Chapter 79: The Stones from Another Mountain (Part 1)

In the days that followed, it wasn't uncommon to see Lu Hongti sitting on the steps, deep in thought.

"...Joint-locking techniques primarily aim to disable someone by attacking their joints, causing dislocations and rendering them incapable of fighting. Some techniques rely on leveraging force, while others are about sheer destruction. I know your martial skills likely include plenty of grappling moves, so explaining the specific techniques here would just be showing off in front of a master... What I want to focus on are some direct concepts—targeting the fingers, ankles, elbows, and knees with precision. The intent is very specific."

"For example, sharp reflexes and quick action: crack—break it. When someone kicks, instead of dodging or counterattacking elsewhere, you catch the leg and apply force directly at the ankle. Whichever way they move, you follow through. That area is incredibly fragile—just one strike, and in most cases, it's lifelong disability. It seems like many martial arts don't pursue this level of directness or thoroughness. Of course, on the battlefield, these techniques might not be as practical, hehe..."

"These are basic concepts, straightforward when explained. Then we can dive into detailed analysis—how fingers bear force, how elbows withstand pressure, and the stress points on knees and ankles. The human body has many vulnerabilities; we could list them. For instance, here on the hand... this spot—uh, just one cut here, and it usually leads to unstoppable bleeding. Behind the ear, there's also..."

At first, she listened to his talk as an amusing display of knowledge. As someone forged on the battlefield, all techniques ultimately served practicality. Joint manipulation and targeted strikes weren't foreign concepts in martial arts. Lu Hongti was well aware of the human body's vulnerabilities. Ning Yi's explanations—like breaking fingers or dislocating elbows—seemed overly simplistic. What was there to discuss?

However, as his explanations became increasingly detailed, something started to change.

It was excessively meticulous, excessively clear, excessively organized. His statements dissected the human body with a structure of "because" and "therefore," even highlighting certain vulnerabilities that she hadn't considered before. Even if she'd known about them, she wouldn't have consciously aimed for such specific targets in combat.

"Who taught you all this?"

"Uh?"

"It's like... you're applying your gewu method to martial arts."

Ning Yi thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile. What he was sharing were the principles distilled from various modern martial arts and self-defense techniques he had studied in his past life. He'd dabbled in styles like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, aikido, Muay Thai, and even military combat training. While he never pursued these disciplines systematically, he'd accumulated a broad knowledge of devastating techniques designed for self-defense or military purposes. There was no need to teach Lu Hongti the specifics—she was already a master. Instead, he focused on broader concepts, sharpening their objectives.

"For skilled fighters, adaptability will vary. But on a basic level, with sharp reflexes and consistent practice, targeting key points on the body for maximum damage within minimal time becomes achievable. Pair these with second-tier internal energy techniques... It may be difficult to become a true master, but for facing ordinary soldiers in specific scenarios, it could be more efficient. Instead of pursuing broad, unfocused mastery, this approach clarifies objectives and focuses on specialized training. Like the precision of a scalpel cutting through... Well, scalpel is a gewu term."

"For example, you could consider forming groups of five or so, specializing in infiltration, mutual support, and silent assassinations, combined with long-range reconnaissance. Assassination and disruption would be more efficient with systematic teamwork. But this idea is for another discussion; we'll revisit it in a few days. For now, let's stick to martial arts."

"I have a few sets of techniques. I'm not sure how useful they are, but since you're the master, you can judge. If they're useless, just take them as a diversion. The first set is designed specifically around these weak points. Unfortunately, with my injured hand, I may not demonstrate it perfectly..."

Eight or nine days had passed, and Ning Yi's left hand had regained some mobility. Of course, full recovery would take months of consistent treatment, but according to Lu Hongti, there shouldn't be any significant long-term effects. The first set of techniques was the military combat style—brutally practical and focused on lethal efficiency. It wasn't a guaranteed path to victory; like joint manipulation techniques, it required extensive training. Even then, an average person wouldn't necessarily overcome someone like the Yang brothers, who were far superior in physical prowess. Ning Yi himself wasn't inclined to dedicate much time to honing it. However, its principles were immediately apparent to Lu Hongti.

"This set of moves... seems entirely focused on speed and strength. At lower levels of skill, it's certainly... terrifying."

"If someone achieves ultimate speed and strength, could they rival a top-tier master?"

