Well, you've hardly given them any reason to think otherwise. Trying to uphold your art's rep is great and all that, but until you're good enough at the art, all you'll do is show these guys that it DOESN'T work afterall. This is more about your bruised ego than anything. Fight the guy if you want, but leave Hsing-I out of it until you actually KNOW enough of it to say so (and please forgive me, but you really DON'T know anything yet).
After one or two years of concentration on the 5 elemental fists (which is all the technique you really need), san ti, and sparring with Hsing-I on a regular basis, THEN you should be ready to try it again, probably not any sooner.
Time
Slips through fingers
Like this world of dust