The Tang Family Fist
"What? A disciple? More importantly, why don't we put this down and talk first."
I tried to make my escape as I spoke, but Tang Ho-chang didn't just refuse to let go of my arm—he began thoroughly kneading every part of my body.
"Your physique is better than I expected. I don't know who your master is, but you've built a solid foundation. Your bones and muscles are decent, and your internal energy is quite substantial for your age. At this level, you'd be considered a top disciple in most sects. Who taught you?"
A chill ran down my spine at his excessive interest, and I blurted out in a panic, "Most of it was taught to me by Rin!"
Tang Ho-chang turned to Dokgo Rin with a surprised expression. "Rin, you taught him?"
"Yes. He's going to be my husband in the future, so I thought I'd prepare him in advance."
"You're better than me. The disciples I trained in the past would whine about how hard it was and run away at the slightest opportunity. I still haven't found anyone to pass my techniques to. At this rate, we can skip the intermediate steps."
With a meaningful smile, Tang Ho-chang stroked his neatly trimmed beard and asked, "Tell me, do you know what the Sichuan Tang Clan is famous for?"
"Well… hidden weapons and poison, right?"
"Hahaha! That's not wrong, but originally, the Sichuan Tang Clan began as a family of fist practitioners known for the Tang Family Fist."
"…The Tang Family Fist?"
When I simply blinked in confusion at the unfamiliar term, Tang Ho-chang grinned. "Of course, I'm not saying hidden weapons and poison are bad. As long as you win, the method doesn't matter. But there are always those who insist on fighting fair and square, claiming victory through such means isn't true skill. To crush those fellows head-on, I became a master of the Tang Family Fist, passed down through our clan for generations."
Indeed, Tang Ho-chang's muscles were far more robust and massive than those of a typical Tang Clan martial artist who relied on poison and hidden weapons. It was the body of someone who had trained extensively in external martial arts.
"Though my title is the Poison King, the Tang Family Fist is a fist art so exceptional that even the Diamond Fist King, Ju Yuseong, acknowledges it. I intend to pass it on to you."
"…Are you sure it's all right for me to learn something so precious?"
By this point, even I couldn't help but feel intrigued. A fist art created by the Tang Clan, renowned for poison and hidden weapons—how could it not sound extraordinary?
"The Tang Family Fist is our family's hereditary martial art, but none of the direct descendants have any interest in learning it. If you're willing, I'll teach it to you. Just don't go spreading it around wherever you please."
"……"
Honestly, I wasn't in a position to be picky. To protect Dokgo Rin, I needed to learn stronger martial arts than what I currently possessed.
"If you're truly all right with it, then I'll learn."
After some deliberation, I voiced my willingness. Tang Ho-chang grinned broadly.
"Good thinking."
"……"
I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd willingly walked into a tiger's den. But the water was already spilled—there was no taking it back now.
The entrance ceremony for the Heavenly Martial Academy was scheduled for April 11th. Since it was currently late January, excluding travel time, I had roughly two months to learn martial arts from Tang Ho-chang. We decided to stay at the Sichuan Tang Clan during that period. Truthfully, with nowhere else to turn for help, this might have been for the best. At the very least, we'd receive free meals and lodging.
The only concern was that, starting today, I would be learning the Tang Family Fist under Tang Ho-chang. For nearly two years, I'd trained under Dokgo Rin—building basic stamina and learning the Mist Spirit Thread—but this would be my first time learning a proper combat-oriented martial art. With a mix of apprehension and excitement, I headed to the training ground within the Tang Clan estate, where Tang Ho-chang awaited me, his muscular upper body bare as he had removed his white robes.
"You're late."
"Huh? I thought I arrived a quarter-hour early…"
"Hah! That's no excuse! As my disciple, you should arrive before your master and wait!"
Tang Ho-chang scolded me in a stern voice. It felt somewhat unreasonable, but since I would now be calling him master, I simply apologized and let it pass.
Thus began my first martial arts lesson.
"Let's start with some light warm-up exercises—horse stance."
