Chinese martial arts: From being shot and killed by the armed police during a mountain search to bec

Takeda Sokaku died.

The Japanese soldiers' faces turned ashen. Several young officers instinctively raised their guns again, but were stopped by the leader of the men in black.

Lu Xiaojia's men had already surrounded the area like an iron barrel, with long and short guns raised and safety engaged.

Compared to the other side, the Japanese side seemed rather weak.

The leader took a deep breath, nodded slightly to Chen Hongwu, and said in Chinese, "Master Chen, now that the person is dead, according to the agreement, this matter is settled. We will take the body with us."

Chen Hongwu didn't speak, but simply raised his eyes and gave Hu Baoyi a wink.

Hu Baoyi understood and, without saying a word, turned around and walked into the martial arts school.

A moment later, he lifted his foot over the threshold, and with one kick, the black lacquered coffins were sent flying off the ground, tumbling through the air for a foot before landing steadily in the middle of the street.

The coffin lid was shaken and slid out a foot, revealing the dark interior of the coffin.

"Thump!"

This sound was as silent as the wind and as deep as a drum.

Where his feet landed, the bluestone slab remained unbroken, yet the ground rippled like disturbed water, with a fine layer of dust spreading outwards.

The half of Takeda Sokaku's body, which was lying across the street, was lifted two feet off the ground by the force of the tremor, rolled in the air, and landed perfectly in the coffin.

"Bravo!" Cheers erupted from the crowd.

Those skilled martial artists, however, were terrified and their expressions changed.

Tian Zhaolin whispered to Lu Songgao, "Look at that kick he just delivered."

Lu Songgao's gaze was still fixed on the spot where Wu Tian was placed in the coffin. He said in a deep voice, "The force of the 'Zhen' kick into the ground does not break the bricks, but instead surges out from the ground and lifts the corpse into the coffin. This is the 'Zhen' technique at its peak, which has gone from being obvious to being subtle, and after it is released, it returns to emptiness."

Tian Zhaolin nodded: "As Mr. Shang Yunxiang said, 'Striking someone is like kissing, kicking is like lighting a lamp.' This kick has no visible force, but its hidden force penetrates the ground. The force originates from the Yongquan point (Kidney 1), travels through the waist and spine, does not injure the skin, and is specifically designed to support heavy objects. It is truly a superior way of generating power, like 'hitting an ox across a mountain.'"

The two looked at each other, each feeling a subtle mix of emotions about the congratulations they had received that morning.

Without saying another word, the Japanese men stepped forward, carried the coffin, and turned to leave.

The men in black led the way, followed by the Japanese soldiers, their steps quick.

As they passed by, onlookers made way and spat at their retreating figures.

In the distance, in a private room on the second floor of a teahouse diagonally across the street, the window was half-closed.

Nerb sat by the window, his tea now cold. Behind him stood two elderly men with queues, both with somber expressions.

"Sir, what do you think?" one of them asked in a low voice before speaking.

Nerb raised his hand to stop him, looked around for a moment, and then slowly closed the window.

"This boy is beyond our strength to defeat," he said slowly, his voice like a dry knife cutting meat on a chopping board. "If we try to rush forward any further, we'll just be swatting a few more flies."

"You mean we should stop for now?"

"Stop?" Nerbu sneered, his eyes flashing with a cold light. "He kills Takeda today, and his name will be known throughout five provinces tomorrow. The greater his fame, the stronger the wind will blow. Since he likes to make a big show of himself, we'll give him a push."

"He wants to raise his flag in Shanghai, he wants to be a real dragon. Heh heh, how easy is it to be a real dragon? So we'll lift him up to the sky. The higher he climbs, the harder he'll fall."

"If the North doesn't agree, the South won't acknowledge it, the higher-ups won't bestow any titles, and who below will be convinced? He's just setting the stage by hanging up the signboard; we don't need to touch him."

