The Way of Restraint

“Mr. Su Jie, the boss would like to invite you to lunch. May I ask if you could grace us with your presence?”

After defeating fourteen opponents in the Tai Chi push hands competition, Su Jie calmly returned to his seat when Liu Shi’s assistant approached him.

As a representative of Hunyuan Tai Chi, his performance in the push hands tournament was commendable, earning recognition from many martial arts experts.

Suddenly, various factions within the Tai Chi community began to acknowledge that Hunyuan Tai Chi indeed lived up to its reputation. Especially notable was the moment he pushed Yang Shu’s disciple several meters away, shattering a table, which caught the attention of many onlookers.

Practitioners from different Tai Chi schools were buzzing with discussions.

Old Chen witnessed this scene and felt a surge of joy. He was not one to be overly competitive, but he harbored a desire to compete with Yang Shu’s disciples.

While Su Jie was indeed an external aid he had invited, he had also studied Tai Chi under Old Chen for a month, making him somewhat of a disciple. It would not be an exaggeration to say he was a successor of Hunyuan Tai Chi.

This time at the Tai Chi martial arts conference, Old Chen had achieved his objective.

News spread quickly among the Tai Chi community, and in the near future, the name of Hunyuan Tai Chi would become increasingly prominent. Notably, many foreigners present, including friends from a Japanese Tai Chi dojo, were observing.

“Liu Shi is treating you to a meal; will you go or not?” Old Chen asked Su Jie.

“Such a warm invitation deserves respect,” Su Jie replied. In fact, his participation in the Tai Chi exchange conference was primarily to meet Liu Shi, hoping to persuade him to take action against Haoyu Group. Now that he had successfully attracted the other party’s attention, it was time to proceed according to plan.

As they spoke, Su Jie followed the assistant out of the venue and into a car that drove towards the other side of the city.

About half an hour later, the car stopped in front of what resembled a shrine estate, surrounded by traditional Japanese garden structures, shrines, and spirit representations resembling foxes.

Following the assistant through the winding garden paths, Su Jie arrived at a quiet room. Inside were four individuals: Liu Shi, Takeshi Omoto, Yang Shu, and the personal bodyguard Jin Xin. No matter where he went, Jin Xin always stayed close to Liu Shi, never leaving his side.

Su Jie observed and immediately recognized that Jin Xin had undergone rigorous special agent training and possessed extraordinary strength, surpassing even Song Gua and Shen Dao; he was a true super bodyguard.

“Hello, young friend Su Jie,” Liu Shi greeted upon seeing him enter, though his enthusiasm was muted as he still regarded Su Jie as a junior.

Su Jie paid little mind to this and sat down directly: “Thank you for inviting me to lunch, Mr. Liu Shi.”

“Who did young friend Su Jie train with? Old Chen could not have produced a disciple like you,” Takeshi Omoto inquired. “I am good friends with Zejing Wuer; he just told me about you and holds you in high regard.”

“I have learned from many coaches; it’s hard to specify,” Su Jie replied, naturally avoiding mentioning that his foundation was trained by the deity creator Odell.

“You must have trained with Old Chen for some time as well,” Yang Shu said coldly. “Come on, young man; I want to test your skills in push hands.”

“Sure, I hope Master Yang can guide me,” Su Jie nodded.

Immediately standing up, Su Jie moved to an open area in the quiet room, waiting for Yang Shu to approach.

This was a private exchange of skills that would not be made public.

Yang Shu was the foremost figure in Tai Chi and also Liu Shi’s master; his status as a martial arts grandmaster usually made him disdainful of sparring with someone like Su Jie.

However, since Su Jie had embarrassed his disciple in front of the entire Tai Chi community, he felt compelled to step up and demonstrate something for Liu Shi and Da Ben Xianghua.

Yang Shu rose and stepped forward in one stride until he stood before Su Jie.

Su Jie raised his eyebrows slightly; he realized that Yang Shu’s movement was not simple. It was the form of a dragon and horse, with the momentum of a dragon soaring and a horse leaping over the Tan Creek. In the leap, his entire body contained various transformations, seeming to be both grounded and airborne, embodying a perfect jumping form in combat. Among many fights, top-tier world-class competitors often used this method to move.

However, Yang Shu’s movement had subtle differences; when resembling a dragon or a horse, it also contained the essence of a sword thrust.

This meant that Yang Shu himself seemed like a sword—straight, sharp—not a weapon for killing but an instrument of etiquette. In ancient China, the sword represented a gentleman; it was not meant for battle and slaughter but was worn as part of ceremonial attire.

Unlike blades and spears, which were specifically for combat. Yet, the sword could possess martial power and lethality. It could be said that the sword as a weapon better represented Chinese martial arts.

Chinese martial arts can have combat effectiveness, but more importantly, they train the mind and body to reach the highest realm and comprehend the supreme path.

It seems I underestimated Yang Shu, Su Jie immediately adjusted his thoughts and understanding.

In his perception, while Yang Shu was indeed a Tai Chi master with profound skills, he primarily practiced traditional martial arts focused on self-cultivation, lacking somewhat in practical combat techniques.

