Chapter 481: Enter the Mountain to Visit
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Famous thought the name of the kicking technique sounded familiar. Since it had nothing better to do, it wanted to practice the technique with Old Time Tea.
In the following days, they lived a very fulfilling life. While Old Time Tea was practicing, Famous, basking in the sun on the rooftop, restated the experience that Old Time Tea would gain one hundred years later. While Famous practiced the leg technique, Old Time Tea instructed it from nearby. Whenever difficulties occurred, they discussed it with each other.
Ever since Famous carried Old Time Tea down the mountain, Old Time Tea had been aware of Famous’ strength of and came up with the idea of teaching it the Foshan Invisible Kick. However, Old Time Tea didn’t know Famous that well back then, so it took a long time to make an official decision.
Martial arts focused on leg training and how to exert strength from the legs. Not because kicking was better than punching. On the contrary, some martial arts masters stressed that one should not readily kick because it would give their opponent a big opportunity to attack them.
Kicking, especially the high kick and side kick, often came with risks, and was a one-time deal. If the kicking did not cause enough damage to your enemy, it was too easy for your enemy to take advantage of your unstable equilibrium to counterattack.
Human beings had two legs, while dogs had four legs, so it’s easier for dogs to keep their balance. Besides, Famous had impressive leg strength, so Old Time Tea was very optimistic about it mastering the leg technique.
Famous was a beginner in learning martial arts, but because the leg technique contained only three movements, it was okay for Famous to practice it intensively. Famous improved rapidly, and within a few days, it was able to fight Old Time Tea for a little bit. Of course, it lost to Old Time Tea quickly because the kicking was the only technique it had mastered.
Martial arts was never learned from routines or practices, but from actual combat. Since Old Time Tea and Famous had begun to fight each other, they both made progress faster. Not only had they gained more experience from their own practices, but they also had a deeper understanding of each other’s level of Kung Fu.
Everyday, after sunrise and before sunset, Old Time Tea and Famous practiced martial arts in the open area. On windy or rainy days, they would stay in the temple to have evaluations so that they gained feedback.
Famous could feel its strength improving, but had no idea how far up its level had gone.
…
On this day, the weather was good, and it was probably the warmest day before winter arrived. Famous was lying on the rooftop and Old Time Tea was practicing in the open space. Having told Old Time Tea all the insights of Kung Fu it had previously heard, Famous was looking around bored.
“Old Time Tea! Someone is coming to the mountain!” it shouted downwards.
Old Time Tea continued practicing moves and casually asked, “Is it the person who delivers the food?”
Everyday at noon, the Wu family would send a person to the mountain to deliver food. If the weather wasn’t good that day, the person arrived later, but the routine had never changed.
“No, usually it’s one person who comes to deliver food. Today, it’s a group of people.” Famous nervously watched the visitors from a distance. It seemed that they were heading to the temple.
As the saying goes, “never mistake a clear view for a short distance.” There were many obstacles on the rugged mountain paths, so it would take them a long time before they could make it to the temple.
“Oh?” Old Time Tea became suspicious. It stopped practicing and leapt onto the roof.
As a cat, Old Time Tea had poor eyesight during the day. Even though Old Time Tea realized that its body was undergoing some changes and its eyesight had also improved, it could only see vague figures.
Who could these people be?
For their own safety and for the time being, they left the temple and retreated to the edge of the forest to wait patiently. If those people were up to no good, at least they had an easy escape route.
When the people got closer, Famous noticed that among these people, there was Wu Ning, the woman they saved, riding a tall horse. Although Famous saved her at night and forgot some of her facial features, it would never forget her scent. It could also smell gun powder, presumably some people in the crowd carrying guns. It was still unclear whether the guns were for self-defense or hunting.
The people stopped at the entrance to the shrine. There were six people in total, including Wu Ning. A person who appeared to be a servant knocked on the door and received no response. After a while, he asked Wu Ning for instructions, and then he pushed the door open and entered the shrine. He came out and shook his head to Wu Ning, telling her that the temple was empty.
“Old Time Tea, those people seem to be looking for us. Wu Ning is with them.” Famous knew that Old Time Tea’s eyesight was not very good during the day, so it asked, “Should we go and take a look?”
After a short discussion, they both agreed that the people were not dangerous. If these people wanted to kill them, they would have just put poison in their food.
So, Old Time Tea and Famous ran towards the group.
After a narrow escape that night, Wu Ning was kept at home for many days because her parents feared that she would be in danger, or that accomplices of the bandits would seek retaliation. She was not allowed to go outside until the bandits confessed that there was no one else. Now, if she wanted to go out, she had to be accompanied by bodyguards and maids. As for the two bandits, they had quietly vanished from the world.
Wu Ning had long been thinking of coming here to thank Old Time Tea and Famous in person. If not for their chivalrous behavior, the consequences would have been disastrous. While she was resting at home, her foot injuries had healed.
Her father, Wu Mancheng, was a squire, and sent Wu Ning to study at an old-style private school when she was a child. He did not bind her feet, so Wu Ning had more physical strength than most women her age. Otherwise, she would have been seized by those outlaws very quickly that night.
She was somewhat disappointed when the servant told her that shrine was empty. The scene of Old Time Tea and Famous valiantly fighting for her left an impression on her. She also had a strong interest in their owner. What kind of person trained pets so well?
The servant in charge of delivering meals reported that he occasionally saw the cat and dog fight each other. At first, he thought they were brawling, but after a closer look, he realized that their movements were like martial arts.
Wu Ning’s mother opposed her decision to come to the mountain, but her father approved of her idea to extend gratitude in person. Perhaps she would get to know the mysterious owner of the cat and dog.
It’s not easy to arrange a trip to the mountain, but since the cat and the dog were not here, she couldn’t keep waiting. She ordered the servants to put more food on the table and was ready to head back home.
“My Lady! There’s a cat and a dog over there. Are they who you’re looking for?” a maid yelled, raising her hand to point to the edge of the woods.
Wu Ning was pleasantly surprised and jumped off her horse. Instead of using the traditional greeting gesture of folding her hands, she bowed, which was new Western etiquette. “Greetings, my two saviors. My name is Wu Ning.”