Curious, Ning Yi posed the question. Lu Hongti smiled faintly as she stood up. "Try hitting me."

"I'm injured, and I don't hit women—"

Ning Yi spread his hands, but before he could finish, his right hand formed a fist to strike. However, just as he was about to launch the punch, he hesitated. His fist lost momentum as Lu Hongti's two fingers lightly pressed against his elbow before retreating. When he tried again, this time using his injured left hand, she deftly tapped both his arms and even nudged his ankle with her foot. Her skirt swayed as her movements remained fluid and effortless. When he attempted to headbutt her out of frustration, she gently pressed his forehead with her fingertips. His mouth opened slightly before snapping shut as he bit down on a small bean she slipped between his teeth.

From start to finish, Ning Yi couldn't even lift a finger. His body simply swayed as he stood there, clutching his mouth with a disgruntled expression. "That's cheating..."

Lu Hongti laughed, clearly amused. "The autumn breeze stirs before the cicada senses it. Your gewu approach seeks simplicity, but if your intent is revealed through your qi and blood before you even act, what use is speed or strength? In future training, your master will teach you that martial arts aren't just for show. When we're evenly matched, the moment your shoulder moves, I will react. You see my fingers shift, and your stance immediately adjusts. This constant interplay makes set moves irrelevant..."

She paused, reflecting. "Still, for quick results, this technique is sufficient."

"Well, I guess I'll always be a second-rate fighter..." Ning Yi muttered, chewing on the bean. That afternoon, they delved deeper into military combat techniques before discussing Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. The next day, Ning Yi demonstrated a set of Tai Chi moves, reciting fragments as he performed.

"Tai Chi emerges from Wuji, the mother of motion and stillness, the origin of yin and yang..."

He only remembered this much but didn't mind. It sounded profound enough. He stopped talking and put on a serious face as he demonstrated the moves, aiming for a mystical air. His Tai Chi wasn't anything extraordinary—more like the slow, relaxed moves seen in public parks. From the opening stance to "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail" and "Single Whip," it was nothing impressive.

That morning, Lu Hongti sat on the steps, snacking on small red berries from the woods and laughing at his exaggerated motions.

"What kind of technique is this? It's so slow! How are you supposed to fight like this?"

Ning Yi, awkward with his injured left hand, stopped and glared. "Shut up! Watch carefully and reflect. No laughing... Shallow!"

Blushing with embarrassment, he fumed while Lu Hongti solemnly nodded, though her eyes still danced with amusement. Then, she resumed eating berries as he started over. By the time he reached the "White Crane Spreads Its Wings" stance, she was murmuring through her chewing, "This... is the boxing of shield-bearers. But the intent behind the moves seems fragmented..."

With moves like "Step Forward, Parry, and Punch," "Like Sealing a Door," "Cross Hands," and "Single Whip," Ning Yi's execution remained soft and imprecise. His focus on logic and rationality favored the practical efficiency of military combat and weak point analysis. This Tai Chi routine was more of a curiosity to see if it had value for Lu Hongti.

Halfway through, she frowned while watching, and by the time he finished, she pursed her lips. "That's it?"

"Yeah, that's all I know," Ning Yi replied, spreading his hands. "So, what do you think?"

"I don't understand..." she said softly, then turned away as if speaking to herself. "This boxing is so strange. It's fragmented—it shouldn't be like this. This is Daoist stuff... My master was a Daoist nun, and she..."

Her master had already passed away, and no one knew exactly what had been taught to her in the past, but it certainly wasn't Tai Chi. Ning Yi also understood that this version of Tai Chi had evolved. If martial arts were to be divided into training forms and combat techniques, this didn't even qualify as a training form; it was closer to a dance. Since Lu Hongti seemed to have some epiphanies about it, he didn't interfere too much. By midday, he went to fetch water with a gourd, and upon returning, he saw her in front of the dilapidated temple practicing that Tai Chi again. However, from the opening move to "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail," she stopped and restarted the sequence three times.

Each time she stopped, she would restart with some variations. Occasionally, she'd pause, shake her head, think for a while, and then change the movements before trying again. Completing one sequence in this manner took more than an hour. Some parts were so altered that Ning Yi couldn't even recognize them. By the time she finished a full sequence, the speed of her movements had fluctuated between fast and slow. Many of the dance-like elements had disappeared, replaced by an air of martial ferocity. Her skirt swayed with each movement, exuding a unique elegance and valor. One of her moves, "Parry, Block, and Punch," even snapped a small tree nearby, the force of her punches accompanied by sharp sounds cutting through the air. Once she finished this iteration, she began experimenting with each move again, this time at a slower pace but with even more variation.

