Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Chapter 61 Transmission of the Dharma

On the third day after the Xu family was executed, the sunlight in Xiangyang City was exceptionally clear, casting dappled shadows through the sycamore leaves in the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion. Wang Huai'an and his wife, leading the newly recovered Wang Xingyi, stood eagerly waiting in front of the mansion gate, followed by two maids who were still thin but could walk normally.

Before long, Su Yan and Su Ye appeared at the alley entrance. Mr. and Mrs. Wang Huai'an hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply to the two of them, their eyes reddening.

"Master Su, Miss Su, we are deeply grateful! If it weren't for your help, my daughter would probably be dead, and my Wang family would not have escaped the Xu family's clutches!"

Wang Shi even took Wang Xingyi's hand and kowtowed to Su Yan.

"Our Wang family will never forget your life-saving grace, Master! In the future, if you ever need our assistance, we will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Su Yan quickly helped the two up, speaking calmly.

"Master Wang, Madam Wang, there's no need for such formalities. It's our duty to help those in need, especially since Xingyi is a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect. Rescuing Miss Wang is even more of our responsibility."

"In any case, we will remember your kindness."

Wang Huai'an turned to the steward and gave him instructions.

"Quickly present the prepared thank-you gift!"

The steward stepped forward in response, followed by two servants carrying a heavy wooden box filled with gold, silver, jewels, and precious medicinal herbs.

Su Yan waved her hand, politely declining.

"Master Wang, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I cannot accept the gift. I came today to check on Miss Wang's recovery and, incidentally, to assess her martial arts foundation."

"Assessing martial arts skills?"

Wang Huai'an was taken aback, then overjoyed.

Wang Xingyi stood to the side, a blush rising on her face. Her former arrogance had faded, replaced by humility and anticipation.

"Please move to the courtyard, Taoist priest."

Wang Xingyi bowed to Su Yan with a respectful tone.

The group arrived at the courtyard of the Prince's mansion. The open space under the paulownia tree had already been cleaned. Su Yan stood to one side, while Su Ye and the Wang Huai'an couple waited under the eaves. Wang Xingyi took a deep breath and took out a long sword. This was a sword that Wang Huai'an had specially prepared for her; its blade was light and suitable for a woman to use.

"What I have learned is the first move of the Quanzhen Swordplay, taught by Master Sun Bu'er. Please give me your guidance, senior brother."

As soon as Wang Xingyi finished speaking, he picked up his longsword and began to practice the moves according to his memory.

She turned, her longsword drawing an arc with great force. But upon closer inspection, one would find that her moves were clumsy and stiff, the transitions between sword strikes were not smooth, and her breathing was chaotic. It lacked the fluidity of the Quanzhen Swordplay and was far from being a practical combat skill.

After finishing a swordplay demonstration, Wang Xingyi's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and he lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly.

"Master, I haven't practiced well enough, please forgive my poor skills."

Su Yan stepped forward, took the long sword from her hand, weighed it in his hand, and made a judgment in his mind.

"Your physical constitution is decent, and you are naturally strong, making you a good candidate for martial arts. However, you have clearly not practiced diligently, your moves are clumsy, your breathing is disordered, and more importantly, you have no sense of belonging to this sword."

"A sense of belonging?"

Wang Xingyi looked up in confusion.

"It's about the compatibility between the person and the weapon."

Su Yan explained.

"The Quanzhen swordplay emphasizes using softness to overcome hardness and the harmony of sword energy. This sword is light and agile, suitable for using skillful techniques, but you rely entirely on brute force, which is clearly incompatible with this sword. Tell me honestly, do you really enjoy using a sword?"

Wang Xingyi blushed when asked the question, and lowered her head shyly, her voice barely audible.

"I—I don't really like using swords. I always feel that swords are too light, they don't feel substantial in my hand, and I can't use them effectively."

"So what kind of weapon do you like?"

Su Yan pressed for more details.

Wang Xingyi hesitated for a moment, as if she had mustered up her courage, and said in a low voice.

"I like heavy weapons, such as sledgehammers, spiked clubs, and halberds used on the battlefield. When I was a child, I watched acrobatics and thought those heavy weapons looked particularly impressive when wielded. I even had my butler make me a wooden hammer and practiced with it in secret."

Upon hearing this, not only did Wang Huai'an and his wife show surprise, but even Su Ye raised an eyebrow. Women mostly prefer light weapons, but unexpectedly, Wang Xingyi liked such a cumbersome heavy weapon.

Su Yan was taken aback at first, then smiled with relief.

"I see. You are naturally strong, so ordinary weapons are naturally not to your liking. Heavy weapons rely on brute force to overcome all techniques, which suits your physique. However, the Quanzhen Sect is known for its swordsmanship and fist techniques, and there are not many disciples who are proficient in heavy weapons. Uncle Sun Bu'er probably did not know your preferences when he taught you swordsmanship."

He pondered for a moment, and then he had an idea in mind.

"Sword techniques are not suited to your physique; forcing yourself to practice will only be counterproductive. I have a Great Demon-Subduing Fist Technique here," a martial art I acquired by chance. It emphasizes fierce and domineering power, using brute force to overcome all techniques, perfectly matching your characteristics. This fist technique will not only utilize your great strength but also strengthen your muscles and bones and stabilize your breathing, making it most suitable for your current stage of practice."

