Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Chapter 160: Iron High Knee

“Senior Zhou, how did you manage to get yourself in such a state like this?”

Choi Jang Baek had known that Zhou Binglin had lost against another in a match. But when he thought about how this was the man that had once fought across the entirety of Southeast Asia in countless battles without a single defeat, Choi Jang Baek was nonetheless surprised to see the Taichi expert reduced to such a state.

Zhou Binglin had made a desperate struggle to climb up from his bed, but one of his arms had simply laid there motionlessly. Despite the arms being reattached without a problem, it had lost the majority of its mobility so that it was almost no better than a prosthetic almost.

His beard was in a complete mass and was frazzled. His originally grizzly hair had turned completely white with each strand forming knots with one another. Compared to the clean and tidy room, there was a clear contrast between him and it.

His eyes in particular were lifeless in essence as if they belonged to a seventy or eighty year old elder on the verge of dying.

Ever since that day where he and Wang Chao had fought in the park without reservations, the two of them had suffered grievously. But while Wang Chao had Chen Aiyang to help treat his internal organs to recover rapidly, Zhou Binglin was far too proud for his entire life and had no close friend to help him.

Despite his strength and careful maintenance of his health, a severed arm was a permanent injury. As a whole, if there was an injury, it would never fully heal at his age.

But Zhou Binglin was an anomaly as well. In just a short two months, his arm was reattached and could move by itself. Though it was in no condition to fight with another person, a regular person would require almost half a year to be able to do what he could in two months.

For a man who was about to reach his sixties to still have such a strong recovery rate, it was nothing short of a miracle. This too was the power of an expert of Transforming Jin.

In truth, the injuries he received from the fight was merely secondary in priority. To have lost in that match and taken a hit to his name, that was what was most important.

He was a man of the older generation with wide renown, and yet, he still lost at the hands of the younger generation. The name he had built up for himself for his entire lifetime had came crashing down on him in the span of a single day. This to him, was a fatal blow to his life.

In a single night, Wu Zixu‘s hair had gone completely white overnight in his escape past Zhaoguan. Similarly, Zhou Binglin’s originally grizzly hair had turned completely white in the span of two short months.

The most important fact was that this was not any ordinary defeat due to his age. If a man was defeated in his youth, he could still suffer in silence but focus on revenge. By honing his martial arts, he could later avenge himself. But at his age now, this was no longer possible.

This defeat was something that could never be overturned.

“Oh, Jang Baek, it’s you.” Zhou Binglin sat up from his bed and stared at Nguyễn Hồng Tú who had accompanied him. The murderous aura, the rich ferocity and smell of blood that leaked out from his malicious looking body, Zhou Binglin had very rarely saw such a person in his entire life.

“You must practice Muay Thai, I presume. I can also assume you practice the secrets of Yoga. Unfortunately, you have not reached the summit with your martial arts, otherwise the scar on your face would be gone.” Zhou Binglin opened his mouth and began to speak with the tone of a senior teaching his junior. Ever since his undefeated youth to his retirement, he had never lost, so giving guidance to another was a habit he had formed over the years.

The centipede-like scar on Nguyễn Hồng Tú’s face had begun to twitch for a moment before calming down. “Master Zhou speaks correctly. Back in the seventies and eighties, I have heard your name mentioned from Vietnam, Thailand, and even Myanmar. In particular, it was when I was no older than ten years old that I heard you used the hammer fist to strike dead ‘Godkiller Tiger King’ Nai Dongsheng.”

“En, those are all matters of the past.” Zhou Binglin had a flash of light in his eyes as he listened.

Nearing the nineteen-eighties, “Godkiller Tiger King” Nai Dongsheng was an illustrious name within the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia. He had been strong, but at his very peak, Zhou Binglin had lead a Vietnamese guerilla band to challenge him. In front of the eyes of everyone, Zhou Binglin had killed him using the hammer fist of Taichi and then a dozen of his disciples who came after him in revenge.

This had been Zhou Binglin’s most prideful achievement. Nguyễn Hồng Tú had mentioned this so that his mood would hopefully take a turn for the better.

“I heard that something happened to you so I came as soon as I could. Master Zhou, it’s fortunate that you are the chairman of my Jangbaek School of Taekwondo. I came today to regain justice for you. Nguyễn Hồng Tú has respected you since he was young as well. When he heard that you were injured, he came rushing all the way from Thailand to fight in a match for your justice.”

