Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!

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The Next Day

At 6:30 in the morning, Li Xiang arrived at the martial arts hall, carrying a backpack with one arm while holding Litten in the other.

Upon entering the main hall, he immediately noticed the three senior brothers from the previous day standing still in strange poses, their Pokémon sitting quietly nearby.

The elderly, white-haired master was nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning, senior brothers!" Li Xiang greeted them cheerfully but received no response.

Curious, he glanced over at the two brothers who had schemed against him the day before. Their faces were drenched in sweat, their expressions a mix of wanting to speak but not daring to.

As for Duan Yu, he appeared calm and collected. However, the slight clenching of his fists betrayed that he wasn't as composed as he seemed.

Stances? Horse stance training?

Li Xiang placed his bag and Litten in a corner. He had practiced some Sanda in his previous life and understood that stance training was a fundamental exercise in martial arts.

It tested endurance and stamina, strengthened the body, and cultivated mental resilience.

Though he was eager to begin his martial arts training, he refrained from practicing without guidance. Incorrect posture could result in poor outcomes or even harm the body. For children especially, intense training could hinder physical development.

"Practice without fundamentals, and all efforts are in vain by old age."

Li Xiang suddenly recalled this saying, which had been wildly popular in martial arts novels back in his previous life.

"Where did you hear that saying?"

A voice startled him from behind.

Li Xiang quickly turned and found Duan Tianxing standing there silently, as if he had materialized out of nowhere.

Litten instinctively crouched, ready to growl at the man, but Li Xiang stopped it just in time.

'Are martial artists all assassins? Walking around without making a sound?'

"When someone asks you a question, you answer."

Duan Tianxing ignored Litten entirely, his hawk-like eyes locked on Li Xiang.

"I read it online," Li Xiang replied honestly. After all, it was just something from the internet, nothing worth hiding.

"Online?" Duan Tianxing frowned slightly.

"Yes, I think it's a line from some martial arts novel."

Li Xiang nodded. This world also had a thriving tradition of martial arts fiction.

Duan Tianxing didn't pursue the topic further. Instead, he said, "Since you're here early, let's begin. Follow me."

He turned and walked briskly outside.

Li Xiang hurried to keep up. The elderly master's pace was so fast that he didn't seem to care that his follower was a mere child.

Litten trailed after them but was soon stopped in its tracks.

"Is your Pokémon a baby that can't leave its mother?" Duan Tianxing snapped. "Let it stay here and wait!"

Li Xiang's mouth twitched. In a sense, the man wasn't wrong.

"Stay here and guard my bag," he said to Litten, petting its head before chasing after the departing master.

Litten tilted its head, glanced at the bag, then settled down and began grooming itself.

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The Depths of the Martial Arts Hall

They arrived at a shrine filled with ancestral tablets.

Duan Tianxing held three incense sticks emitting wisps of smoke and bowed respectfully three times toward the tablets.

The rituals in this world differed from those in Li Xiang's previous life, including how they honored their ancestors.

Standing to the side, Li Xiang felt curious but refrained from looking around. A place for paying respects was solemn and required proper decorum.

After completing his bows, Duan Tianxing placed the incense in the censer and said without looking back, "Stand where I just stood."

Li Xiang obediently complied.

"Do you know how to kowtow?"

Facing the ancestral tablets, Duan Tianxing's tone was indifferent. "Three bows. Of course, it's your choice whether to do it or not."

'Just as I thought.'

Li Xiang suddenly understood. Traditional martial arts often began with showing respect to the ancestors and elders—offering incense and kowtowing demonstrated sincerity.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Three clean, crisp bows.

He straightened up without hesitation. To him, bowing was optional, but the results might depend on it.

Whether he received high-level techniques or mere scraps of knowledge depended on the impression he left. The difference could be worth anywhere from ten thousand to tens of millions—or even more.

Personal mentorship versus standard teaching—the gap was immense.

More importantly, he had already resolved to dedicate himself to this. Practicing martial arts would strengthen his body and sharpen his willpower.

For someone like him, who had idled away over a decade, it was the best way to transform himself.

The dangers of Pokémon battles required not only skill but also mental fortitude. Losing nerve midway through a fight would be a joke.

Thus, he bowed. He would commit to both martial arts and the profession of a trainer for the rest of his life.

For the peace of mind of his parents—and more importantly, for himself.

By the ancestral tablets, Duan Tianxing observed Li Xiang with a fleeting look of surprise.

This child was the strangest he had ever met.

His temperament wasn't outstanding, but it couldn't be called poor either.

…Start with three years of boxing. Boxing nourishes the body. After three years, everything will be clear.

