I practiced my spirituality alone in Hong Kong.

"Your name is Jackie Chan?"

"Yes, this is my current stage name. Of course, this stage name isn't very well-known... My previous stage name was Chen Yuanlong. Do you remember him, handsome?"

There was a movie starring Bruce Lee, and the guy he kicked away in it was me!

"Sorry, no, not either."

"...Haha, it's okay. Not being famous doesn't matter. It just means there's huge potential for growth in your career."

Chen Yuanlong touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly.

A silence fell between the two.

In fact, Chen Yuanlong's career is far from being unknown.

After changing his stage name to "Jackie Chan" and finally starring in his own movie, several of his films flopped at the box office, earning him the nickname "box office poison" in the industry and ruining his reputation!

Thinking of this, Chen Yuanlong couldn't help but sigh.

Since Bruce Lee's passing, kung fu films in Hong Kong have fallen into a slump and are no longer favored by any filmmakers.

The era of kung fu has passed with Bruce Lee; making kung fu movies is a dead end...

I guess the boy in front of me thinks the same way.

Chen Yuanlong scratched his thick head and said:

"Sorry, handsome, the sudden invitation to you to film a kung fu movie was just because I was so excited after seeing your amazing skills. It's really presumptuous of me..."

After saying that, Chen Yuanlong was about to get up and leave, but Li Chang'an called him back.

"Brother Chen, I'm quite interested in making kung fu movies. Would you be willing to take me on a trial?"

"What... handsome guy, are you sure?! That's great! With your skills, Director Yuan will definitely take notice!"

Chen Yuanlong was overjoyed, but still responsibly reminded him:

"Young man, it's tough and dangerous to work in the stunt department and make kung fu movies. I see you're not that old, so it would be better to discuss it with your parents."

My parents have passed away.

"Sorry... are you free today?"

I'm on my way to the film set right now, I can take you to the Castle Peak Road film set in West Kowloon to see Director Yuen!

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Chen. You can just call me Anzai from now on."

"Okay, Anzai, wait for me to get the motorcycle. I rushed over to rescue people and forgot my motorcycle in the market."

Li Chang'an watched Chen Yuanlong run towards the vegetable market, the weathered and honest voice of the narrator gradually fading away.

In the martial arts world, the Snake Claw Sect and the Eagle Claw Sect have a century-old feud, with endless killings. Now, the Eagle Claw Sect has gained considerable power and, after killing the leader of the Snake Claw Sect, intends to completely wipe out the Snake Claw Sect from the martial arts world.

Young man, with your chivalrous spirit and courage, are you willing to step forward and help the successor of the Snake-Style Fist lineage, safeguarding their last glimmer of hope?

Li Chang'an was actually not interested in making kung fu movies.

What truly interested him was Chen Yuanlong himself.

Since the storyteller's narration appeared in Li Chang'an's mind, Chen Yuanlong was the first person he encountered who had a special identity in the narrator's oral account.

Li Chang'an wanted to follow him and find out the reason behind it.

……

……

Kowloon in Hong Kong faces Hong Kong Island across the sea.

Castle Peak Road, also known as Castle Peak Street, is one of the most densely populated industrial areas in western Kowloon.

The hardware factories, textile factories, and dye houses here stand side by side. During the day, the machines roar, and at night, they are full of factory workers going home after get off work.

But this seemingly ordinary industrial area hides a world of martial arts masters from Hong Kong.

This is because 70% of Hong Kong's action films are shot here!

A saying circulates privately within Hong Kong's film industry: "Tsim Sha Tsui film sets are all about extravagance and money, Clear Water Bay film sets are all about stars and big names, and Castle Peak Road film sets are all about fighting and real kung fu!"

This is a sacred place where countless low-level martial arts practitioners yearn for fame, producing martial arts masters and stunt performers who dare to risk their lives.

Who knows, any random uncle squatting by the roadside eating wonton noodles might be a tough guy who can do a dozen backflips and withstand sticks and bricks without uttering a sound.

[Young man, you have arrived at a new location: the Green Mountain Martial Arts Arena of Kowloon Prefecture. Your Innate Qi has increased by 0.01.]

At the foot of Green Hill in Kowloon City, there is a martial arts arena called Green Hill.

This place is a gathering place for martial arts masters, free from the rigid rules of sects; they establish themselves solely through skill and make friends through their fists.

buzz-

Amidst the roar of motorcycle engines.

Li Chang'an sat behind Chen Yuanlong and slowly drove into Qingshan Road.

Everywhere you look, you can see temporary tin sheds erected for filming, with polished wooden dummies and bundled knives, spears, and clubs piled up outside.

