parentshiftbook Chapter 78 The "Distinguished Guest" at the Iron Fist Gym
Chapter 78 The "Distinguished Guest" at the Iron Fist Gym
Chapter 79 The "Distinguished Guest" at the Iron Fist Gym
After breakfast, the sun gradually climbed to due south.
Lu Cheng changed into a plain white silk robe, with a light gray mandarin jacket over it, and black cloth shoes with multi-layered soles.
Instead of holding that menacing spear, he was waving a folding fan made of Xiangfei bamboo.
If this person were to walk down the street, he would look like a rich young master who goes to Liulichang to look for antiques, yet is not tainted by worldly affairs. He has no trace of the fierce aura of a martial arts master.
Lu Feng followed behind, carrying two boxes of freshly baked pastries. They were the authentic "Eight Treasures of Beijing" from Daoxiangcun, exuding a sense of refinement.
The two strolled towards the south of the city, one after the other.
Along the way, the locals, young and old, were incredibly hospitable.
"Hey, Mr. Lu, best wishes."
"Mr. Lu, you look great today. Where are you going to strike it rich?"
Whether it was a tea seller or a rickshaw puller, everyone unconsciously bent their backs a few degrees when they saw Lu Cheng's upright posture.
This was not only because Lu Cheng was rich, but also because his shot at Guanghe Tower that day gave face to the poor people who had been bullied in this area.
Lu Cheng didn't put on airs. He smiled and nodded to everyone he met, gently waving his folding fan. His composure was so pleasant to behold.
Along the way, the genuine respect he received made Lu Cheng's "Dao Heart," which had gradually become lonely due to his martial arts training, even more steadfast.
We arrived at the entrance of the Iron Fist Gym.
Goodness, the area in front of this martial arts gym is bustling with activity today.
Two rows of white marble lions were polished to a shine, and the vermilion gate was wide open, from which came a uniform, resounding "Hah!" that shook the tiles.
Several disciples dressed in black short jackets and yellow belts were greeting guests at the door, each one looking very energetic.
The moment Lu Cheng appeared on the street corner, the leader's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen his own father.
It was Ma San, the same Ma San who had provoked Lu Cheng at Ruifuxiang back then.
"Master Lu, oh my, you've finally arrived."
When Ma San saw Lu Cheng, he felt even closer to him than to his own master.
He rushed down the steps in three strides, his face full of obsequiousness, bending over so low he almost wanted to bury his head in his crotch, and reaching out to offer a hand for support.
Lu Cheng.
"Mr. Lu, please slow down. These steps are high; don't get your shoes dirty."
Looking at Ma San's expression, which seemed to want to lie on the ground as a footrest, Lu Cheng nodded with a half-smile and lightly tapped the folding fan on Ma San's shoulder.
"Ma San, are you healed?"
"Alright, alright, thanks to you, it's all done now."
Ma San chuckled foolishly, even patting his chest smugly, "That beating you gave me was to enlighten me, it was a blessing for us, wasn't it?"
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside.
Master Li, accompanied by his eldest apprentice Zhao Shanhe, came running out to greet them.
Third Master Li, beaming with joy, clasped his hands in a fist salute from afar, his wrinkled face beaming with laughter.
"Oh dear, Brother Lu, what brings you here, sir?"
Third Master Li grabbed Lu Cheng's hand, acting all intimate, as if they were long-lost brothers.
"It's an honor to have you here! Please come in, come in!"
This Master Li is quite a character.
Ever since their encounter at Fengzeyuan and witnessing Lu Cheng's One-Eyed Tiger Suppression at Simin Martial Arts Club, he had completely admired Lu Cheng, and was even terrified of him to the core.
He now publicly claims that Lu Cheng is his "friend despite the age gap," but in reality, he treats Lu Cheng as a junior and is extremely respectful.
"You're too kind, Master Li."
Lu Cheng smiled and gestured for Lu Feng to hand over the pastries in his hand.
