Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

"After sparring with Xiao Leng just now, do you realize where the gap between you and us lies?" Liu Long asked Liu Haishan.

"At first, I didn't understand," Liu Haishan replied. "I thought the only difference was experience, but just now, I realized it's not just experience; there’s something else I can't quite put my finger on."

"You're not entirely wrong," Liu Long said. "You do lack experience, but you also need to internalize what you've learned until it becomes instinct. The three main things you're missing are, first, a sense of aura—that presence of a lone warrior standing against a thousand, immovable and formidable. Second, a personal fighting style tailored specifically to yourself. And third, conviction."

Liu Haishan frowned, listening intently.

"Let's start with aura," Liu Long continued. "You've read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, haven't you? There’s a scene where Zhang Fei, with only twenty cavalrymen, lets out a roar at Changban Bridge that scares off Cao Cao's massive army, causing the bridge to collapse. While that's somewhat mythologized, historical records confirm that Zhang Fei indeed faced Cao Cao's forces with only twenty men and drove them back, though the bridge's collapse was his own doing. And then there's Guan Yu, the God of War, who fought his way through five passes and slew six generals. Guo Jia once said that both Guan and Zhang were each worth an army of ten thousand. His words weren't just about their martial prowess; they were a testament to their aura. After all, a person’s stamina is limited; no matter how skilled you are, you can't withstand a war of attrition against thousands."

"Now, about martial arts," Liu Long went on. "There are many schools. Take Tai Chi, for instance—Chen style, Sun style, He style, and so on. They all learn Tai Chi, but each person’s interpretation is different. Once you've learned the basics, you must refine them for yourself. If you stick to traditional forms, any expert will spot your flaws in an instant during a fight."

"Finally, let's talk about conviction. What is it? It’s a pillar within one’s heart. Think of Guan Yu scraping the poison from his bone, or Zhao Yun fighting his way in and out of the enemy lines at Changban to save Liu Shan. Their conviction was: 'No one can defeat me; I am the master of my own fate.'"

Liu Haishan fell into deep thought.

"In terms of raw strength, you can't match Staff Officer Xiao," Liu Long added. "So you must win the second round through speed, ruthlessness, and precision. Now, I’m going to teach you a few inconspicuous points on the human body that can neutralize an opponent with a single strike."

...

As everyone finished their meal, Xiao Jie leaned toward Zhou Yu and asked, "Are you really that certain that the time spent with Leng Yuhang and Liu Long will be enough for Liu Haishan to beat Staff Officer Xiao?"

Zhou Yu smiled. "That depends on Haishan’s intuition. You don't know Xiao Leng as well as I do. Aside from his exceptional driving, he’s better than any of us at jungle warfare and urban pursuit. He’s a parkour master, after all. And as for Xiao Long, his theoretical knowledge is incredibly thorough; he’s practically half a mentor to me. Do you think he can pull it off?"

Xiao Jie chuckled but said nothing.

Seeing that everyone had finished eating, Zhou Yu stood up. "Let's go and see how the old man loses to his future son-in-law."

Xiao Beibei immediately protested, "Who said I was going to marry him? Besides, what makes you think my father will lose?"

Nian Yu also whispered from the side, "What are you doing? Staff Officer Xiao is an elder, after all. Show some respect."

Xiao Zhi glared at Zhou Yu and headed out the door.