Chinese Martial Arts: My Super Beast Clone

On the street, the setting sun dyed everything orange-red.

Once the soreness and numbness in his legs subsided, Lin Hai turned into the next street, where there was a shop selling kiln-roasted chicken. The owner was a short, stout man from Guangdong and Guangxi, and his cooking skills were authentic.

"Boss, a whole chicken, please wrap it up for me."

The short, stout boss took a roasted chicken, golden brown, from the earthen kiln, wrapped it in oil paper, tied it with hemp rope, and handed it over.

Lin Hai paid the bill and then went next door to buy two jin of Shaoxing wine.

Carrying a chicken in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, he walked south.

Turning into an alley, the houses on both sides were old-fashioned brick and wood structures, with moss growing at the base of the walls. Lin Hai walked to the door of number seventeen and knocked.

"Who is it?" It was my aunt's voice.

"Auntie, it's me, Lin Hai."

The door opened from the inside, and Zhang Yuanshan's wife, Liu, stood in the doorway, wearing a blue apron and with her hands still wet.

"Hai Zi is here? Come in quickly."

When Liu saw what he was carrying, she frowned.

"You're here, why did you bring anything?"

"I bought this on the way, for Uncle Zhang to have with his drinks."

Lin Hai stepped through the door. The courtyard wasn't large; a square table was set up under the eaves, with three dishes on it: a dish of peanuts, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, and a bowl of salted fish. Zhang Yuanshan sat at the table, a bowl of rice in front of him, barely touched.

Seeing Lin Hai enter, Zhang Yuanshan put down his chopsticks.

"Why are you here at this time?"

"I have something I'd like to discuss with Uncle Zhang," Lin Hai said.

Zhang Yuanshan glanced at him, but didn't ask any further questions. He just gestured towards the edge of the table with his lip.

"Let's eat first."

Liu turned and went into the kitchen, and soon brought out a bowl and chopsticks, placing them in front of Lin Hai.

"It's lunchtime, let's eat together."

Lin Hai didn't stand on ceremony. He placed the kiln-roasted chicken on the table, untied the hemp rope, and spread out the oil paper. The crispy chicken skin glistened with oil, and a rich, smoky aroma wafted out.

Then, Lin Hai poured Zhang Yuanshan a bowl of rice wine.

"Uncle Zhang, have a sip."

Zhang Yuanshan picked up the bowl, brought it close to his nose, and smelled it.

"Huadiao wine, five years aged?" he said. "You're really generous, kid."

Zhang Yuanshan tilted his head back, took a sip, and smacked his lips.

Zhang Yuanshan wasn't the type to talk incessantly at the dinner table, nor was Lin Hai. The two ate in silence, occasionally tearing off a piece of chicken and taking a sip of wine. Liu Shi served them rice, chattering about everyday matters.

We ate most of a chicken and drank more than a pound of wine.

"You wouldn't come here without a reason, would you? Speak up," Zhang Yuanshan said.

Lin Hai put down his chopsticks and sat up straight.

"Uncle Zhang, I want to resign from my job at the police station."

Zhang Yuanshan paused for a moment.

The room was quiet for a few seconds, then the sound of Liu washing dishes came from the kitchen.

"You quit?" Zhang Yuanshan took the pipe out of his mouth, tapped off the ash, and asked, "So what are you planning to do?"

"Learn martial arts."

Zhang Yuanshan didn't reply; his brows were furrowed, as if he was thinking about something.

"I knew you were up to that sort of thing the other day when you asked me about it. Is that why you took the day off today? Have you decided which restaurant to go to?"

"Fuhu Martial Arts School"

"Lu Zhengchuan's restaurant?" Zhang Yuanshan nodded. He looked at Lin Hai and said, "If you're planning to go to Zhenhua Martial Arts School or Jingwu Association, as an elder, I have to give you a few more pieces of advice."

"But the Tiger-Taming Martial Arts School..."

He paused and looked at Lin Hai.

"Have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind."

"The police station's salary isn't much, but it's a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood. If you quit, you'll have no way out."

Lin Hai did not speak.

"Your father passed away early, leaving only you and your two siblings. You have an older sister and a younger brother. Have you thought about them?" Zhang Yuanshan continued.

"I've thought about it."

Lin Hai nodded.

"It's precisely because I've thought about it that I'm going."

Zhang Yuanshan's eyes flickered.

Lin Hai continued.

"I can see the end of the road to the police station. Even if I walk it for ten or twenty years, it will still be the same."

He paused for a moment.

"But martial arts training is different..."

Zhang Yuanshan sighed and squinted at him.

Do you know how expensive martial arts training is?

"Know."

"Tuition fees alone are a huge expense. Then there's medicine and other medical care; most families simply can't afford it. How much money do you have right now?"

