ebookslot Chapter 38 Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dance
Chapter 38 Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dance
The alley was quiet, and the sunlight cast long shadows.
After a moment of silence, Zhou Xing smiled:
"Master Guo is so kind as to invite me; I will certainly come."
"Great! That felt good!"
Guo Zhen patted his shoulder forcefully before letting go. "It's settled then. The martial arts school will be waiting for you tomorrow afternoon."
Guo Zhen exchanged a few more pleasantries before turning and leaving, his footsteps fading into the distance in the alley.
The smile on Zhou Xing's face slowly faded only after the figure disappeared around the corner.
"We'll talk about it when we get back." Ip Man glanced at him, then turned and walked towards Yue Lai Inn.
The two walked silently, one in front of the other, through the gradually rising sounds of the city in the afternoon.
The cries of vendors selling sour plum juice, the ringing of rickshaw bells, and newsboys shouting the day's news at the top of their lungs.
Back at the Yue Lai Inn, they entered the courtyard. Ip Man opened his room door, and Zhou Xing followed him in.
The window was closed, and the wick of the oil lamp on the table was lowered, its light only covering a small corner of the table.
"Ah Liang,"
Ip Man said to his disciple, who was wiping the tables and chairs inside the house, "Go to the yard and keep an eye on the gate."
Ah Liang was taken aback. He looked at his master, then at Zhou Xing. His lips moved, but he didn't dare to ask. He put down the rag, said "Oh," and left with his head down.
"...Who exactly is your disciple...?"
You could hear the dull thud of him kicking pebbles through the door, one after another.
The room fell silent.
"Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at Liu Bang."
Ip Man spoke, his voice deep and resonant.
"Guo Zhen was already at the peak of internal strength, and now his body has been tampered with in some way, and he has some insidious methods hidden inside. If you go, you're just handing your neck to the tiger's mouth."
Zhou Xing sat opposite him, his hands on his knees: "I know."
"You knew that, yet you still went?"
"I have to go."
Zhou Xing raised his eyes. "My probing question today may have aroused his suspicion. He's now trying to stir up trouble."
He invited me to see if I, like a snake, would retreat back into my hole or dare to crawl into the light.
Ip Man looked at him: "You are exceptionally talented, and you've ruined a lot of their plans. What if they change their minds and decide to eliminate you first?"
"Possibly."
Zhou Xing nodded. "But their ultimate target is still you. Testing me might be to ensure the plan succeeds. Harming me is risky and unprofitable. Unless…"
"Unless what?"
"Unless I reveal a flaw that makes them feel they absolutely must eliminate me."
Zhou Xingdao said, "So this trip is both dangerous and an opportunity. If he doesn't move, we can't figure him out; if he makes a move, his true colors will be revealed."
Besides, it wouldn't be so easy for a master of internal energy to take me down silently.
Ip Man remained silent for a long time, then brought the teacup to his lips and put it down again: "I'll go with you."
Zhou Xing shook his head: "What if he's waiting for you to come too? At this critical moment, we can't give them that chance."
"If I go alone, I'm not strong enough, and they'll be more likely to lower their guard and reveal weaknesses."
"What if they really intend to kill us?" Ip Man asked bluntly.
"Then let's see who's the better strategist."
Zhou Xing smiled and said, "At the Feast at Hongmen, didn't Liu Bang also leave alive? The one who hosted the banquet became a ghost, while the one who attended the banquet became the ruler of the world."
Ip Man shook his head: "A gambling instinct."
Zhou Xing smiled and said, "Living in chaotic times is a gamble."
Ip Man stared at him for a long while, and finally nodded:
"In that case, your safety is our top priority. If you haven't returned by 10 PM tomorrow night, I will go with the Gong family to pick you up."
"become."
Ip Man said no more, got up and took out two things from the wooden box by the bedside: a flat celadon medicine bottle and a strip of object wrapped in red silk.
"This bottle contains 'Eight Treasures Heart-Protecting Pills,' which nourish qi and blood and strengthen the internal organs. This ginseng is a wild ginseng given to me by a friend from beyond the Great Wall many years ago; its rootlets are still intact, and it was used to keep me alive."
He pushed it towards me, saying, "Take this. Be careful at the banquet; be mindful of what you put in your mouth."
Zhou Xing didn't refuse, took it and put it in his pocket: "Thank you, Master Ye."
"And this too."
Ip Man pulled a folded piece of paper from his sleeve. "Guo Zhen's background. I asked a friend in Tianjin for information. It's not complete, but it might be useful."
Unfold the paper and examine it under the lamplight. The handwriting on the paper is messy:
"Guo Zhen, courtesy name Shoucheng, was a native of Cangzhou, Zhili. He was a disciple of Li Cunyi of Xingyi Quan and received his true teachings. In the 28th year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, he ventured to Tianjin and established himself there by relying on his exceptional skills."
He married a woman surnamed Wang, the daughter of a local rice merchant. They had been married for over twenty years and lived a harmonious life without children. His martial arts school was located on Xiaoguan Street in Hedong, with over twenty disciples.
He is generous and loyal, and maintains fair relations with various factions. He enjoys drinking and has a large capacity for it.
In just a few lines, half a lifetime of a江湖人 (jianghu person) is sketched out.
After Zhou Xing finished reading, he lit the paper on the lamp flame, watching it curl up, turn black, and turn to ashes on the table.
