Chapter 564: Half step break

After Ling Xiao had said that, two people came and took Xu Tingsheng’s phone away from the tabletop.

Xu Tingsheng would surely not be so silly as to resist.

Ling Xiao raised her wrist and checked her watch before saying, “Relax, it won’t take too long. Just drink tea for a bit more. If your friend gets injured, we have a doctor at home.”

Meanwhile, as if tacitly acknowledging Ling Xiao’s words or having finished checking his opponent out and knowing that his current methods were insufficient to take him down, the youth got in the mood. After receiving a direct punch of Zhong Wusheng’s and stably retreating a couple of steps...

Fists changing to palm, accumulated force extended from the centre line. Right palm in front, elbow bent, fingers tilted upward. Left hand behind, palm’s centre facing the inner right arm protectively.

This was the basic stance, set to receive any incoming blows.

“The heck...Ip Man?” Xu Tingsheng was stunned on seeing this scene which he had seen before in the movies, “Is this really happening?”

Not far away, that youth spoke for the first time, reporting his sect name, “Yong Chun.”

Xu Tingsheng clearly saw Zhong Wusheng who was facing him directly falter in astonishment for a moment.

The first Donnie Yen’s <> movie had only been released in 2008, and Wong Kar Wai’s <> had been released even later. Yuan Heping had also directed a <> in 1993, with Yang Ziqiong having starred in it...still, ‘Yong Chun’ had yet to completely shoot through the roof in popularity in the year 2006.

“I wonder if it’s really as incredible as they say...” Xu Tingsheng thought.

Zhong Wusheng might be thinking the same thing. Still, Xu Tingsheng found that his eyes were actually glowing as he was filled with excitement...he now took the initiative to launch a probing attack of his own...

The two exchanged blows once more.

Not knowing much about fighting, only having seen movies before, Xu Tingsheng could not tell all that much about what was going on...all he could vaguely tell was that the youth’s temperament seemed to have changed from ruthless to slick and in control.

While he was the one defending, just based on the agility of his palms along with his footwork, one actually felt like no attacks could go through. Zhong Wusheng was repeatedly repelled by his counterattacks that seemed totally relaxed. From the looks of it, he was doing much worse than before.

“It’s coming!"

As a moviegoer, like most others, Xu Tingsheng’s greatest impression of Yong Chun techniques was that tempestuous flurry of little, watertight punches. As soon as it was unleashed, while it would definitely seem girlish, that firecracker-like chain attack did possess a momentous air about it.

Just a moment ago, in order to avoid his opponent getting into close range, Zhong Wusheng who had rarely used kicks earlier had executed a snapping kick to the side.

In reaction to this, the youth lowered his left arm, blocking it even as he slid it down to exert force in a third direction. Zhong Wusheng’s centre of gravity was altered as he stumbled forward...

With that, the other party got into close range.

In the blink of an eye, that relentless flurry arrived.

It consisted of about a dozen punches.

Managing to parry fewer than half of them, Zhong Wusheng was continuously sent back in retreat till he ended up near the entrance.

The youth stepped back and resumed his stance. Zhong Wusheng wobbled and looked down, a trickle of blood appearing by the corner of his mouth.

“This technique damages the internals. How about we leave it at that?” Ling Xiao asked Xu Tingsheng.

“Enough, Junwen,” A somewhat triumphant-sounding voice resounded from upstairs too to restrain that young man who was stepping forward once more.

Xu Tingsheng hurriedly got up and went forward to support Zhong Wusheng as he asked, “How are you, Bro Zhong? Can you still walk? If so, let’s go home first for today.”Zhong Wusheng smiled tragically and patted Xu Tingsheng’s shoulder, saying, “You’ve forgotten what I said to you before. My greatest skill isn’t hitting people, but getting hit by people. I got this from a whole four years of getting hit. I’m okay...”

“I’ll try again,” Zhong Wusheng yelled, to Xu Tingsheng, his opponent, and those upstairs watching as well.

The fight was not over yet.

“Junwen, hold back a bit,” Ling Xiao said.

Zhong Wusheng said, “Don’t. I’m not forcing myself, but you definitely shouldn’t hold back in a bit. I coincidentally picked something up from somebody a few years back. I don’t know if it’s legit or not, I’ve never used it before. Since I have probably encountered orthodox Chinese martial arts today, I might as well test it out...I’m but a beginner at it, so I can’t hold back. So, please don’t hold back as well.”

The young man raised his palm, “Fortunate to witness it. I won’t hold back.”

