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

Inside the boxing gym, an incense table had already been set up.

Chen Feng straightened his clothes, took three steps forward, and knelt down steadily on both knees.

He held the cup of hot tea high above his head with both hands, his voice not loud, but each word as heavy as a falling stone: "Disciple Chen Feng sincerely becomes a disciple today, wishing to regard my strict master as my teacher and father, diligently study Chinese martial arts, respect my teacher and the way, abide by the rules of the school, and live up to my master's teachings and the honor of Tongbei Quan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Yan Xiaomei clutched her mother's clothes tightly, her face pale, her eyes unblinking, holding her breath, her heart in her throat.

Yan Tieqiao stood in front of the incense table, his gaze sweeping over Chen Feng like a hawk's—this young man in front of him was not just hot-blooded, nor was he opportunistic; he was truly calm, hardworking, insightful, and had integrity!

He remained silent for a moment, then slowly reached out, took the cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"good!"

Each word, when spoken, was as if cast in gold and sculpted in jade.

Yan Tieqiao's voice suddenly rose, causing the air in the courtyard to tremble.

"From this day forward, Chen Feng, you shall enter my Tongbei Sect and become my Yan Tieqiao's last disciple!"

The words "close the door" were uttered.

Yan Xiaomei was stunned for a moment, then her eyes reddened and tears fell down her cheeks.

She covered her mouth tightly with her little hands to keep from crying out, but her face was beaming with joy, as if she had obtained the most precious treasure in the world.

Yan Tieqiao stepped forward and personally helped Chen Feng up.

"From now on, I will pass on all my Tongbei Quan skills to you!"

"You must remember—Chinese martial arts are not just for show, not for winning; they are the means to establish oneself, the foundation for protecting the nation! Only when your heart is righteous can your fists be righteous!"

Chen Feng bowed deeply again, his forehead almost touching the ground: "Disciple will remember Master's teachings!"

This bow is to express gratitude for the instruction he received.

This bow sealed their lifelong master-disciple relationship.

This bow was destined to set off an earth-shattering legend of master and disciple in the world of the Republic of China.

"Okay, okay!"

Yan Tieqiao helped him up again, a relaxed smile on his face: "What did you learn from today's boxing lesson?"

Chen Feng's mind flashed back to the lightning-fast exchange that morning, the image of the punches hitting his face and the force of the blows like whips still vivid in his mind.

He said in a deep voice, "This disciple has gained some understanding, but I always feel that it's just a glimpse through a tube. The more I learn, the more I feel that I haven't learned enough!"

"Well said!"

Yan Tieqiao threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice like a booming bell, making the branches and leaves in the courtyard tremble slightly.

He strode to the center of the courtyard, his expression darkening, his tone turning menacing.

"Watch closely, my disciple!"

The words fell.

Yan Tieqiao's body sank, his feet neither on the ground nor on the ground, and his whole body suddenly straightened like a long whip in a whirlwind.

"Hey--"

His first move revealed the true nature of Tongbei – shoulder propelling elbow, elbow propelling hand, waist propelling shoulder, muscles and bones resonating in unison, like tearing silk through the air.

He launched a powerful punch, the wind arriving before the fist, sending dust swirling through the courtyard.

Then came a series of strikes: chopping, slamming, drilling, cannoning, and horizontal, combining hardness and softness, speed and slowness, each punch exuding a fierce power that could reach far and penetrate to the bone.

This set of punches was completely different from the routines we usually teach!

There was not a single fancy move, not a single elegant stance. Every strike, every block, every penetration was a killing blow—the fist was as powerful as thunder, the arm was as long as a whip, and every move went straight for the vital points, clean, ruthless, and decisive.

Chen Feng stood to the side, barely daring to breathe, feeling a chilling killing intent rushing towards him. He was completely suppressed by the old boxer's decades of accumulated ferocity, his mind pounding and his eyes wide with disbelief.

Yan Tieqiao finished his stance and spoke calmly, "When I first learned Tongbei Quan, my master only taught me one move, the 'Supporting Hammer'! I relied on this move to solidify my foundation, and only then, by focusing on this one move, could I grasp the true meaning of Tongbei Quan!"

Upon hearing this,

"Buzz—"

Chen Feng's mind was struck like a thunderbolt, and he instantly realized that all the variations of chopping, collapsing, drilling, cannoning, and horizontal strikes were derived from this one force.

It turns out that the hammer strike was never an isolated move, but a key that unlocks a complete, concise, and deadly set of back punch techniques.

[System Prompt: Tongbei Quan - Support Hammer Beginner (76/500)]

[Direct Promotion: Tongbei Quan Beginner (76/500)]

With a leap in realm, the foundation remains unchanged, yet one has already entered the inner sanctum.

A sense of clarity surged from his dantian throughout his body, and Chen Feng felt as if his vision had suddenly opened up—the door to Tongbei Quan had finally been kicked open by him!

"suck!"

Chen Feng took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, asking, "Master! What are Ming Jin, An Jin, and Hua Jin? In this chaotic world filled with guns and cannons, can learning martial arts ensure one's survival?"

"Good question!"

Although Yan Tieqiao had finished his stance, the chilling, knife-like killing intent emanating from him had not dissipated. His voice was deep and resonant, each word striking Chen Feng's heart: "Tongbei Fist is divided into three realms, each more domineering and deadly than the last!"

He stepped forward, the blue bricks beneath his feet seeming to tremble slightly, and raised his hand to signal Chen Feng to concentrate: "First level, Ming Jin!"

