chapter 88

Wu Dahu straightened up his back all of a sudden while delivering a sense of uprightness after he picked up the halberd in his hands. He Wenli was shocked standing still.

“I only demonstrated it once. How much you can learn will depend on yourself.”

And then he picked up another halberd in the same size of the one in Wu Dahu’s hands,and commenced showing right in front of Wu Dahu.

Although Wu Dahu still didn’t figure out why He Wenli would teach him how to use the weapons for long-distance attack, he fixed his gaze all of a sudden while getting his brain blank and concentrating on observing the movements of He Wenli quite carefully.

An expression of utter shock just flashed across on Wu Dahu’s face when he was absorbing in watching He Wenli’s show. Well, he had to admit that because they had just had close combat last time.

This guy should have a better skill in using weapons like halberd than any other close combat.

After realizing something like that, Wu Dahu felt a bit embarrassed when he recalled the promise he had once informed Song Qinghan that he would definitely prevail He Wenli within three months. And now, it was just an arrogant and hilarious mock Wu Dahu would think to himself.

It would be nothing to be proud of when someone just used his own forte to defeat the other by his weakness. He who did that would just be a shameful winner.

When He Wenli finished all the movements and paused all of a sudden, Wu Dahu still seemed to immerse himself in his own wonder world, with his eyes still fixed at somewhere and eyebrows sank tightly. His gaze was so empty that he seemed to sink into another world of emptiness.

He Wenli smiled, and then put the halberd back to its place, and then wiped it carefully and peacefully, he didn’t even make any sound to bother Wu Dahu.

The reason why he reminded Wu Dahu that he only demonstrated it once in advance was because the comprehension of the martial arts depended entirely on talent. If someone got no talent at all, he would just be clumsy there even people showed him thousand times of the guidance. Instead, if someone really got a talent, he could definitely learn the essence of the martial skills at just a simple glance. And even better, probably he could make a further reform from it.

Secondly, he thought that probably Wu Dahu would zone out in watching if he didn’t give him some pressure on it.

Regaining attention from the gaze for seemingly an eternity, Wu Dahu grabbed tight and then waved the halberd in his hands. He got his eyes blinking while imitating the previous movements of He Wenli.

He Wenli stood in the corner while showing a face of indifference as if he didn’t even think that Wu Dahu would succeed in copying all his movements. But the astonishment on his face deepened when he noticed Wu Dahu was actually doing quite a good job.

Although Wu Dahu was imitating with a stuttering action, he still succeeded in finishing all the crucial movements.

One needs to know that a person who is separated from his most familiar fighting skills will definitely have a process to adapt. Therefore, He Wenli could totally understand the stuttering action of Wu Dahu. Despite of that, Wu Dahu did have done a good job. And in He Wenli’s point of view, Wu Dahu could be the most potent person he had met in the same situation. He didn’t even dare to flatter himself that he could make a good use of a weapon he first used.

As Wu Dahu paused the move, he finally got himself out of the previous situation, while saying with regret, “It’s still a pity that I failed to memorize some movements. But I would praise such a weapon, I probably can kill an enemy without a move by that.”

He Wenli smiled, “It’s already a good job for you to memorize those movements! And, we’re not practicing it to kill people.”

In fact, he just intended to persuade Wu Dahu not to be so murderous, but beyond his expectation, Wu Dahu just shook his head disapprovingly and said in a low voice, “People practice it only to kill people, I think that is the final purpose of everyone who spares no effort to do so. If they can’t kill their enemy in a short time, they’re learning nothing.”

Seeing the seriousness on Wu Dahu’s face, He Wenli came to know that Wu Dahu really meant it by saying so. He sighed in his mind.

After thinking for a while, he still came to explain, saying, “You’re allowed to do whatever you would love to do if it’s in the spare time. But if you can’t even control yourself on the tournament stage, it will be just fine if you hurt or even kill the ordinary attenders, but you will get in such a great trouble if you irritate any noble for the rest of your life.”

He was kind of sincere by saying so, while he seemed to recall something about his old friend in his mind.

Wu Dahu paused and asked suddenly, “Has anyone ever encountered such a thing?”

There came a while of silence, and then He Wenli nodded and said slowly, “My senior fellow apprentice, he shared the same opinion with you that he believed defeating people within several moves was the essence of a fight. So he just treated his rival in such a consideration on the tournament stage. Everything just went smooth in the very beginning, but he killed his rival in the middle of the game which was out of his control. After that, he didn’t care much about the death of his rival because everyone who attended the game was on the sign of life and death. Things just changed after he went back home, he found his family members were all murdered. What’s worse, he even failed to get his family a justice in such a circumstance. That was when he finally figured out that he irritated someone fierce.”

“What I really want you to get informed is not that I want you to show mercy to your rival on the tournament stage, but you shouldn’t beat someone to death in any possible case. This is the essence of the martial arts.”

With a shock, Wu Dahu couldn’t help but get nervous in thinking of the scenario that Song Qinghan lied in a pool of blood. He finally get to know the care and thought of He Wenli, and then he made a bow with hands folded in front to He Wenli, while saying, “Thank you, Brother He.”

He Wenli nodded. He didn’t really care about whether Wu Dahu listened to him or just patronized him there. At least, he had tried his best to convince. As for the future stuff, it fell to Wu Dahu himself.

