Chapter 19: Shocking Spirit Fist
Chapter 19: Shocking Spirit Fist
Chen Chuan suddenly felt an extreme sense of danger approaching. His pupils dilated, and he experienced a tingling sensation along his spine as if electricity was coursing through it. Everything around him seemed to slow down.
Just before his body could react, Yu Gang's fist halted mere inches from his skin.
Yu Gang spoke slowly, "Remember this feeling, and the way your body reacted just now. Later, you can use your breath control techniques to try and stimulate your blood flow to reach this state. Once you become familiar with it, you'll be able to deliver a strike more powerful than your usual strength."
Chen Chuan steadied his breathing and heartbeat. He realized that his back was slightly sticky, as if he had broken into a sweat. Even though he knew he could use his Second Self to divert the damage, Yu Gang wouldn't have actually hit him, but he still instinctively experienced a stress response. Moreover, Yu Gang's fist was incredibly fast, so fast that even with the Second Self, he couldn't have dodged it.
Chen Chuan exhaled slowly and said, "I'll remember." Then, looking up again, he asked, "Mr. Yu, what's this technique called?"
Yu Gang replied, "In the Ancient Martial Arts, this technique is known as the 'Shocking Spirit Fist,' as it shocks both one's own spirit and that of others. In Modern Martial Arts, it's called the 'Limit-Breaking Strike.' This technique isn't limited to straight punches; it can be executed in any form. But remember, during practice, never strike without a target in front of you. Always have something to hit to avoid dislocating your joints. Whether you can master this technique depends entirely on the individual. I've only taught you the secret, so go ahead and practice on your own. Remember to bring the door with you."
Chen Chuan acknowledged with a 'yes,' and as he closed the door behind him, Yu Gang added, "Oh, and the cost of repairing the sandbag is on you."
Chen Chuan paused for a moment and said, "Alright, Mr. Yu." He felt that exchanging money for a powerful technique was a fair trade, and he even considered it a gain.
He went downstairs to the first floor and stopped in front of a human-shaped target, standing still as he quietly relived the sensation from earlier.
This technique wasn't developed through gradual training, from shallow to deep or weak to strong. Instead, it was a sudden burst of power triggered by shocking one's own spirit.
Having just experienced this technique and with the memory still fresh, Chen Chuan decided to give it a try.
However, merely remembering the feeling wasn't enough. He had to use breath control to forcefully stimulate his blood flow, regardless of the cost, to deliver that strike.
He stared at the human-shaped target for a while, then suddenly kicked it, causing the target to shake violently.
He slowly lowered his foot, and although he felt he had found the right sensation, when he tried to stimulate his blood flow using breath control, he encountered resistance, as if there was an obstacle in his way.
This technique was triggered by a person in a life-or-death situation. Without truly facing danger, his body instinctively resisted.
He couldn't help but recall that night when Mr. Wen had the patrol officers attempt single-leg standing. Just like then, he now had to confront himself.
He decided to try again.
First, he stood still in his original position. After a while, a flush rose on his face and neck, and he stepped forward, stamping his foot on the ground. With his front hand in a palm lift, a dull sound echoed, and the heavy human-shaped target was actually lifted by his strike, even startling Lu Ke, who was not far away.
He stepped back and exhaled, feeling that he was just a little short of perfection.
However, with sufficient proficiency in breath control and the assistance of his willpower, he would undoubtedly break through that boundary.
As he was about to try again, Yu Gang's voice reached him, "Don't overdo this technique every day. Not only will it burden your body in various ways, but it may also lead to overexertion."
Chen Chuan couldn't say that he wasn't afraid of injury, but since Yu Gang had advised against it, he had no choice but to stop for now, deciding to try again later.
Lu Ke, on the other hand, felt that Chen Chuan's strike held more power than ever before. He ran to inspect the human-shaped target and reported, "It's fine."
Yu Gang, expressionless, said, "If it's broken, he'll pay for the repairs."
Lu Ke scratched his head.
Chen Chuan didn't dwell on this matter and decided to proceed with his regular training. However, after only a short while, he felt a subtle discomfort in various parts of his body, and his condition seemed slightly worse than usual.
This was likely due to muscle strain and the burden on his internal organs.
Even with the Second Self's assistance, this type of internal damage caused by himself wouldn't be avoided.
This was because his willpower was singular, and all internal affairs had to be dominated by himself.
Now that he had noticed this, his willpower turned, and his body swiftly recovered its ease.
After finishing the afternoon's training, he tidied up, bid farewell to Yu Gang and Lu Ke, and left the Fist House.
On his way back, while running, he repeatedly tried breath control. In fact, during the afternoon, in the intervals between training, he had also attempted to guide his breath. Suddenly, he felt as if he had grasped something, and he was just a punch away from delivering that strike.
However, he needed a suitable target at this moment, and perhaps he should take advantage of his state to try a few more times. But returning now wouldn't be appropriate; Yu Gang wouldn't approve.
