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

As soon as Chen Hongwu arrived at the front yard, everyone automatically made way for him.

Those who were originally crowding around asking questions, handing out invitations, and trying to build connections were no longer in a hurry; they all craned their necks to look at the door.

Some people couldn't squeeze forward, so they simply climbed onto the stone pillars on the wall, leaving half of their bodies exposed.

Some sharp-eyed observers had already spread the news: "A challenge! Someone's challenging Master Chen's establishment!"

"Who is it? So blind!"

"They say it's from the Shaolin school, and boasts the best leg technique in Jiangnan!"

"Ha!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Immediately afterwards, countless eyes fell on the tall man in front of the door, and the onlookers' eyes were shining.

The challenge and clash at the four city gates was the most exciting show. What's more, the master of this martial arts school was Chen Hongwu, who was currently in the eye of the storm.

This greatly satisfied their desire to watch the excitement.

The man in front of the door was about thirty years old, with a burly build, dark reddish skin, prominent temples, prominent cheekbones, and bright, copper-bell-like eyes.

He wore a neat black leggings, the belt was cinched very tightly, and he wore a pair of soft-soled boots, the tops of which were still radiating heat.

This person was none other than Liu Baichuan.

A representative of the Shaolin School in the south, he is skilled in both Luohan Fist and Mandarin Duck Leg, earning him the nickname "Number One Leg in Jiangnan".

As a young man, he learned martial arts in Tiantai, Zhejiang, and received guidance from Shaolin martial arts masters. Later, he traveled to Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi, specializing in competing with various martial arts schools.

His Arhat Fist is based on the "Eighteen Hands of Arhats," with an open stance and powerful punches. His Mandarin Duck Legs are a series of kicks, punches, stomps, sweeps, hooks, and trips, all linked together. In particular, his "Mandarin Duck Continuous Kick" uses the momentum of a turn to kick each other with both legs, rising like the wind and falling like an axe, having kicked down countless heroes.

Chen Hongwu gave him a slight bow and said, "Master Liu."

Liu Baichuan returned the greeting: "Master Chen."

Chen Hongwu didn't exchange pleasantries. His gaze swept over the other man, and he said calmly, "Master Liu, do you have a purpose for visiting today?"

Liu Baichuan said, "Simple, you fight me. If I lose, I'll acknowledge your reputation."

Chen Hongwu listened without commenting, but instead smiled.

"Recognize the signboard?" He stood with his hands behind his back. "Master Liu, coming to challenge someone, according to the old rules, doesn't just mean recognizing the signboard. At best, you'll lose a hand or a leg; at worst, you'll lose your life."

Liu Baichuan's expression changed drastically.

That's true. In the old days, those few blue bricks in front of martial arts schools weren't laid for nothing.

If someone comes knocking on your door, it's like smashing the pot that feeds your whole family. If the restaurant owner doesn't hold back, that's only fair.

Whether someone is killed or crippled, it's all fate. That's why the old saying goes, "Challenging a martial arts school isn't about enmity, breaking a leg isn't an overreaction."

Liu Baichuan had come knowing the dangers involved. But hearing the words from Chen Hongwu's mouth still made him tense.

He was about to speak when Chen Hongwu changed the subject: "However, today I will not take your life, nor will I take your legs."

Liu Baichuan was taken aback.

Chen Hongwu said, "If you lose, you will stay at my Central Martial Arts Academy as an instructor."

"Instructor?" Liu Baichuan frowned.

"Yes, I'll teach you what you can and pass on what you can pass on. I won't press you about any of your unique skills."

All you need to do is lay a foundation for my students, teach them the basic forms and stances. If you find someone you like, you can take them on as your own.

He paused, then added, "But the inn doesn't have any money for you. They provide food and lodging, but nothing else."

The onlookers burst into laughter.

To outsiders, this condition sounded almost like winning a farmhand.

What does the Central Martial Arts Academy lack now? Chen Hongwu knows better than anyone else: no matter how powerful it is, only he can fight.

Hu Baoyi is skilled in martial arts and could teach him, but ultimately he can't carry the burden alone.

Xuanzhenzi's attitude was unclear, and Chen Gongzhe was preoccupied with worldly affairs. In order to keep the school afloat, they had to recruit a group of truly qualified instructors.

Liu Baichuan is from Shaolin Temple and his external martial arts skills are unparalleled. You couldn't find someone like him in any other martial arts school.

