– The inaction of good people is a prerequisite for the rampant mischief of the wicked.
“Director Ji, this Brother Xiao possesses extraordinary skill in the Coffin-Piercing Hand technique. Might I inquire where you found such a master?”
Yu Wusheng’s demeanor was exceedingly respectful, yet Director Ji deftly changed the subject.
“Mr. Yu, what are your thoughts on this Coffin-Piercing Hand technique?”
Yu Wusheng pondered Director Ji’s motive for asking him. He surmised that, given the prior disdain shown towards Xiao Zhang by many, and Xiao Zhang’s recent display of skill, Director Ji must intend for him to expound upon the prowess of the Coffin-Piercing Hand technique before the crowd, thereby subtly elevating Xiao Zhang’s standing.
“Director Ji, you must be well-versed in funerary rites. When a deceased person is interred, the outer casing enclosing the body is called a ‘guo’, while the inner one is a ‘guan’. Imperial tombs, those of generals and ministers, are meticulously crafted in their ‘guan’ and ‘guo’, with some even employing entire tomb chambers as their ‘guo’. The front and rear chambers, along with intricate five-layered arches, are exquisitely adorned, replete with numerous burial artifacts, truly resembling an underground palace.”
“The Coffin-Piercing Hand, as its name suggests, involves opening the ‘guan’ without damaging the ‘guo’. This sounds like an incredibly advanced grave-robbing technique, but for us martial artists, applying this concept to ourselves, our first thought is…”
“To strike directly at a person’s vital points without penetrating their ‘protective aura and physique’.”
A hoarse voice drifted from the back of the crowd. Turning to look, everyone saw that the speaker was the slender, middle-aged man standing at the very rear, whom Director Ji had addressed as ‘Mr. Xu’ yesterday.
Many among them already recognized him, prompting them to whisper amongst themselves, introducing the Mr. Xu before them to those who did not know him.
“Old Man Xu has also discerned it.”
Yu Wusheng nodded and smiled at Xu Tuzhi, but Xu Tuzhi merely gave Yu Wusheng a cold glance, offering no response.
“The East Bamboo Immortal possesses an exceptionally formidable body-protecting divine art. Just now, when Brother Xu Chang struck directly at the East Bamboo Immortal’s lower abdomen, his protective aura and physique should have dissipated entirely. Instead, he merely felt his own strength vanish without a trace, as if his palm had struck an empty abyss. This is the true might of the East Bamboo Immortal’s divine art.”
Hearing this, Xu Chang immediately understood, yet a look of confusion quickly crossed his face. He truly could not grasp why Xiao Zhang could effortlessly accomplish what he himself could not. He was unwilling to believe his own abilities were inferior to those of a disciple taught by a master of an unorthodox sect.
“And this Coffin-Piercing Hand technique precisely counters the East Bamboo Immortal’s body-protecting divine art. This martial art is fierce and formidable, vastly different from ordinary martial studies. It was developed by Song Zhong after decades of arduous research. Brother Xiao Zhang has achieved extraordinary mastery in this technique; his very first move demonstrated the culmination of its core principles. With a swift and ferocious assault, he pierced through the East Bamboo Immortal’s protective divine art, injuring her wrist. Had the East Bamboo Immortal not possessed exceptional skill, this strike would truly have, as Brother Xiao Zhang stated, shattered her bones and severed her tendons.”
“Well said!”
“Though the East Bamboo Immortal’s divine art is powerful, it finds no application against Brother Xiao’s Coffin-Piercing Hand technique. It seems Brother Xiao’s chances of victory have significantly increased!”
“Not just significantly increased! I say Brother Xiao is guaranteed to win!”
“Brother Xiao! You must bring glory to us Northern martial artists!”
Yu Wusheng couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at the sight. These so-called martial arts grandmasters were truly nothing special. Moments ago, they had looked down on Xiao Zhang, yet now they were calling him ‘brother’ this and ‘brother’ that, as if they had always held high hopes for him. Ah, humanity! How truly fickle! Even a chameleon would likely concede defeat when faced with such changeability.
