Chapter 9: Great Free Fighting
Chapter 9: Great Free Fighting
Chen Chuan heard Yu Gang's call and stepped into the center of the training ground, stopping in front of Yu Gang.
Lu Ke, who had been training nearby, slowed his pace and glanced over.
Yu Gang stood expressionlessly, not saying a word, but Chen Chuan felt an invisible pressure, as if reminding him to make his move quickly.
Instinctively, Chen Chuan began his breathing technique, clenching his fists and throwing a punch at Yu Gang's chest. With a loud bang, it felt like hitting a thick tire, and a shockwave reverberated back, causing Chen Chuan to stumble back a few steps.
Yu Gang didn't hold back, "Your punching posture is amateurish, lacking in strength and speed, as slow as a snail. Even a trainee with a month of training could easily knock you down. You won't pass the entrance exam this way, not even with connections."
Lu Ke, sitting to the side, watched with a slight smirk.
Yu Gang observed Chen Chuan's composed expression and added, "But you seem to be holding back. Give it your all; otherwise, I can't plan according to your actual abilities."
Chen Chuan understood that during training, it was inevitable to reveal the strength of his second self, so he decided not to hold back this time.
He took a deep breath and returned to his original position. With a low grunt, he threw another punch, and this time, his second self instantly merged with him, creating a powerful impact that sent him staggering back several steps. Yet, everyone could sense that this punch carried substantial weight.
Lu Ke couldn't help but straighten his body a little.
Yu Gang remained standing, but his eyes showed a hint of surprise. He thought to himself, "This is more like it. Adjust the force, and if the breathing is coordinated, the striking power can be further enhanced. Hmm..."
He seemed to be considering something, and after a while, he organized his thoughts and spoke, "The current combat system can be broadly categorized into old and new martial arts. The academy's mainstream is the new martial arts, focusing on unarmed strikes, throws, chokes, and locks. The training system of new martial arts is practical and reliable, making it the most widely applied and the mainstream in Wu Da. So, we'll start with new martial arts."
This was the first time Chen Chuan had heard of the distinction between old and new martial arts, and for the sake of understanding, he asked, "Mr. Yu, are we learning new martial arts now? Then, what are old martial arts like?"
Yu Gang explained, "Old martial arts are complex and diverse, but generally, they emphasize weapon combat, with fist and foot techniques as supplementary. This is because the martial arts of the old era were developed for both combat and survival."
"In the old era, this choice was necessary. If you were fighting for your life, including hunting wild beasts, would you choose to fight barehanded if you had tools at your disposal?"
Chen Chuan promptly responded, "Of course not."
Yu Gang continued, "So, the direction of old martial arts is clear. Many of their fist and foot techniques are designed to complement weapon use, making many of the moves redundant when fighting barehanded. Compared to the pure unarmed combat of new martial arts, they're at a disadvantage. However, some improved pure unarmed combat techniques are quite impressive."
"Of course, new martial arts don't entirely neglect weapon combat, but they are distinct from unarmed combat and differ from old martial arts, which emphasize a combination of weapons and fists."
"Okay, I've gone off-topic. Let's focus on the present. I'll teach you a set of basic combat techniques. In layman's terms, it's called 'Minor Free Fighting' or 'Great Free Fighting,' with the difference being the emphasis on offensive or defensive strategies. There's also a set of 'Direct Free Fighting' that's not taught externally. Only those with a martial arts certificate are allowed to use it. The set I'll teach you is 'Great Free Fighting.' Pay close attention to my movements."
Yu Gang walked to the center and demonstrated a stance, his feet one in front of the other, body slightly lowered, with the front lighter and the back heavier. One hand reached forward, while the other covered his abdomen.
"This stance isn't fixed," he said. "It varies depending on the opponent and your strategy. If facing an opponent skilled opponent in throws and chokes, you can lower your center of gravity even more. If your opponent is agile, shift your center of gravity higher and increase your speed. You can also switch between fist and palm strikes based on the situation. It also depends on how well you've mastered the techniques." After explaining, Yu Gang straightened his body and said, "Now, you try it."
Chen Chuan stepped to the center and mimicked Yu Gang's stance. Yu Gang walked over and corrected his posture. "Relax your body. Don't lift your head so high. Tuck your chin, and keep your hands ready to protect yourself..."
Under Yu Gang's guidance, Chen Chuan quickly got the hang of it.
