Dad, Please Try a Little Harder - Chapter 75
Chapter 75: Chapter 68 Qian Quan Wins in the Competition Easily_3
Translator: Inschain Editor: Inschain
Bai Yuanzhi reluctantly said, “We’re doing a weapons educational video today, maybe next time.”
“An educational video on weapons? Specifically, Wing Chun’s Eight-Slash Sword? Let me see.”
Bai Yuanzhi played the raw footage for Zhang Xiang’er to see.
In the video, Qian Quan continued to perform the set moves, showing nothing particularly extraordinary.
Rubbing his chin, Zhang Xiang’er watched for a moment before suddenly declaring, “Xiaobai, Quan, going forward, let’s just stick to what we know. The two of you are still senior and junior students; let’s not complicate things.”
“We haven’t complicated anything,” Bai Yuanzhi responded.
“That’s good. This way, if you two ever want to get together, you won’t have to worry.”
“Mentor!” Bai Yuanzhi’s face turned beet red.
Qian Quan just shook his head helplessly.
“See for yourselves, you two are so in sync when working together; it’s like a match made in heaven. Didn’t you feel it while making the video?”
Ignoring him, Bai Yuanzhi, still blushing, closed the video.
“Enough talk. Say one more word, and you can go duel Shimizu Ichiro yourself,” Qian Quan interrupted.
“Alright, no more words,” said Zhang Xiang’er, pulling out his phone, “Let me show you the previous two matches. This guy has some skills-finishing the fight in just two moves.”
Qian Quan took the phone, watched attentively, then returned it to Zhang Xiang’er, asking, “When and where will 1 be fighting him?”
“The location will be in the capital city; the time is up to us.”
“Then let’s make it tonight. It’s the weekend; 1 can take the opportunity to explore the capital city.”
“Don’t you need to prepare?”
“No need.”
“Alright, then I’ll set it up.”
Seeing Qian Quan’s confidence, Zhang Xiang’er became even more optimistic.
He made a phone call, and after hanging up, told Qian Quan, “8 p.m., at the Gorin Kendo Dojo.”
“No problem.”
“Let’s go then, we can have dinner on the plane,” Zhang Xiang’er said, looking at Bai Yuanzhi, “Xiaobai, do you want to come?”
Though Bai Yuanzhi was intrigued to see a match of this caliber, she was also worried that her mentor would make jokes about her and Qian Quan.
“Come along,” Zhang Xiang’er invited again, “Don’t worry, I won’t bring it up again…”
Only then did Bai Yuanzhi nod in agreement.
The trio headed to the airport and flew to the capital city on Zhang Xiang’er’s private jet.
For Qian Quan, it was his first time on a private jet. It reminded him of an interview with a billionaire.
The journalist had asked, “Is it fun being a super-rich person?”
The billionaire had laughed, “Definitely more fun than being super poor.”
On the plane, Zhang Xiang’er had the flight attendant prepare dinner.
Upon seeing the stainless steel chopsticks in the dinner set, Qian Quan paused for a moment, then burst into an inexplicable smile.
At 7 p.m., the plane landed at the airport of the capital city.
By 7:45, Qian Quan, Bai Yuanzhi, and Zhang Xiang’er arrived at the Gorin Kendo Dojo.
Shimizu Ichiro was already there, seated in meditation on a cushion, seemingly gathering his sword intent. Beside him was a quiet, dark-green laido sword.
Unmovable, like a massive rock. Man and sword, seemingly one.
At 7:55, Shimizu Ichiro opened his eyes.
At 7:58, Shimizu Ichiro and Qian Quan put on their protective gear.
At 8:00, Shimizu Ichiro and Qian Quan stepped into the center of the kendo hall.
Meanwhile, all the guests took their seats, filled with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation for the impending duel.
“Where is your sword?” Shimizu Ichiro asked, speaking fluent Mandarin.
With a flick of his right hand, Qian Quan produced a stainless-steel chopstick.
Everyone present was stunned.
“What do you mean by this?” Shimizu Ichiro inquired.
“If you beat my chopstick, I’ll switch to a sword.”
Just as he finished speaking, a rapid-fire burst of foreign language echoed through the hall. A foreigner at the sideline was giving Shimizu Ichiro some advice.
“He says it’s a psychological tactic,” Zhang Xiang’er translated.
Qian Quan simply smiled.
“Alright, 1 accept your challenge,” Shimizu Ichiro declared.
At 8:02, the duel commenced.
Shimizu Ichiro squatted slightly, left hand gripping the scabbard and right hand on the hilt, his eyes fixed on Qian Quan like a hawk.
Laido, the art he was practicing, focuses on swiftly unsheathing the sword to overpower the enemy in a single, lethal strike. This art of swordsmanship requires a specific technique involving the scabbard.
In laido, the mouth of the scabbard has a small mechanism that assists the swordsman in performing a little push with the left hand before drawing the sword. This action is known as “Koiguchi Kiru,” which turns a simple unsheathing into a sprung draw.
Furthermore, the swordsman also pulls the scabbard back with their left hand while drawing the sword. This not only helps in a swift draw but also creates resistance between the blade and scabbard, accelerating the blade at the moment it’s unsheathed.
For a more familiar analogy, think of flicking a watermelon seed. You would first hold down your middle finger with your thumb before letting it fly.
Qian Quan, chopstick in hand, was also studying Shimizu Ichiro’s stance and movements.
At 8:04, Shimizu Ichiro lunged forward like a flame, his sword emerging from its scabbard like lightning, aimed at Qian Quan.
Unmoved, Qian Quan twisted his body to dodge the blade. Simultaneously, he switched the chopstick from his right hand to his left and swung it diagonally upward, striking the blade.
“Clang!”
A resounding clang sounded.
The sword dipped downward, and Shimizu Ichiro’s body slightly leaned forward, guided by the inertia of his own strike.
The next moment, Qian Quan’s chopstick eerily rested on Shimizu Ichiro’s throat.
The hall fell into silence.
“Bravo!!!” Zhang Xiang’er was the first to break the quiet.
The crowd soon erupted into noise.
At 8:05, the duel concluded.
Qian Quan, Zhang Xiang’er, and Bai Yuanzhi left the Gorin Kendo Dojo..
