Chinese martial arts: From being shot and killed by the armed police during a mountain search to bec

[Author's statement: I absolutely abide by the law; please do not apply this to real life.]

The author had absolutely no intention of opposing any organization or the law; everything is purely fictional.

"boom!"

"Boom boom boom!"

Huge iron bars on the windows, a large iron gate, the room was pitch black, without a single light. A figure flashed, fists and feet flying, the wind from the punches whistling, striking the walls like towering waves.

"Clang!"

Two armed police officers opened the prison's large iron gate and flipped on the switch, turning on the incandescent light on the cell ceiling.

Only then could one see clearly that there were two figures, one sitting and one standing, one old and one young, in the small prison cell.

The young man standing there had short, jet-black hair and was wearing prison clothes; he looked to be in his early twenties.

As he finished retracting his fist and assuming a stance, steaming white mist rose from the top of his head. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, which then transformed into a white ribbon piercing the sky.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed was a middle-aged man with long hair, a rugged face, a thick beard like a sword, a tortoise-like back and a crane-like shape, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

It is worth noting that this person was wearing huge shackles on both hands and feet, as thick as an adult man's waist.

"Chen Hongwu, congratulations..." A fat man in uniform stepped in with a beaming smile.

"Get out!" The middle-aged man on the bed glanced at the door, exuding an aura of authority that commanded submission.

The fat man's foot, which he was about to lift in, froze in mid-air. He chuckled dryly and stepped back, signaling the armed police to close the iron gate.

"Clang!"

"Are you leaving?" The middle-aged man on the bed spoke, as if a small breeze had swept through the prison, making the walls vibrate and hum.

"Yes, my sentence is over today."

Chen Hongwu nodded, "I'm very grateful for your care over the past three years."

"It's a pity. Life in prison is quiet and perfect for practicing martial arts. The great master of Xingyi Quan, Guo Yunshen, also reached the pinnacle of his skills after three years in prison."

"You also trained in prison for three years. Although you are far inferior to Guo Yunshen, you have at least touched the threshold of internal strength."

Chen Hongwu's skills were all taught by the middle-aged man in front of him.

Neither of them addressed each other as master and disciple. The middle-aged man imparted his skills based solely on fate and destiny, and his words and actions were unfathomable.

Chen Hongwu did not know the other party's background, only that the middle-aged man had lived in the prison for decades and was highly respected by the prisoners and guards who came and went. Every now and then, someone would bring him things.

Among them were precious medicinal herbs, high-end wines, and even stunning beauties could be delivered to his bedside that very night if he wished.

It was as if he wasn't in prison, but rather an emperor.

Chen Hongwu was puzzled. "I've already mastered the advanced level of Ming Jin (manifested strength), where every punch and kick produces a crisp sound. But I have absolutely no clue about An Jin (hidden strength). How can I break through this barrier?"

"Martial arts have three realms, three training methods, and three stages of skill."

"You have already grasped the concepts of refining essence into qi and cultivating qi into spirit. When you first entered the prison, you were an introverted and timid ordinary person. But since you started practicing boxing with me, you have become much bolder."

"Some say this is because he possessed a weapon, and the desire to kill arose spontaneously, which fits the description very well."

"Martial arts can change a person's character; a timid person becomes bold, and a hot-tempered person becomes reserved and profound..."

Chen Hongwu thought about it and agreed.

In the three years since he started practicing boxing, his personality has undergone a complete transformation.

These changes accumulate little by little; though he is in Lushan, he cannot see its true face.

Now that the other party had seen through him, Chen Hongwu realized that if he went out and met his old friend again, the other party probably wouldn't recognize him.

"The three training methods are Ming Jin (manifest strength), An Jin (hidden strength), and Hua Jin (transformative strength). The three steps of skill are Yi Gu (bone change), Yi Jin (tendon change), and Yi Sui (marrow change). You, my predecessor, have told me about all of these."

Chen Hongwu said that he had studied very hard before.

The middle-aged man on the bed nodded. "The transition from visible strength to hidden strength is a qualitative leap in martial arts."

