abnabooks Chapter 35 Ruifuxiang's "Extravagance"
Chapter 35 Ruifuxiang's "Extravagance"
Lu Feng wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and strode out.
"Hit me."
Lu Cheng threw down the stick, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Hit me however you want, with all your might."
Lu Feng was stunned for a moment, then his eyes hardened.
Having been in the human market for so long, he never followed any rules in fighting; all he cared about was ruthlessness. He would gouge people's eyes, groin, and bite them—he would stop at nothing.
"Sir, be careful!"
Lu Feng suddenly leaped forward, crashing into Lu Cheng like a cannonball. He had somehow grabbed a handful of snow and started throwing it at Lu Cheng's face, then kicked Lu Cheng in the stomach.
It's lowbrow, but practical.
Shunzi, watching from the side, was gasping in shock; this kid was too cunning.
Lu Cheng didn't even blink.
Just as Lu Feng's kick was about to land.
He moved.
An extremely simple chopping punch.
They came later but arrived first.
His palm didn't actually strike Lu Feng; instead, it stopped abruptly three inches above Lu Feng's shoulder.
But that kind of "energy" just couldn't be contained.
"collapse!"
A blast of air slammed into Lu Feng's shoulder.
Lu Feng felt a numbness on one side of his body, as if he had been crushed by a thousand-pound weight. With a thud, he knelt down on one knee in the snow.
The snow that was scattered was blown away by the strong wind generated by the palm strike before it even touched Lu Cheng's face.
"That's called momentum."
Lu Cheng looked down at Lu Feng, whose face was filled with shock.
"Whether it's fighting or killing, you must first overwhelm your opponent with your presence."
"The essence of the Pi Quan (劈拳) technique is to cultivate this 'momentum' that can split mountains and shatter rocks."
"Be ruthless, be upright, and exert full force."
"That kick you just delivered, though it was insidious, was also effective."
"If you encounter a master, your little tricks are just suicide."
Lu Feng knelt on the ground, panting heavily, half of his arm still numb.
But there was no frustration in his eyes, only fervor.
too strong.
This is kung fu!
You don't even need to touch anyone; the wind alone can crush a person!
"stand up."
Lu Cheng helped him up.
"This chopping fist is not only for hitting people, but also for nourishing them."
"One chop, one drill, the lung qi opens and closes."
"If you train well, your lung capacity will double, and you'll have a brighter voice when singing opera and longer stamina when fighting."
The next hour.
The backyard was filled with the sounds of "humphs" and "hahs".
Lu Cheng taught him step by step.
"Shunzi, slump down, do you want to be a shrimp?"
"Little Bean, stretch out your arms, they're limp, haven't you eaten?"
"Lu Feng, slow down! Who told you to hit so fast? I need power, not speed!"
Lu Cheng held a ruler, and anyone who made a mistake would be struck with it.
Strict teachers produce outstanding students.
Although the children complained constantly, their movements were becoming more and more precise.
Especially Lu Feng.
This kid is extremely quick to learn. Although his movements are still a bit stiff, he's already showing some promise in his "chopping" technique.
Lu Cheng saw this and nodded to himself.
The future of the Qingyun Troupe looks promising.
……
By the time we finished our morning practice, the sun was already high in the sky.
The children were exhausted, as if they had been pulled out of the water, but their spirits were surprisingly high.
That's because there's something to look forward to.
"Pack your things and change into clean clothes."
Lu Cheng glanced at the sky. "No practice today."
"Huh? Not practicing anymore?"
Shunzi was taken aback. "Brother Cheng, what are we going to do?"
"The Chinese New Year is almost here."
Lu Cheng patted the dust off his clothes.
"I'll take you to Dashilan to buy fabric and make new clothes!"
"real?!"
Little Bean jumped for joy, "I have new clothes to wear?!"
These days, for children from poor families, life is like "new for three years, old for three years, and patched up for another three years."
Being able to wear a garment without patches feels like celebrating the New Year.
Not to mention buying a new one in an upscale area like Dashilan.
……
Dashilan, Ruifuxiang.
That is the top of the Eight Great Shops, with a black plaque with gold lettering at the entrance, exuding the weight of a century-old shop.
Those coming and going were all respectable people dressed in long gowns and mandarin jackets, riding in rickshaws.
Lu Cheng led five teenagers and swaggered in.
