Yama Reborn

Chapter Eighty-Two: Jiang Fusheng Intends to Expel an Inferior Disciple, Zhang Haonan Practices Divine Skills in His Dreams

Goodness me!

Zhang Linsheng's Tai Chi stances made him look like he was doing the robot dance—and a robot with rusty joints at that.

It left Old Jiang gnashing his teeth.

According to Old Jiang, the boy's bones had already grown rigid. Moreover, his physique was naturally stiff, and his aptitude was only average.

Chen Nuo was huffing and puffing with suppressed laughter on the side.

Watching this, Old Jiang felt disgusted. Weren't you the one who insisted on learning martial arts from me? And now, after dragging Zhang Linsheng into this, you're just hiding on the side, slacking off and enjoying the show?

He went over with a rattan cane and had Chen Nuo demonstrate a few stances. After observing a few movements, Old Jiang sighed.

This Chen Nuo wasn't cut out for martial arts either. He was slightly better than Zhang Linsheng, but still mediocre.

Old Jiang's martial art didn't rely on brute force; it followed the path of overcoming hardness with softness. The day he slapped that van away, he had coughed up blood on the spot, clearly exceeding his limits.

After another sigh, he simply had the two lads practice foundational exercises, squatting under a tree in a horse stance.

Fearing he might have a heart attack from watching them, Old Jiang made an excuse to wander off and chat with the other elderly folks doing their morning exercises.

The moment Old Jiang left, Chen Nuo immediately stopped holding the horse stance!

After all, Chen Yanluo had never intended to learn martial arts from Old Jiang.

Learn what, exactly?

If they were to truly fight, Chen Yanluo could crush Old Jiang into the ground using only one hand and one foot!

Have you ever seen a platinum-level author learn writing techniques from a struggling hack who gets paid five yuan per thousand words on a buyout contract?

But it was different for Zhang Linsheng.

Brother Haonan had been dragged out early in the morning, still half-asleep, only to be told to practice the horse stance?

Seeing Chen Nuo stand up to take a break, Brother Haonan also wanted to slack off, but Chen Nuo glared at him. "Don't you get up. Keep at it."

Brother Haonan blinked a few times. "Why? You get to slack off, and I still have to train?"

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then said with a serious tone, "This kind of thing depends on looks. I'm handsome, so I can take a break. You're ugly, so you train until you're like a dead dog."

Zhang Linsheng was speechless. He really wanted to give this guy a slap—if only he could actually beat him!

Chen Nuo had expected Brother Haonan to retort, but surprisingly, Brother Haonan just gulped a few times and actually endured it.

He just obediently continued holding the horse stance.

Huh?

I haven't even started training you yet, and you're already so submissive? If you don't resist, where's the fun in that?

He had a few sarcastic remarks ready, but they got stuck in his throat.

This isn't fun at all!

Brother Haonan might have been a bit rash and straightforward, but he definitely wasn't a fool.

He had begun to sense that there was something extraordinary about Chen Nuo. To put it in terms of novels he often read, this was what they called a hidden master.

Moreover, this master was continually showing goodwill toward him.

It was just that in this era, Stephen Chow's movie *Kung Fu Hustle* hadn't come out yet, so the trope of an old beggar handing a secret manual to a kid to save the Earth and maintain world peace wasn't common.

Web novels hadn't appeared yet, so there were no tropes like 'cheats' or 'a portable grandpa.'

Otherwise, twenty years in the future, a teenager of Brother Haonan's age, upon meeting a master, would probably shamelessly latch onto them, fawning and begging for benefits and opportunities.

Brother Haonan didn't know about these things, but he knew that Chen Nuo was formidable, and not in an average way.

Since Chen Nuo wanted him to practice martial arts... then he would practice.

Old Jiang wandered around and returned just in time to see Chen Nuo leaning against a tree, brazenly chatting with an old man who was exercising by swinging his arms and patting his own body.

The old man and the young lad had chatted about everything from the rising price of pork to macroeconomic policies, and even the M Country presidential election.

In contrast, Zhang Linsheng was practicing very seriously. Though his legs were shaking violently and his forehead was beaded with sweat, he was still persevering.

