Old Fists, Young Fists, Welcoming the General Home

When Chu Tianshu went to find Yungu.

A large group of people were gathered in the backyard.

In the corner of the backyard, there are some bamboo, banana trees, loquat trees, and citron trees.

Under the large citron tree, there is a pavilion for escaping the summer heat.

At the table in the pavilion, Chen Ying methodically arranged the copper mortar and pestle, the medicine boat, the small guillotine, the small stove, and various medicinal herbs.

Teacher Little Yuan, who was sitting opposite her, listened to the lecture and also offered to help.

With permission, Choi Su-ju sat to one side, watching obediently and curiously.

Cui Douri and Choi Dong-ju practiced their martial arts in the open space outside the pavilion, with Yungu providing guidance from the side.

Hey! Ha!

Choi Dong-ju practiced her stance and boxing until she was covered in sweat, her face flushed and steaming. Her boxing skills had already reached a certain level.

Cui Douri stood not far from his sister. He was a young man with a slightly round face and smile lines, wearing a large gold chain around his neck, a black short-sleeved shirt, and casual pants.

His boxing movements were similar to his sister's, but he didn't make a sound when he punched; only the twisting of his fist and the extremely subtle creaking sound between his muscles and tendons as he punched and pulled back his fist were heard.

Chu Tianshu had met Su-ju and Dong-ju on the ship to Busan. At that time, he heard that Dong-ju was learning Lü Red Fist, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

It now appears that this martial art was not passed down through generations in Goryeo.

It was taught directly by Yungu.

"Your boxing technique still doesn't fully integrate your mind and your fist."

Yungu was not satisfied. He held a thin bamboo stick in his hand and gently tapped the numb vein on Cui Douri's elbow.

Cui Douri swung his arm to dodge, but was still hit. The intensely tingling and numb sensation made him hiss.

"I really tried my best."

Cui Douri felt a little wronged.

He wasn't highly educated, but he was extremely serious about learning to fight.

Cui Douri's grandfather was a veteran who fought bravely on the battlefield in the 1930s and 40s. He was also quite cunning and made several meritorious contributions. Unfortunately, after being discharged due to injuries and illness, he soon fell into poverty. In his later years, he found a child and adopted him.

When his father grew up, although he successfully married, the family's financial situation did not improve much, and several close relatives passed away from illness.

At a young age, Cui Douri suffered constant scorn at school because of his poverty, which made him lose interest in studying and become prone to fighting.

After his parents died, he became a hoodlum. Fortunately, he still had a conscience. On one occasion, he saved a patient who was being bullied by another group of hoodlums.

That man later opened a Victoria Dance Hall in Busan. He admired Cui Douri and hired him as the security manager, which provided him with a stable income.

However, as the nightclub's business improved, the few punches and kicks he had learned in his childhood gradually became insufficient.

Cui Douri secretly considered learning Taekwondo, but felt that most of it was just fancy moves, and teaching real skills was too expensive. He also had to support his two younger sisters, so he couldn't bear to spend the money.

Therefore, when Yungu appeared to him in a dream, Cui Douri was not surprised but delighted. He seized the opportunity and studied the fragments of boxing techniques that the person in his dream was practicing every day.

Yungu is the most skilled in internal energy cultivation among the Seven Souls experts. He imparts his skills in intermittent and unclear dreams, which makes him, in fact, more suitable for teaching.

In his dream, Yungu felt that the person he was destined to meet was quite diligent, but when he actually arrived in reality, he found many faults in him.

"Most of your bad habits from practicing martial arts without proper training have been corrected, except for one thing: your smile."

Yungu said, "I know you're very serious inside, but you're used to joking around, so when you practice boxing, your face unconsciously carries a nonchalant smile as a cover."

"If one's inner thoughts and outward appearance are not in harmony, one's efforts will not be able to reach their full potential."

Cui Douri touched his mouth. "Shall I find two pieces of tape and pull the corners of my mouth down?"

Yungu shook his head slightly.

"Actually, back then, in the Imitation Boxing style, there was a set of strange moves called Laughing Fist, which emphasized the sounds of apes yelping, eagles crying, snakes hissing, and people laughing."

