Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 34 - Spiritual Crane Body
Chapter 34: Chapter 34 “Spiritual Crane Body
Chapter 34 -34 “Spiritual Crane Body
“Uncle, aren’t you my father’s only younger brother?”
Hearing his nephew’s question, Mr.
Xu’s dark face couldn’t help but flush with embarrassment, and then he flew into a rage, pointing at the incense burner in front of him and said, “You devil kin, finding rapport as soon as you meet, squatting by the door asking people to become sworn brothers, you have tarnished the traditions of the Xu Family!”
His nephew, looking at the incense table behind him, spoke with obvious confusion in his tone, “The traditions of the…
Xu Family?”
“You!”
“It’s true, just look at whose nephew I am, and who taught me as a disciple…”
“Alright alright, let it go, the child is young and doesn’t understand,” Zheng Fa stepped in front of Mr.
Xu’s much older nephew, pleading with Mr.
Xu, “Talk nicely, teach nicely, don’t get physical!”
Mr.
Xu, looking at Zheng Fa, became even more embarrassed, his raised palm awkwardly fell, and he said in a low voice, “I have made a fool of myself in front of you…”
Zheng Fa knew that without offering some words of comfort right now, Mr.
Xu might not want to see him ever again in his life.
He looked into Mr.
Xu’s eyes and said, “Leaving aside the grace you’ve shown me by teaching me, I also heard the young master say before, Mr.
Xu, you want to take me as your disciple.
I’m actually always grateful for your high regard.”
Upon hearing this, Mr.
Xu quickly waved his hand, but his complexion became much more natural.
“You are uncarved jade without me…”
“Without Mr.
Xu looking out for me, I may not have even had the chance to remain by Seventh Young Master’s side as Attendant Student, let alone experience what I have today!”
As Zheng Fa said this, even though both uncle and nephew knew his words were primarily to comfort them, the sincerity in his tone eased the awkward atmosphere.
“About today’s event,” Mr.
Xu sighed, his face turning serious, “it’s because of this ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ that I lost my normal state of mind.”
“‘Spiritual Crane Body’?” Upon hearing that today’s troubles were due to the martial arts tome in front of Mr.
Xu, Zheng Fa couldn’t help but look curiously at those few books.
“This is what the lady has asked me to teach you, one of the Zhao Mansion’s closely guarded secrets.
Remember, once you’ve learned it, you must not impart it to anyone else without the lady’s permission!” As he spoke, Mr.
Xu’s previously amiable face took on a solemn cast.
Zheng Fa nodded, but in his heart, he still had doubts, “Is the martial art ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ really that important?”
“Very much so!” Mr.
Xu seemed to want to say more, but then he noticed his eavesdropping nephew to the side and pointed to the doorway, “Out you go!”
“Huh?”
“Get out!”
Seeing Mr.
Xu’s stern face, although somewhat reluctant, his nephew still looked back three times with each step as he walked out the door.
Mr.
Xu stood up and tightly closed the door.
Outside was his little disciple, also his nephew, yet he was still so cautious.
Obviously, he took matters related to ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ very seriously.
“Do you know why, when I was teaching you ‘Songhe Stance’ before, I looked down on other martial arts schools?”
“Because our Zhao Family’s martial arts are Immortal Sect traditions, like the Songhe Stance, which, once mastered, can prolong life,” Zheng Fa recalled what he had said before.
“The tradition is true, and the longevity is true too,” Mr.
Xu’s voice lowered, “But the most important reason is that only martial arts, passed down from the Immortal Sect like those of our Zhao Family, once mastered, allow one to seek the path through martial arts!”
“Seek the path through martial arts?” Zheng Fa couldn’t help but turn his gaze to the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’.
“I’m not exactly sure what seeking the path through martial arts entails, but there has always been such a legend in the martial world, that one can join the Immortal Sect through it.
What’s more important is that our Zhao Family claims to be from the Immortal Sect, and we have such a saying too!” He turned to look at ‘Spiritual Crane Body’: “When the lady passed this onto me, she personally told me, this is the martial arts for seeking the path.”
“At that time, I also thought, perhaps once I’ve mastered it, I could enter the Immortal Sect as well!”
Zheng Fa nodded in understanding of the preciousness of ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ and Mr.
Xu’s caution.
“But…
Mr.
Xu, haven’t you practiced it?
