"The stance is small, the leg technique is versatile, fists and feet follow each other, quick and slow are in accord, defending with potential offense, waiting for the right moment to extend and retract, the form is disciplined, strength is ample, movements agile, opening and closing with breadth, complementing reality with illusion, uninhibited and flowing."
"Slow practice builds skills, fast practice builds attack!"
"What one learns involves the hands, eyes, body, method, and steps, and what one trains in is refinement, strength, ingenuity, subtlety, and spirit. ’Spirit’ is the essence, expressed through form to convey spirit, cultivating form through movement, with outer training beginning with nurturing form; as refinement increases, qi flourishes, qi flourishes as spirit is whole, as spirit is whole, the body is strong. Life arises from qi, qi is directed by spirit, spirit and qi support each other, with elegance and integrity, intimately linked."
"There are indeed aspects to be admired."
Yan Chuan casually flipped through the secret manual, recognizing the exquisite technique within, recalled the ferocity and sharpness of Fan Defang last night, smiled and kept the manual.
The secret medicines.
Twelve portions in total—
"Dragon Tiger Powder."
"Heavenly King Heart Protecting Powder."
"Sky Heart Detoxification Pills."
Wei Wude recognized four kinds and ten portions of the secret medicines in one breath, but could not identify the last two kinds, studying them closely with a frown: "The other four secret medicines each have their own wonderful uses, and Senior Brother should recognize them as well, so I won’t elaborate. These last two have some peculiar characteristics. Senior Brother should not rush to use them and let me consult a friend well-versed in secret medicine study?"
"I don’t trust outsiders."
Yan Chuan had also taken out two packets of secret medicines he had obtained from Du Hanfeng, pretending they were Fan Defang’s relics, for a joint identification by Wei Wude.
But Wei Wude couldn’t recognize them either.
Let’s wait a bit longer.
He trusted Wei Wude but did not trust Wei Wude’s friend.
"As Senior Brother says."
Wei Wude nodded and consented without objection.
After these, came the real deal.
The earlier items, though valuable, were things Wei Wude tactfully did not touch, but these last few hundreds of portraits were different—
"This is the second wife of the Third Master of the Han Mansion."
"This is the new wife of the Chen Family Patriarch, tut, this family hasn’t reported the crime!"
"Earlier, these are the few virtuous women harmed by Fan Defang in Jingshan, this is from Xia Stone, this from Xutian."
"Are these portraits arranged according to the timeline of Fan Defang’s crimes?"
Wei Wude saw the last portrait, the person in the painting was vivid and lifelike, also a lady of nobility. These noble ladies, being deep within the inner courtyards, were numerous enough that even with Wei Wude’s vast experience, he did not recognize them.
But judging by the time the portraits were created, this lady, Fan Defang should not have had time to commit the crime yet.
This is from Wei Wude’s professional perspective.
No need for any special expertise.
"After Fan Defang committed a crime, he would leave either the victim’s lip print or fingerprint on the portrait, with lip prints representing submission, and fingerprints representing resistance."
"Turns out there were more submissions than resistance."
After slightly diverging, Wei Wude returned to focus, holding the last portrait: "This lady’s portrait has neither a lip print nor a fingerprint, clearly indicating that Fan Defang was apprehended by Senior Brother before he could act."
He looked towards Yan Chuan: "It’s rare for Fan Defang to fail; either he succeeded or he killed. Senior Brother intercepting Fan Defang beforehand is a great favor to this lady and her family. Let me investigate further, and perhaps I can earn Senior Brother some goodwill!"
In the Jianghu, besides martial prowess, it’s also about connections.
The more friends one makes.
The more thoroughly one eliminates enemies.
In this Jianghu, naturally, everything is stable.
A favor delivered, a solid act of kindness, there’s no reason not to accept it.
As for the other portraits—
"They also have their uses."
"Used well, secret medicines and gold will not be lacking."
"However, neither Senior Brother nor I can fully exploit them; we need to recruit people to work together."
Wei Wude looked through the portraits, forming a plan in his mind, and whispered conspiratorially with Yan Chuan.
After Yan Chuan listened, he waved his hand and smiled: "You handle it as you see fit, keeping safety as the top priority, and do not create enmity with others."
After chatting with Yan Chuan, Wei Wude exuberantly returned to the government office with Fan Defang’s corpse.
This unparalleled rapist spanning three regions, in addition to benefits in gold and silver, offers advantages in official career, social goodwill, and connections, pushing Wei Wude to greater heights.
"More than three hundred taels in cash and silver."
"Swallow Sect Martial Arts heritage."
"Ten secret medicine portions."
"This battle, my gains are already substantial!"
This is merely the visible and countable benefits; from the life-and-death struggle with a master like Fan Defang, the intangible, unquantifiable benefits towards martial arts are indeed substantial and most precious!
The strength of Swallow Fist aids in advancing Cheng Family Boxing.
The movement technique of Swallow Flying aids in advancing Divine Movement Transformation.
The benefits are plentiful!
Compared to the unexpected assassination of the deranged Du Hanfeng, this battle was a true life-and-death duel between masters.
Fan Defang’s prowess was far above Yan Chuan’s; Yan Chuan with a spear, Fan Defang barehanded, yet could stabilize and counterattack swiftly after being ambushed, then suppress Yan Chuan, with a final ’Stepping around and collapsing thunder’, clearly aiming to take Yan Chuan’s life.
Even if a tutor who defected halfway through, his strength was truly unfathomable.
They are originally top figures among the old school, re-enter the academy, martial arts rewritten, various treasure grounds, strength undergoing repeated enhancements. Fan Defang stayed in Xiping Academy for only three or four years, but his strength surpassed before, surpassing those stubbornly clinging to old ways of the same level.
With him in battle, life-and-death struggle, Yan Chuan gained immensely.
"I must undergo closed door cultivation for three days to adjust my injuries, do not disturb unless necessary."
Yan Chuan instructed Yu Jinpeng, then turned to undergo closed door cultivation.
Wei Quan watched Yan Chuan’s retreating figure, seeing Master Brother going into closed cultivation, felt overwhelmed with admiration, "Why do I feel the back of Master Brother is so magnificent?"
All filled with Master Brother!
This is admiration, it is reverence!
Jin Yutang didn’t find Wei Quan disgusting, for he felt the same impulse inside: "All these years, people have been leaving the Martial Arts Hall, everyone says Master is stubborn, Master Brother blindly filially pious, mocking us as thick-headed. Though I’ve stayed, I’ve wavered too. But now, with Master Brother approaching the grandmaster level, our trio advancing rapidly in boxing expertise, and the Martial Arts Hall revitalized, everything is heading in the right direction. Facts prove, staying in Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall was the right choice!"
Jin Yutang’s years of stifled resentment suddenly cleared.
Yu Jinpeng further laughed: "Since Master Brother started the Advanced Study Hall, untold numbers of both New Faction and Old School martial artists desire to apprentice. Those traitors who left Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall, the Advanced Study Hall refuses them all, surely they’re regretting it deeply."
The ways of Heaven are evident!
Karma is unavoidable!
Quiet and unobtrusive, yet someone who reciprocates kindness and settles scores as needed.
Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall, he remembers vengeance the most!