Chapter 2, There Are People Behind.

The old man shook his head and said, "Aren't you afraid that I will call the police after I leave?"

The old man's words remain as convoluted as ever: "What I mean is, just suppose—suppose I were to catch you and hand you over to the police, what would you think?"

Self-comforting proved to be of little effect, and You Fang increasingly sensed that someone was watching him. How to describe it? If you close your eyes and another person points a pen tip at your forehead, you would instinctively feel a sense of tension. At this moment, You Fang's tension originated from his back, and he felt that the follower was getting closer, almost pressing against him.

You Fang refrained from looking back and instead focused all his attention on his footsteps. The elders in the countryside had once mentioned the precautions for walking at night; if one feels an overwhelming presence of yin energy and becomes unsettled, one must not turn back abruptly. A person has three flames on their shoulders and head that can ward off evil, and a sudden twist of the head may extinguish one of them.

The old man's expression seemed quite satisfied as he reached out to stroke his chin and said with a smile, "Very good, very good. You consider yourself a person of the jianghu. Earlier, you mentioned that you have no grievances or grudges and do not wish to kill me to silence me. Then, you must have a grudge against Li Qiuping and his group, right"

The force exerted by a person's forearm when extended outward is significantly less than when it is drawn inward, a fact determined by muscle structure. When the opponent extends their arm straight, applying force from the outside will naturally cause their arm to bend inward. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Youfang turns his arm inward and presses down, penetrating into the opponent's elbow bend. He then flips outward and upward, extending his five fingers into a claw shape to hook onto the opponent's shoulder, effectively entangling the opponent's arm with one of his own. This technique employs the twisting python strength found in Xingyi Quan. Youfang seizes this opportunity to turn his arm inward and press down, penetrating into the opponent's elbow bend, then flipping outward and upward, extending his five fingers into a claw shape to hook onto the opponent's shoulder, effectively entangling the opponent's arm with one of his own, utilizing the twisting python strength from Xingyi Quan.

The old man pursed his lips and nodded: "Hmm, that makes sense. Your hands and feet are very clean! What if I were to catch you right now and hand you over to the police?"

The so-called "Python Grip" involves the arms wrapping around the opponent like a large python. By exerting force and shaking the body while stepping back, the opponent will stumble forward and lose their balance. Although the old man is quick, he merely shrugs and extends one arm, which is too far from his center of gravity, leaving an opening. In an instant, he is caught by the wandering fighter. This is a technique of grappling, but it is not merely a deadlock; it combines restraint with strikes, which can cause injury.

The wandering third uncle roams the world performing arts, having practiced martial arts his entire life. He is somewhat aware of the realm of "responding to every touch, expressing feelings as they arise," yet he remains in a state of confusion, always lacking a breakthrough. As he ages, his strength gradually wanes, making it impossible for him to achieve mastery in this lifetime. On the other hand, the skills of You and the library have barely reached the realm of "strength follows intention, movement is guided by the heart," but they still lack a touch of refinement, thus not qualifying as true mastery.

The old man's movements were as swift as a ghost. For an ordinary person, this moment would often trigger an instinctive reaction to close their eyes and turn their head away. However, Youfang widened his eyes, took a half step back to the left, and raised his right hand to block. The outer side of his forearm exerted force against the same area of his opponent. As soon as their arms made contact, he did not apply excessive force but immediately extended his arm inward, executing a drill and a flip.