"Really?"

Wang Xingyi's eyes lit up, her face full of joy. She had thought that her liking for heavy weapons made her an oddball, but she didn't expect that Su Yan not only didn't object, but was also willing to teach her martial arts that suited her.

Upon seeing that the power was about to be transmitted, Wang Huai'an and his wife quickly went out of the courtyard and closed the door tightly.

"Of course it's true."

Su Yan nodded and walked to the center of the courtyard.

"Watch closely. I'll only demonstrate twice. Remember the moves and the method of breath control carefully."

Having said that, Su Yan focused his mind and calmed his breath, his aura suddenly rising. He stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, his fists clenched, and slowly threw a punch. It seemed slow, but it carried immense power, as if the air was being torn apart, producing a slight whistling sound.

"First move: Subduing Demons and Opening the Mountain!"

Su Yan shouted loudly, his body turning around as he threw punches in alternating motions. His moves were powerful and fierce, yet disciplined. Each punch was accompanied by a concentrated and explosive burst of energy, combining strength and gentleness to fully demonstrate the domineering and exquisite nature of the Great Demon Subduing Fist Technique.

His movements were slow, deliberately slowing down to make it easier for Wang Xingyi to remember.

After practicing a set of boxing techniques in less than half an incense stick's time, Wang Xingyi felt the immense power contained within it.

"Watch closely. I'll speed things up the second time. Pay attention to the connection between your breath and the moves."

As soon as Su Yan finished speaking, he unleashed the Great Demon-Subduing Fist Technique once more. This time, his movements were swift and powerful, his fists striking out like a storm, yet his breathing remained steady, his moves flowing smoothly without the slightest disorder.

Wang Xingyi stood to the side, her eyes fixed on Su Yan's movements, afraid of missing any detail.

"Now, you try it."

Su Yan stopped what she was doing and said to Wang Xingyi.

Wang Xingyi took a deep breath, walked to the center of the courtyard, and slowly threw her first punch according to the moves she remembered. At first, she was a little rusty, but as the movements unfolded, she gradually found her rhythm. Her natural strength advantage and the ferocity of her punches complemented each other perfectly, and she became more and more comfortable with each punch.

"Let your breath sink, generate power from your dantian, and let your fist move with your body!"

Su Yan offered guidance from the side.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingyi quickly adjusted his breathing and, as Su Yan had instructed, channeled his power from his dantian into his fists.

Her movements became increasingly fluid, and her fists swung with a fierce and domineering aura. Although her moves were still somewhat immature, they were already taking shape and were quite impressive.

After finishing a set of boxing techniques, Wang Xingyi was panting, but his face was full of excitement.

"Senior brother, I've learned it! This style of boxing is perfect for me!"

Su Yan looked at her, his eyes showing approval.

"Your comprehension is excellent. You were able to perform the moves quite well after only two repetitions, and you even grasped the key to the flow of energy. This is truly remarkable. You should practice this Great Subduing Demon Fist diligently."

He paused, then added.

"Once you have mastered this set of boxing techniques, I will write to Uncle-Master Sun Bu'er to explain your physique and preferences. Then Uncle-Master Sun Bu'er will make the final decision."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Wang Xingyi bowed deeply to Su Yan, her eyes filled with gratitude. She knew that Su Yan not only taught her martial arts but also considered her needs so thoroughly; she would remember this kindness forever.

Su Ye stepped forward, looked at Wang Xingyi, and spoke in a cool tone with a hint of approval.

"The Great Subduing Demon Fist is fierce and domineering, and the training process is quite arduous. If you can persevere, you will surely achieve great things in the future. But remember, martial arts are for protecting yourself and punishing evil and promoting good. You must not bully the weak and repeat the mistakes of the Xu family."

"I've got it!"

Wang Xingyi nodded solemnly.

"I will definitely practice martial arts diligently, and in the future, like the two Taoist priests, I will uphold justice, protect those around me, and never do anything evil to oppress the people!"

This trip to Xiangyang can be considered a successful completion of the mission.

"Miss Wang, you have only recently recovered. You cannot rush your martial arts training. You must proceed step by step and pay attention to the balance between work and rest."

Su Yan instructed, "Miss Su and I will be leaving Xiangyang tomorrow to continue our travels. If you encounter any problems while practicing martial arts, you can write a letter to the Quanzhen Sect on Zhongnan Mountain, and I will receive it."

"Is the Taoist priest leaving?"

A hint of reluctance flashed in Wang Xingyi's eyes.

"The road ahead is long, and there are still many things waiting for us to do."

Su Yan smiled slightly. "If fate allows, we will meet again. I hope that when we meet again, you will have accomplished much."

Upon hearing that Su Yan and the others were leaving, Wang Huai'an and his wife, who were outside the door, immediately pushed the door open and came in.

"Why doesn't the Taoist priest stay at his residence for a few more days so that we can show him some hospitality?"

3

"No need."

Su Yan politely declined.

"We have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer."