Chinese martial arts: From human punching bags to martial arts mastery

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

On the surface, Shanghai appears calm and peaceful, but in reality, undercurrents are surging and dangers lurk everywhere.

Initially, the Green Gang secretly manipulated public opinion, throwing the dirty water of the black swan event at the Yan family. Rumors spread like wildfire in the streets and alleys, and the Yan family was labeled as a scourge to Shanghai, almost drowning in a sea of ​​criticism.

After this incident, the morale of the Yan family was shaken. Some of the less determined disciples, seeing the power of the Green Gang and fearing future retaliation, quietly left to seek other ways out.

At a critical moment.

Chen Feng acted decisively by publishing a statement in the newspaper, exposing all the lies and revealing the Green Gang's dirty deeds to the public. Public opinion instantly reversed, and the people of the city were outraged, pointing the finger at the Green Gang, forcing the Green Gang to not dare to make any rash moves for a while.

Du Yuesheng had been in charge of the Green Gang for many years, and his methods were incredibly ruthless. He launched a three-pronged attack: first, he used his connections to suppress negative news from major newspapers; then, he bribed editors and writers to plagiarize his articles; and finally, he released a shocking scandal involving a popular actress to divert the city's attention.

In just a few days.

The black swan event that caused such a stir in the city was completely suppressed, and no one mentioned it anymore, as if it had never happened!

This decisive move, which cut off the source of the problem, fully demonstrated the overwhelming power of the Green Gang, and made Yan Tieqiao, Chen Feng, and others feel increasingly uneasy.

For this matter.

Yan Tieqiao wholeheartedly approved of Chen Feng's approach—if no one stepped forward to expose the truth, a hundred years later, no one would know about this blood debt.

But at the same time, he was also filled with worry, and with a solemn expression, he repeatedly instructed Chen Feng: "Du Yuesheng is a man who holds grudges. This time, you have not only ruined his reputation but also cut off his source of income. He will never let this go easily, and his revenge will be extremely ruthless. You must be on high alert at all times and not be careless in the slightest!"

To allow Chen Feng to understand the details of his opponent.

Yan Tieqiao recounted the top combat forces under Du Yuesheng's command in detail, word by word, his tone becoming more serious with each name he mentioned.

Although Du Yuesheng had tens of thousands of disciples and students, the most elite under his command were the Little Eight-Share Gang, who were his right-hand men!

Although Qian Hu, Xiao Mian Hu, Ma Pi, and Zhang Yu were at the bottom, they were still ruthless characters among Ming Jin practitioners, and their attacks were vicious and without any bottom line.

The remaining four were the Four Vajras, who were renowned throughout the Shanghai martial arts world and feared by all. Each of them was a top-level master of internal strength, and ordinary martial artists and forces dared not contend with them.

"Among the Four Heavenly Kings, even the weakest, Old Fire Crow, is enough to kill!"

Yan Tieqiao's eyes were solemn, and every word he spoke carried a chilling edge:

"This old man is a blacksmith by trade, possessing brute strength comparable to a bull. His arms can lift a thousand pounds, and his double hammers are impenetrable when wielded. He is also skilled in arson and sneak attacks. His cultivation is a genuine mid-stage Dark Force, and his years of fighting have given him far more combat experience than most martial artists of the same level. He never leaves any survivors!"

He paused, then pointed out the even stronger fighters: "The Ranger and the Kaleidoscope are both at the late stage of Dark Force. Especially the Ranger, his Dark Force spear technique is unpredictable—he can condense Dark Force into the spear, causing the bullet to deflect and change direction the instant he fires, combined with astonishing prediction. Even if you're hiding behind cover, he can still hit you through gaps, around corners, and across turns with a single shot. This kind of skill is terrifying; encountering him is a nine-out-of-ten chance of death!"

These words were spoken.

"Deflect the shockwave, kill through the gap!!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Feng's pupils suddenly contracted, a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and a bone-chilling coldness rushed straight to the top of his head.

"This wandering swordsman is far too dangerous!"

This moment!

His obsession with marksmanship surged instantly, and he gritted his teeth inwardly—he had to improve his marksmanship as soon as possible, because only by mastering marksmanship could he protect himself!

We must go to the Tang family!

However, Tang's father was in a bad mood, and if he came to visit at this time, he would either be extremely sincere or he would be adding fuel to the fire.

Furthermore, arriving empty-handed would be too abrupt, impolite, and would also cut off any possibility of communication.

