"So, want to give it a try?"
Bang finished a set of forms, his left hand behind his back, his right hand flat and extended forward, addressing Qingshui.
"Won't we damage the dojo?"
Qingshui stood up from the small stool and asked Bang.
"We just need to limit our strength. It's just a practice of techniques."
Bang said with a chuckle.
"Then pardon my offense, Mr. Bang."
Qingshui walked over to stand opposite Bang and picked up a bamboo sword from the corner.
Since they were going to hold back their strength, there was no need to summon Black Samurai.
Nor was there any need to use the black steel longsword.
That sword had undergone complete Magic Tool Transformation, and in terms of quality, it could barely be considered high-grade, with considerable destructive power.
It was made from the same material as the Amber given to Haragiri, making it even more robust, and its functions were far less flashy than Amber's.
All its skill points were put into offense, pursuing ultimate sharpness.
After all, there were too many powerful monsters in this world. If facing a strong Dragon-level Monster like Giant Younger Brother, and the offensive capabilities weren't up to par, they wouldn't even be able to break through its defense.
The bamboo sword swung, producing a rustling sound as it cut through the air, causing it to crackle.
Facing the incoming sword strikes from Qingshui, Bang moved agilely, his feet shifting as he dodged to the side. His hands, as if wrapped in a layer of blue mist, gently and swiftly guided Qingshui's sword to one side like a whirlpool, while he closed the distance, his left index finger pointing towards Qingshui.
Qingshui continued to swing his sword with a hint of surprise, sweeping it upwards from below to create a circular mirror that forced Bang back.
The latter, however, spun his hands in a circle, once again deflecting Qingshui's attack, and continued to press closer to Qingshui, engaging in a close-quarters brawl with fists and feet.
Even though neither side was using their full power, limiting their strength to only a few times that of a normal person, their clashes still sent out ripples of fist wind and sword qi.
Charanko sat in the corner, holding a broom, watching the two combatants with eyes full of yearning.
In terms of physical ability, he was similar to what these two displayed, but in terms of technique, there was a world of difference.
*"Bang!"*
*"Bang!"*
*"Bang!"*
Two calloused fists continuously struck out, like surging waves.
Qingshui's sword strikes, which were previously sharp and fierce, had become somewhat more balanced and peaceful, though their sharpness remained.
He had no choice but to do so.
There was nothing he could do. Even if their speed and strength were on the same level, he was still at a slight disadvantage.
In terms of technique, Bang should be far superior to both him and Haragiri, truly a master-level figure.
The reason he was only at a slight disadvantage now was that many techniques required sufficient physical ability to be performed. Since both of them suppressed their basic stats to a low level, they naturally couldn't unleash those powerful techniques.
And under these circumstances, Bang already had the upper hand. If both of them were to simultaneously increase their physical abilities, the gap would gradually widen.
Moreover, even at eighty-one years old, with a clear decline in his body compared to his prime, Bang was still a powerhouse capable of fighting high-level Dragon-level monsters. If he were thirty years younger, he might even be able to kill peak Dragon-level beings.
This was a being who stood at the pinnacle of the martial arts world in the One-Punch Man universe, one of the top powerhouses in this world!
If this old man unleashed his full strength, he would definitely be far beyond him!
And wasn't this power precisely what he had come here to seek?
"Oh? I didn't realize, Qingshui-kun, that you also possess a swordsmanship quite similar to my Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock. Would you care to demonstrate it fully?"
Bang slapped away the bamboo sword and said with a chuckle to Qingshui.
Bang had seen that Qingshui was using techniques from Water Breathing when defending.
His Separation Breathing was a product of combining Wind Breathing and Thunder Breathing, which was most compatible with his own attributes, but he also knew other Breathing Styles.
By now, with his mastery of Breathing Styles, he could already integrate some of the essential elements from other Breathing Styles that suited him into his Separation Breathing.
However, since Bang wanted to see Water Breathing, there was no harm in showing it to him.
"Alright."
Qingshui nodded slightly, twirled his sword, and then changed his sword stance, attacking Bang.
"Water Breathing · Fourth Form · Striking Tide!"
"Flowing Water Array."
