As night fell, the four of them took shelter in an abandoned temple. Wu Tong went out and returned with some game, while Dharma King Alopen gathered wild fruits. Li Jian and Tan Wei built a fire and prepared the evening meal. After some time, Li Jian and Tan Wei called out cheerfully, "Dinner is ready!"
Wu Tong walked over alone and said, "Let's eat. Dharma King Alopen, though neither monk nor Daoist, is truly a seeker of the Way—he has kept a vegetarian diet for many years."
The group, already ravenous, quickly finished the meal.
Afterward, Wu Tong turned to Li Jian and asked, "Perhaps my eyes have grown dull—I cannot discern your master or lineage. From whom did you learn your skills?"
Li Jian replied respectfully, "Senior, just call me Li Jian. I have never formally apprenticed under a master. My grandfather taught me a family boxing style when I was young. Later, while serving as a constable, I learned Five-Element Fist. Recently, I also bought two manuals—Crab Fist and Praying Mantis Fist."
Wu Tong nodded, now understanding the young man's background. "In that case, since we've eaten our fill, why don't we have a little exchange of moves?"
Li Jian did not hesitate—instead, he revealed an unmistakable excitement. The two took their stances. Wu Tong gestured for him to begin. Li Jian cupped his fists and bowed. "My skills are shallow—please, Senior, offer your guidance!"
Wu Tong settled into a bow stance, steady and composed. Li Jian immediately launched into Crab Fist, his arms moving like pincers, attacking low. Wu Tong lifted his legs and shifted with ease, blocking with both hands but not striking back.
Li Jian changed techniques swiftly, stepping into the Seven-Star footwork and unleashing Praying Mantis Fist. His move "Iron Ox Plows the Field" flowed seamlessly into rapid short strikes. His twin sealing hands alternated fluidly, demonstrating the clever, unpredictable nature of mantis techniques.
His hands turned into hooked shapes, like twin blades slicing through the air. Yet Wu Tong remained rooted like a mountain—immovable. With a simple deflection and a quick counter, he forced Li Jian to guard. Even so, Li Jian responded well, earning Wu Tong's silent praise.
Unwilling to yield, Li Jian pressed forward with "Mantis Seeks the Path," his hooked hands striking in rapid succession. Wu Tong calmly neutralized each attack, occasionally countering. Li Jian responded with "Mantis Probes the Claw," blending feints and real strikes with impressive dexterity.
Though not a renowned martial art, Li Jian executed it skillfully.
They exchanged dozens of moves. Sweat formed on Li Jian's brow as his qi surged within him, yet his attacks did not falter. Wu Tong, meanwhile, remained composed—though on the defensive, he had already seen through Li Jian's strengths and limitations.
Suddenly, Li Jian shifted his stance and unleashed "Swift as a Hare." His movements became elusive and rapid, blending into the Five-Element Fist—Splitting, Drilling, Cannon, and Crushing fists flowed one after another, combining hardness and softness, long and short techniques in perfect rhythm.
Yet Wu Tong's defense was impenetrable. No matter how fierce the attack, it could not break through his guard. With only stable footing and precise deflections, he neutralized everything.
At last, Li Jian stepped back, smiled wryly, and bowed. "Senior, your martial arts are extraordinary. Even if I trained another twenty years, I fear I could not defeat you."
Wu Tong showed no disappointment—only admiration. His tone was firm yet sincere:
"From the perspective of a constable, your skills are already quite good. But to walk the jianghu, you need deep internal power. Your adaptability allows you to contend with ordinary高手 for a time—but in the end, you will lose due to insufficient inner strength."
He paced back and forth, thinking, then said, "Your internal cultivation is shallow—that can wait. But your external techniques cannot rely on such ordinary forms alone. How about this—I will teach you a set of Northern Abyss Palm. Consider it repayment for your act of righteousness. You must learn it well."
Li Jian was stunned. He had only acted on impulse earlier, moved by a sense of justice—and now a master of such caliber was offering to teach him. Overwhelmed, he said quickly, "Senior, your skill is unmatched—what repayment? Without the Dharma King, I would already be dead!"
Tan Wei added gently, "Even so, Uncle Tong sees your loyalty and righteousness—that is why he is willing to teach you. Why not give your thanks?"
Realizing the opportunity before him, Li Jian bowed deeply. "Senior, please accept my respect! I wish to take you as my master—would you accept me as your disciple?"
Wu Tong shook his head. "I teach you today because of your character, not to take a disciple. With your talent, given time, you will surpass me. Study diligently, and your future will be boundless. In these troubled times, all men of loyalty should aspire to uphold the realm. From now on, just call me Uncle Tong, as Wei does."
Hearing this, Li Jian recalled the hardships of recent years—his unrecognized talent, his wandering life—and tears welled in his eyes. Fate had finally brought him to a turning point.
"Uncle Tong is right," he said, deeply moved.
New to the jianghu, with his future uncertain, fortune and danger alike lay ahead.
A verse reads:
A wanderer of justice roams the jianghu wide,Who would think him once a mere scholar inside?Ask of his life—what tale shall be told?Beneath Tianshan's moon, his footsteps unfold.