Director Ji glanced at Mr. Yu, a sense of helplessness washing over him. When he had asked Mr. Yu for his thoughts on the Coffin-Piercing Hand technique, his intention was for Mr. Yu to provide an objective analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. This way, Xiao Zhang, who was on the field, could also hear it, grasp the core of the discussion, and then avoid his technique’s disadvantages while fully leveraging its advantages during the fight. Instead, Mr. Yu had come out and rambled on about a heap of irrelevant topics. He must have overthought it, imagining some hidden meaning in Director Ji’s words.
Turning his head to observe the situation on the field, Director Ji confirmed his initial assessment: Xiao Zhang was destined to lose.
Even if the Coffin-Piercing Hand technique was as formidable as Yu Wusheng described, Director Ji harbored no illusions that Xiao Zhang could defeat the East Bamboo Immortal. He had once heard Gong Ce explain the advantages and disadvantages of the Coffin-Piercing Hand. While the technique was sharp and ruthless, it emphasized flexibility and adaptability, focusing on taking lives amidst unpredictable changes. Xiao Zhang understood the technique’s principles profoundly, yet in its actual execution, he rigidly adhered to established moves and forms, completely disregarding the element of ‘unpredictability’.
To illustrate, the path to a destination is not always singular. Although people know that every route might lead to the end, for reasons such as saving time, conserving energy, or many others, they often become fixated on past experiences during repeated choices, opting only for paths they have traveled or those they deem unequivocally correct. In doing so, they overlook potential shortcuts in untaken routes—paths that could lead to the destination much faster than their chosen ones.
Xiao Zhang found himself trapped in this predicament. Given the East Bamboo Immortal’s extraordinary strength, he had, for the sake of caution, merely applied the Coffin-Piercing Hand technique based on his past combat experience, rather than adapting spontaneously to the East Bamboo Immortal’s unique moves and forms.
Despite his exceptional talent for learning, his ability to apply it was lacking. His defeat was inevitable.
The principle of ‘flexible application’ is something everyone understands, yet when it comes to practical use, people often revert to rigid, stagnant old ways.
Perhaps Director Ji’s thoughts had materialized, or perhaps someone present had spoken with uncanny prescience, for immediately after Xiao Zhang was showered with praise, he plunged into a disadvantage.
The East Bamboo Immortal had discovered the weakness in Xiao Zhang’s Coffin-Piercing Hand technique: its lack of variation. Though his hands were exceptionally sharp, capable of drawing blood and tearing flesh upon contact, they now posed no significant threat to her.
The East Bamboo Immortal’s continuous attacks pressed Xiao Zhang hard, yet he only wielded the Coffin-Piercing Hand more rigidly. Seeing no escape from the East Bamboo Immortal’s next incoming palm strike, Xiao Zhang steeled himself, gripping her left arm with both hands. He knew that while this palm strike would undoubtedly shatter his bones and sever his tendons, the East Bamboo Immortal’s left arm would also be permanently crippled.
Several thoughts raced through Xiao Zhang’s mind. Even if he suffered broken bones and severed tendons, the East Bamboo Immortal would be without an arm in the ensuing match, granting his side a decisive advantage. It was worth it!
Realizing the dire situation, the East Bamboo Immortal knew her opponent intended to fight to the death. Despite her previous restraint, she could no longer hold back. Thus, she imbued her palm strike with significantly more force, aiming to prevent him from crushing her left arm.
Though Xiao Zhang’s movements were swift, the East Bamboo Immortal’s speed surpassed his. Before his fingers could even exert force, the East Bamboo Immortal’s palm had already landed on his chest. Xiao Zhang’s body went slack, and he was instantly sent flying backward.
The Polaris contingent, who had been cheering for Xiao Zhang, scattered and retreated at the sight, fearing he would crash into them. Not a single person offered to rescue Xiao Zhang. Yu Wusheng, who had been intending to make an impression before Director Ji, found someone else had already stepped forward to catch Xiao Zhang: Daoist Master Chuanyun.
Daoist Master Chuanyun reached out to support Xiao Zhang, but the moment he touched his body, he immediately sensed something amiss. He quickly bent down, laying Xiao Zhang flat on the ground.
The East Bamboo Immortal’s palm strike was incredibly potent, and under its force, Xiao Zhang had indeed suffered shattered bones and severed tendons.