"Just passing by and stopped by. By the way—I have something I'd like to discuss with you, as a way of returning a favor."
"Of course, of course, please come in."
Master Li was a shrewd man. As soon as he heard this, he knew that Lu Cheng must have something important to discuss, and it was something good.
He quickly stepped aside and led Lu Cheng into the refined room in the back hall.
As soon as they entered the courtyard of the martial arts school, the hundred or so disciples who were practicing their boxing all stopped their movements.
Hundreds of eyes were fixed on the young figure walking through the middle.
In those eyes, there was curiosity, envy, and even more so—reverence.
"This is Master Lu?"
"So young—he looks like a scholar, without a single muscle bulge."
"You don't know anything. This is called returning to simplicity. Do you see the aura on him?"
"What's wrong?"
"So elegant!"
"I heard from the storytellers that this Master Lu is the reincarnation of the Martial Star from heaven, and he is protected by a true dragon. Even foreign guns can't penetrate him, and bullets have to bend when they see him."
Lu Cheng had a keen sense of hearing, and he heard every word of these superstitious discussions.
He didn't explain, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
True dragon purple aura.
Although this thing is invisible and intangible, it can indeed change a person's aura.
Even when he's not angry, his mere presence exudes an aura of authority that commands respect and prevents anyone from acting recklessly.
Once inside the inner hall, all other people withdrew.
Tea is served; it's the finest Tieguanyin, its aroma wafting through the air.
"Brother Lu, what brings you here today? Is there anything I can do for you?" Third Master Li asked cautiously, only sitting on the edge of the chair.
Lu Cheng took a sip of tea and did not answer directly. Instead, he focused his gaze on Zhao Shanhe, who was standing behind Master Li.
Zhao Shanhe, the senior disciple of the Iron Fist Gym, is also Master Li's most prized successor.
At this moment, he was bowing his head, his hands hanging down, seemingly respectful, but his slightly trembling fingers and tense cheeks betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
Zhao Shanhe was suffering.
He had been through the rough and tumble of the streets since childhood. After joining a martial arts school, he trained relentlessly through the coldest and hottest winters and summers, truly risking his life for his fists.
In the southern part of the city, he was considered a leader among the younger generation, at the peak of Ming Jin, just one step away from the Inner Three Harmonies.
But it was this one kick that kept him stuck for a whole year.
A year!
Throughout the year, he stared at the ancestral "Iron Lion Guarding the Gate" painting until his eyes almost went blind, but he still couldn't grasp its meaning.
In his eyes, the lion was dead, stupid, and could never come back to life.
And what about Lu Cheng in front of us?
She was a few years younger than him and came from a theatrical background.
As a result, not only did he master it, but he could also dodge bullets and even subdue the ferocious tiger of the Simin Martial Arts Club with a single glance!
"Comparing people is a recipe for disaster; comparing goods is a recipe for disaster."
Zhao Shanhe's heart was in turmoil, a complex mix of frustration, despair, and yet an inability to concede defeat.
He felt like a toad at the bottom of a well, looking up at a dragon soaring through the sky.
"Master Li, your disciple has a solid foundation."
Lu Cheng put down his teacup and offered a brief compliment.
This praise pulled Zhao Shanhe back from his self-pity.
He looked up abruptly and met Lu Cheng's eyes, which seemed to see right through people.
"Are you almost at the threshold of mutual understanding?" Lu Cheng pointed out incisively.
Upon hearing this, Master Li was initially delighted, but then he let out a long sigh, his face full of bitterness.
"Brother Lu, you truly have discerning eyes; nothing can escape your notice."
"Shanhe is a talented child, and he's willing to work hard. But this intention..."
Third Master Li shook his head and gave Zhao Shanhe a disappointed look.
"It's too difficult."
"He has been contemplating the ancestral 'Iron Lion Guarding the Gate' painting at our Iron Fist Gym for three years."
