Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

At dawn, the crowing of roosters came from the east end of the village, one after another, waking Xiqiao Village from its slumber.

Lin Wei stayed at the village committee's guesthouse. The guesthouse window faced east, and light streamed in just before dawn. She opened her eyes, lay down for a while, and listened to the sounds outside the window—someone carrying buckets of water walked past the door, the iron hooks clanging against the rims of the buckets; in the distance came the soft rustling of a broom sweeping the floor, one stroke at a time, unhurried and steady.

She got up, washed up quickly, and opened the door.

The morning mist hadn't completely dissipated, and a few icicles hung from the eaves of the houses along the village road, shimmering in the morning light. The air was crisp and cool; a breath filled my lungs with the scent of firewood and earth.

She walked along the village road towards Cang Lifeng's house. She had visited Cang Lifeng's house yesterday after dinner. His house was even more shabby than she had imagined; it was still a mud-brick house. When Cang Lifeng took her to the guesthouse to rest, he told her that he had originally planned to use some of his earnings to build a house for his family. However, Cang Zhenye firmly disagreed. His reason was that his company was still in its early stages and needed money for various purposes. He said that as long as the house was habitable, there was no rush.

Along the way, she encountered several early-rising villagers. They greeted her warmly, saying, "Good morning, Reporter Lin!"

She responded to each one with a smile.

Soon, she arrived at Cang Lifeng's house. Pushing open the courtyard gate, she saw Cang Lifeng, shirtless, wielding a nine-section whip in the yard.

Lin Wei didn't disturb him, but simply stood at the courtyard gate watching quietly. The early spring morning breeze was still a bit chilly, but a thin layer of sweat had already seeped onto his back, glistening in the dim morning light. In his hands, the nine-section whip was like a living silver dragon, sometimes coiling around him, sometimes slicing through the air, the sound of the whip tip tearing through the air crisp and sharp.

Cang Xiangrong stood on the steps, his legs ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on his elder brother's every move. Cang Tianci stood beside Cang Xiangrong. His eyes were also fixed on his elder brother in the center of the room, lost in thought. Cang Xiangyang sat on the threshold, a carving knife in his hand, carefully carving something on a piece of wood, occasionally glancing up before looking down again.

Lin Wei watched the agile figure in the arena, watched the silver whip flashing in the morning light, watched the sweat trickling down his back along the lines of his muscles—she suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't know when it had started, but her heart had already opened to this man. Perhaps it was last winter in the hospital ward, when he held her brother's hand and didn't sleep a wink all night; perhaps it was even earlier, at the South City bus station, when he fends off a pickpocket for her. She couldn't say. She only knew that standing here in this simple farmhouse courtyard, watching him practice his boxing in the morning light, she felt a reassuring, unwavering warmth in her heart, like a winter's fireplace.

The nine-section whip cracked in the air with a crisp sound. Cang Lifeng stopped his attack, his breathing steady. He turned around, saw Lin Wei standing at the door, smiled, and turned to get the clothes hanging on the clothesline.

Cang Lifeng finished dressing and walked up to Lin Wei, saying, "It's so cold, why didn't you sleep a little longer? What are you doing up so early?"

Lin Wei smiled and said, "I couldn't fall back asleep after waking up, so I decided to get up and walk around. I didn't expect you guys to be up even earlier. I hope I didn't disturb you?"

After she finished speaking, she walked up to Cang Xiangyang and was about to speak when she saw Cang Tianci make a shushing gesture.

Cang Lifeng walked to her side and lowered his voice, saying, "Xiang Yang is extremely focused when he's working. He's carving a wooden statue for me right now."

Lin Wei followed his gaze.

Cang Xiangyang sat on the threshold, his back slightly hunched, like a fully drawn bow. Morning light shone from the east, falling on his right hand, which held the carving knife. His hand was steady, as if it were an extension of the wood. The tip of the knife moved across the wood, small shavings curling up and settling thinly on his knees, his feet, and the stone threshold, revealing the wood's natural grain. His breathing was light and slow, as if afraid to disturb the lines carved by the knife. His brow was slightly furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line, his whole being seemingly absorbed in the moment. Occasionally, he would pause, hold the wood to his eyes, squint for a few seconds, his thumb gently tracing the curve he had just carved, as if confirming something, before continuing to carve.

Cang Lifeng stood next to Lin Wei, looking at Cang Xiangyang with satisfaction. He was happy that his younger brother had found his passion.

Cang Xiangrong walked down the steps and stood in front of Cang Lifeng. He said softly, "Brother, the last strike of your whip just now seemed to have a different force than before."

Cang Lifeng withdrew his gaze and nodded. "You noticed?" He walked to the center of the courtyard, untied the nine-section whip from his waist, and held it in his hand, saying, "Before, the power came from the flicking of the wrist. The whip tip was fast, but the power was scattered. Now it's different. Now it starts from the feet—the feet push off the ground, the power travels to the waist, the waist leads the shoulders, the shoulders drive the elbows, the elbows move the wrists, and finally to the tip of the whip. The whole line is connected."

