Chapter 120 - Tai Chi (Part 1)
“That… Oh right, who are you? Are you Bang’s guest?”
King and Martial Maniac glared at each other for a long time in the backyard before breaking the silence.
“I am Martial Virtuoso, also known as Martial Maniac,” he said casually.
“Martial…Maniac.”
King’s eyes widened, his heart pounding. This guy was the A-level bounty criminal who killed two martial arts masters in a day – Martial Maniac? I felt a little dizzy. Saitama, hurry up and help me.
Brum-rum-rum-rum… Brum-rum-rum-rum…
The sound of a thrumming engine filled the quiet air. King’s King Engine, which hadn’t been triggered for a while, started again.
“What is that sound?” Martial Maniac frowned and stared at King. His sharp hearing quickly determined that the sound came from King’s body.
King did not answer and instead introduced himself, “My name is King.”
Surely you now recognize me!
“King?” Martial Maniac sneered, “Nameless.”
“…” King’s face turned blank. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to bash Martial Maniac’s face with a television.
To call me, King, a nameless?
Ha-ha!
King laughed miserably. Well, at the very least, if he considers me nameless, he wouldn’t kill me. I am safe.
His heart slowly calmed down, and the engine thrum gradually disappeared.
Oh well, if you won’t hurt me, I’ll also ignore you.
He resumed practicing Tai Chi and began explaining the mysteries of Tai Chi to Martial Maniac, “This martial art is called Tai Chi. It specializes in fighting the fast with the slow and hard with the soft. It redirects and leverages forces, capable of moving a thousand pounds with only two or three in forces. Taking advantage of the principle to borrow—”
“Pfft!” Martial Maniac interrupted King’s words with rude laughter, “The world of martial arts stands on the invincibility of speed and the use of skill as a multiplier of strength. However, your so-called martial art goes the opposite way.
“You talked as if it’s some grand philosophy, but it’s truly just nondescript grandstanding. Fighting this martial art would be no different than fighting a grandpa; it will only harm yourself. ”
“…” King twitched the corner of his mouth.
Don’t listen to him and just keep reciting the scripture.
He took a deep breath and continued, “The highest state of Tai Chi is the word ‘forgetfulness;’ forgetting one’s feelings, forgetting oneself, forgetting all the shackles of the mundane, and forgetting all stances or movement.
“Tai Chi would be perfected when one forgets about everything. All things in the world become martial arts; become Tai Chi. Even the falling flowers and leaves, the very movement of mundane life, all become a wonderful part of Tai Chi. This is the ultimate form of Tai Chi—movement without a move.”
“Movement without a move” was a concept derived from the Taoist philosophy of “wu wei,” referring to one’s effortless conformity to the ‘Tao’—the harmonious flow of the natural universe.
King was emotionally attached to this concept. If someone had told him in his previous life that the highest realm of martial arts was “movement without a move,” he would’ve laughed in their face. But when he became King, he understood the deeply philosophical nature of the statement.
Although… King’s “movement without a move” was interpreted rather literally. He just has to stand there without a move, and the Monsters would be defeated one way or another.
Beware the quiet ones! …or something like that.
“Could a movement without a move exists?” Martial Maniac frowned. “If it has no move, is it still martial arts? Martial arts without moves are like tigers without fangs; they become the farce of reckless idiots.”
“…”
Heart piercing +1!
King trembled. Brother, would it harm you to not mock me? Moreover, your arguments actually made sense, so I can’t talk back. Sigh, it is as the ancients have said; fear not mere hooligans, but fear when the hooligans become cultured.
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“Martial Maniac, while you’re here, show me what martial arts you’re hiding,” Bang suddenly interrupted them, his voice dripping with rage.
Martial Maniac raised his brows. “Bang, you finally returned.”
He gave King one last glance before jumping into the dojo. King followed him into the dojo—just to watch.
