Chapter 135: Two-Handed Sword

"The mission this time was completed quite well. I’ve decided to reward you all with two million yuan. You should come up with a plan for how to distribute it as soon as possible! However, it might take a few days; I don't have the cash on hand right now. As soon as the special effects payment for *Kung Fu* comes through, I’ll pay you immediately!" Liu Qingshan made his decision.

Kram, standing to the side, applauded in agreement, though he interjected, "Since Treasure Pictures has a stake in Snowfield Studio, I should be the one to cover this two million yuan. I had already guessed that Qingshan would be short on funds due to the startup costs!"

Unlike Liu Qingshan’s empty promises, Kram waved his hand, and someone immediately stepped forward to hand him a checkbook. He scribbled a few lines and tore off a page. "This is one million US dollars. After converting it to two million yuan, consider the rest a personal reward for Qingshan."

At the exchange rate of 8.2780 yuan to one US dollar at the time, one million dollars was worth over 8.2 million yuan. After deducting the two million yuan bonus, Liu Qingshan unexpectedly gained over 6 million yuan—a huge surprise. He didn't politely refuse; he knew his own situation, and with this money, the studio's operating funds were temporarily secured. However, he still had to show his gratitude, so he quickly bowed and pressed his palms together in thanks.

Kram smiled lightly. "Consider this a personal sponsorship. As long as you are willing to officially accept Padjei, my ears will be much quieter in the future!"

Liu Qingshan’s expression turned solemn. "Seeing Padjei again, I feel like he has grown closer to me. Very well, I actually have the same idea. Including Che Geng and Kunal, the three of them shall be the first batch of disciples under my tutelage!"

Compared to the ten-year-old Padjei, Che Geng had a deep understanding of the traditional martial arts world. Upon hearing this, he immediately stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and struck his head against the floor three times. Padjei finally understood and followed suit. Throughout this process, Liu Qingshan did not stop them, allowing them to finish their kowtows before saying, "Your master hasn't prepared an initiation gift yet; we will discuss that when we return!"

Unlike the jubilant Kram, Yu Chenhui looked a bit jealous. "I sent Yu Yi and Mao Shaochong to you a long time ago. You need to give me an explanation regarding them!"

Liu Qingshan turned to him respectfully, his tone sincere. "I never dared to think of the two brothers as my disciples, but I can guarantee that I will treat them with the same loyalty as fellow apprentices. It’s not just the 36 Hands of the Flower Fist; in the future, as long as it is something I have mastered, I will never hold anything back from the two of them!"

Only then did Yu Chenhui’s face break into a smile again. "You better remember those words, kid. You won't lose out in the end!"

"You don't need to wait for the future, sir. Teach me that two-handed sword technique first."

The two-handed sword, which actually requires both hands on the hilt, was the most standard sword-wielding posture in historical traditional martial arts. This technique originated from the Miao Dao, which was improved during the Ming Dynasty to fight against Japanese pirates; the Miao Dao itself can be traced back to the Mo Dao of the Tang Dynasty. Tang swords were primarily two-handed, allowing for the use of waist strength. Modern Xingyi and Taiji sword styles, however, evolved from spear techniques and are primarily single-handed, as the free hand was originally meant to hold a shield. The two styles are quite different. Since single-handed sword styles became popular in recent years, the training methods and manuals for two-handed swords had long been lost in the tides of history.

In his youth, the elder Yu was known as a martial arts fanatic. Whether facing the ice of winter or the heat of summer, he was single-mindedly devoted to the dream of restoring the two-handed sword. Having such a grand ambition at only thirty years old, and working tirelessly without complaint, showed his steadfast resolve. As for the other technique he mastered, the Drunken Sword, it wasn't that Liu Qingshan looked down on it, but his own nameless sword style already incorporated the erratic and unpredictable nature of the 36 Hands of the Flower Fist. Many of those moves were far more refined than the Drunken Sword, and in fact, Yu Chenhui had learned quite a few from him—which was why he had gifted him the Shaoguang Sword.

"Two-handed sword? I wouldn't dare teach you. There is no precedent for a high-level martial artist to teach a master! I will give the manual to Yu Yi when we return; you can ask him for it." The term "master" as used by Yu Chenhui referred to the ancient martial arts lineage, distinct from the common martial arts world; his own combat level hadn't reached that "master" tier yet. However, by the common standards of today's martial arts circles, he had indeed entered the master level and was one of the best-known martial artists in mainland China, which was why he was called the "Sword Saint."

Fortunately, there were few Chinese people present, and even fewer foreigners who could understand the language, so he spoke frankly without worry. If the news were to spread, Liu Qingshan might face trouble, as there were too many young martial artists eager to make a name for themselves. Seniors of Yu Chenhui's age and qualifications wouldn't be bothered, but despite knowing that Liu Qingshan wouldn't fear any challenger, such trivial matters would certainly disrupt his normal work and life.

Liu Qingshan wasn't entirely aware of his inner thoughts; he was only thinking about how to get his hands on the two-handed sword technique before heading to Hong Kong. The film *SPL: Sha Po Lang*, which had already started shooting, was a meticulously planned effort by the declining Hong Kong martial arts film industry, vowing to reclaim the throne of the peak of Chinese action cinema. Therefore, the action choreography this time used more advanced contemporary mixed martial arts concepts, intending to use ingenious, realistic, and practical action scenes to open up a new concept of action film beyond traditional martial arts dramas. In fact, some Western films had already adopted such mixed martial arts visuals, but the goal of *SPL* was to prove the most realistic fighting style through "true kung fu."

Liu Qingshan was very much looking forward to this acting opportunity, even though his current combat level still faced some exclusion within the traditional Hong Kong stunt circles. He understood very well that *SPL* hadn't called him to join the crew early, which indicated some unspeakable petty politics behind the scenes. However, he firmly believed the reason for being looked down upon didn't come from director Wilson Yip or the lead actors, but rather the inherent arrogance of the film's investors. Even if the hostility were deeper, Liu Qingshan didn't care. With the Super Starmaker System, he essentially had the entire future entertainment industry behind him, and the countless film and television resources in his hands were priceless treasures.

Having spent the afternoon at Snowfield until after three o'clock, Liu Qingshan was summoned back by a phone call. Originally, it was just Director Ma Mandi of the Beijing TV variety department and Xu Danni, but even Kim Hee-sun kept calling to urge him. Fortunately, the first step for Snowfield Studio had been taken steadily, and Kram was pleased, waiting for the production team of *Kung Fu* to place their order.

Having resolved his biggest worry, Liu Qingshan finally breathed a sigh of relief. With a large sum of money in hand, he splurged at noon, organizing a celebration banquet nearby—partly to give Kram enough face. While many were getting drunk, he whispered a few words to Kram and rushed back home. Unsurprisingly, Kim Hee-sun had also taken leave and returned; she was concerned about that couple’s advertisement, a fact of which Liu Qingshan was well aware.