The Way of Restraint

Chapter 25: Defeating Josh, The Genius Turns Out to Be You

Diary entries:

[August 7th: I practiced martial arts alone. Coach Gu Yang was still teaching routines to the training class members, including Tai Chi and Long Fist. These martial arts moves are elegant and well-designed to attract attention. In today’s society, martial arts are mainly for performance. Even ring matches are a form of performance; otherwise, terms like “passive fighting” wouldn’t exist. I focused on practicing the “Hoe Strike” technique. While it isn’t suitable for ring fights, it is highly effective for eliminating fierce enemies.

Additionally, my external martial arts training has significantly improved. During a small ring match today, my opponent’s hook punch landed on my stomach. The moment his fist touched my skin, my abdominal muscles instinctively tightened and relaxed, completely neutralizing the force. In the evening, Uncle Mang said this was an improvement in sensitivity—my body reacted without relying on signals from my cerebral cortex, developing a natural resistance to strikes. Many people train for ten years and still can’t reach this level.  

I owe my small success mainly to Coach Odell’s foundational training and the guidance of Uncle Mang and Coach Gu Yang. Regular people don’t get such opportunities. Of course, Coach Odell saw potential in me because I am diligent and resilient. Uncle Mang also valued me because I can endure intense pain.]  

[August 8th: Still practicing martial arts, participating in matches, and doing massages. Today, I checked my bank account and found I had earned seventy to eighty thousand yuan in prize money! It’s incredibly profitable. I haven’t even entered professional matches, yet the earnings are this high. Professional matches must be even more lucrative, right? Wrong. Professional fighters endure harsher conditions, and most don’t earn much.  

Among the many martial arts schools and gyms hosting small ring matches in this area, only Minglun Martial Arts School profits. On online platforms, their matches dominate in popularity due to the “head effect.” Many professional fighters come here to earn extra income, similar to how second- and third-tier celebrities turn to livestreaming.  

Professional fighters, unless they are world-class with unmatched popularity, often struggle financially. This reality made me reconsider my future. As the old saying goes, “A man fears choosing the wrong career; a woman fears marrying the wrong man.” Regardless, improving physical fitness is always beneficial.]

[August 9th: Today, I switched to training with a heavier iron hoe, weighing about 20 jin (approximately 10 kilograms), to strengthen my core. Uncle Mang suggested it, using weight to stimulate muscle groups. He complemented this with acupuncture to enhance the activity of my soft tissues and fascia.]  

[August 10th: Martial arts training, swatting flies on glass, competing, acupuncture, and sleeping.]  

[August 11th: Same as yesterday, nothing insightful to note.]  

[August 12th: My savings have reached 138,000 yuan—all from prize money. However, as more students return to school after the summer break, small ring matches have become increasingly popular. I couldn’t even register today. It seems this source of income is becoming unreliable.  

The matches are attracting better competitors, including coaches and experts from other schools. The quick and straightforward format appeals to the masses, unlike professional matches, which drag on with lengthy introductions and build-up. Future entertainment trends will undoubtedly favor faster-paced activities.  

Today, there were no matches. I felt restless.] 

[August 13th: I paid the registration fee but still couldn’t secure a spot. The venue was packed with people, and the atmosphere was electric. This embodies the true martial spirit of martial arts schools.  

While martial arts promote courage, they must be paired with moral values to avoid fostering recklessness.]  

[August 14th: For three consecutive days, I paid the registration fee but couldn’t compete. My plan to gain more combat experience seems to be falling apart. Actual combat is the fastest way to improve martial arts skills. Many moves I don’t understand during practice become clear in real fights, feeding back into my training.  

My hammer technique for swatting flies is now more controlled, though still far from perfect. Uncle Mang said true mastery means using techniques freely to incapacitate opponents without causing harm.] 

Half a month had passed, and September 1st, the start of school, was approaching. Su Jie should have been preparing to return, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave this environment.  

He knew this place represented a major opportunity, and missing it could change his life trajectory.  

‘Should I take a year off to train here? After all, I can keep up with my academic courses,’ Su Jie thought. ‘I’ve already self-studied all the senior year subjects—Chinese, math, physics, chemistry. None of it is challenging for me. I’ve completed many high-scoring mock exams, and I could still perform well in the college entrance exam even now.’  

Returning to school felt inefficient. Staying here meant benefiting from Uncle Mang’s research on his body and gaining extensive martial arts knowledge. Without Uncle Mang and this environment, his progress would slow significantly.  

