The Way of Restraint

Chapter 190: The True Aristocratic Path

Su Jie and Zhang Manman traveled to the city where the Zhang family resided.

Meanwhile, in a nearby large city, there was a quaint Chinatown.

Inside Chinatown stood a large mansion enshrining shrines to various deities, including Guan Yu, Guanyin, Mazu, Buddha, and the Three Pure Ones. Nearby were numerous ancient martial arts implements: stone locks, large halberds, weapon racks, spears, clubs, swords, daggers, and more.

Foreigners entering this place would feel as if they had stepped into an ancient Chinese martial arts world.

The ancestral halls in Chinatown were very old. In the early 19th century, large-scale trade activities between the West and the East led to a large influx of Chinese people into Western society, who banded together to form Chinatowns.

The most important element in Chinatown was its ancestral halls, representing the spiritual beliefs and cultural roots of the Chinese people. Even now, many overseas Chinese still visit ancestral halls in Chinatown during festivals to offer incense and pray for blessings, watch lion dances and martial arts performances, and inherit ancient traditional culture.

The more foreign the land, the more different the civilization, the more carefully the Chinese cherish and are unwilling to abandon the flame of their own civilization, cultivating the foundation of their traditional culture.

Feng Hengyi stood in this ancestral hall, watching an old man offer incense to each deity.

This old man was none other than “Master Mao,” with whom the Feng family had a long-standing and deep connection.

The saying “Southern Mao,” “Northern Luo,” and “Central Ma” refers to these three individuals.

However, Master Luo and Master Ma are still young, only in their forties, while “Southern Mao” is a full ninety years old, twice their age. Having experienced countless vicissitudes, he is shrewd and calculating, adept at avoiding misfortune and seeking good fortune, relying on his wisdom to remain invincible.

Looking at “Master Mao,” Feng Hengyi knew that this man was inextricably linked to the Feng family, and that the family’s prosperity was entirely due to his repeated strategic advice and crucial assistance at key junctures.

Initially, Feng Hengyi didn’t believe such things.

From a young age, he had undergone rigorous, scientific training at the Typhon Training Camp, leaving no room for complacency. Once trained, he was unstoppable.

When he heard “Master Mao” recite the poem, “When fortune smiles, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune turns, even heroes are powerless,” he dismissed it as a joke.

He scoffed at phrases like “loss of power leads to calamity.”

But when Su Jie miraculously escaped his ultimate move, the “Heavenly Dog Throw,” during the Haoyu Cup competition, he became suspicious. He then remained calm, reflecting and investigating, eventually traveling abroad to seek answers from “Master Mao.”

After offering incense, “Master Mao” turned around. His face was smooth, without wrinkles, age spots, or any sign of aging. Only his eyes held a strange, unpredictable glint; no one could discern what they concealed, let alone his inner state.

“Do you believe me now?” Master Mao asked.

“Not really, I just have a doubt about something.” Feng Hengyi had completely regained his composure. His previous arrogance was a deliberate display, a facade to mislead his opponents.

Deep down, he was an absolutely calm and collected individual, neither human nor purely robotic, but a combination of machine and beast.

“Go ahead,” Master Mao asked.

“I started training in my mother’s womb, and now at eighteen, I’ve always used the most scientific and cutting-edge training methods. No one has better training conditions than me. Yet Su Jie has only trained for a little over a year, and he was able to dodge my trump card. Why is that? Has he gained supernatural power?” Feng Hengyi asked.

This was the question that lingered in his mind.

He won at the starting line, but against Su Jie, it became a tortoise and the hare race.

“Is the Typhon Training Camp’s method the most scientific?” Master Mao countered. “If so, why did the God-Maker, Odell, leave the training camp to find a better method? Do you think Odell is inferior to you?”

“I think Odell has reached a dead end,” Feng Hengyi said.

“You’re the one who’s reached a dead end,” Master Mao said. “You always think the Typhon Training Camp is the most advanced, but in reality, even some of the big shots there think it has shortcomings, otherwise they wouldn’t have tried to take me there to study it several times. Even science and technology can only represent the advancement of technology at a certain point in time; it can’t remain forever. To be honest, the Typhon Training Camp’s research on the mind isn’t very thorough.”

Feng Hengyi didn’t refute this. 

Master Mao continued, “I think you have to admit that a person is composed of two parts: mind and body. If your body has no mind, it’s as good as dead, and it will quickly decay. If the mind is in your body, then it can ensure the biological cycle. There are many mysteries in the tempering of the mind. You’ve achieved ruthlessness and think you’ve reached the peak, but in reality, ruthlessness, without any fluctuations, while powerful, cannot push the physical body to its peak. Ninety-nine percent of emotions are distractions and harmful to the body, but some emotions are indispensable to the body. For example, artificial intelligence can calculate everything, but it still has no life; it lacks…It’s that little bit of autonomy that hasn’t given rise to true wisdom.”

