svetikya Page 189
Page 189
"What...what did you say?" Xiao Zhen stopped dancing, trembling with anger.
Long Yan slowly walked up to her, pointed to her lower body, and solemnly commented: "Your lower body is unstable. Your qi sinks to your dantian but only floats on the surface. Look, this step of yours seems light, but it is actually weak and powerless. If you were to fight, your opponent would easily seize the opportunity."
He then pointed to Xiao Zhen's arm: "And here, the internal energy is sluggish. When the wrist is turned, the force cannot reach the fingertips. It's all show and no substance."
"..."
Xiao Zhen was completely dumbfounded. She felt like a princess who had dressed up carefully to attend a ball, only to be dragged along by a clueless straight man who was discussing how rough the stitching on her dress was.
This is a dimensionality reduction attack!
"You...you're talking nonsense!" Xiao Zhen finally couldn't suppress her anger and shouted, slapping Long Yan with her palm.
This palm strike was unleashed in anger, using all her strength. The palm wind was fierce and carried a chilling aura.
However, Long Yan easily dodged her attack by simply shifting his body slightly to the side. At the same time, he extended two fingers and lightly tapped Xiao Zhen's wrist.
Xiao Zhen felt a numbness in her wrist, and all the strength in her body seemed to be drained away instantly. She collapsed limply to the ground.
Long Yan pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and whispered in her ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Your 'Bone-Melting Palm' is still lacking in the right balance. A true Bone-Melting Palm should combine yin and yang strength, becoming stronger when facing the strong and gentler when facing the weak. But your palm strike is only yin, lacking that powerful foundation. If the mind is not calm, the qi is not pure; if the qi is not pure, the power will not be effective. You are too attached to appearances."
After saying that, he let go of her hand.
Xiao Zhen slumped to the ground, staring blankly at Long Yan, her mind a complete blank.
The mind is not at peace... one is attached to appearances...
Long Yan's words struck her like a thunderbolt. From a young age, she had cultivated demonic arts, pursuing power relentlessly; had she ever considered the concept of "mindset"?
At this moment, her prized martial arts skills were utterly rendered worthless in front of Long Yan. All her pride was shattered.
Chapter 132 Xiao Zhen's Feelings
That night, the witch Xiaozhen couldn't sleep.
She lay on the hard earthen bed, tossing and turning, Long Yan's words echoing in her mind.
"If the mind is not calm, the energy will not be pure; if the energy is not pure, the strength will not be effective."
These words, like a curse, were deeply etched into her heart. Reflecting on her cultivation of demonic arts, she realized that she had indeed been impatient and restless, pursuing only the power of the techniques while neglecting the tempering of her mind.
She had always believed that this was the essence of the demonic sect's techniques—achieving the fastest killing effect through cunning and ruthlessness.
But now, Long Yan is telling her that she was wrong.
How wrong.
"Could it be... that I am really inferior to him?" Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed. For the first time, she began to doubt her own path.
The next day, Xiao Zhen, sporting dark circles under her eyes, listlessly prepared breakfast for Chou Pi Wen.
"Mom, what's wrong? Are you sick?" When Wen saw Xiao Zhen's haggard appearance, he didn't throw a tantrum, but instead asked with concern.
He reached out his chubby little hand and touched Xiao Zhen's forehead: "It's not hot."
Seeing the genuine concern in Choupiwen's eyes, Xiaozhen felt a warmth in her heart. This chubby little boy, who usually only caused trouble, actually had such an adorable side.
"I'm fine, Xiaowen..." Xiaozhen forced a smile.
Just then, Long Yan finished his morning exercise and walked in from outside the courtyard. He paused for a moment when he saw Xiao Zhen's distraught appearance.
He went to the kitchen and soon brought out a bowl of steaming hot porridge that smelled of strange herbs.
"This is porridge made with calming herbs and soothing flowers. It's good for your mind." Long Yan placed the bowl in front of Xiao Zhen, his tone still calm. "Your mind is too chaotic."
After saying that, he turned and left, as if he had only done a trivial thing.
Xiao Zhen looked at the emerald green porridge in the bowl, the rising steam blurring her vision.
She picked up the spoon and took a small sip. The porridge had a slightly bitter taste, but once it entered her stomach, it transformed into a warm current that instantly flowed through her entire body, miraculously calming her restless heart.
