Chapter 341 - 334: The Mundane After the Madness

Chapter 341: Chapter 334: The Mundane After the Madness

"Um, sir, does our home look like we’d have that... thing you mentioned?"

You Ye gestured around his home.

They were in a village on the outskirts of Gao City. His father was now a greenhouse farmer, growing vegetables to cultivate a peaceful temperament. His temper had improved a lot in recent years, but he still despised things like martial arts.

Elder Mo looked inside and saw nothing but farm tools. The only things that could be vaguely related to a staff were hoes and shovels.

"This... You’ve just let your family’s martial arts legacy fall into ruin? Don’t tell me you don’t know any staff techniques!"

You Ye shook his head.

"I really don’t. I learned a few moves as a kid, but not staff techniques. Just some basic fist and foot exercises for staying healthy."

Elder Mo could tell with a single glance that You Ye had a decent foundation, but his muscles weren’t solid. He probably worked an office job.

"What a shame, what a shame. You Xianquan was, at the very least, a master known as ’Sweeping Leaves, Mad Flowers.’ To think his descendants haven’t inherited any of his skills at all. What a tragedy!"

The elder shook his head and sighed. This was the tragedy of the older generation of martial artists: their killing moves were no match for modern weapons. Even for performances, only a true master could make those techniques look spectacular.

Famous styles like Tai Chi had it a little better, but it was difficult to make a living with certain martial arts that could be considered ultimate techniques, and so their legacies could not be passed on.

Even in the Mo Family, which was financially well-off, their sect’s sword techniques were only passed down within the family. And even then, only Mo Shaoge and Mo Qingxue were any good.

As the youngest of his generation, Elder Mo’s senior martial brothers had long since passed away. As far as he knew, almost no one in their families was learning these arts.

’If it weren’t for this recent opportunity, I’m afraid...’

At times like this, Elder Mo never knew whether to feel fortunate or dismayed.

"Sweeping Leaves, Mad Flowers?"

You Ye was intrigued by the nickname. He didn’t know much about his grandfather, only that he and his grandmother had passed away before he was born.

His only image of him came from a few old photographs. Because of what happened later, his father hated martial arts, so he rarely spoke of his grandfather, who had spent his entire life dedicated to them.

Since he was the descendant of an old friend, Elder Mo was happy to chat.

"That’s right. There’s a story behind it. But aren’t you going to invite me in for a cup of tea?"

"Oh, please, come in! I’ll call my dad and ask him to come back."

You Ye had only just realized he’d left an old man standing outside for so long.

As for whether it was dangerous to invite a stranger into his home—he was a young man in his twenties, in his own village, and the guest was a frail old man. What was there to be afraid of?

He brought out a bamboo chair and a cup of tea, then You Ye picked up the phone to call his father.

He was his grandfather’s friend, after all. Even if his dad didn’t like martial arts, he still had to show some respect.

In a greenhouse two kilometers away, a weather-beaten man of about fifty pulled a vibrating, ringing phone from his pocket. He saw it was his son.

’That kid is usually a lump on a log whenever he comes home for vacation, wanting to sleep all day. A phone call probably means someone has come to the house looking for me.’

"Hello? What is it?"

On the other end, You Ye glanced at Elder Mo.

"Dad, a friend of Grandpa’s is here. You should come back."

You Yifeng’s brow furrowed. ’A friend of Dad’s?’

"Who is it?"

"He said his name is Mo Ziming."

"Okay, I’ll be right back."

You Yifeng knew this person. He’d been on relatively good terms with his father and had even visited them a few times after he passed away, though they had gradually lost contact over the years.

You Ye hung up the phone and smiled at Elder Mo.

"My dad will be back soon. Could you tell me about my grandpa? Why was he called ’Sweeping Leaves, Mad Flowers’?"

Elder Mo became lost in recollection.

"Haha, that title wasn’t something your grandfather gave himself. He earned it, one strike of his staff at a time. You’ve probably never seen it, but your father might remember what it looks like when a staff is wielded so fast it sweeps up leaves and not even a drop of water can get through."

"Back during the border conflicts, other people brought knives, I brought a sword, and your grandfather brought two steel rods that connected to form a long staff."

Listening to his grandfather’s story, You Ye was deeply impressed. For cold weapons to still shine in close-quarters combat during a war fought with firearms was truly a rare thing.

As they talked, Elder Mo realized You Ye knew almost nothing about his grandfather, so he told him a little more.

When You Yifeng returned home on his little electric scooter, he happened to walk in on this scene.

"Hmph. What’s the use of knowing a little martial arts? You can’t make a living with it. We barely had meat to eat during the New Year, yet he still practiced martial arts while his body was wasting away..."

His words, spoken as he entered, were filled with resentment and helplessness, leaving Elder Mo speechless.

He didn’t know if "poor scholars" was accurate, but "rich warriors" certainly was. The Mo Family hadn’t been wealthy back then either, so he could understand.

And from his tone, he now understood why the You Family had abandoned their martial arts. Like most other martial arts families, they had simply been defeated by reality.

Having said his piece, You Yifeng finished parking his scooter and walked inside.

"Uncle Mo."

"Mm."

Elder Mo didn’t continue the conversation, nor did he argue. There was no need to debate these things with a junior. ’Looks like I might have made this trip for nothing,’ he thought.

Seeing the old man fall silent, You Yifeng realized he might have been out of line.