“I understand what you mean.” Feng Hengyi’s eyes grew even colder. “You mean I’m actually putting the cart before the horse?”

“It’s not putting the cart before the horse. Your coldness and ruthlessness, your complete lack of emotional fluctuation, your constant calmness, are correct. But you still need to find the core of that wisdom within it. I’ll use this analogy again: if an artificial intelligence suddenly develops human-like intelligence and emotions, then it’s as if it has its own life. And you, you already possess this wisdom, but you’ve discarded it, which is a great pity. In idiom terms, it’s like buying the casket and returning the pearl.” Master Mao spoke eloquently.

“That makes sense.” Feng Hengyi uttered only four words.

“You are very strong, extremely strong, with a foundation so solid it’s unprecedented. Even though my cultivation level is far superior to yours, I am still no match for you. Because I am old, and I didn’t lay a solid foundation when I was young. Even if I were to comprehend that level in my old age, it would only mean I live a longer life; it’s too late to reverse the situation,” Master Mao said. “However, regarding the ‘calamity’ I mentioned about your Feng family, if I’m not mistaken, he broke through to the realm of the living dead during his battle with you. It’s been over a hundred days now, and his physical strength is completely consolidated. Killing him again would be very difficult. It’s a pity that if you had killed him without hesitation back then, you wouldn’t have such a major threat now.”

“That was in the country. On the competition field, it’s not so easy to act,” Feng Hengyi said. “However, he seems to be here now, so it’s hard to say.”

“I’ll have Mao Xin accompany you; I guarantee we can eliminate this ‘calamity’,” Master Mao said.

“No need,” Feng Hengyi turned and left.

He knew that Master Mao had many children and descendants, some of whom were highly skilled. Logically, those who peddle superstitions, practice feng shui, and perform divination would all live solitary lives, childless and dying alone.

But Master Mao has essentially four generations living under one roof; his family has spread out and flourished.

*****

San Francisco.

“We’re home.” Zhang Manman led Su Jie to the largest Chinatown area. 

Everywhere there are streets, signs, and shops with Chinese elements. At night, it’s brightly lit, and many people are playing mahjong and cards outside, as if they’ve returned to a bustling small county town in China.

“Does your family live here?” Su Jie asked casually. “This is the earliest settlement of Chinese people. They came here from overseas to seek their gold. With the changing times, it has grown to its current size.”

“Yes, there are now over 200,000 permanent Chinese residents,” Zhang Manman said. “Actually, my family doesn’t live here, but our Zhang family ancestral hall is located here. Every year during the Lunar New Year, all family members gather at the ancestral hall for a meeting. My father also hosts the New Year activities, teaching martial arts and performing dragon and lion dances with the local residents.”

“In a foreign land, the most important thing is to maintain a martial spirit, otherwise you’ll be bullied,” Su Jie nodded.

“There will be a small family gathering tomorrow. I’ll help you settle in first,” Zhang Manman said. “Then I’ll introduce you to some of my close family members.”

“This Zhang family gathering is about distributing power, so you’re starting with a small gathering to build relationships? I’m your strongest ally. Do you want me to show off my skills as soon as we meet?” Su Jie naturally understood Zhang Manman’s meaning. 

“Smart,” Zhang Manman exclaimed.

Zhang Manman led Su Jie into an old street and stopped in front of a house. She took out her key and unlocked the door.

The door opened to reveal a rather large three-story duplex, decorated in a distinctly European style.

The house was spotless, clearly regularly cleaned; even the refrigerator in the kitchen was stocked with fresh food.

This was one of Zhang Manman’s own properties.

“You learned cooking from Nie Shuang, why don’t you show off and cook a meal?” Zhang Manman suggested, sitting down on the sofa.

Su Jie then took out a military-grade canned food: “It’s better to eat this. It’s military-grade canned food from Typhon Training Camp. It’s highly nutritious, rich in vitamins, has few impurities, and contains various minerals to replenish the body. Although the taste isn’t as good, it’s much better than cooking your own food.”

“By the way,” Zhang Manman seemed to remember something, “After you entered the realm of the living dead, your physical strength improved greatly. Does that mean ordinary food can’t meet your nutritional needs?”

“That’s a problem, but not a big one. It’s just that I eat more.” Su Jie shook the can: “Will your dad stay here when he comes back?”

“No, he has his own property. We’ve already separated our households.” Zhang Manman shook her head: “He’s out on business right now. There’s been some trouble at the Honey Badger Training Camp, and he has to go help. He should be back in about three to five days.”