Cang Xiangrong nodded thoughtfully. Cang Tianci walked over from the side and chimed in, "This is the same principle as the 'power originates from the feet' in the Thirteen Postures of Tai Chi."

Cang Lifeng glanced at Tianci, smiled, coiled the nine-section whip in his hand, and turned to Xiang Rong: "The grappling and fighting you learned at military school might be difficult to deal with if you encounter a large number of people wielding knives. Come on, demonstrate the fight on the bus that day. Tianci and I will watch from the side and see if we can find a more effortless way to resolve the situation."

Cang Xiangrong thought for a moment, then walked to the middle of the courtyard. He closed his eyes, recalling the scene on the bus that day, gesturing as he spoke. Cang Lifeng and Cang Tianci watched from the side, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones.

After the demonstration, Cang Tianci walked up to Xiang Rong and said, "Brother Xiang Rong, when you twisted off his first knife, your attention was entirely on his right hand. You thought he only had one knife, so you relaxed. When he reached for his folding knife with his left hand, you weren't on guard at all. You should have kept your grip on him after twisting off the knife and kept him pinned down."

Cang Lifeng continued, "Also, after you finish one, don't rush to attack the next. Use his body to block the one behind him, giving yourself time to adjust your position."

Cang Xiangrong mentally reviewed their words, nodded, and said, "I'll remember."

Cang Tianci added, "Brother Xiang Rong, my master taught me a saying, 'Intention precedes action.' It's not about waiting for the opponent to make a move before figuring out how to respond; it's about knowing what they will do before they even make a move."

Cang Xiangrong was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "How do you practice this?"

"You can't train it. But if you practice standing meditation for a long time, your body will learn it on its own."

"What stance are you standing on?"

Cang Tianci thought for a moment and smiled, "The Three-Body Stance is the mother stance of Sun-style boxing. Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, and Taijiquan all originate from it. Once you've mastered this stance, everything else will naturally fall into place. Coach Chen from the sports school taught me this style of boxing; he's a third-generation successor of Sun-style martial arts."

Cang Lifeng chimed in, "I've heard of this style of boxing before. Its founder was Sun Lutang. He's said to be the undisputed master of modern internal martial arts, known as 'Tiger-Headed Young Guardian, the Number One Hand in the World.' I never imagined you'd have this opportunity. Come on, spar with me and let me see just how powerful this style really is."

"Brother, I haven't been learning for long, and I haven't mastered it yet," Cang Tianci quickly declined.

"Silly boy, we're not really fighting, just sparring. I'll hold back. Try to use the Sun-style boxing techniques for offense and defense. I want to see what the Sun-style boxing is all about."

"Okay, brother." Cang Tianci had no choice but to agree.

Cang Tianci walked to the center of the courtyard and stood opposite Cang Lifeng. The morning light shone from the east, casting long, overlapping shadows of the two men.

Cang Lifeng flexed his wrists, a smile playing on his lips. "Don't be nervous, just treat it like a regular sparring session. Whatever move you make, I'll counter."

Cang Tianci took a deep breath, and the Hidden Dragon Technique slowly circulated within his body. He spread his feet apart, lowered his center of gravity, and let his hands hang naturally at his sides. This was the starting stance of the Three-Body Stance.

Cang Lifeng's eyes narrowed slightly. He had never seen Tianci stand in this stance before, but as soon as he saw it, he knew it was no ordinary person.

"Come on," Cang Lifeng said.

Cang Tianci took a half step forward with his left foot, his right hand reaching out from his waist, palm facing down, and cleaving down along the center line with solid force. Cang Lifeng dodged to the side, his left hand naturally grabbing Tianci's forearm, trying to deflect him with a Wing Chun "spreading hand" move. But Tianci's arm seemed to be coated with oil, sinking down with his force, the chopping punch turning into a drilling punch, rising from below and heading straight for Cang Lifeng's chin.

Cang Lifeng was startled and tilted his head back. At the same time, he thrust his right index finger towards Tianci's Jianjing acupoint.

Tianci slightly turned his body, tucking his shoulders inward. Cang Lifeng's finger brushed past his shoulder, missing its mark. At the same time, Tianci's left hand was already on Cang Lifeng's right elbow, gently pulling it in the direction of the finger's strike. Cang Lifeng felt his arm being pulled forward by a supple force, involuntarily extending it an inch further.

"Good!" Cang Lifeng shouted, his waist and hips suddenly sinking, forcefully intercepting the pulling force. His body was rooted to the ground like a nail, not being pulled off course. But he knew in his heart that if he hadn't been prepared, he would have lost his balance in that area just now.

The two separated and confronted each other again.

