Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 12 Insidious Cotton Palm
Han Yun cupped his hands in greeting: "I humbly accept your instruction!"

Tang Zongyi sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it. If you want to learn from all schools of thought, listen to me and don't develop your career in Tianjin for now."

"Otherwise, if you go knocking on their doors one by one, those with good personalities might have a proper exchange with you, while those with bad personalities might either take advantage of their age or gather a group of people to teach you a lesson."

"It's thanks to your earlier statement that once we leave this door, nothing will get out, otherwise I wouldn't have really gone all out. Otherwise, when people come to challenge me, it should be a fight to the death, not just a test of skill."

"Of course, I might not be your match either," Tang Zongyi said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Upon hearing this, Han Yun felt a surge of relief.

If he were to fight the other party and accidentally kill him, not only would he become an enemy, but Tang Zongyi was, after all, a descendant of the Northern Shaolin, and the Shaolin lineage had always been closely connected.

In other words, he almost clashed with the righteous Shaolin sect. Would he have benefited from that?
So Han Yun respectfully asked, "Then where do you think I should go next?"

After thinking for a moment, Tang Zongyi said, "Going to the capital is problematic. Firstly, the capital is a melting pot of all sorts of people, with various factions and deeply entrenched power. Since you are determined to learn all kinds of skills, you can't avoid it."

"Secondly, things are different in the capital than in Tianjin. If you're not capable enough and lose face, you can only accept it and try to get back at them yourself. If you try to settle scores later, you'll only be looked down upon."

"According to what they say, it's disgraceful. Men have pride and can't afford to lose face. It's not fair or honest in how they handle things."

"After the capital, you can go south, north, or east as you please. To the south you can go to Zhili and Changshan, to the north you can go to the grasslands and the Northeast, and to the west you can go to Shaanxi Province. The places are different and the traditions are different. You should go and see them to broaden your horizons."

"I don't know much about the places further away. You have to make your own way. The family business is here, so I rarely travel far."

Upon hearing the other person's words, Han Yun immediately nodded in agreement and then thanked them, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, senior!"

Tang Zongyi looked at him with admiration, and then suddenly said, "It is said that all martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin. My Northern Shaolin lineage does not care about passing on its heritage, but it is only when it meets someone who is compatible with it."

"I see that your movement skills are now quite good, and you can travel around without much trouble. However, your hand skills are lacking. I wonder if you would be interested in learning one?"

Han Yun was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly clasped his hands in a deep bow: "I couldn't be happier! I hope you can give me your guidance, senior!"

Tang Zongyi then led Han Yun to his study, and then left directly. Han Yun waited there for a while, and a short time later, Tang Zongyi returned.

"These are all traditions passed down through my Northern Shaolin lineage. Which ones would you like to learn?"

Tang Zongyi casually placed a thick stack of books on the ground and said something without any concern.

Han Yun also marveled at the profound heritage of the Northern Shaolin Temple, judging from the casual attitude of the Tang family head, who treated it as if it were just a cabbage by the roadside.

Han Yun picked up a book at random, which had the words "Northern Shaolin Cotton Palm" written on it.

"Cotton palm?"

"Isn't that Wudang's signature move?" Han Yun asked curiously.

"The principles of martial arts are universal. Although there may be differences, the basic concepts are largely the same. Taoism has the Cotton Palm technique, so why can't Buddhism have it?"

After speaking, Tang Zongyi walked straight to a blue stone in the courtyard without waiting for Han Yun's response.

He took a deep breath, slightly bent the five fingers of his right hand, palm down, and slowly pressed it onto the surface of the bluestone.

Just as Han Yun was wondering, he suddenly heard a crisp "crack" sound. The surface of the bluestone cracked like a spider web, but Tang Zongyi's hand seemed to have not exerted any brute force, and even his sleeves did not tremble in the slightest.

Han Yun's pupils contracted slightly.

Tang Zongyi finished his stance and exhaled, leaving a clear palm print on the stone: "The Northern Shaolin Cotton Palm may seem soft, but it actually penetrates deep into the internal organs. Unlike the Wudang Cotton Palm, which combines softness and strength, it emphasizes external softness and internal strength. If used on a person, it will not cause external injury, but it will sever the meridians inside."

Han Yun was startled and immediately clasped his hands in greeting: "Please enlighten me, senior!" Tang Zongyi stroked his beard and smiled: "Alright! Watch carefully!"

Before he finished speaking, his figure suddenly moved like an old ape, his palms drawing smooth arcs in the sunlight, sometimes like pushing mountains and filling seas, sometimes like twisting the wick of a lamp. Wherever his palm wind passed, the old plum tree in the corner of the courtyard rustled and fell into a vortex with the force of his energy.

Before long, the plum blossoms were crushed and fell into Tang Zongyi's hands, turning into mud.

"Lend a hand?"

Tang Zongyi extended an invitation to Han Yun.

Han Yun walked up to Tang Zongyi and extended his palm. Just as their palms touched, he felt a sharp pain, which made him quickly withdraw his hand.

"Hahaha!"

Tang Zongyi laughed and said, "This is the unique feature of Shaolin Cotton Palm. It is like a needle hidden in cotton, which can both capture other objects and penetrate to the bone!"

"How do you think it compares to Wudang Cotton Palm?"

Han Yun thought for a moment and said, "They should each have their own strengths!"

Tang Zongyi nodded: "The strength of the techniques may vary, but in the end it all comes down to the different people who use them. Even someone as strong as the old Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain can use a single punch or kick with overwhelming power, and he can beat someone without even needing to slap them twice."

Han Yun, filled with curiosity, asked, "What, have you seen it before?"

Tang Zongyi laughed and said, "I was fortunate enough to hear my grandfather mention it once. It seems to have been on the birthday of the Lu family patriarch. The old master was still young then, and he slapped Lu Jin, one of the Ten Elders, until he cried."

Upon hearing this, Han Yun's lips twitched. It seemed that quite a few people knew about this dark history!
"By the way, don't tell anyone, and don't say I told you," Tang Zongyi reminded him.

"Don't worry, you're welcome!"

Han Yun assured him, "I definitely won't tell anyone in private."

But whether he'll say it openly or not, he can't guarantee.

Tang Zongyi nodded and asked, "So, is there any skill you'd like to choose?"

Han Yun thought for a moment, then looked at the remaining few martial arts manuals, and finally chose the Cotton Palm manual. The reason was simple: it was insidious enough!

According to Tang Zongyi, if one's Cotton Palm skill is practiced to the highest level, one can exert force freely, allowing the mixed force of innate Qi to penetrate into the internal organs without one's awareness, and then explode suddenly after lying dormant in the body for a few days.

It can be described as killing someone without them even realizing it.

As everyone knows, Under One Person is a shonen anime for older viewers.

He's still young, so naturally he has to be a bit cunning!

Just follow tradition!
After bidding farewell to Tang Zongyi, Han Yun took a carriage and headed towards Kyoto.

At this time, in the Tang family compound.

The old steward stood straight in front of Tang Zongyi, who respectfully asked, "Father, why did you ask me to give you the cultivation technique for free?"

The old man pondered for a moment and said, "That lad is no ordinary person, and he's ambitious. Investing in him while he's young and forging a connection with him won't be a bad thing."

"All martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin. Ah, without these karmic connections, how could Shaolin stand shoulder to shoulder with those ancestral temples of Taoism?"

(End of this chapter)