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墨書 Inktalez
As I swung my Short Staff with all my might, it struck Shen Han's Fine Tube Gun once more. Just as I brought my right hand down for another heavy blow to Shen Han's left shoulder, everything changed!
Shen Han suddenly let out a fierce shout. Gripping the Fine Tube Gun that had been flung into the air, he gave it a vigorous shake. In an instant, to my astonishment, the Fine Tube Gun disassembled in midair! No, it didn't just fall apart; it transformed into a long, chain-like flexible weapon!
At that moment, Old Bi, who had been watching in rapt fascination, shouted, "Nine Section Whip!"
The Fine Tube Gun had turned into a Nine Section Whip? I was momentarily stunned and slowed my movements. Before I could react, Shen Han flicked his wrist, and the Nine Section Whip came swirling toward me. Having never encountered a flexible weapon before, I was at a loss on how to defend myself.
In that brief hesitation, the Nine Section Whip was already upon me. I hurriedly raised my left hand with the Steel Rod in front of me. With a whoosh, the Nine Section Whip wrapped around my rod before I could even think of my next move.
Shen Han yanked hard on his right hand. I felt an immense force pulling at me, and my Short Staff nearly slipped from my grasp.
Later, I learned that the Nine Section Whip is classified as a flexible weapon. In ancient times, it was used as a concealed weapon that could be coiled around the waist or folded for easy carrying. Shen Han had clearly activated some mechanism that allowed him to connect the Nine Section Whip together like a gun; no wonder it was hollow. Once he pressed the mechanism, it transformed into a steel chain-linked Nine Section Whip.
The Nine Section Whip is an exceptionally fierce flexible weapon. Its combat techniques primarily involve swinging, sweeping, entangling, wrapping, hanging, throwing, and dancing motions. During practice, one utilizes arm movements as the starting point for speed and power while employing various parts of the body—such as hands, feet, legs, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, back, and buttocks—as pivot points to execute flips and jumps. The techniques enhance acceleration and increase the impact force of the whip's strikes while also allowing for changes in direction. It is particularly effective against those wielding long hard weapons; encountering it can be deadly.
At that moment, I was unaware of all this; all I could see was Shen Han skillfully wielding the Nine Section Whip with dazzling flourishes that danced through the air in unpredictable patterns. The whip would sometimes wrap around Shen Han's head, shoulders, neck, elbows, and knees; at other times it would sweep forward or fly like a stick with angles that were incredibly tricky and varied.
The speed of the whip fluctuated between fast and slow; when entangled correctly, it was truly a marvel of quick wraps and releases. As it spun around me with a whooshing sound accompanying its movements, it created an overwhelming sense of confusion and endless variation.
Moreover, every time my Short Staff clashed with his steel whip, Shen Han infused his strikes with both wrapping strength and finesse that almost made me lose my grip on the Short Staff. Each time I attacked, Shen Han would bizarrely maneuver around the direction of my staff—the tip of his whip would arrive from unexpected angles before I could react. On one or two occasions, it nearly grazed my face.
With no options left at that moment, I found myself retreating step by step.
As I backed away, I observed Shen Han closely. In his eyes shone an unwavering confidence of victory; he likely believed he had already secured his win. It seemed clear that I needed to unleash my final move.
Just then, Shen Han twisted his neck and lowered his head before launching the Nine Section Whip from behind again toward my face. As I raised my left hand with the Steel Rod to block it, the whip instantly coiled around my rod several times. Shen Han seized this opportunity to lift himself up and pulled hard with his left hand in an attempt to wrench the Steel Rod from my grasp using his back and waist strength.
In that critical moment! Without thinking twice, I pressed down on the mechanism; with a swift motion, the Steel Rod split into two halves and transformed into Nunchaku! The Nine Section Whip immediately got caught in the chain section of my Nunchaku. With a flick of my left hand, I tightened the grip between the Nunchaku and the Nine Section Whip even further!
My left hand was locked in a standoff with Shen Han's Nine Section Whip!
At the same time, I pressed the trigger with my right hand, twirling the Nunchaku in front of me before swinging it down towards Shen Han.
"What is this?!" Shen Han shouted as he tried to retreat. However, his right hand was still entangled with my Nine Section Whip, so he decisively threw away his weapon and stepped back.
But without his weapon, Shen Han couldn't match the agility of my Nunchaku. When my first strike missed, I flicked my wrist, sending the Nunchaku straight into his back.
"Ah!" Shen Han cried out from the impact and abruptly halted. "Old Shen loses!" Old Bi shouted from the sidelines.
After a moment, Shen Han slowly turned around. "I lost," he said hoarsely.
"The Nine Section Whip is my trump card; I just didn't expect you to have such skills." The Nunchaku is also a flexible weapon, and against the Nine Section Whip, it held its own. It was no surprise that Shen Han was caught off guard and lost.
I quickly picked up the weapons from the ground and handed the Nine Section Whip back to Shen Han. "It was just luck; don't take it too seriously. Victory and defeat can be decided in an instant."
