Chapter 155: The Hidden Edge of Martial Arts

I posed this question to Yi Zhiqiu.

He nodded and said:

“Yes.
Generally speaking,
practicing martial arts can generate an aura,
strengthen the body,
and ward off ghosts and evil.
However, to prevent martial practitioners from using force to violate prohibitions,
the offensive techniques are usually not taught publicly.”

That made sense.

Since matters of the strange and supernatural couldn’t be made public,
the true combat applications of martial arts naturally wouldn’t be openly transmitted either.

I asked again:

“What exactly do you mean by ‘offensive techniques’?”

“Like what I’m doing right now to dry the moisture—
releasing qi outward,
turning it into something tangible,
and affecting the external world.
The Taiji Quan I could teach you earlier
also includes those offensive techniques.”

Yi Zhiqiu said while continuing to massage my black-stockinged legs.

My heart stirred immediately.

Could I really become like the heroes in wuxia stories—
lifting mountains with strength and overwhelming the world with qi?

But there was still something I didn’t understand:

“Didn’t you just say that offensive techniques aren’t taught publicly?”

“That’s under normal circumstances.
More precisely, the fist manuals sold online or in bookstores are incomplete—
they lack the methods for guiding and controlling qi.
But private teaching is allowed.
If you seek out temple martial monks
or become a disciple of a qigong master,
they can teach you.”

Yi Zhiqiu explained.

I immediately thought of those famous qigong masters
who frequently appeared on television,
performing feats like shattering large stones from a distance with qigong,
levitating objects without touch,
or piercing steel plates from over ten meters away with just a finger.

Of course, I used to think all of that was fake.
It was simply too absurd.

Using qigong to knock over a few people
or create splashes on water’s surface—
that seemed plausible.
But shattering boulders or punching through steel plates,
stronger than a gun?
How could any human possibly do something so ridiculous?

Yet when I thought about those ascetic high monks who fasted for days,
and the fairy-tale-like stories of people who received cars and houses
just for becoming disciples, hoping to learn a few ultimate techniques…
it seemed those qigong masters really did have genuine skills.

“I still don’t quite understand.
If masters can teach it privately, why not spread it openly?
If releasing qi outward can subdue demons and exorcise evil,
why not let more people learn it?
Does widespread knowledge of it make ghosts and monsters stronger, just like spreading awareness of the supernatural?”

I asked again.

“That’s not the reason.
But if everyone could casually shatter a door with a single push of a finger,
wouldn’t society descend into chaos?
Ordinary people would lose all sense of security
and live in constant fear.”

Yi Zhiqiu replied.

“I see.
It’s the old saying: ‘The侠 use martial arts to violate prohibitions.’
If everyone could act like a grand hero—
indulging in personal vengeance the moment they felt wronged—
society would have no order left.”

“But if someone teaches it, that’s allowed?”

I asked again.
It seemed the restrictions weren’t actually that strict—
at least far looser than gun control.

“Yes.
Because an aura really can ward off evil,
the official hope is that elderly people with weakened qi and blood
can cultivate an aura to protect themselves from ghostly intrusion.
In reality, even without the qi-guiding manuals,
many exceptionally talented individuals can figure out the tricks of qi circulation on their own.
It was never possible to ban it completely.”

Yi Zhiqiu said.

“So that’s how it is.
The authorities want people to learn only self-defense,
not to use martial arts for destruction.
But even with controlled dissemination,
some people will still truly cultivate qi.
Not to mention those with innate talent—
even ordinary people who practice long enough might vaguely grasp the way of qi circulation.”

“The officially promoted martial arts are still presented as mere body-strengthening exercises.
Even if someone truly cultivates qi,
they can’t see auras or ghosts,
so the hope is simply that they live a bit longer.”

Yi Zhiqiu added.

“I understand now.
Cultivating true qi doesn’t mean they can see ghosts and monsters the way I do.
Otherwise, the existence of ghosts would have been publicized long ago,
and most ordinary people wouldn’t still be in this half-believing, half-doubting state—
or clinging to ‘better to believe it exists than not.’”

“Only a small portion of people,
those born with unusually sensitive qi and blood,
can see demons and ghosts after just a few drops of the sacred water, like Xiao Qing.
They can also use true qi to harm ghosts and monsters.
So for martial practitioners, the threshold isn’t actually that high.”

“But that doesn’t mean practicing martial arts automatically lets you exorcise ghosts.
Those who start training with the explicit goal of subduing evil—
orthodox sect disciples—
must study not only martial arts,
but also all kinds of knowledge about slaying demons and exterminating monsters every day.
Even then, their mortality rate after graduation remains extremely high.
As the saying goes: ‘The skilled swimmer drowns in water.’
For amateur martial artists, being able to protect themselves is already very good.
If they really get involved with the supernatural,
nine out of ten will meet a bad end.”

After listening to Yi Zhiqiu’s explanation, I asked:

“So when you offered to teach me Taiji Quan,
it was also to help me protect myself?
Is that one of the ‘techniques’ you mentioned earlier that you could teach me?”

“Yes.
Not only because an aura can ward off evil—
most importantly, your qi and blood are far too weak right now.
The most effective thing martial arts can do is strengthen qi and blood.”

Yi Zhiqiu nodded.

“Really? How long until I see results?”

I asked eagerly.
The dizziness and blackouts from qi and blood deficiency were truly unbearable.

“Hm… if you practice diligently every day,
you could strengthen your qi and blood in about a year.
If your talent is good,
you might cultivate an aura in four or five years.”

“Four or five years? I’ll have already graduated by then!”

I grumbled with a dark face.

Yi Zhiqiu gave a helpless, wry smile:

“Starting martial arts at your age is already a bit late.
Most people begin at four or five years old.
And my main goal is still to help you replenish qi and blood.
As for the aura… with a Dharma artifact protecting you, you don’t really need true qi, right?”

His reasoning was so sound I had nothing to say in reply.
But what I truly wanted
wasn’t just protective aura—
it was the offensive techniques that could project true qi outward.
As Bai Yue had once told me:
attack is the best defense.

“Teacher Yi… there are ways to speed up cultivating an aura, right?
Can you tell me?”

I leaned closer to Yi Zhiqiu,
speaking in a slightly pleading tone.
And right now, I was wearing only underwear.

Yi Zhiqiu had only just gotten used to being around me in such light clothing.
Suddenly having me press close like this
immediately disrupted his breathing.
The temperature of his fingers surged sharply,
scalding my skin like a branding iron.

“Wah! So hot!”

I hurriedly pulled my leg back.
The black stocking had a hole burned through it,
and a red handprint was left on my fair calf.

Just moments ago I had been wondering
whether his Pure Yang Power could only serve as a warm pack,
effective only against ghosts.
It turned out Yi Zhiqiu had been deliberately suppressing the heat in his palm all this time—
and this probably still wasn’t his full power.

“Xia Yubing! Are you alright? I didn’t mean to!”

Yi Zhiqiu quickly removed my stocking
and examined my calf,
where a faint red handprint remained.

“Wait a moment, I’ll ice it for you right now.”

His palm instantly turned ice-cold
and pressed against my thigh.
The burning pain vanished in an instant.

So true qi could be hot or cold—
fascinating.

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