Chapter 411 - Comprehending the Internal Fist Intent
After sending Yan Sha home, Yan Wujin got Su Tao to stay behind to test whether the latter has been slacking in his martial arts.
When Su Tao finished executing a set of the fist technique, Yan Wujin nodded his head in satisfaction and said, "Your foundation is steady. Although you've walked on the path of a physician that nurtures your health, you've laid down a good foundation with an abundance of Qi in your body, making you suitable to practice the Internal Fist technique. You've mastered the techniques that I've imparted to you, and today, I'll teach you a few Internal Fist techniques."
Finishing his speech, Yan Wujin started to showcase his technique with fists as ferocious as a tiger.
In the beginning, Su Tao felt that Yan Wujin's moves were ordinary, but he soon noticed something fishy about them.
Although Yan Wujin's movements were slow, every single one of his punches could create a crackle in the air due to him sending his Qi out.
Generally, the Qi that exits from a person would disseminate through a medium. It was similar to how Su Tao used needles as a medium in his acupuncture to send his Qi into the body of his patients and circulate through the veins.
In many martial arts dramas, there would generally be sword flashes and Qi colors when they executed their moves. But in truth, Qi was invisible and formless when genuine experts performed their movements. Hence, no one could see it, and only those who have crossed the threshold could determine the Qi.
Hence, it could be described as invisible when a genuine expert assassinates someone.
Although it seemed like an ordinary punch, there's an explosive force behind it caused by the Qi, making it hard to defend against.
Thus, regardless of how formidable an external expert was, they would have to be cautious when encountering an internal expert.
An external expert was akin to an archer, while an internal expert was like a gunman.
Although a brilliant archer can defeat a gunman, gunman still possessed the advantage of lethality in terms of distance and speed. Hence, there's a high chance of them winning in a battle.
Despite Yan Wujin's slow fists, Su Tao could vaguely sense a tyrannical Qi wreaking havoc in the courtyard. If it was targeted at him, then he would've lost his life by now.
At this moment, he knew why Liu Jianwei was so fearful of Yan Wujin. Although the latter was getting on his age and his body paled in comparison to his peak, the Qi in his Dantian was accumulating as he aged.
If Yan Wujin had unleashed all the Qi in his Dantian to fight, even Liu Jianwei would have to flee.
Shortly after, Su Tao's gaze fell on a leaf. Since that leaf had just fallen from the tree, it shouldn't have fallen onto the ground by now, and yet it was swept down by the Qi contained in Yan Wujin's fists.
When the leaf fell onto the ground, it started to revolve while drifting towards Yan Wujin.
Stretching his body, Yan Wujin brandished his fists while slowly pushing them out. The leaf looked like it was frozen between Yan Wujin's fist.
As a ferocious surge of Qi exploded, the leaf dissolved by first breaking into pieces before it disintegrated into dust.
Watching the performance, Su Tao was left speechless and he immediately clapped. "Amazing!"
Patting Su Tao's shoulder, Yan Wujin smiled, "You have plentiful Qi in your body, but you've no idea how to make use of it. Have you learned anything from my display earlier?"
"Truth be told, I've managed to memorise the moves, but I won't be able to achieve what you did!" Su Tao bitterly smiled.
Waving his hand, Yan Wujin smiled. "It's already not easy for you to see that every single move of mine contains Qi. Qi is invisible, and it's the same as airflow. Only by seeing the tree branch moving, will you know that the wind rose. You just have to follow my moves every day to comprehend by yourself. One day, you will be able to comprehend it! This is why talent is of the utmost importance in martial arts, it's due to comprehension."
Su Tao did not seem to understand it fully, so he briefly pondered before saying, "I have a request!"
"What is it?" Yan Wujin nodded his head.
"I want to feel the state of your arm when you practice the Internal Fist technique!" Su Tao smiled.
His words left Yan Wujin briefly stunned before he nodded his head with a smile. "You're smart! Perhaps this is a shortcut."
For an ordinary martial artist, they might have to constantly practice to comprehend the profundities behind the Internal Fist technique.
But Su Tao was a physician. Perhaps he might not be knowledgeable in martial arts, since he didn't even practice the horse stance. However, he was familiar with the human body. As long as Yan Wujin performed a move, Su Tao would be able to sense the changes in the former's body and ultimately find the profundities within it.
Placing his finger on Yan Wujin's wrist, the latter smiled before he roared and unleashed a punch.
Shock filled Su Tao's eyes. He could sense a blazing energy surging from Yan Wujin's Dantian to his fist. So when the fist flew out at a swift speed, it caused the surrounding air to vibrate, seemingly similar to a shock wave.
It was so profound that it could not simply be described in words.
Although Su Tao now knew how the Qi was unleashed, he knew he still couldn't achieve it since he still needed constant practice.
