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

When the butler delivered the pistol, Chen Hongwu had just finished a round of Bengquan (a type of fist technique), and his whole body was steaming with heat.

"Young Master, the Master sent this over." The butler handed it over with both hands and relayed Chen Huaijin's words.

Chen Hongwu took the gun and examined it in his hand.

Browning M1910, small and exquisite, with a glossy, dark blue finish.

"Please thank my father for me," Chen Hongwu said.

The butler bowed and withdrew.

Chen Hongwu loaded the magazine, pulled the slide, and aimed at the locust tree in the yard. He had never used a gun before, but the principle was simple—the sights, the notch, and the target should be aligned.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp crack, a piece of bark exploded open.

The recoil was less than I expected, and my wrist twitched slightly.

Chen Hongwu glanced at the bullet holes in the tree, then at the gun in his hand. Seven meters away, the first shot hit its mark; his accuracy was decent.

He fired two more shots, both hitting the tree trunk.

"This thing is really useful," Chen Hongwu muttered to himself.

But he didn't continue practicing with the gun; he put it in his pocket and turned back to boxing.

External objects are ultimately just external objects; once the bullets are used up, the gun is nothing but scrap metal. Only the skills you hone yourself truly belong to you.

---

Days passed by one by one.

Chen Hongwu's progress is clearly visible.

With five martial arts masters taking turns to instruct him, he no longer needed to pretend to be a novice. His physical foundation was now solid, and his stances and stances were quite impressive, leaving the five masters increasingly astonished by his progress.

That afternoon, Chen Hongwu was practicing with the guards in the martial arts hall.

The guard's name was Zhao Hu, in his early thirties. He came from a martial arts school and worked as a bodyguard for the Chen family. He was a skilled fighter, and three or five strong men couldn't get close to him.

"Young Master, please forgive me." Zhao Hu clasped his hands in greeting.

Chen Hongwu nodded without replying, took a step forward, and cleared a path with a cleaving punch.

The palm whistled as it struck Zhao Hu's face.

Zhao Hu dodged to the side, simultaneously blocking with his right hand. Their fists and palms collided, producing a crisp "snap" sound.

Zhao Hu's expression changed slightly—the young master's palm strike was quite powerful.

Chen Hongwu gave his opponent no chance to breathe, his chopping fist turning into a collapsing fist, the force of the punch like an arrow, straight at Zhao Hu's chest.

Zhao Hu crossed his arms to block, but was forced back two steps, baring his teeth in the process.

pain.

It wasn't just skin and flesh that hurt; it was bone-deep pain. The force of the young master's punch felt like being hit by a hammer.

"Alright!" Zhao Hu gritted his teeth, switched from defense to offense, and swept a whip kick toward Chen Hongwu's waist and ribs.

Chen Hongwu neither dodged nor avoided the kick, but instead lowered his waist and hips to take it head-on.

"Bang!"

The dull thud echoed through the training hall.

Chen Hongwu remained motionless, but Zhao Hu felt as if his shin had struck an iron pillar, and the force of the impact almost made him lose his balance.

The next instant, Chen Hongwu's fist was already hovering three inches in front of Zhao Hu's throat.

Zhao Hu froze, his Adam's apple bobbing, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

If that punch landed, his throat would definitely be shattered.

"Young Master, your skills are truly impressive." Zhao Hu clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, completely convinced of his superior abilities.

The seven or eight guards watching from the sidelines exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock.

Just over a month ago, the young master was a spoiled brat who couldn't even kill a chicken. How long has it been? He's already beaten Zhao Hu so badly that he can't fight back at all.

"Mingjin... Young Master is probably about to reach the threshold of Mingjin, isn't he?" a young guard muttered quietly.

"It's more than just the threshold; I think he's already entered the door." Another guard shook his head. "In less than two months, he's gone from zero to this level. I've never seen anything like it in my thirty years of life."

Chen Hongwu withdrew his fist, his expression unchanged, his breathing steady.

"Zhao Hu, go to the accounting office and collect five silver dollars as a reward, plus some money for your medicine. Go back and rest well."

Zhao Hu quickly thanked him.

Chen Hongwu glanced at the remaining guards: "Who else?"

The guards exchanged glances and then raised their hands.

"I'll do it!"

"Young Master, I'll spar with you for a couple of moves!"

This young master is very measured in his actions and generous with his rewards; only a fool would refuse to spar with him.

Just as they were about to choose someone, the butler came running in, panting.

"Young Master! The Master wants you to go to the main hall; there are guests."

Chen Hongwu frowned, stopped his stance, wiped his sweat, put on his outer robe, and followed the steward to the front yard.

---

Inside the main hall, Chen Huaijin sat in the head seat.

There were three people sitting in the guest seats.

Two women and one foreigner.