"Ming Jin (明劲) is manifested outwardly, firm in form, and its power originates from the muscles, bones, skin, and hair; a punch is as swift as thunder, and a hand strike is as devastating as splitting stone!"

"His attacks are fierce and direct; his fists and palms can shatter wooden boards, break bricks, and snap bones. He specifically targets the opponent's vital points—throat, heart, joints, and tendons—using sheer force to overcome all techniques!"

"To deal with ordinary thugs, average martial artists, or a dozen strong men, a single burst of Ming Jin (internal force) is enough to crush them head-on. One punch is enough to break their bones, leave them lying on the ground, and render them incapable of fighting!"

"This is the powerful foundation of Tongbei Quan, and also the first hurdle for any martial artist to overcome!"

The words fell.

Yan Tieqiao casually chopped, and the palm wind swept past a wooden stake as thick as a bowl next to him. With a crisp "crack", the wooden stake was instantly cut in half.

Chen Feng's heart tightened at the sight, and he clenched his fists tightly. This kind of fierce power was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

Yan Tieqiao's eyes sharpened, and his tone suddenly turned serious: "The second level, hidden strength!"

"Hidden strength is concealed within, penetrating to the bones; its power is hidden in the fists and palms. It appears effortless on the surface, yet its force can penetrate skin, cotton-padded clothes, and armor, directly attacking the opponent's internal organs!"

"Explicit force attacks externally, while concealed force injures internally!"

"Even if you're wearing iron armor and wrapped in thick cotton, a single burst of internal force can still shatter your heart meridians, rupture your lungs and internal organs, and damage your dantian!"

"In the heat of battle, what appears to be a light touch can actually shatter internal organs; the surface may be unharmed, but the inside is already necrotic. This is the most insidious and deadly move in Tongbei Quan, and the difference between a true martial artist and a brute!"

Before he could finish speaking...

Yan Tieqiao walked slowly to an old wooden stake about half a person's thickness in the courtyard. His eyes narrowed and his aura suddenly subsided.

Without gathering strength or shouting, he simply and lightly imprinted his palm onto the wooden stake.

"Thump—"

A deep, drum-like thud, not ear-piercing, but penetrating to the bone, made one's scalp tingle and one's heart tremble.

Chen Feng's pupils suddenly contracted.

The wooden stake swayed twice and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

It was completely intact, without even a crack.

But the next moment.

"Splash—"

The interior of the wooden stake crumbled like a sandstorm, turning into dust in large chunks that scattered along the broken edges, instantly piling up on the ground.

The skin remains unharmed on the outside, but the inside is already pulverized—this is hidden strength!

Chen Feng stood there, so shocked that his blood seemed to freeze, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

"suck--"

He took a deep breath and couldn't help but recall the finger that Yan Tieqiao had pointed at his senior brother's ribs. It was clearly the beginning of his internal strength. If he had really exerted his power, his senior brother would have already suffered internal organ rupture and would have no chance of survival.

Think about this.

Chen Feng's pupils contracted again—this kind of technique that conceals internal strength is simply an unparalleled weapon in life-or-death battles, it suits his needs perfectly!

"My disciple, do not be distracted!"

Yan Tieqiao's aura changed again, becoming ethereal and profound, as if he had merged with the entire boxing gym. His voice also carried a hint of awe-inspiring majesty: "Third level, Transformation of Strength!"

"The one who transforms energy is one whose spirit is in harmony with their will; the release and control of energy are entirely at the heart's command, and every part of the body is a fist, every part is energy!"

"His strength can be both hard and soft, fast and slow, concealed and unleashed. His body has long surpassed the limits of ordinary people, and his senses are extremely acute—he can perceive the slightest movement of the wind, the softest footsteps, and the crisp click of a gun being cocked in an instant!"

"Ordinary pistols and rifles fire bullets at a speed that is already half a beat slower in the eyes of a master of internal energy. Relying on instinct to dodge, borrow force, and deflect it, the bullets can hardly cause any damage!"

"At the peak of the Transformation Realm, one's energy flows at will, capable of subduing an enemy in the blink of an eye. This is the pinnacle of Tongbei Quan, and the highest realm that ordinary martial artists can reach!"

After he finished speaking, the boxing gym fell into a deathly silence.

Chen Feng was shaken to his core by these three levels of mastery, his eyes filled with awe and longing—it turns out that the ultimate level of Chinese martial arts is so terrifying!

"Knock knock knock—"

He stood there, his heart pounding, his blood surging through his veins like boiling water.

Overt force cracks bones, covert force injures the body, neutralizing force evades spears!

This is hardly martial arts.

This is clearly a murderous technique and a life-saving method that defies the heavens and changes one's fate!

Chen Feng clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white, completely unaware that his palms were deeply marked by his fingernails.

He wants to learn Tongbei Quan!

To develop true strength, one must be able to break bones and sever tendons!

To develop hidden strength, one must be able to penetrate armor and injure the body!

To master the art of transforming internal energy, one must be unafraid of swords and spears!

The mockery of his fellow apprentices, Qian Hu's sarcasm, the cold stares of others, the beatings in the cage, the open and covert attacks in the shantytown, the exploitation and plunder by the gangs... all the contempt and harm transformed into the most fervent motivation at this moment.

Chen Feng lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, not out of fear, but out of excitement, determination, and the explosive release of suppressed emotions.

next second.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze intense, staring directly at the shantytowns, the International Settlement, and the French Concession...