Book 16: Chapter 69
It took Hong Jiu quite the effort to rein in Tang Ye’s two rampant true qis. “It’s tough for you to control the two qis since you didn’t gain them through training. Taking shortcuts is nothing special, but you need a method to the madness, or it’s just a shortcut to hell.”
“Your condition is only going to deteriorate with time.” Hong Jiu wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Did you notice that you had some semblance of control over them when you first acquired them, but then you gradually struggled and even became increasingly prone to qi deviation? It’s not purely due to your condition worsening but also your internal cultivation regressing.”
Tang Ye’s condition was beyond the comprehension of the average martial artist. Although the power was obtained through external means, it required his own body to nurture. Internal energy could not exist without flesh and all its components, which was why all that energy was useless once one was a corpse.
It had been a long time since Tang Ye was able to mobilise his energy as he usually did for the exact reasons Hong Jiu pointed out. The energies were not dormant inside him. No matter what he was doing, the two qis absorbed his cultivated internal energy to nurture his own body. While learning Ming Feizhen’s Ancient King discipline allowed the two qis to flow normally and systemise a new internal discipline’s mental cultivation, it could not prevent them devouring his original internal energy. Once they consumed all of his original true qi, they would have developed his meridians, yet he still would not have had any means of controlling them. Without his original internal energy to resist their rampage, he would eventually meet his demise. His silence signalled that he was aware of this reality.
“Brother Hong, his discipline somewhat resembles Daoism’s martial arts.”
“You noticed? That bamboo guy called him Dao, so I’m assuming he’s affiliated with Daoism.” Hong Jiu did not delve deeper into the qi discussion as he knew Tang Ye was not the type to just roll over and die, so he spent time analysing the grey-attired short man’s skills.
The short man used circular hand motions to generate force, which was a different means to the same ends as Empty Palms, but it was actually closer to Ming Feizhen’s Tai Chi, except for the fact that Tai Chi did not focus on spiral movements.
“I’ll figure it out if I fight him once more. I guarantee I can profile him if I cross fists with him again,” declared Hong Jiu, rubbing his fists. “By the way, they said something about Hangzhou going to be more and more chaotic, didn’t they? Didn’t they also mention something about two tards challenging someone to a duel, too?”
Tang Ye shook his head, then vigorously yanked his head up. “I think I know of two people who qualify for that description.”