Li Cang hailed a cab, clutching his holoprojector.
The warning from that boss, about ending up in jail, made him extra careful and cautious all the way back to his villa complex, like a thief.
Just as he reached his doorstep, he saw his neighbor, Uncle Niu, leaving his house in a black trench coat, looking hurried.
Li Cang noticed the black bag in his hand and a slightly grave expression in his eyes. Thinking that Uncle Niu looked even more suspicious than he did, he joked,
"Uncle Niu, why are you being so sneaky? Going to rob a bank?"
Uncle Niu, whose name was Niu Heng, had been Li Cang's neighbor since childhood. He was older in terms of seniority, but the two of them got along without any barriers.
Niu Heng was an archaeological researcher and used to often take Li Cang along, showing him many strange and wonderful things.
Niu Heng, seeing it was Li Cang, grinned and said, "Come on, I'll take you along. Let's go pull off something big."
"Hahaha, Uncle Niu, what new artifacts have you dug up recently?"
"I haven't been doing archaeology lately; I've been busy with other things. How are you doing at school? Still that… king of the bottom dwellers?"
"Someone has to be at the bottom, why can't it be me?"
"You brat…"
"…"
Li Cang and Niu Heng chatted playfully for a few moments before Li Cang went home.
"Click!"
Li Cang took out the black holoprojector and plugged it in.
He wanted to see what kind of thing could land someone in jail.
"Buzz!"
Light and shadows emerged, and the image gradually became clear.
A teahouse appeared before Li Cang, with rustic wooden tables, flickering candlelight, and a few virtual listeners nearby.
An old man sat in the center, slapped the gavel, and began with passion:
"It is said that in this world of martial arts, conflicts are constant, but throughout history, only one person truly dared to be called a hero…"
"Hmm?"
Li Cang was full of questions. "Isn't this a holographic martial arts tutorial? Why does it start like a storytelling session?"
As the old man narrated, the holographic image switched to a first-person perspective of a man, standing on a wind-swept mountain peak, his expression resolute, his eyes like flames.
"He had no master, no sect, no parents, yet he relied on a pair of fists to leave countless legends in the martial arts world…"
The holographic image shifted again. The man stood with clenched fists in a scorched wasteland.
Behind him was a devastated village, with cries and wails coming from the ruins.
His eyes burned like flames, and his fists glowed with a deep blue light.
The old man's narration was low:
"He was once a witness to evil, and later decided to become an executor of justice. With justice as his belief, he created his own fist way, named 'Righteous Fist Way'!
"From then on, his fists were not for slaughter, but only for protection!"
"The story begins in a small town…"
Watching the holographic image switch perspectives again, Li Cang's eyes widened: "Holy cow! Is it really starting to tell a story?!"
"That's not right, Zhou Mei privately approached me, laid out such a big premise, specifically for me to rent this holographic martial arts tutorial. It can't just be storytelling. She has no reason to lie to me."
"Moreover, if it's just a simple storytelling holoprojector, how could it be serious enough to land someone in jail?"
"Hmm…"
"There must be a deeper meaning!"
Li Cang pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up.
"I get it!"
"This holographic martial arts tutorial uses storytelling to immerse the learner, using an engaging plot to stimulate interest in learning, and through an immersive experience, one can grasp the essence of martial arts, following the protagonist's growth step by step."
"Hmm, this teaching method is quite creative, very good, very good."
Li Cang praised endlessly, unable to help but give a thumbs up.
Just then, his phone rang. It was his homeroom teacher, Zhou Mei.
"Li Cang, how is it? Did you rent that holographic martial arts tutorial?"
"Renting was too uneconomical, I just bought it directly."
"Buying it is fine too. Study hard at home this weekend, and you'll definitely improve a lot for next Thursday's first mock exam."
"Teacher, I have a question. Is this thing a forbidden martial art? Why did Boss Qian say that taking it out would land someone in jail?"
"It's not a forbidden martial art, it's just been sealed."
Zhou Mei explained, "This holographic martial arts tutorial contains inappropriate content. Many people who bought it weren't after the martial arts but used it as adult entertainment, and it was later reported by parents and sealed."
"This martial art is relatively weak. Although long-term practice isn't very useful, it's very easy to cultivate and can quickly improve martial arts scores in the short term."
"The key is that the side effects are almost zero, and it poses no harm to a young and strong person like you."
"Oh, I understand." Li Cang suddenly realized, "So it's like a stimulant that lasts for a few days, right?"
"Yes, you can understand it that way."
"Then I'll practice at home and see."
"Focus on your practice. If anything comes up, call me."
The call ended.
Li Cang looked at the holoprojector, which was still playing.
Contains inappropriate content?
He absolutely had to critically examine it!
Storytelling narration: "Chu Kun was born in a remote small town, a quiet and ordinary place…"
"His father told him that a person should be righteous, and practicing martial arts was not to bully others, but to protect important things…"
"Bandits stormed into the town, and his family tried their best to resist but were successively killed due to being outnumbered…"
"Chu Kun opened the yellowed, tattered 'Broken Rock Fist Manual'. Its content was sparse, and many parts were even damaged. But he cherished it as a treasure and began to cultivate day and night…"
"The Broken Rock Fist was too ordinary; every move and every stance lacked soul, like it was just for fighting…"
"When he was twenty-two, Chu Kun decided to create a different kind of fist way, a fist way that could embody the belief in justice…"
"This was a lonely and long road. He collected all the fist manuals under heaven, dismantled and reassembled all the fist techniques, refining and comprehending them bit by bit…"
"Finally, when Chu Kun was twenty-eight, the Righteous Fist Way came into being!"
Li Cang's interest was immediately piqued upon seeing this.
Finally, to the main point!
"In Chu Kun's view, the most important thing in practicing fists is inner enlightenment. While exercising the body, one must also cultivate one's mind and maintain honesty and clarity in one's heart."
"Therefore, the Righteous Fist Way created by Chu Kun adheres to a core philosophy—Qi Moves Heaven's Heart, Fist Generates Righteousness."
"'Qi Moves Heaven's Heart' refers to the practitioner's ability to mobilize all the power within the natural laws by comprehending the ultimate truths of heaven and earth."
"'Fist Generates Righteousness' means that every punch thrown is both a suppression of all phenomena and a moment of raising the arm for the common people and for justice."
"…"
Li Cang watched for a long time, then scratched his head at the end.
"Uh, what about the 'inappropriate content' that was mentioned? Is it still coming?"
Li Cang sat cross-legged and, following the holographic image's instruction to "cultivate the mind before practicing fists," began to comprehend the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
"Cultivating the Righteous Fist Way requires purifying the mind, eliminating all negative emotions, and maintaining an inner clarity like water."
"Only with a pure heart can the fist way go further…"
Time passed.
Three hours went by.
Li Cang opened his eyes and tried to throw a punch forward. It was ordinary, without any power or stance.
"Why isn't it working? Is my comprehension time too short?"
"That's not right. Zhou Mei clearly said it was very easy to cultivate, so why have I cultivated for three hours with no results?"
"Could it be that there's a problem with my thinking?"
"It seems I need to change my approach…"