Chapter 43: I Mastered It

Seeing Gao Yuan and the other two carrying meal boxes, Instructor Xu relaxed his fists. “Eat first, Zheng Fa—you’ve gone a whole day without food.”

All four were martial artists and didn’t care much for formality; they simply laid the food from their boxes onto the green stone slabs before them, sat cross-legged around them, and ate while chatting.

“The Spirit Crane Body is truly mysterious,” Instructor Xu said, bowl in hand, unable to hold back his admiration. “When I fought you just now, I felt it—your internal qi hasn’t increased much, has it?”

Gao Yuan couldn’t help glancing at Instructor Xu’s nephew, seeing the same shock reflected in the other’s eyes.

Zheng Fa has mastered the Spirit Crane Body?

“It’s true,” Zheng Fa said, his chopsticks hovering mid-air as he frowned in thought. “When I strike, I always feel some strange force flowing with my intent—not from within me, but from outside.”

“That sounds like the legends of immortals drawing power from heaven and earth,” Instructor Xu said, his eyes brimming with unmistakable envy.

“Is this what they call entering the Dao through martial arts?” Instructor Xu’s nephew asked involuntarily.

“How would I know? I haven’t mastered it!” Instructor Xu shook his head, sighing. “Zheng Fa has trained less than one percent of the time I have, and his internal strength is certainly less than one-tenth of mine—yet just now, he matched me in combat. Aside from entering the Dao through martial arts, I can’t think of another explanation.”

“You’re just holding back,” Zheng Fa corrected.

“I’m only slightly stronger now because of decades of fighting experience,” Instructor Xu said with remarkable openness. “In a few months, I probably won’t be able to beat you.”

Zheng Fa opened his mouth to comfort him, but Instructor Xu waved him off. “I’ve trained for over twenty years and still can’t even enter the door to this art—you mastered it in twenty days. If I don’t accept this, I might as well hang myself.”

After saying this, he glanced at Gao Yuan and his nephew, then added with sudden concern: “You two should accept it too—don’t challenge Zheng Fa anymore.”

Gao Yuan froze, glancing at Instructor Xu’s nephew, who was also stunned.

“Before, I pushed you two because I wanted Zheng Fa to motivate you. Now…” Instructor Xu fell silent for a moment. “Don’t chase after lofty goals or rush for quick gains.”

Gao Yuan couldn’t put a name to the feeling in his chest.

He had thought Instructor Xu’s nephew’s words made sense just now.

He’d often resented Instructor Xu’s strictness in the past.

Now, Instructor Xu’s words were exactly what he’d hoped for—but instead of joy, his heart filled only with bitterness.

Instructor Xu’s nephew lifted his cup and drained it in one gulp.

Sensing Gao Yuan watching him, the nephew turned, eyes slightly red, and smiled. “This wine’s pretty spicy today.”

Gao Yuan stared at his cup in silence.

We were drinking water…

…

“Eating?”

The Seventh Young Master walked into the training yard, sat down beside the four, and patted his belly. “Bring me a bowl and chopsticks.”

Zheng Fa handed him a clean pair of chopsticks, puzzled. “Young Master, you haven’t eaten yet?”

It was already quite late.

Instructor Xu and the others had waited for Zheng Fa—but the Seventh Young Master’s maids should have served him long ago.

“I forgot,” the Seventh Young Master said, his fingers stiffening as he took the bowl and chopsticks, feigning indifference.

Zheng Fa glanced at him—he felt something was off.

The Seventh Young Master kept his eyes lowered, ate absentmindedly, as if he had no appetite, picking grains of rice one by one with his chopsticks.

Sensing Zheng Fa’s gaze, he looked up and smiled around at everyone. “What were you talking about?”

Zheng Fa felt he was deliberately avoiding his eyes—as if burdened by guilt.

“We were saying the Spirit Crane Body is truly powerful…”

Gao Yuan answered, but seeing the Seventh Young Master’s expression, he couldn’t continue.

