Bukūjutsu (Sky Dance Technique)
Bukūjutsu is a secret technique from the Crane School that allows its users to fly through the air, enabling free movement unaffected by gravity.
It's the kind of secret art that would have Newton turning in his grave.
Originally, Master Shen (Crane Hermit) hadn't planned to teach Yamcha any of the Crane School's secret techniques. But Yamcha's learning speed far exceeded his expectations.
In just one week, Yamcha had mastered the fundamentals of the Crane School — completely outclassing the other oddballs at the dojo.
Such exceptional talent naturally caught Master Shen's attention.
But that wasn't the main reason. More than his talent, Yamcha simply gave too much.
Since the moment Yamcha began studying under Master Shen, the offerings never stopped.
A hundred million Zeni here as "tea money," two hundred million Zeni there as "throat-soothing fees," five hundred million Zeni as "nutritional funds"…
And on top of that, all kinds of luxurious facilities and equipment were brought in like money wasn't an issue.
Even Master Shen, who considered himself no stranger to the finer things in life, was dazzled by this full-on combo of gifts.
It's no wonder they say money can corrupt the heart.
Great martial talent, respectful attitude, and wealthy — even Master Shen would feel embarrassed not to teach him properly. That led to the scene where Yamcha and Tien were sparring, with Master Shen personally overseeing the fight.
By the way, Tien and Chiaotzu were not ordinary dojo members — their status was different. Master Shen had picked them up as children and raised them as his own sons, intending for them to inherit his legacy.
Like Master Roshi, Master Shen had never married. But unlike Roshi, who had a sister (Fortuneteller Baba), Shen had a younger brother — the assassin Tao Pai Pai.
For Master Shen to let Yamcha spar with Tien was proof of how seriously he valued him.
Training in Bukūjutsu isn't particularly difficult; the real challenge lies in the initial control of Ki.
Ki, in the Dragon Ball world, refers to the internal energy within living beings. Everyone has some, and through training, they can learn to control it freely.
Though invisible, Ki definitely exists.
That's what was explained during the scene where Gohan taught Videl how to fly later in the series.
Ki has many uses: enhancing physical strength, sensing the power of others, and hiding one's own presence.
Unfortunately, the Crane School only teaches the most basic and rudimentary applications of Ki. For advanced techniques, you'd have to go to the very top of Korin Tower, to the temple where Kami and Mr. Popo reside.
Even so, Yamcha trained with extreme dedication. He knew just how important a strong foundation was.
If he wanted to build long-lasting strength, he had to start from the ground up. Especially at this early stage of his martial journey. So he wasn't in a rush to actually fly — instead, he used Bukūjutsu as a way to refine his Ki control.
Besides, he could already fly using telekinesis.
And so, the training continued… for several months.
One day, someone knocked on the door of Yamcha's small courtyard. When he opened it, it was none other than Tien.
"You came," Yamcha said with a smile, as if it had become a routine.
"Yeah." Tien nodded stiffly, his expression calm.
"Just like always — please go easy on me."
Tien then took the Crane School's starting stance. And so, in Yamcha's small courtyard, the two began yet another sparring match, which once again ended with Yamcha winning — albeit narrowly.
"Thanks for the lesson," Tien said quietly with his back to Yamcha before taking his leave.
Since Master Shen's lecture, Tien had been coming to spar with Yamcha nearly every other day. Yamcha, of course, welcomed the regular sparring partner.
After all, nothing beats live combat training.
Over those months, their relationship greatly improved. Tien had come to recognize Yamcha's strength and spoke to him more respectfully.
Tien wasn't a bad person by nature. He just wasn't good at communicating, and during his youth, he idolized Tao Pai Pai, the world's deadliest assassin. Combined with Master Shen's teachings, which focused on skills over morals, it was only natural that his worldview became distorted.
To outsiders, Tien seemed cruel, arrogant, and full of trash talk. But deep down, he was actually reserved and shy.
Still, Tien lived up to his reputation as a martial arts prodigy. His progress over the past few months was incredible — no wonder he had a place among the Z Fighters in Dragon Ball Z.
"It's already been over half a year…" Yamcha stretched his body and exhaled deeply, a beam of white mist shooting out like a ray.
During his half-year stay at Crane Mountain, Yamcha had only returned to the Fire Mountain base a handful of times. Most of his energy went into basic training.
Although hopping between worlds to exploit information differences could quickly earn him immense power — like Devil Fruits or Gourmet Cells, which required little effort and gave great rewards — Yamcha preferred to get stronger step by step through hard work.
Rapid growth might save time, but it also risked weak foundations — which could be disastrous in the long run.
That's why Yamcha always took time to "digest" everything after each world hop before moving on.
Now, he felt he had "digested" enough. It was time to set off once again.
"You want to participate in the World Martial Arts Tournament to test your skills?" Master Shen asked with mild surprise, sipping the nutrient tea Yamcha had gifted him.
Since Yamcha was planning to leave, he needed a suitable excuse. And with the 20th World Martial Arts Tournament just a month away — the one right before the canon storyline — this was the perfect cover.
"I know that one. All the world's top martial artists gather there. It is the ideal place to test yourself," Shen said. "I've only taught you for half a year, but I can see it clearly — your martial talent even surpasses Tien's."
"With your abilities, if you don't win the championship… don't bother coming back. Don't disgrace the Crane School."
"Oh, and one more thing — this is important."
"Although I haven't heard any rumors yet, if you run into anyone from the Turtle School during the tournament… don't hold back. Teach them a good, hard lesson!"
When he mentioned the Turtle School, Shen's voice was filled with deep resentment — his age-old rival.
"Hmph, you pervy old turtle. My disciple is way better than yours."
In Master Roshi's eyes, Shen was the misguided idiot of the same school.
In Master Shen's eyes, Roshi was a stubborn, outdated fool.
(End of Chapter)