After their conversation, He Wenli was called away by the servant while Wu Dahu stayed still there and kept practicing the movement that He Wenli just showed him.

Probably influenced by those words of He Wenli, Wu Dahu was more immersed in his practicing the weapon. At the time when He Wenli came back, Wu Dahu was already able to show the whole set of movements.

Without a doubt, it was such a shock again as for He Wenli who was just surprised seeing that. He then pulled out the other halberd and then use it to point at Wu Dahu.

It didn’t mean that someone who was able to copy the movements could defeat the other party with that skill. It still posted a big gap between Wu Dahu and He Wenli when the two started fighting using halberd. Wu Dahu was kind of awkward with a bitter smile lingering on his face.

He Wenli didn’t miss his expression. He raised his eyebrows and asked directly, “Aren’t you still able to figure out the reason why I want you to practice the halberd?”

Wu Dahu pondered, and then shook his head, saying, “I don’t think I am.”

Noticing that Wu Dahu wasn’t pretending to be a know-it-all, He Wenli showed an expression of satisfaction, and then he gestured to Wu Dahu, motioning him to throw the weapon on the ground and ordering, “Come on, fight with me without that weapon!”

Staring at the halberd in He Wenli’s hands, Wu Dahu sank into a hesitation, as if he had no idea how to begin with. But he seemed to be quite obedient to the order from He Wenli, he pounced on He Wenli suddenly in a way he was accustomed to.

It seemed that the competition this time was far different from the last one, and He Wenli could defeat Wu Dahu with little exertion at this moment until Wu Dahu took the initiative to admit defeat.

Wu Dahu looked at He Wenli who now seemed to be quite at ease with a look of calmness, and then he complimented, “You should be quite good at using this kind of weapon, shouldn’t you? I am not sure when I can use the weapon so smoothly like you do.”

He Wenli couldn’t help laughing with resignation, and then he explained, “Don’t be so greedy, the reason why I teach you the practice of the halberd is not that I want you to focus on the weapon itself, but the way how you can recognize your enemy’s crucial weakness and fight back in time when you’re facing different rivals with various personalities.”

Wu Dahu nodded as if he had absolutely figured out everything in his mind, he pondered for a moment, and then asked in return, “So do you mean that after I get sophisticated in using this halberd thing, I will be well-prepared to face various rivals who use the same weapons while getting a prejudgment about their probable next movements according to my own understanding of it, right?”

He Wenli was stunned while showing a face of astonishment, and then immersed in a smile, saying, “You’re way better than I thought, I am just being so curious now about you to see which level you are able to reach.”

Probably someone who had been complimented like that would be so much flattered. But Wu Dahu wouldn’t, he knew exactly what shortcomings he possessed. He didn’t feel flattered at all but just inspired by He Wenli’s words while nursing an ambition in his mind.

Seeing that Wu Dahu back to his field and commenced practicing again, He Wenli nodded with satisfaction, and then went outward to guide the other apprentices.

It probably would be much easier for him if everyone in this club was like Wu Dahu who was with a good perception and strong willpower. It was just a pity that…

Looking at Xu Ziyu, who was playing around with the other trainees after applying the medicine on his shoulder, he couldn’t help sighing heavily.

By the time Wu Dahu came back to his senses, it was already noon. He hurriedly put down the halberd in hands, while he found his hands trembling because of the long-time practice. Yet it wasn’t something obvious, so he didn’t care much about that but just walked outward.

He Wenli smiled to him outside in the yard, saying with a grinning look, “The biggest difference between Liangyi Martial Club and the other places is that we offer meals by our own. Come on, I will show you there.”

Wu Dahu paused and cupped his hands together, saying gratefully, “It’s so nice of you to do that. But sorry I have to go back home and cook for my husband.”

After that, he rushed out in a flash as if he got his butt in fire.

He Wenli stared at the back of Wu Dahu, feeling wry there. He didn’t even know whether he should praise or criticize Wu Dahu right at this moment for being such a virtuous family man.

Xiao Lin, who was behind the two of them, narrowed his eyes when he noticed Wu Dahu leaving the building, something evil seemed to emerge in his mind.

When Wu Dahu arrived at the alley, he found bunch of people were cramming just right in front of their shop. And it seemed that all of the people grabbed a pack of lemon pieces in their hands, while talking about the flavor of the lemon tea.

He looked at Song Qinghan who was in beam with joy and finally he got his strained nerve a bit loosened. He quickly walked over to help carry Little Shitou who was sleeping quietly in the arms of Song Qinghan, and then he said gently, “I’ll go back home and cook, wait for me.”

Song Qinghan nodded with joy and waved his hand in the air to Wu Dahu, while urging, “Alright, alright, go back and get some rest either.”

“OK.” responded Wu Dahu, laughing, and then he turned around and left.

In fact, Song Qinghan did not expect that he would get so many customers here today. Probably it was all because of the queerly eccentric wooden board he hung right at the corner. That was the main factor attracting every passersby with curiosity to come over, they were quite curious about the goods inside the shop, and the instructions beneath.

Well, Song Qinghan didn’t even say anything at all but just delivered cups of lemon tea to every customer who was quite interested in his goods.

Basically, no one hated the flavor of lemon tea at all especially when Song Qinghan explained that the proportion of sourness and sweetness could be adjusted by personal preference. People just crammed and bought, and even some recommended it to their neighbor or friends to come and buy.