"That set of boxing techniques takes a different approach. Regardless of one's intentions, Shangdu. A smile gathers power, and a smile becomes a move."

"It's a pity I'm in the military and don't know that style of boxing well enough, otherwise it would be quite suitable for you to learn it."

Chu Tianshu overheard this as he walked over and smiled, "I have a set of Laughing Arhat Fist here, which is also suitable for building a foundation."

The Laughing Arhat Fist is a piece from the Shaolin Fist manual.

Yu Dayou didn't write much about this set of boxing techniques, only extracting the essence of a few moves.

However, given Chu Tianshu's current perspective and his past exposure to all the martial arts classics of the Southern Shaolin, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to reconstruct the complete Laughing Arhat Fist.

It's used to lay the foundation, anyway.

Once you've laid a solid foundation, whether you smile or not becomes less important.

After Cui Douri, he was able to return to the path taught in Yungu.

"Brother Chu, how could I possibly accept this?"

Yungu laughed heartily and winked at Cui Douri.

Cui Douri knelt down with a thud, about to kowtow. "Thank you, Martial Uncle!"

Chu Tianshu grunted, looked at the master and disciple, and said helplessly, "Get up first, I have something else to talk about."

"Daoist Priest Chen cultivates the Dao of Alchemy of Alchemy. Even if he finds another successor of an alchemy school, everyone is very independent. It would be very difficult to summon her away through spiritual connection."

"The idea from our hometown is to start with you, General. They've gathered a large group of people, planning to use the resonance of martial artists of similar styles as a trigger to cast a spell to summon you away, taking you out of the Grotto-Heaven."

Yungu was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Great! Great! I'm just a martial artist, completely ignorant of magic, and I never really wanted to go to the Grotto-Heaven. It would be best if I could get out."

Chu Tianshu nodded, took off his wristwatch, and pressed a mechanism on the side of the watch to flip the screen open.

The flipped-up screen resembled multiple layers of cellophane folded together.

Once the screen is fully unfolded, the previously small watch display has transformed into a large screen, as thin as a cicada's wing and a foot square.

Just below the screen, there's a small section, only an inch long, connected to the watch.

Yungu took the watch, and the screen flickered, revealing a small face opposite him, who looked to be a child in his early teens.

"Are you General Yungu?"

The child smiled and said, "My name is Lin Chucheng. Welcome to us!"

As they were talking, the child turned the camera away.

The people opposite seemed to be in a huge cave, with pillars connecting the dome and the ground everywhere.

Large groups of people, men, women, and children, were scattered throughout the cave, most of them dressed in loose-fitting casual clothes.

Some of the older folks even wore kung fu outfits.

Yungu roughly estimated that there were already five or six hundred people whose faces were scanned by the camera.

Most of them didn't seem to have particularly high levels of skill, but they had all Aperture Opening the basics and were quite capable and energetic.

Several elderly men, without any restraint, gathered right in front of the screen.

One of them was bald on top of his head, with snow-white temples, a ruddy complexion, and a body as big as a barrel, but his arms were calloused so thick that they were visible to the naked eye.

"So you're that Ming Dynasty man, Luo Yungu, General Luo?"

The red-faced old man clasped his hands excitedly, "General, our Pigua School flourished during the Ming Dynasty."

"Especially my lineage of boxing, which is the orthodox and direct lineage. The Pigua Horizontal Fist Quan mentioned by General Qi Jiguang in his New Treatise on Military Efficiency is the predecessor of my school."

"There are still people who are unconvinced. Today, I'll invite you to judge for yourself whether my school of thought is a direct descendant of the Ming Dynasty!"

As soon as the red-faced old man finished speaking, he immediately began to practice. His arms were like iron whips, swinging back and forth. Wherever he passed, crackling sounds filled the air like firecrackers exploding.

In the blink of an eye, thirteen sounds rang out.

The red-faced old man jumped back again, and as he did so, he swung his right hand like a large cleaver, slashing forward.

His palms were wide and large, and the calluses at the edges vibrated with a hum that slightly blurred the air.

