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

Yan Tieqiao gazed intently at Chen Feng, catching the burning thirst for knowledge in his disciple's eyes.

His cloudy old eyes suddenly sharpened, the aura of decline around him slowly dissipated, and his gaze became as deep as an ancient pool, clearly reflecting Chen Feng's figure yearning for a breakthrough.

next moment.

Yan Tieqiao moved with extreme gentleness, placing the demon sword Muramasa steadily on the stone table. The moment the blade left his body, the lingering, chilling, and malevolent aura slowly receded like a tide, leaving only a faint, almost imperceptible, red blade light on the tabletop.

Once the murderous aura had completely subsided, Yan Tieqiao leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and revealed to Chen Feng the incredible secret that was only passed down among the top martial artists in the Jianghu.

"You have now entered the mid-stage of Ming Jin (明劲), and your physical body, strength, and stance training have all undergone a complete transformation, making you a leader among your peers!"

Yan Tieqiao's gaze fell heavily on Chen Feng, and his tone suddenly became serious: "But remember this: after reaching the Ming Jin stage, if you want to advance further, simply burying yourself in hard training, fighting to the death, and tempering your muscles and bones is far from enough!"

Chen Feng listened intently with his head down, his heart pounding faster involuntarily.

He possessed a destiny that defied the heavens, and his cultivation was inherently without bottlenecks and his speed far surpassed that of ordinary people. Yet, even so, he could still feel a clear sense of stagnation during the cultivation stage of breaking through the hidden force with the manifest force.

His master's words at that moment clearly resolved his biggest confusion.

He knew in his heart that his path of martial arts was about to enter a completely new world he had never set foot in before, and a door to a higher realm was being slowly pushed open for him by his master.

"A thousand-year-old tradition in the martial arts world holds two extraordinary healing techniques!"

Yan Tieqiao's voice was like an ancient bell striking the heart. He said in a deep voice, word by word, "One replenishes the foundation of the physical body, and the other replenishes the vital energy and blood. Even if countless martial artists spend their entire lives, they may not be able to obtain either one!"

These words struck me like a thunderbolt.

Chen Feng instantly composed himself, straightened his back, clasped his hands respectfully, and said with utmost sincerity, reverence, and earnestness, "Please enlighten me, Master. I am fully prepared to listen!"

Yan Tieqiao nodded slightly, slowly unlocking the long-sealed memories, and recounted the ancient secrets of the martial arts world:

"During the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a female knight-errant who possessed the Jade Cauldron Meridian. She accompanied a martial artist in his training for three months, helping him advance from the peak of Ming Jin to An Jin in one fell swoop, without suffering any loss herself, and her Qi and blood flowed as before!"

"In the late Ming Dynasty martial arts world, a woman with a body as warm as jade emerged. Her qi and blood were as gentle and pure as spring snow. She could cure martial artists from qi deviation and repair broken meridians. She was regarded as a rare opportunity by the two major sects, Wudang and Emei!"

"In the late Qing Dynasty, there emerged a rare individual with a 'Qingling Body,' who could automatically activate a martial artist's Qi and blood circulation upon close contact, resulting in naturally stable stance training. He was known as someone who could 'improve one's skill level without practicing!'"

Each sentence fell.

Chen Feng's heart trembled violently. His eyes widened, his breathing quickened, and his mind was in turmoil—such a heaven-defying physique actually existed in the world! This was no ordinary stroke of luck; it was clearly a divinely bestowed fortune for martial arts!

"My disciple!"

Yan Tieqiao paused, his tone becoming more serious as he solemnly explained, "This first healing technique is the Martial Cauldron! Outsiders, unaware of its true nature, mistakenly call it the 'Flesh Cauldron,' but it is actually a rare, innate physique!"

"These women are born with clear meridians, abundant blood and qi, and a warm dantian. They possess an innate pure qi within their bones and blood. They may not be skilled in martial arts, but they can still draw upon the subtle energy of heaven and earth!"

"According to the older generation of martial artists, walking, cultivating, and comprehending alongside them can neutralize the murderous aura within a martial artist, stabilize their Dao heart, and multiply their cultivation speed—a martial arts opportunity that is only seen once in a thousand years!"

Chen Feng was deeply moved and his horizons broadened. Suddenly, the days he spent cultivating in the kitchen flashed through his mind. It was just ordinary standing meditation, but he always had a wonderful feeling of achieving twice the result with half the effort and his blood and qi being nourished by warm water. Could it be that he had already received the blessing of the Martial Cauldron Physique back then?