At this moment, he suddenly recalled that not far ahead, there was a Show General Martial Arts Club, which, although not the same one from the flyer he received that day, should be quite similar.
He acted on his thoughts without hesitation and quickly made his way towards the location.
Within just five to six minutes, he had found the martial arts club, located in the middle of the only commercial street in the western part of the city. A large signboard with the words "Show General" hung above the entrance, surrounded by flashing neon lights, making it highly noticeable.
However, this area was in the old western district, with aging roads and pedestrians and vehicles often crowded together. Noisy bells and horns filled the air.
Chen Chuan entered through the main entrance of the martial arts club. Inside, a staircase led upwards, and on the second floor, a lightbox screen separated the entrance from a spacious training hall. Bright industrial lights hung from the ceiling, and the walls were left unfinished, but the floor was spotlessly clean. Large posters of various cool fighting moves adorned the walls. At that moment, over a dozen people were engaged in fitness training, and some, dressed in uniform training attire, were sparring with protective gear.
A young man in his early twenties sat on a tire, eating a chicken leg. Upon seeing Chen Chuan's unfamiliar face, he quickly swallowed the chicken in his mouth, wiped his hands, and asked, "Hey, you here to learn martial arts?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I saw your Show General Martial Arts Club, and I heard that you offer trial sessions. So, I came to check it out."
The young man, named Liang Fang, said, "Sure, you can take a look around. Everyone calls me Little Liang. But if you want to use the equipment, you need to call me. Don't get the wrong idea; it's just that it might be dangerous if you use them without supervision."
Chen Chuan looked around and pointed to the sandbags, asking, "Can I use those?"
Little Liang generously replied, "Feel free to use them."
As Chen Chuan was about to walk over, he paused and said, "Oh, and if I accidentally damage anything, I'll compensate for it."
Little Liang gave him a look as if he were joking and said, "Buddy, we're a legitimate martial arts gym, not some place that scams and cheats people. Let me put it this way: you can go ahead and use the sandbags. We run an honest business, and we want our customers to be satisfied. Unless you're intentionally causing trouble, we won't hold it against you if something breaks."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Thank you." He then walked to a corner and tried punching the empty sandbag a few times.
Little Liang glanced over a few times but didn't pay much attention. Their Show General Martial Arts Club was doing quite well, with many company employees and students from nearby coming to practice martial arts. In the evenings, they also had spectators watching the internal sparring sessions.
For someone like Chen Chuan, who was clearly just there to see something new and exciting, they didn't mind if he didn't actually practice. After all, it might increase their popularity, and who knows, he might become a regular customer.
As more customers were about to arrive soon, Little Liang decided to grab a bite to eat and continued munching on his chicken leg.
Standing in front of the sandbag, Chen Chuan focused on his breathing, closing his eyes to experience the sensation. When he felt that state appear again, he suddenly opened his eyes and unleashed a powerful punch!
Half an hour later, Little Liang was cursing, "Damn, someone must have poked it with something. I'll catch them if I find out!"
There was a small damaged area on the sandbag Chen Chuan had used, but it wasn't very noticeable from the outside. If it weren't for someone later noticing sand leaking out while punching it, it would have been hard to discover.
At that moment, a coach from the martial arts club happened to pass by and looked over curiously. He usually wouldn't have paid much attention to such a minor issue, but when he glanced at the sand leaking from the bottom of the sandbag, he felt something was off and walked over.
Little Liang greeted him, "Coach Gu."
Coach Gu stepped forward and pulled the sandbag to reveal a shattered hole the size of a fist on the back, from where the sand was leaking.
"What... I'll..."
Little Liang was surprised. It was clear that the force had come from within, and he instantly realized it couldn't have been caused by poking.
Coach Gu examined the hole, his expression turning serious. Only those who had cultivated Power Force could deliver such a strike, but why would someone do that? It didn't seem like a provocation.
He asked, "Who used this sandbag?"
Little Liang thought for a moment, then slapped his forehead, "I remember the first person was a good-looking student. He even asked me if the sandbag could be damaged. Yeah, it must have been him!"
Coach Gu thought to himself, "A student... Could it be from Wu Yi University?" He said, "If he comes back, let me know." Then he added, "Be polite to him."
Little Liang acknowledged with a sound of agreement and said, "Doesn't Coach Gu know me? I'm always polite to everyone."
At that moment, Chen Chuan had already returned home, still feeling slightly excited. He had finally succeeded in executing the Limit-Breaking Strike.
Chen Chuan realized that his quick mastery was due to his Second Self, which allowed him to learn without much cost. This wasn't a deception but a genuine fact, and with an afternoon of uninterrupted practice, his determination finally manifested in his physical training.
However, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that he didn't break the sandbag like Yu Gang. Perhaps the sandbags at the martial arts club were of better quality, or his strength was still lacking. He knew he needed to intensify his training.
(End of Chapter)
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