"That should last for a while."

Zhang Yuanshan stared at him for a few seconds, then didn't press the matter of money further. He braced himself on his knees and leaned forward slightly.

"Hai Zi, let me tell you the truth."

Lin Hai sat up straight.

"On the path of martial arts, only one or two out of ten people can truly succeed. I've seen too many people train for three or five years, end up with a body full of injuries, and still end up carrying sacks at the docks. You went to the Fuhu Martial Arts School today, right? How's your physical constitution?"

"Below average".

Lin Hai did not hide anything.

There was a moment of silence in the room.

In the kitchen, Liu finished washing the dishes, brought out a cup of hot tea, placed it in front of Lin Hai, and refilled Zhang Yuanshan's bowl. She glanced at their expressions, said nothing, and turned to go into the inner room.

Zhang Yuanshan picked up the teacup, blew on it, and didn't drink it.

"Medium to low physical constitution..." he repeated.

Zhang Yuanshan breathed a long sigh of relief.

"I am of average physical constitution. When I was young, I was arrogant and reckless. I exhausted my family's savings before I could even enter the martial arts world and become a martial artist in the Strength Refining Realm."

"But that's all. Before becoming a martial artist, I just thought that once I took that step, the world would be mine for the taking. Who knew..."

"But one mountain is higher than another."

Zhang Yuanshan looked at him and suddenly smiled. There was a hint of bitterness and a touch of melancholy in that smile.

"Your father had the same temper back then. Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it." Zhang Yuanshan leaned back in his chair, his eyes somewhat unfocused. "If he were still alive, he probably couldn't stop you either."

He waved his hand.

"Alright, it's a good thing for young people to go out and make their own way. I won't stop you."

Lin Hai stood up and bowed deeply to Zhang Yuanshan.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Zhang, for taking care of me all these years."

"Alright, alright, stop with the formalities." Zhang Yuanshan stood up. "It's getting late. Lin Wan and her brother are still waiting for you at home. Come on, I'll take you home."

There were no streetlights in the alley, only the dim yellow light shining from the windows of each house, illuminating the bluestone pavement with patches of light.

After stepping out the door and taking only a few steps, Zhang Yuanshan suddenly stopped.

"Wait a moment."

He reached into his robes, pulled out a cloth bag, and stuffed it into Lin Hai's hand.

Lin Hai was taken aback; the cloth bag in his hand was quite heavy.

"Uncle Zhang, this..."

"Take it." Zhang Yuanshan's voice was very low, as if afraid of disturbing someone. "Martial arts training is very expensive. Eating meat, medicinal baths, bruise treatments, strengthening muscles and bones—all of these cost money. The little foundation you have won't last long."

Lin Hai pushed the cloth bag back.

"Uncle Zhang, I have enough money."

Zhang Yuanshan didn't take it, but instead gripped Lin Hai's fingers tightly and pressed the cloth bag into his palm.

"Hai Zi, listen to me."

"Your father and I have known each other for over a decade, we're brothers who've been through thick and thin together." Zhang Yuanshan's voice deepened. "There's not much I can do to help you over the years, the police station stuff is nothing. Now that you're ambitious and want to make a name for yourself, it wouldn't be right for me, as your uncle, not to lend you a hand."

Lin Hai clutched the cloth bag, his palm aching from the silver dollars inside.

"Uncle Zhang..."

"Stop dawdling." Zhang Yuanshan released his grip, took a step back, and said, "Take it."

His tone left no room for refusal.

Lin Hai stood still, looking down at the cloth bag in his hand.

He looked up, but Zhang Yuanshan had already turned away.

"Go back." Zhang Yuanshan's voice came from behind him, "I'll take care of the paperwork for the police station for you. Even if you can't learn martial arts in the future, my old face still has some influence. When you want to go back to the police station, I'll ask someone to put in a good word for you and it won't be difficult to get you back in."

He paused.

"I haven't achieved much in all these years of martial arts training, but I've always remembered what my master told me when I first started learning..."

"In martial arts practice, one must be free from distractions to make courageous and diligent progress. Only by burning one's bridges can one forge ahead without hesitation."

"Now that you've made your decision, give it your all and fight for a future."

After saying that, he turned and went back into the house.

Lin Hai stood still, opened the bag and glanced inside. Under the moonlight, the ocean shimmered with a cold, white light.

Ten silver dollars.

Zhang Yuanshan's monthly salary was only six silver dollars. Liu's health was poor, she took medicine all year round, and there was also a child in the family who was still in school, so the expenses were quite high.

These ten silver dollars were saved by Zhang Yuanshan from the smallest of his pockets.

Lin Hai took a deep breath, stuffed the bag into his pocket, and walked out of the alley.