At the mention of “Spirit Crane Body,” the Seventh Young Master’s grip tightened until his knuckles turned white, his face darkening.

Now, not just Zheng Fa—everyone else noticed something was wrong.

Everyone fell silent.

“Huh…” The Seventh Young Master exhaled deeply, then laughed. “You three go ahead—I need to speak with Zheng Fa alone.”

Instructor Xu and the others exchanged glances, confused, but stood up anyway.

“Wait—Instructor Xu, you stay too.”

The Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke.

Instructor Xu’s confusion deepened.

After Gao Yuan and the nephew had walked far away, the Seventh Young Master lowered his head, breathing heavily, as if wrestling with inner turmoil.

After a long silence, he looked at the two and said: “Before I tell you something, I need you to promise me one thing.”

Zheng Fa and Instructor Xu grew serious. They knew the Seventh Young Master well—he’d never been this earnest before.

“Zheng Fa, whatever I’m about to say stems from me. If you harbor resentment, direct it at me—not my mother.”

Zheng Fa frowned.

The Seventh Young Master raised his hand to stop him, then turned to Instructor Xu. “Instructor Xu, if our household ever wronged you, I apologize first.”

Instructor Xu’s mouth opened in shock—he had no idea what the boy was talking about.

“Listen to me out. Don’t interrupt—I’m afraid if I don’t say it now, I’ll never find the courage again!”

The Seventh Young Master raised his palm to silence them, then rushed out the words in one breath:

“The Spirit Crane Body cannot be mastered! It’s not that you’re incapable—it’s simply impossible to master!”

“My mother gave it to you to crush your spirit, to make you submit and serve our family!”

“So Zheng Fa, forget about the Spirit Crane Body. Instructor Xu, your failure to understand it after twenty years isn’t your fault.”

After speaking, his expression was unreadable—but he clearly felt lighter.

Seeing the two stare at him in silence, he grew uneasy and turned to Zheng Fa: “Zheng Fa, my mother did this for me… Instructor Xu, if you want to leave—”

“Young Master!” Instructor Xu suddenly cut him off, his face stern. “You shouldn’t say this.”

“I didn’t want to say it—I wanted to bury these secrets in my heart! But today… I couldn’t even eat!” The Seventh Young Master’s face hardened with rare resolve. “I’ve realized: she’s my mother. Her mistakes—I’ll bear them.”

“I know you and Lady Zhao don’t get along, but you shouldn’t fabricate lies to slander her!” Instructor Xu looked at him as if he were a naive child, as if he hadn’t heard a word.

The Seventh Young Master glared at Instructor Xu. “I’m telling the truth! The Spirit Crane Body really can’t be mastered!”

Seeing his urgency, Instructor Xu nodded, as if understanding something, his expression softening slightly.

“I know, I know—you’re just trying to protect my faith in martial arts. You mean well.”

“No, I’m not!” The Seventh Young Master scratched his head in distress. He’d imagined countless reactions from Instructor Xu and Zheng Fa: rage, hatred, tears, screaming.

He’d prepared himself mentally for all of them.

But he never imagined Instructor Xu wouldn’t believe him.

The Seventh Young Master stared, dumbfounded, under Instructor Xu’s gaze—grateful yet disapproving—and nearly broke down. “Why won’t you believe me?!”

“I believe you, I believe you—just don’t say things like this again, or Lady Zhao will punish you.”

The Seventh Young Master tasted the words—this was still disbelief!

He was being treated like a child!

Beside them, Zheng Fa watched the two talk past each other, then his face cleared with understanding.

“I mastered it,” he said.

The Seventh Young Master, startled by Zheng Fa’s sudden words, blinked. “Mastered what?”

“I mastered the Spirit Crane Body.”

“Huh?”

The Seventh Young Master stared, dumbstruck, as Instructor Xu nodded at him with a kind, indulgent smile—knowing, yet saying nothing.