"Horse stance?"
"Don't tell me you're unwilling?"
"No, it's not that. I just remembered you saying we could skip the intermediate steps since my fundamentals were solid enough."
Tang Ho-chang clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Just because your fundamentals are sufficient doesn't mean you shouldn't train them. In any fist art, the lower body is more important than the upper body. Only when your lower body, firmly planted on the ground, supports your upper body can you channel your full power into a punch."
As he spoke, he assumed the horse stance first. Since my master had demonstrated it, I had no choice but to follow. I stood beside him, spread my legs shoulder-width apart, and lowered my hips awkwardly. It was very similar to a squat, a common exercise in the modern world. The difference was that, unlike squats which involve repeated up-and-down movements, the horse stance required maintaining a single position. Depending on how you looked at it, it felt more like punishment than training.
After holding the horse stance for about an hour, Tang Ho-chang decided to test my basic stamina and flexibility since it was my first day. He had me perform various movements. As a result, after pushing my body to its limits in a short time, my stamina was completely depleted barely an hour into the training, and I collapsed.
"Huff, huff, huff, huff."
Too exhausted to move, I lay sprawled on the ground and covered my face with my forearm, breathing heavily. Tang Ho-chang, who had been closely observing my training, finally spoke.
"Well, you pass. It seems you at least have the minimum qualifications to learn the Tang Family Fist."
"Really?"
It was welcome news. I managed to squeeze out a hoarse reply, and Tang Ho-chang chuckled.
"If you're tired, just lie there and listen. The Tang Family Fist consists of eight basic forms and three secret arts. Each form connects organically and can be adapted depending on the situation. The three secret arts are advanced versions of the basic forms, and anyone seeing them for the first time will surely be killed."
In other words, the three secret arts were finishing moves?
"But given our limited time, I'll only teach you the eight basic forms and one secret art. You have no objections, I assume?"
With no strength left to speak, I simply nodded slightly in response.
"Good. Then, assuming we have full agreement, let's begin with the first form—Butterfly Flies Bee Stings."
"Butterfly Flies Bee Stings?"
"Seeing is believing."
With those words, Tang Ho-chang stepped back a few paces in front of me and took a deep breath. It seemed he was drawing up his internal energy from his dantian. Then, he lightly lifted his right foot before stomping it powerfully into the ground.
Thud!!
The impact made the ground tremble momentarily. Before the reverberation faded, Tang Ho-chang shot forward, and his fist pierced straight through a training log in a single strike.
"Hoo—"
The destructive power was overwhelming. As I stared in shock at the perfectly round hole now in the log, Tang Ho-chang explained casually, "Butterfly Flies Bee Stings. If you master this form, Chilbok, you'll naturally come to understand why striking first is crucial in every fight."
Gulp—
Unconsciously, I swallowed at the sheer destructive force of the Tang Family Fist he had just demonstrated. Simply witnessing one form had made it clear just how profound Tang Ho-chang's martial prowess was.
'So this is the Transcendent realm…'
There was a vast difference between martial arts described in text and martial arts witnessed with one's own eyes.
'Can I really become that strong?'
…No, I had to become that strong. To survive in this harsh world and stay by Dokgo Rin's side until the end, I had to try—even if the odds were only one percent.
'Besides, they say you should aim high.'
If I trained diligently, I might one day reach the realm Tang Ho-chang had attained. I didn't know how many years it would take, but it was far better to learn something than to do nothing and complain.
With renewed resolve, I sprang up from the ground. Seeing this, Tang Ho-chang grinned and asked, "Already rested, I see?"
"Yes. Honestly, after seeing that right in front of me, I couldn't just sit still."
As I spoke, I clenched both fists tightly. Bare-handed combat. In this dangerous world, the only thing I could truly rely on were my own two fists. Therefore—
"For the next two months, I'll steal everything I can. Master."
When I looked at him with determined eyes, Tang Ho-chang burst into hearty laughter.
"Excellent! If you can keep up with the training, I'll show you everything this Tang Ho-chang has to offer!"