Although the children were still wearing old cotton-padded jackets, they all stood up straight, displaying the spirit and energy cultivated through martial arts training.
In addition, the waiter was quick to notice the gleaming "Speedy" rickshaw parked at the entrance and didn't dare to neglect it.
"Hey, sir, please come in."
The shop assistant, all smiles, asked, "What kind of fabrics are you looking at? We just arrived some foreign satin, and also silks from Suzhou and Hangzhou..."
"I don't look at silk."
Lu Cheng waved his hand.
"Make two sets of clothes for each of these children."
"A training uniform, made of the finest black cotton fabric, sturdy and breathable."
"A cotton robe for the New Year, made of blue satin, stuffed with new cotton, with rabbit fur rolled around the collar and cuffs."
Hey!
The waiter gasped.
Black cotton cloth is one thing, but blue satin with rabbit fur—that's the kind of equipment a young master would wear!
These five children make ten sets!
"Sir, this price isn't cheap..." the waiter said tentatively.
"Are you afraid I won't pay?"
Lu Cheng casually pulled out a silver note from his pocket; it was a fifty-dollar note that could be exchanged anywhere, and gently patted it on the counter.
Is that enough?
"Enough! That's more than enough!"
The waiter's eyes widened, and he bent over even lower.
"Sir, you're so generous! Quickly, take the measurements of these young masters!"
Shunzi and the others stood in front of the huge dressing mirror, looking at their own reflection—a reflection that was both rustic and spirited—their limbs stiffened as the waiter measured them with a soft ruler.
Lu Feng pursed his lips, looking at the silver note on the counter.
Fifty dollars.
That was the money he couldn't earn even if he sold himself a hundred times in the human market.
Now, all we're doing is making him two sets of clothes.
"Master..."
Lu Feng walked over to Lu Cheng and whispered.
"I won't make anything with fur, it's too expensive and doesn't last long. Just give me a sturdy set of cloth clothes."
Lu Cheng was examining the materials when he heard this, so he turned around and flicked him on the forehead.
"collapse!"
"Just wear it because I told you to."
"You are my apprentice. When you are out in the world, you represent the face of the Qingyun Troupe."
"Dressed like a beggar, that's a slap in my face."
"We'll see."
Lu Cheng lowered his voice and pointed to a piece of floral fabric next to him.
"Make one for your sister too, how about this pink one? It looks festive."
As Lu Feng looked at the pink satin with its floral pattern, he pictured his sister wearing it.
That little face, which had been tense the whole time, finally broke into a smile.
He was laughing like a fool.
"Okay, I'll do as you say, sir."
Just then, a commotion arose at the door.
"Make way! Make way! A good dog doesn't block the way!"
Several young men dressed in black training uniforms with yellow belts around their waists pushed and shoved their way in.
These guys still had that gangster vibe they hadn't completely shaken off. Although they were wearing martial arts school uniforms, their eyes were darting around and they didn't stand properly. They looked like thugs who had just been recruited from the streets.
These are the newest batch of outer disciples accepted by the "Iron Fist School".
Iron Hand Li, the owner of the Iron Fist Gym, is currently riding high. He has taken on a martial arts prodigy as his personal disciple, who is said to have been the "boss" of this gang of thugs.
These people only got into the martial arts school by following the crowd, and they're used to being arrogant and domineering.
As soon as I entered, I saw Lu Cheng and his group.
"Oh, isn't this... Master Lu, the opera troupe leader?"
The leader, a square-faced young man who used to work for Lei Laohu, now carried a short stick on his waist and made a sarcastic remark.
He looked Lu Cheng up and down, then glanced at the children who were being measured.
"What? You brought a bunch of little monkeys to make costumes?"
"Tsk tsk, even trimmed with rabbit fur? Actors are always trying to be funny; even in a dragon robe, he doesn't look like a prince."
Upon hearing this, Shunzi and Xiaodouzi's faces instantly turned red, and their fists clenched tightly.
Lu Feng's eyes turned cold, and he crouched down slightly, assuming a posture as if he were about to pounce and bite someone.
That's a wolf's instinct.
Lu Cheng didn't even turn his head.
He was still holding that pink piece of fabric in his hand, gesturing with it under the light.
"This material is good, buddy, wrap it up."
This kind of ignoring is even more painful than retaliating with insults.