However, it now appeared that Yang Shu completely concealed his lethal aura, using etiquette to mask it, making it difficult for ordinary people to see through. Only when he truly revealed his sharpness could one understand the terror within.

Yang Shu had transformed the gentle Tai Chi into a sword. His Essence was upright and dignified amidst its sharpness, unparalleled in etiquette.

This made Su Jie think of a phrase: “external Confucianism, internal Legalism.”

This was transformation.

All emperors utilized Legalism internally while employing Confucianism externally, establishing rules through harsh laws and then educating people’s hearts with benevolence and morality.

Yang Shu’s exterior was that of gentle Tai Chi, yet internally he wielded a sharp legal sword, his Essence cutting through everything. But this legal sword was not merely a sword; it also contained etiquette permeating through it.

Such cultivation was profound. This cultivation was not just about martial arts but also about the refinement of character and spiritual realm. Reaching this state was akin to the ancient sages. Mastering martial arts at this level was nearly unmatched.

No wonder Yang Shu is not concerned about the youth’s fear of fists; he dares to restore his disciple’s honor because he has that qualification, Su Jie held no contempt in his heart. He was indeed the rightful number one in Tai Chi; Old Chen was no match for him.

“What a fine sword,” Su Jie exclaimed upon seeing Yang Shu standing before him.

He resembled Jiu Fang Gao assessing horses—seeing the spirit rather than the form. The Yang Shu before him was a sword, not merely a person.

“Truly extraordinary; my disciple’s loss to you is not unjust,” Yang Shu nodded, “You are able to perceive that my Essence is manifested as a sword.”

“There is swordsmanship within Tai Chi; among them, using spirit as the sword is the highest form. Meditating on the sword in one’s heart allows for decisive clarity, smoothing out worldly affairs while resonating like a dragon every night, with Qi surging like a bull in the sky. While we in Japan have kendo, it is not true swordsmanship; ultimately, it is still just a blade focused on fierce killing. Only your Chinese swords embody the straight path, the path of etiquette, symbolizing gentlemen. Yang Sang, your Tai Chi swordsmanship, which uses spirit as the sword in its refining method, bears some resemblance to our Japanese kendo’s Shinto Muso-ryu.” Takeshi Omoto was also very focused on this exchange.

“Zhuangzi said that within the sword, there are three realms. The sword of commoners resembles a fighting c0ck, with disheveled hair, wielding a sharp weapon, engaging in bloodshed and gambling in the marketplace, utterly crude and unworthy of discussion. The sword of lords, however, embodies loyalty, bravery, integrity, and the qualities of heroic and virtuous individuals, bringing peace to the people and conquering foes effortlessly. The sword of commoners pales in comparison to that of lords, like rotten mud compared to white clouds. The sword of the highest emperor is crafted from law as its material and virtue as its gold, refined through Yin and Yang, tempered by the five elements. Once perfected, it commands the four seasons, educates the masses, establishes the foundation for generations, and records the spring and autumn in historical texts,” Su Jie remarked with emotion.

Su Jie had already discovered many cultivation methods from Yang Shu, which enlightened him. He sought to transition from the realm of “clarity” to that of “enlightenment,” struggling without any precedents to guide him; it could be said that the road ahead was long and arduous, yet he would seek knowledge tirelessly. No one could provide him with guidance.

However, now, Yang Shu’s method seemed to inspire him.

Yang Shu regarded himself as a sword in his cultivation, embodying the essence of the emperor’s sword, standing before him with an imposing presence that commanded submission—vast and invincible.

Without even discussing combat techniques, just based on the aura before him, even Greenland could not compare; this was a form of personal cultivation.

“I did not expect you to understand so much at such a young age, even knowing Zhuangzi’s three types of swords. There are not many young people today who can recite Laozi and Zhuangzi,” Yang Shu nodded. He extended his hand, preparing to engage in push hands with Su Jie.

Generally, esteemed masters would not compete with young people; first, it would lower their status, and second, if they were to lose, it would tarnish their reputation for a lifetime. Thirdly, there is indeed a saying that emphasizes the fear of the young in combat; one cannot avoid aging.

There have been too many instances where a chaotic punch has defeated a seasoned master.

Su Jie bent his body slightly, as if he were an old farmer; his entire demeanor was simple to the point of being unrefined.

At this moment, Yang Shu’s entire presence resembled that of ancient scholars wielding swords while guiding the nation, harboring concerns for the world.

Meanwhile, Su Jie embodied the old farmer in the fields, wholly focused on farming, watching over the seedlings without regard for shifting mountains and rivers, worldly changes, dynastic transitions, or the rise and fall of nations.

The transformation in their demeanors could only be perceived by Takeshi Omoto.

Liu Shi was completely bewildered.

The two’s arms linked together as they began their Tai Chi push hands contest.

Su Jie understood that in terms of Tai Chi push hands, he truly did not hold an advantage, while Yang Shu had immersed himself in this system throughout his life, giving him a significant edge.

Related← Previous ChapterChapter 244: Dissatisfaction from the Tai Chi Master☰Table of ContentsNext Chapter →Latest Chapter