Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 77 Emerging from Seclusion and Visiting Ip Man

Three days later, Lin Yan pushed open the bedroom door and went downstairs. His entire demeanor was different; it was as if an invisible force was surging around him.

"Master, you've emerged from seclusion?" Wang Yuling was the first to notice the commotion and quickly came to greet him. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Congratulations, Master, your cultivation has improved again!"

Lin Yan gave a wry smile and flexed his wrists: "I've completed the eighth and seventh rounds of body tempering and soul forging, my divine sense radius can cover 800 meters, and my strength has increased to 30,000 jin." He took a few steps cautiously, "But now I always feel uneasy, afraid that if I exert too much force I will break the floor, and I'm even afraid of crushing a cup."

Lin Gang, who had appeared out of nowhere, stood to the side, scrutinizing him. "Young Master, your strength has increased too quickly, and your body hasn't adapted yet. You don't know how to control your power. Especially this strength—you only have brute force but don't know how to use it." He paused, then suggested, "Why don't you learn some martial arts? Not for fighting, but to use those techniques to practice how to generate and control your power, so you can master this strength."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's eyes lit up immediately: "That's a great idea!" He recalled that his ancestors' traditions didn't really include much martial arts, probably because they looked down on such "simple" techniques. But he needed these things right now to hone his control.

"Lin Gang, you're right." Lin Yan immediately made the decision. "You should send someone to inquire right away where there are any truly skilled martial arts masters in Hong Kong. No matter what style it is, Wing Chun, Hung Kuen, or any other school, as long as they have real skills, I'd like to learn from them."

"Yes, young master." Lin Gang nodded in agreement and turned to make the arrangements.

After finishing their business, Lin Yan felt an itch on his forehead. He touched it and realized his hair had grown quite a bit. Always mindful of his appearance, he said to Lin Er beside him, "Lin Er, which barbershop in Hong Kong has good skills? Can you recommend one? My hair needs a trim."

Lin Er thought for a moment and said, "Young Master, if we're talking about good skills and attentive service, the old-fashioned 'Shanghai barbershops' in Hong Kong are quite good these days. The barbers there are very experienced and use razors exceptionally well. They offer not only haircuts but also shaving, beard trimming, and ear cleaning—a full service that leaves you feeling refreshed. There's a 'Shanghai Qiaoguan Barbershop' in North Point that's been open for many years. The barbers there are incredibly skilled, and many of their regular customers are loyal customers."

"Oh? A Shanghai barbershop? And they even offer ear cleaning?" Lin Yan became interested. "Okay, let's go try it out. You make the arrangements, we'll head over now."

Half an hour later, Lin Yan and Lin Er arrived at the Shanghai Qiaoguan Barber Shop in North Point. The shop was small but clean, with several customers sitting in old-fashioned barber chairs, several large mirrors hanging on the walls, and a radio playing Cantonese opera in the corner.

"Please come in, gentlemen." A senior technician in a white coat greeted them with a smile, his gaze lingering on Lin Yan for a moment. "This gentleman looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time here?"

Lin Yan nodded: "I heard your cooking is excellent, so I came to give it a try."

The experienced barber led him to the barber chair: "Your satisfaction is guaranteed. We have experienced barbers here, the least experienced of whom have been doing this for over ten years."

Lin Yan sat in the old-fashioned barber chair, feeling quite intrigued. The experienced barber draped a white cloth around his neck with practiced ease.

"How would you like it cut, sir?"

"Just trim it a little shorter, make it neat." Lin Yan watched through the mirror as the master craftsman took out clippers and scissors.

The stylist's skill was truly adept; the scissors were incredibly nimble in his hands. With just a few snips, the uneven hair was neatly trimmed and styled. The stylist applied just the right amount of pressure, ensuring the hair wasn't pulled or hurt while still providing precise trimming.

"Sir, your hair is so beautiful, so thick and black," the stylist praised as he cut the hair.

