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

The midday sun blazed like a raging fire, its scorching rays pouring onto the bluish-gray stone pavement, sending up bursts of burning heat that even distorted the air itself.

Chen Feng carried two heavy bundles of lampwick on his shoulder. His coarse cloth clothes were already soaked with sweat and clung stickily to his back. His tattered outer coat was also stained with specks of mud. Covered in dust and the smell of smoke, he walked step by step to the front of the imposing, red-lacquered gate of Hu Qing Yu Tang—the Shiliupu Wharf (Labor Branch).

This century-old pharmacy's gilded signboard gleamed brightly under the blazing sun, dazzling the eyes, and its customers were all well-dressed.

Chen Feng's tattered clothes and the heavy loads he carried made him stand out in front of the vermilion gate, attracting the attention of passersby who looked at him with a mixture of scrutiny and aloofness.

As you step across the threshold, a rich, lingering medicinal fragrance, mixed with the aroma of a hundred herbs, instantly wafts over you, filling your nostrils. It is completely different from the hot and stuffy air outside, showcasing the profound heritage of this century-old pharmacy.

Behind the counter sat a waiter with a small mustache, who was none other than Wang Xiaoer, the shop's notorious snob!

"Um?"

He glanced sideways at Chen Feng, his previously casual gaze suddenly turning cold, as if he had swept over something filthy. A sneer appeared on his lips, and he sneered sarcastically, "Oh? Where did this little punk crawl out from? Daring to barge into Hu Qing Yu Tang carrying two bundles of tattered lamp wicks? Are you desperate for money and trying to steal our precious medicinal herbs?!"

Chen Feng frowned slightly, suppressing the anger rising in his heart. His voice was steady and deep as he said, word by word, "Excuse me, sir, do you have any fritillaria cirrhosa for treating coughs in your shop?"

Wang Xiaoer leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, eyelids drooping so low he didn't even bother to lift them. "Fritillaria cirrhosa? That's a good tonic for rich people. You? Can you afford it? The scraps of that herb would take you half a month to trade for lamp wicks! Get out of here, don't waste our time doing legitimate business!"

That's all.

He stood up and walked to the counter, deliberately kicking the bundle of rushes that Chen Feng had placed at the foot of the counter with his toe. The fine grass clippings immediately flew everywhere and landed all over the ground.

Chen Feng patiently pressed on, "May I ask how much fritillaria costs per ounce? I can afford it! Also, my mother is seriously ill, and I would like to request that your esteemed doctor make a house call. I hope you can do me the favor!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he said them.

Wang Xiaoer seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and immediately burst into wild laughter.

"Did I hear that right?"

"You poor wretch in a tattered coat, you think you can make house calls? The head doctor at Hu Qing Yu Tang earns enough from just one house call to live on for half a year. How are you going to pay for it? With lamp wicks?"

He stomped his feet and pounded on the solid wood counter, making such an exaggerated noise that all the customers in the store turned their heads and stared at him.

"Hahaha--"

He laughed so hard he almost fell over, spitting everywhere, his tone becoming increasingly sarcastic: "I think you're so poor you've lost your mind! Get out of here, or I'll have someone throw you out onto the street!"

Chen Feng's face darkened completely. He stopped wasting words with him and strode into the inner room where the words "Clinic in Session" were written.

"Hey! You shameless scoundrel, you dare to force your way in?"

Seeing this, Wang Xiaoer flew into a rage. He immediately rolled up his long sleeves, rushed forward menacingly, and reached out to grab Chen Feng's arm, trying to drag him out the door. He continued to curse, "You shameless little brat, today I'll show you that Hu Qing Yu Tang isn't a place where you can run wild!"

Unexpectedly, Chen Feng not only did not dodge, but instead took a step forward and met Wang Xiaoer's outstretched hand head-on.

There was a muffled "bang".

"Ouch!"

Wang Xiaoer let out a miserable cry, feeling as if his finger had hit a metal plate hard. A piercing pain instantly spread from his fingertip to his entire arm.

"Thump thump thump—"

He was so shaken that he stumbled back several steps and crashed into the counter with a loud bang, causing the medicine jars inside to clang and several boxes of precious medicinal herbs to nearly fall to the ground.

"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"

Wang Xiaoer clutched his numb right hand, wincing in pain, his eyes filled with terror and horror as he looked at Chen Feng: "You...you're a monster!"

I had just recovered a little strength from the excruciating pain.

Wang Xiaoer then yelled at the top of his lungs towards the back of the shop, "Help! Someone's breaking into the shop and hurting people! Help!"

The voice just fell.

A tall and imposing figure strode out from the back hall with a brisk pace; it was none other than Hu Mingxuan, the head steward of Hu Qingyutang!

He wore a light blue silk mandarin jacket, the fabric of which was exquisite and the stitching fine. His face was resolute and square, and his eyes were sharp as a hawk's, exuding an air of authority as he swept across the room.

With just one glance, he could tell that Chen Feng was no ordinary commoner, and immediately rebuked him in a deep voice: "Insolence! How dare you cause trouble at Hu Qing Yu Tang! You are simply audacious!"

Before he could finish speaking...

Hu Mingxuan swayed, his footwork steady, and his right hand reached out like a tiger's claw, a set of exquisite and ruthless grappling techniques aimed straight at Chen Feng's shoulder. The moves were swift, and the force was both fierce and measured.

[Struck hard, Hard Qigong beginner level +1 (50/500)]

Chen Feng felt a powerful force strike him, and a sharp pain shot through his shoulder joint, as if his bones were about to be crushed.

But at that moment, his hard qigong was quietly activated, turning the force he received into strands of experience points.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Instead of retreating a single step, the light in his eyes grew even brighter.

"Um?"

Hu Mingxuan was suddenly startled. He had already mastered the Ming Jin technique. Although he had only used three-tenths of his strength, an ordinary strong man would have fallen to the ground and howled in pain after taking a hit from it.

"Young man! You're very good!"

The young man in front of them seemed completely oblivious. Instead of showing weakness, he seemed to be charging forward. Beneath his tattered coarse cloth clothes, it was as if he had a body of steel.

[Struck hard, Hard Qigong beginner level +1 (51/500)]

[Struck hard, Hard Qigong beginner level +1 (52/500)]

......

Hu Mingxuan increased the pressure on his hand slightly, but Chen Feng still did not dodge or avoid, enduring the excruciating pain, and even a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Just as tensions were about to rise...

A clear, melodious voice, tinged with a touch of heroic spirit, suddenly rang out from outside the door: "Stop!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

A young girl wearing a moon-white lace-trimmed skirt strode into the store.

She was sixteen years old, tall and slender, with beautiful features and a graceful demeanor. She was none other than Hu Tao, the eldest daughter of the Hu family!

Having just returned from buying goods at the dock, still covered in dust from the journey, he immediately spoke up to stop the commotion upon seeing the state of the shop.

But no sooner had Hu Tao finished speaking than...

"don't want--!"