Journey to Sichuan (2)

"Oh."

The Yang Family Taijiquan Gate was a massive sect, true to its long tradition and renown. Unlike other sects, it stood right in the middle of the city, giving it a peculiar presence, and beyond its main gate, elderly people who seemed never to have properly trained in martial arts were gathered in a yard, practicing Taijiquan.

Usually, a sect's main gate was filled with fresh young novices, but to me, the sight of the Taiji Sect full of old people seemed bizarre.

"What business brings you here?"

As I stood at the main gate, a guard in uniform threw the question at me. He was a middle-aged man with a very kindly face, and his level of martial attainment was similar to my own. I politely greeted him, then took out the folded letter of recommendation from Zhuge Yeong-yu that I had kept in my pocket and spoke.

"I am called Docheol of the Crimson Ring Sect in Shaanxi Province. Feeling that my martial arts are lacking, I came here seeking instruction. This paper is a letter of recommendation from the Zhuge Family."

The middle-aged man looked surprised. He burst out laughing and accepted the paper.

"Hehehe, a distinguished guest has arrived. Please come this way. I will guide you to Grandmaster."

Because many people came and went, there was no resistance to newcomers. The middle-aged man was clearly welcoming, and even the people practicing Taijiquan inside paid no mind to a newcomer entering.

The training hall, which had seemed vaguely large from the outside, turned out to be even larger than I had thought once I entered. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Besides the area where the elderly stood, there was another training yard where young people were practicing Taijiquan, and two separate buildings where the actual disciples ate and slept.

Only after walking all the way down a long corridor did I arrive at the room where the Grandmaster of the Taiji Sect resided.

The middle-aged man saw my expression, laughed, and said:

"Hehe, people who come for the first time are often very surprised."

"....I was surprised because it's even larger than I thought."

"Compared to the Nine Sects One Gang, this scale is nothing, but sometimes even we find cleaning and management difficult because it's so large."

"Is there a reason it's so large?"

"For one thing, since many elderly people practice Taijiquan for rehabilitation, we need a fairly large space so they can rest and train comfortably. So, according to Grandmaster's wishes, we purchased the surrounding buildings and expanded the sect a bit."

It meant that, in its own way, it also functioned as a nursing home.

"Grandmaster. We have a guest."

The middle-aged man signaled me with a nod, then bowed his head in greeting. Following his lead, I turned and greeted the Grandmaster with respect.

"I am Docheol of the Crimson Ring Sect in Shaanxi Province. Feeling that my martial arts are lacking, I have come to humbly request instruction from the renowned Grandmaster of the Taiji Sect."

"The Crimson Ring Sect in Shaanxi Province? I've never heard that name. How did you learn of this old man and come seeking me?"

The old man's voice rang out clear, like the call of a mountain bird. When I raised my head, an old man with a short, neatly trimmed white beard and long, combed-back hair was facing me. His wrinkled face was wrapped in a benevolence that seemed as if he had never been angry in his life, and his deep eyes looked as if they had never once experienced human malice.

There seemed to be no inner energy emanating from his body, but there was a solid weight in his every step and movement, and despite his small stature, he radiated an oppressive presence I could not push back against.

For a moment, I felt as if I were facing the majesty of Mount Tai itself, and words failed me.

Even as I stammered before him, the Grandmaster of the Taiji Sect was patient and looked at me. He simply blinked his eyes, but needless tension made my throat burn.

"....I am originally a practitioner of a martial art called the Mount Tai Axe Technique, which pursues swiftness. But I came to believe that swiftness alone cannot encompass everything, and so I wished to learn softness. However, there was no one around who truly understood the principle, so I humbly seek instruction from the Yang Family Taijiquan Gate, which is aligned with that principle."

The Grandmaster nodded at my words. With his eyes closed, he smacked his lips as if he had just tasted something delicious, then nodded and let out a breath.

"Swiftness and softness have both a harmonious and a disharmonious relationship. If one is excessively swift, one cannot understand softness; if one is excessively soft, one cannot execute swiftness. Realizing both principles is difficult, so it is easy to become buried in one alone."