"Sun Lutang established himself as the 'Martial Saint' in Beiping, which was based on decades of foundation and the support of the old regime. Chen Hongwu, on the other hand, has only been in power for a few days. As the Empress Dowager once said, 'The brighter the fire, the less the firewood can burn.' So we're adding fuel to the fire for him."

Upon hearing this, the two men both whispered their agreement, their eyes flashing with malice.

"Go, spread the word that the Central Martial Arts Academy wants to become the leader of the martial arts world."

Whoever wants to be under his control, he will leave; whoever does not, will come to him of their own accord.

Nerbu stood up, shook the hem of his long robe, and glanced one last time at the empty coffin mark in the middle of the street.

"Let's go."

As soon as the Japanese left the martial arts school, a great commotion of gongs and drums erupted in front of the gate.

Chen Gongzhe, beaming with pride, directed his disciples to hang firecrackers.

Two strings of ten-thousand-shot red whips hung down from the door frame, stretching all the way to the street.

Lu Xiaojia personally took the matches to light them, and the firecrackers exploded with a "crackling" sound, filling the street with smoke and leaving red paper scraps scattered all over the ground.

As soon as the firecrackers stopped, the lion dance troupe darted out from the end of the street.

A black lion and a red lion were tumbling and leaping in front of the door, while gongs and drums were being struck loudly.

Finally, the red lion leaped up, and Chen Gongzhe, holding a vermilion pen, pointed it between the red lion's eyes in front of everyone.

"Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swore brotherhood in the Peach Garden, with the three stars shining brightly upon them!"

Chen Gongzhe bowed three times and said loudly, "Today, the Central Martial Arts Academy opens its doors, informing Heaven and Earth, informing the Ancestral Master, and bringing together the spirits of heroes from all over the world."

He turned around, bowed to all sides, and declared in a booming voice, "All guests bear witness, the martial arts world is watching!"

"Please unveil the plaque!"

The lion dance troupe pulled down a red silk ribbon, revealing the plaque hanging high above the door.

The five large characters of "Central Martial Arts Academy" are as if cast in iron and carved in stone, gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

Lu Xiaojia's guards fired their guns into the air as a congratulatory gift.

The bullets flew into the air, startling a flock of gray pigeons in the streets and alleys.

The crowd cheered, and inside and outside the door, the white light from the cameras flashed everywhere.

Chen Gongzhe led the guests inside.

A table has been set up in the main hall, displaying knives, spears, swords, clubs, axes, halberds, hooks, and forks—the eighteen kinds of weapons arranged in two separate halls.

Three sticks of thick incense were lit in the hall, their smoke curling like the smoke from ancient pines.

Next is paying homage to the ancestral master.

In the old days, when a martial arts school opened, it would pay homage to its founder.

Chen Hongwu was unaffiliated with any sect or school, and his knowledge was quite diverse. So he instructed people to set up an empty table in the hall and place three sticks of incense on it.

In the center of the table stands a grand master's chair.

"Please take a seat, Master Chen," Chen Gongzhe said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Chen Hongwu straightened his clothes, stepped forward, turned around, and sat down in the grand master's chair.

This set of seats signifies that from this day forward, he is truly establishing his own school of thought.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Gongzhe, in his capacity as president of the Jingwu Association, stepped forward, held up a book of martial arts manuals wrapped in yellow silk with both hands, recited a series of prayers, and lit incense in front of everyone.

After bowing three times to the empty hall, Chen Gongzhe turned around, cupped his hands to the assembled martial arts masters, and said, "Today, the Central Martial Arts Academy is opening, and all of you fellow practitioners have gathered here, which is a great honor for my brother Chen."

From this day forward, Shanghai will have one more martial arts school, one more lineage of martial arts. We earnestly request your continued support so that we may all pass on this national art!

"As the saying goes, there are no fixed rules or styles. The differences between schools of thought are like the turning of a millstone, all leading to the same goal."

