Riding the wind of rebirth

"Anyway, I practiced by watching your instructional videos, so if I didn't practice well, it seems like you weren't a good teacher," Zhou Zhi said with a smile.

To make it easier for Master Gu to practice when he was away, Zhou Zhi filmed Yang Honghui's Tai Chi Chuan and sword routines and made them into teaching materials that demonstrated both sides of the routine.

This material was later discovered by Chi Xueli, who thought it was a great teaching demonstration and requested it to be broadcast on television. It was later selected as an excellent teaching material and gained considerable influence. Eventually, she even started selling videotapes of it.

These videotapes, recommended by the Sports Commission, were popular with senior citizen universities, television universities, and local closed-circuit radio stations across the country. Although they were also pirated, it did not prevent Yang Honghui from becoming a small-time millionaire through videotape copyright royalties.

The only regret is that he is only famous among retired old men and women; young girls like Ah Zi still don't know who he is.

Due to the climate, Liangshan Prefecture rarely experiences frost, making the wiregrass on the riverbanks feel very comfortable to walk on.

Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao first practiced a set of "skills before an expert," and then followed Yang Honghui to practice a set of boxing. Having an expert to guide them made a difference; Yang Honghui could spot many minor problems and bad habits that were not easily noticed, and even incorrect breathing.

After learning from them, Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao both felt they had benefited greatly. Yang Honghui, however, praised them instead: "With your current level, you two could easily lead a class in the community. Honghong, you really should learn from Zhouzi and Xiaomiao. It's easy to learn, but hard to stick to it. You just lack perseverance."

"Why should I insist on this?" Liang Hong said dismissively. "Can't I insist on playing basketball and long-distance running?"

"See? This is what happens when you don't cherish things that are too easily obtained." Zhou Zhi smiled at Mai Xiaomiao and said, "Having a Wuying-level coach by your side is nothing special."

"Stop talking!" Liang Hong raised the long sword in her hand to threaten Zhou Zhi to shut up, then laughed and said, "Little Miao is not bad. This sword is much heavier than the sword used for performances. You can handle it without any problems."

"It didn't work at first either, but after about six months, I think I got used to it," Mai Xiaomiao said.

"Actually, to achieve the desired training effect, a hard sword is better than a soft sword," Yang Honghui said.

"I have a question," Zhou Zhi asked. "If you only practice swordsmanship, won't you become unbalanced and end up like a fiddler crab?"

"Hahahaha..." Yang Honghui burst out laughing. A fiddler crab has one small claw and one large claw, which would indeed look comical if it landed on a person: "Look at me, am I unbalanced?"

No, but Zhou Zhi was still worried: "Could it be because you often practice with other equipment?"

“Even when practicing other weapons that seem to be balanced between the left and right, such as the eyebrow-level staff or the six-harmony spear, they are actually unbalanced,” Yang Honghui said with a smile. “Most people use their left leg and left hand to handle simple and weight-bearing movements, while their right leg and right hand handle complex but flexible movements. The design of martial arts movements itself takes this requirement into account.”

“However, the problem you mentioned does exist, so we will also have some specific training,” Yang Honghui said. “Taking Tai Chi sword as an example, you need to practice the sword finger posture first, and then let the sword finger lead and guide the right hand to exercise, forming the feeling of ‘finger leading sword’, and establishing the memory of the left hand’s power. Once the feeling is formed, you can put the sword in the left hand and the finger in the right hand, and start mirror practice.”

"Actually, there's another trick," Yang Honghui said with a smile. "Of course, I don't recommend it. It's to practice without a sword, using your fingers to form a sword finger in both hands. Imagine the sword is in your left or right hand. First, develop muscle memory, and once you're familiar with it, then move on to equipment. Start with a light plastic sword or a bamboo or wooden sword, and gradually transition to a real sword."

"There are so many ways." Zhou Zhi handed the sword to his left hand, tried it out but it didn't work, so he tried the sword finger technique instead: "There's really no end to learning anything."

“Since you’ve thought of this, then let’s get started.” Yang Honghui took Zhou Zhi’s longsword. “Then I’ll demonstrate a left-handed sword routine, which will also serve as a substitute for this morning’s practice.” He might break his back carrying a heavy load, but a master would find it effortless. Yang Honghui’s left-handed swordplay was equally fluid, without a single flaw in his movements. Even difficult single-leg stances were performed with rock-solid stability, as if he were born left-handed.

When you just watch sports, it's easy to feel like "I could do that too." Only by practicing yourself can you truly understand how big the gap is between you and a master.

Yang Honghui's left-hand movements were far superior to Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao's. After he finished demonstrating a set of sword techniques, the two watched with great excitement, clapping wildly. Mai Xiaomiao exclaimed, "Wow, Brother Honghui, you're amazing! Is this real swordsmanship?"

"It depends on how you look at it. What we have now is still swordsmanship for performance, or swordsmanship to demonstrate physical abilities," Yang Honghui said with a smile. "It is not the kind of swordsmanship used as a weapon. Although it originally came from the skills of using weapons, after so many years of evolution, it is quite different from the earliest kung fu."

"Have you ever learned that kind of swordsmanship?" Mai Xiaomiao asked innocently.

“I haven’t learned it.” Yang Honghui laughed. “In today’s society, you can’t carry a sword around, so even if you did learn it, it would be useless. If you really want to learn, you might as well learn the baton that Zhong Gang invented.”

"In ancient China, there was a weapon similar in use to a baton called the iron ruler. It was a skill used by constables to catch thieves in ancient times."

The baton was actually invented by Zhou Zhi, but Zhou Zhi made it Zhao Zhonggang's patent, which won him the opportunity to transfer to a higher position and stay in Chengdu. Upon hearing this, he quickly stopped him: "Our Xiao Miao is a good child, don't teach her bad habits!"

“Exactly, learning that is not advisable. The best way is to avoid conflicts with others and leave any problems to the police.” Liang Hong said, “Just exercise. Let’s go, I’m getting hungry.”

It was only seven o'clock when they got back to the grain station. After breakfast, before everyone else had gotten up, Zhou Zhi took Yang Honghui to the horse pen, led the horses out, and taught Yang Honghui and Liang Hong how to saddle and bridle.

Liang Hong was a reckless and daring girl. In middle school, she dared to walk on a steel pipe bridge with boys. Even a horse's big head couldn't scare her.

Having the courage to interact with animals is the first step. You need to have the courage to interact with them before you have the opportunity to do so, and only then can you develop a tacit understanding with them.

"You make it sound like you're in love." Liang Hong rolled her eyes at Zhou Zhi, then patted her horse's neck and said to it, "Let me tell you, I can tame even a Wuying-level athlete, so you'd better know your place!"

Yang Honghui: "..."

The four men mounted their horses. Zhou Zhi led Yang Honghui, while Mai Xiaomiao guided Liang Hong. The four horses then began to walk out of the grain station.

"Hey Black Dragon, you're here too!" As she walked to the door, Mai Xiaomiao saw Black Dragon in the yard, who was so anxious that he almost shouted "Take me with you!" and called out to him.

Black Dragon immediately stuck out its tongue and followed along, running to the front of the horse team to act as the lead caravan.

"I really want to have a dog," Yang Honghui sighed. "Something like Heilong, but not something like Tangyuan."

Tangyuan is Guan Tingting's dog. The dog was originally intelligent, but because it was too clever and pampered, it has now become a bit cunning and opportunistic, playing favorites and disloyalties. (End of Chapter)