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

In the mountains and forests, two mountain demons attacked Chen Hongwu from the front and the back.

The large mandrill attacked his face, its sharp claws whistling through the air, aiming straight for his eyes. The smaller mandrill burrowed into his chest, its headbutt striking like a charging bull. The two beasts coordinated countless times, one above and one below, one high and one low, blocking Chen Hongwu's escape route.

Chen Hongwu refused to back down.

With his right hand, he parried upwards, his wrist striking the mandrill like an iron whip. With a crisp "snap," the mandrill's claws were knocked away, and his entire arm went numb. At the same time, his left hand pressed down, his palm striking the little mandrill's head. Using the force of the press and push, the little mandrill's momentum was neutralized, and it staggered to the side.

Both mandrills retreated several steps, their arms and heads wracked with excruciating pain.

Chen Hongwu stepped forward and struck with his palm. The air exploded with a loud bang, like someone setting off a firecracker in the forest.

The two mandrills' fur stood on end in fright, and the larger mandrill instinctively kicked out at Chen Hongwu.

This beast knows nothing of martial arts; how could it understand the importance of the lower body? Its center of gravity shifted as soon as it kicked, its body leaning forward, its defenses wide open. Chen Hongwu seized the opportunity, grabbing its ankle. His five fingers, like steel hooks, unleashed tremendous force, instantly digging into its flesh, leaving five shallow, bloody holes.

The mandrill howled in pain and struggled desperately.

Taking advantage of the situation, Chen Hongwu cut in, grabbed the little mandrill's arm with his other hand, and with a shake of his arms, the two mandrills were flung away like rag dolls, smashing into two small trees.

"Aww—"

The two mandrills rolled and got up, shook their heads, and charged at Chen Hongwu again.

Although the finger strength was formidable, capable of splitting stone tablets and shattering rocks, that strike only left shallow finger marks on their flesh. These two beasts could withstand bullets with their bare bodies; their skin was thick and tough, so this injury was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

Chen Hongwu went to meet them, and the two sides started fighting again.

Fists and claws clashed, making a series of loud thuds. The tiger-style chopping fist met head-on, the snake-style drilling fist exploited openings, the monkey-style leaping avoided the sharpest attacks, and the eagle-style slashing and clawing struck vital points. The twelve forms swirled in his hands, one move after another, one move within another, flowing endlessly.

Traditional Chinese martial arts emphasizes killing, not performance; it prioritizes practical combat skills. You can't develop real skill by just practicing in isolation and striking empty air. The Chen family's guards couldn't even last a single move against him; they were completely useless sparring partners.

These two mandrills are different—they have thick skin and can withstand blows and falls; they are incredibly strong, forcing him to use his full strength; they are driven by wild animal instincts, and their attacks are unpredictable.

Such a sparring partner is hard to find even with a lantern.

After fighting for a while, the two mandrills were panting heavily and their movements slowed down.

They are wild beasts, acting entirely on instinct, unleashing their full power without knowing how to conserve energy.

Chen Hongwu, however, knew how to make moves, how to adapt to the situation, and how to deal maximum damage with minimal effort. After the match, the two mountain demons were exhausted, but Chen Hongwu remained calm and composed.

Seeing that they were no longer able to fight, Chen Hongwu withdrew his fist, stepped back, and waved his hand.

The big mandrill, as if granted a pardon, pulled the little mandrill into the dense forest. After taking a few steps, it looked back at him and let out a low whimper, as if to say—come back tomorrow.

Chen Hongwu sat cross-legged on a large rock and began practicing the Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound.

This is the marrow-training secret method of Xingyi School. Each school has its own unique skills. Bajiquan has the "Hum and Ha" Qi, Wudang has the Fishing Toad Strength and the Wild Ox Strength, and Xingyi has the Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound.

At this point, his Thunder Sound technique was only at the beginning; it had not yet penetrated internally or externally, nor had it permeated the internal organs. It had only slightly reached the level of muscles and bones.

Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound... Tiger and Leopard...

Chen Hongwu murmured to himself, when suddenly a thought struck him.

