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墨書 Inktalez
As the clock approached eight, under Ye Mingshang's strong insistence, the two finally parted ways on campus and went their separate ways. Haitang glanced at Ye Mingshang's receding figure under the moonlit night, wanting to say something, but ultimately just pursed her lips and held back her words.
That evening, the Fatty and Joan came looking for him, but they were chased away by Ye Mingshang. The two exchanged a helpless glance and shook their heads, then sang a sorrowful tune as they returned to drink.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, just as dawn broke and most of the fellows were still asleep, Ye Mingshang opened his eyes. This had become his biological clock; he could wake up naturally without the noise of an alarm and feel refreshed.
With a swift motion, he sprang out of bed, completing his dressing and grooming in less than five minutes. As he passed by the adjacent room, he could still hear the deafening sounds of snoring.
Before long, Ye Mingshang found himself alone on the rooftop of the dormitory. During his time at school, his favorite places for morning exercises were the grass field of the soccer pitch, the back mountain, and this rooftop.
The rooftop was spacious enough for movement and high enough to see far into the distance. It felt close to the rising sun, and the air was relatively humid at that height, making it very comfortable and refreshing in the morning—perfect for shaking off any lingering sleepiness.
His practice routine remained unchanged: punches, kicks, and footwork. Each punch and kick was executed with precision; they seemed casual yet carried a natural rhythm, unlike rigid moves that followed fixed patterns. His heart followed nature, and his intent flowed with his movements—this had become a standard in martial arts. The legendary kung fu star Bruce Lee once reached this state; his Jeet Kune Do embodied the philosophy of forgetting techniques and moving with nature.
However, despite having access to numerous books and videos over the years, not a single disciple of Jeet Kune Do had managed to reach that level again. Even those students he personally taught fell short; it was a lamentable reality in the martial arts world. They had turned the freeform Jeet Kune Do into ordinary routine kung fu—truly a waste of a masterpiece. Otherwise, even if it were one in ten thousand, there should be at least one Grandmaster-level figure emerging.
Ye Mingshang's movements were graceful; as he shifted between stances, it was as if he danced with the wind. With a light leap, he could jump onto a rooftop two meters high, throw a few punches before landing softly without any impact—like a falling leaf.
An hour later, with the sun fully risen, Ye Mingshang exhaled heavily and pressed his hands down to retract his energy.
"Great boxing! Impressive skills!" A well-proportioned student with a warm smile approached him while clapping.
Ye Mingshang turned around and smiled slightly upon seeing the newcomer. "Zhi Mu, what brings you here?"
Zhi Mu's face always bore a gentle smile; he appeared like a good-natured person. "On a whim, I wanted to catch the sunrise but ended up witnessing an even more beautiful sight. I always knew Ye was skilled but never expected it to be to this extent; those marvelous sensations made me feel as if I were experiencing nature itself."
Zhi Mu's words hit the nail on the head; his temperament was genuinely admirable. He never displayed shock or sadness; even when alone, he maintained a smile. Even though Ye Mingshang's boxing had visual impact, Zhi Mu's face showed little disturbance—this was something Ye Mingshang greatly admired about him.
A person who remains composed in the face of adversity will surely grow into someone exceptional given time—a true talent among men.
Ye Mingshang smiled in return, realizing that being with Zhi Mu made him unconsciously influenced by him, and he too maintained a smile.
"Zhi Mu, you flatter me. This is just some rough practice I've been doing, nothing worth mentioning."
Zhi Mu shook his head with a smile. "Ye, humility is a good thing, but excessive self-deprecation can come off as pretentious. I have seen many martial arts masters, but none can match even a fraction of your skill. Don't be fooled by my appearance; my martial arts are quite good. I started training at five and defeated my first master at eight. Every time I defeated one, I would find another master, and now I have changed twenty-one masters. It has been two years since I encountered anyone qualified to teach me."
This statement left Ye Mingshang slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected the seemingly gentle Zhi Mu to have such a side. He had no doubt about Zhi Mu's words; if it were someone else, he would think they were bragging. However, he knew Zhi Mu's character well enough to trust him completely—even if Zhi Mu claimed to be an alien one day, Ye Mingshang wouldn't question it.
As they spoke, Zhi Mu looked at Ye Mingshang, his smile deepening further, his voice gentle like a woman's. "I hope you can be my twenty-second master."
This statement caught Ye Mingshang off guard again, and he smiled lightly. "Haha! So you want to defeat me then? Haha!"
Zhi Mu did not deny it. "A master is meant to be defeated; only those who can surpass their master can be considered competent disciples."
