Chapter 19 - 18: Becoming a Disciple
The Eagle Claw Technique is composed of eighteen sets of Leg Techniques, eighteen sets of Claw Techniques, and eighteen sets of Body Techniques. These fifty-four sets combine to form the complete Martial Art.
Of course.
Virtually all students in the Outer Courtyard of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall had learned the moves, but generating real power with them was not so simple.
Zhang He’s face was a mask of surprise. "He’s already completely learned and mastered the Eagle Claw Technique!"
Ye Langtian also looked astonished. His eyes widened as he spoke in a tone of disbelief, "But Xu Qing hasn’t come to the Cangying Martial Arts Hall to train since the fourth day! How could he have possibly mastered the Eagle Claw Technique?"
"He actually knows it."
Du Luan’s eyes held a hint of surprise.
"He’s decent enough."
Du Cangying nodded.
"However..."
Du Cangying’s tone shifted. "Just learning and mastering the Eagle Claw Technique isn’t enough. It’s only a fighting method, which is much easier than a Training Technique."
Ye Langtian nodded quickly. "Even if Xu Qing has perfected the Eagle Claw Technique, there’s no way he could have mastered the Cyan Eagle Force."
"Xu Qing."
The next moment.
Du Luan’s eyes flashed. She reached out, seemingly using a martial art that could manipulate objects from a distance, and snatched a brick from the ground nearby.
SWISH!
Then.
Du Luan threw the brick at Xu Qing.
"Eagle Claw Technique."
CRACK!
Xu Qing heard the sound of something slicing through the air. He looked over and saw a brick flying straight at him. Channeling his Cyan Eagle Force, he condensed a sharp Ming Jin.
Break!
Xu Qing struck, shattering the incoming brick. It exploded into pieces in mid-air, which then scattered across the ground.
"Hoo..."
Xu Qing let out a long breath and slowly relaxed his stance.
Instantly.
The scene fell silent.
"He... He actually mastered it..."
Zhang He stood frozen, staring at the brick Xu Qing had shattered with a single blow. He was completely dumbfounded. ’How is this possible? Xu Qing has never come to the Cangying Martial Arts Hall to train!’
"N-No! This... this is impossible!"
Ye Langtian was in shock. He stared blankly at the rubble on the ground, then looked back at Xu Qing. "How could you have mastered the Cyan Eagle Force, too? You couldn’t have! It took even me nearly a month to master it, so how could you have done it in such a short time? Most importantly, you only trained for three days and haven’t set foot in the Cangying Martial Arts Hall since the fourth!"
"I... I don’t believe it... I don’t believe it..."
"Enough."
Du Cangying’s voice was soft but firm.
"!!!"
Ye Langtian and Zhang He both jolted. They quickly snapped back to their senses, awakened from their shock, and lowered their heads, not daring to say another word.
"Junior Brother Xu, I didn’t expect you to actually master it."
At that moment.
Du Luan directly addressed Xu Qing as "Junior Brother Xu," indicating that the Second Senior Sister of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall had acknowledged him. It also meant that Xu Qing had passed Du Cangying’s test.
"Reporting to Second Senior Sister, your junior brother was merely lucky," Xu Qing replied.
"There’s no such thing as luck with this."
Du Luan pursed her lips.
"Indeed."
Du Cangying also nodded with considerable satisfaction. He sized up Xu Qing, then beckoned to him. "Come here."
"Yes."
Xu Qing nodded respectfully and walked over to Du Cangying.
"Hold out your hand," Du Cangying said.
"Yes."
Xu Qing obediently extended his right hand.
"Mm."
Du Cangying reached out and grabbed Xu Qing’s wrist. Vaguely, Xu Qing felt a faint, almost imperceptible Power seep into his body.
’It’s fine.’
Ming Jin and An Jin were, by nature, a type of Power that existed somewhere between the illusory and the real. Forged from the strength of flesh, blood, tendons, and bone, it could be condensed when used and would seem nonexistent when dormant.
"Not bad, not bad at all."
A moment later.
Du Cangying released Xu Qing’s hand, a satisfied smile on his face. "You truly have excellent bone structure. Although you’re a little behind Huo Yi and Du Luan, your Talent is easily in the top three among all the disciples of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall."
"What?!"
This time.
Ye Langtian was completely and utterly floored.
"Hiss..."
Zhang He sucked in a sharp breath.
Shocking.
It was truly shocking.
"Xu Qing."
Du Cangying called out. "I now ask you, are you willing to enter my tutelage and become an Official Disciple of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall?"
"This disciple is willing."
Xu Qing clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
"Good."
Du Cangying nodded. "Kneel and kowtow."
"Yes."
Xu Qing didn’t hesitate. Since he had already decided to take Du Cangying as his master, it was only natural to perform the formal ceremony. He knelt before Du Cangying and kowtowed three resounding times.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
"Disciple Xu Qing pays his respects to Master," Xu Qing said.
"Good, good, good."
Du Cangying laughed heartily, his excellent mood plain to see. He bent down and personally helped Xu Qing to his feet.