"Hidden strength is the result of the internal three-way coordination of mind and intention, intention and qi, and qi and strength. Mind and intention are the source of hidden strength, so to practice hidden strength, one must first make one's will clear and understand one's own heart."

"When the heart and mind are in harmony, thoughts become clear..." Chen Hongwu murmured to himself, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

"What is Chinese martial arts?" the middle-aged man suddenly asked, his voice booming like thunder.

Chen Hongwu instantly snapped out of his daze and instinctively replied, "Martial arts that only kill, not perform!"

"very good!"

The middle-aged man stood up, the chains binding him rattling loudly.

"Then do you remember why you came in?!"

"Why did I come in?" Chen Hongwu suddenly snapped back to reality, a flood of memories surging through him, his eyes sharpening. His hair stood on end, like needles pricking him, just like the legendary "hair standing on end in anger."

"Three years ago, I was a sophomore in college. One night, I was passing by the grove on campus when I saw a thug harassing a girl. Overwhelmed with a sense of justice, I stepped forward to help and chased the thug away."

"The next day, the police broke down the door, pinned me to my bed in the dormitory, and locked me in the detention center."

"So, the girl called the police, saying someone raped her, and the murderer... was me!"

"On the day of the trial, that thug also showed up and stood in the witness stand. He became the good guy who did the right thing, while I was beaten into a criminal for attempted rape."

"And so, I was sentenced to three years. Later I found out that the thug's family was powerful and influential. His father's company was a major taxpayer in the province, and he was also a member of the CPPCC. He had absolute power and influence in both the legal and illegal worlds."

"Are you willing to accept this?" The middle-aged man's voice was like the whisper of a devil, constantly tempting him.

"Of course I'm not willing to accept this!"

The veins on Chen Hongwu's neck throbbed, like earthworms about to burst out of the ground.

"Then let's settle scores! Let's settle grudges!"

"We martial artists will not suffer losses or be humiliated, and we will be arrogant towards kings and nobles."

In a fit of rage, blood splatters five steps away. In the midst of laughter, one can travel a thousand miles, drinking and wielding a knife, severing heads, seeking vengeance and revenge as one pleases! The middle-aged man laughed heartily, shaking dust from the ceiling.

Chen Hongwu's words were so inspiring that he wanted to shout out in response.

But he quickly calmed down, "If one's martial arts are as advanced as yours, one's personality will naturally be unrestrained, one will kill gods and Buddhas if they stand in one's way, and one will be the only one in the world."

"But if one's martial arts skills are not yet perfected, the only truly wise course of action is to endure humiliation and diligently cultivate oneself, practicing meditation and upholding precepts. To act in this way without the necessary strength is nothing but arrogance and will inevitably lead to a violent death in the streets!"

Killing someone is easy, but getting away with it is difficult; his martial arts skills are not yet at the point where he can disregard the law.

Forbearance is an important practice in Zen Buddhism, which can temper one's mind. After three years in prison, Chen Hongwu deeply understood this principle.

Besides, I still have parents at home whom I haven't had time to support... Chen Hongwu thought to himself.

"Hahahahaha!"

The middle-aged man laughed loudly, "Not bad! Not bad! A dragon can be big or small, can rise or hide; when it is big, it stirs up clouds and mists, when it is small, it hides its form."

While it's certainly satisfying to seek revenge, enduring hardship and biding one's time for future success is truly commendable!

However, things in this world don't always go as you imagine!

Chen Hongwu silently knelt down, kowtowed three times to the middle-aged man, then opened the iron gate, picked up his bag, and gained his freedom.

……

In Chenjia Village, Chen Hongwu pushes open the dusty door of his home.

Two portraits of the deceased were hung on the wall, one on the left and one on the right, while two memorial tablets were placed side by side on the table in the middle.

The Memorial Tablet of Our Deceased Father, Lord Chen Jianguo

[Memorial Tablet for the late Madam Wang Xiulian, the mother of Chen]

Chen Hongwu's mind exploded, and his heart pounded.

Why?