PCJ – Chapter 341 The True Essence of Fist Techniques

In the garden, the sound of frogs echoed everywhere. The moonlight was like water, spilling across the ground like cement.

Zhang Jiaohua quietly got out of bed, gently dressed, and tiptoed out of the room. He opened the front door, stepped outside, and softly closed it behind him.

Suddenly, Drill Mountain Leopard appeared from somewhere, lightly nudging Zhang Jiaohua’s leg with its head. The fat cat also approached, but it didn’t dare get too close, trailing behind with a pitiful look, keeping a little distance.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

The little chubby monkey jumped down from a tree as well.

Zhang Jiaohua knew his actions wouldn’t escape the watchful eyes of these companions. He smiled, patted the little chubby monkey’s head, and strode toward the edge of the garden.

Though Zhang Jiaohua thought he had been discreet, he didn’t know that soon after he left, voices arose from Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye’s room.

“So early, where’s Jiaohua going?” Liu Qiaoye’s voice sounded.

“I don’t know. Don’t worry. Jiaohua will be fine. He’s a water master now. There are some things he doesn’t want us to know,” Zhang Youping replied.

“I’ve been having dreams recently. In the dreams, Jiaohua tells me, ‘Mother, I’m leaving. You and father must take care of yourselves and stay healthy.’ Then, no matter how hard I try to call out to him, no sound comes. I can only watch as Jiaohua walks away.” As Liu Qiaoye spoke, her eyes filled with tears, glistening faintly under the soft moonlight.

“You’re overthinking it. It’s been a busy time lately. Since the tea factory stopped collaborating with the city’s factory, we’ve had to find our own sales channels. It’s not easy. But I believe we’ll overcome the difficulties,” Zhang Youping said, his gaze resolute as he looked out the window.

Under the moonlight, Zhang Jiaohua moved with complete freedom, like a wild horse galloping across the plains, striding forward in the breeze. Drill Mountain Leopard, the fat cat, and the little monkey displayed their unique abilities, following closely behind him.

That day, it had taken almost half a day to climb the mountain when accompanying Luo Changjun. But Zhang Jiaohua, on his own, reached the summit in just over two hours, running at full speed without stopping.

He glanced at his glow-in-the-dark digital watch and found it was still early, with a long time until sunrise. He leaped onto the tallest boulder, stood in a horse stance, and became perfectly still, as if he had fused with the stone.

Zhang Jiaohua felt like he was merging with the peak, becoming one with the mountains and the heavens. The sensation was so real, as though he was just a hair’s breadth away from reaching a new level.

Mist began to fill the forest, thickening like smoke. When the horizon turned pale, the surrounding mountains were submerged in a sea of white waves, and all Zhang Jiaohua could see was an endless ocean of clouds. The peak he stood on felt like an isolated island floating in the clouds.

“The sun is coming up!”

Zhang Jiaohua stopped in his tracks, feeling a strange mix of excitement and anticipation for his first sunrise atop the mountain.

The clouds near the horizon turned fiery red, and the surrounding sea of clouds turned golden.

As Zhang Jiaohua watched expectantly, a piercing golden ray broke through the seam between the sky and the clouds, the first sunlight shooting out.

Zhang Jiaohua felt an indescribable change between heaven and earth.

This is it!

It was as if Zhang Jiaohua had grasped something crucial. His mind exploded into clarity.

“I understand!”

Suddenly, it was as though the bottleneck he had been stuck in had a release, like a mountain flood bursting forth. The energy between heaven and earth began to flow, and the once quiet sea of clouds around the peak surged and roiled with fury.

In the distance, the sun was slowly rising.

A voice suddenly echoed in Zhang Jiaohua’s mind, like the sound of heaven itself.

“What is movement and stillness? It begins with stillness, passes through movement, and returns to stillness. Movement and stillness cycle and change, and from this, the art of combat is born. As the military strategy says: ‘Swift as the wind, quiet as the forest, aggressive as fire, and unshakable as a mountain. Move like thunder.’ When facing an opponent, if they wait in stillness, I should respond with restraint, just as a forest appears calm. I should lure, push, and press them until their stillness turns to movement. When they move, gaps will appear, and I will strike. Therefore, one should attack movement, not stillness. If they move first, I will assess their strengths and weaknesses, attacking when the opportunity arises.”