She looked up at Long Yan's back as he sat cross-legged under the Bodhi tree again, her expression becoming incredibly complex.
This man shattered her pride and pointed out her shortcomings, yet now he's using a bowl of porridge to soothe her wounded heart.
What kind of person is he, really?
In the following days, Xiao Zhen seemed like a different person. She stopped trying to seduce Long Yan and stopped showing off her cleverness.
She began to earnestly fulfill her duties as a "nanny," patiently playing with the stinky Wen, telling him stories, and even actually starting to research how to make more delicious meals.
Whenever Long Yan practiced his skills, she would sit far away to the side and watch quietly.
She was no longer looking for flaws, nor was she trying to learn from others; it was a pure appreciation that even she herself couldn't quite explain.
As she watched Long Yan practice his boxing techniques, feeling the calm, profound, and harmonious aura emanating from him, her heart calmed down like never before.
She began to try, as Long Yan had suggested, to practice horse stance, to calm her mind, and to feel the flow of energy within her body.
Although it was still difficult, she was no longer impatient.
That afternoon, Uncle Da returned from town in high spirits.
"Long Yan! Xiao Zhen! Something terrible has happened!" He waved the newspaper in his hand and shouted before even entering the courtyard, "A Chinese Ghost Story 3 has been released! The box office... the box office has completely exploded!"
Huge posters of Long Yan and Wang Xian'er occupied the entire front page of the newspaper. Looking at the stills of Long Yan and Wang Xian'er "kissing" in the newspaper, Xiao Zhen felt a pang of sadness for no apparent reason.
She picked up a stone lock beside her, took a deep breath, lowered her legs, and firmly assumed a horse stance. This time, her eyes held neither defeat nor jealousy, only an unprecedented determination.
"Long Yan..." she murmured to herself, looking at the familiar figure in the distance.
"One day, I will make you... truly look at me."
An unknown feeling had quietly sprouted in the witch's heart. Life at the Oolong Courtyard seemed to have become more interesting because of her changes.
Chapter 133 A Chinese Ghost Story III, Big Explosion
The release of "A Chinese Ghost Story III" was like a bombshell, igniting an unprecedented frenzy in Hong Kong and even the Asian film industry.
The opening day's box office of 10 million was just the beginning. In the following days, the box office data soared like a rocket, easily breaking through 20 million, 30 million... In the end, with an astonishing 58 million, it broke the box office record in Hong Kong film history and became an undisputed legend of the year!
As the male and female leads of the film, Long Yan and Wang Xian'er's names also resounded throughout the land.
Wang Xian'er was already a popular actress, and after this incident, she has firmly secured her position as "Asia's No. 1 Goddess," enjoying unparalleled popularity.
Long Yan, this mysterious "monk actor," has become the biggest mystery and the hottest topic in the entire entertainment industry.
His handsome face, his powerful muscles, and especially the breathtaking "Arhat Golden Body" transformation scene at the end of the film, drove countless viewers crazy!
Overnight, the name "Long Yan" transformed him from an unknown little monk into the dream lover of countless young girls, and he became a highly sought-after commodity by major film companies and talent agencies.
Wulong Temple, this ancient temple that was once secluded in a remote corner, has become bustling with visitors because of Longyan's sudden popularity.
Every day, hordes of movie fans and reporters travel from a distance of 637 million miles to this place, just to catch a glimpse of "Master Longyan." The donations they bring fill the donation box at Wulong Temple at an unprecedented rate.
"Master! We're rich!" Uncle Da counted money until his hands cramped every day, grinning from ear to ear. He even started planning whether to use the money to renovate Wulong Temple and build an even bigger training ground.
Master Long Eyebrows looked at the endless stream of worshippers. Although he said, "Amitabha, money is just an external thing," his wide smile, which almost reached his ears, betrayed his true thoughts.
Only Long Yan remained unfazed. He declined all interviews and film offers, secluded himself in the forbidden area of the back mountain, and devoted himself to cultivation, as if all the noise and commotion outside had nothing to do with him.
Xiao Zhen became Long Yan's most loyal "guardian".
Every day, she would quietly "invite" away the reporters and enthusiastic fans who tried to sneak into the back of the mountain. Her state of mind was no longer what it used to be. Although she still had a bit of the witch's playfulness in her every move, she also had a touch more calmness and restraint.