Bang's two lean hands moved rapidly around his body, forming a perfect sphere that precisely deflected Qingshui's attacks one by one.
This was a unique technique similar to the Hyuga Clan's Rotation.
Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock and the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams Palm shared quite a few commonalities. Both emphasized overcoming hardness with softness and combining hard and soft techniques in their boxing, so it was not surprising that such remarkably similar moves would emerge.
However, Bang's Flowing Water Array did not require Byakugan assistance, and its destructive power was also more formidable than the Hyuga Clan's.
The bamboo sword and the bare fists collided once more, and the combat range between Qingshui and Bang expanded again.
Even though the power unleashed was only several times that of an ordinary person, the techniques employed still resulted in considerable destructive power, a dazzling sight to behold.
Charanko's eyes widened as he watched the battle unfold.
This kind of combat, low in power but exceptionally high in technique, was perfectly suited for an ordinary martial artist of Charanko's modest ability to observe and learn from.
"Snap!"
Soon after Qingshui finished demonstrating all the sword forms of Water Breathing, he switched back to Separation Breathing, which he was more skilled in, and continued sparring with Bang.
It wasn't until the bamboo sword's blade clashed once more with Bang's palm.
A small ripple of air spread out from the two of them, and the bamboo sword in Qingshui's hand finally couldn't withstand the immense pressure, its tip shattering.
Charanko watched the scene with regret, sighing, "Ugh, what a shame. If only he had a good sword, Mr. Qingshui should have..."
"No, I've already lost."
Qingshui looked at the collapsed wooden floor beneath his feet and shook his head.
He had almost failed to parry Bang's punch just now. After redirecting the force into the ground, he subconsciously used Chakra, which amplified the power of the bamboo sword's strike.
And Bang, in turn, had to exert a bit more force, which led to the final move escalating the fight, causing Qingshui's bamboo sword to crack and break.
In the realm of technique, he was considered a master, but compared to a grandmaster like Bang, who had refined martial arts to an unparalleled level, he was still a few steps behind.
"It's just an exchange, there's no winning or losing. This old man has merely lived a few decades longer."
After their sparring session, Bang found Qingshui even more agreeable.
There were few in the world who could match such swordsmanship talent; besides Atomic Samurai, the martial arts world would be hard-pressed to find anyone under forty who could compare.
For a genius like this, Bang wouldn't claim that the other party could reach his current heights, but at the very least, mastering the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock completely, like that unfilial disciple Garou, should be no problem.
After tidying up, Bang led Qingshui to the two stacks of roof tiles and continued his demonstration.
"This old man has lived for many years and gained some insight. In my opinion, all martial arts in this world can be summarized by three concepts: 'technique,' 'strength,' and 'intent.' Strength is the foundation of all techniques; without a strong enough physique, even the most powerful ultimate techniques are just castles in the air. As for intent, some believe intent is the sublimation of technique, but I disagree.
Consider this: if someone has a resolute will to fight to the death, and they face an opponent who surpasses them in technique and strength but is afraid of death and holds back, then the person with resolve still has a certain chance of winning.
That's why I place these three on equal footing.
The Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock, specifically captures the essence of water. This encompasses so much: it takes the form of flowing water, yet has the power to crush rock. It is formless and intangible; facing any attack, it can push it aside like flowing water, and facing an enemy's defense, it can penetrate like flowing water, finding every crevice."
As Bang spoke, he placed his hand on a stack of tiles. With just a slight application of force, he precisely split the tiles down the middle.
Qingshui could also achieve this step; it was simply a matter of precise control over force, directing the power in a specific direction.
But if that were all, it wouldn't warrant such a demonstration from Bang.
The key point was that Bang used very little force, so little that it shouldn't have been able to break so many tiles.
It was as if one unit of force produced the effect of ten units of force.
"This is the effect of intent. Strength and technique, in the end, depend on the limits of physical ability. And human physical ability, no matter how much it's strengthened or broken through, will ultimately have an insurmountable upper limit. But intent has no upper limit. The intent of the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock, is to transform force into flowing water. The demonstration just now was the result of force penetrating the inside of the tiles under the guidance of intent."
Bang stroked his beard, looking pleased.