Then why…”
Zheng Fa’s words didn’t finish, it was not appropriate for him to say, why are you still so eagerly…
ah, trying to please me?
Mr.
Xu seemed to understand what he meant, his face a bit embarrassed, yet after a moment, he smiled at himself in self-mockery: “I thought I had let go.”
“Hmm?” Zheng Fa vaguely guessed his meaning.
“Zheng Fa, do you know how long I have been with the Zhao Family?”
“Not sure.”
“Like you, I was also born into the Zhao Family, growing up in the household since childhood, and now it has been fifty-five years.
Fortunately for me, I’ve been in Zhao Mansion since a young age and gained favor, starting to learn martial arts when I was ten.”
Mr.
Xu seemed like a middle-aged man, but unexpectedly, he was already over fifty, clearly having achieved success in his martial arts practice.
A hint of memory crossed his face as he continued to speak: “I had good aptitude, and within ten years, I distinguished myself among the Protectors and was promoted to be an instructor.
By the age of twenty, I had already become a top expert in the martial world, believing that the world was so vast, there was so much I could achieve!”
Zheng Fa didn’t speak; he waited for Mr.
Xu to continue the story.
“At that time, the lady saw that I had great talent and rewarded me with this ‘Spiritual Crane Body.'” Mr.
Xu’s fingers pinched the edge of the table tightly, his knuckles turning white with the veins standing out: “Back then, my ambition soared above the skies, hearing that this martial art could lead one to join the Immortal Sect, I was naturally overjoyed, resolutely determined to master the Spiritual Crane Body, to transcend the ordinary and ascend as an Immortal!”
At this point, his fingers slowly relaxed, and a bitter smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
“You probably have guessed what happened next; I didn’t succeed.”
Zheng Fa nodded, but Mr.
Xu’s next statement still took him by surprise.
“Do you know how many years I wasted trying to practice the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’?”
“Twenty years!”
Mr.
Xu’s voice was filled with bitterness: “For a full twenty years!
I studied the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ every day, keeping the texts with me even while eating and sleeping, like a madman, yet I gained nothing.”
Zheng Fa hadn’t expected the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ to be so difficult to practice as described by Mr.
Xu.
At this moment, Mr.
Xu no longer resembled the burly man Zheng Fa knew, his expression filled with vicissitudes: “By the time I woke up from my dreams, I realized that time was a thief; twenty years had slipped by in vain.”
“No wife, no child, achieving nothing, my lofty aspirations scattered to the wind, only then did I resolve to set down the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ and returned the texts to the lady.”
There was silence in the room, the only echo was Mr.
Xu’s unspoken regret.
After a long while, Mr.
Xu shook his head, his face carrying a complex smile as he broke the silence: “I’ve heard that the lady wants to teach you the ‘Spiritual Crane Body,’ thinking your talent exceeds mine, perhaps you can master this martial art.”
Zheng Fa knew in his heart, going by what Mr.
Xu said, that his talent might not be better.
“I selfishly thought to establish a good connection with you first.
Thinking if one day you manage to practice it, I could ask you for guidance, still harbouring hope to master this ‘Spiritual Crane Body,’ claiming to have let go, but still filled with delusions.” Saying that, he gave Zheng Fa a respectful cupped-hand salute: “Unexpectedly, I made a fool of myself in front of you.”
Zheng Fa didn’t think Mr.
Xu was too delusional; anyone who had wasted half their life on the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ would find it hard not to fall victim to the Heart Demon.
“Enough of this, take the ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ back with you.
The lady asked me to teach you but, to be honest, I have little to teach.
What I have grasped might even lead you astray.”
Zheng took the texts, just as he stood up, he heard Mr.
Xu say: “Zheng Fa, I have another impolite request…”
“Hmm?”
“The ‘Spiritual Crane Body’ is difficult to practice, and I don’t know how many years it will take for you to succeed, but if you do make something of it, even if I’m dead, you must tell me by my grave.” Mr.
Xu turned away, not looking at Zheng Fa, his tone heavy: “Let me know that this idea of achieving the way through martial arts is not illusory, that my half a life…
was not a joke!”
“Forget it, if you can’t succeed in a few years, then don’t continue practicing.” Zheng Fa nodded, and as he turned to leave, he heard Mr.
Xu’s voice, somewhat somber:
“Don’t end up like me.”
