1.Shijin had trained with spear and stave ever since he was a boy. The local farm laborers said admiringly: "Master Shi is a great martial artist!" But one passerby, looking unimpressed, commented: "Good stave skills. Too bad he'd never beat a true warrior."
2.Shijin was furious. "Who the hell are you? You dare to try me on?" There was a stir of anticipation among the onlookers. Shijin supposed this was just another outlaw with an attitude.
3."Show some manners!" admonished Sire Shi. "But Father, this knave mocks my stave-work." Sire Shi turned to the stranger: "The visitor is surely adept with both spear and stave?" "I know a trick or two," replied the passerby.
4."My son, pay your respects to the master at once." Shijin had no intention of doing so: "If he can beat me, then I'll call him master." The passerby seemed reluctant.
5."Honorable visitor, I should be eternally grateful if you would teach my young son something about the stave," said Sire Shi. The passerby smiled: "I'm afraid I might have to hurt the young fellow." "Not to worry," said Sire Shi. "If he breaks anything he's only got himself to blame." Saying: "Excuse my impropriety," the passerby leapt into the middle of the ring of onlookers, and made a salute with his fist and palm.
6.Shijin bore down on the passerby with his stave whirling like a windmill. The passerby dodged the first blow and in the same movement came right back at Shijin with one hand outstretched. Shijin thudded to the ground.
7.Shijin rose unsteadily to his feet and reached for a chair. "Master, please forgive me, I failed to recognize the eminence that stood before me. Please accept me as your apprentice!"
8.The passerby was none other than Wang Jin, chief instructor to the 800,000-man Imperial Guard, driven to flee the capital because of a scheming court official. With daily coaching by Wang, Shijin came to master 18 forms of martial art, and later became the 23rd warrior of the Liangshan Marshes.
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