Gu Yang stared intently at Su Jie for a long moment. 

Over the past few days, as Gu Yang taught the routine classes, Su Jie hadn’t attended any. Instead, he had been training diligently on his own and participating in competitions. Gu Yang understood and didn’t interfere because this was the right approach—greed for more often leads to failure.

However, for the foreign students, such an approach was unavoidable. After learning, they would return home to showcase their skills.

Martial arts require relentless practice, not something that can be mastered overnight.

Even Su Jie, as talented as he was, couldn’t be considered a master yet. At best, he was an outstanding student.

Still, Gu Yang was more than willing to share more knowledge with him.

“The concept of the ‘inner three harmonies’ is indeed difficult to grasp,” Gu Yang began. “Even seasoned traditional martial artists often fail to truly understand it. In ancient times, it was something you could only feel but not explain. However, modern science has given us tools to guide our understanding.”

Gu Yang continued, “This is why martial arts must be approached scientifically.”

Su Jie listened quietly, absorbing the knowledge.

“Mind, intent, Qi, and strength—you need to understand these four elements,” Gu Yang said, pausing as if contemplating the best way to explain. “For instance, the harmony between mind and intent: the mind represents holistic thinking. If I have a thought of attacking you, that thought is the intent. The origin of intent is the mind. Does that make sense to you?”

“The mind is like a tank of pure, clear water,” Su Jie immediately responded. “But over time, microorganisms, even insects and mosquitoes, might grow in it. These things that emerge are the intent—our thoughts.”

“Wow!” Gu Yang, usually calm and composed, couldn’t help but curse in astonishment. “You’re a genius! An absolute genius!”

“No, no, I’m not,” Su Jie replied, blushing at Gu Yang’s praise.

“The harmony between mind and intent means that once you have the thought of attacking me, you must eliminate all other thoughts,” Gu Yang explained. “Ordinary people might think of striking someone, but then they hesitate. They worry: Should I do it? What if I hurt them? What are the consequences? This indecision slows them down. In martial arts, hesitation is the enemy. As the saying goes, ‘Better to take one step forward in action than to waver in thought.’”

“‘Better to take one step forward in action than to waver in thought,’” Su Jie echoed, recalling a line from a martial arts film he had watched. “In simple terms, it means don’t hesitate. Act when the time is right. That’s the harmony between mind and intent.”

“Exactly.” Gu Yang nodded in admiration. “Don’t underestimate this. It’s the key to defeating your opponent—decisiveness and courage. Take the Xuanwu Gate Incident, for example. If Li Shimin had hesitated, history would have been rewritten.”

“What about the harmony between intent and Qi?” Su Jie asked.

“Once you’ve decided to act, you must execute without delay. For example, if you use the move ‘Hoe Strikes the Ground’ against me, you first crouch, then leap forward, twisting your waist. The intent to attack starts with exerting force through your feet, transferring through your body. This intent must travel instantly, directing your entire body to perform the move flawlessly. This is the harmony between intent and Qi. Qi refers to the nerve signals controlling muscle tension and relaxation, creating explosive power.”

Gu Yang used modern scientific explanations to discuss traditional Chinese martial arts.

“And the harmony between Qi and strength?” Su Jie asked, now fully engaged.

“That’s your skill of smashing a fly on a glass pane without breaking the glass. It’s about moving with ease and controlling your strength. Once you’ve mastered this, you can control your force to push or strike without causing serious harm but still demonstrate your power.”

“To adjust strength freely and act with precision,” Su Jie nodded, having fully grasped the meaning of mind, intent, Qi, and strength in martial arts.

“Let’s go have breakfast,” Gu Yang said. “Today, I’ll teach you Sanshou ( free hand) techniques. They’re very practical for combat. You should join the class. It will enhance both your fighting skills and physical condition. Martial arts aren’t practiced in isolation; they’re developed through interaction. Without exchange, there’s no martial arts. No one ever mastered martial arts by training alone in the wilderness.”

The academy cafeteria opened early, and the food was always abundant. There were basic options like steamed buns, porridge, and fried dough sticks, but there were also high-end offerings like bird’s nest porridge and health-focused meals.

Su Jie, not short on money, ordered a 558-yuan nutrition and strength-building meal. He even ordered one for Gu Yang.

A single breakfast cost over a thousand yuan—highway robbery! But Su Jie thought it was worth it. The food at Minglun Martial Arts Academy was prepared by a team of professional chefs. Although the prices were much higher than those at nearby academies, the cafeteria was always crowded. The taste and presentation rivaled five-star hotels, and some of the health-focused dishes even had remarkable restorative effects.

“It seems you’ve earned quite a bit of money from competitions,” Gu Yang remarked, leisurely enjoying the meal offered by his student without any hesitation. “Training is a money-burning endeavor. Hundreds of thousands, millions, even tens of millions can go into it. Internationally renowned boxing champions spend millions, even tens of millions of dollars annually on their physical training and maintenance.”