"But this child is ambitious and has a fiery temper."
"He always felt that the iron lion was too stupid, too inflexible, only good at guarding the gate, lacking any fighting spirit. Its nature clashed with his plans; how could they possibly be compatible?"
"If you can't break through this barrier, you'll only ever be a bodyguard, never a martial arts master."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shanhe lowered his head in shame, clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh.
This is his heartache, and also his obsession.
Lu Cheng nodded slightly.
He understands that feeling all too well.
If it weren't for his system and the [White Tiger Carrying Corpse Diagram], he would probably still be wandering outside the door right now.
"Master Li."
Lu Cheng looked at Master Li with a sincere tone.
"Thanks to your introduction last time, I had the opportunity to see the White Tiger painting and break through this barrier. I will always remember this favor."
Third Master Li waved his hands repeatedly, almost standing up in fright: "Oh dear, that was your own good fortune, Brother Lu. I was just the guide, how could I dare to take credit for it—"
"One thing at a time."
Lu Cheng interrupted him, turning his gaze back to Zhao Shanhe.
"I don't like being in debt."
"Since we've run into each other, it must be fate."
"Zhao Shanhe, you have a fiery temper, that's a good thing. A martial artist without guts is just a watchdog. But too much rigidity leads to breakage. Your problem isn't that you're not ruthless enough, but that you don't know how to restrain yourself."
Lu Cheng stood up, walked to the desk, and rolled up his sleeves.
"Do you have pen and ink?"
"Yes, yes! The best Huizhou ink, and the Xuan paper is aged!" Although Master Li didn't know what Lu Cheng was going to do, he quickly told people to prepare.
Zhao Shanhe was also stunned, staring blankly at Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng stood in front of the desk, closed his eyes, and pondered for a moment.
The entire back room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.
The image of the white tiger carrying a corpse resurfaced in Lu Cheng's mind. However, he did not copy the image of that ferocious white tiger.
That thing was too malevolent; Zhao Shanhe couldn't suppress it. If he saw it, he would definitely go mad and become possessed.
What he wanted to draw was his improved version, which incorporated his own ideas of "moderation and harmony, and the combination of strength and gentleness"—the White Tiger!
"call----"
Lu Cheng suddenly opened his eyes.
In that instant, Zhao Shanhe felt his heart leap, as if he saw a bolt of lightning flash across the room.
Lu Cheng picked up his brush and dipped it in thick ink.
Without any hesitation, the brush moved swiftly and powerfully.
Brush brush!
Ink splashes on the rice paper, each stroke like a knife cut and an axe chisel, yet carrying the charm of flowing clouds and water.
He didn't paint the snow-capped mountains, the corpses, or the swirling snow.
He only drew one tiger.
A tiger was descending the mountain. Although it was powerful and had sharp claws and teeth, its eyes revealed a sense of composure, like a king surveying his territory, exuding authority without anger—a benevolent tiger!
This painting skill is quite impressive.
If Lu Cheng hadn't been an art student preparing for the college entrance exam in his previous life, and hadn't practiced painting for several years, he probably would have made a fool of himself in public today.
Even though his painting skills weren't top-notch, when he put pen to paper, there wasn't a trace of brute force in his wrist; as the brush tip moved, it flowed with divine intent.
That was the profound understanding of the "inner three harmonies" of Xingyi Quan, which was broken down and melted into the ink.
The essence of boxing is incorporated into the painting; every stroke contains both strength and gentleness. The moment the ink touches the paper, it subtly reveals the profound power of the opening and closing of the fist.
"Hoichi"
The moment the last stroke was made, revealing those tiger eyes.
Li Sanye and Zhao Shanhe had a strange feeling, as if they had faintly heard a tiger's roar.
It wasn't the kind of roar that made people tremble with fear and want to run away.
Instead, it was a loud, righteous, and exhilarating roar that cleansed the soul!
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