97: Chapter 97 I Can Do Tai Chi Too

She stopped three meters behind Wang Lin.

Neither of them spoke, just standing there face to face.

Lu Zhiyi spoke first: "Wang Lin. You have the serum."

Wang Lin looked at her and smiled: "Guess."

Lu Zhiyi frowned slightly.

Her voice remained cold: "I won't guess. Give it to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I am stronger than you, you are no match for me, and I don't want to kill you."

Wang Lin laughed: "I wonder who it was last time who was beaten to a pulp by me and then fled in a sorry state?"

Lu Zhiyi's expression grew a degree colder, and she said coldly: "I was indeed no match for you last time. But this time is different."

Wang Lin laughed again: "Oh? How is it different?"

"Last time, you used over a dozen Tentacles to attack me simultaneously, and even used a clone to sneak attack me from behind."

"I only have two hands, so I was indeed no match for you."

"But this time it's different. I have learned Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword."

"Even if you have many attacks, you won't be able to hit me. And you..."

"Once I get close to you, you're finished."

Wang Lin looked at her serious expression and said: "Isn't it just Taiji Fist? I know it too."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhiyi was stunned for a moment.

"You know it too? Stop joking. That joke isn't funny at all."

Wang Lin smiled: "I think this joke is quite funny."

"If you don't believe me... then watch closely."

Wang Lin thought to himself: All those Taiji Fist shows I watched in my past life weren't for nothing, and haven't I seen old ladies and gentlemen practicing Taiji in the park?

Even if I haven't eaten pork, haven't I seen pigs run?

Watch me perform for you.

He took two steps back, spread his legs shoulder-width apart, and lowered his center of gravity.

He raised his hands to chest level: "Today, let me show you what real Taiji Fist is."

Wang Lin's hands drew circles in front of him, one up and one down, one left and one right.

His body turned slightly with the movement of his hands.

As he practiced, he called out: "One big watermelon, cut in half with one knife."

"Half for you, half for him."

"Give it to you, you don't want it; give it to him, he won't take it."

"Then take it back and bring it home yourself."

Lu Zhiyi stood there, watching Wang Lin practice Taiji Fist and listening to him chant the mantra.

Her expression shifted from cold to surprised, then from surprised to shocked.

Although Wang Lin's movements were not very precise and somewhat stiff, it was indeed Taiji Fist.

More importantly, that mantra contained the true essence of Taiji Fist.

"One big watermelon" was an imagery simulation of Taiji Fist.

The big watermelon symbolized the sensation of "holding a ball" in Taiji movements.

That was a principle only those who had practiced it could understand.

"Cut in half with one knife" was the transmission of force in Taiji Fist.

Cutting in half corresponded to the "dividing force" and "opening and closing" in the movements, such as the separating hand movements in Cloud Hands or Grasping the Sparrow's Tail.

That was something only someone who understood the craft could invent.

"Give it to you, you don't want it; give it to him, he won't take it; then take it back and bring it home yourself" was the transformation between emptiness and solidity in Taiji Fist, the perceptual change from a "solid ball" to a "hollow ball."

That was something only someone who had reached a certain level could realize.

Lu Zhiyi's mind was buzzing.

She had only one thought in her mind: where did he learn this?

Taiji Fist had only recently been brought out from Zhang Sanfeng's ancient tomb, and the Bishop had only passed down the Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword to her; he had never been in contact with Wang Lin.

Wang Lin could not have come into contact with Taiji Fist, and it was even more impossible for him to know the true essence of Taiji Fist.

Yet not only did he know it, he had even practiced it.

Moreover, his mantra completely overturned her understanding.

It took her a long time to get started, a long time to realize those principles, and a long time to integrate those principles into the movements.

Yet Wang Lin was actually able to summarize the core essence of Taiji Fist vividly with a sentence that seemed like a joke.

"You... where did you learn this?" Lu Zhiyi asked.

Wang Lin stopped; he really couldn't remember the subsequent moves, he only knew the beginning.

He said smugly: "How about that? I told you, I know it too."

Lu Zhiyi looked at Wang Lin, was silent for a moment, and then returned to her original demeanor.

Her gaze fell on Wang Lin: "If you say you know it, you indeed do. If you say you don't, you indeed don't."

"You have the form, but no intent. Without intent, there is no force in Taiji."

"The movements you practiced can be considered gymnastics, with absolutely no practical combat significance."

"True Taiji Fist is not like this."

"Watch closely..."

After saying this, she took two steps back, spread her legs shoulder-width apart, and began to demonstrate true Taiji Fist for Wang Lin.

Her body was drawing circles; her hands, feet, waist, her whole person was drawing circles.

Those circles were like water waves, like ripples, like tree rings, circle after circle, layer after layer, continuous, endless.

Wang Lin stood there, watching Lu Zhiyi demonstrate Taiji Fist.

Every one of her movements carried a circle, every circle carried intent, and every intent carried force.

This was true Taiji Fist.

After Lu Zhiyi finished a set of fist techniques, she said: "There is simply no Qi in your body."

"And you don't know how to control the Qi and blood in your body. That's why I said your Taiji Fist can only be considered gymnastics."

"I'm not trying to put you down, I'm telling you. Taiji Fist cannot be learned just by watching, learning, or imitating."

"It requires Qi, it requires that river inside your body."

"You don't have that river; your Taiji Fist is dead, without soul, without power."

Wang Lin suddenly laughed: "I know. I just wanted to see what level your Taiji Fist had reached."

"As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Now that I know your trump card, you have no chance of winning."

Lu Zhiyi smiled.

"Stop being stubborn. How about it, do you want to join our Holy See?"

"That way you can learn real Taiji Fist, and more Ancient Martial Arts."

"You won't have to practice blindly on your own, you won't have to figure it out yourself, and you won't have to take detours."

"There will be people to teach you, guide you, and give you pointers."

"It's much better than you practicing those empty-form gymnastics here alone."

Wang Lin said indifferently: "No need. I don't have the patience to spend years learning this stuff. I have my own path."

His path relied on killing, devouring, and evolving.

He didn't need Taiji Fist, didn't need Ancient Martial Arts, didn't need anyone.

He only needed himself.

His body was the best martial art.

Instinct was the best move.

Evolution was the best path.

Heaven had already arranged everything; why seek far afield when the answer is close at hand?

Lu Zhiyi was not surprised; she had long known he wouldn't join.

So she brought the topic back on track: "Same thing as before. Hand over the serum, and I will spare your life."

Wang Lin laughed: "Want to kill me? You're not qualified yet."

After saying this, Wang Lin rushed over.