Cang Lifeng looked at Tianci with surprise in his eyes, but even more so with relief.

"Is that hunched-over posture of yours from Sun-style boxing?"

"Yes. If you stand in the Three-Body Stance for a long time, your body will naturally follow suit. This is what it means for the mind and body to move in unison," Tianci said.

Cang Lifeng nodded. He remembered what his master, Chen Jiren, had said: "Where the mind goes, the energy follows; where the energy goes, the strength follows." Tianci was talking about the same principle.

He exclaimed, "Tianci, you've surpassed me!"

Tianci lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly and said, "It's because my brother and the masters taught me well."

Cang Lifeng waved his hand and said, "Even if you teach well, you still have to be able to learn it." He turned to Xiang Rong and Xiang Yang and said, "Look at you both, Tianci is now the best in kung fu among us. As the eldest brother, I'm very proud."

The brothers all laughed.

Cang Xiangyang stood up from the threshold, put away the carving knife and wood, and walked over to say, "Tianci, teach us the essentials of the Three-Body Stance. I think carving and standing meditation are based on the same principle: the mind must be calm and the hands must be steady."

Cang Xiangrong stepped forward as well: "I'll learn too."

Cang Lifeng looked at his three younger brothers and said with a smile, "Alright, we three older brothers will now take this youngest brother as our master. Come on, let's greet Master Cang."

The group laughed even louder.

Lin Wei stood to the side, watching the four brothers standing in the courtyard. The morning light shone from the east, falling on the four of them and gilding them with a warm gold, like four trees standing side by side, their roots planted in the same soil, their branches reaching towards different skies.

She lowered her head, took out her notebook, and wrote a line: "Four brothers, four lamps, protecting each other and lighting each other's way."

Just then, Su Yumei's voice came from inside the house: "Dinner's ready!"

Cang Lifeng waved his hand and laughed, "Brothers, let's fill our stomachs first, and then we'll come and ask our Master Cang for guidance."

Everyone laughed again.

Cang Xiangyang handed the finished wooden carving to his elder brother: "Brother, here, it's done."

Cang Lifeng took the wood carving, held it in his palm, and examined it closely:

The wooden sculpture of Cang Lifeng was bare-chested, his waist slightly twisted. He swung the nine-section whip from his right hand, the tip still spinning in the air. The muscles on his back were clearly defined, his shoulder blades were slightly raised as if about to open up, and even the scars on his left rib and right shoulder were not missing.

"Well done!" he exclaimed.

"It looks so much like it!" Cang Xiangrong exclaimed. "Xiangyang, you have to carve one for me too."

Lin Wei also stepped forward and said, "Lifeng, let me take a look."

Cang Lifeng handed it over.

Lin Wei took it, holding it in her palm to admire it closely, praising, "Excellent! I never knew Xiangyang had such talent." She looked at Cang Xiangyang and asked, "Xiangyang, could you carve one for me?"

Cang Xiangyang didn't speak, but turned and went back into the house. The others were a little surprised and followed him in, only Cang Tianci smiled slightly.

Cang Xiangyang came out of his room, holding a wooden statue in his hands. The statue had short, ear-length hair, delicate features, a camera bag slung over its shoulder, and a slight smile on its lips—it was Lin Wei.

"Sister Lin Wei, this is yours." Cang Xiangyang handed over Lin Wei's wooden carving.

Lin Wei took it, held it in her hands, and examined it from all angles. The wood carving wasn't large, but it was very detailed; even the buttons on the camera bag were carved out.

"This was rushed out by Brother Xiangyang last night. He said that Sister Lin Wei rarely comes to Xiqiao Village and will only stay for a day or two, so he wanted to give her a souvenir," Cang Tianci added.

Lin Wei suddenly felt a lump in her throat, her eyes welling up, and she said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Xiangyang, thank you!"

Cang Lifeng looked at the wooden sculpture in his hand, then at Lin Wei's, and suddenly said, "Lin Wei, let's talk about something."

"What's up?"

"I... I'll give you my wooden statue, and you can have yours, how about that?"

Lin Wei paused for a moment. She looked down at the wooden sculpture in her hand, then at the one Cang Lifeng had handed her, her face flushing slightly. After thinking for a moment, she took the sculpture from Cang Lifeng and gave him her own.

Cang Xiangyang, Cang Xiangrong, and Cang Tianci all laughed when they saw this.

Breakfast was served, and the family sat down around the square table. Su Yumei kept piling food into Lin Wei's bowl, and Lin Wei kept saying, "That's enough, that's enough," but the bowl was still piled high with food.

Cang Lifeng sat next to Lin Wei, looked at the small mountain of food in her bowl, smiled, and said nothing.

Outside the window, the morning light had risen higher, falling on the courtyard wall, on the branches of the old locust tree, and on the windowsill of the kitchen.

The End of "Seeking the Way Across the Vast Land, Part 1: Guarding the Lamp"