He wanted to find a rare and precious stone as a gift, which would not only make him look good but also show his sincerity. However, Shanghai was a mixed bag, and antique shops often catered to different customers. Moreover, Chinese cultural relics were scattered in the chaos of the times. Finding a truly worthy gift in this bustling metropolis was like finding a needle in a haystack!

Chen Feng frowned, his fingertips tapping lightly on the corner of the table, his heart filled with helplessness: In this chaotic world, gold is easy to obtain, but rare and unique items are hard to find. Where should he go to search for them?

Just as he was filled with anxiety, little did he know that an opportunity was quietly approaching him.

"Good disciple!"

Seeing that Chen Feng was distracted, Yan Tieqiao immediately raised his voice and shouted in a deep voice:

"If we really encounter the Four Heavenly Kings, we absolutely cannot rely on our brute strength to fight them head-on!"

"They are all seasoned veterans who have crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Their combined attack techniques are masterful. If you linger in battle, you will surely die!"

Yan Tieqiao clenched his fists, his voice almost overflowing with worry. This was a lesson learned at the cost of countless lives in the martial arts world, and it could not be taken lightly.

"I will follow my master's teachings!"

Chen Feng nodded solemnly, his mind clear—with his current skills and ruthless nature, if he were determined to escape, even a master of the mid-stage of Ming Jin would not be able to stop him. But if he were to be surrounded by the Four Vajras and trapped in their encirclement, even if he had Tongbei Quan and hard qigong, he would have no chance of survival!

This realization made him dare not slack off in the slightest, and he could only desperately hone his skills.

From then on, Chen Feng lived a completely secluded life, keeping himself locked up in the backyard of Hu Qing Yu Tang.

Every day, he gets up before dawn to practice boxing until late at night, and spends the rest of the time soaking in a specially made medicinal bath.

The medicine burned like it was corroding his bones, but he gritted his teeth and endured it, all for the sake of tempering his bones and improving his cultivation.

Beneath the calm surface of Shanghai lies the Green Gang's butcher's knife; he must seize every minute to become stronger!

However, the speed of his arduous training ultimately led him into a new predicament!

"call!"

After completing two rounds of Tongbei Quan, Chen Feng stood still, his blood and qi surging like a tidal wave. Sweat poured down his body, and every muscle trembled slightly, yet his power remained increasingly refined. He focused his mind, holding his breath, and his consciousness instantly entered the retinal interface of his brain. A line of text, gleaming coldly, clearly appeared:

Heaven rewards diligence; success is inevitable.

[Dacheng Tongbei Fist (1500/5000)]

[Mastery of Hard Qigong (1950/5000)]

[Sharpshooter Xiao Cheng (10/1000)]

Looking at the slowly progressing skill bar, Chen Feng frowned and sighed softly, "At the Dark Force cultivation level, simply practicing hard is too slow. Experience points increase at a snail's pace. To break through quickly, I must find a real combat 'sharpening stone,' and only through life-or-death battles can I make rapid progress!"

Especially his marksmanship skill, which is only at a minor level, leaves him powerless against marksmanship masters like the Ranger. But with powerful enemies all around him, he has to be careful even when he goes out. Where can he find a chance to fight?

The trip to the Tang family is urgent!

What filled him with even more doubts and a sense of crisis was the unusual silence that followed the black swan event!

There wasn't a single assassination attempt or underhanded maneuver by the Green Gang or the Japanese. This eerie calm was more terrifying than any open provocation. It was like a lurking beast, watching him intently from the shadows, waiting for Chen Feng to reveal the slightest weakness before pouncing and snapping his throat.

His fingertips clenched slightly as he pondered the other party's scheme, when a clear shout broke the silence in the courtyard, causing his tense nerves to relax a little.

But he never expected that this seemingly warm gathering would contain the key opportunity to help him break out of his predicament.

"Chen Feng!"

Hu Tao, along with Xiao A Qiao, Wang Xiao Er, and others, walked briskly over. They were all carrying a food box full of pastries. Xiao A Qiao was also holding a clean towel in her hand, with a concerned smile on her face.

"Brother Feng, take a break and wipe your sweat!"

Xiao Aqiao quickly stepped forward and handed him the towel, her eyes full of heartache.

She felt sorry for Chen Feng, who was training hard all day and covered in sweat.

Chen Feng wiped away his sweat and sat down in a circle with the others. The sweet pastries tasted delicious, but they couldn't ease the tension in his heart.