Lin Yan smiled but didn't speak, thinking that this was probably the effect of body tempering. He paused his work slightly and carefully examined Lin Yan's profile and head shape in the mirror, as if he had discovered something rare: "I, Old Zhang, have been shaving heads for decades and have handled at least eight or ten thousand heads, but this is the first time I've seen one like yours. Your skull is round and full, your forehead is broad, your chin is square, and the shape of your brow bone and nose... tsk tsk, it's truly extraordinary, very rare! No wonder I felt you had an extraordinary bearing the first time I saw you, it turns out you were born with an unusual appearance."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's heart stirred slightly. He knew that these were subtle changes that occurred in his body from the inside out after multiple body temperings and cultivation improvements. He hadn't expected that this experienced master could detect them by touch. He simply smiled faintly and casually replied, "Master, you're joking. It's just that my parents gave me good fortune."

The experienced hairdresser shook his head repeatedly, his hands moving even more gently as if handling a precious work of art: "No, no, no, this isn't something that just any parents could produce... Oh dear, look at my mouth, I just can't control myself, I've been too talkative, sir, please don't take offense." Realizing he had spoken too much, he quickly shut up and focused on styling the hair.

After the haircut, the stylist gave him a facial. A hot towel was placed on his face, steaming comfortably. The stylist took out a razor, rubbed it against his belt a few times, and the blade gleamed coldly.

"Don't worry, sir. I've used this razor for twenty years and it's never failed me." The razor master's technique was light and skillful; the blade grazed the skin, and the beard fell off with a thud, without damaging the skin at all.

Finally, it was time for ear cleaning. The experienced ear cleaner took out a small bamboo tube filled with various delicate tools. Lin Yan was a little worried at first, but the ear cleaner's technique was gentle and professional. The itchy and tingling sensation coming from his ear canal was so comfortable that he almost fell asleep.

After the full service was completed, Lin Yan looked in the mirror and indeed felt much more refreshed. He paid readily and even gave an extra tip.

Back in the car, Lin Yan felt refreshed: "This master chef's skills are really good. I can come here often in the future."

Lin Er smiled and nodded: "Young Master looks much more energetic."

Back at the villa, Lin Gang was already waiting in the living room.

"Young Master, I've inquired." Lin Gang handed over a list. "There are indeed several famous martial arts masters in Hong Kong right now. There's Master Wang Ganbo in Yuen Long, who teaches Hung Kuen with both hands, and he's very famous locally. Also, I heard that there's Master Ip Man at the Hong Kong and Kowloon Hotel Staff Union on Tai Nan Street in Sham Shui Po, who teaches Wing Chun, but he mainly teaches hotel staff, and it's unclear whether he accepts outsiders."

Lin Yan took the list and looked at it: "Ip Man? That name sounds familiar."

"I heard he has a student named Bruce Lee, who won the inter-school boxing championship last year and has become quite famous recently."

Lin Yan's eyes lit up: "Then let's go and meet this Master Ye first. Tomorrow, you can inquire and see if you can arrange a time to meet him."

"Yes, young master."

Lin Yan leaned back on the sofa, feeling that everything was moving in a positive direction. He'd gotten a haircut and felt refreshed; he'd found a way to learn kung fu, which would solve his control problem. Once he got used to his newfound strength, he could finally go out and have some fun.

"Oh, right," he suddenly remembered something, "how's the arrangement for the grain store in Kowloon Walled City going?"

Lin Er replied, "The location has already been chosen; it's on the street outside the city walled city. It's currently under renovation and will open next week. As you requested, with proof of residence in the city walled city, you can enjoy a discounted price—30% cheaper per jin than the market price, with a limit on the amount each person can purchase."

Lin Yan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Pay close attention to this matter; it might come in very handy in the future."

He looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky, already anticipating tomorrow. The next morning, Lin Yan, along with Lin Gang and Lin Er, arrived at the Hong Kong and Kowloon Hotel Staff Union on Tai Nan Street in Sham Shui Po, following the address they had found out. It was an old-looking building with an inconspicuous sign hanging at the entrance that read "Hong Kong and Kowloon Hotel Staff Union".

"This is it," Lin Gang said, pointing to the second floor. "I heard Master Ye usually teaches boxing upstairs."

Lin Yan nodded and straightened his collar. He had deliberately worn simple casual clothes today to avoid standing out too much. The three of them walked up the narrow stairs to the second floor. Before they even reached their destination, they could hear shouts and the thuds of wooden stakes hitting each other coming from above.

The training hall on the second floor wasn't large, about twenty square meters, but it was spotless. Seven or eight young people in T-shirts were practicing; some were hitting wooden dummy drills, others were sparring. Further inside, a slender middle-aged man in a gray short-sleeved shirt was instructing a young disciple. The man was about fifty years old, with piercing eyes and clean, crisp movements; he must be Ip Man.

Ip Man noticed the person entering through the door, raised his hand to signal his disciples to stop practicing, and walked over to Lin Yan and the others.

"Who are you looking for?" Ip Man's voice was calm, with a Cantonese accent, but his eyes were sharp as he quickly sized up the three men. His gaze lingered on Lin Er and Lin Gang for a moment longer, clearly sensing that these two were not ordinary people.

Lin Yan stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Master Ye, hello. I apologize for disturbing you. My name is Lin Yan. I have long admired your name and have come to pay you a visit."

Ip Man nodded slightly, his attitude neither warm nor cold: "Mr. Lin, is there anything I can help you with? We mainly teach restaurant staff how to improve their health; we generally don't accept apprentices from outside the community."

Lin Yan smiled, already prepared: "Master Ye, you misunderstand. I'm not here to become your disciple. I've simply heard of the wonders of Wing Chun and would like to ask you some questions about martial arts, and perhaps make some friends as well."

At this moment, a young disciple interjected, "Master, this Mr. Lin is the one who asked someone to see you yesterday."

Ip Man said "Oh," his expression softening slightly. "So it's you. I heard you want to learn kung fu?"

"Not entirely." Lin Yan carefully chose his words. "To be honest, I'm naturally stronger than most people, but I've never been very good at controlling it. Sometimes I accidentally break things or even hurt people. I've heard that martial arts can help control strength, so I wanted to ask Master Ye for some advice."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible smile flashed in Ip Man's eyes. He looked at the tall, thin young man before him. Although he wasn't short, he looked rather frail, probably unable to even lift a bucket of water, yet he claimed to be "naturally strong." Ip Man thought to himself: Young people these days always overestimate their abilities.

"Being strong is a good thing, but not being able to control it is a real problem," Ip Man said gently. "Could you elaborate?"

Lin Yan looked around and noticed several stone weights for practicing martial arts in the corner, so he went over to them. He picked out a medium-sized one, weighing about fifty pounds, and lifted it up easily.

"For example, this one," Lin Yan said, flicking his wrist slightly, the stone lock spinning lightly in his hand, "I know how heavy it is, but it always feels so light in my hand. How much force to use depends entirely on my feeling, and I often can't quite get it right."

The disciples present were stunned. Shi Suo and the others usually had to use both hands to barely lift him during their training, but in the hands of this seemingly frail young man, he was like a toy.

A glint flashed in Ip Man's eyes, and he abandoned his earlier contempt. He then carefully examined Lin Yan: the boy was about fifteen or sixteen years old, yet possessed an extraordinary height and appeared thin and frail, but the effortless skill he had displayed just now clearly contained astonishing power. This contrast aroused Ip Man's curiosity.

"Interesting." Ip Man stepped forward. "Come on, let's spar." He adopted the Wing Chun hand gesture. "Try pushing me with the force you feel comfortable using."

Lin Yan hesitated for a moment: "Master Ye, I'm afraid I might hurt you..."

