January 6th, New York’s Chinatown.
Wanxing Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown with two floors, built in the retro style of Hua Country, with two large red lanterns hanging on either side of the restaurant’s sign.
At 7 a.m., before the restaurant had opened, in a window-side position on the second floor, a middle-aged man dressed in a red Tang suit lay leisurely in an armchair, humming a tune softly.
On the brown solid wood tea table to the left, a pot of tea had been brewed in a purple clay teapot, the wisps of steam wafting out of the window and dispersing. On the table to the right, there was a handmade bamboo birdcage with a colorful parrot inside.
Xu Ming ca out of the room, yawning as he greeted, "Good morning, Boss."
Sun Yiquan lifted his eyelids lazily. "Ti to practice your fists."
Xu Ming heaved a sigh and shuffled over, dark circles evident under his eyes.
He assud a boxing stance and then began to perform the moves slowly.
"Boss, what’s the deal with this set of fists you’re having practice? I’ve been at it for over two years and still don’t feel any stronger," Xu Ming complained while practicing.
Sun Yiquan scoffed, "With your talent, you’ll never beco a master. Just give up on that dream."
Xu Ming was imdiately annoyed. "Then why do you insist on making practice?"
Sun Yiquan stood up to pour himself a cup of tea. "At least it keeps you fit. Otherwise, with the way you stay up all night and ss around, you’d be wrecked before you hit 50."
Xu Ming muttered under his breath, not daring to argue.
In fact, when he first started working at the restaurant, besides doing his job, the boss had one additional requirent: get up early every morning and practice the set of fists, no exceptions. If he missed a day, he was to pack up and leave imdiately, just like his predecessors had.
Xu Ming had lasted the longest by far. After persisting with the fist technique for half a year, he could distinctly feel that his stamina had greatly improved; even staying up all night occasionally didn’t tire him anymore.
Initially, Xu Ming thought he might have encountered a hidden expert like the ones in novels, and that this might be Sun Yiquan’s test for him. For a while, Xu Ming practiced very diligently, hoping to pass this test.
But a year later, Sun Yiquan hadn’t taught him any other techniques, and Xu Ming realized that besides improving his energy, the technique was hardly useful for anything else. In fights outside with others who had only practiced Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts for a month, he would end up bruised and swollen.
So eventually, Xu Ming gave up any illusions about the effectiveness of the fist technique he was learning. If it weren’t for keeping his job, he wouldn’t bother getting up early to practice every day.
After finishing the routine, Xu Ming slowly withdrew from the stance.
"Heavenly Ascending Ladder," Sun Yiquan said softly after sipping his tea.
Xu Ming rubbed his palms together to warm them, then massaged his temples while rhythmically controlling his breathing.
"Heavenly Drumming."
A mont later, Sun Yiquan spoke again.
Xu Ming opened and closed his mouth forcefully, his teeth clacking together to create a sound.
"Face Washing."
On hearing this, Xu Ming again ward his hands, then massaged his face as if washing it.
Following Sun Yiquan’s instructions, Xu Ming perford several more minor movents before stopping. At this point, he felt much more energetic than before.
"Start the lower part," Sun Yiquan said casually, then reached out to tease the parrot in the cage.
"Start! Start!"
The parrot in the cage mimicked Sun Yiquan’s tone.
Xu Ming shot a glare at the parrot, then, exhaling, began to box again.
This ti his movents were broad and vigorous.
This was the lower half of the fist technique Sun Yiquan had taught him; the upper half was slow and leisurely like Tai Chi, while the lower half involved large, fast movents.
After completing the set, Xu Ming was drenched in sweat, and it had reached 8 a.m.
This was Xu Ming’s daily routine, one hour of fist training after waking up.
"Boss," Xu Ming said between breaths, "I heard from others that you used to be a Kung Fu master. Is that true?"
Sun Yiquan reclined back in the armchair. "Master? Who told you that?"
Xu Ming sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. After finishing his cup, he said, "Never mind who said it. Just tell , is it true?"
"It’s not," Sun Yiquan asserted decisively.
Xu Ming paused, still unconvinced, leaning forward to look his boss in the eye: "Really not?"
"Really not."
"Then what about this fist technique? I can still tell good from bad, and it does seem sowhat useful."
"Of course, it’s useful."
"Then you don’t have any other techniques to teach ?"
"No, just this one."
"Boss, look, I’ve been practicing for over two years now. I’ve shown perseverance, haven’t I? You’ve seen my talent. If you have any secret techniques, you can teach ."
Sun Yiquan chuckled, looking at Xu Ming. "Let ask you, why do you want to learn fist techniques?"
"To beco a master!" Xu Ming said as if it were obvious.
"And after becoming a master?"
"Uh."
Xu Ming froze. He had been practicing the fist techniques taught by Sun Yiquan for over two years now, and during this ti, becoming an expert had beco his obsession. As for what he would do after becoming an expert, he hadn’t really thought it through.
"Well, you could compete, just like Wu Li!"
Xu Ming said, his eyes lighting up with excitent as he ntioned Wu Li, "Look how prestigious and respected Wu Li is now! If I could beco as skilled as him, wouldn’t I have the chance to be in the spotlight like him?"