Wow, that's quite bold. Just this statement alone could provoke criticism from many old fellows. However, Ye Mingshang didn't mind; while the words were somewhat arrogant, they held truth—if you can't surpass your master, it simply means you haven't worked hard enough.
Not refusing him, Ye Mingshang smiled and said, "If you want me to teach you, that's fine, but let's see if you're qualified to be my disciple."
Zhi Mu's smile widened even more. "Please instruct me!" He then assumed an attacking stance of Wing Chun Kung Fu and quickly advanced towards Ye Mingshang without waiting for him to prepare.
Ye Mingshang thought to himself how fast Zhi Mu was; he nimbly jumped back over two meters. But as he landed, Zhi Mu accelerated again and almost simultaneously closed the distance between them, extending his right hand for an attack.
Ye Mingshang lightly exclaimed in surprise and casually deflected the strike. However, Zhi Mu quickly retracted his hand and attacked with the other hand instead. Each time Ye Mingshang deflected his attack, Zhi Mu adeptly adjusted his moves with incredible speed for both defense and offense. The speed of his strikes was astonishing—he could deliver ten attacks in a second! When alternating hands in attack, a skilled martial artist could strike from a stationary position and extinguish candles several meters away with the wind from their punches. But that was merely speed; the faster one went, the harder it was to control, often leading to chaos and leaving openings for the opponent.
Yet Zhi Mu not only exhibited incredible speed but also maintained composure and control without appearing flustered or awkward at all. Although Ye Mingshang had not formally studied martial arts, his experience allowed him to recognize that Zhi Mu's series of attacks incorporated techniques from both Wing Chun Kung Fu and Bagua Zhang. Moreover, there was a blend of softness and strength; those seemingly soft strikes could likely break bricks and bones upon impact.
After attacking for a long time without retaliating, Zhi Mu furrowed his brow and stopped. "Why aren't you attacking?"
"You can't even touch me; are you sure you want me to attack?" Ye Mingshang smiled.
Zhi Mu's gaze was resolute. "Without experiencing setbacks, one will never grow stronger. If I can become stronger through this process, even if you put me in the hospital today, I would accept it."
Ye Mingshang nodded, "Alright, bring it on."
Zhi Mu responded by stepping forward, but instead of continuing the previous attack, he took a large step to the side, lowering his body and delivering an elbow strike aimed at Ye Mingshang's rib area. The moves of Bajiquan were indeed fierce!
Ye Mingshang quickly used a push to deflect the attack, bending his palm and raising his wrist to strike towards Zhi Mu's face. Zhi Mu reacted swiftly, slightly tilting his head to evade the blow and then seized Ye Mingshang's arm, using his other hand to punch at his elbow joint.
Ye Mingshang ignored that arm, flipping over and bending down, forcefully kicking backward with his right foot, hitting Zhi Mu's shoulder and causing him to stumble. Ye Mingshang took the opportunity to grab Zhi Mu's hair and flipped him over. Before Zhi Mu could get back up, Ye Mingshang swiftly placed his foot less than two centimeters from Zhi Mu's face.
Zhi Mu did not counterattack; Ye Mingshang slowly retracted his right foot and extended his right hand towards Zhi Mu. After looking at the hand that was holding him, Zhi Mu stood up.
"I really didn't misjudge you; you're incredibly strong, frighteningly so," Zhi Mu said with a habitual smile on his face. He could feel that during their fight, Ye Mingshang hadn't exerted himself much. If he had gone all out, Zhi Mu feared he wouldn't have been able to withstand even a single move!
This was not just about the finesse of the techniques but also an absolute suppression in physical quality. Whether it was strength, speed, or agility, Ye Mingshang far surpassed him. The opponent's power was something he had never encountered before; it was beyond human limits. Fortunately, he came from a relatively influential family and had encountered many capable individuals since childhood, so he wasn't too shocked.
Ye Mingshang smiled back at him, "You’re right; I am strong. However, compared to true masters, there is still some distance."
Zhi Mu was astonished. "Is there someone stronger than you?!"
"The world is quite large," Ye Mingshang replied without directly answering the question. He continued, "I observed that your techniques include elements of Wing Chun Kung Fu, Bagua Zhang, and Bajiquan, along with some skills I haven't seen before. It seems you've really learned a lot. Given your abilities, you would definitely be among the top experts among ordinary people; even those renowned martial artists might not be your match."
What Ye Mingshang said was not false. Since starting martial arts training, Zhi Mu had defeated twenty-one masters. With his family's influence, they had brought in only skilled practitioners—not ordinary farmers but truly capable individuals. Each time Zhi Mu defeated someone, he used techniques taught by them—completely Surpassing the Master, without any shortcuts. (To be continued.)
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