"You're much stronger than the first two."
A hint of approval showed in Elder Guang's eyes. Seeing that Natasha was also empty-handed, he asked,
"What are you used to using?"
Natasha glanced past him toward the weapon rack in the distance. She was proficient with many weapons, but she didn't particularly like long ones.
"I'm used to using my fists."
After looking around and not finding anything she liked—since the rack only held staffs and blades, none suited for an agent like her—she gave her answer.
Elder Guang looked at her hands. Though they were smooth and delicate, his sharp eye still caught the signs—Natasha wasn't lying. It was clear she rarely used weapons in combat.
"In that case, use this."
He took out a pair of gloves from his robe. They were entirely made of fine dragon scales, seamless and smooth, with no sharp edges. Aside from their color and the faint flowing glow, they didn't appear particularly special.
He tossed them to Natasha and added,
"Since you won't use a weapon, I'll fight barehanded as well."
With that, he drove the long staff into the ground with a powerful thrust.
"Begin."
Elder Guang advanced with an unusual footwork, his hands weaving like blooming flowers.
Natasha slipped on the gloves. They felt warm and fit her hands perfectly, almost as if she weren't wearing anything at all. Facing his attack, she instantly lowered her body, slid past him, and appeared behind his back. Then she leapt up, attempting to wrap her legs around his neck.
But Elder Guang had already anticipated it. His hands shot out, grabbing her legs, and he followed up with a scorpion-tail kick aimed at the back of her head.
With her legs restrained, Natasha could only twist her body, blocking with her arms while using the momentum to try and flip him over.
However, Elder Guang simply went with the motion, leaping into the air and rotating his body to disperse the force before tossing her away.
Natasha landed lightly, then immediately launched another attack. She excelled in close combat and had mastered nearly every fighting style.
Her strikes were sharp and lethal, but Elder Guang handled them effortlessly, neutralizing and countering with ease, as if he were merely playing with a child.
After more than a dozen exchanges, Natasha flipped backward to create distance. She realized that despite using everything she had, she couldn't inflict any real damage. Meanwhile, Elder Guang remained relaxed and unbothered.
"I concede."
She had no choice but to admit defeat. After all, this wasn't a life-and-death battle—there was no need to push further.
"Your skills are decent, but too scattered and unfocused. Choose one or two that suit you best and train them to perfection."
Elder Guang then turned his attention to the remaining people.
---
At the edge of the training grounds, Xialing sat blankly on a stone, holding a Hun Dun in her arms, lost in thought. She didn't even notice Ying Nan approaching from behind.
Ying Nan sat down beside her.
"This is not your father's home."
Hearing her voice, Xialing snapped out of her daze and looked at her.
Following Xialing's gaze toward a group of young girls practicing martial arts nearby, Ying Nan quickly understood.
"In Ta Lo, everyone can train in martial arts."
She then took out a rope dart and handed it to Xialing. Both ends were fitted with weapons—a dragon-scale dagger on one side and a weighted hammer on the other.
"It's time to step out from the shadow of the past."
With that, Ying Nan left, leaving Xialing staring down at the rope dart in silence.
---
When she was young, her father Wenwu taught her brother Shang-Chi martial arts. Xialing wanted to learn too, but Wenwu strictly forbade it. She could only secretly watch Shang-Chi train during the day and practice in secret at night. Part of the reason she eventually broke free from his control was because of this.
Now, holding the rope dart, Xialing walked to an empty area. She had always had a natural affinity for this weapon—using it felt as natural as moving her own limbs.
Soft weapons were notoriously difficult to master. A slight mistake could result in self-injury, and their attacks had a delay compared to the directness of blades or spears.
Yet in Xialing's hands, the rope dart moved like a bloodthirsty serpent. Enhanced by the dragon scales, faint red lines began to appear around her as she practiced. With each swing, the weapon gradually formed a crimson barrier around her. The dagger tip functioned both offensively and defensively, slicing through the surrounding bamboo with ease.
When she finally came to a stop, the fallen bamboo formed a perfect circle within a five-meter radius around her.
---
Elsewhere, Ying Nan practiced alone in an open space, every movement embodying the principles of Tai Chi.
From afar, Shang-Chi approached slowly. Watching her movements, he felt as though each motion was merging with nature itself. The surrounding energy stirred, and even the bamboo grove swayed gently in response.
Only after she finished did Shang-Chi step forward. Ying Nan turned to face him.
"My mother was the only person who could defeat my father—even when he had the Ten Rings. I want to know how she did it."
He still remembered what Wenwu had told him as a child—that the only person in the world who could defeat him was Ying Li. Though he had been young, those words had stayed with him.
Ying Nan didn't answer. Instead, she raised her hands into a Tai Chi stance.
Shang-Chi understood immediately and mirrored her posture.
---
No one knew exactly when Wenwu would arrive—not even Karl, who had seen the movie in his past life, since it had never been clearly stated.
All they could do was train while waiting, hoping to improve as much as possible in the limited time they had.
Among them, Shang-Chi felt the most urgency. He had to master his mother's techniques before Wenwu arrived—only then could he hope to defeat him.
Over the next few days, Shang-Chi sparred with Ying Nan countless times—and lost every single one. Sometimes, he couldn't even touch the hem of her clothing.
Yet through these matches, he began to grasp something elusive, something profound—but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fully seize it.
At first, he fought with his fists. But gradually, he transitioned to using his palms. His attacks became less aggressive, no longer driven by brute force alone.
With this shift, he began to feel a sense of ease and fluidity. His movements became natural and smooth, sometimes even flowing directly from his heart, spontaneous and unrestrained—something he had never experienced before.
In the past, his movements were rigid and forceful, every strike controlled and deliberate, with no sense of flexibility or restraint.
Now, under Ying Nan's guidance, his understanding had quietly risen to an entirely new level.
"That's enough. You've touched the threshold of that realm."
Watching his flowing movements and sensing the faint Qi surrounding him, Ying Nan knew—
He was ready.
"Now, you can begin to learn."
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