The Grandmaster placed a hand on my shoulder. His fingers were thinner than expected, and the arm revealed inside his sleeve was also gaunt. He spoke.

"Even if one learns Taijiquan, it will never be an easy path to incorporate its principles and forge one's own way. Even approaching that principle will certainly not be easy."

The Grandmaster removed his hand from my body. Then, pointing toward the place where the young people were training, he said.

"Are you seeking only simple stances to add to your martial arts?"

Asking to be taught the secret teachings was like a thief coveting treasure.

Mastering even the basic stances of a single martial art took considerable time, and the disciples of this sect devoted their entire lives to understanding its mysteries. There was no way I could understand all of Taijiquan in a short period, nor would they ever teach everything to an outsider like me.

Still.

I'd put on all this pretense for Sannyeo and Zhuge Yeong-yu and finally gotten into the sect, so shouldn't I at least gain some understanding of the mysteries of Taijiquan before leaving? He seemed like a good-natured man—perhaps if I asked for instruction, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'd grant it?

My greed stirred for a moment, and I answered.

"I wish to understand softness."

The Grandmaster looked regretful. He clicked his tongue and shook his head as he spoke.

"In that case, I have nothing to teach you. The Yang Family Taijiquan Gate teaches Taijiquan to all who come, but what we teach to people is only the basic forms that are helpful for self-defense. The Taiji Sect's secret teachings ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are strictly passed down only to sect disciples."

In a way, that was only natural. Taijiquan was also a martial art with a long history; there was no way they would casually share its secret teachings.

I had taken a chance because I'd glimpsed kindness in his expression, but what can't be done, can't be done.

Setting aside my regret, I bowed my head to the Grandmaster again and said.

"I made an unreasonable request, Grandmaster."

"I understand the desire to learn something new. Do not let it weigh on you too much."

The Grandmaster didn't seem angry. I lowered my waist a bit more and said.

"Then, may I at least request to learn the basic stances?"

Setting aside my greed, even just learning the basic stances of Taijiquan would be a great benefit. It meant that my left-handed grabbing techniques, which simply followed the Golden Capturing Hand, could transform in diverse and unorthodox ways.

The Grandmaster readily nodded. In his hand was the recommendation letter, which the middle-aged man had somehow passed to him.

"I read the letter and saw that the Zhuge Family entrusts you to our care. How did you come to be connected with the Zhuge Family?"

"It is a long story. They said they liked the way I fought at a martial arts competition, and they contacted me first."

The Grandmaster nodded and said.

"What an interesting story. I have ties with the Zhuge Family from long ago, so I cannot ignore a recommendation like this. Since you said you wanted to learn stances to use in your martial arts, I will arrange for you to learn them separately, as a special consideration."

The Grandmaster said that, then extended his hand.

This time, he pointed to where the elderly were diligently training. A massive group dance was unfolding as they slowly, like a dance, linked the Taijiquan stances together. And on the platform in front of where the elderly stood, a woman with bronze skin, wearing a Taiji Sect uniform, was performing the stances with a serious demeanor.

Her face and features were sharp, revealing a wild beauty, and the muscles visible through her uniform were firm, suggesting she had trained for a long time. Every time she breathed, her chest swelled, and even through the loose uniform, her voluptuous figure showed through, arousing me.

I averted my gaze to hide my lust, and the Grandmaster spoke.

"She is my adopted daughter. Her skin color is a little different because she has Southern Barbarian blood mixed in. But her skill is certain, so she will be more than sufficient to teach you."

Judging by the aura she exuded, she was a martial artist at a higher level than me. She was so focused on teaching the elderly that she didn't notice my gaze. She was demonstrating the movements very slowly, having them follow along, and unlike the tottering elderly people, when she finished each movement, there was not a single tremor in her limbs.

Watching her like that, I fell into thought for a moment.

'If I seduce that woman while she's teaching me and make her mine, I could learn Taijiquan at a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠more advanced level, couldn't I?'

'Then those breasts would be mine, and I could learn as much Taijiquan as she has learned. That's an absolute win, isn't it?'

In my heart, I reached a conclusion.

First, while learning Taijiquan, find that woman's weakness.

Find a crack, exploit it to create an opening,

and make her mine.