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

Midnight.

The twilight was so thick it seemed impossible to dissipate. Swallows nested in the deep alleyways huddled in the dim night, and a cold wind, carrying the chill of the year-end like scattered snowflakes, swept across the narrow streets.

Chen Feng, covered in wounds and staggering unsteadily, stumbled into this warm little nest.

The skin beneath his clothes was bruised and swollen, with several bloodstains still wet and clinging to the fabric. Every step he took caused his muscles and bones to ache. He had just sparred with Yan Xiaomei. The girl looked gentle and weak, but when she actually started fighting, her moves were tricky and fierce, yet she couldn't quite control her strength.

If Yan Tieqiao hadn't intervened in time several times, he would have been paralyzed on the ground, unable to move.

The only consolation was that the hardship hadn't been in vain; the experience points were clearly displayed before my eyes: [Hard Qigong Beginner (457/500)]

Just one step away from reaching the minor achievement stage!

"Brother Feng—"

Xiao Aqiao was a light sleeper, and the noise of Chen Feng entering the room instantly woke her up.

She poked half her head out from under the covers, her black hair disheveled and draped over her shoulders. Her small face, peeking out from under the covers, was full of sleepiness, but the moment she saw Chen Feng's swollen face and body covered in injuries, her heart clenched.

She didn't even bother to put on her coat, and barefoot, she quietly brought over a large basin of hot water. Without saying a word, she pulled Chen Feng to sit on the edge of her bed in her room.

"Whoosh—"

She wrung out the cloth tightly, her movements so gentle she was afraid of hurting Chen Feng. She gently applied a warm compress to his swollen wounds, carefully wiping away the bloodstains on his body. Her fingertips trembled slightly, her heart aching so much that her whole body felt numb.

After I finish these tasks...

Xiao Aqiao took out two fresh eggs, boiled them until they were piping hot, quickly peeled off the egg whites, wrapped them in a clean little handkerchief, inside which was a silver dollar that Chen Feng had once given her, and gently applied it to his bruised eye bags and forehead.

Once the egg yolk had cooled down a bit, she stuffed it into Chen Feng's mouth without saying a word, while she chewed on the small, discolored pieces of egg white, muttering a complaint under her breath: "I told you not to hurt yourself, and you're even worse off than before!" Her tone was full of frustration, but she couldn't hide her heartfelt tenderness.

Looking at her pouting yet tender expression, Chen Feng felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He waved his hand and explained softly, "There's no other way. We have to go to the 'Beast Cage' tomorrow. If you don't sweat today, you'll bleed tomorrow!"

Xiao Aqiao silently lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the unease in her eyes. She said no more, got up and changed a large basin of hot water, squatted down without saying a word, and reached out to take off Chen Feng's shoes.

"Don't--"

Chen Feng instinctively wanted to pull his foot back, but she froze him in place by her reproachful yet determined gaze.

"Splash—"

Hot water washed over her ankles as Xiao Aqiao gently rubbed them, her voice as soft as a feather: "If you're not confident, you don't have to go tomorrow. There will be plenty of opportunities later..."

Chen Feng smiled confidently, his gaze unwavering: "No problem, tomorrow I'll not only win, I'll make a lot of money!"

"real!"

Xiao Aqiao suddenly looked up, her dark eyes staring straight at him, filled with trepidation and anticipation.

"Really!"

Chen Feng nodded emphatically, his tone tinged with regret: "It's a pity I don't have enough resources right now, otherwise I could have given those shady boxing rings a good thrashing!"

Xiao Aqiao silently washed her feet, her eyes lowered, without uttering a word...

Night fades and dawn breaks.

The next day, Chen Feng got up early as soon as it was light.

Inside the house, the mother slept soundly, her breathing steady and long, while a warm yellow fire had already lit up the stove.

Little Aqiao was busy working in front of the stove, her small figure glowing red in the flickering flames, her cheeks flushed pink from the smoke, and a fine layer of sweat beading on her forehead.

Seeing Chen Feng get up, she quickly picked up two roasted, fragrant, and soft sweet potatoes and stuffed them into his hands: "Eat these first, they're very sweet!"

Chen Feng felt a warmth in his heart and quickly ate the sweet potato, the sweetness spreading from the tip of his tongue to the bottom of his heart.

Xiao Aqiao stood quietly beside him, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes, her fingertips gently brushing the fabric, as if she were tidying up the last lingering attachments of someone about to embark on a long journey.

Just as Chen Feng was seeing himself out the door, Xiao Aqiao suddenly called out to him.

"Brother Feng!"

She pulled out a heavy cloth bundle and handed it to him, her voice soft, yet each word heavy as a rock: "This is all the money in the house, a total of 110 silver dollars!"

Chen Feng was deeply shocked.

He knew better than anyone that this was Xiao Aqiao's thirty silver dollars, plus her mother's eighty dollars.

As the year draws to a close, this is the family's lifeline, the foundation for their livelihood.

His hands trembled uncontrollably as he reached for the package, his voice choked with barely perceptible sobs: "Ah Qiao, I can't..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Xiao Aqiao shoved the package into his arms, grabbed his collar tightly, and said with unwavering determination, "Whatever decision you make, we'll support you!"