Choi Jang Baek had simultaneously expressed their reason for Nguyễn Hồng Tú coming as well as stroking the appetite of Zhou Binglin.

“You wish to fight him in a public match?” Zhou Binglin clutched at his injured arm with a serious eye. Shaking his head, he spoke, “Jang Baek, little Nguyễn. To be frank with you two, if you do decide to fight him, your chances of winning will not be large.”

Having been called little Nguyễn, the centipede-like scarring on Nguyễn Hồng Tú’s face began to twitch again.

“Jang Baek, although you are well known in the world of fighting. But while martial arts may be one thing, two is still two. If one isn’t careful, then one’s life may be forfeited. If you were anyone else, I would have said a few words of politeness and let them be on their way. But you two actually came to visit this ruined old man and wish to merit justice on my behalf. I have no other choice but to tell the truth. Please do not blame this disabled old man for saying words you might find hard to stomach.”

Zhou Binglin knew that he was speaking rather rashly, but there was still a bit of a vague tone to his words.

Wang Chao was very strong, and his martial arts was very merciless. At the same time, he was at the peak of his youth. In the eyes of Zhou Binglin, he knew deeply how amazing Wang Chao was. Whatever the goal Choi Jang Baek or Nguyễn Hồng Tú had, he could at the very least warn them about their plans for justice if they came back to see him.

“Not at all.” Choi Jang Baek had a smile on his modest face. “You are of the elder generation with an insight we of the younger generation don’t have. That Wang Chao has opened a school in Laoshan where he has beaten and killed many experts in two years, consolidating his fame and power. Martial arts fears age, and heroes are born from times of childhood. You and I, we both made our appearances in our youth by stepping on the backs of the older generation. For all youths that treat others with contempt, we have always regarded them as those who have never seen an enemy of equal or higher standing before.”

“Youths that treat others with contempt! Ai!” Zhou Binglin suddenly gave a sigh, “You’re right in what you say. I was a youth those years ago. Youngsters that do not step on the backs of their elders, how could they make a name for themselves then? Even the tides of the old are overtaken by the tides of the new in the Yangtze River. The persons of the new age defeat over the ones of the previous age; this is the ironclad rule of the world of martial arts. I have gone blind with age. My drive has been worn and softened in these twenty years of comfort.”

“While my body has still maintained its peak strength, my drive is like the sun setting down in the western mountains. You both are men of wide renown, but you are still capable of challenging those younger than you. Such a drive like that is one I cannot compare myself with anymore.”

“A match between two people is like a war against two armies. Victory favors the brave. Cultivating the body and mind is for cultivating the health and not for competition. This is where I went wrong.”

Zhou Binglin had been soliloquizing by this point, sighing incessantly.

“That man Wang Chao, he isn’t weaker than me in martial arts. It is instead that his drive is better than mine. He fights more fierce than I do, more sinister. And thus, I lost. Little Nguyễn,when do you plan to fight him?”

“The sooner the better.” Nguyễn Hồng Tú replied.

“No no.” Zhou Binglin shook his head. “Your killing intent is showing. If you do not hide it, then you will appear as if you will bring out a sword and start attacking at any moment. Reign in your killing intent and show it in the instant when you strike. That is the right way. In ordinary times, Lord Guan closes his eyes. When he opens them, he kills.”

“Come, why don’t you learn something from this rotten old man?”

Nguyễn Hồng Tú looked at Choi Jang Baek only to get a glance in return. Walking out of the room, Nguyễn Hồng Tú arrived at the center where each step he took began to splinter the bricks underneath it.

With each step, an elbow strike could be seen and ushered in a clear cracking sound through the courtyard.

Nguyễn Hồng Tú used his elbow to strike while bringing up his knee. His entire leg ligament was unbelievably strong, and with a sudden rise, his kneecap had essentially been on the same height level as his own forehead. Similarly, the calf was protecting his entire front body.

This was the “Iron High Knee” of Muay Thai. Like an iron shield, the entire knee and calves would rise up to protect the body. In terms of offense and defense, its fierceness was unmatched.

With this prepared Iron High Knee, it was as if there was a giant iron shield in front of Nguyễn Hồng Tú. Suddenly, as if his calf became like a switchblade as it struck out from his chest level. It was as if the shield had suddenly shot out a pike from the center of it with such speed that the entire air around it had exploded with sound.

“Excellent Muay Thai and excellent Yoga.” Zhou Binglin praised. “There is no need to practice, you have already reached the peak. However, there is still a single sheet of window paper from you reaching perfection?”