The sky was clear and the air was crisp, with no thunder to be heard. But weren't tigers and leopards readily available in these mountains and forests?

He stood up and leaped into the depths of the forest.

This mountain forest stretches for hundreds of miles, rarely visited by humans, and frequented by wild animals. Chen Hongwu trekked through the dense forest for almost half an hour before finally discovering a string of fresh footprints beside a mountain stream.

A tiger paw print the size of a bowl was deeply imprinted in the mud.

He followed the footprints.

A magnificent tiger is lying by a mountain stream, drinking water.

It was nearly ten feet long, with glossy fur, and the "king" character on its forehead gleamed golden in the sunlight. Hearing the noise, it suddenly raised its head, its amber eyes fixed on Chen Hongwu, and a low warning growled from its throat.

Chen Hongwu did not stop and walked straight toward it.

The tiger was enraged.

It reigns supreme in these mountains and forests, and even bears give it a wide berth. How dare this two-legged creature trespass into its territory and even look it in the eye?

The tiger let out a deafening roar and pounced.

Chen Hongwu turned sideways, his right hand reaching out to precisely grasp the tiger's scruff of the neck. With a snap of his fingers, a surge of hidden power erupted, sending a shiver down the tiger's spine and paralyzing it as if its pressure points had been struck.

He supported the tiger's belly with his left hand, twisted and pressed, and flipped the tiger to the ground. He then pressed his knee down on the tiger's waist, rendering it unable to move.

The tiger struggled a few times, but found it couldn't break free at all, and the roar in its throat turned into a pitiful whimper.

Chen Hongwu placed his hand on the tiger's chest.

"Snoring—snoring—"

The tiger's heartbeat was steady and powerful, with a deep, continuous vibration emanating from its chest. It wasn't just ordinary snoring; it was the resonance of bones and muscles, the coordination of blood and fur. Every breath, every heartbeat of the tiger was integrated with this vibration.

Chen Hongwu closed his eyes, sensing the thunderous roar of the tiger.

A cat's purr is a miniature version; a tiger's purr is the original. Tigers' size, bone structure, and muscle density far surpass those of humans, which is precisely due to the thunderous sound they produce.

He tried to regulate his breathing. He inhaled, drawing the breath down to his dantian (lower abdomen); he exhaled, a deep vibration emanating from his chest—"hum—"

The tiger's thunderous roar is a "snort," while a human's is a "hum." The parts of the body that produce the sound are different, but the principle is the same. The chest cavity serves as the resonating chamber, and breath is used as the driving force, causing the bones to resonate.

He listened to the tiger's thunderous roar while adjusting his own vocalization. If the frequency wasn't right, he tried the next one. If the amplitude wasn't enough, he increased his breath. After trying more than ten times, the vibration in his chest suddenly matched the tiger's thunderous roar.

In that instant, he felt his bones tremble slightly. It wasn't his muscles shaking, it was his bones. From his skull to his spine, from his ribs to his limbs, every bone was vibrating at the same frequency.

The bone marrow felt like it was being soaked in warm water, a tingling, numb sensation that was indescribably comfortable.

This is the true Thunder Sound of Tiger and Leopard.

I only learned the basics of cat purring before. Cats are too small and have too delicate bones; the frequency and amplitude of their purring don't match those of humans. Tigers are the best teachers.

Chen Hongwu finished his work and released his grip.

The tiger scrambled to its feet, tucked its tail between its legs, and ran a dozen paces away. It glanced back at him, its eyes filled with confusion and grievance. This two-legged creature had been pressing him to the ground and stroking him for a while, neither killing nor eating him. What was it trying to do?

Chen Hongwu waved at it: "Thanks. I'll come find you another day."

The tiger snorted and darted into the dense forest without looking back.

Chen Hongwu stood by the mountain stream, gazing in the direction where the tiger had disappeared, and exhaled a long breath.

Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound, finally got the basics down.

The next step is to cultivate this vibration into every bone in your body. Over time, your bone marrow will gradually fill out, and your qi and blood will become stronger. When the thunderous sound can penetrate your internal organs, your skill will have truly reached a high level.