Second Young Master Yang of Nanyang County was a renowned figure throughout the region along the grain transport canal. Born with extraordinary strength, he had once encountered a grain boat that had run aground on a shoal. Even a water buffalo, straining until foam gathered around its mouth, could not pull it free. Second Young Master Yang simply braced his shoulder beneath the hull and, with a tremendous heave, forced the massive wooden grain boat back into the water.
His martial arts skills were equally formidable. On another occasion, several hundred Green Standard soldiers guarding the grain transports thrust sharpened bamboo poles at him. Yet as soon as the pointed ends pressed against his flesh, the poles began splitting apart inch by inch. With abilities such as these, Second Young Master Yang commanded respect wherever he went.
One spring, he traveled with a group of disciples to Changzhou Prefecture to establish a martial arts school. Whenever he demonstrated spear and staff techniques on the training grounds, people came from all over the city to watch. The spectators packed the grounds shoulder to shoulder.
Second Young Master Yang wielded a great spear so swiftly that it seemed to leave flashing shadows in the air, while the crowd’s cheers nearly lifted the roof off nearby buildings.
One day, however, an old garlic seller squeezed his way through the crowd.
…
Read the full article on Nspirement
Comments