At this moment, several men were practicing their moves around the wooden dummy, creating a lively scene.

"Anzai, we've arrived. That's Director Yuan."

Chen Yuanlong slammed on the brakes and turned off the engine.

Following the direction Chen Yuanlong pointed, Li Chang'an looked at a thin, middle-aged man standing in the center of the tin shed ahead.

He held a book in one hand and a charred wooden stick in the other, drawing something intently on the ground. Three martial arts choreographers from the Yuan family troupe stood around him, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"Come on, you martial arts instructors, demonstrate the punches again according to the steps I drew, so I can see."

The three action choreographers immediately stepped forward, following the route drawn by Director Yuan, and began to take stances and perform punches and kicks with great speed.

Even from a distance, Li Chang'an could feel how powerful and skillful the three action choreographers were, but Director Yuan's brows furrowed even more.

"stop!"

Director Yuan gave a low shout and slammed the wooden stick into the ground:

"No! You're hitting the wrong target!"

"We're using snake-style boxing in our film, how come you guys are hitting it so hard?"

Is this snake-style boxing? You're treating snake-style boxing like an iron rod! How can you, as martial arts choreographers, not even be able to perform the moves properly, let alone instruct others?!

Director Yuan was angry, but even more so, he was worried.

The soft power of the Snake Style Fist has been so strong that even after practicing for so long, these martial arts instructors still haven't grasped its essence.

Either the fighting is too light and weak, or it's too forceful and stiff like it is now. The filming will officially start in a few days. If the action scenes can't be honed properly, how can the film be shot?

When Director Yuan got angry, the studio fell silent instantly.

Chen Yuanlong immediately realized that now was not the right time to pull Li Chang'an over to introduce them, so he tugged at Li Chang'an's sleeve and whispered:

"Anzai, Director Yuan is busy right now, let's not disturb him."

Chen Yuanlong pulled Li Chang'an to sit down on the curb, took out a crumpled packet of Double Happiness cigarettes, and handed him one.

Seeing that Li Chang'an shook his head to indicate that he did not smoke, he put away the Double Happiness cigarette and put back the cigarette that he had been holding in his mouth and was about to light.

"Actually, I'm not a heavy smoker, but when I'm filming, having a cigarette in my mouth makes me look like a seasoned veteran and more like the leading man."

That way, the veteran stuntmen on set won't think of you as a greenhorn just starting out.

Chen Yuanlong chuckled self-deprecatingly and touched his nose.

"But if this movie flops again, I might have to leave Hong Kong and go to Australia to learn to cook with my dad. Then I won't have to pretend to be a big brother by smoking anymore."

Young man, the successor of Snake Style Fist reveals to you the hardships he has endured.

The martial arts world is now in decline, and every martial arts lineage is extremely precious. Please encourage him to persevere on his path and not give up martial arts, lest the lineage of Snake Fist be completely severed.

"Brother Chen, I believe that sooner or later, you will not need anything to support your aura. Just by standing there, you will be the leader in the eyes of all martial arts masters."

Chen Yuanlong was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter and patted Li Chang'an on the shoulder:

"Alright! I take your good wishes, Anzai! If that day ever comes, I'll take you with me!"

These heartfelt words brought the two of them much closer.

Chen Yuanlong took the initiative to talk to him about Director Yuan and helped him get familiar with the film set.

It turns out that although Director Yuan is a new director, he has been a veteran stuntman for more than ten years.

Furthermore, his father was the first generation of Northern-style martial arts choreographers in Hong Kong. Director Yuen is a man of profound background, a powerful but unofficial behind-the-scenes figure.

Chen Yuanlong also told Li Chang'an that almost no one in the martial arts industry reads books, but Director Yuan always carries a book with him. He is the most knowledgeable martial arts choreographer he has met in all his years in the industry.

Although he was very strict and even made many young martial arts instructors cry, you could always learn something new from him.

Li Chang'an occasionally chimed in, but he was more interested in the seemingly ordinary and perpetually unsuccessful Brother Chen beside him than in understanding Director Yuan.

He was puzzled as to why the storyteller in his mind referred to Chen Yuanlong as a successor of the Snake Style Fist.

Snake-style boxing...

Recalling the scene in the studio just now where Director Yuan reprimanded the three martial arts choreographers, Li Chang'an looked up at Chen Yuanlong and asked:

"Brother Chen, do you know how to do Snake Style Kung Fu...?"

After saying that, Li Chang'an added:

"Brother Chen, what role do you play in this movie?"

Chen Yuanlong replied, "I've read the script. I play Jian Fu, the last young successor of the Snake Fist style, who is being relentlessly pursued by the Eagle Claw Sect."