Youfang involuntarily thought of the eight characters "Responding to every touch, expressing as one feels"—this represents the profound realm of martial arts. When he was young and practiced martial arts, he often heard his third uncle boast and talk about it, saying that there are three levels of advanced martial arts. Most people practice martial arts merely to stretch their muscles and bones, and if practiced incorrectly, it can easily lead to injury. Only when one reaches the realm of "the force follows the intention, and the movements are guided by the heart" can it be considered true skill

He is dressed in a light gray Zhongshan suit, tailored to fit well and with a very elegant style, making him appear quite spirited and even somewhat imposing. If this old man were not here, he would not seem out of place sitting on the podium in a television news broadcast. His complexion is rosy and radiant, with slight wrinkles, and his expression is very amiable, even carrying a hint of playfulness that belies his age

The phrase "the force follows intention, and movement is guided by the heart" is merely the threshold of advanced skill, yet this very threshold blocks the vast majority of people. It signifies that one has thoroughly mastered both the obvious and subtle energies, with strong and healthy muscles, bones, and organs, allowing the mind and intention to mobilize the entire body and exert force through the three gates. While it may sound esoteric, in reality, it simply means having a more responsive and agile body, and it does not imply that one can defeat a dozen well-trained strong men with just a pair of fists.

His hair is about two inches long, slightly wavy, with most of the roots being black and the tips silver-white. It is difficult to determine this person's age from their appearance; one could say they are in their sixties or seventies, or even in their eighties or nineties. In any case, they are an elderly person

You Fang was greatly shocked upon hearing this. His feelings throughout the journey had indeed been correct. It seemed that this old man had been watching him since last night. He had witnessed the scene of murder and arson in the cornfield but did not intervene, only revealing himself now after following him all this way. Who exactly is this person? It seems unlikely that he is a police officer, nor is he part of the Kuanghu gang. What could his purpose be in approaching me?

The old man was not tall, only about 1.6 meters, with a well-proportioned figure and agile movements. He was just two steps behind the traveler, and with a turn, they were face to face. In that instant, the old man suddenly retracted his neck and, like a ghost, retreated to a distance of about three meters, moving with the grace of a monkey leaping across a ravine, and he was even jumping backward—his agility and leg strength were impressive.

With both arms entwined, what is being tested here is the strength of the muscles and bones. As the saying goes, the young are feared in combat; although the old man possesses high martial skills, the wandering practitioner does not believe that at such an advanced age he can match his physical strength. The twisting python technique has three variations in its application. The first is the collapsing twist; if the opponent's muscles and bones are not strong enough, this arm can be twisted into several segments. The second is to grip the upper arm and apply a twisting force downward, which can dislocate all the joints from the shoulder to the wrist.

Is it an illusion? Even if it is an illusion, Youfang has no choice but to turn around, and this action of turning around is very beautiful

He was speculating about the old man's intentions. Generally, when a crime is committed and it attracts the attention of outsiders, if the other party does not report it to the police but instead comes to confront him, it is highly likely—about eight or nine times out of ten—that it is for the purpose of extortion. At this moment, the most probable scenario was that the old man intended to coerce him into doing something. While he felt uncertain and was racking his brain for a countermeasure, Youfang tried his best to maintain a smile, appearing relaxed and confident.

This is a movement that involves suddenly turning around while walking, allowing for an immediate attack at any moment. Although the explanation may seem simple, executing it accurately and swiftly requires specialized practice. One must be able to suddenly lift a foot backward while walking, as well as deliver a frontal punch. Although Youfang is merely suspicious, he executes the martial arts stance with utmost precision.

At this moment, Youfang had already realized that he was no match for the old man. In this exchange, he lost not only in skill but also in spirit. After standing firm and catching his breath, he said: "Senior, your skills are remarkable. I humbly concede. There is no need for further testing; please speak your mind!"

"Young man, how do you walk? You startled me!" The old man frowned and questioned as he turned to face the wandering traveler.

The old man squinted his small eyes, and his expression always gave the impression that he was up to no good. With a cheerful smile, he said: "I don't mean anything else, just want to test your capabilities... You are quite interesting, this is your first time killing someone, right? Your hands are relatively clean, not bad, not bad, you have potential. It's just a pity that you are too ruthless in your dealings!"