During a casual chat.

When Hu Tao spoke about the Hu Qing Yu Tang branch, her tone was full of helplessness and reluctance: "Recently, the main branch has been short of funds, and the renovation of the branch has been delayed quite a bit, but it will definitely be open in three days, and then you will have to move there..."

The voice just fell.

Hu Mingxuan suddenly stood up straight, clasped his hands in greeting to Chen Feng, and said, "Brother Chen Feng, according to the rules of the martial world, you are already a master of internal strength, and Hu Qing Yu Tang should increase your salary, but..."

He abruptly changed the subject, letting out a bitter sigh, "This year, the goods from Northeast China have been repeatedly looted by the Japanese Kwantung Army, resulting in heavy losses. The family's finances are stretched thin, and we simply can't afford to pay any more money!"

He spoke tentatively, his voice tinged with guilt: "Three hundred silver dollars a month, with rice, meat, and cultivation herbs provided as usual. I'm sorry to trouble you, is that alright?"

"hiss--"

Wang Xiaoer gasped in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. Three hundred silver dollars was equivalent to several years' wages for him!

He only earns 16 silver dollars a month, which is equivalent to 8 taels of silver. Compared to Chen Feng, it's like comparing heaven and earth. But when he thinks about Chen Feng's skills, he feels that Hu Qing Yu Tang is getting a great deal. After all, the four great generals of the Green Gang earn 50,000 silver dollars a year. 300 taels of silver is far from matching Chen Feng's strength.

"no problem!"

Chen Feng didn't care at all and nodded immediately.

He then waved his hand dismissively, saying frankly, "The medicinal baths and herbal preparations have already cost the establishment a considerable amount of money. I'm not short of funds right now, so there's no need to pay your salary for now!"

Hu Mingxuan's eyes instantly reddened. He patted his shoulder heavily and exclaimed repeatedly, "Good lad, you're loyal and righteous! Hu Qing Yu Tang didn't protect you for nothing!"

Hu Tao was overjoyed, and her gaze towards Chen Feng was filled with admiration. Her next action directly solved Chen Feng's immediate problem.

Followed by.

Hu Tao lowered her voice and began to speak about the Tang family, her tone tinged with resentment: "It's all because of the black swan event. It made Tang's father so angry that he was bedridden, and Tang Tang was confined to her home for a full two weeks. She called me every day crying, she was going crazy!"

As she spoke, she took something out of her sleeve and quietly slipped it into Chen Feng's palm. It was a dark, smooth, and unyielding stone, neither jade nor stone in texture, and it exuded a strange, profound aura. It was a rare and precious meteorite from outer space.

"This is a strange piece of material we acquired in the old days. Nobody knows what it's good for, but it looks quite unusual. You can take it and play with it!" Hu Tao blinked and suggested with a smile, "Tomorrow morning, let's go to the Tang family to see her and keep her company!"

Holding the meteorite, Chen Feng instantly understood Hu Tao's intention—this wasn't about visiting Tang Tang at all; it was clearly a special arrangement to find a suitable gift for him, creating an opportunity to visit the Tang family and practice his spear techniques!

This gesture warmed his heart!

"Ahem... I'm too old! I won't go!"

Hu Sanzhen puffed on his pipe, coughed twice, but his tone was very firm, and his eyes revealed a subtle, unspoken meaning.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

The group then boarded the Ford and prepared to depart.

Chen Feng remained steadfast, getting up early to practice his boxing twice, concentrating his qi and blood to their peak, before slowly walking towards the car. Just as he was about to get in...

Hu Sanzhen suddenly walked silently to his side and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, earnestly instructed him:

"Young man, your marksmanship needs to be improved! The Tang family is a formidable force. This trip is both an opportunity to learn their skills and a perilous ordeal. If your marksmanship isn't up to par, going there will only mean certain death..."

Before he could finish speaking...

Hu Sanzhen had already walked far away, his hunched back revealing a hint of unfathomable mystery.

Chen Feng stood still, gripping the meteorite tightly in his hand, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes—this mission had no choice but to succeed, there was absolutely no turning back.

This trip to the Tang family was not only to hone his marksmanship, but also to carve out a path to survival in the bloody storm of Shanghai.

A moment later,

He looked up at the hazy morning mist outside the car, sensing that the road ahead was fraught with danger. The Green Gang's retaliation could come at any moment, and he had to be fully prepared.

"You're trying to pressure me again... aren't you?"