Chương 86: An Jin

The Song Manor. Hearing Song Que's question, Hui Wu paused for a moment before laughing heartily and agreeing.

"To think Benefactor Song has never received any guidance from a master! Yet you have achieved such a level today! Truly remarkable!"

"Very well. Today, this humble monk shall help you resolve your doubts." Hearing Hui Wu agree, Song Que was thrilled and secretly clenched his fists in excitement.

"An Jin, to put it plainly, is vibrational force! For example, when you draw a bowstring taut and then release it, you will see the bowstring vibrating continuously. That is An Jin."

"If we consider our bones as the bow and our tendons as the bowstring, as long as we find the appropriate method of training, generating An Jin is not difficult." Following that, Hui Wu provided Song Que with an incredibly detailed explanation of force—from Ming Jin to An Jin, and how to distribute this force throughout the entire body. Many doubts and bottlenecks Song Que had encountered in his martial arts training were instantly cleared up!

Song Que greedily devoured every word Hui Wu spoke, terrified of missing a single important detail! Having a renowned master for guidance is truly different! Hui Wu's knowledge of force was systematically structured, allowing the listener to easily connect the dots and comprehend it! After a long explanation, Hui Wu began to offer practical, hands-on guidance. The two skipped lunch and continued their session until the afternoon. Only when Song Que felt completely free of doubts did they finally stop, satisfied....

Seeing that the sky was growing dark, having received such a massive favor from Hui Wu, how could Song Que let him leave now? He hurriedly insisted the monk stay.

"Master Hui Wu, it is getting late; why not stay the night at my home? I am deeply grateful for your guidance today! Please give me the opportunity to properly play the host!" Having talked the entire day, Hui Wu was indeed feeling a bit hungry. Moreover, he found Song Que quite agreeable. Without putting on airs, he quickly nodded and agreed. Grandee Song was overjoyed:"Let me show you to your room so you can wash up and change your clothes, Master. I wonder, do you have any specific dietary restrictions?"

"Amitabha. Thank you for your trouble, Benefactor Song. Just prepare a few plates of rice and vegetables for me; that will be fine." An honored guest has arrived—how can I be so stingy?! Grandee Song was naturally dissatisfied:"Master, do you abstain from alcohol? If possible, how about we share a few cups today?"

"Mm... actually, I don't abstain. Drinking a little is fine." Hui Wu thought for a moment before replying in a low voice, his face slightly flushed.

"Excellent! Then please wash up first, Master, while I head to the kitchen to prepare a few dishes!" In his past life, the precepts for monks had been relaxed significantly, so a monk drinking alcohol wasn't strange to him at all. Therefore, his face didn't show the slightest hint of surprise. Seeing this, Hui Wu's somewhat anxious heart settled down.... Today, 'MasterChef Song' wanted to show off his skills!

Afraid Hui Wu wouldn't want to interact with others, Song Que prepared a table just for the two of them in his room. With his limited knowledge of vegetarian cuisine, he hastily prepared a few vegetable and tofu stir-fries. The rest of the table consisted mainly of meat dishes he loved. Having skipped lunch, Song Que felt he could eat an entire cow right now! Once everything was ready and Xiong Ba had taken the pets to eat elsewhere, Song Que knocked on the door to invite Hui Wu to the feast.

Looking at the table overflowing with dishes, Hui Wu sighed:"Benefactor Song, you are too thoughtful! I fear this much food will go to waste." The vegetarian food prepared for the guest consisted of only a meager two or three dishes in the corner, while the rest was for himself. Being praised like this made Song Que feel a bit embarrassed.

"My appetite is rather large, so I made quite a bit. Please don't take offense, Master." Filling two cups with wine, Song Que raised his cup gratefully:"Please, Master Hui Wu! This is a fine wine I brewed myself! Thank you again for imparting your martial knowledge today! I will remember this favor for the rest of my life!"

"Benefactor Song is too polite. It was merely a small matter. Please." The two raised their cups and downed the wine. As it slid down his throat, a fiery, burning sensation spread, causing Hui Wu's eyes to light up: Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"Fine wine! Benefactor Song possesses excellent craftsmanship!"

"Haha, just something I tinkered with in my free time. Are you sure you'll be alright drinking alcohol, Master?"

"Alcohol is made from grain, so what harm is there? The Buddha warned against alcohol for fear it would cloud the mind and cause one to lose compassion. As long as this humble monk maintains a steadfast Buddhist heart, what difference is there between alcohol and grain?" Hui Wu explained with a gentle smile.

"Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart! The Master's grasp of Buddhist dharma is profound! I am full of admiration!"" Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart..." Muttering Song Que's phrase, Hui Wu's eyes shone with brilliant starlight as he loudly praised:"Excellent! You truly possess profound roots of wisdom! Benefactor Song, you have an incredible affinity with the Buddha!

For you not to take refuge in Buddhism is truly a waste of heaven's gifts!" Holy crap, had no master in this era ever said that phrase before?! I acted too cool! Song Que secretly wiped a bead of sweat, hurriedly changing the subject, afraid Hui Wu would want to discuss Buddhist philosophy with him!

"We can talk about that later! We can talk about that later! Master Hui Wu, please, try the food!"

"Then this humble monk shall not hold back! Benefactor Song's dishes look and smell exquisite; I have been eager to taste them! Please!" Saying that, he picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of pork trotter, popped it into his mouth, and slowly chewed and savored it.