The old man blinked his eyes, seemingly reminding: "Murder to silence, I have seen all the good deeds you have done"

You Fang no longer smiled and replied to the book in a serious manner: "Since ancient times, the rules of the jianghu have been that one must take responsibility for their own actions. If I do not want to be caught by the police, then I must acknowledge that if I am caught, it is due to my own actions, and there is nothing more to say"

In the midst of astonishment, the old man suddenly exclaimed, "Your skills are quite impressive, lend a hand!" Without any warning, he launched an attack, taking a swift step forward, extending his right hand with two fingers aimed at the eyes of Youfang.

The next level of attainment is described as "responsive to every touch, expressing feelings as they arise," which approaches the realm of legend. It is said that certain individuals, having reached a profound level of mastery, possess an energy in their movements, whether walking, sitting, or lying down, without leaving a trace. Even when asleep, if someone gazes at them with malice through a window, they can awaken instantly. The ancients also used the phrase "the cicada senses the autumn wind before it stirs" to illustrate this; it is not an inexplicable intuition, but rather a natural sensitivity. At this level of mastery, the practice has not only strengthened the muscles and bones but seems to have permeated the spirit as well.

The old man did not pursue the advantage; instead, he stood in place, rubbing his arm, and said with a somewhat surprised expression: "Young man, from your earlier move, I can see that you do not seem to be a cruel and vicious person. You still held back, not wanting to ruin this old arm of mine"

If there is indeed someone behind him, that person must be stepping in the same rhythm as Youfang, completely masking the sound of their footsteps. However, Youfang cannot articulate why he feels this way; he only senses an intuitive awareness with each step he takes, feeling that someone behind him is approaching, matching his pace more closely with each passing moment.

This is what is commonly referred to in martial arts novels as the "Dividing Tendons and Dislocating Bones Technique," though it is not as exaggerated as the legends suggest. The joints dislocated in this manner are not merely ordinary dislocations; they are accompanied by ligament tears, and even if they can be reset, there is a possibility of leaving behind disabilities. Regarding this unfamiliar old man of unknown origin, Youfang did not wish to harm him inexplicably, so he employed the third variation, which is a conventional joint-locking grappling technique.

When it comes to action, it truly is just a fleeting thought. With a twist of the arm, Youfang felt that the old man's arm seemed quite "sticky," as if it were an eel trying to slip away. He took the opportunity to hook the opponent's shoulder while simultaneously using his left hand to grasp the opponent's elbow. If he managed to secure the hold, pulling back and pressing down would cause half of the old man's body to bend down, thus rendering him incapable of resistance.

Traveling monk, at a loss for words: "We are complete strangers, with no grievances or enmities. Why would I want to ruin you?"

The wanderer truly cannot understand what this old man is contemplating. He has revealed his own acts of murder and arson on hetushu.com, neither avoiding the situation nor reporting it to the authorities. Instead, he pursues him relentlessly and even reminds him not to forget to eliminate witnesses, which is indeed strange! Helplessly, he said: "I do not wish to kill to silence others. If I were to do so, how would I be any different from those I have killed? ... Since you are worried that I might kill to silence witnesses, then let us part ways here; we remain strangers to each other."

You Fang felt a numbness throughout half of his body, and his arm went limp, causing him to step back twice before he could steady himself. Not only was his right arm numb, but his right leg also throbbed with pain. The kick he delivered to the mad fox last night had strained this leg due to excessive force from his nervousness, and while it usually felt fine, the internal energy emitted by the old man now coursed through his arm into his body, making it difficult for You Fang to endure.

As the saying goes, "When launching a low kick, do not lower your head." When executing a low kick, one should not look down at the opponent's groin; instead, with a slight forward lean of the shoulders, the toes can be flicked out, making the movement more discreet. Of course, Youfang did not lower his gaze towards the old man's lower body. After turning his body, the old man had already jumped away, without any unnecessary movements. However, the old man surprisingly "sensed" the attack that Youfang intended to unleash but had not yet executed.

There really is someone behind, Youfang was startled and taken aback; it was an old man!

