Purple Mist Dao Master-Chapter 120 - 105: That’s Not How You Practice Eagle Claw Fist!

Chapter 120: Chapter 105: That’s Not How You Practice Eagle Claw Fist!

"Coiling Silk Fist."

"Great Success Boxing."

"Six Harmonies Fist."

"Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist."

...

Yan Chuan and Cheng Fengxiao traveled for four consecutive days.

In the Mountain and Sea Realm, everything was unfamiliar to them; they couldn’t understand the language at all, let alone speak it, making it impossible to communicate or ask for directions. They could only head down one path with determination.

This was how it went.

On the first day, they emerged from the swamp.

On the second day, they followed the river downstream, passing by seven or eight tribes. Whenever they encountered a tribe, the two would observe in secret. In each tribe, there were people practicing boxing, be it young boys, young adults, middle-aged people, or even the elderly, weak women, and children.

Yan Chuan watched secretly, recognizing the boxing techniques they practiced—

"Wu Family Boxing."

"Fu Family Boxing."

"Gao Family Boxing."

"Arhat Eighteen Hands."

...

After just seven or eight tribes, the boxing techniques they practiced almost encompassed the Eighteen Widespread Boxing Techniques of Guangling Academy.

From beginner to intermediate levels, and occasionally even high-level boxing skills that were no less than the ’Gongzi Fuhu Fist’ and ’Ten Forms Boxing’ of the Cheng Family Boxing.

Obviously.

These tribes had widespread boxing skills.

"It’s most likely being spread by Guangling Academy!"

Yan Chuan and Cheng Fengxiao leaned more toward this speculation.

So.

The two continued to travel, aiming to leave the territory of Guangling Academy.

One day passed, then another, and yet another.

On the fourth day, they seemed to have walked out of a certain area, spending an entire day without seeing any large or small tribes. Among the mountains and rivers, traces of any tribe’s existence were nowhere to be seen.

Along the river.

Over the mountain.

The fifth day.

The sixth day.

By the evening of the sixth day, when the master and disciple were beginning to doubt their journey, finally.

At the foot of the mountain.

In the valley.

A cluster of houses, some wooden, some bamboo, rose from the ground.

In the distance, they saw.

"This place!"

Yan Chuan and Cheng Fengxiao both had a premonition that this tribe might have nothing to do with Guangling Academy anymore.

Thinking this, they quickened their pace slightly.

Descending the mountain, heading straight for the village.

Before entering, they saw beside a small stream, as the sun set, a boy about fifteen or sixteen years old, strong-headed, wearing only animal skin around his lower body, practicing boxing in the open space.

"Eaglet Taking Flight."

"Mighty Eagle Spreading Wings."

"Grasp, Claw, Pinch, Hold, Flip."

"This should be a form of ’Eagle Claw Skill,’ but this boxing stance isn’t among the Hundred Schools Boxing Skill of Guangling County!"

Yan Chuan stared for a couple of glances. As someone knowledgeable in the boxing techniques of Guangling County, he could immediately identify that the ’Eagle Claw Skill’ the young boy practiced, though similar in form and spirit, was rather rough and wild, not the exquisite styles of Guangling County. Instead, it was quite similar to the ’Alien Tribe Elephant Form Boxing’ mentioned by Xun Guilan in the "Mountain and Sea Geographical Record."

"Elephant Form Boxing!"

Yan Chuan looked at the boy and was secretly pleased. He turned to Cheng Fengxiao and pointed toward the distant tribe: "Master, this place should not be under the control of Guangling Academy anymore. Let’s settle here for now."

Then.

He pointed at the boy by the stream: "We’ll start with this young man!"

...

"Eagle Claw Grabbing and Clawing!"

"Grabbing, Striking, Pinching, Hooking, Holding, Embracing!"

"Yang Claw, Downward Claw, Reverse Claw, Standing Claw, Inverted Claw!"

"Eagle Wing Flipping!"

"Flip Jump, Kou Tui Jump, Sky Jumping Lotus Leg!"

Yan Chen by the stream practiced ’Eagle Claw Continuous Fist’ incessantly, imagining the posture of a mighty eagle, either grasping in a hunt or spinning in the air.

His basic boxing stance was starting to take shape, becoming more and more proficient, but it was still the basics among basics. Besides the claw shapes and claw techniques, ’Eagle Claw Fist’ should also include basic techniques like stepping types, stepping techniques, leg techniques, body types, movement techniques, and jumping, but whenever Yan Chen tried to integrate these, needing coordination between claws, steps, legs, and body, he always felt awkward, broken, unable to keep it fluid. The form might be there, but the spirit was missing.

Sweat dripped.

Yan Chen gasped for breath.

He was already very tired, but thinking that in half a month, it would be time for the warriors’ selection in the tribe, and he was still far from the ’Eagle Department.’ Even though exhausted, Yan Chen gritted his teeth, continuing to practice as the sun set behind the mountains.

Focused and determined.

Suddenly—

"Practicing like this won’t be effective."

A voice appeared beside him out of nowhere.

"Who?"

Yan Chen quickly turned his head and saw an attractive young man clothed in animal skin had somehow arrived next to him. Though he spoke words Yan Chen couldn’t understand, he posed in the open space, starting to box right then and there.

Young but daring,

Yan Chen widened his eyes and watched carefully—

"Punch and explode, return with a grab, severing tendons and dislocating bones, acupoint closure, swift and agile, spirit and appearance like an eagle."

"Eagle Claw Fist, its various changes never depart from its core principles. Start with a crashing punch, then catch with four hands; without reaching, it won’t become claws. Watch me; first, extend the palm and fingers into an open eight-pattern, transform into an eagle claw upon reaching the enemy’s wrist or upon contact with a body part, whether it’s a grab, a hold, a hook, or a pinch."