Seeing this comparison, Old Jiang suddenly felt that although Zhang Linsheng was a bit of a dolt, he at least had some perseverance, and a hint of fondness grew in him.

As for that rascal Chen Nuo, is he here just to poke fun at me? He was the one who wanted to be my disciple, but now that he is, he doesn't learn properly. What's he playing at?

I should tell Chen Nuo to stop fooling around. If he doesn't want to practice, he should just go home. There's no need to wake up so early to come here. Wouldn't it be better to use that time to sleep an extra hour?

And with that, today's training concluded.

On the way back, Chen Nuo offered to treat them to breakfast, pulling Old Jiang and Zhang Linsheng into a Xuzhou Mutton Soup shop by the roadside.

Martial artists tend to have large appetites and a fondness for meat.

They ordered three large bowls of mutton soup, and Chen Nuo also ordered a large serving of sheep's face meat.

The sheep's face meat was stewed until incredibly tender, and Chen Nuo used his chopsticks to move more than half of it into Old Jiang's bowl.

A large bowl of steaming hot mutton soup, with a sprinkle of chopped green onions and a dash of pepper powder—one sip and it felt like every one of the hundred and eight thousand pores on your body relaxed in comfort!

Watching Chen Nuo's behavior, Old Jiang sighed internally.

This kid lacks perseverance in training, but he's certainly sharp. It's a pity. If he applied this cleverness to his training, he might actually achieve something. Forget it, forget it... When I get home, I'll have Song Qiaoyun get out the wine and cured meat Chen Nuo brought. I'll have the boy take it back with him tonight. This whole learning martial arts thing wasn't a good idea from the start.

After finishing the mutton soup, the master and his two disciples said their goodbyes and parted ways.

As Old Jiang walked home, he kept mulling over how to expel that good-for-nothing Chen Xiaoguo from his tutelage.

As soon as he entered his home, he was dumbstruck.

There was a delicious meaty aroma floating through the house.

Song Qiaoyun came out from the kitchen, wiping her hands, an apron tied around her waist.

"You're back? Go take a shower. I steamed half of the cured meat Chen Nuo gave us; you've always loved this, haven't you? How about rice porridge with the cured meat for lunch? Also, I opened two bottles of the wine Chen Nuo brought and put some deer antler in it to soak."

Old Jiang was speechless.

The meat's been steamed? And the wine's been opened? How can I kick that little rascal out now! My wife has already prepared the apprenticeship gifts! There's no way to return them!

Old Jiang was an honest man.

He had accepted the boy's apprenticeship gifts just yesterday, and he was eating the cured meat the boy had given. To turn around and expel him now?

Is that something a human being would do?

Forget it, forget it. I'll put up with it for a while. In a few days, I'll find a suitable opportunity to persuade that boy to quit.

At noon, Song Qiaoyun finished preparing the cured meat and even called Chen Nuo and Zhang Linsheng to come over for lunch.

Zhang Linsheng didn't come empty-handed.

The boy had gone home that morning and told his parents.

Although his parents found it rather illogical—their son suddenly taking up martial arts with his Chinese language teacher? The whole thing sounded absurd!

But Zhang Linsheng's father thought about it further. It's good, actually. Think of it as the boy getting some exercise. Plus, training with his Chinese teacher might improve their relationship. That way, the teacher might pay more attention to our son at school and with his studies, right?

So, when Zhang Linsheng came for lunch, he didn't arrive empty-handed; he carried a large plastic bag.

Inside was a large batch of sausages his family had made themselves.

Song Qiaoyun simply cut off a few links of sausage and steamed them too.

Old Jiang and his wife, along with their two disciples, Chen Nuo and Zhang Linsheng, sat down together for lunch.

Chen Nuo acted as if he were completely at home.

He alone finished off almost half the plate of cured meat!

Zhang Linsheng, however, was embarrassed and ate with restraint.

Why would Chen Nuo care about such things?

After all, Old Jiang made 620,000 US Dollars off me! Eating a few pieces of his meat—meat that I gifted him in the first place—what's wrong with that? Is he crazy?

After the meal, Old Jiang didn't let the two boys leave and continued teaching them martial arts.

Although he knew one boy lacked talent and the other lacked perseverance, Old Jiang was a responsible person. If he was going to teach for a day, he would do a full day's work.