By dusk, her practice still hadn't stopped. As the setting sun filtered through the gaps between the trees, wisps of white steam rose from the top of her head. She had altered the sequence several times with varying speeds, and to Ning Yi, each version seemed formidable. Later, he lit a campfire and cooked dinner. By the time the food was ready, it was already night. He debated whether to call her to stop, but Lu Hongti had already finished her practice and walked over to sit beside him.

"Have you figured it out?" he asked.

"Not quite. Some parts of your moves seem suited for battlefield combat, which is easy to grasp. But others... they're much harder to understand," she said, shaking her head. "The concept of using softness to overcome hardness resembles the Daoist philosophy of Yin and Yang, but that doesn't seem to align with the principle of objective inquiry (格物). Where exactly did you learn all this?"

"Uh, when I was a kid, a Daoist monk passed by my house…"

Lu Hongti chuckled. "And he recited a couple of poems for you? Don't try to fool me. I've asked around. If you don't want to say, then don't. If you tell me you came up with it yourself, I might even believe there are geniuses in this world who are born knowing such things…"

It was taboo to pry into someone's martial skills, and Lu Hongti took this seriously. Ning Yi shook his head. "If there really were such a person, I'd want to introduce them to you. But no, there isn't. Yes, it's about using softness to overcome hardness. There are some very advanced principles involved. Want to hear them?"

That evening, he spent time explaining various theories about Tai Chi, mixing in ideas he'd come across, some from television, and even some from commercial philosophy. Some were pure fabrications, others overly esoteric, while those grounded in organizational management tended to be excessively pragmatic. Ning Yi could easily craft his own set of theories—writing a thesis on the subject wouldn't have been a challenge for him—but they held little practical significance in martial arts.

Reconstructing Tai Chi was unlikely to be something Lu Hongti could achieve in just a day or two. Over the next two days, he continued to bombard her with concepts like short-force punches, Wing Chun, Baji Quan, and Jeet Kune Do—things he'd never practiced but knew bits and pieces about. For instance, he had a rough idea of the "two-character stance" in Wing Chun, but as for its application, he left it to Lu Hongti to figure out. When talking about short-range striking techniques, he casually made up explanations: "There's this punch you can use this way to achieve this result—how it works, well, that's for you to figure out." He also threw in descriptions of disciplines emphasizing momentum, like the imposing aura of Japanese Kendo or the fierce energy of Muay Thai.

Part of the reason he shared these concepts was that it came easily to him, and partly because he genuinely found these topics interesting. Martial arts would evolve over the next thousand years, with advancements, adaptations, and regressions. He was curious to see what would happen when a martial arts master absorbed a millennium's worth of ideas and experiences in one go. How would it transform them?

Currently, he had three views about Lu Hongti: First, they were friends. Second, they were transactional partners, and he might rely on her for other matters in the future, making her an implicit resource. Third, she was an investment. He was eager to see how things would unfold. Of course, there was no need to overthink things—since they were friends, he was willing to share what he could, especially since it required minimal effort on his part.

Initially, he had planned to exchange some of this knowledge for martial arts manuals from Lu Hongti. Over the past few days, he had been sorting through and combining information, contemplating what might be most suitable for her—much like managing a company for someone else during idle moments, offering various plans. First, he needed to understand the "company's" internal workings.

A few days later, in the early morning, Ning Yi said to Lu Hongti, "Next, I'd like to discuss the situation in Lüliang Mountain with you. Specifically, the annual raids or incursions by the Liao forces and the conditions in the mountain villages under your control. I already have a general idea, but I still lack some details. Then…I'll help you devise a comprehensive plan, provide strategies, and map out some future prospects for development. Of course, these will be tailored to your circumstances and practical for implementation."

Lu Hongti thought about it for a while before glancing at him. "I think I understand what you're saying, but… you're good at this too?"

Ning Yi smiled. "This is my real area of expertise. I think it'll be helpful."

[PS:"The stones from another mountain can polish jade" is a Chinese idiom that teaches us the value of learning from external perspectives to improve our own abilities.]