Chen Hongwu stood still, holding incense, and said loudly, "The Central Martial Arts Academy does not worship any particular school or sect."

"This is the fist of the world, the blood of this land. From this day forward, all who come for the sake of martial arts, regardless of north or south, regardless of their school, shall enter my gate and cultivate this shared aspiration."

Having said that, he inserted three incense sticks into the bronze incense burner, and the blue smoke rose straight up in thin wisps without any wind.

"Serve tea!"

After three rounds of tea, the Chen family guards brought in a whole pig.

The pig's head is tied with red, and its body is draped in silk.

Chen Gongzhe personally held a knife and made a cut on the pig's neck. The blood dripped into the wine jar, and the banquet began.

Three more firecrackers went off.

The neighbors had all received invitations to the banquet and came with their families, young and old.

In the front and back yards, a hundred square tables are set up, with large bowls filled with meat, large jars of wine for everyone to drink, and hot soup and dishes served in a continuous stream.

The meal consisted of dishes cooked in large pots, but there were specific customs and traditions involved.

First, we serve "Opening Fist White Cut Chicken," with the chicken's head facing east, symbolizing the rising sun and good fortune in martial arts.

The previous dish, "Hard Bridge Elbow-Hook Pig's Trotter," involved taking the bridge hand and striking hard with the palm to retract it.

Another dish, "Chain-Style Egg-Chopping Roasted Pork," symbolizes achieving the highest honors in three consecutive imperial examinations and ensuring the continuation of the family line.

The main hall was filled with prominent figures from the martial arts world.

Lu Songgao and Tian Zhaolin were specially arranged by Chen Gongzhe to sit at the head of the table on the east side, and the two of them did not refuse and sat down with their hands clasped.

During the meal, several martial arts instructors, emboldened by the alcohol, boldly proposed to become his disciples.

Chen Hongwu raised his cup and stood up: "Those who enter my school must abide by three rules. First, do not bully the weak; second, do not betray your country and fawn upon foreigners; third, do not give up halfway. If you can do these, you can come back tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, the martial arts masters not only did not retreat, but instead stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and bowed deeply, their eyes shining with admiration.

After a few rounds of drinks, Chen Gongzhe smiled and said, "A new venue can't be opened without some boxing matches."

He winked at Chen Hongwu, "Master Chen, you should personally lead the first round of boxing in this mountain-opening ceremony."

Chen Hongwu did not refuse, got up and walked to the center of the main hall, and assumed the Three-Body Stance.

"ha!"

He suddenly exhaled and made a sound, his body leaping forward in one step, from the center of the hall to the door, and he was back in his original position.

The martial arts masters present felt a gust of wind sweep by, and all the candles in the room flickered and tilted.

When Chen Hongwu sat down again, the two blue bricks where he had stood were now broken into eight pieces.

"A sound flows effortlessly from his hand, unleashing a thunderous roar!"

Lu Songgao suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Chen Hongwu: "Master Chen, I am convinced."

Tian Zhaolin also stood up, picked up a bowl of wine, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then smashed the bowl on the ground and shouted, "From today onwards, my path, Tian Zhaolin's path, will be aligned with that of the Central Martial Arts Academy!"

The hall was silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers.

Chen Gongzhe laughed heartily, while Li Yi leaned to the side, a smirk playing on his lips, remaining silent for a long while.

Just as the banquet was in full swing, a disciple of the Jingwu Association suddenly ran into the outer courtyard, rushed to Chen Gongzhe's ear, and whispered a few words.

Chen Gongzhe's expression changed drastically. He slowly put down his wine bowl and looked at Chen Hongwu. Chen Hongwu held his wine cup in his hand and slightly raised his eyelids.

Once the disciple had caught his breath, he spoke in a low voice amidst the cheers of the hall, but it was still audible to those at the front tables.

"Master Chen... An old Taoist priest came to the door and said that the words 'Central Martial Arts Academy' sound too arrogant. He wants to learn a few moves from you."