"Give it a try yourself!" Yan Wujin encouraged.
Taking a deep breath, Su Tao started brandishing his fists according to how Yan Wujin moved. But after a few moves, he suddenly noticed that Yan Wujin's fist didn't look as simple as it seemed. It felt as if it was crafted for him since every swing would cause his body to turn hot.
As a martial arts grandmaster, Yan Wujin knew that Su Tao's physique was unlike an ordinary person's. Everyone stored their Qi in their Dantian, but Su Tao stored it in his acupoints. Hence, he had thought about for a long time on how he should help Su Tao unleash the Qi stored in his acupoints.
Su Tao was a little fast when he brandished his fists, but he gradually slowed down as he pondered the profundities behind every single move as his five viscera and six bowels changed. In the end, his movements became slower and slower, as if it was a slow-motion video.
Watching this scene, Yan Wujin's expression turned grave. It wasn't because Su Tao was wrong, but the latter was comprehending the Fist Intent.
When every single technique was created, it would contain the intent left by the creator.
It was just like memorising an essay. Only by understanding the content of it, would you be able to memorise the entire essay. At the same time, it would also be imprinted deeper into your memory.
In the angle of martial arts, there might be many people with talented physiques, such as strength exceeding everyone else, or fists tougher than anyone else. But when learning martial arts, it wouldn't be easy for them to comprehend the intent since they lacked comprehension for martial arts. Hence, they could only display the form of it without being able to comprehend the profundities in the technique.
At this moment, Yan Wujin knew that he made the right choice. Although Su Tao was late in learning martial arts, his comprehension was monstrous. Su Tao had plenty of Qi in his body, and after his guidance, the latter has entered a comprehensive state and swiftly grasped the trick behind the technique.
Su Tao had entered into a profound state, which made him feel as if he could see the energy in his body. Although it was weak, it felt like a butterfly breaking out of a cocoon with his fists.
Taking a right foot forth, Qi rose in his body and the leaf on the ground slowly rose to his chest. He was trying to do what Yan Wujin did with the leaf from before.
The leaf was swept out by the Qi, but it ultimately fell on the ground a meter away.
Although Yan Wujin's expression did not change, his eyes inwardly flickered with astonishment.
Su Tao really was talented. He had only displayed it once, and Su Tao already managed to unleash his Qi outside his body; it was simply unbelievable!
"I failed!" Su Tao weakly sighed.
Yan Wujin rubbed his nose. How was that a failure? Su Tao could achieve unleashing his Qi outside his body with just one practice. If he managed to disintegrate that leaf, how dreadful would it be then?
Without any changes in his expression, Yan Wujin instructed, "Practice it more, and I believe you will be able to grasp ahold of the trick in it."
Su Tao practiced once more and every single swing would cause an explosion. But in that final step, he failed to achieve Yan Wujin's level.
He did not know that Yan Wujin's performance took him half his lifetime to learn, and if Su Tao easily managed to achieve it with just an hour of practice, then Yan Wujin would have to start doubting if he had walked a wrong path in his life as a martial artist.
Su Tao was covered in sweat, so Yan Wujin got him to take a shower. When Su Tao entered the shower, Yan Sha had already prepared the tub for him. After slowly sinking into the tub, he casually rubbed his arm and noticed a layer of dead skin dropping off.
This scene did not startle him, since it had also appeared when he was practicing the Heavenseizing Hands in the past, which was the reason why his hands were fairer and more tender than a woman's. So when this situation appeared on his arm, he was surprised, since it must be the changes to his body by practicing the Internal Fist Technique that Yan Wujin taught him.
At this moment, he was wondering if the dead skin condition would continue. After all, how terrifying would it be if he removed his clothes and his body was as fair as a woman's?!
Wouldn't he become a ladyboy?!
He subconscious looked at his little fellow, but he sighed in relief after noticing nothing wrong with it.
As a physician, he knew his body well. So the reason why there were such changes was due to the heightening of his metabolism when he trained his body.
The skin on the body would constantly change, but it wouldn't be noticed since everyone has a habit of taking a shower every day. But if it's winter, and washing wasn't done often, one would see bits of dead skin on the clothes, it's just that it wouldn't fall off in such large patches like what Su Tao was experiencing now.
As the voice of Jiang Qinghan and Yan Sha resounded outside, Su Tao's heart started to beat. He knew that his master has returned.
Ever since Jiang Qinghan was promoted to the Chief of Criminal Investigation Division, she had less of a workload compared to the past. Although she would often work on them, she didn't have to follow through them personally. Hence, she returned home earlier as well.
Hearing that Jiang Qinghan was cooking, Su Tao felt excited despite her mediocre skills.
After all, wasn't it a bliss to eat the food cooked by someone you like?