She could hold her horse stance for longer and longer periods, from half an hour at the beginning to two hours later. Under the rich Buddhist energy of Wulong Temple and her daily meditation, the demonic energy within her body began to undergo a miraculous change, becoming increasingly pure and refined.
She could feel that she was touching a completely new realm, a realm she had never imagined before... the realm of martial arts.
That day, Long Yan was practicing the newly learned "Heavenly Frost Fist".
As he waved his hands, a chilling aura emanated from him, as if the surrounding air itself were about to freeze. His fist struck the training stone, and instantly, a thick layer of frost formed on the hard surface!
"Wow! Senior brother is amazing! What kind of martial art is this? He can actually create ice out of thin air!"
Wen and Xiaolong watched in disbelief, poking at the frozen stone with curiosity.
Xiao Zhen stood quietly not far away, her beautiful eyes sparkling with wonder. She could sense that every punch Long Yan threw contained an ultimate "intention." It wasn't just pure power, but a profound understanding and control over the forces of heaven and earth.
"The wind has no form, the clouds are ever-changing, the frost has no shape..." Xiao Zhen silently recited the method of the Three-Part Returning to Origin Qi in her heart, lost in thought.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the mountain gate.
"Is Master Long Yan here? We are from Hung Hing! Our boss, Boss B, would like to invite you to come and have a seat!"
A rough voice rang out, accompanied by the arrogant roar of an engine.
Uncle Da rushed over upon hearing the commotion and saw more than a dozen gangsters wearing floral shirts and covered in dragon and tiger tattoos blocking the entrance to Wulong Temple. The leader was the muscular man who had been taught a lesson by Long Yan at the gym before.
"It's you again?" Uncle Da frowned. "My junior brother has already said that he has no interest in joining your Hung Hing!"
"Hey, senior brother, you can't say that." The muscular man grinned, but his attitude was much more respectful than last time. "Our eldest brother watched 'A Chinese Ghost Story 3' and admired Master Long Yan to the point of prostration. He sincerely wants to make friends with the master and has no ill intentions whatsoever."
The "big brother" B he mentioned was sitting in a black Mercedes-Benz, looking at the ancient temple with great interest through the car window.
"Big brother, this is it." The muscular man ran to the car window and said respectfully.
The car door opened, and a burly, distinguished-looking middle-aged man stepped out. Although he had a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of outlaws and gangsters) air about him, a sense of righteousness emanated from his brows. He was none other than Boss B, one of the twelve leaders of the Hung Hing triad and the boss of Causeway Bay!
Big Brother B walked to the mountain gate, clasped his hands in greeting to Uncle Da, and said loudly, "Master, I am Wu Zhixiong. I have long heard that Wulong Academy is the leading institution in the martial arts world. I have come to pay my respects today and wish to meet Master Longyan. Please inform him of my arrival."
His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, which surprised Uncle Da.
"My junior brother is practicing martial arts in the back mountain and it's inconvenient for him to receive guests," Uncle Da politely declined. He didn't want Long Yan to get involved with these gangsters.
Upon hearing this, Boss B was not angry. He simply smiled and said, "It's alright, then we'll wait here."
After saying that, he actually led a group of his underlings to sit on the ground outside the mountain gate, looking like he would not give up until he saw Long Yan.
This scene gave Uncle Da a real headache.
While the Hung Hing members were waiting, another luxurious Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up outside the mountain gate.
The car door opened, and a young man dressed in a white suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who looked refined and elegant but whose eyes revealed a hint of evil, stepped out, surrounded by several bodyguards.
He saw Boss B and the others, and a contemptuous smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Heh, Boss Wu, you're here to join the fun too?"
When Boss B saw the newcomer, his expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Handsome Kun! You're not welcome here! Get out!"
The newcomer was none other than another leader of the Hung Hing Society, known for his ruthlessness, cunning, and treachery—Brother Kun!
"Tsk tsk tsk, don't get so worked up." Handsome Kun straightened his tie, his gaze passing over Boss B and looking into the depths of the Oolong Courtyard. He said greedily, "I heard there's an extraordinary person here. Not only does he know martial arts, but he can also transform into a golden body. How can such a talented person be stuck in this poor backwater? Of course, he has to follow me, Handsome Kun, to make big money and play with the prettiest girls!"
His words were filled with naked desire and provocation.