In the morning, it was stances and foundational training.

At noon, Old Jiang planned to teach the two boys a basic set of breathing and qi cultivation methods.

Even if they didn't master any profound martial arts, long-term practice of these methods could prolong life and replenish their dantian qi.

During practice, Old Jiang had the two boys sit separately in the living room. He started by teaching Zhang Linsheng.

While explaining, he used his hands to press and massage the boy's bones, joints, and several acupoints, helping him to better remember the locations for qi circulation.

Then he began to teach the breathing techniques.

Things like 'three long, one short; two broad, one fine; one inhalation, three exhalations; qi flows through the spirit apertures'...

This Cultivation Technique was actually very simple; it was the most rudimentary qi cultivation method of Old Jiang's school.

Zhang Linsheng genuinely tried to memorize it, but he couldn't retain much. Old Jiang taught patiently, but the results were minimal. Moreover, Brother Haonan always found it difficult to calm his mind while practicing the breathing exercises.

Then he taught Chen Nuo.

Using the same method as with Zhang Linsheng, he massaged Chen Nuo's joints and acupoints with one hand, while instructing Chen Nuo to follow his guidance to adjust his breathing, inhaling and exhaling...

A moment later, Old Jiang was utterly speechless.

He stared at Chen Nuo, his hands still pressed on Chen Nuo's body, holding one of his acupoints.

At first, Chen Nuo was still adjusting his breathing according to the rhythm Old Jiang described...

But then, before he knew it, this little rascal...had fallen asleep, SNORING SOFTLY.

Old Jiang felt a vein throb in his temple.

Suppressing a powerful urge, Old Jiang resisted the impulse to send this boy flying with a Great Tombstone-Overturning Hand.

He took a deep breath, quelling the fire in his heart.

He patted Chen Nuo awake.

"Fell asleep?"

"... Uh."

"Are you awake now?"

"I'm awake."

"If you're awake, go home and sleep!"

Chen Nuo and Zhang Linsheng walked out. Zhang Linsheng looked at Chen Nuo with some exasperation.

"I say, what are you trying to do? You dragged me here to practice martial arts with you, but you yourself don't learn properly. Look how angry you've made Old Jiang..."

Chen Nuo grinned at Zhang Linsheng. "How did your learning go?"

"Not well at all!" Zhang Linsheng glared. "I didn't understand most of those breathing methods Old Jiang talked about. I'm still completely muddled."

Chen Nuo patted Zhang Linsheng's shoulder. "You just focus on your practice. I have a feeling Old Jiang is genuinely skilled. Maybe you can really learn something. Besides, exercising isn't bad for you, right?"

Zhang Linsheng didn't say anything, just gave Chen Nuo a silent look and left.

After Chen Nuo returned home and sat on the sofa, alone, the playful smile vanished from his face.

He closed his eyes, recalling the qi circulation and Inner Breath methods Old Jiang had taught.

He hadn't actually fallen asleep later. Rather, while Old Jiang was teaching Zhang Linsheng, Chen Nuo had been watching and listening from the side and had already memorized and mastered it!

Closing his eyes, he reviewed the method while adjusting his breathing, soon entering a state of meditative concentration.

His breathing became long, steady, and drawn out, circulating gently.

Chen Nuo sat motionless for an entire afternoon. Finally, as the sun set, Chen Yanluo opened his eyes, his gaze carrying a trace of mild surprise.

Old Jiang's Cultivation Technique is quite interesting.

Narrowing his eyes in concentration, Chen Nuo suddenly extended his left hand and flicked his finger through the air towards a half-filled cup of water on the coffee table.

SWISH! The cup actually wobbled slightly, and the surface of the water rippled!

This wasn't Telekinesis; it was purely an external emission of qi!

An elementary Cultivation Technique, even practiced to its peak, could only achieve this much. One couldn't expect a beginner's qi cultivation method to grant one the ability to perform incredible feats with a flick of the fingers.

If Old Jiang were here right now, he would likely be scared out of his wits!

Back when Old Jiang was young, it had taken him a full three years to reach the stage of externally emitting qi with this Cultivation Technique!

