Chapter 59: Comprehension vs Creativity
Yue Ling sat on a small stone slab, quietly watching Lang Tian practice. She nibbled on a stick of candied fruit, observing her junior brother's movements as if enjoying a graceful dance in a grand hall—focused yet relaxed.
Lang Tian, meanwhile, was utterly absorbed, lost to the world around him.
Sweat drenched his robes, beads rolling down his jaw, his face set in fierce concentration—almost comically so.
Yue Ling smiled softly.
This silly boy… he was always like this. When training, he threw himself into it heart and soul, ignoring everything else. Especially with martial arts. He could practice tirelessly from dawn to dusk, only stopping when exhaustion forced him to collapse and eat.
But ironically, when it came to meditation, which demanded utmost focus, his face would scrunch up everytime, and within moments, he'd shake his head, muttering about boredom.
And so it went.
After a long session, Lang Tian was finally tired.
He flopped onto the ground, panting heavily like an ox after a long haul, yet his face lit up with a grin as bright as a monkey clutching a ripe banana.
"Haha! Amazing! The eighth move… I'm almost there!"
Yue Ling shook her head, chuckling. She stepped over and crouched beside him.
"That's enough for today, junior brother."
"Huh? But…" Lang Tian mumbled, clearly eager to keep going.
But Yue Ling raised an eyebrow at his stubborn expression and flicked his forehead lightly.
"Hey, cultivation needs balance. If you don't rest, your spiritual energy can't stabilize. Tomorrow's soon enough to continue."
"Yes… I understand," Lang Tian replied, though there was still a touch of reluctance in his voice.
Yue Ling said nothing more, tossing him a water flask.
Lang Tian caught it and drank greedily, gulping as if he'd just emerged from a desert.
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The two then sat to rest, their backs resting against a big rock.
Though it was meant to be a break, Lang Tian couldn't stay still. He bombarded Yue Ling with questions about the Ten Thousand Lotus Palm. Another might have grown annoyed and swatted him away, but not Yue Ling. She answered each query with gentle patience, explaining how to regulate breathing, channel qi, and avoid pitfalls in practicing the moves.
Thanks to her guidance, Lang Tian's understanding of the palm technique deepened noticeably.
But then—
"Senior Sister… what about the ninth and tenth moves?" he asked suddenly.
The Ten Thousand Lotus Palm comprised ten moves across three stages, yet Yue Ling had only taught him the first eight. The final two—Formless Lotus Selflessness and Ten Thousand Lotus Bloom—hadn't been mentioned at all.
"Are those two moves… special somehow?" he asked cautiously.
"Haha! You haven't learned to crawl, yet you want to run? You haven't even mastered the first eight, and you're already eyeing the ultimate moves?" Yue Ling laughed, her voice teasing.
"No, no! I'm just curious!" Lang Tian waved his hands frantically. "You didn't show those two earlier…"
When he'd read Elder Guo's manual, the descriptions of the final moves had sparked his imagination.
Formless Lotus Selflessness was a strike without form, capable of piercing through even defensive treasures.
And meanwhile, Ten Thousand Lotus Bloom was the ultimate move that combined all previous moves, summoning ten thousand lotus petals across the heavens.
Yue Ling chuckled, ruffling his hair.
"As for those two moves… I haven't taught you because…"
Lang Tian held his breath.
"Because why?"
"Because I haven't mastered them!" she said, her eyes crinkling with a grin.
"…What?!" Lang Tian nearly fell over.
It wasn't that she was withholding them or that their power was too great—it was simply that his Senior Sister hadn't learned them yet!
"Lang Tian, my comprehension isn't as sharp as yours," Yue Ling said. "The first eight moves alone took me over seven years to grasp."
"What? Seven years?" Lang Tian's eyes widened.
"Yes," she nodded. "So you see, your talent is truly heaven-defying."
"Oh… heh…" Lang Tian scratched his head, a shy smile spreading across his face.
"But what are you saying?" he protested. "When it comes to comprehension, how can I compare to you? Ten years ago, you created your own sword technique, while I'm still just following instructions!"
Yue Ling burst into laughter. "Silly boy, comprehension and creativity are entirely different things!"
"Huh? Different… how?" Lang Tian asked, puzzled.
"They're different, of course!" she replied, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
She pointed to the sky.
"Comprehension is the ability to sense and grasp. See a sword technique once, and you understand its inner workings. Read a line of a heart sutra, and you unravel its hidden meaning. Those with high comprehension learn quickly and achieve mastery early."
Lang Tian nodded, listening intently, not daring to interrupt.
"But creativity," Yue Ling continued, "is daring to forge a new path. It's seeing a flaw in a sword move and refining it. It's breaking free from molds to carve your own way."
She paused, then concluded, "Comprehension is deeply understanding the old. Creativity is birthing the new."
Lang Tian's eyes widened.
"So that's how it is…"
"Exactly," Yue Ling said, smiling. "Someone with great comprehension may not be creative. And someone highly creative may not excel in comprehension."
She looked at him warmly. "You, Lang Tian, have remarkable comprehension. You learn fast and grasp deeply. As for me… I'm slower at comprehending things, but I question and ponder at everything, which sparks my creativity."
Her gaze turned serious.
"So don't underestimate yourself. High comprehension is a heaven-sent gift. If you persist, creativity will find you in time."
"Wait… you think I could create my own technique someday?" Lang Tian asked.
"Haha, of course!" Yue Ling laughed brightly.
She tilted her head, gazing at the misty cliffs.
"Some are born with neither comprehension nor creativity. Yet, through relentless effort and a master's guidance, they can still rise to greatness."
She smiled. "In the end, diligence is what matters most."
"Diligence…" Lang Tian murmured, a spark igniting in his heart, warm and clear.
His eyes then flickered with realization, as if a veil had lifted.
"Senior Sister… thank you for your guidance!"
"No need for thanks," Yue Ling said, smiling softly. "Oh, and… Junior Brother, if you ever master those final two moves, maybe you'll teach me?"
"Hey, why not!" Lang Tian grinned, clenching his fists, his heart ablaze with resolve.
"Senior Sister, don't worry! I'll give it everything I've got!"
"Haha! That's the spirit!" Yue Ling's laughter echoed. "Now, let's head back!"
"Yes!"
From that day forward, Lang Tian threw himself into rigorous training. Day by day, his palm techniques grew smoother. His body grew stronger, his spiritual qi flowing ever more fluidly.
In a short time, the results were clear—his cultivation and strength had soared to a new level.