Chapter 10: Martial Arts
"What's wrong, Xiangwu?"
Upon hearing Su Hao's voice, the man spoke, asking.
"...," Su Hao remained silent.
It wasn't that he didn't want to answer; rather, he couldn't understand what the other person was saying at all. He could only sense that this man was his father in this lifetime.
This was also the most distressing aspect for Su Hao. Apart from his previous life in Huaguo, every time he reincarnated, he had to learn the language and writing of the different world all over again.
Fortunately, the original body already had a certain foundation, despite being only two years old. As long as he adapted for a while, he would be able to receive the legacy left behind by the original young boy. Understanding wouldn't be a problem.
Seeing Su Hao's silence, the man didn't speak anymore. He continued walking, focusing on the road ahead while remaining cautious of the surrounding environment, as if worried about sudden attacks.
"We're here!" The man quickened his pace, and a small stone village appeared before their eyes. Two heavily armored men stood guard, peering out from the high walls. Upon seeing the man carrying a little boy on his neck, they relaxed.
"Oh, it's Brother San back. No luck today?" One of the men on the left, his face covered in fierce scars, greeted the man.
"Yeah, luck wasn't on my side today!" The man nodded, hastening his steps toward the wall.
While Su Hao was guessing what they were talking about, the man under him suddenly accelerated.
Su Hao held onto the man's head tightly, witnessing him sprint three steps before stomping on the ground, propelling himself into the air. He landed steadily on top of the wall.
Su Hao's mouth hung open in astonishment.
This wall was estimated to be about eight or nine meters high. Even martial arts experts wouldn't dare to play around like that.
"Could it be that my father in this lifetime is a martial arts expert?" Excitement flickered in Su Hao's eyes. This time, he could show off his dad!
...
The little boy Su Hao had possessed in this world was named Wu Xiangwu. The man carrying him was his father, Wu Yuntian, a high-ranking elite warrior of the human race. His mission was to guard the Chashan Outpost outside Lingyun Town. In other words, Wu Yuntian was a sentinel, and Chashan Outpost was their home. They had received the mission two years ago, with a term of fifteen years, so he brought his wife and child to settle in the outpost.
Of course, Chashan Outpost wasn't just Wu Yuntian alone. There were thirty other warriors stationed there, all with families, living in the outpost. The few who were without families would likely never get married. So this small outpost, more than a outpost, was like a village with thirty households. In total, there were around 120 people.
Wu Yuntian held a high position in Chashan Outpost. His combat prowess was recognized as third-best, so everyone was used to calling him Third Brother or Third Brother Wu. As long as it was Wu Yuntian speaking, everyone would give him face, as his words carried weight.
As for Su Hao's mother in this world, she had already died a year ago during a beast attack while protecting their son, Wu Xiangwu. Wu Yuntian felt extremely guilty about it and would sometimes even blame his son, Wu Xiangwu, thinking that if not for him, his wife would have been able to escape safely.
However, Wu Yuntian also knew that he couldn't shift the blame onto a child, but he couldn't help but think that way. As a result, he never showed a smile to his son, Wu Xiangwu. He only fulfilled his responsibilities as a father by protecting and nurturing the child. That was all.
Su Hao gradually adapted to his new identity in this loveless environment.
...
One year later, Su Hao turned three.
During this year, he quickly learned to speak fluently and also learned the written language of this world. Through reading, he gained an understanding of the general situation in this world.
People referred to this world as the Eternal Harmony Continent. It wasn't ruled solely by the human race. Beyond human settlements, there were numerous ferocious beasts roaming, posing a great danger to the human race. This world was still fraught with the problem of survival. There were frequent attacks from large numbers of beasts on human towns, and incidents of towns being breached and people dying were not uncommon.
As a result, numerous outposts were established outside every town as warning buffers for beast attacks. However, in most cases, only a few beasts managed to intrude into human territory, posing no significant threat, which the outpost warriors were capable of handling. The danger wasn't as high as imagined, unless a large group of beasts attacked, resulting in the annihilation of everyone. In that case, it would simply be bad luck.
As for the martial system in this world, it consisted of ordinary martial practitioners, elite martial practitioners, grandmaster martial practitioners, master martial practitioners, and ancestral martial practitioners.
Su Hao didn't know what level of martial power each of these ranks corresponded to. His father, Wu Yuntian, was a high-ranking elite martial practitioner, and in Su Hao's eyes, he was already very powerful. Using martial arts novels as a reference, he could be considered a top-notch expert. So, what kind of existence were grandmaster martial practitioners and master martial practitioners? And what about ancestral martial practitioners?
Could they be like humanoid nuclear bombs?
However, the most important question for Su Hao was whether he could reach such heights through learning and training.
During dinner that day, they ate the meat of a beast called the Yellow-furred Rat. The meat was tender and crispy, brushed with some fat and sizzling on the grill. After being cooked, they sprinkled some salt, turning it into a delicious dish.
Su Hao enjoyed the grilled meat skewers and boldly spoke to Wu Yuntian, who sat silently beside him, "Father, I want to learn martial arts. Will you teach me?"
Wu Yuntian glanced at Su Hao and said calmly, "You're still young. I'll teach you once you turn six."
Upon hearing this, Su Hao's heart sank. Based on his past experiences, he might not even survive until the age of five, let alone wait until six to learn. He had a reason why he must acquire self-defense abilities in advance.
Su Hao questioned, "Why do I have to be six years old to start learning?"
"I don't know. I also started learning at six, just like everyone else."
"I think that's unreasonable."
"What's unreasonable?"
"The right approach should be individualized, different people should start learning at different times. Father, when you mentioned learning at six, it may be suitable for most people, but it might not be suitable for me. Perhaps the best age for me to learn is three? If I miss this excellent age, I'm afraid I won't be able to become stronger in the future."
Wu Yuntian seemed to be meeting his son for the first time. When did this kid become so eloquent? Recalling his own behavior at the age of three, he became interested.
"You're twisting the truth. How would you know
when it's the right time for you to learn martial arts?"
"Why is that twisting the truth? Let me give you an example. If everyone else squats to urinate, should I squat to urinate as well?"
Wu Yuntian was momentarily speechless, feeling that something was off with what the kid said, but he couldn't pinpoint the issue.
Observing Wu Yuntian's expression, Su Hao continued, "If you want to know when it's the right time for me to learn martial arts, isn't it simple? Just give it a try, and we'll know."
That made sense. Wu Yuntian hesitated for a moment.
Su Hao further pushed, "I know why everyone is accustomed to learning at six. It's because children before the age of six have immature minds and insufficient comprehension ability. They are more prone to hurting themselves through practice!"
Puffing his chest, Su Hao patted it with a thud, "But I'm different! Father, don't you have any confidence in your own son?"
After a moment, Wu Yuntian nodded, "Alright, let's give it a try."
Su Hao hadn't even had time to feel happy when Wu Yuntian added, "However, you're still too young. Grow a bit taller first. I'll officially teach you in half a year."
Su Hao accepted it gladly. Half a year was also good; he could wait!
During this half year, he would continue learning and consolidating his knowledge of the human body in the Spatial Ball.
Translated by begs