activa-t Chapter 35 Reunion with Ip Man
Chapter 35 Reunion with Ip Man
Zhou Xing closed the booklet, shut his eyes, and steadied himself.
Then, following the instructions in the book, I slowly adjusted my breathing.
When you inhale, your belly bulges slightly, and you make a soft "gurgling" sound in your throat, like a frog swallowing water.
The Qi sinks down, passes through the Dantian, and climbs up the spine segment by segment.
With each breath, the spine makes a very faint "clucking" sound, like an old bamboo being roasted over a fire, slowly stretching out.
The suppleness brought by the [River Demon] is fully awakened in this breath.
The spine is no longer a rigid, unyielding line; instead, it's like a living python, flexible and resilient. The tendons also stretch, and there's a slippery, pulsating energy beneath the skin.
When exhaling, the air comes out slowly and continuously through the nostrils.
The fine hairs on the skin trembled gently with each exhale, like the wind blowing through the tips of grass.
He tried to "listen" to his pores.
When you delve deeper into the art of listening to energy, you can hear the rushing sound of qi and blood flowing under the skin, and you can hear the steady beating of your heart.
Even finer, even finer, those tiny "openings" on the skin, opening and closing, opening and closing.
He tried to open the pores on only his left arm slightly, while keeping the pores on his right arm tightly closed.
No. The moment the thought crossed my mind, my entire body tensed, and I couldn't separate myself from it.
He wasn't in a hurry. His breathing remained steady, deep, long, fine, and even.
Focus all your attention on your left arm, imagining hundreds of small doors there, and slowly push them open a crack with each exhale.
I'm sweating.
It wasn't hot sweat, but a very fine, cool, damp feeling that seeped out from my whole body.
It still doesn't work.
It feels like trying to make someone turn left while simultaneously turning right – it's incredibly awkward.
I still need more experience.
Zhou Xing opened his eyes, but he wasn't particularly frustrated; he just exhaled a breath of stale air.
Hidden strength is a skill that involves subtle and profound internal force. Besides controlling the pores, it also involves two other aspects:
With a strong enough will, one can accurately direct the flow of qi and blood; with resilient and flexible fascia, one can concentrate and unleash explosive power.
In the ghost market, he transformed his mind into the intent of his fist; he had already reached a certain level of skill.
The newly acquired [River Demon Form] makes his spine as flexible as a python, with fascia strength and explosive potential far exceeding that of ordinary people.
He passed this hurdle as well.
It's almost like you've mastered the "local opening and closing" of your pores to the point where it's second nature.
When the time comes, when you throw a punch, the pores on your fist will burst open, and hidden strength will erupt, like needles and thorns; that is hidden strength.
We're only a thin veil away from that level; we're almost there.
He finished his practice, and a faint white mist rose from his body.
My stomach started growling, the sound unusually loud in the quiet room.
My stomach felt strangely empty, like a hole had been punched in it, and I felt completely weak.
He fought several battles last night, which depleted his energy and blood, and he hasn't had enough to replenish his vital essence.
Zhou Xing got out of bed, took out an oil paper package, picked out two pieces of old ginseng given to him by Gong Er, and put them in his mouth to chew.
The ginseng tasted bittersweet, and a warm sensation went down my throat, gradually warming my lower abdomen, but I was still hungry.
He lit the oil lamp and began to take inventory.
The Qing Dynasty dragon robe lay on the bed, its bright yellow background embroidered with a dark dragon.
He picked it up and shook it, pouring out a bunch of odds and ends.
Forty-three silver dollars of varying purity. Several small banknotes, their edges curled. A jade pendant, a black jade button, a thumb ring, a gold chain, and several scrolls of manuscripts…
They were all taken from the red-light district on a whim.
Zhou Xing picked up some silver dollars and loose change and put them in his pocket. He wrapped up the rest and stuffed it into the crack under the bed.
Finally, he took out the kraft paper envelope that Tao Zhugong had given him, but didn't open it; he just weighed it in his hand.