Su Jie valued efficiency and hated wasting time.  

However, taking a year off to train while preparing for the college entrance exam was unlikely to gain approval from his parents, teachers, or principal.  

At school, Su Jie was a top student and a focus of special cultivation. Proposing a leave of absence would lead to relentless persuasion and lectures from everyone, which was daunting to even imagine.  

Unable to find a solution, Su Jie decided to focus on learning as much as he could in the time left.  

August 15th.  

After a full day of training, Su Jie finished dinner and went to the small ring match venue, hoping to register. On his way, he bumped into Josh, who had just exited the venue.  

Josh patted Su Jie’s shoulder and said, “It’s too crowded inside. I couldn’t get in. Don’t waste your registration fee. How about we spar?”  

“A spar? Sure,” Su Jie nodded. “You attack, and I’ll defend.” 

“No, we’re really going to fight here. During training, having a good sparring partner and opponent is crucial. I’ve been watching your matches these past few days, and you’re really strong. I didn’t realize just how much you’ve grown. Today, I want to simulate a street fight with you, a real one. How about we go off-campus and do it?” Josh’s tone was serious.

“This seems too dangerous.” Su Jie was startled. He knew that Josh highly valued street fighting, believing it to be the true test of strength. On the arena, the fights were all staged, with fighters taking stances and waiting for the referee’s signal—just a performance. But on the streets, anything could happen. Many martial arts champions had been killed in street fights with thugs.

“Please.” Josh spoke earnestly, even bowing in the Japanese style. He had learned it when studying karate, and it was part of the traditional Japanese gesture for requests.

“Alright, alright.” Su Jie knew Josh’s character too well. If he refused, Josh would keep asking. Besides, after spending so much time together, they’d developed a strong friendship, so sparring a bit wouldn’t hurt.

Without saying anything, Josh silently walked off-campus, with Su Jie following behind him.

The two of them arrived in a small alley outside the campus.

Su Jie saw Josh stop and couldn’t help but ask, “Are we fighting here?”

Swish!

Josh suddenly turned around, his demeanor completely different from their usual training. He became fierce and vicious, raising his fist and striking. The vicious look in his eyes made it seem like he was facing an enemy he could never forgive. Su Jie’s heart skipped a beat. If he hadn’t participated in so many real arena battles, he might have been too slow to react.

In that split second, Su Jie’s practiced move—the “Hoe Strike” technique—came into play. He leaned in, raised his arm, and covered his head, allowing Josh’s punch to land on his arm.

As Josh’s fist struck, Su Jie instinctively rotated his arm, diffusing the force. Then, with the power of a tiger pouncing from the mountains, he struck forward like swinging a hoe.

It was all instinctive; he hadn’t thought about it much.

Josh seemed to have anticipated this move. He pulled his fist back, retreated, and slid his foot forward. His foot came up like a spear, kicking straight at Su Jie. This was the standard Thai kick—quick and fierce, with elements of boxing and traditional martial arts. It was one of the deadliest moves in street fighting.

In street fights, with the unpredictable terrain and the uncertainty of numbers, leg techniques were rarely used. In martial arts, lifting a leg was often too exposed, but the Thai kick was excellent for blocking an opponent’s offensive.

However, such a kick couldn’t be used in the arena, where techniques like whips and side kicks were more common.

Josh’s kick seemed designed specifically for street fighting—small in range and subtle, but it perfectly blocked Su Jie’s assault.

But as Su Jie lunged, his hand dug downward, landing squarely on Josh’s leg, forcing his kick to be suppressed. The pain in Josh’s foot was sharp.

Then, Su Jie quickly moved again, his hands digging and thrusting as he closed the distance between them.

Josh raised his hand to block.

At that moment, Su Jie’s hand seized Josh’s arm, yanking it downward, like a fight between street hooligans. In that tug, Josh seemed to lose his balance slightly.

Su Jie released the tug, arced his chest forward, and then launched another dig and thrust.

Bang!

The blows came down on Josh’s head, striking hard.

Josh had no way to escape. Seeing the heavy blow coming, Su Jie transitioned from digging to pushing, exhaling forcefully, his abdomen swelling, and then he shoved Josh with the power of a mountain.

Thud!

Josh was sent crashing to the ground.

Su Jie himself hadn’t even realized what had happened. All the moves he just made were purely instinctive. His mind hadn’t processed them; it wasn’t like a fight in the arena, where there was time to strategize and think.

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