“What is yin and yang? Yin is soft, and yang is hard.”

“What is falsehood and reality? Falsehood is empty, weak, and insubstantial, while reality is true, strong, and solid. The essence of combat lies in balancing yin and yang, falsehood and reality, in an endless cycle. When engaging, I should conceal my truth, show falsehood, avoid strength, and strike weakness. The interplay of hard and soft, and the transformation of yin and yang, lead to victory.”

“Fists follow curved paths, and steps take side doors. This is how one defeats an opponent. Master these principles, and one approaches invincibility.”

These were the true teachings of Meishan fist techniques, the real entry point to this ancient martial art.

Zhang Jiaohua’s mind was filled with images of fists. This style of fist technique was something he’d never seen before, not even taught by the old Taoist. He had no idea where these teachings had come from.

What Zhang Jiaohua didn’t know was that this was the secret of the Meishan martial arts, passed down solely among the sect’s masters.

Without thinking, Zhang Jiaohua began to move with the images in his mind, no longer standing still on the rock. He stepped and punched in harmony with the flow of energy around him. Even at his young age, Zhang Jiaohua had reached a remarkable level of skill. If other martial artists knew of this, they would surely be envious. Talent, hard work, and opportunity—all three were essential. Zhang Jiaohua had all of these. In his cultivation, he encountered almost no obstacles. His only shortcoming was the lack of a teacher. Even in his dreams, he had to rely on his own experiences.

Zhang Jiaohua became completely absorbed in his fist techniques, losing track of time.

Back at Meizi’ao Horticulture Garden, Liu Qiaoye had already prepared breakfast, but Zhang Jiaohua still hadn’t returned. Usually, no matter where he went to play, he would come back for meals on time. But today, he seemed to have forgotten the time.

“That little rascal, how is he still not back?” Liu Qiaoye glanced outside, a little worried.

Zhang Youping walked into the house, “Jiaohua hasn’t come back yet?”

“No, it’s almost time to eat. Where could he be? Normally, he doesn’t leave this early. Do you think something happened?” Liu Qiaoye asked, concerned.

“What could happen? He probably went into the mountains. The leopard and fat cat went with him, so there’s no need to worry. Besides, Jiaohua’s been in the mountains so many times, and he’s never gone hungry. Let’s eat first. This little rascal might even be fixing himself a snack in the mountains. We’ll eat now, and I’ll make sure to scold him when he gets back!” Zhang Youping, having worked all morning, was already hungry.

“Fine, I’ll save him some food. But when he gets back, I’m going to give him a good talking to.” Liu Qiaoye pouted.

“Sure, go ahead and teach him a lesson. But I bet when he comes back, you won’t be able to stay mad,” Zhang Youping chuckled. Liu Qiaoye always spoke sternly, but when Jiaohua returned, she would soften immediately, never able to say a harsh word.

But something was different that day. Even by dinnertime, Zhang Jiaohua still hadn’t returned. Now, both Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye were truly worried. They began searching the village for any trace of him.

“Dad, Mom, has Jiaohua been here today?” Zhang Youping rushed to the old house.

“What happened to Jiaohua?” Zhang Manyin and his wife immediately became anxious.

“He left early in the morning and hasn’t come back yet,” Zhang Youping explained.

“Then what are you waiting for? Get out there and search the village!” Zhang Manyin jumped up, equally concerned.

When Zhang Youlian heard that Jiaohua was missing, he quickly joined in the search as well.

At home, Zhang Dayun was carrying water back, while Luo San’nu was tending the fire at the stove.

“I just heard from the villagers that Jiaohua went out early in the morning and hasn’t returned yet. Everyone thinks he’s gone into the mountains. Who knows if he’s alright,” Zhang Dayun said as he poured the water into the tank.

“What?” Zhang Wanlai hobbled out of his room.

Luo San’nu listened closely.

“The villagers are all out searching. I brought back the water, and now I’m going to join them,” Zhang Dayun said.

“Then hurry up! The Meishan Mountains are dangerous!” Zhang Wanlai’s face was full of worry.

Jiaohua had practically grown up in their house, and they felt deeply attached to him.