Upon taking one look, Yungu immediately formed a judgment in his mind.

This old man must have practiced very diligently, and his punches and kicks are skillful, but they are all just mechanical and lack his own insights. He probably doesn't have much practical combat experience.

"That punch was pretty good."

Yungu made a polite remark, "He does look somewhat familiar..."

Unexpectedly, just as the red-faced old man showed a look of joy, a black-clad old man with thick hair and beard rushed forward.

"What is Pigua Fist? My Thirty-Two Forms of Taizu Long Fist is the true source of a major school of Taiji Fist since the Song and Ming dynasties. Tai Chi Chuan has borrowed a lot of content from Taizu Long Fist."

The old man in black cupped his hands in greeting, "Let's see, which is superior, the Taizu Long Fist of today or the one passed down from the Song and Ming dynasties?"

"Please correct me, General!!"

As the old man in black finished speaking, he raised his eyebrows, exuding a majestic aura, and his robes billowed out.

He was like a large black cocoon, crashing to the side.

Those around him could only see his robes crashing into the stone pillar; they couldn't see exactly how he attacked, only hearing four loud thuds on the Shitou.

The stone pillars in this secret cave are made of a special material.

Four punches failed to shatter the stone, but judging from the sound, one could tell that this kind of punch, if used on the outside, would crack even a foot-thick marble.

The old man in black bounced back, throwing a punch to the east and a kick to the west.

Yungu praised, "Excellent boxing technique."

This boxing style is entirely based on practical combat techniques. The entire body is concealed by the afterimages of the robes, and the specific killing moves are hidden from beginning to end.

However, to say that this is Taizu Long Fist (Emperor Taizu's Long Fist) would probably be something even Emperor Taizu himself wouldn't admit.

Yungu saw many traces of Sun Bin Fist in it.

The old man in black, pleased with the compliment, stroked his beard and was about to speak again.

More new people squeezed in.

Yungu remained silent, his lips barely parting to Secret Sound Transmission.

"Brother Chu, what kind of custom is this? Are you showing me your talents? How long will the performance last?"

Chu Tianshu almost laughed, so he clenched his fist against his nose and coughed lightly.

"This isn't a custom; it's probably just their own enthusiasm."

In order to train a strong army, Qi Jiguang collected and practiced almost all the existing boxing styles in the Ming Dynasty.

In his military treatise, he only briefly mentioned boxing techniques, but he also had several other secret manuals that detailed the origins of many boxing styles.

Throughout history, martial arts masters have developed various styles, including the Thirty-Two Postures Long Fist of Emperor Taizu of Song, as well as the Six-Step Fist, Monkey Fist, and Lun Fist, each with its own name and style.

The Wen Family Seventy-Two Routines Fist, Thirty-Six Joining Locks, Twenty-Four Abandoning and Scouting Horse, Eight Dodging Turns, and Twelve Short Techniques are also among the best of the best.

Although Lü Red Eight Strikes were powerful, they were not as good as Cotton Zhang Short-Range Striking... There was also Li Bantian's legwork, Eagle Claw Wang's grappling, Thousand Falls Zhang's falls, Zhang Bojing's striking, Yang Family Spear Technique, and Bazi Fist and Staff, all of which are famous today.

Over the centuries, some of these boxing styles have been lost to history, some have been incorporated into other styles, and some have changed their names.

However, all the martial arts styles in folk traditions today are still more or less influenced by the martial arts of that time.

Every family claims to be the authentic one, and everyone says they have their own expertise.

Old-fashioned people want to find ancient manuals to prove they are the orthodox ones, while innovators also want to compare themselves to ancient manuals to prove they have surpassed their predecessors.

However, ancient genealogies can also be forged or fabricated.

In terms of true value, how could those so-called ancient boxing manuals possibly compare to a real Ming Dynasty general who is now considered Taboo?!

Chu Tianshu thought to himself.

It is remarkable that they were able to gather so many skilled martial artists from all over the country in such a short time, and that they were required to undergo screening so that their backgrounds were clean.

The investigation and screening process takes a long time, so the actual invitation must be sent out quickly.