Chen Feng's throat tightened, and he asked the most brutal question: "What if we lose?"

Xiao Aqiao gently smoothed her hair, her smile faint yet concealing a resolute determination: "Then I'll go with you..."

In a word.

Chen Feng's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

He clutched the silver dollar tightly to his chest, turned, and stepped into the morning mist, leaving behind only a barely audible promise: "Wait for me to come back..."

After a while.

As soon as Chen Feng stepped into the kitchen of the boxing gym, he immediately assumed a horse stance and entered a standing meditation state.

He remained calm and still, letting the sweat trickle down his forehead, soaking through his clothes.

Time passed slowly.

At noon, the experience points in front of me quietly refreshed—[Tongbeiquan - Stance Training Beginner: 247/500].

"Dinner's ready!"

With a shout from Yan Xiaomei, the disciples sat down to eat, and the noisy conversation was all about the life-or-death competition in the "Beast Cage" that night.

Qian Hu sat in the crowd, a smug and sinister look on his face. He leaned close to a few of his confidants and whispered vicious rumors: "Chen Feng is going to face three Black Panther-level boxers tonight. He's definitely going to get killed inside!"

He chuckled sinisterly, "The odds may be low, but watching him die will be satisfying enough!"

The senior disciple Zhao Shanhe, standing to the side, frowned deeply, his face full of worry, and looked at Chen Feng with a hesitant expression.

Yan Xiaomei turned pale, trembling with fear, her hand gripping the chopsticks shaking.

Only Yan Tieqiao remained expressionless, as if he hadn't heard anything. He finished his meal slowly and deliberately, then went straight to the courtyard, lay down on the armchair, and closed his eyes to rest.

In the afternoon, in the courtyard of the boxing gym.

Chen Feng calculated that he only needed 25 more experience points to advance to the minor mastery stage of hard qigong. At that time, his physical body would be able to withstand the attacks of a master of Ming Jin. Therefore, he wanted to find Yan Xiaomei to spar again.

"no--"

Yan Tieqiao refused outright, simply instructing him to continue chopping wood as previously arranged.

Although Chen Feng had some questions, he had complete faith in his master. He immediately picked up an axe, walked to the woodpile, and began the tedious and physically demanding wood-chopping training.

With each swing of the axe, sweat poured down like rain, soaking his entire body in an instant.

At this time.

The new disciple, Er Gou, came running over excitedly.

This kid has an exceptionally sensitive nose; he spotted Chen Feng at a glance and immediately offered him a towel and poured him water, acting as attentive as a little shadow who never leaves his side.

Seeing that his fellow disciples were distancing themselves from him while he alone was so close, Chen Feng casually asked, "Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?"

Er Gou immediately straightened his back, indicating that he didn't care at all!

During the break.

He then slowly revealed his background—he came from the Songjiang area upstream of Wusong. He had been obsessed with martial arts since childhood, and had long admired Yan Tieqiao's reputation. He made a special trip to become Yan Tieqiao's apprentice, vowing never to return home until he had made a name for himself.

He currently resides temporarily at the Shiliupu Wharf, earning a meager living by doing manual labor such as unloading goods. He even boasts that he has a naturally keen sense of smell, recognizing Chen Feng's exceptional abilities the moment he entered the boxing gym. He boldly declares, "A person who isn't envied is mediocre. Brother Feng, you definitely have real skills. I want to be your little fanboy!"

A few words.

Chen Feng developed a certain fondness for this shrewd, smooth-talking, and clever young man.

He then thought of the "Beast Cage" life-or-death contest that night, and he was just missing a sharp-eyed and perceptive person like Er Gou. So he grabbed Er Gou, took him to a secluded corner, and whispered a few words in his ear.

Er Gou was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly with great interest, replying, "Okay, okay—I'll wait for you!"

Chen Feng patted Er Gou on the shoulder, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire arena. He thought to himself, "This boxing match has an astonishing 'one to five' payout. I need a cautious and reliable person to place the bets and collect the money for me! Besides, it's a life-or-death gamble; once I'm in the ring, the money must be entrusted to someone I trust!"

Sudden.

Chen Feng's gaze fell on one person: "I've got it!"

He strode over, solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a steady voice, "Senior Brother, I have something to do tonight, so don't leave later!"

But they had just left.

Yan Xiaomei also hurriedly found Zhao Shanhe, her voice urgent: "Senior Brother, I have something to do tonight, don't leave later!"

Time flies.

The sun had slowly sunk below the horizon, and the last rays of its light fell on the courtyard of the boxing gym. The sound of the woodcutting axe finally ceased.

The disciples packed up their belongings and left in twos and threes, and the once bustling boxing gym gradually returned to quiet.

As Qian Hu left with a few trusted men, he passed by Chen Feng with a venomous look in his eyes.

He arrogantly pointed his chin toward the "beast cage," raised his hand, and made a throat-slitting motion, his eyes filled with malice as he waited to see Chen Feng die a horrible death.

Chen Feng curled his lips coldly, completely unconcerned.

He slowly approached Zhao Shanhe, placed a heavy package into the other's hands, and said in a steady voice, "Senior Brother, this is one hundred and fifty silver dollars!"