Companions are fellow practitioners — practicing in isolation won’t yield results; many people must research together. Method refers to the techniques of training. Place is the environment.”
As he spoke, Zhang Nianquan began teaching Su Jie the various movements, meditations, and the relationships between them and the surrounding aura.
“A piece of wood, a corner, a table, a wall — each has its own aura. Not only can they influence a person’s emotions, but this aura can also affect their body. If a person can adjust their aura to merge with their surroundings — to become one with them, to use the vibrations to cleanse the aura — that is true unity of Heaven and Humanity.”
Su Jie had long since realized this principle, but he lacked the practical details of execution.
Now Zhang Nianquan was giving him those details — a century’s worth of experience, combined with the research of countless ancients. Though not necessarily precise, it provided Su Jie with material for study.
Three full days and nights.
Zhang Nianquan taught the entire Nine Palaces Great Yu Thunder Section Orthodox Method to Su Jie.
Su Jie absorbed it quickly. He hadn’t yet verified this knowledge, but much of it was highly illuminating for his current practice.
After finishing the transmission, Zhang Nianquan left directly.
Leaving Su Jie there to study on his own.
And with that, winter break was over. Su Jie had to return home to continue his studies.
Last winter break, he had gone to the Xu family. This winter break, he had come to the Zhang family. Where would he be next year?
He hadn’t even gone home for the New Year this year. Su Jie deeply missed the family reunions and meals that happened every New Year’s celebration.
Tomorrow, he would be going back. After bidding farewell to Larry, Su Jie went out alone to wander the streets once more, familiarizing himself with the city — he wasn’t afraid of Zhang Hongqing coming to kill him again.
First, because his previous attempt had failed, a second attempt would be a significant loss of face. Second, Su Jie actually wouldn’t mind Zhang Hongqing coming again — he had made very thorough preparations. Winning was out of the question, but he was confident he could escape a second time.
If he escaped twice, that would be a blow to Zhang Hongqing, proving at least that the man couldn’t kill him.
*What does it matter if you’re stronger than me? I can still get away.*
Su Jie roamed the streets and alleys, observing the local culture and customs while experiencing the sensation of his own aura merging with his environment.
He had begun to vaguely understand that the so-called state of “unity of Heaven and Humanity” was essentially “Enlightenment and Emptiness.”
To realize emptiness.
This state could only be grasped intuitively, not conveyed through words or video — not even through direct instruction. It could only be reached through one’s own sudden inspiration.
It was similar to the Buddha holding up a flower and Mahākāśyapa smiling — heart-to-heart transmission.
Suddenly, as Su Jie passed through another small alley, he saw someone standing at its end.
This person was also wearing a mask. Not the red-and-green painted mask of Zhang Hongqing, but a dragon mask. The dragon’s head was majestic, its whiskers and horns distinct, so lifelike it seemed about to take flight.
Behind the mask, the person wore sportswear, like a young hip-hop or cosplay enthusiast — very young.
Su Jie could sense that this body was roughly his own age, definitely under twenty.
But this person’s aura, presence, breathing — various characteristics indicated that his ability was not inferior to Su Jie’s, and in some ways, Su Jie couldn’t even see through him.
Su Jie had never encountered a “Living Dead” younger than himself. But now, it seemed one had appeared.