strokinit Chapter 36 Bear's Breadth and Tiger's Pounce: Actors Can Really Fight!
Chapter 36 Bear's Breadth and Tiger's Pounce: Actors Can Really Fight!
The square-faced youth was embarrassed. He thought that in this area, everyone gave him face because his older brother was a disciple of the Iron Fist Gym.
"Hey Lu, I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?"
He strode over, reaching out to grab Lu Cheng's shoulder while cursing under his breath.
"Don't think you're a grandmaster just because you picked a sled; that's all an act! Lei Laohu was only intimidated by your sorcery. Once we're in the ring, I'll..."
His hand hadn't even touched Lu Cheng yet.
Lu Cheng suddenly turned around.
No action was taken.
But then, those eyes widened suddenly.
boom!
A palpable killing intent, mixed with the overwhelming pressure of a grandmaster's [loyalty and courage], erupted instantly.
The square-faced youth's hand froze in mid-air.
He felt as if the refined and gentle man before him had suddenly transformed into a ferocious beast that would devour its prey.
That chill ran down my spine and straight to the top of my head.
"This is Ruifuxiang, a place for doing business."
Lu Cheng's voice was flat.
"Want to fight?"
"On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, at the Tianqiao 'Martial Arts Arena'."
"Don't embarrass yourself here. Call up your best fighters, I'm waiting."
"roll."
For the last word, Lu Cheng used a little bit of the [Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound] technique.
The sound was like muffled thunder.
The square-faced youth felt a buzzing in his ears, his legs went weak, and he involuntarily took several steps back, almost bumping into the door frame.
The surrounding customers and staff were dumbfounded.
This...this is what you call commanding respect without anger!
Several outer disciples of the Iron Fist Gym looked at each other, their faces turning pale and then red.
Fight? I wouldn't dare. Their aura was too intimidating.
Cursing? I'm still reeling from that shout.
"Fine...fine, you've got guts, you surnamed Lu!"
The square-faced youth shouted something in a show of bravado, resorting to threats in an attempt to regain face.
"You asked for this. Don't be too scared to come later. My older brother is now Iron Hand Li's personal disciple. He'll definitely tear your stage down."
After saying that, the group slunk away.
Lu Cheng turned around and clapped his hands as if swatting a fly.
"Alright, continue measuring."
"Hey buddy, cut two extra feet off that piece of fabric we just made. We'll make a schoolbag for this kid."
Lu Cheng pointed at Lu Feng.
Lu Feng was stunned.
"bag?"
"Yes, after the New Year, we'll send you to school."
Lu Cheng patted his head.
"Anyone who can only fight is a brute."
"If you really don't want to be bullied, you have to have something in your head."
"With pen in hand, one can bring peace to the world; with horsemanship, one can conquer the world."
"This is the path a real man should take."
As I left Ruifuxiang, snowflakes began to fall again outside.
Several children, carrying bundles of new clothes in their arms, beamed with undisguised joy.
But Lu Feng seemed preoccupied.
"Master."
He followed behind Lu Cheng and asked in a low voice.
"The 28th of the twelfth lunar month, are we really going to fight? I heard that Iron Fist Gym is packed with people, and the owner, Iron Hand Li Hu, is quite short."
Lu Cheng stopped and looked at the snow falling all around him.
"Scared?"
"Don't be afraid!"
Lu Feng stiffened his neck. "I'm afraid they'll use dirty tricks, like they did with the sled last time."
"A dirty trick?"
Lu Cheng smiled, his eyes becoming deep.
"In this world, all underhanded tricks are a joke in the face of absolute strength."
"This isn't just a fight."
"It's to establish a reputation for our Qingyun troupe in the martial arts world."
"In this city of Beiping, there are still quite a few people who think that I, Lu Cheng, am just a pretty face, and that an actor can never become a master."
"Then let's fight."
"Beat them until they submit, beat them until they swallow the word 'actor' back!"
……
The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
This day was the last big market day before the new year.
Tianqiao Martial Arts Arena is where old Beijing martial arts practitioners practice their skills.
