Chapter 46: Chapter 41: The Five Forms of Wanliu
Liu Yi didn’t know why, but a sudden slight chill ran down his spine, yet his attention quickly returned to the student before him.
Well-proportioned with handsome features, he had quite the marketable appearance for someone from the Outer City.
In fact, Tao Yu used to have a more delicate appearance and was rather skinny, but as he fleshed out from growing, his image had noticeably improved.
In the Outer City, where most people’s skin was rough due to the harshness of life, Tao Yu’s recent physical transformations made him appear fair and tender.
“To grasp the Stance Skill in just three tries is not something we see often in our dojo, I have also taught young people with Grade A bodily talents, and they too could not reach this level.”
Liu Yi smiled as he praised Tao Yu’s talent.
“Head of the dojo praises me too highly, my quick mastery is probably due to my Dynamic Vision’s ability to capture movements, and my body has a good foundation from taking a substantial amount of Yuan Force herbs.”
“Smith mentioned this to me before, but I am not privy to what herbs these were, would you mind sharing some details? It can be compensated.”
Liu Yi wanted to see Tao Yu for his talents, but he was also interested in this aspect; it could be said that his intention cut both ways.
This prompted Tao Yu to quickly speak up.
“Actually, I took the initiative to come to you for this very reason, and to receive compensation for it would obviously be wonderful.”
“Your talent is commendable, and since you already qualify for our free quota, if you’re willing to share some details, I can waive all your future tuition fees.”
Liu Yi grandly waved his hand, offering his promise.
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In reality, for Liu Yi and the dojo, teaching others was their business, akin to a ‘Skill Loan’; it wouldn’t be a loss either way.
And for Tao Yu, it was even better!
Because he was definitely going to learn all five Fist Techniques, even with a half-price discount, it would still cost tens of thousands.
After all, even without this promise, Tao Yu would have taken the initiative to discuss it.
It was practically a free ride.
“Thank you, head of the dojo!”
He first thanked Liu Yi, preempting the conversation, then Tao Yu followed up with a sigh,
“Hearing about the Li family’s annihilation today scared me to death; I was already thinking of discussing this with you.”
“Wait a second, what does this have to do with the Li family’s annihilation?”
Liu Yi, clearly aware of this incident, appeared momentarily stiff.
“Let me explain, here’s how things went…”
Tao Yu didn’t give the other party the chance to speculate wildly and rattled off the attributes of the Blood Orchid, its growth environment, and even the estimated distances from the boundaries of the grasslands.
After explaining all of this, he continued,
“…well, that Li Le from the Li family is from the same period as me, he also knows about the Blood Orchid.”
The subsequent look on Tao Yu’s face was a mix of fear and embarrassment, causing Liu Yi to grow solemn too.
Being in charge of Wanliu Dojo meant Liu Yi was no pushover, and he immediately grasped Tao Yu’s intent to spread the risk.
He had been very cautious and concerned about the ‘annihilation of the Li family.’
Although the Li family was not as strong as Wanliu Dojo, they were a fairly dominant clan in the Outer City; to be extinguished so suddenly by a brutal and bloodthirsty force was not something the dojo could contend with.
Upon hearing about Tao Yu’s transaction of selling herbs and providing information at the Starshine Recycling Station, Liu Yi’s expression relaxed significantly,
“You’re quite the slick one, but smart. If you hadn’t done this in the past two days, you might have very well disappeared from the world tonight.”
Liu Yi had high hopes for Tao Yu, and since he initially agreed to a fee waiver, he decided to stick with it, considering it an investment.
“Oh? Do you have any conjectures, head of the dojo? Please enlighten me.”
Taking the opportunity, Tao Yu inquired further.
“Actually, the situation is quite simple. The Li family must have been preparing to collaborate with a certain force, but that force wanted to monopolize the benefits, so they made their move overnight. They probably didn’t even know of your existence; otherwise, you wouldn’t have survived last night.”
“But since you’ve already sold the Starshine Recycling Station, this matter will probably just blow over, and the Li family died in vain.”
Liu Yi didn’t seem to care much and was instead lost in thought.
Such incidents are not uncommon, not just in the Outer City, but also in the Inner City.
In these times, might makes right.
If you hold onto profits you shouldn’t have, you’d better be prepared.
Although there is a security team in charge, there’s not much they can do once the clues run dry.
The various forces within the Inner City are intricate and complex; who knows which one was behind this?
Rashly upsetting the balance has even worse consequences.
The security team will not risk their lives for the now-deceased Li family—tightening security now is just a show to calm the public.”
“So that’s how it is. But am I safe now? Can I stay at the dojo for a couple of days?”
Tao Yu seized the opportunity to ask; the dojo master could make decisions on the spot, a simple yes or no would do.
Staying here would also make use of the time at night.
“Haha, sure, but you’ll have to ask Smith yourself if he agrees to let you sleep on the floor.”
“Of course, no problem. I’d be afraid too if I were you.”
Smith agreed briskly.
With the right talent, many things are easy to negotiate!
…
“So, which Fist Technique do you want to start learning today?”
Having met the dojo master, Tao Yu followed Smith back to the corner of the courtyard where they practiced yesterday. Zhang Wei and the others had also arrived, but Smith didn’t ask their opinion and went straight to satisfying Tao Yu’s request with his question.
“Big Brother, can you talk about it? I think everyone would like to hear.”
Tao Yu took the initiative to inquire. He knew that the Wanliu Dojo offered five signature Fist Techniques: Tiger, Crane, Bear, Python, Ape; each had its own characteristics, but he wasn’t clear about the specific features.
And Tao Yu’s inquiry also dispelled some of the small dissatisfaction that Zhang Wei and the others had harbored, and they all perked up their ears.
“Alright, let’s start with the Fist Techniques. You already know their names, so I’ll begin with the Crane Form, which I am most proficient in and have reached lv4 in…”
As Smith said this, he also casually adopted a stance. Standing on one foot like a golden rooster, his posture was straight as a pen.
Just by standing there, he exuded a sense of lightness and agility.
“Crane Form is the lightest and most agile among our Myriad Streams Five Forms. It focuses on touch-and-go and anticipating the opponent…”
While speaking, Smith began to demonstrate stances, waving his arms as if searching for an invisible opponent.
Accompanying his movements, Tao Yu also formed a mental image. Crane Form mainly resembled Jeet Kune Do and the beggar’s version of Dugu Nine Swords in style, with a few basic moves that are relatively simple, mainly emphasizing quick initiation.
However, it requires a high level of adaptability and spontaneity, focusing on disrupting the rhythm of an opponent’s attack before it is fully launched.
The fighting style has two distinct approaches, one for humans and one for beasts, and practicing Crane Form on top of the foundation of Wanliu Stance Skill could further strengthen the leg sinews and fingers.
Afterward, Smith went on to demonstrate the Tiger, Bear, Python, and Ape Forms in succession.
Indeed, it was evident that although he was proficient in the other four Forms, they lacked the delicate grace of the Crane Form, and it could only be said that he was familiar with the techniques.
Each Fist Technique had its own focus and uniqueness, but what was key was the seemingly unrelated Five Forms actually resurfaced on the foundation of Wanliu Stance Skill, providing a comprehensive coverage for the whole body once again.
Each Form appeared as a separate piece of the puzzle, able to progress and enhance specific parts; combined, they amounted to a full enhancement of the whole set…