Such individuals are difficult to deal with; they can anticipate their opponents' moves and understand how to seek fortune while avoiding danger. Achieving this level cannot be accomplished merely through hard work; one must possess excellent aptitude and insight, and may even need the opportunity to receive secret teachings. At this level of skill, there are often special training methods that are not recorded in publicly available martial arts manuals.

Youfang is still laughing: "In terms of skill, perhaps I am not as good as you, but since ancient times, the young have always been favored in combat. I may fight with all my might, and it is not certain that I cannot drive you back."

In a moment of reflection, I recalled these thoughts. The old man before me was quite remarkable. I dared not be negligent in my demeanor as a wandering practitioner, so I cupped my fists and, following the old customs, respectfully inquired: "Senior, may I ask what guidance you have for me?"

The old man exaggeratedly glared: "You, being so young, how can you speak like that? This is a public road; you can walk, and so can I. You are not blocking my way! ... On the contrary, it is you, a complete stranger, who harbors malicious intent, wanting to ruin the lineage of this old man?"

At the same time, one must also pay attention to not let one's footsteps become chaotic; it is essential to walk straight and step steadily, adjusting one's breathing to match the rhythm of the steps. Otherwise, one may easily encounter strange occurrences akin to hitting a wall. You Fang has never believed in ghosts or monsters, but at this moment, feeling unsettled, he naturally follows the customs of folklore, stepping in accordance with them, even though it is impossible to encounter anything like hitting a wall while walking on this national highway

In that instant, You Fang suddenly felt a shiver run through him. If his arm were a python, then the old man's arm had suddenly transformed into a red-hot iron rod, becoming stiff and straight from being soft, employing the explosive force characteristic of boxing techniques. Even through the clothing, there was a sensation as if all the hairs on the old man's arm had stood on end like needles.

As for the higher realm, it is referred to as "both form and spirit are marvelous, in harmony with the true way"; this is almost mythical and perhaps can only be found in the shadows of Mr. Jin Yong's martial arts novels, as it has never been seen in reality. My third uncle also cannot clarify the specifics, only mentioning in passing during moments of boasting that martial arts have transcended the realm of transformation, and the transition from martial to Dao is equivalent to the "completion of the golden elixir" as described in ancient legends of practitioners.

Isn't this a case of turning the tables? You Fang, not letting his guard down, responded with a mix of laughter and exasperation: "Elder, is this how you walk? Following someone so closely, stepping in sync, I almost thought I was seeing a ghost! If anyone is to be scared, it would be you who scared me."

As he spoke, the old man reached down to cover his groin and rubbed his lower abdomen, his actions quite comical. However, Youfang could not bring himself to laugh; his expression grew more serious, for the area the old man was rubbing was precisely where his fists and kicks had been directed at the moment he turned around.

He had driven quite a distance, so who could possibly be lurking by the roadside, following him so persistently? It must be an illusion; he was simply being overly suspicious! After all, he was just a young man in his early twenties. No matter how seasoned he was in the ways of the world, it was inevitable that he would feel unsettled after committing murder and arson for the first time. This was how Youfang reassured himself.

You Fang smiled and said, "The police do not know who I am, they can't even find my name."

The footsteps sound wrong. Why do they increasingly resemble the sound of two people walking?

True martial arts emphasize the importance of intention and energy as a priority, as this allows for the effective generation of force. Before striking with fists or feet, one must know the target points, enabling the energy to be transmitted and received with flexibility and room for maneuver. As Youfang turned around and saw the old man's position, he instinctively wanted to lift his right foot for a low kick, but he did not actually attack; however, his intention and energy had already reached the opponent's lower body

The right foot swiftly steps forward, while the toes of the left foot and the surface of the right foot pivot to the left by one hundred eighty degrees. As one moves forward, one suddenly turns around and comes to a stop, with the left leg bent in front and the right leg bent behind, the center of gravity resting on the left foot. The entire body's strength circulates through the three joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist; hip, knee, heel), and both arms are slightly spread with the fingers curled into claws