Today, the area is surrounded by layers upon layers of people.
Not only were there onlookers, but also many masters and disciples from various martial arts schools in Beiping.
Iron Hand Lee didn't come to the Iron Fist Gym. After all, he's the head of the gym and doesn't show his face easily.
But the arrival was quite a spectacle.
The legendary "personal disciple" also didn't show up, probably because he felt Lu Cheng wasn't worthy.
The leader was the square-faced youth who had caused trouble at Ruifuxiang that day, followed by more than thirty outer disciples dressed in black with yellow belts, each carrying a whistle stick and with a fierce face.
These guys were originally just thugs, and now that they have the skin of a martial arts school, they act like they're the most important people in the world.
"Here it comes!"
The crowd parted to form a path.
Lu Cheng led the Qingyun Class members in slowly.
There was no large entourage, no loud gongs and drums.
Lu Cheng was the only one, followed by Shunzi, Lu Feng, and five other teenagers.
Today, Lu Cheng was dressed in a black long robe and cloth shoes with thick soles, looking like a schoolteacher, without any trace of the murderous aura of a martial artist.
"You surnamed Lu, you've got guts."
"Lei Laohu was once considered one of us, on par with us. How are we supposed to survive if you scare him away like this?"
The square-faced youth held a whistle stick in his hand, his face contorted with rage.
"Today we'll determine who's superior and who's inferior, and we'll decide who lives and dies. I refuse to believe that you, a mere opera singer, can really defeat us brothers who have lived on the edge of a knife!"
"Brothers, get him! Cripple him! Make him a performer who can only crawl on his stomach from now on!"
There were no rules of the martial arts world, and no one-on-one duels.
These guys have the habits of thugs; they start by ganging up on each other.
More than thirty people rushed forward, howling, and clubs rained down on them.
The surrounding audience was so frightened that they backed away, and some even closed their eyes.
"It's over, Boss Lu has overestimated himself."
"Thirty skilled fighters are here; even a novice can be overpowered by a flurry of punches."
Lu Feng and Shunzi panicked and were about to rush upwards.
"Step back."
Lu Cheng gave a calm shout.
He stood still, facing the whistling clubs, his expression unchanged.
"You can't hit actors?"
"Then today, I'll show you what I'm made of."
call!
Lu Cheng made a move.
He didn't use any weapons, just his bare hands.
Facing the square-faced young man at the forefront.
Lu Cheng suddenly lowered his body, his center of gravity shifted, and he seemed to grow a size larger in an instant.
That's because the blood and qi are abundant, and the tendons are bulging.
Xingyi (形意), Bear Form!
"Depend on!"
Instead of retreating, Lu Cheng advanced, his shoulder slightly tilted to the side, like a black bear descending a mountain, slamming into the crowd with immense force.
boom! !
A muffled thud.
Before the square-faced youth could even bring his baton down, he felt as if he had crashed into a train.
He was sent flying, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air, and knocking down four or five people behind him.
But it's not over yet.
Lu Cheng turned his footing through the mud, and his figure changed again.
The spinal dragon shuddered violently, emitting a series of popping sounds.
"roar--"
The thunderous roar of tigers and leopards resounded.
He transformed from a "clumsy bear" into a "fierce tiger" in an instant.
Xingyi, Tiger Form!
Hupu!
Lu Cheng unleashed both palms simultaneously, like a tiger descending a mountain, with unstoppable momentum.
There are no fancy moves, just the simplest and most direct way to crush the opponent with sheer force.
The explosive power of a minor mastery of Ming Jin, combined with the continuous energy of the Toad-Catching Force.
Lu Cheng moved through the crowd as if he were in an empty place.
"Snapped!"
With a slap, the sturdy baton snapped in two.
"collapse!"
A punch landed on the person, and that person flew out of the arena like a broken sack.
More than thirty people, yet not a single one could get close to Lu Cheng.
He was like a killing machine.
The gravitas of a bear and the ferocity of a tiger are perfectly blended in him.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The training ground was filled with wails and cries of pain.