"Practicing Eagle Claw Fist requires correct claw technique, versatile and adaptive, along with speed and strength, the force penetrating muscle and bone."

Yan Chen heard this person jabbering, with no clue what was being said, scratching his head in confusion.

But that wasn’t important.

Watching the young man box, noticing he was also performing eagle claw techniques—

Boxing transcends borders, transcends worlds!

Yan Chen quickly saw many shadows of his techniques in this person’s boxing methods. However, this person’s rendition of the few paths of Eagle Claw Fist he had just performed transformed tremendously in his hands—

"In motion, it’s fierce and brutal, quick and relentless!"

"When still, it’s cunning and steady, like an eagle waiting for its prey!"

"This ’Eagle Claw Continuous Fist’ is even more powerful than the chief’s!"

Yan Chen silently compared in his heart but didn’t dare lose focus.

He truly understood not a word this person spoke, but the young man first performed a set of ’Eagle Claw Fist’ and then slowed down, dismantling and demonstrating the fundamentals and common boxing stances of the ’Eagle Claw Fist’ in front of him piece by piece.

No need to understand human speech!

As long as he had eyes and watched seriously, Yan Chen could discern and learn from them—

"Form without spirit isn’t true boxing!"

"Coiling, Predation, Spreading Wings, Waiting for Prey, Claw Grasping!"

"All these are eagles!"

"This person is like an eagle!"

Enthralled, Yan Chen only felt many of his past doubts and perplexities during practice dissolve with a glance or two.

Clear!

Smooth!

He couldn’t help but start practicing boxing alongside this person.

Initially awkward.

Less awkward after a while.

Still awkward.

"Eh—"

Yan Chen’s face fell.

Knowing is easier than doing.

As he watched this person boxing, he felt he understood everything thoroughly. However, when it came to doing it himself, executing the moves, nothing seemed right.

"Haha!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"That’s because your foundation isn’t solid. How can you use boxing without a stable foundation?"

The young man laughed.

Yan Chen didn’t understand but blushed, realizing he was being teased.

Feeling embarrassed,

The young man picked a twig from the ground and flicked it lightly on his body—

"Feet are the body’s foundation; if the feet stand firm, the body is stable!"

"Eyes possess the essence of observation, hands have the ability to throw and rotate, feet have the power to move."

"Step forward, and the body follows; step back, and the body follows; step inward, and the body leans; step outward, and the body bends; feet kick away, fists as the vanguard, feet as the commander, fists strike six ways, feet kick into position. Foot kicks won’t make it clear all; a full hand opens the door thoroughly, boxing doesn’t easily hit, but a foot kick, seven points aren’t hard; as the foot is quicker than the hand."

"Waist and leg skills!"

"This is the foundation of ’Eagle Claw Fist,’ indeed the foundation of boxing itself!"

Bang Bang!

Though Yan Chen didn’t understand, as the twig struck him, it constrained his body, guiding his torso, leading his limbs, constantly correcting and teaching.

Strike at the slightest mistake!

Even if correct, strike!

With just a twig, language barrier notwithstanding, this person could actually teach him boxing.

Delighted, Yan Chen immersed himself, savoring every sensation.

At his ears.

The person kept murmuring—

"Just a little off! Just a little off!"

"If during practice you’re always ’almost there,’ at crucial moments, you’ll feel just a little off!"

"Practicing boxing!"

"Foundations!"

"Boxing stance!"

"Exactly and meticulously. It can’t be wrong, can’t be off!"

Though the twig stung his skin, Yan Chen’s spirit soared because he clearly felt his progress, his ’Eagle Claw Continuous Fist’ improving significantly in such a brief period.

Much more useful than him pondering alone for half a month or even a month.

And all this while not understanding the language—

"If only I could understand what he says—"

"Or if he could speak a language I understand—"

Yan Chen couldn’t help but ponder.

Just then.

The twig stopped, and the young man paused, tapping Yan Chen on the head with the twig three times, then pointed with it towards ’White Rock Mountain’ behind the tribe, and drew a crescent on the ground—

"At the third watch of the night, when the moon is at its peak, I’ll go to the mountain to find you?"

Yan Chen understood, nodding vigorously: "Okay! I’ll definitely go!"

After he agreed,

The young man tossed the twig aside, lightly tapped the ground, and leaped onto the treetop, disappearing quickly.

"Qinggong!"

"That’s Qinggong!"

Startled and delighted, Yan Chen watched until the young man vanished, felt the fatigue surge back, then sprang back to the tribe with excitement.

Returning home.

His parents had prepared a meal, his siblings waited obediently, looking forward to his return.

Seeing Yan Chen,

Father Yan spoke coldly, "If you can’t master boxing, then come back and help us with the chores, instead of wandering around all day!"

Mrs. Yan asked gently, "Xiao Chen, how did your practice go today?"

"Very well!"

"I’ve made great progress!"

Yan Chen’s eyes twinkled mischievously, choosing to hide his encounter with the mysterious mentor, secretly thinking: "Hehe! Once I’ve mastered the skills, advanced my boxing, and get selected for the ’Eagle Department,’ I’ll surely stun you all!"

In great haste, he finished three bowls of rice—

"I’m full!" He said, grabbing the bowls to clean them.

Ding ding ding dang!

Finished swiftly.

"I’ll go to bed early!"

Then, he headed to sleep.

Father Yan and Mrs. Yan thought their child was disheartened, not realizing Yan Chen’s eagerness to rest early to go to White Rock Mountain at the third watch and learn skills!

Hehe!

Eagle Department!

I can do it for sure!

...