"Actually, young Qingshui also has his own intent. I can tell your swordsmanship incorporates multiple sword styles, so your intent is too muddled. Only that inherent sharpness of the sword's essence remains relatively pure."
Qingshui suddenly understood.
His Avatar in Yi Ren World had also learned about sword intent from the Non-Aggression Sword Art passed down by the Mohist Sect founder.
However, the sword intent passed down by the elderly Mozi was too peaceful, too overly compassionate and universally loving, which simply didn't suit him.
As for other Breathing Styles like Wind Breathing or Thunder Breathing, they might have touched upon the threshold of intent, which is why they possessed various characteristics. But they should only be rudimentary forms, existing somewhere between 'intent' and 'technique,' because many of their characteristics required specific sword moves to be effective.
Bang didn't agree that 'intent' was a higher evolution of 'technique,' but he couldn't deny that there was a deep connection between the two.
"Please enlighten me, Mr. Bang."
Bang took a sip of tea, then spoke:
"There are three paths. One is to learn and practice extensively, and find what suits you. If there's nothing, then develop it yourself, or change yourself to suit those intents. However, this is usually a last resort, or a choice made by those blinded by power and shortsighted. If you yourself are changed and can't maintain your original self, how strong can such an intent truly be?
Therefore, my suggestion is, after young Qingshui learns the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock, he can take my letter of recommendation to my brother, Bomb, and learn the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist. Only by experiencing enough different intents can you find what suits you, or accumulate enough foundation to comprehend your own unique intent."
Qingshui nodded silently.
Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, huh?
The compatibility of the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock, with him might not be high, but for the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, just the name "Whirlwind" suggested that its compatibility wouldn't be low.
Soon, Qingshui began learning the Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock.
However, he did not stay at Bang's dojo.
City D was not far from Z-City, where Bang resided. With his battle armor's super-high-speed flight, he could reach Bang's dojo in just a moment.
Qingshui's time was quite limited. Although improving his strength with Bang was a relatively important task for him at this stage, in order to face the potential threats that might arise later, he still needed a large amount of wealth and resources to continue improving his strength from the perspective of a Puppet.
Previously, not long after he visited the Haragiri Sword Dojo, he established a company in his own name as a tool for earning wealth.
It seemed, though, that earning money in this world was a bit more difficult than in the other worlds.
Because the tech tree was different.
The Arc Reactor could make energy cheap and simultaneously drive a series of related industries, like electric trains, but this world's energy sector is already quite strong.
The large high-energy battery Light Ray Genji carries is a prime example, not to mention the energy cores that power powerful cyborgs like Genos and Drive Knight.
Even deserted areas, like the uninhabited zone in Z-City, surprisingly still have water and electricity, allowing unemployed drifters like Saitama, who can't afford rent, to live there.
This indicates one thing: water and electricity are actually very cheap in this world—so cheap that, within a certain scope, the utility bills for residential buildings exist entirely as a free social welfare.
It's not that the Arc Reactor wouldn't make money, but it wouldn't have the same dimension-reducing impact on the energy sector that it would in other modern worlds.
In computing fields like electronic chips, this world is also not lacking. To develop Artificial Intelligence, one needs sufficient capital to purchase and build supercomputers and servers, which entails a certain entry barrier.
The materials field has its own strengths, but this world's mastery of high-strength metals is indeed quite advanced.
Though Genos gets beaten up regularly and rarely wins, every time he challenges a stronger opponent, even when he gets thoroughly thrashed, he at least doesn't die. The quality of the metal materials on his body is certainly not simple.
However, thankfully, not all materials are weaponized. Many synthetic materials that don't exist in the One-Punch Man world would still be profitable here. Their ability to attract capital would definitely be significant, though it would require some time to ferment and compete for market share.
As for Regeneration Serum and similar items, they still have some potential.
This world's biotechnology is highly advanced. Super scientists like Geno can create powerful Dragon-level Monsters like Asura Rhino Beetle, and there are S-Class Heroes like Zombieman, who possesses infinite regeneration. This alone proves the point.
However, Regeneration Serum's ability to regrow severed limbs remains incredibly valuable, and the most crucial aspect is that this item is a replicable technological creation.
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