Judging by the extent of his injuries, someone must have intervened to block a portion of the East Bamboo Immortal’s palm strike, for otherwise, Xiao Zhang would undoubtedly be a corpse by now.
Daoist Master Chuanyun’s gaze swept over the crowd, finally resting on Director Ji.
A wave of astonishment washed over him. Director Ji’s cultivation was even profounder than he had estimated; he had managed to dissipate part of the East Bamboo Immortal’s palm strike for Xiao Zhang without so much as a twitch. Truly worthy of a high disciple from Shanhai Pavilion.
An elder, with a small gourd hanging upside down from his head, walked over to Xiao Zhang and reached out to check his pulse.
“Allow this junior to take a look.”
Yesterday, while everyone was discussing the East Bamboo Immortal in the courtyard, this elder had been amusing children, so no one had paid him much mind. Only now did they truly notice his countenance. The old man’s hair and beard were entirely white, and his voice was incredibly ancient, making him appear like a centenarian. Even among the likes of Old Qi, no one seemed as aged as he. Yet, his skin was fair and delicate, like that of a baby, and he referred to himself as ‘this junior’, which truly astonished everyone.
“What formidable strength. If not for…”
As he spoke, he looked up at Director Ji, then paused before continuing.
“Had someone not blocked that strike for him, dissipating some of its power, I fear Brother Xiao would already be well on his way to the afterlife.”
“Mr. He, please take him down to treat his injuries!”
The elder shook his head and stood up, signaling to those nearby to help him carry Xiao Zhang. Initially, those around him were unwilling, thinking, ‘What right does this old man have to order us around? If he asks me to carry him, must I comply? Wouldn’t that be a loss of face for me, a dignified leader of my own domain?’
Ironically, it was Meng Chong, the dark-faced man eager to impress Director Ji, and Tie Xin, the middle-aged strong man, who pushed through the crowd to help Mr. He lift Xiao Zhang.
Witnessing this, Tian Qi suddenly found his half-eaten watermelon flavorless. He promptly produced a small porcelain bottle and handed it to Mr. He.
Though the medicine bottle was sealed, those nearby could still discern a pungent, foul odor. Mr. He, having delved deeply into medicine for many years, recognized it instantly as the ‘Heart-Draining Blood-Vomit Pill’, a spiritual medicine from the Iron Spear Society. He also knew that the pill’s uncultured creator had intended to name it ‘Heart-and-Soul-Draining Effort’ to signify the immense dedication poured into its development, but had mistakenly rendered it as ‘Heart-Draining Blood-Vomit’, thus becoming a widespread laughingstock.
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Tian. This junior already possesses his sect’s own spiritual medicine.”
Mr. He waved his hand in refusal. As several individuals prepared to carry Xiao Zhang away, Director Ji, observing the East Bamboo Immortal, suddenly spoke.
“Mr. He, your medical skills are superb, and I am indebted to you! On behalf of Polaris, I extend our gratitude.”
Having spoken, he turned and bowed deeply to Mr. He, his demeanor exceptionally humble and respectful. Everyone present collectively turned to stare at him. Previously, Director Ji had stood motionless, not even sparing a glance when Xiao Zhang fell to the ground. Yet now, he was requesting Mr. He’s assistance with such a deferential attitude for Xiao Zhang. Was Mr. He’s identity extraordinary? Or did Xiao Zhang possess some special background? The crowd was momentarily bewildered but genuinely admired all that Director Ji had done for Xiao Zhang.
Meanwhile, from the Nandou Star side, Ren Du couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Director Ji’s methods of publicly winning over hearts were truly laughable to consider.
Xiao Zhang endured the pain, striving to suppress any cries of agony, yet he still subconsciously emitted muffled sounds. Clearly, holding back such intense pain was exceedingly difficult for him; his current composure was already his absolute limit.
As he watched the East Bamboo Immortal’s figure recede on the field, his heart swelled with growing resentment. He had never imagined the East Bamboo Immortal’s strength to be so formidable. He had only anticipated shattered bones and severed tendons, yet this palm strike had nearly taken his life.
Director Ji looked at the East Bamboo Immortal on the field, his smile gradually fading.
“Next.”