Sun Yiquan laughed, "Are you thinking of fighting in the UFC?"
Xu Ming’s eyes sparkled, "The inco from UFC is high, do you know how much money one can make in a match? I heard so people can earn millions of dollars, millions!"
"So, boss, would you be willing to teach ?" Xu Ming looked at Sun Yiquan earnestly.
Sun Yiquan laughed again, "If you want to compete in the UFC, go find a coach to train you. You’re asking , a restaurant owner, to teach you to fight in the UFC, are you out of your mind?"
"You’re out of your mind! You’re out of your mind!" the parrot in the cage shouted loudly.
Xu Ming: "..."
After a mont, Xu Ming asked unwillingly, "Then what’s your purpose in having practice these punches?"
Sun Yiquan stopped paying attention to him, lay down on the reclining chair, closed his eyes, and began to hum a song.
Xu Ming gritted his teeth, turned to look at the parrot in the cage, and reached out intending to deal with the annoying bird.
"Touch it and I’ll cut your salary for this month in half."
Xu Ming sheepishly withdrew his hand, shook his head, and turned back to go take a shower.
...
At 9 a.m., the chefs and waitstaff at the restaurant began arriving for work, and the small establishnt slowly buzzed to life.
After teasing a new female waitress and making her blush and run away, Xu Ming couldn’t help but lant how life was as lonely as a great avalanche.
He was the lobby manager at the restaurant, responsible for receiving and sending off guests and arranging various affairs. The job was relatively easy. With room and board included, and the salary not too low, Xu Ming had managed to stick it out until now.
"Sorry, we’re not open yet."
A voice from outside interrupted Xu Ming’s contemplations, and he turned to look, his eyes widening.
Xu Ming quickly walked to the doorway and, unable to believe what he saw, asked, "You’re Wu Li?"
Wu Li nodded, accompanied by the crew of the reality show "Seeking Martial Arts," along with Gong Juren and four bodyguards.
The seventh episode of "Seeking Martial Arts" had officially started airing, and Wu Li had co to visit the supposedly legendary successor of the Wu Family Spear, Sun Yiquan, based on the address provided by Li San.
"Hello, I’m currently filming a show related to martial arts and ca specifically to visit the owner of this restaurant. Is the boss here?" Wu Li asked.
Xu Ming’s eyes went wide, then he hastily nodded, "Yes yes yes, he’s upstairs."
Wu Li smiled, "Then could you please explain the situation to him?"
Sure enough, the boss is a master!
That was the first thought that crossed Xu Ming’s mind at that mont, and then he excitedly invited Wu Li and the others to co in and sit down, before he rushed upstairs to the window where the man who was lying on the reclining chair with his eyes closed and resting.
"Boss, guess who’s here?"
Sun Yiquan opened his eyes, "Who’s here?"
"Wu Li! Wu Li is here! He said he ca specifically to visit you!" Xu Ming exclaid excitedly.
Sun Yiquan’s expression changed slightly, showing so surprise before returning to normal, "Please invite them up."
"OK!" Xu Ming nodded, then said to Sun Yiquan, "I told you, boss, you’ve hidden yourself quite deeply. Now you have no more excuses. Even Wu Li has co personally to visit you!"
Sun Yiquan just smiled, not offering much explanation, and gestured for Xu Ming to invite the guests.
Soon, Wu Li and his group arrived upstairs, and Sun Yiquan got up to greet them with a smile.
"Welco."
Wu Li looked at Sun Yiquan and activated the System Detection.
[Wu Family Spear (Master Level), Ei Spear (Master Level), Shi Family Spear (Master Level), Sha Family Spear (Master Level), Ma Family Spear (Master Level)
Overall Score: A (26%)]
Indeed, he is the successor of the Wu Family Spear!
Wu Li was sowhat excited, not unworthy of being called a generation’s Spear King, with spear skills in five sects having reached the Master Level!
"Young Wu Li, greetings to Senior Sun." Wu Li greeted Sun Yiquan with clasped hands.
Sun Yiquan’s expression was a bit strange, smiled, and gestured with his hand, "No need for formalities, please have a seat."
Wu Li sat down, Sun Yiquan sat across from him, and Xu Ming, very conscientiously, found a stool and sat next to them.
"Senior Sun, I’m filming a show related to martial arts, and I hope to show Traditional Martial Arts of Hua Country to more people," Wu Li said to Sun Yiquan.
"That’s very good," Sun Yiquan replied with a smile.
Wu Li paused, then spoke, "I’ve heard that Senior Sun was once called a generation’s Spear King and is also a successor of Wu Shu’s Wu Family Spear, which is why I specifically ca to visit."
Xu Ming was first shocked, then excited: a generation’s Spear King! He couldn’t believe that he had actually t a legendary master!
Sun Yiquan laughed, "I have indeed practiced spear techniques, and I can tell you about the Wu Family Spear."
Wu Li was overjoyed; he hadn’t expected it to go this smoothly and thanked him with clasped hands, "Thank you, senior!"
PS: Starting from today, daily updates will be at 11:30 PM. Ten minutes before this ti, I will post a piracy-proof Chapter. Those who follow updates, you can enter after 11:30 PM by then the content will have already been modified.
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