"This is a combat technique following 'Body Like Water'," Liu Hai said. "I've accumulated it slowly over many years, mastering it naturally. I'll teach you now, and when you reach the 'Body Like Water' realm in the future, you can slowly ponder and learn it yourself."

Xu Jingming listened carefully.

"Watch."

Liu Hai reached out, and the saber in his hand disappeared, replaced by an apple. He gently tossed the apple, and when it fell, it landed in his hand. "An apple, directly hitting the hand, is a bit painful, right?"

Liu Hai tossed the apple again. This time, as the apple fell, Liu Hai's hand moved down with it, catching it smoothly. "Catching it like this is very gentle."

Xu Jingming nodded. "I understand. From a physics perspective, it's relative velocity! If the hand stays still and the apple falls freely, all of the apple's kinetic energy is absorbed by the hand! But if the hand moves down with it, the relative velocity might only be a third or even a fifth of the apple's falling speed! The impact's kinetic energy is a third squared, or a fifth squared. The kinetic energy is much smaller."

The corner of Liu Hai's eye twitched.

Physics?

What's that?

"Okay, you understand the principle." Liu Hai said, "What I want to teach you is how to control speed in actual combat! The apple is the enemy's speed! The hand is your speed. Control the enemy's and your own speeds… so that the enemy's attack can only unleash a tenth of its power, or even less."

Xu Jingming understood somewhat and said, "I've learned before that one of the techniques for deflecting force is to follow the opponent's speed."

"You're passively yielding to the opponent. I'm talking about… controlling speed!" Liu Hai picked up his saber. "Forget it, it's more direct to demonstrate. Attack me with your fastest speed and all your might."

"Alright."

Xu Jingming reached out, holding a spear, and immediately advanced, thrusting with the spear.

"Clang." Liu Hai casually blocked, and as he did, Xu Jingming felt as though the spear was stuck, its power only able to display a tenth of its potential.

Swish, swish, swish!

Xu Jingming didn't hesitate and thrust the spear at his fastest speed, unleashing dozens of thrusts in the blink of an eye.

Liu Hai stood in place, blocking each of Xu Jingming's spear attacks with his saber, causing each thrust to be stuck! Unable to unleash its power.

"Every thrust is stuck; I feel like I'm caught in a spiderweb. I have power, but nowhere to use it!" Xu Jingming felt pained.

When Xu Jingming advanced with his fifty-eighth thrust, Liu Hai also stepped forward diagonally at the same moment.

Both advanced simultaneously, shortening the distance in an instant. Xu Jingming was startled, and then he felt a flash of saber light as it pierced his chest.

Helpless, Xu Jingming clicked on his personal panel to restore himself to peak condition.

"Did you understand?" Liu Hai said, "With Body Like Water, when the enemy moves, ripples appear on the water, sensing their movement and responding accordingly! For each of your fifty-plus thrusts, I countered with my saber, completely sticking to each attack."

"This is instinctual reaction, not the brain," Liu Hai said. "If you relied on the brain to think, there's no way you could block more than fifty thrusts in a row, and each block would have to be perfect."

Xu Jingming nodded.

Attacking at the limit of speed exceeds the speed of neural reactions.

"If you can't even unleash a tenth of your strength against an enemy, you're bound to lose," Xu Jingming said.

Liu Hai said, "Blocking more than fifty thrusts in a row was defense. The final move was when you advanced to thrust; I also advanced to strike! One strike and I killed you."

"Counterattack?" Xu Jingming couldn't help but ask, "I advanced to thrust, and Shifu could seize the opportunity to counterattack?"

"With Body Like Water, you can do it after training," Liu Hai said. "When the enemy moves, I move first! The instant the enemy moves, it's difficult to change their technique. In that instant… I've already attacked, advancing and striking with my saber."

"Can you attack that fast? The body still needs time to react," Xu Jingming murmured.

"I've said it before; with Body Like Water, the mind is integrated into every part of the body, sensing every part, so everything is effortless," Liu Hai said. "When your mind is integrated into every part of your body, your body will be faster!"

Xu Jingming seemed to understand something.

He hadn't reached his Shifu's level of body control, but he understood what his Shifu meant.

"Controlling speed is not only defense, but also offense. Especially in five-person team battles in the future, controlling everyone's speed, turning the opponent's speed… into an assisting factor in your combat, making everyone seem like your chess pieces, then your strength will naturally be much greater," Liu Hai said. "To reach my level, you must first achieve Body Like Water; when the mind moves, the body has already moved! Otherwise, if you see a change in the opponent's speed but you don't have time to react, it naturally won't work."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

"The enemy moves, I move first. Follow it, and you can control it. Go against it, and you can kill," Liu Hai said with a smile. "This is what Tai Chi has always pursued!"

"Is this Shifu's realm?"

Xu Jingming finally understood. In the past, he only knew that his Shifu's combat skills were stronger than his own, stronger than anyone on the national team, but he didn't know how much stronger.

"I can only truly use it when my body reaches its peak," Liu Hai said. "The two lessons Shifu taught you are: one is to control your own body and reach the realm of Body Like Water. The second is to control the enemy's speed, so that the enemy seems like your chess pieces, and you can use them if you want, kill them if you want." Liu Hai said, "A word of true teaching is worth more than ten thousand volumes of false teachings. I've taught these two lessons. You need to work hard to master them."

"Yes, this disciple understands." Xu Jingming felt his horizons had greatly expanded, and he knew which direction he should move toward in terms of combat skills.

"This is my comprehension after seventy years of martial arts. Beyond this, you'll have to explore on your own," Liu Hai said. "Alright, go back. Seize the time; countless experts around the world are working hard."

"Yes." Xu Jingming respectfully bowed. "Thank you, Shifu!"

"As a Shifu, the happiest thing is to see you surpass me!" Liu Hai said with a smile. "Alright, hurry up and go." With that, he waved his hand, driving Xu Jingming away.

Only Liu Hai remained in the practice field. He stood there in place.

"In this era, there are endless possibilities. I wonder how far you little guys can grow." Liu Hai treated his valued disciples like his own children.

These disciples were still relatively inexperienced when they first joined the national team. Under his guidance and urging, they became more and more mature, even stepping onto the highest stage to compete with the world's experts.

There were also some disciples who ruined their martial arts careers due to injuries or even falling in love. He was heartbroken by this.

Now, seeing many disciples with brighter futures, Liu Hai was also very happy.

"However, your Shifu is still your Shifu. While you're working hard, I'm also improving." Liu Hai reached out, holding a shield in one hand and a saber in the other. "If you have the ability, surpass me fair and square!"

…

Xu Jingming returned to his personal space's practice field.

"Shifu."

Xu Jingming was very grateful.

Looking at the entire world, perhaps only his Shifu had reached this level of combat skill. At most, there were only a handful of others.

Because Gao Chong, who had won the world championship and was considered among the top ten spear users in history, was far behind his Shifu in terms of realm. How many could stand at the same height as his Shifu?

"Such martial arts insights are priceless! Yet Shifu didn't need me to give anything in return and imparted them to me." Xu Jingming could only silently remember it in his heart. In this era of the virtual world, such martial arts insights were even more precious!

"The two lessons Shifu taught, the second lesson is the combat skills after achieving Body Like Water, no need to rush to learn that," Xu Jingming said. "What I need to learn now is the first item, Body Like Water."

"With Body Like Water, I can better control my body and unleash its potential. Like Shifu, with the same body stats, his strength, speed, and reaction are all above mine." Xu Jingming reached out, holding a shield in one hand. "Let's start training now."