While Zhong Wusheng’s words had attracted everyone’s attention, the resumed spar...really seemed no different at all from earlier.

Till once again, the youth saw an opening to use that flurry of fists and launched himself into it.

Having already suffered from it once, Zhong Wusheng did not evade, dodge or even block as he instead moved first his left leg and then his right leg forward. While it seemed only like normal walking, he only moved half a step as he forcibly contained the energy of that latter half step. Next, his body shook as he twisted his right fist and unleashed it from his chest area to his opponent’s midsection.

This punch was short, forceful and extraordinarily fast, feeling as if the momentum of that fist had been forcibly halted before all of it could be released.

Arrows grow weaker after having flown far from a bowstring. It is far more dangerous if a person gets hit at close range by a shot put than if they are struck during its downward trajectory...

The feeling Zhong Wusheng’s punch gave off was like when an arrow had only just been released from a bowstring, striking the enemy at its most violent, explosive moment.

And so the two exchanged punch for punch, striking each other’s chests.

Three loud thuds resounded as at that same instant, Zhong Wusheng ate two punches while his opponent ate one...he had already been injured earlier. Xu Tingsheng stood up at once with the intention of calling for a halt to the battle.

Yet, it was the other party who retreated.

The tip of his toes slid half a step back across the ground as that punch combo was naturally terminated.

Zhong Wusheng advanced alongside his retreat, but a mere half rather than a full step. He seemed to be woodenly repeating what he had done just earlier, apart from having switched from his right fist to his left.

Another punch.

The other party brought his palms together to parry the might of this punch. Yet, the momentum of Zhong Wusheng’s palm was like the eruption of a massive rock as his palms were pushed back to his chest, the mighty force penetrating straight through his palms and into his chest.

The youth emitted a muffled groan as he leaned forward as much as possible to prevent himself from falling. There was a jarring noise as his feet were pushed back across the paved ground...

Zhong Wusheng took another half step forward and sent forth his right fist.

Clenching his teeth, his opponent crossed his arms to parry the incoming punch...

“Fall! If you do receive it, you’ll be crippled...”

A voice resounded from upstairs. This battle had already drawn to a close.

Zhong Wusheng drew back his stance.

The youth named Junwen did not try to exert himself beyond his means as he made use of the collision between arms and fist to fall backwards, avoiding the brunt of the impact...just like the voice upstairs had said, he actually no longer dared to forcibly receive the full force of the blow this time.

Actually, Xu Tingsheng still did not truly understand what had transpired even now. In his eyes, Zhong Wusheng’s actions had clearly seemed much stiffer than his opponent’s. He had taken the force of many more blows too...

Whatever the case, though, the result was already clear: His opponent had fallen, but he was still standing.

Xu Tingsheng had not yet said anything, and Ling Xiao too had only just stood up when an aged figure rushed over from a path passing through the bamboo forest.

“Don’t move, Junwen,” This person who looked quite old streaked over, stopping the youth who had just been about to struggle to rise to his feet.

Hearing this, the youth dared not move as he lay there obediently.

Coming to his side, after a quick glance, the newcomer crouched down and consecutively beat on various spots around his body...

Spurt!

Finally, a mouthful of blood spurted out from the mouth of the youth named Junwen. Only then did the old man heave a sigh of relief, slowly supporting him to stand up.

“Half step break fist?” The old man asked.

Rubbing his chest, Zhong Wusheng smiled with a streak of blood at the edge of his mouth, “I guess so. Still, I’m actually not that sure...I just coincidentally happened to learn it someplace some years back. When I had nothing to do, I trained in it for a few years...relying fully on my brute strength. I hope I did not make a fool of myself.”

“Your brute strength? Do you know, you nearly crippled Junwen earlier,” The old man said with a severe look on his face.

“That serious?! Hey, how’d I know that?” Zhong Wusheng continued to smile as he said slowly, “I don’t even know the exact nature of my technique, so how would I know its intensity? Since senior has this discerning eye, why don’t you personally get over here and block a fist, letting me know its veracity?”

“...Huh!” Fearing the young’s might, the old man snorted coldly and ignored Zhong Wusheng’s words despite looking a bit furious.

Actually, Zhong Wusheng himself was actually teetering on the edge of collapse at this moment. So, this was him gambling, gambling that the other party would not dare to receive his fist in the arena.

He had gambled right.

An order came from upstairs, “Xiao’er, bring Little Xu up for a cup of tea.”