Book 15: Chapter 58

Book 15: Chapter 58

Mindless 25 Techniques was so profound that it was no easier to master than Pure Yang One Qi. Li Zizi had a knack for refining pure yang qi; the more he read and studied, the more he grasped it; the more challenging a puzzle was, the more he relished it. Learning Pure Yang One Qi boosted his confidence significantly, and he learnt it with exuberance. Although he learnt it fast, his results came from his start. In contrast, Mindless 25 Techniques was extremely difficult.

Mindless 25 Techniques didnt have anything in common with any boxing skills Li Zizi had previously learnt. It was wrong to go light, but it was also wrong to strike heavily. It was wrong to go fast, but it was also wrong to go slow. The discipline seemed unable to make up its mind, and there were parts that were hard for him to confidently claim he understood them, yet there was an indescribable element that drew him to it.

Li Zizi was able to learn Pure Yang One Qi on his own, but he needed to pose questions regarding Mindless 25 Techniques daily. Every day, hed ask Ming Feizhen for the theory, the names of the techniques, and every detail he could think of. Ming Feizhen tried to avoid the questions as best as he could, but he was intercepted when he just finished stealing food from the kitchen. With no other option left, he had to ask for brush, ink, and paper. After deliberating for a long time, Hanlin Academician Ming wrote the following names:

Point East. Strike West.

Look South. Red.

Summer plant. Autumn Harvest.

Round and Moist Midwinter.

Randomness.

Falling Water.

Nonsense.

Foot Bridge.

Success is Emptiness.

Aware that he wouldnt last long against three opponents, Li Zizi thrust his hand forward, palming Peng Caijis blade back into his chest. He allowed Peng Caiji to forcibly resist the force whilst adding a horizontal force from right to left, forcing the blade through Peng Caijis arm!

Though he managed to amputate Peng Caiji, the side effects of Pure Yang One Qi had Li Zizis head spinning again. Ever since he stared combining Mindless 25 Techniques and Pure Yang One Qi together, he didnt suffer the side effects. He realised too late that, every time he finished executing a technique, the new energy created for the next movement was faster than his imagination. In other words, every strike was 100% power, and 100% speed. He genuinely felt close to invincible.

Li Zizi had defeated three opponents, but one remained. The big man had lost his weapon somewhere in the forest far away. His arm was a reck, and he was hurt badly elsewhere, too, but he was hellbent on killing the young Prince. Despite his rage, however, he didnt dare to take another step closer to Li Zizi.

All of a sudden, a branch sprouted from the big mans forehead. Li Zizi thought the branch he stashed in his sash wouldnt come in handy, yet it really was an effective weapon.

Li Zizi, still holding his throwing pose, heaved heavy breaths. He wanted to turn around and tell his mentor sitting on the wall that he had succeeded, but his body no longer supported his endeavour.

That took a little too long.

Li Zizi felt a warmth akin to a father coil around him as his vision blackened.

Glossary

Mindless 25 Techniques The text Ming Feizhen wrote actually rhymes, which probably factored in his name choices. I attempted to make it rhyme, but I couldnt do it while keeping the translation still correct. Maybe there is someone who can, but that person isnt going to be me.

As for the total number of names not adding up to 25, this is due to them counting two characters as one technique (see Point East. Strike West.). However, some of them are linked, so the only way to do that would be to split words like Randomness into Random and Ness, which doesnt quite work in English without turning it into something completely incomprehensible. For this reason, I have to do some rewriting in the text, such as Randomness being rewritten as two techniques.

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