"Uncle Mo, it must have been almost twenty years since we last met. We don’t have many relatives. Please stay for a meal. The vegetables are all homegrown."

"Alright! Cook some extra rice. I have a big appetite."

You Yifeng finally broke into a smile.

"You’re as hale and hearty as ever."

"By the way, where’s Xin Lan? I don’t see her."

The casual question plunged the room into silence once more.

You Ye glanced at his father, wanting to speak but not daring to make a sound.

"We separated more than ten years ago. It doesn’t really matter anymore."

This time, Elder Mo shut his mouth completely. Otherwise, he’d feel like he had come specifically to reopen old wounds.

Dinner was four stir-fried dishes, one cold dish, and a soup, all cooked by You Yifeng. There were two meat and two vegetable dishes: a large portion of smashed cucumber salad, a generous amount of braised pork belly and stewed cabbage, and a bunch of fresh scallions.

The three of them sat around a small table on three stools, eating together right there in the kitchen.

It wasn’t a lavish feast, but it was definitely a heartwarming meal.

"Uncle Mo, shall we have a drink?"

You Yifeng found a treasured bottle of Maotai and placed it on the table. Elder Mo didn’t usually drink, but he made an exception today.

"Alright. If I don’t help you drink this, you’ll probably keep it hidden away forever."

"Hahaha, that’s for sure. Though I might have brought it out to treat the in-laws if Xiaoye gets married."

To You Ye, this was the most carefree he had seen his father in years. You Yifeng talked a lot, even using the alcohol as an excuse to vent to Elder Mo about some of the hardships he’d faced after his wife left them.

"I had to be both a father and a mother, raising this kid through thick and thin. Now I can finally have some peace and quiet."

It was rare for You Yifeng to meet an elder like Elder Mo, and letting out all his pent-up feelings made him feel much better.

"By the way, Uncle Mo, it couldn’t have been easy for you to find us. You didn’t come all this way just to see us, did you?"

"It’s nothing, it’s nothing, let’s eat. I did have something else in mind, but there’s no point in talking about it now. Let’s just eat. I have to get going after this."

You Yifeng glanced outside. The sky was already beginning to darken.

"You should stay the night. We rarely have guests. It’s getting late, and it’s not safe for an old man like you to travel alone."

You Ye looked between the two of them and decided to speak up.

"Dad, Grandpa Mo came looking for Grandpa’s Mad Demon Staff Technique. Do we have anything like that?"

You Yifeng froze for a moment, then sighed.

"We used to. In the language of the martial arts world, your grandfather was considered a master of his generation. But unfortunately, he couldn’t make a living. He came home from the war covered in injuries, and his body was already drained. His health collapsed as soon as he got older..."

"Let’s eat, let’s eat. Don’t talk about it."

Elder Mo felt a pang of sadness and guilt. But back then, he’d had a large family of his own to support. All he could do was sigh at the cruelty of fate.

But having said all that, You Yifeng suddenly remembered something. He said, "Wait a moment," and rushed into the storage room, where he began rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

He came back five or six minutes later, holding a small box.

You Ye’s heart pounded with a bit of excitement. ’Could it be the family’s Secret Martial Arts Manual?’

After hearing Elder Mo’s slightly exaggerated descriptions, he had started to believe his grandfather was really as incredible as he sounded, and he’d developed some unrealistic expectations about martial arts.

"Uncle Mo, look at this."

When the box was opened, You Ye’s hopes were dashed. It wasn’t a book at all, but a few photographs—group photos of the You Family with some people holding video equipment.

"These were taken when Xisheng TV Station interviewed my dad back in the day. The old man was proud, and he could still wield a staff back then, so he took the opportunity to show off a few moves. The station later came back to record his staff techniques for a special feature. It even aired on TV back then."

"Our family doesn’t have any Secret Martial Arts Manuals. Everything was passed down orally. You’re an expert; you know some things can’t be learned from a book. ’A true teaching in a single sentence is worth more than a false one in ten thousand scrolls.’ But this recording should be as good as a manual. I just don’t know if the TV station still has the tape."

Elder Mo’s spirits lifted. A recording of You Xianquan performing with his staff would be perfect.

"Really?"

"Yes. Tomorrow, Xiaoye and I will go with you to the Xisheng TV Station and see if we can find it."

The news was a pleasant surprise, and You Ye was very curious about it as well.

They ate and talked for half an hour until the Maotai bottle was empty and all the food was gone. Elder Mo ate a great deal, and his appetite spurred the You father and son to eat quite a bit themselves.

You Ye felt it was the most he had eaten in a single meal all year.

"Alright, this old man won’t trouble you any longer. I have a place to stay. Call me anytime tomorrow. You know how it is with old folks, we wake up early."

With that, Elder Mo stood up from his stool. The corner of his eye seemed to catch something. His finger flicked lightly, a motion so slight it was a blur, as if he hadn’t moved at all.

A soft WHOOSH, so faint it seemed like an illusion, was drowned out by the sound of dogs barking in the village.

"Uncle Mo, please stay! We have room!"

The old man smiled and waved his hand in refusal.

"I’m off, I’m off. Better get going before it’s too dark to see the road. Don’t see me out. This old man is still tough."

Putting down a chopstick, the old man strode out the door. Despite his age, he moved like a gust of wind. By the time the You father and son reacted and tried to see him off, his figure had already vanished from sight.

PS: Tuesday’s first Chapter.