He wouldn't easily agree to teach at the martial arts school, so now is a good opportunity.

Liu Baichuan pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands together and said, "Alright. Since Master Chen has laid out his terms, I will accept them."

"If I lose, I'll stay and teach at the school; Liu will have no objections. But... what if I'm lucky enough to win even a single move?"

Chen Hongwu simply said, "If you want to win, you'll have to meet me first."

Liu Baichuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said in a deep voice, "Master Chen is being far too arrogant. Where should we make our move?"

Chen Hongwu stood still, his feet and body motionless, and the people around him dispersed three zhang away as if the tide were receding.

"Right here," he said. "You attack me."

The room erupted in uproar.

Liu Baichuan's thick eyebrows furrowed into a knot. He had practiced martial arts for over twenty years and had met countless masters, but he had never seen anyone dare to stand still and let him attack first.

"it is good."

He stopped talking nonsense, his body sank, and with a "crack" under his feet, three blue bricks shattered.

He moved like a leopard emerging from the forest, rushing to Chen Hongwu's side in one step.

Arhat Fist - Entering Elbow!

Before Liu Baichuan even arrived, his elbow had already struck. This elbow strike followed the shortest possible path, using the momentum of his forward charge to strike Chen Hongwu's chest directly.

In Luohan Fist, the elbow is used, taking the meaning of "Vajra striking a bell". The elbow is like a hammer, sending force through the back.

Chen Hongwu slipped and his body tilted slightly to the side.

On this side, no more than three inches away, Liu Baichuan's elbow brushed past the front of his clothes, and the force of the wind made the corner of his clothes flip up with a "snap".

The Eight Trigrams Movement.

Liu Baichuan missed his first strike, then suddenly kicked up his right leg. This kick came without warning, the toes pointing upwards, aimed straight at Chen Hongwu's shinbone.

Mandarin Duck Legs - Stealing Step and Stumbling Kick!

What a powerful leg! The leg strikes silently, yet lands with the force of an axe. This "Number One Leg in Jiangnan" is a killing move right from the start.

With a light tap of his toes, Chen Hongwu floated back half a foot, his feet seemingly coated with oil, raising wisps of dust from the ground.

Liu Baichuan gave chase, his legs moving in rapid succession.

He stomped forward and backward, hooked to the left and swept to the right, each kick faster than the last.

His leg techniques all focused on the lower body, never exceeding the knee, and were vicious and precise. When he kicked into the cracks between the bricks, rubble and stones flew everywhere.

The onlookers were so engrossed in watching that they didn't dare to breathe, as if the dark figure had transformed into a black whirlwind.

No matter how fast Liu Baichuan moved his legs, Chen Hongwu always managed to dodge and weave within a small space.

His hands were always behind his back, and his movements were sometimes like a fish swaying its tail and sometimes like an old ape leaping from a branch, never moving more than three feet away from where he stood.

"Strange!" an old boxing master exclaimed in the crowd. "Master Chen's footwork is based on the Bagua Nine Palaces! This footwork, seemingly to the left but actually to the right, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, is clearly the superior skill of Bagua's 'Escape and Change of Shadow'!"

Liu Baichuan grew increasingly anxious as he fought, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Suddenly, he turned around, kicked backward with both legs, and unleashed his signature killing move.

Mandarin Ducks' Linked Kicks!

This move involves alternating legs, using the momentum of a turn to kick out backwards, first to the chest, then to the throat, each kick potentially fatal.

He shrank down, his body shrinking by half, like a golden monkey sitting on the ground, barely managing to squeeze between the two legs.

Then, he shrugged his right shoulder, like shaking off a withered leaf, and his shoulder bumped into the gap between Liu Baichuan's legs, which had not yet retracted.

"Bang!"

Liu Baichuan felt a powerful force explode from his shoulder, and he was sent flying backward uncontrollably.

He didn't even have time to see how Chen Hongwu made his move, nor did he even notice when the other party got close.

He slammed his back to the ground, sliding five feet, leaving a white mark on the bluestone slab.

He struggled to sit up, his ears ringing.

When he looked up again, Chen Hongwu was already standing three steps away with his hands behind his back, as if he had never moved.

"This move is called 'Bear-Shaped Shoulder Shaking'," Chen Hongwu said casually.