“What window paper? How do I pierce through it?” Nguyễn Hồng Tú paused.

“Ai!” Zhou Binglin whirled around to walk back into his house in thought. Whipping open a drawer, he took out a single white paperbound book. The entirety of the book was written in tiny calligraphic script with plenty of humanoid figures drawn in it.

“I have written a tidbit of my experience of martial arts in here. It isn’t anything major, but it was a shame that I found no way to publish it after I finished writing it. Since there’s no more need for it, you may have it. It will help you understand this rotten old man’s way of thinking. If you still have two months, then why don’t you learn a bit more from this old man. You both study the way of real combat with a similar mindset as me. Martial arts should never have any international borders.”

Zhou Binglin had already developed a grudge for Wang Chao. But as things were now, he had no other choice but to let someone else take his revenge. Though in his mind, Nguyễn Hồng Tú’s martial arts would not be enough to win over Wang Chao’s should the two ever fight. Zhou Binglin was not one that could possibly allow himself to watch his replacement lose and die, so he was prepared to hand over what he knew to the two masters in front of him.

He and Choi Jang Baek had a good friendship. And what Nguyễn Hồng Tú had said to him ever since their meeting had been rather pleasing to hear for him.

When Nguyễn Hồng Tú saw Zhou Binglin take the book out to give to him, he and Choi Jang Baek smiled to themselves in secret.

Within the villa of Huo Qiyun.

Wang Chao was currently talking with Huo Ling’er who was about to become his disciple.

“Chinese martial arts is split between the methods of practice and the methods of fighting, similar to how the government governs and goes to war. When practicing, it is similar to how the government governs. They wish for the people to speak of etiquette, culture, and moral virtues. From here, rules and regulations are established. The mind and intent must be placid, this way, one may practice martial arts well and cultivate the body without trouble. But fighting is different. Whatever is vicious or effective will be used to fight. If you look at how the ancient battles were fought, city massacres, poisoning, assassination, exploding the dikes and rivers to flood the city, they were all used.”

“The mind and intent are the same. In times of practice, they must be calm. In times of peaceful living, one must treat others with an unyielding response. Be tolerant, but not for humiliation. In comparison, fighting is like how the government goes to war. For even an inch of land, they will fight. If the method they use is not effective, they will not use it. There is no use to talking about how something is too cruel. The more vicious the move is, the better the effect it will have. If one cannot differentiate between the two, one will never be able to learn.”

After the demonstration of the “crocodile stance” in front of the younger generation of the higher class society in Huo Qiyun’s place, they were all impressed to the point of prostration almost. Thus, Wang Chao’s name began to gradually grow throughout the higher society circles.

By the second day, Huo Qiyun had already convened with his parents and several other big shots of the Huo family where everyone had agreed to have Huo Ling’er apprenticed to Wang Chao. Deciding on the banquet taking place in Shanghai, they began to invite several good friends.

Even Chen Aiyang had some of the masters of the martial arts world come act as a guest to cheer them on.

Liao Junhua and Dai Jun from the Three Tigers of Guangdong had decided to participate as well even.

These two were the inheritors to the Xinyi Liuhe discipline. Although they were not as close friends as Chen Aiyang was to Wang Chao, they were still very good friends. Liao Junhua was also a princeling that held major power within the entirety of Northeast China and Laoshan. Whether it was in the Wulin or high-class society, Liao Junhua was a person with extreme importance. Having him participate in Wang Chao’s apprenticing banquet was a deeply enrichening thing.

But this was an event that would take place in the future. Wang Chao and Nguyễn Hồng Tú would have to fight first before it could actually go underway.

The term for the political party had already long since finished. Although Wang Chao was severely behead on classes, because of his circumstances, it didn’t affect his graduation diploma at all. Even his academic title had been furthered in secret. As of right now, Wang Chao was a true major general. But it was still in the end an empty title since he had no soldiers he could command.

Having received approval from the head of Huo Ling’er’s family, Wang Chao had no longer paid attention to anything else and began to formally teach his official disciple the fundamentals.

“Master Wang, I have sent some men to send your invitation to Nguyễn Hồng Tú. He has replied saying that he wishes the match will take place two months later in Hong Kong.”

Just then, Huo Qiyun came walking in.

“Two months from now?” Wang Chao’s eyes narrowed.

“Perhaps he’s preparing to raise some funds.” Huo Qiyun smiled.