“Excuse me, Coach. I’ll focus on eating first,” Su Jie replied, adhering strictly to the principle of eating in silence, concentrating fully on his meal without any distractions. Over time, he had started to reap the benefits of this habit, boasting exceptional digestion and gastrointestinal health.

Gu Yang watched as Su Jie ate his breakfast with composure, completely absorbed in the process, as if entering a unique state of focus.

Su Jie ate a substantial amount during this meal. In addition to finishing a large bowl of nourishing porridge, medicinal noodle soup, and a health-boosting set meal, he consumed ten boiled eggs and a variety of fruits. 

He ate methodically, chewing thoroughly, and followed it up by massaging his stomach and swallowing in a deliberate manner. His routine was as strict as military regulations, without a single deviation.

The more Gu Yang watched, the more astonished he became.

‘Such rigorous self-discipline, extending even to the act of eating—this is exceedingly rare, even among adults, let alone students. This is the hallmark of a potential achiever. While such traits don’t guarantee success, they significantly increase the likelihood, especially in the field of martial arts and combat sports, where this kind of discipline is invaluable.’

Even with Gu Yang’s stringent standards, he couldn’t help but feel a ripple of admiration.

Initially, he hadn’t paid much attention to Su Jie since the student had no foundational background in martial arts. However, over the past seven days of digging and tilling the soil—tasks that tested endurance and resilience—Su Jie had demonstrated his capacity for hard work and his ability to discern the martial principles hidden within labor. This showcased both intelligence and diligence, qualities of a good student.

Of course, that alone wasn’t extraordinary.

Every academy has its share of hardworking and intelligent students. What truly set Su Jie apart was his rapid progress later on, bolstered by training under a mysterious mentor. This wasn’t just a matter of being a good student—it was a matter of luck and opportunity.

Never underestimate the power of opportunity; it is a critical factor in success. Luck is also a part of one’s strength. Throughout history, many individuals—no matter how intelligent, diligent, or capable—failed to achieve success because they lacked that bit of luck.

“Fate first, opportunity second, environment third, virtue fourth, and knowledge fifth,” Gu Yang sighed. “Intelligence, diligence, luck, and strict execution combined with self-discipline—such a person is bound to succeed and achieve great things in any field.”

“Coach, what are you saying?” Su Jie asked, stopping his stomach massage and swallowing practice. He felt thoroughly comfortable, his organs warm and content, his energy replenished.

“Nothing,” Gu Yang replied, standing up. “It’s time for class.”

The two of them headed to the training field. It was 6:30 in the morning, and the golden sunlight bathed the entire academy in a radiant glow.

The academy’s training field was vast, and it was abuzz with activity. Many official martial arts academy students had returned and started their training, filling the air with thunderous shouts that swept away the stillness of the previous month.

Morning exercises were critical, so martial arts students never missed the opportunity to train.

“Did you offend Coach Zhou Chun?” Gu Yang suddenly asked as they rejoined the team.

“Coach Zhou Chun?” Su Jie recalled the man who had lost a bet to Nie Shuang and forfeited a jar of wine. “What about him? Here’s what happened…”

He recounted the incident to Gu Yang, his vigilance heightened.

“You made him lose a jar of internal-strength wine?” Gu Yang’s eyes widened as he listened. “Do you have any idea how expensive that wine is? You’ve seriously offended him now. Zhou Chun is narrow-minded and extremely devious, and he holds significant influence in this region. Be cautious. Also, if he tries to provoke you or push you into signing a club contract, do not sign it.”

“A club contract?” Su Jie nodded. “Got it.”

Nie Shuang, Uncle Mang, and others had previously told him that joining the academy’s professional team and competing in professional martial arts tournaments would provide access to the best training conditions and the highest salaries and bonuses. However, Su Jie had already decided against going professional. He intended to focus on academics, acquire knowledge, and eventually delve into research on human life sciences.

He understood that enhancing the human body and pursuing the highest realm of martial arts could not be achieved solely through relentless training or competition. Only science could facilitate a complete transformation.

Su Jie’s perspective was different from that of Odell, one of the world’s top combat coaches. After artificial intelligence surpassed his core training techniques, Odell scoured the globe in search of “supernatural” powers to prove himself superior to AI in training and understanding the human body.

But Su Jie disagreed with that approach. He had been raised with a scientific mindset and believed in embracing science. To him, everything should be approached with a scientific attitude and perspective.

In fact, the machine used by Uncle Mang to stimulate the body with electrical currents, controlled by an AI system, was an example of artificial intelligence at work. While Su Jie didn’t fully understand its core principles, he planned to study it thoroughly in the future and intended to discuss it with his sister.

Su Jie’s sister specialized in artificial intelligence research.

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