"The couple is harmonious, but they have no children." He repeated it thoughtfully.
Ip Man watched him burn the paper money without saying a word. Only after the last embers had died down did he speak:
"How do you plan to deal with this?"
Zhou Xingren leaned back, and the chair made a slight creaking sound.
"What did Liu Bang do?"
He said, "Life is like a play, it all depends on acting skills. Master Ip, don't worry."
Ip Man shook his head and smiled, then thought for a moment and said, "Guo Zhen is at the peak of internal strength, with sharp eyes and ruthless hands. If he wants to fight you, don't agree."
The hidden force can injure without being seen. If you are truly struck by it, you may not realize it at the time, but after a few days, it will be difficult to cure even with medicine.
The two whispered amongst themselves for another half hour. Outside the window, the sound of Ah Liang kicking pebbles had long since stopped, leaving only the sound of the wind whistling through the eaves.
Zhou Xing got up to say goodbye, but as he reached the door, Ip Man called him back.
"Zhou Xing" (周行).
"Um?"
"Come back alive."
Ip Man spoke calmly, yet his words revealed his true feelings.
Zhou Xing nodded and went out the door.
In the courtyard, Ah Liang was squatting under the locust tree. When he saw Zhou Xing come out, he turned his face away. Zhou Xing ignored him and went straight back to his room.
He closed the door, and the room was dark. He didn't turn on the light, but groped his way to the bedside and sat down.
He took out the medicine bottle and ginseng given to him by Ip Man from his pocket and placed them beside his pillow. He then touched the short knife at his back waist, the dagger in his boot, and the gun under his arm.
Then, he began to regulate his breathing.
The method of "Fishing for the Toad" was slowly activated, with deep, fine, and even breathing. He gradually turned the breathing technique into an instinct.
The warmth in his dantian was carefully mobilized to nourish his internal organs and meridians, which had not yet fully recovered from last night's fierce battle.
The flow of qi and blood is deliberately slowed down and flattened, giving it a somewhat weak and superficial appearance.
Beneath the skin and flesh, the control of the [Human Puppet Appearance] is exquisite and meticulous, while the [River Demon Appearance] deeply conceals the extraordinary resilience and explosive power of the fascia, leaving only a layer of tension befitting the initial formation of Ming Jin.
He was adjusting every inch of his body for tomorrow's performance.
After an unknown amount of time, the sky outside the window began to show a bluish-green hue, like that of a crab shell.
Zhou Xing opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright, showing no signs of fatigue.
He stood up, stretched his limbs, and his once sharp and capable aura had largely subsided, replaced by a slightly rough and ruthless sharpness.
He looked at the blurry, broken mirror on the wall, twitched the corners of his mouth, and practiced his "triumphant" smile.
Not stupid enough.
He tried several more until he found a balance between "arrogance" and "stupidity" before stopping.
Its daybreak.
Zhou Xing went to the police station and told Li Wenyong some things.
In the late afternoon, around 3 PM, he arrived at Xiaoguan Street in Hedong.
The martial arts school has a large entrance with a black lacquered gate and a plaque with four gold characters that read "Zhenwei Martial Arts School," though some of the paint has peeled off.
Two young disciples stood at the door, looking Zhou Xing up and down as he approached.
"Is Master Guo here?" Zhou Xing asked, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Who are you?"
"The French Concession Police Station, Zhou Xing. Master Guo invited me yesterday."
The disciple suddenly realized, and a smile spread across his face: "Mr. Zhou! Master instructed that you please come in!"
Upon entering, one finds a spacious training ground.
The floor was paved with blue bricks, and weapon racks stood against the wall, their swords, spears, and halberds gleaming. Seven or eight disciples were practicing their boxing, their shouts ringing out in unison.
We walked through the training ground to the backyard. There was an old locust tree in the yard, with a stone table and benches under it.
Guo Zhenzheng was sitting there, with another person sitting next to him.
The man was around forty years old, with a thin, long face, deep-set eyes, wearing a dark blue short jacket, and large knuckles.
When Zhou Xing came in, he raised his eyelids and his gaze swept over Zhou Xing like a brush.
"Brother Zhou! Come, come, have a seat!"
Guo Zhen stood up to greet him, laughing heartily. He grabbed Zhou Xing's arm and pulled him onto the stone bench. "We've been waiting for you!"
"Master Guo, you're too kind."
Zhou Xing smiled and sat down, his gaze sweeping over Liu Yishou. "And this gentleman is?"
"Oh, this is my junior brother, Liu Yishou."
Guo Zhen introduced, "First hand, this is the Zhou Xingzhou brother I mentioned to you, a young prodigy who broke through the Ming Jin realm in seven days!"
Liu Yishou twitched the corner of his mouth, which was considered a smile, but he didn't get up. He just cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Officer Zhou, I've heard so much about you."
There wasn't much of an "I've long admired you" in his words.
Zhou Xing's smile remained unchanged, but the muscles in his back tensed almost imperceptibly for a moment.
Liu Yishou!
So he was Liu Yishou!
That traitor who colluded with outsiders to harm his senior brother possessed a hidden strength kung fu.
And then there's "Guo Zhen" in the main seat...
In this small courtyard, two masters of internal strength were sitting at this moment.
He boasted yesterday that a master of internal strength couldn't easily defeat him, and now two have come.