"No, you know Long Staff techniques, dual staff techniques, and even Nunchaku," he said, glancing at the two Nunchaku in my hands. "If I'm not mistaken, they could probably be used as a Three-Section Staff too? You really are more versatile than I am."
Seeing Shen Han's lowered head and defeated expression made me feel a bit guilty. "Old Shen, I really took advantage of having a weapon. Besides, I only know Long Staff and Nunchaku; I learned dual Short Staff techniques from Qin Sihu recently." I patted him on the shoulder.
Shen Han lifted his head in realization. "No wonder this fighting style felt so familiar! At that time, I thought I had it in the bag; my Nine Section Whip is supposed to counter your Twin Whips perfectly! Who knew you had a backup plan!"
Just as I was about to say something, we heard a few claps from afar. "Not bad, not bad; very exciting," a voice called out.
We turned to look and were surprised to see Soaring Dragon! When did he arrive?
Soaring Dragon stood in the aisle of the stands, leisurely walking down the steps until he reached Old Bi's side. "Well, there are always a few highlights in this competition; hmm, you didn't disappoint me."
His tone was that of a master, yet somehow, combined with his imposing presence, I felt no sense of aversion; it seemed only natural.
"Wang Wei, right? You took up staff fighting later in life, didn't you?" Soaring Dragon asked me.
"Yes," I replied honestly.
"Your talent is decent, but unfortunately, you started late. This is likely all you'll achieve in your lifetime." We were all taken aback by his words.
I was about to ask him why he thought that.
"You have no foundation in martial arts; you rely solely on reflexes and instincts to fight. Reaching this level is commendable, but because you lack a solid base, you've picked up bits and pieces from everything—it's scattered and unfocused, making it hard for you to excel."
"Did you design this weapon yourself?"
"Yes," I nodded again. Though I felt somewhat unconvinced, I had to admit there was some truth to his words.
"This is quite an interesting piece," Soaring Dragon remarked, glancing at the staff in my hand before turning to Shen Han. "Your foundation is solid; what you're missing is strength." He looked at the Nine Section Whip in Shen Han's hand. "Too many techniques and not enough power. Remember, sheer strength can overcome skill."
To my surprise, Shen Han clasped his hands together and said, "I've learned a lot!"
Soaring Dragon then turned to Old Bi, who wore a defiant expression. "What's wrong? Are you not convinced?" He had somehow produced a baton and was playing with it. "I started with the Long Staff, then moved to the Short Staff, and later experimented with various weapons. Now, I use this—it's sufficient." He paused for effect and added meaningfully, "The choice of weapon is merely a formality."
We stood quietly, listening to Soaring Dragon's discourse—or rather, his guidance.
"Everything in the universe has its own rules. Understanding them allows for greater efficiency; otherwise, you'll find yourself working twice as hard for half the results. Martial arts are no different. Do you know what that means?"
Old Bi and Shen Han exchanged glances.
"Could it be... the Dao?" I hesitated for a moment before asking.
"Hehe, the child can be taught. How old are you, Wang Wei?"
"I'm four this year."
"Well, it seems you have good comprehension. No wonder you learn quickly; I was already eight when I grasped these concepts!"
"Then, how old are you now?" Shen Han couldn't help but ask.
"Five!" Soaring Dragon replied straightforwardly.
We exchanged glances, unable to believe that Soaring Dragon was that old.
"Combat has no fixed form! Whether using weapons or bare hands, it is all about your own methods, inclinations, and physique. That is the essence of your fighting style. To liberate yourself from conventional forms, postures, and doctrines is to transcend.
Each of you must first understand yourselves, discover the most effective and advantageous conditions within you,
then utilize them to achieve practical balance, the center of movement, and effective use of strength. The so-called weapons are merely extensions of your limbs.
Remember this: martial arts is essentially life; life is an eternal process of movement—experience, wisdom, rhythm, and practice."
Soaring Dragon finished speaking. I felt that there were some similarities to what I had thought before, but also many differences; it was too profound for me to comprehend at once. I glanced at Old Bi, who looked somewhat confused, while Old Shen seemed to be deep in thought.
For a moment, there was silence in the venue, a quiet night enveloping us.
"Alright, everyone rest now. I believe that after this activity, you will all gain something," Dragon's Back said as he prepared to leave.
"Senior, wait!" Old Bi suddenly shouted.
"What is it?"
"Why don't you give them some guidance?" Old Bi was really cunning!
"No! After turning zero, I rarely intervene unless necessary. This time I came to the competition only because I was invited. You all keep fighting, and eventually someone will encounter me. At that time, I can teach that person."
Soaring Dragon smiled again and turned to leave the Venue.
What a mysterious person! Is this what they call a master of the extreme path?
After a while, Old Bi broke the silence, "Brothers, shall we sleep? Are you two still going to continue fighting?"
I looked at Shen Han, who smiled at me and said, "I'll continue. I want to fully understand what the senior said. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I won't lose to you."
I'm sorry, Shen Han; it seems I'm going to disappoint you! Looking at Shen Han's eager face, I silently thought to myself.
(To be continued, more exciting content tomorrow!)
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