Chapter 112: Qin Qiong Masters the Taiji

With the blacksmiths in the armory busy at work and no one else around, Li Dong leaned toward Qin Qiong and whispered, "In my view, General Lai is destined to be defeated on this expedition! You must step in to save Dou Jiande and the other brothers."

Qin Qiong knew that Li Dong possessed an uncanny, almost supernatural talent for military strategy. If he predicted the General’s defeat before the army had even departed, there had to be a reason. Though it sounded preposterous, he nodded solemnly and agreed.

After a moment of thought, he pleaded with Li Dong, "I can agree to defeat them in the ring as you requested. But that only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. General Lai commands tens of thousands of garrison troops. Once defeated, their lives will be in ruins, and they will die in a foreign land—a truly desolate fate."

"Every soldier is the pillar of a family. Command is your forte; you are the only one who can save their lives and spare their hopeful children from being left orphaned and destitute. I implore you not to refuse!"

Li Dong nodded firmly to Qin Qiong, his expression brimming with confidence and heroic spirit. "Consider it done! You can rest easy, one hundred percent."

"Good! It is a deal!" Qin Qiong slapped his palm against Li Dong’s three times, sealing their pact. In ancient times, integrity was the foundation of one's standing, and men sealed their promises with a handshake. While wealthy merchants might use formal contracts and signatures, such cold, interest-driven agreements were far removed from the bold, forthright spirit shared by Li Dong and Qin Qiong.

Li Dong began to teach Qin Qiong the essentials of Taiji—the principles of spirit, energy, intent, and form. He urged him to cultivate both internal and external strength, to use an opponent’s force against them, and to move a thousand pounds with the strength of a mere four ounces.

He instructed him that when the movements flowed smoothly, they should be like a lion rolling a silk ball, without a hint of friction or hesitation; when consistent, like the relentless, surging waves of a river; and when explosive, like a starving tiger pouncing, swift as lightning and fierce as a gale.

Taiji was but one of the many martial arts Li Dong had practiced as a recruit, alongside ninjutsu, taekwondo, Wing Chun, and Western boxing. These were the distilled treasures of various nations, refined over centuries by the wisdom of countless ancestors who had stripped away the dross to leave only the essence.

As a special forces operative, one could never predict when they might face a master of a foreign martial art. To go unprepared was to invite defeat. During his time in the service, Li Dong had been exceptionally diligent, willing to endure hardship to master these arts thoroughly.

Dou Jiande was also highly capable; he would surely cut through the competition and dominate the ring. If he were noticed by General Lai Hu'er and recruited as an officer, he would be like a dragon taking to the clouds once the storm hit, rising rapidly to power and slipping out of Li Dong’s control—a situation that would be highly unfavorable.

To prevent Dou from winning the title, Li Dong had to go to great lengths to teach Qin Qiong Taiji as a means to restrain and suppress him, preventing him from shining too brightly and drawing too much attention.

A talent as great as Dou Jiande needed to be kept in the shadows for a while. He had to serve Li Dong and follow his command alone.

If Dou Jiande and Qin Qiong were ordinary men, Li Dong would only need to offer them a sincere heart to win their friendship. But they were not ordinary; they were legendary figures whose names would echo through history, both in martial prowess and intellect. Dealing with such men required unconventional methods.

It required not just a heart of friendship, but calculated tactics and the art of managing people to keep them firmly within his orbit. The smarter a person is, the harder they are to manage; even a beautiful rose has thorns, let alone a man destined to stir the winds and clouds.

Li Dong also taught Cheng Yaojin the miraculous "Three Axes." Cheng and Qin were different; Cheng was a tiger-general, a warrior of pure force and speed. Though his strength was several tiers below that of Luo Shixin, he possessed a speed Luo could not match—that was his unique edge.

Qin Qiong, having spent years at the forge, possessed not only strength and speed but also a dexterity that neither Cheng nor Luo could match. In short, Qin Qiong was a versatile warrior—brave, strategic, strong, and swift. With a quick mind and a loyal, heroic nature, he was a talent beyond compare.

At nineteen, Qin Qiong was at the prime of his youth, full of vigor and spirit. At this critical juncture, as his worldview took shape, Li Dong’s careful guidance opened new horizons for him, and his mastery of martial arts reached a new realm.

Under Li Dong’s tutelage, Qin Qiong practiced whenever he could. The blacksmiths, seeing his dedication, encouraged him, hoping he would win the competition and bring glory to their shop. This only spurred Qin Qiong to practice even harder, and he began to see results, waiting only for the ring to prove his worth.

While Li Dong and Qin Qiong plotted, Dou Jiande was not idle. After consulting with Zhang Jincheng and Liu Heita, the three agreed that they should neither be the first nor the last to enter the ring. To go too early was to risk exhaustion; to go too late was to lose the spotlight.

They planned to enter at the critical moment—when a challenger had won several bouts and was just catching the eye of General Lai Hu'er. By then, the opponent would be fatigued, and they would have had time to study his style and weaknesses, ensuring a swift victory. This would earn them the General’s favor and set them on the path to high office.

Zhang and Liu were deeply impressed by Dou’s strategy and gravitated toward him, eventually becoming his loyal lieutenants.

Meanwhile, an uninvited guest arrived at General Lai Hu'er’s tent: Ye Jishan.

After Li Dong had set fire to his estate, leaving him in disgrace before his subordinates, Ye had been consumed by resentment. Fearing he could not face Li Dong directly, and suspecting that Li had disguised himself as a soldier in Lai Hu'er’s camp, he hurried to report this to the General, hoping to have Li Dong punished.

Lai Hu'er greeted him with a smile, praising his support in the recruitment effort. Upon hearing that Li Dong had infiltrated his camp, he remained unfazed, assuring Ye that he would receive a satisfactory answer.

Once Ye departed, Lai Hu'er’s expression darkened. He summoned Fei Qingnu and ordered, "Li Dong has infiltrated my camp. Send men to find him secretly. Do not alert him; simply report back to me."

Fei Qingnu was thrilled. So, the man had finally fallen into his grasp! He would not let him go this time. However, he was puzzled by the request for secrecy. "General, you need only order the unit leaders to question the men, and we would find him in half a day. Why the secrecy?"

"To search for one man and stir up the whole army? That is losing the greater for the lesser. We cannot afford any mishaps before we set out. Do as I say!" Lai Hu'er waved him away.

Fei Qingnu nodded and left, though he sneered inwardly. Li Dong, he thought, do not blame me for what comes next.