"The skin is crispy, the meat is tender and chewy, and the flavor is perfect! Benefactor Song's culinary skills are truly unmatched!"

"The Master praises me too highly." Grandee Song hurriedly replied, then lowered his head to pour wine to hide his awkwardness. F ck my life. * Eating meat and drinking wine so smoothly and naturally—this definitely wasn't his first time breaking the precepts! This guy is a 100% veteran repeat offender! This monk is absolutely no ordinary character! You definitely shouldn't be fooled by his compassionate and merciful exterior! As expected, the ancients were right: don't judge a book by its cover!

Especially people like Hui Wu, whose faces are extremely deceptive! But this was actually very good. At least now he felt this monk was still human, no longer the ethereal, transcendent being separated from the mortal coil he appeared to be earlier. The distance between them shrank significantly....

"Haha, Brother Song, come! This braised carp with pickled mustard greens—the fish is tender and naturally sweet, the pickled greens are crispy, and the broth has a slight sourness. Combined with the rich flavor of pork fat and a hint of spiciness, it's an absolute perfect match! Have a cup!"

"Cheers!"...

"Brother Hui Wu, thank you again for today! Let's toast to this!"

"Haha, just a small matter! Cheers!"...

"To today's clear and boundless sky! Cheers!"...

"To world peace! Cheers!" Before long, the two were slinging their arms over each other's shoulders like lifelong friends, stopping just short of sacrificing a chicken to become sworn brothers! Jug after jug of wine was emptied! Neither was willing to admit defeat to the other's alcohol tolerance! It wasn't until late into the night, when every single dish on the table had been wiped completely clean, that the two regretfully ended the feast, stumbling and swaying their way back to their respective rooms to rest.

The dedicated little servant Wukong was still awake. Having waited and watched until his master went to sleep, he scratched his head, hopped out, and nimbly cleared the dishes and chopsticks. In this house, only the little monkey is reliable and gets things done! Those other little rascals just create more work for you and can't be relied on for anything!... Early next morning.

Hui Wu walked out of his room looking refreshed and energetic, only to see Song Que, Xiong Ba, and Li Xin practicing boxing in the courtyard.

"Amitabha. Benefactor Song possesses extraordinary talent yet remains so diligent and hardworking. This humble monk feels inadequate." Seeing this guy putting on his 'untainted by the mortal dust' act again, Song Que was utterly speechless. If they hadn't been eating meat and drinking wine together just yesterday, Grandee Song might have actually believed this guy was an enlightened high monk!

"Brother Hui Wu, it's just us here, there's no need to act so painstakingly!"

"Haha, it's a habit, a habit! Please don't mind it, Brother Song!" Hui Wu embarrassedly rubbed his bald head and replied sheepishly.

"Did you rest well last night, Brother Hui Wu?"

"Very well! Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Song."

"Don't mention it! I should be thanking you! I gained some insights yesterday; how about we exchange a few moves?"

"No problem! It's a good way to stretch the muscles this morning!" Hui Wu readily agreed. The two quickly began to spar. Back and forth, the exchange of offense and defense flipped in the blink of an eye, leaving a series of afterimages! Standing on the side, Xiong Ba and Li Xin couldn't even keep up with their movements! Compared to yesterday, Song Que's techniques were much more fluid and natural, and he faintly felt he was gaining control of the tempo!

Fighting against him, even Hui Wu couldn't help but offer praise:"Brother Song has excellent comprehension! You have already begun to grasp the tempo! When fighting others, you must remember never to be led by the opponent's rhythm, or you will eventually be defeated!" For the rest of the time, Hui Wu primarily guided him on how to seize the tempo and pull the fight into his own rhythm, as well as how to break an opponent's momentum. The two—one teaching, one learning—were extremely focused.

They only took a short break to invite Hui Wu to enjoy a bowl of Aunt Li's pork offal congee before resuming their practical combat training. It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky and Hui Wu saw that Song Que had largely grasped the concepts that he finally stopped.

"Brother Song, I have taught you everything I can regarding this. You have grasped the fundamentals quite well. Now, you only need continuous practice to reach the pinnacle of perfection, turning it into sheer instinct."

"Brother Hui Wu, must you leave?" Hearing his tone, Song Que asked in confusion.

"Amitabha. There is no feast in this world that does not come to an end. To have befriended a young hero like you, Brother Song, is a great blessing for this humble monk. This trip down the mountain was not in vain!"

"This humble monk now wishes to go on a pilgrimage in all directions, to observe the myriad states of humanity and explore the mortal world, so I will not linger any longer. I bid you farewell."

"Brother Hui Wu, staying a few more days before leaving wouldn't be too late! I still have many exquisite dishes I haven't had the chance to treat you to! At least have a meal before you go!" Hearing him bid farewell, Song Que felt reluctant to let him go. Although this bald head was an unqualified monk, as a friend, he was absolutely worth cultivating a deep bond with! Despite their short time together, Song Que could tell his heart was pure and he treated others with sincerity.

"Amitabha." Hui Wu only smiled, pressed his palms together, and chanted the Buddha's name:"If there is destiny, we can meet even if separated by a thousand miles! Brother Song has a profound affinity with the Buddha; we will certainly meet again! It won't be too late for this humble monk to enjoy your culinary skills next time! I bid you farewell." Saying that, he turned and walked away gracefully, without the slightest hesitation or muddiness, truly exuding the demeanor of a high monk.