"Thank you, Master," Xu Qing said.
"Mm."
Du Cangying nodded. "Go stand next to your Second Senior Sister."
"Yes."
Xu Qing obediently walked over to Du Luan’s side.
"Junior Brother Xu, you did really well this time," Du Luan whispered.
"Second Senior Sister flatters me," Xu Qing replied.
"Ye Langtian."
Du Cangying spoke in a flat tone. "It’s your turn."
"Yes, Hall Master."
Ye Langtian took a deep breath. He had just been dealt a heavy blow. He thought he was a genius, only to be surpassed by Xu Qing, a person he had looked down on.
Moreover.
Ye Langtian had always believed Xu Qing was an unlucky person, and that such a person could never achieve anything significant in their life.
But the result was Xu Qing slapping him squarely in the face. Not only had Xu Qing achieved something, but his achievement was considerable, and the Talent and aptitude he displayed surpassed Ye Langtian’s own.
"Hoo..."
Ye Langtian took another deep breath, steeling himself. He cast aside the distracting thoughts in his mind and focused on demonstrating the Eagle Claw Technique he had learned.
At the same time.
BANG!
CRACK!
With a crisp sound, Ye Langtian also shattered a brick with one strike, proving that he, too, had mastered the Upper Chapter of Cyan Eagle Force and condensed Ming Jin.
However.
Because of Xu Qing’s earlier demonstration and the awe he had inspired in Du Cangying, the fact that Ye Langtian had mastered the Upper Chapter of Cyan Eagle Force in twenty-six days didn’t bring Du Cangying much shock or joy.
Ye Langtian certainly had a talent for Martial Arts, being able to master the Upper Chapter of Cyan Eagle Force within a month. But among the many Official Disciples of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall, his talent could only be considered average.
"Ye Langtian, are you willing to enter my Cangying Martial Arts Hall?" Du Cangying asked.
One could hear the difference.
When Du Cangying questioned Xu Qing, he asked if Xu Qing was willing to take him as a master. When he questioned Ye Langtian, however, he asked if he was willing to enter the Cangying Martial Arts Hall.
The two offers were clearly different.
𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
"This disciple is willing."
Ye Langtian also had to kowtow and perform the rite.
"Good."
Du Cangying nodded.
"Zhang He."
Du Cangying’s gaze fell on Zhang He. "Take Ye Langtian to the Inner Courtyard. An Instructor from the Inner Courtyard will teach him the Middle Chapter of Cyan Eagle Force."
"Yes."
Zhang He nodded respectfully.
"Ye Langtian, follow me," Zhang He said.
"Yes."
Ye Langtian opened his mouth. He glanced at Xu Qing standing beside Du Luan, and though he wanted to ask why Xu Qing wasn’t coming with them, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to do it.
It was obvious.
Xu Qing and Ye Langtian were being treated completely differently.
Based on the circumstances.
Xu Qing would likely receive personal instruction from Du Cangying himself.
Involuntarily.
Feelings of envy and jealousy toward Xu Qing welled up in Ye Langtian’s heart. He took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself.
’Xu Qing has become an Official Disciple of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall and is held in such high regard by the Hall Master. I can’t afford to make an enemy of him. I should even try to build a good relationship with him.’ Ye Langtian thought to himself. ’Also, I should send someone to find out more about Xu Qing’s situation.’
In the courtyard.
Only Du Cangying, Du Luan, and Xu Qing remained.
"Follow me," Du Cangying said in a faint tone.
"Hurry up and follow," Du Luan called out.
"Yes."
Xu Qing nodded respectfully and followed Du Cangying and Du Luan back into the main building.
Inside.
"Xu Qing."
Du Cangying sat in a lounge chair while Du Luan stood obediently behind him, gently massaging his shoulders. She glanced at Xu Qing several times.
"Master," Xu Qing responded.
"There are some things I must tell you," Du Cangying said.
"This disciple will be sure to remember Master’s teachings," Xu Qing said.
Du Cangying spoke slowly, "Qingbei Town is divided into the Inner City and the Outer City. The Cangying Martial Arts Hall is one of the Three Great Martial Arts Halls in the Outer City, and we hold a position of considerable importance here."
"Generally speaking."
"As the strongest martial forces in the Outer City of Qingbei Town, the Three Great Martial Arts Halls can act with impunity, as long as we don’t provoke the Inner City. And even the Inner City has to show our Cangying Martial Arts Hall some deference."
"This..."
Xu Qing was taken aback. If what Du Cangying said was true, the status of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall was incredibly high.
This also meant.
That Xu Qing had underestimated the position of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall from the very beginning.
After all.
The fact that anyone could join the Martial Arts Hall as long as they could pay the tuition had created the misleading impression that its status wasn’t very high.
In reality.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
"There is one more thing," Du Cangying continued. "You have just performed the discipleship ceremony, kowtowed three times, and received my acknowledgment. You can be considered my Official Disciple."
"Ye Langtian is different. He is the young master of the Ye Family. Although his talent is acceptable, it is far inferior to yours. Therefore, he can only be considered a Registered Disciple."