Bang was kneeling on the dojo floor with a solemn expression. Charanko was lying next to him, unconscious; Martial Maniac must have knocked him out when he broke in.
Bang suddenly glared when Martial Maniac entered, as if piercing him with his eyes.
“I am the Martial Virtuoso. I will be in your care.” Martial Maniac stared back straight at Bang. He walked until he was about three meters from Bang and bowed.
“In my care? Ha.”
King had only entered the dojo when Bang slowly stood up and kicked Charanko, sending the disciple flying to the corner of the dojo. King’s heart jumped, and he looked at Charanko with pity.
“Begin!”
The two of them didn’t waste any more words and directly rushed at each other.
Rumble! Boom!
Martial Maniac had gathered countless martial art techniques over the years. His every move was unique and varied, flowing between different martial arts seamlessly. He would start a move from a Turtle stance and transform it to end in Crane form, making them impossible to predict and guard against.
However, Bang was an equally experienced and knowledgeable martial artist. He faced Martial Maniac’s ever-changing moves with a calm and unchanging expression as if an immovable mountain affixed in the deepest trench of the ocean.
Bang dismantled all of Martial Maniac’s attacks like a fierce stream swallowing a landslide and then launched his own storm of powerful attacks, giving no space for Martial Maniac to breathe. He forced Martial Maniac into a defensive posture, giving him no gaps to exploit.
Within seconds, Martial Maniac was driven to a corner. He defended more and attacked less, struggling to keep up. The battle almost turned into a one-sided beating.
King was amazed at the sight. It was said that Martial Maniac was a rare genius that surpassed most experts at his young age, and he even sent many martial arts masters to hell. But Bang was forged and tempered through many trials in his long life, becoming a grandmaster worthy of the title. He easily suppressed Martial Maniac without unleashing his full power; he would have instantly obliterated Martial Maniac otherwise.
The old man had said that he wanted to enforce justice on behalf of the heavens. In the end, he still valued Martial Maniac’s talent.
“People have to pay the price for their crimes. They have to be punished. Martial Maniac, do you know your crimes?” Bang casually asked, his calm voice contrasted the fierce battle. This must have been only a fraction of his true power.
King, who had brought a bag of popcorn, stopped eating. His jaw dropped. Bang’s stamina really had no limit!
“Crimes? Ha, how was it a crime? You martial artists all hide your martial arts and refuse to teach them to the world. Because of your selfishness, countless outstanding martial arts in ancient times were lost.” Martial Maniac’s eyes were bloodshot with rage.
“I had to work hard for three years before I could even learn the basics of the basics. I hate you all for being so selfish. The martial arts should belong to the world. From then on, I swore to gather all the outstanding martial arts in the world, compile them into a book, and distribute them to the masses, giving everyone the opportunity to practice martial arts.
“Martial arts could only flourish when everyone could practice it, in the ocean of talents and wisdom that covers the world, instead of the stagnant puddle of today. All of you selfish masters had caused this stagnancy. You deserve to die!”
King was stunned hearing Martial Maniac’s grand ambitions.
Bang sighed, “That was not an acceptable reason for your senseless massacre. Martial Maniac, stop and become my disciple. Change your ways. I will protect you.”
Shameless!
King shouted silently. This shameless old man still found the time to recruit a disciple amidst this critical moment!
Martial Maniac cracked his neck and loudly refused, “That’s impossible.”
Bang’s heart sank at Martial Maniac’s refusal. He growled, “You are stubborn. The martial arts that one learns and develops naturally becomes one’s own possession. Who are you to force them into sharing their knowledge? If you married a wife, would you share her with anyone who had the slightest fancy?”
Bang’s stance changed slightly, and his stream of attack transformed into a monstrous wave, rushing to swallow Martial Maniac.
King’s eyes widened at Bang’s foul choice of words. These words…were not entirely wrong.
But it’s too late. Martial Maniac already had no time to think. He could only instinctively defend and counter Bang’s attacks.
Boom!