Duan Tianxing finally spoke. "From today onward, you are a member of Zhenxing Hall. Regardless of the results you achieve, I hope you won't regret your decision."

His words were straightforward and direct.

"Yes, sir," Li Xiang replied softly.

What followed was an explanation of the hall's history.

According to Duan Tianxing, Zhenxing Hall had been passed down for over three hundred years.

From the time the founding ancestor, Xu Shao, established the Zhenxing Hall, it had been passed down through countless generations, enduring numerous trials and tribulations before finally falling into Duan Tianxing's hands.

The martial arts taught at this hall were vast, but there was one technique that every student was required to master before learning anything else:

Beng Quan (Explosive Fist).

This technique was created by Xu Shao, refined through the combined efforts of his descendants, and condensed into its current form.

It had no relation to the "half-step Bengquan" or Xingyiquan from Li Xiang's previous life—despite the similar name—and there was certainly no legendary master named Guo Yunshen in its history.

Over time, Beng Quan underwent numerous revisions by subsequent generations of masters. These modifications sometimes led to internal disagreements, causing splits within the lineage.

Eventually, it evolved into the modern version taught today.

Though it was no longer the original "authentic" version, it was undoubtedly a crystallization of the collective wisdom of many martial arts masters over generations.

It symbolized the progression of martial arts with the times rather than clinging rigidly to tradition.

According to legend, the inspiration for this technique came from a peculiar humanoid Fighting-type Pokémon.

Its fierce posture, capable of splitting boulders and shattering stones with a single strike, left the founder, Xu Shao, sleepless until he created Beng Quan.

Li Xiang, curious, asked what Pokémon it was.

Duan Tianxing explained that the founder hadn't known its name, only that it was an extraordinary creature he had never encountered before.

Later generations tried to identify it based on Xu Shao's descriptions and eventually settled on a Fighting/Dark-type Pokémon known as Pangoro (Thug Panda, lol).

Though there were only minor discrepancies between Pangoro and the ancestor's description, most people agreed that Pangoro was the origin of Beng Quan. They reasoned that perhaps the founder's memory wasn't entirely accurate.

After all, it wasn't as if they could open the founder's tomb to ask for confirmation.

'Pangoro?!'

Li Xiang's jaw nearly dropped. To him, the mystique of this technique—which already didn't feel particularly impressive—took another significant hit.

Still, martial arts weren't about being flashy; they were about practicality.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Li Xiang asked Duan Tianxing about the appearance of the Pokémon Xu Shao had described.

Duan Tianxing frowned slightly but didn't refuse. After all, a child's curiosity was natural, and this wasn't a closely guarded secret.

"Humanoid, muscular build, primarily black fur with some patches of white, sharp fangs, and… ribbon-like fur behind its head."

Duan Tianxing paused as he spoke, as though recalling details he'd almost forgotten.

What he didn't notice, however, was that Li Xiang's breathing had grown a little heavier.

Most of the traits matched Pangoro, but that last one…

"Master, were there any other notable features?" Li Xiang asked cautiously, swallowing hard.

Duan Tianxing regarded the oddly nervous Li Xiang with mild confusion but replied in his usual calm tone:

"Yes, there was one more. It's ambiguous, but the creature had yellow claws. Most believed this was due to some external influence that dyed Pangoro's claws."

'No! Those weren't claws—they were fingers!'

Distinct, pale yellow fingers!

Li Xiang sighed inwardly. How could there be any doubt at this point?

The creature Xu Shao had encountered was none other than the Legendary Pokémon Urshifu – Single Strike Style from the Sword and Shield DLC!

Its distinct features left no room for error. No wonder they couldn't find it—Legendary Pokémon weren't exactly easy to come by.

Li Xiang marveled at the fortuitous encounter the founding ancestor must have had.

Once his excitement subsided, Li Xiang's mind began to process other implications.

First, "In combat, there is no second strike—Li Shuwen's Divine Spear" came to mind.

Li Xiang was well aware that Urshifu's movements were modeled on Bajiquan, as its official art depicted the "Step-Up Elbow" stance, a signature move of Bajiquan.

Second, Beng Quan and Bajiquan weren't interchangeable.

Leaving aside techniques like the Six Harmonies Spear or the blending of spear and fist styles intrinsic to Bajiquan, the foundational context of the two worlds was entirely different.

Xu Shao hadn't wholly imitated Urshifu's techniques. He had merely drawn inspiration from its movements.

In Li Xiang's experience, the origins of many martial arts in this world were tied to Fighting-type Pokémon.

Conversely, in his previous life, Fighting-type Pokémon had been designed based on various martial arts.

The irony wasn't lost on him—it was a beautifully dramatic cycle.

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