Outside the window, it was already bright daylight.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares and the clatter of carriages filled the streets, signaling the start of a lively new day.
Zhou Xing changed into a clean gray cloth shirt, crumpled up his tattered clothes and stuffed them into a corner, then opened the door and went downstairs.
Downstairs in the lobby, the waiter had just removed the door panels, and the morning light streamed in, illuminating half the room.
At two square tables, Ip Man was sitting and drinking morning tea, while his apprentice Ah Liang sat opposite him, rummaging through his bowl.
Hearing the sound of footsteps on the stairs, Ip Man looked up.
Upon seeing Zhou Xing, he paused for a moment, then smiled and asked:
"What a coincidence, didn't we say we'd meet in seven days?"
"It's a long story, Master Ye. I'll explain in detail later."
Zhou Xing clasped his hands in a fist salute, took two steps to the counter, and asked, "Shopkeeper, do you have anything to eat? Something to fill my stomach."
The shopkeeper, who was calculating with his abacus, glanced at Zhou Xing's expression and clicked his tongue:
"Oh, Mr. Zhou, you look pale... you need to replenish your energy. The crispy rice with scallions is fresh out of the pan, and the fried cakes are also ready, plenty to go."
"Bring it all up."
Zhou Xing took out two silver dollars and slapped them on the counter. "The rest can be put in the account."
"Alright!"
Soon, the steaming hot guoba cai (crispy rice crust with vegetables) was served.
The mung bean noodle stall's thin pancakes are cut into diamond shapes, soaked in a thick braising sauce, and topped with sesame paste, fermented bean curd sauce, and chili oil, emitting a fragrant aroma.
A plate of freshly fried rice cakes, golden and crispy, bubbling with oil.
Zhou Xing sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating.
He ate very quickly, but without appearing rude.
A bite of crispy rice crust with vegetables, two bites of fried cake, chewed carefully, the Adam's apple bobbing as it swallowed, the sound of food falling into the empty stomach could be heard.
Ah Liang stopped eating and secretly glanced at him.
Ip Man picked up his teacup, slowly blew on it, and looked at Zhou Xing thoughtfully.
A bowl of crispy rice with vegetables was emptied in the blink of an eye.
Zhou Xing raised his hand: "Shopkeeper, bring more. Bring as many as you have."
"There's still half a pot of leftover stewed flatbread from yesterday, would you like me to heat it up?"
"hot."
The second bowl of crispy rice crust with vegetables, a plate of fried cakes, and a large bowl of steaming hot stewed flatbread were served.
The flatbread strips were soaked with broth, and contained cabbage, tofu, and bits of minced meat.
Zhou Xing welcomes all who come.
Seeing his starving look, Ip Man pushed the untouched fried cake in front of him over.
Zhou Xing didn't refuse, shoveling it into his bowl and chewing it along with the crispy rice crust.
Ah Liang couldn't help himself and muttered to himself:
"Master, what's wrong with him..."
"Practicing boxing depletes one's qi and blood."
Ip Man said calmly, then turned to Zhou Xing and said, "Eat slowly, no one is going to take it from you."
Zhou Xing nodded, but did not slow down.
He didn't put down his chopsticks until he finished the third bowl of crispy rice with gravy and the bowl of stewed flatbread was also empty. He let out a long sigh.
Once his stomach felt full, the heat spread from his abdomen to his limbs and bones, and his pale face finally regained some color.
"Shopkeeper, check please." He stood up.
"Mr. Zhou, you gave me too much. There's still 1.8 yuan left."
The shopkeeper said with a smile.
"Save it for next time."
Zhou Xing waved his hand and turned to Ip Man, "Master Ip, may I speak to you in private?"
Ip Man nodded and got up to walk towards the backyard.
Ah Liang wanted to go with him, but Ip Man turned around and glanced at him, saying, "You wait here."
The morning light is just right in the backyard.