It's likely that many people were lured in by the allure of the Ming Dynasty general, and were able to set off for the Northwest on the very day they were invited.

"Alright, I've told you to circulate your qi and blood, and prepare to coordinate with the upcoming spells. I didn't ask you all to crowd in front of the screen to practice your martial arts."

Lin Chucheng's childlike voice came through the screen, accompanied by a crackling sound, as if he were snapping his knuckles.

"If you insist on discussing orthodoxy and innovation at this point, then you might as well come and compete with my freestyle fighting."

Upon hearing this, the crowd in front of the screen immediately fell silent and stepped back.

Back then, the Spirit Realm showed signs of revival, but most of the ancient manuals that the Special Investigation Bureau could collect were incomplete. There were also many pseudo-expert annotations by people who pursued fame and fortune, which were just for show and made a fuss by copying texts from other books, misleading people.

China once promoted reforms in Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), attempting to learn from the strengths of various schools, complement each other, eliminate the dross and retain the essence, and innovate.

However, many schools were conservative and strongly resisted this, so Lin Chucheng and his group went straight to the so-called martial arts holy sites in various provinces and visited each one one by one.

They don't rely on their superior lineage to intimidate others; from the inside out, they only use a variety of unorthodox techniques.

The more you fight, the more you learn in freestyle fighting.

The reason why Lin Chucheng, Helai, and others were proficient in so many different schools of thought was also related to that era.

Many sects were beaten into silence. Although they still secretly resisted and hindered the work, they could not stop the establishment of martial arts schools or the expansion of the Special Investigation Bureau's arsenal, which grew richer day by day.

At this moment, Cui Douri came over and asked curiously, "Was that little kid the most powerful one?"

He spoke South Korea.

The old man in black asked in confusion, "Goryeo?"

Chu Tianshu explained, "This is a disciple of Yungu."

"What?!"

The old man in black's expression changed.

Everyone in the cave was sharp-witted and quick-witted, and upon hearing this, they all looked towards the screen.

Cui Douri felt his scalp tingle from their stares and couldn't help but take two steps back.

"Why did the general take in a Goryeo disciple?"

The red-faced old man blushed even more, and exclaimed in surprise, "When the general returns, he will surely take on a large number of disciples. Won't that mean everyone will have to call a Goryeo their senior brother?!"

Chu Tianshu wanted to laugh again.

Judging from their expressions, this group of old men were probably originally planning to become Yungu's disciples themselves.

Yungu quickly waved his hand and said, "In the military, the tradition of passing on skills is that there is no ranking among peers."

That's true, but those who are near the water get the moon first.

The old men on the other side of the screen began to whisper among themselves, while many young and middle-aged men also murmured in groups of three or five.

"If the general stays in Goryeo any longer and takes on a few more disciples, we won't even be able to become second senior brothers or sisters anymore."

"Indeed, my Sunzi loves watching South Korea dances. Those Goryeo are treacherous; what if they send some pretty young girls over..."

At this point, the crowd became increasingly indignant.

"We must bring the general back as soon as possible."

"Indeed, Brother Chucheng, give the order, and we'll act immediately!"

More and more people are gathering within the visible field of vision of the screen.

It turns out there were more than five or six hundred; judging by the total number, it's probably over a thousand.

Some people are relatively silent, but they had already been circulating their Qi and blood beforehand. Others are now emotionally agitated, and their Qi and blood are boiling even more intensely.

Throughout the entire cave, there was a faint sense of distorted air.

However, the more distorted the air is near the ground, the clearer it becomes.

The air near the dome, as it twisted and churned, gradually turned white, like smoke or rosy clouds.

Lin Chucheng looked up, nodded to himself, and then raised his fist.

The tiny fist burst forth with an unstoppable surge of vitality, which flowed into the sky.

The white mist above the dome, as if painted with the finishing touch, began to swirl and churn, accelerating its rotation.

Northwest Yuan Chen, as commander, led 1,110 men, manifesting as billowing smoke and swirling White Rainbow...

Please let the veterans return to their hometowns!

(End of this chapter)