After returning home during the daytime, Zhang Linsheng first helped his mother with household chores. Then he went to the auto repair shop where his father worked to deliver his meal.

By the time he came back, it was already dark.

Today's martial arts practice had indeed been tiring; the horse stance, in particular, was truly exhausting.

However, after Old Jiang's massage, his entire body ached—a sensation that was somehow both painful and invigorating.

He didn't know what he had gained from the practice itself, but his first thought was that Teacher Jiang's massage skills were excellent!

If he could get a massage like that every day, then doing the horse stance daily wouldn't be a problem at all.

Zhang Linsheng showered and went to bed early. He had to work the next day as a stocker at a supermarket.

That's right, Brother Haonan was working in secret.

He wanted to earn money to buy a cell phone.

And the reason he wanted a cell phone was Qu Xiaoling.

Qu Xiaoling had complained to him a few times about how inconvenient it was to contact him.

She also complained that Zhang Linsheng was treating her like an outsider, being all secretive and not even giving her his phone number.

But Zhang Linsheng didn't even have a cell phone.

In his family, only his father possessed a Bird cell phone, bought second-hand from a flea market.

Qu Xiaoling would never have guessed that the 'renowned' Brother Haonan, who had twice scared off groups of vicious gangsters just by showing his face, was actually too poor to afford a cell phone.

Zhang Linsheng planned to work and earn some money as soon as possible to buy a second-hand one.

After all, being a young man, he had his pride and wanted to maintain his image in front of the girl he liked.

He calculated that he could get the money by next week.

He had already checked the second-hand market. An old Motorola model, about seven or eight out of ten new, would cost around three to four hundred yuan. The keys were a bit sticky, but it would be usable.

Thinking about the cell phone and Qu Xiaoling, Zhang Linsheng fell asleep.

In his sleep, Zhang Linsheng had a nightmare!

He dreamed it was pitch black, and then he seemed to be back in the daytime scene where Old Jiang was massaging him.

In the dream, he felt as if Old Jiang's hands were once again massaging his bones and meridians.

And the force was much greater than during the day!

After a while, the massage in his dream became so painful that Zhang Linsheng almost cried out. Then, he found he couldn't wake up at all. He could only vaguely feel those hands kneading his meridians and bones, hearing his own body making crackling sounds!

This nightmare was sheer torment for Zhang Linsheng. Even though it was a dream, the pain and the escalating heat throughout his body made him feel as if he had plunged into a sea of suffering.

Finally, he lost consciousness.

Just as Brother Haonan lost consciousness, his breathing seemed to halt for an instant. Then, little by little, it began to follow a strange rhythm, faintly aligning with the Cultivation Technique Old Jiang had taught him during the day!

Qi flowed along the meridians, the lungs balanced Yin-Yang, from the dantian to the pathways; long and short, broad and fine, exhaling and inhaling, absorbing and releasing...

During the process, his breathing pattern became chaotic countless times. Yet, each time, a powerful force would intervene, forcibly guiding his qi back to the correct path whenever it strayed!

This repeated once, twice... ten times... twenty times...

Later that night, while still asleep, Zhang Linsheng finally began to spontaneously breathe smoothly and naturally according to that Cultivation Technique.

HU!

Chen Nuo exhaled, his forehead covered in sweat. He glanced at the soundly sleeping Brother Haonan, listened to his breathing, and confirmed that his qi had completed another cycle without error.

"Kid, don't let my painstaking efforts go to waste," Chen Nuo chuckled, then turned, opened the window, and vanished into the night.

Walking through the night, Chen Nuo's steps were somewhat weak and unsteady. Forcibly using his Telekinesis all night to guide Zhang Linsheng's breathing had indeed consumed a great deal of his energy.

As for why he helped Zhang Linsheng this much, there were two reasons.

First, Chen Nuo already knew that Zhang Linsheng had recovered his memories! He wasn't an idiot. Lately, Zhang Linsheng's attitude towards him—a mix of timidity, respect, and obedience—had been unusual. After noticing this, Chen Nuo had quickly figured it out.

Second, since Zhang Linsheng had recovered his memories, it meant he knew Chen Nuo was no ordinary person. Hypnotizing him again wasn't out of the question, but Chen Nuo had a bolder idea brewing.