The leaves of the old locust tree in the corner have turned yellow, and they fall down in a rustling sound when the wind blows.
The two sat down on the stone bench.
Zhou Xing took out the half of the tiger tally from his pocket and placed it on the stone table. The overwhelming killing intent made his fingers slightly numb.
[Guo Zhen's Obsession (Jin): The one who killed me was my junior brother Liu Yishou! The one who possessed my body was an evil puppet! Avenge me!]
He then took out a manila envelope and pushed it over.
"Master Ye,"
He spoke, his voice low, "Master Guo Zhen may no longer be here."
Ip Man paused in his hand as he reached for the teapot, not touching the tiger tally, but only looking at Zhou Xing:
"How so?"
"I got this at the ghost market; it belongs to Master Guo."
Zhou Xing pointed to the tiger tally. "And this too."
He opened the envelope and pulled out two thin sheets of paper, which were in the pawnshop's special note-taking format.
"The shopkeeper in the ghost market who specializes in buying and selling 'opportunities' is called Tao Zhugong. This is what he recorded: a transaction with the 'Tianjin Chinese and Foreign Charity Association'."
Ip Man took the paper and glanced at it.
The first page is a list, written in neat handwriting:
"March 9th: Inquiry into the details of the contract regarding 'stable attachment of the soul after it leaves the body'..."
April 17: Purchased "Blood-stained Armor Plates of a Former Dynasty's Border-Defending General"...
Mid-May: Questioning the karmic consequences of "using martial artists' qi and blood as a catalyst to refine a great elixir"...
Late June: Purchased rubbings of the "Xiangxi Paijiao Dinghun Coffin Inscription"...
July 3rd: Purchase one incomplete formula for the "Mother-Child Heart Gu" (a type of poison). Note: It requires the blood of a close blood relative as a catalyst...
July 12th...
The second page contains a few lines of annotations in illegible handwriting: "This guest's ambitions are far greater than ordinary murder and robbery."
All the purchases were related to superior evil arts of imprisoning, transferring, and refining the souls and blood of living people, and were suspected to be part of a scheme to "seize a body and reincarnate" or "create a human elixir".
The transaction was accompanied by an aura of malevolence, a heavy burden of karmic consequences, yet the bids were exorbitant, all in hard currency.
After reading it, Ip Man put the paper back on the table and remained silent for a long time.
"Master Guo's Tiger Tally,"
He slowly began to speak, "How did I get to the ghost market?"
"I bought it from an old man's stall at the ghost market."
Zhou Xing's voice was solemn. "He said that this was a personal item of Master Guo of the Xingyi School. Guo Zhen is already dead, and the current 'Guo Zhen' has had his soul replaced by someone using evil magic, and his body has been taken over."
He couldn't reveal his talent for sensing tokens, so he attributed all the information to the old man.
Ip Man picked up the tiger tally, rubbed the deep lines on it with his fingertips, and then put it back.
"What else did that person say?"
That's all I'll say.
Zhou Xingdao said, "He only spit it out when he was pushed to the limit, and then he chased me away."
Ip Man remained silent, tapping his fingers lightly on the stone table, once, once.
Zhou Xing continued:
"This method is exactly the same as when you were framed at the club. It's all about framing someone, only it's more vicious."
Master Ye, at the symposium you will be working with experts from all over the north. Master Guo is a well-known figure in Tianjin and you are on good terms with him.
If Guo Zhen had been "killed" by you in front of everyone back then, those who were already at odds with you wouldn't have let it go.
Even your close friends and mentors can't say anything, and might even hold a grudge against you because of it. If someone stirs things up again...
"Soul swapping..."
Ip Man frowned and slowly repeated the two words, "There are such rumors in the martial arts world, but few people have actually seen them. They are difficult to verify."
"Perhaps they've seen it before but just didn't notice."
Zhou Xing returned.
Ip Man raised his eyes and looked at Zhou Xing:
"It seems you've already made up your mind. What are you planning to do?"