In the afternoon, Chen Chuan continued to familiarize himself with the techniques and mainly focused on fundamental training, all under the strict guidance of Yu Gang. They would take breaks to rest and replenish their energy, and the training continued until around five in the evening, after which Chen Chuan would run back.
During this process, he didn't neglect the most crucial breathing technique. Besides using it extensively during daytime training, he also utilized his second self in the evening to practice the basic breathing technique. This routine would continue until his second self reached a state of near-complete virtualization before he would take a rest.
In the following days, he maintained this training rhythm, and in less than ten days, he became relatively proficient in executing some techniques from Great Free Fighting.
At the same time, he also discovered that once he became familiar with the movements, whenever he applied the breathing technique, he instinctively knew how to properly exert force in conjunction with the moves.
If there were any stumbles or incorrect movements during the execution of techniques, the breath would not flow smoothly. Conversely, when the breath flowed smoothly, the power would gather accordingly, allowing him to better guide his movements with his breath.
Undoubtedly, this was the effect of the breathing technique, and it was no wonder Yu Gang considered it the core of cores.
As he consistently felt the gains, Chen Chuan immersed himself wholeheartedly in the training. The regular daytime training gradually improved his physical fitness, enabling him to maintain the breathing technique for longer periods in his normal state. In turn, the breathing technique further enhanced the efficiency of his training. This state of being was undoubtedly excellent, and his progress was evident.
Moreover, Chen Chuan made another discovery: the time limit for utilizing his second self was gradually extending. This was likely a positive feedback loop generated during his training, a sense of pleasure arising from his continuous self-improvement.
In mid-June, Chen Chuan approached Yu Gang and said, "Mr. Yu, recently I've noticed that after practicing the basic breathing technique, my body slightly warms up. I'm not sure what the reason is."
Yu Gang seemed a bit surprised and looked at him intently. "Warming up? Are you sure it's after every breathing practice session?"
Chen Chuan nodded. "I'm certain. It's after every breathing session. Initially, it was just a slight sensation, but it's become more and more noticeable these past two days."
Yu Gang asked, "For how long?"
Chen Chuan thought for a moment. "It's been about four or five days."
Yu Gang couldn't help but fold his arms and fall into deep thought.
Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Yu, is there a problem?"
Yu Gang replied, "There's no problem. This is a natural phenomenon that occurs when practicing the breathing technique, but it usually takes some time. I didn't expect it to appear so early in your case. It seems you can advance to the next stage of training."
The manifestation of the body warming up during breathing practice indicated that the body was comprehensively adapting to this breathing rhythm, especially for a young man whose body had not yet fully matured. As he grew older, there would be a prolonged period of improvement.
However, for most people, this situation typically occurred after practicing the breathing technique for dozens of days, or even a year or two. Some people might not even feel it in their entire lives, but how long had Chen Chuan been practicing?
At most, it had been half a month.
He couldn't help but think to himself, "Is it truly a matter of talent...?"
In the afternoon, Yu Gang called both Chen Chuan and Lu Ke to his side and said, "Chen Chuan, for the next period, you can engage in sparring training. Lu Ke, you will be Chen Chuan's sparring partner. Your training can be postponed for now."
Lu Ke felt a bit uncomfortable, but he smiled and said, "Okay, Master." Then he added, "Young Master Chen, just let me know if you need anything."
Chen Chuan said, "Brother Lu, you're too kind."
Starting that day, his training included two-person attack and defense drills, as well as reaction training with mutual cooperation. Lu Ke partnered with Chen Chuan to further familiarize themselves with the application of Great Free Fighting in attack and defense.
After seven days of this, Yu Gang began to let the two of them try real combat sparring. To avoid injuries, they naturally wore protective gear and gloves.
However, at Wu Yi University, protective gear was not typically used unless it was for equipment instruction or regular partner training. Therefore, as time went on, he would gradually remove these protections.
"Today is your first day of sparring. You'll have three rounds, with each round lasting a maximum of three minutes. There will be a five-minute break in between, and I'll be scoring. Whoever has the lower score will be in charge of equipment maintenance and ground cleaning today."
After giving a few more instructions, Yu Gang stepped aside, signaling for the two to begin.
Chen Chuan and Lu Ke walked to the center, exchanged a fist salute according to combat etiquette, but before Chen Chuan could fully lower his hands, Lu Ke suddenly threw a punch aimed at his chest and abdomen!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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