Before he could think it through.

Yan Tieqiao's expression suddenly turned serious, his tone extremely authoritative and imposing: "This is a creation of heaven and earth, a resonance of qi and blood, absolutely not a heretical path. Righteous martial artists can only encounter it, not force it, much less seize it by force!"

The conversation turned.

When Yan Tieqiao spoke of the second supplementary technique, his cloudy eyes suddenly lit up with a bright light, a solemn and precious light that touched the very foundation of martial arts—this was a treasure that could save lives, break through realms, and rewrite a martial artist's life!

"The second step is called the Great Elixir!"

Yan Tieqiao spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice resounding: "The so-called great medicine is not the herbal decoction used by ordinary doctors, but a sacred product of martial arts that can directly replenish essence, qi, blood, and marrow. The longer it is aged, the more miraculous its medicinal power becomes!"

He slowly listed the most recognized martial arts medicines in the martial arts world, and each time he mentioned a name, Chen Feng's pupils shrank and his mind was shaken.

"Dragon's Saliva Mushroom - Marrow from the Stone, a legendary supreme medicine, only grows a small cluster every three hundred years, making it even rarer than thousand-year-old ginseng. It primarily strengthens the marrow, fortifies bones, and opens the meridians, allowing a martial artist's physical strength to leap directly to a higher level. It is the key to mastering hard qigong!"

Chen Feng clenched his fists instinctively, his heart surging with joy: "If I obtain this medicine, I will be able to quickly advance to the fourth level of Hard Qigong, dodging bullets with my bare hands, and I will have no weaknesses left!"

"The Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill, a life-saving treasure that appears only once every thousand years. For martial artists critically injured and on the verge of death, just half a pill can bring them back to life and even reshape damaged meridians. In the heat of battle, it is like a second life!"

Chen Feng's breath hitched, and several images of bloody battles on the verge of death and exhaustion flashed through his mind.

This kind of sacred item is simply the ultimate talisman for martial artists!

"The Hundred-Year Qi and Blood Pill takes a hundred years to refine into a single batch. Once consumed, it causes a surge of qi and blood, instantly replenishing the body's essence, energy, and spirit, helping martial artists break through cultivation barriers..."

Yan Tieqiao gazed at Chen Feng, whose eyes burned with fervor and whose heart was surging with emotion, and spoke earnestly, each word resonating like metal striking the heart: "There's a saying in the martial world—a hundred-year-old minor remedy replenishes cultivation, a thousand-year-old major remedy changes one's realm!"

The great medicine replenishes not just temporary strength, but life, foundation, and the infinite potential for the future of martial arts!

Ten years of arduous training may not be as effective as a single powerful medicine; ten years of confusion may not be as valuable as a single moment of resonance with the Dao!

Chen Feng's heart was filled with shock. At this moment, he finally understood why countless martial artists were obsessed with opportunities—such temptation was simply too earth-shattering!

"My disciple!"

Yan Tieqiao suddenly raised his hand, his palm gently landing on his shoulder with a steady, mountain-like force, his eyes filled with solemnity: "You have experienced countless bloody battles, your foundation is solid and profound, and you bear the destiny of a great era. You are already on the most righteous path of martial arts in the world. If you can obtain a great elixir in the future, your strength will surely increase by leaps and bounds; if you can happen to encounter the Martial Cauldron Physique, you can even save yourself ten years of arduous training!"

Chen Feng felt a warmth in his heart, secretly rejoicing that he might have an opportunity to rely on, but Yan Tieqiao's voice suddenly became stern as iron, carrying the immense weight of the sect's ironclad rules:

"But remember this—I, Yan Tieqiao's, disciples do not practice evil arts, do not steal opportunities, and do not bully the good!"

"Medicine is external force, but fist is the foundation. A person without virtue, even if they possess the most powerful medicine, will not go far; a person with a righteous heart and strong fist, even without medicine or a cauldron, can still carve out a bright and clear world with their bare fists!"

These words struck like a thunderbolt.

Chen Feng suddenly bowed deeply, his back straight as a spear, his voice powerful and resonant, causing the stone table to tremble slightly.

"This disciple will remember Master's teachings! Cultivate martial arts with righteousness, stand firm with your fists; a righteous heart leads to righteous fists!"