The Legend of Min Hong

Chapter 10: Willow Leaf Palm and Chaotic Shadow Steps

"Willow Leaf Palm is a soft style palm technique which requires one to absorb, deflect and reflect the force behind the attack of one's opponent in three easy forms. The amount of power absorbed, deflected or reflected is dependent on the user's mastery of this technique while the amount of damage done includes the user's strength."

"If father had used his own force or even a tiny strand of Qi, your chest would have totally caved in and your internal organs shattered" Min Rou explained to Min Hong whose face was currently pale in fright.

"The first form involves you absorbing energy from your opponent's attack by meeting that opponent's fist or palm with yours, through making you palm as light as a willow leaf."

If you punch a falling, swaying leaf, only about 10% of the force would damage the leaf while the remaining 90% force would be absorbed and used to increase the speed of the leaf. The first form of the willow leaf technique follows the same principle.

"The second form involves you using your opponent's momentum to deflect their palm or fist, by deftly sliding your palm across the opponent's sleeve or arm. Once this was achieved, the opponent leaves an opening, and this is when you use the third form to land your own palm strike. The strength of this palm strike is the remaining 90% force that was absorbed by the first form."

"If you were to add a force of your own, the force behind your palm strike would at least be double the amount of the absorbed force." Min Rou explained in detail.

"Grandpa, what is a soft style or a hard style technique?" Min Hong asked one of the questions that was currently baffling him.

"My Hong'er is indeed a diligent boy. Soft style involves the user deflecting or dodging the attacks of an opponent with a calm and gentle approach, while hard style involves battling an opponent head on, with an aggressive and forceful approach." Min Tian explained with a contented smile.

"The "willow leaf palm" would only be an ordinary martial art, if one's opponent uses soft style, as there's not enough force to transform into attack. But, if one's opponent uses hard style, he would definitely be defeated in less than five moves." Min Hong spoke thoughtfully.

Shock flashed across the faces of Min Tian and Min Rou, as they witnessed Min Hong's overpowered comprehension ability. This was because they only showed the forms of the palm technique and explained what hard and soft style meant, but Min Hong was able to decipher the pros and cons of the technique all by himself.

"You really remind me of your father. The eff! even he, was not this monstrous." Min Tian blurted before he realized he just said something he shouldn't have.

"My father?!" Min Hong's expression changed rapidly as he quickly asked.

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Ever since his birth, he had never met his father neither did anyone in the Min Family who might have known him, gave him any information. It was like nobody ever knew his father.

"Hong'er, you'd definitely know about your father when the time is right" Min Rou spoke in a hoarse voice as her eyes reddened.

"Knowing about your father at the moment would only do more harm than good. In fact, it might bring disaster to you and the entire Min Clan as a whole.

But, when you reach the Divine or Immortal stage, you would have at least the minimum requirement to learn about your father." Min Tian said as he tried to rectify his blunder. Which he failed, because it was obvious that, Min Hong only hid his curiosity behind a smile.

After all, the eye is the window to a man's heart. The tongue may lie but the eyes cannot. Therefore, he could only wish and pray that Min Hong won't be reckless and bring doom upon himself and everyone he knows.

"You're right! The willow leaf palm technique was originally, an ordinary defensive palm technique, which is why no one bothered themselves with it. It only contained the first and second form; Absorb and Deflect. Until a certain expert modified it by adding the final form; Reflect. Then it became a secret technique only father and I know about."

"Only the top experts in the world and some abnormal genius can modify an ordinary technique in such manner. "It's a level of insight, where one can turn simplicity into profundity and profundity back to simplicity. This level of insight is called the 'Dao realm'." Min Rou added.

"The Dao realm?" What is that?" Min Hong asked. It seems there's still a lot that he didn't know that wasn't written in the books.

"I'd only introduce you to it as it might help you when forming your elemental nascent souls, so pay attention". Min Hong nodded as he listened to Min Tian with rap attention.

"Some of the basis on which an expert's strength is judged are; his Qi or Body refining cultivation stage, and his martial arts grade. However, another way in which a person can increase his strength is his level of insight in, martial arts techniques and natural elements and their Laws."

"Ok! That's enough for now, you'll naturally come to know about these things in the future. You should focus on your training so you don't get left behind by your current generation." Min Tian advised, as he took his leave before anyone could say anything else.

"The footwork techniques I'll be showing you is called; the "Chaotic Shadow Steps" and it's grade is also similar to that of the "Willow Leaf Palm" technique."

"Alright, it's my turn now. Hit me with all you've got." Min Rou said as she stood on the spot calmly.

Min Hong immediately dashed forward, trying to catch his mother off-guard. He delivered a solid punch towards Min Rou's waist, smiling delightfully that he had successfully conned his mother. But imagination was great and reality was bitter, as his entire arm and body to passed through Min Rou's image as if she was incorporeal.

Min Hong quickly stabilized his body as he was about to ram into a nearby tree due to his momentum. He then turned his head to look at the disappearing image of his mother.

"There are two parts two the; Chaotic Shadow steps." A feminine voice floated into Min Hong's ears from behind. He jumped in fright and dashed forward, before turning to see his mother standing there with the same pose, she had earlier.

Min Hong's heart nearly fled through his throat, as he deeply stared at his mother. "Is mom a ghost? Or was it an illusion?" various ridiculous thoughts flashed across his mind.

"The first part is the "Chaotic Part". This involves moving in an unsynchronized manner by taking random steps. This confuses your opponent, making it very hard to land a strike on you. Furthermore, you'd be able to use it to free yourself from tight corners."

"The second part is the "Shadow Part". This comes after you've mastered the chaotic part. It will enable you to use various environmental factors to create a shadow image. This shadow image will stand in your place to receive the opponent's attack. Moreover, you would be able to use it to avoid sneak attacks and confuse your opponent."

"Mother, why do I feel that, this is another technique modified by that expert? Moreover, which environmental factor did you use?" Min Hong voiced out.

"This technique is indeed, another ordinary movement art modified by that expert and the environmental factor I used was the fog around us. Other types of factor one can use, are sunlight or moonlight, places filled with smoke-like substances like this fog, and Qi."

"If you use your Qi to boost this technique, your shadow image will become more corporeal. In fact, the expert who modified this technique could create a real shadow image, which could actually attack his opponent." Min Rou spoke with respect.

"These are the manuals for both techniques." Min Rou handed two books to Min Hong and on each of them were the words; [Willow Leaf Palm] and [Chaotic Shadow Steps].

Min Hong opened both manuals; the first manual contained different images depicting the stance and gestures of the palm technique, with some sentence writing at the bottom of each page whilst the second manual contained images depicting the chaotic flow of the footwork technique, also with some explanations at the bottom of each page.

"These two techniques complement each other and only three people know about their improved versions; father, you and I. It would benefit you tremendously, if you could master them before the coming of age ceremony coming up in three years."

"Grandpa and I would personally come train with you tomorrow, so that you can at least familiarize yourself with the basic forms and gestures of these two techniques."

"Don't stay too long and forget to come eat breakfast. Even though the energies of those magic beasts are still hidden in your body, they can't last forever. So, you have to make sure you replenish them by eating more magic beast meat." Min Rou added before she finally left for her residence.

Min Hong wasn't surprised that his grandfather and mother decided to allow him train martial arts. After all, he no longer had the same frail and feeble body from before.

What made him extremely happy was the fact that, all the hard work he had put in his body building exercise, had yielded him two martial arts as reward. Just the thought of these alone made all the feeling pain and vertigo he endured worthwhile.