The older woman was in her early twenties, dressed in a plain Western-style dress, her hair tied up, with a delicate and aloof face, and a hint of heroism between her brows. She sat there upright, her back straight, and glanced indifferently at Chen Hongwu as he entered.

The younger girls were sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing light blue cheongsams, with oval faces and big eyes. When they saw Chen Hongwu come in, their eyes lit up and the corners of their mouths turned up slightly.

The foreigner was a white man in his forties, dressed in a suit and tie, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, holding a walking stick, and with an arrogant demeanor.

When Chen Huaijin saw Chen Hongwu enter, he raised his hand and said, "Hongwu, come and greet your elder sister and younger sister from the Xu family."

Xu family.

Chen Hongwu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained expressionless, took two steps forward, and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Miss Xu, Miss Xu."

The eldest daughter, Xu Wanqing, nodded slightly and said in a flat tone, "Young Master Chen."

His voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

The youngest daughter, Xu Wanting, stood up, gave a graceful curtsy, and greeted him with a smile, "Brother Hongwu."

Chen Huaijin chimed in, "Wanqing just returned from England and rushed back as soon as she received the news. Wanting has been staying at our house all this time, and you've been locked in the backyard practicing martial arts all day, so you haven't seen her."

Chen Hongwu glanced at Xu Wanting. This girl was the one who had survived that night, hiding in a corner of the Xu family home.

"Miss Xu, please accept my condolences," Chen Hongwu said.

Xu Wanting's eyes reddened, but she still forced a smile and nodded.

Xu Wanqing sat there, her gaze lingering on Chen Hongwu for a few seconds.

Before she returned to China, she had heard that the eldest son of the Chen family was a good-for-nothing, good for neither literature nor martial arts, and spent his days hanging out in brothels and taverns. But the person in front of her was tall and straight, with a calm demeanor, slightly bulging temples, and a piercing gaze in his eyes. He didn't look like the good-for-nothing she had heard about at all.

However, she quickly suppressed her surprise.

Regardless of what kind of person Chen Hongwu is, she has only one purpose in returning this time—to take her sister away and find out the truth behind the massacre of the Xu family.

She suspected that what happened that night wasn't so simple.

The mandrill attacked the Chen family first, and then went to the Xu family. Why the Xu family? And why was it Chen Huaijin who led the attack?

Did Chen Huaijin participate in guiding things? Or even deliberately slow down a step or two? She dared not think too much about it.

"Young Master Chen, I came back this time mainly to pick up Wan Ting and take care of the business left by the family," Xu Wanqing said in a businesslike tone. "Thank you for your help these past few days, Chen family."

Chen Huaijin smiled and said, "Wanqing, you're too kind. Our two families have been friends for generations, so this is only what we should do."

Xu Wanqing nodded slightly but did not reply.

Xu Wanting tugged at her sister's sleeve and whispered, "Sister, I want to stay in the Chen family. I'm scared."

"No." Xu Wanqing's tone left no room for argument.

Xu Wanting pouted and turned to Chen Hongwu: "Brother Hongwu, will you take me out to play? I'm so bored."

Chen Hongwu shook his head: "I still need to practice my skills, let's do it another day."

Xu Wanting wanted to say something, but Xu Wanqing stopped her with a look.

The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

The foreigner didn't say a word from beginning to end, but looked at the Chen family's furnishings with a critical eye, occasionally exchanging a glance with Xu Wanqing.

After sitting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xu Wanqing got up to take her leave.

"Uncle Chen, we'll head back now. We'll come visit again in a couple of days. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Chen Huaijin stood up, exchanged a few polite words, and personally saw him to the door.

Once the two Xu women and the foreigner's carriage disappeared around the street corner, Chen Huaijin's face darkened completely.

He turned and walked back to the main hall, plopped down in the armchair, picked up the teacup, took a big gulp, and slammed it down.

"This Xu Wanqing probably thinks that the Xu family's affairs are related to our Chen family." Chen Huaijin sneered. "I saw right through her eyes."

Chen Hongwu stood aside without saying a word.

"And that foreign devil, what a piece of trash, a mere translator dares to look at my Chen family like that." Chen Huaijin became more and more angry as he spoke. "Wanqing spent a few years abroad and learned the ways of foreigners. She doesn't even smile when she sees her elders."

Chen Hongwu remained silent.

He felt absolutely nothing for that so-called fiancée. He and Xu Wanqing had only met a few times when they were children; what feelings could they possibly have for each other?

"Father, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now," Chen Hongwu said.

Chen Huaijin waved his hand: "Go on, go on, focus on practicing your boxing. I originally wanted to introduce you all, but now it seems... hehe!"

Chen Huaijin gave a cold laugh.

Chen Hongwu remained noncommittal and turned to leave the main hall.