Ip Man smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I can handle it." But in his heart he was thinking: This kid is humble, but with his physique, how much strength can he have?

Lin Yan had no choice but to reach out and gently place his hand on Ip Man's. He carefully applied a little force, but Ip Man easily neutralized it with a twist of his wrist.

"Put a little more force into it," Ip Man said.

Lin Yan gradually increased his strength, but no matter how hard he used, Ip Man could always easily deflect it. The most amazing thing was that Ip Man seemed to have used very little force at all, relying entirely on skill and timing.

"Stop." Ip Man suddenly spoke, withdrawing his hand and looking at Lin Yan thoughtfully. He appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, a storm was brewing. This seemingly frail young man had unleashed wave after wave of power, and even Ip Man himself was finding the last few strikes somewhat strenuous. "I understand. You are indeed incredibly strong, but your power is rigid and lacks variation. Like a fine knife, yet unsharpened."

Lin Yan was completely convinced: "Master Ye is right! That's exactly how I feel—I have a lot of strength, but I can't use it well."

Ip Man pondered for a moment, then re-examined the young man before him. He now understood why this young man gave him a peculiar feeling—his tall and slender build combined with astonishing strength, and his youthful face with a composed demeanor, these contradictory qualities concentrated in one young man were truly rare.

"Why do you want to learn to control your strength? Is it just to avoid breaking things?" Ip Man asked, wanting to understand this special young man more deeply.

Lin Yan said seriously, "That's one aspect. On the other hand, I believe power is for protection, not harm. If I can't even control my own power, how can I protect the people I want to protect?"

These words seemed to resonate with Ip Man, who nodded: "Well said. The essence of kung fu isn't fighting, but self-cultivation and self-control." He paused, then made a decision: "How about this, I can guide you on some key points of power generation and control, but that won't be formally accepting you as a disciple. You can come once or twice a week, how about that?"

At this moment, Ip Man's impression of Lin Yan had completely changed. This young man was not only exceptionally talented, but more importantly, he possessed a pure heart and a correct understanding of martial arts. Although his tall and thin physique was not ideal for martial arts training, his talent more than made up for his physical shortcomings. Ip Man even began to look forward to seeing how far this special young man could go in Wing Chun.

Lin Yan was overjoyed: "Thank you so much, Master Ye! As for the tuition..."

Ip Man waved his hand: "No need. I can tell you're no ordinary person. It's rare to find someone with this understanding and respect for martial arts. Let's just consider this making friends."

"That won't do!" Lin Yan hurriedly said, "How about this, I think our training hall is a bit rudimentary. I'll donate some money to buy some equipment, which will also be a contribution to promoting traditional martial arts."

Ip Man initially wanted to decline, but seeing Lin Yan's sincere expression, he finally nodded: "Then thank you very much. Come next Tuesday afternoon; there will be fewer people then, making it easier to instruct you."

"I'll be there on time!" Lin Yan said happily.

Lin Yan was in high spirits when he left the Trade Union Congress. He hadn't expected to receive guidance from Ip Man so easily.

"Young Master, this Master Ye is indeed extraordinary," Lin Er, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "Although his internal strength is not as great as ours, his application and understanding of power far surpasses that of ordinary people."

Lin Gang nodded in agreement: "Yes, his moves may seem simple, but they actually contain extremely sophisticated principles of mechanics."

Lin Yan smiled and said, "That's why I want to learn from him. Although the legacy of our ancestors is powerful, it's the crystallization of wisdom accumulated over thousands of years, and it's worth studying carefully."

Back in the car, Lin Yan was already looking forward to next Tuesday's class. He believed that under Ip Man's guidance, he would be able to master this power as soon as possible. Then, combined with his cultivation of immortality and his modern knowledge, he would be able to truly make a name for himself in this era.

"Let's go back and prepare," Lin Yan said to Lin Er. "It's the first day of class, so we need to bring Master Ye a decent gift."