More than thirty disciples from the Iron Fist Gym lay sprawled on the ground, their arms and legs broken, none of them able to get up.
Lu Cheng stood in the center of the field, his long robe perfectly folded.
He slowly stopped his movement and exhaled a breath of white air.
His gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on the square-faced youth who had already wet his pants in fear.
"This is what your Iron Fist Gym is all about?"
Lu Cheng's voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the entire room.
Everyone was stunned.
Especially the martial arts masters who originally came to laugh at the spectacle, now all had solemn expressions and their eyes were full of horror.
"This...this is real skill."
"He's mastered the 'bear's shoulder and tiger's pounce' stance of Xingyi Quan!"
"Who said he's an actor?!"
This battle not only subdued the Iron Fist Gym, but also shocked the entire martial arts community in Beiping.
From then on, anyone who dares to say "actors can't be hit" will have to ask Lu Cheng's fists if they agree.
……
Back at the Lu residence.
At the main entrance, Ah Bing was standing on the steps, holding a very elegant gold-embossed red invitation card in his hand.
"Master Lu, you're finally back."
Ah Bing came forward. Although his eyes were still covered with gauze, his hearing was very sharp. He smiled when he heard footsteps.
"Someone just delivered this."
"They say he's the head of the 'Fengtian Official Opera Troupe,' a favorite of the governor's mansion there, and wants to invite you over after the New Year to 'have a friendly exchange.'"
A government-run opera troupe in Fengtian?
Lu Cheng took the invitation and glanced at it.
His handwriting was flamboyant and arrogant, exuding an air of officialdom.
This was no ordinary opera troupe; it was a behemoth with official backing and a warlord as its patron.
Moreover, "Fengtian" refers to the area in Northeast China.
It seems that my reputation in Beiping has spread beyond the Great Wall.
This is because someone is envious and wants to use the guise of "sparring" to suppress the spirit of the Qingyun Class.
"That's interesting."
Lu Cheng casually handed the invitation to Shunzi behind him.
"Keep it."
"If we have time after the New Year, let's go and meet these officials."
……
New Year's Eve.
The Lu family mansion was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful paper-cut window decorations.
Two large tables were set up in the main hall.
Not only are Lu Laogen and his wife, but also Zhou Daikui, Lao Guantou, Feng Sanniang, and Abing.
Shunzi, Lu Feng, Xiaodouzi, and the other new kids were gathered around another table, drooling over the chicken, duck, fish, and meat on it.
Lu Feng's younger sister, Lu Yun, wearing a pink padded jacket, sat next to her brother like a porcelain doll, holding a chicken leg in her hand, her mouth greasy from eating it.
"Come on, everyone, let's raise our glasses."
Lu Cheng picked up his wine glass and stood up.
At this moment, he shed all his murderous aura and majesty, leaving only a gentle smile.
"This year has been tough for us."
"From a crowded tenement to this grand mansion, from a despised actor to a distinguished guest."
"It was all built by everyone working together."
"This first cup is a tribute to the ancestral master who bestowed this bounty upon us!"
"Homage to our ancestral master!" the crowd shouted in unison.
"The second toast is to ourselves; this spirit hasn't been broken!"
"Dry!"
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
A deafening sound of firecrackers erupted outside.
Crackling and popping, a vibrant and bustling scene.
Lu Cheng looked at the smiling faces in the room, at his father's straight back, at Ah Bing's eyes that were already shining, and at Lu Feng's hopeful face.
He felt a sense of peace he had never felt before.
This is the territory he carved out in this chaotic world.
Outside the window, fireworks exploded, illuminating the night sky of Beiping.
Ruixue is a prosperous year.
"Master Lu."
Zhou Daikui leaned closer, his face flushed, and lowered his voice.
"Just now, the one from the palace... sent someone to deliver a reward."
"They said they would like to invite you to perform at the palace next spring."
In the palace?
That emperor who has already abdicated?
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.
"Let's talk about it next year."
"Today, we're only celebrating the Lunar New Year!"