Chapter 87: Muscles And Bones Resounding In Harmony
Zhou Qing was originally an unremarkable old man, looking like he was in his 50s, or maybe his 60s, with jet-black hair and smooth skin, and a height of only about 1.75 meters.
However, at this moment, his height directly expanded to over two meters, like a little giant, with muscles bulging high all over his body.
His appearance also became younger, looking like he was only in his 30s, and even his facial features completely changed, like an angry-eyed Vajra.
Chen Wujun felt a pressure coming head-on, and he was even more astonished in his heart.
Zhou Qing clapped his palms together, immediately producing a sound like hammering iron.
Looking down at Chen Wujun, he said in a deep voice: “This is the manifestation when Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield is mastered, mobilizing the vital energy throughout the body.”
“Even if a knife or gun scrapes across it, it would only leave a white mark.”
With his words, Zhou Qing’s body gradually returned to its original state.
“Put your hand on mine, and I’ll let you feel it.”
Chen Wujun placed his hand on the back of Zhou Qing’s hand, only feeling that Zhou Qing’s hand back was extremely smooth, without even a single hair.
As for his own listening to strength, he couldn’t detect anything at all.
He could only sense the pounding heartbeat in Zhou Qing’s body like drumbeats, and the sound of blood flowing like river water slapping against the banks, a sound that could be described as overwhelmingly majestic.
Where did this old man come from… Harris probably couldn’t withstand even one punch from Zhou Qing and would be smashed flat into a pancake.
Zhou Qing suddenly inhaled sharply, like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.
Then Chen Wujun heard a rumbling sound, like thunder rolling in from the horizon.
“What sound is that?” Chen Wujun was shocked in his heart, only feeling that Zhou Qing’s muscles and joints all over his body were trembling rhythmically, and Zhou Qing’s blood flow was becoming even more massive; previously it was like rivers flowing, now it was like great rivers and streams constantly crashing against the banks.
The trembling of Zhou Qing’s joints and muscles inside his body even transmitted through his palm into Chen Wujun’s body, making his own joints tremble along with it.
And as the blood circulated, Zhou Qing’s entire body swelled up, his skin tightening and becoming hard like a piece of steel.
Then a roar issued from Zhou Qing’s throat, shaking Chen Wujun’s brain with a buzzing sound, making it impossible for his vital energy to rise.
It took a long time for Chen Wujun to recover.
Zhou Qing stood to the side, already back to his original state.
“Do you understand?”
“I understand a bit…” Chen Wujun thought for a moment and said.
The rumbling thunder sound just now was the sound of Zhou Qing circulating his vital energy inside his body, with tendons and bones resonating together.
And Zhou Qing had also let him feel that kind of vibration.
“Master said before that gathering qi in the dantian involves the diaphragm sinking and abdominal muscles tightening, creating huge pressure in the abdominal cavity… The sound of Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield is similar: inhale, rapidly press down the diaphragm to vibrate, driving the joints and blood and flesh throughout the body to move together…”
Chen Wujun suddenly thought of a description:
“It’s somewhat like burping…”
Hearing Chen Wujun’s whimsical description, Zhou Qing immediately showed a bit of amusement.
Others only knew the majestic roar of the tiger, but didn’t know that its power originated from such an everyday matter.
“However, Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield requires controlling this vibration to drive the whole body!” Chen Wujun continued, pondering as he spoke.
“Ask me if there’s anything you don’t understand!” Zhou Qing smiled and said, knowing that Chen Wujun had almost figured it all out.
What is comprehension?
This is it.
As long as he demonstrated it to him once, he could understand the mysteries through what he had learned before.
Thinking again of Li Yaozu left at the martial arts school, it was simply worlds apart.
Of course, his expectations for each disciple were different.
He took Li Yaozu as a disciple because this disciple was honest and steady, able to pass down some kung fu.
Just to ensure that some kung fu wouldn’t end with him.
“As for the medicinal bath recipe, go get it from your senior brother later.” After Zhou Qing finished speaking, he left.
Since Chen Wujun had figured it out, there was no need for him to stay any longer.
After Zhou Qing left, Chen Wujun kept trying to press down the diaphragm with inhalation to make the diaphragm vibrate like a drum surface.
In just an afternoon, merely two hours, Chen Wujun felt his diaphragm along with his tendons and bones throughout his body start to oscillate, then his chest hurt, and a bloody taste rushed up from his throat.
Chen Wujun coughed, looking at the blood threads he coughed up, somewhat surprised in his heart:
“This kung fu really needs to be taught hand-in-hand; even knowing the principle, if you don’t practice it right, your internal organs will be damaged, turning yourself into a case of five strains and seven injuries.”
“The internal organs are not like other parts of the body; they are very fragile.”
“No wonder Master didn’t teach me last time… This kung fu is best practiced after qi refining.”
“After qi refining, you can activate and control micro-currents in the body to stimulate the internal organs to strengthen, so even if you get some injuries, it’s not a big deal. But now, even though I’ve practiced to the upper level of body tempering, my internal organs still aren’t much stronger than an ordinary person’s.”
Chen Wujun suddenly understood in his heart.
“Good thing I felt the kind of vibration Master transmitted; I just need to spend some time figuring it out.”
“Master said before that it needs to be practiced during being struck and medicinal baths; this medicinal bath probably not only strengthens tendons and bones, but also has the effect of warming and recovering the internal organs.”
“It should be practiced first in the medicinal bath, and once you’re familiar with it, then practice when applying external force.”
After figuring it out, Chen Wujun stopped forcing it and first stood in stance for a while, soon discovering that with the current internal organ damage, continuing to practice Tiger Descends Mountain would worsen the injury.
So he simply put on his clothes and went to the martial arts school to get the recipe from his senior brother.
Arriving at the martial arts school and pushing the door open, he saw Shufen sitting in the corner with a book, a pen in her mouth.
Seeing Chen Wujun come in, Shufen said obediently:
“Brother Jun.”
It was from when Chen Wujun had brought Ah Fei and the others to practice listening to strength before; she had learned it from Ah Fei and them.
“Where’s my senior brother?” Chen Wujun asked.
“He left half an hour ago; he probably won’t be back tonight,” Shufen said.
“Got it, close the door properly.” Chen Wujun nodded; since his senior brother wasn’t there, he’d come back tomorrow.
This matter wouldn’t make a difference for one night.
Returning to A Yue’s place, A Yue was bored watching television, and seeing Chen Wujun, she was immediately a bit delighted.
“Why so early today?”
“I’ll buy you a few outfits in a bit.” Chen Wujun looked at A Yue in her cheap pajamas and said.
Last time he had thought he should buy A Yue some clothes, otherwise she always went out in cheap clothes, and people would think he couldn’t afford them.
Also, his own clothes were getting a bit small, sleeves too short; it was time to buy a few.
Hearing this, A Yue immediately showed some anticipation and said excitedly: “Great!”
Then she went to the cabinet to find her best skirt.
Chen Wujun called Curry on the telephone and had him arrange for a henchman to drive over to pick them up.
Moments later, the two went downstairs and left the walled city, then saw the henchman opening the car door.
“Brother Jun, Sister A Yue.”
“Where to?”
“Yiyicheng.” Chen Wujun said after getting in the car; this was one of the best malls in Guan Fu Field, he had heard from Sha Jiu.
“This car is so fancy!” After getting in the car, A Yue acted like a country bumpkin; this car’s space was also much larger than other cars.
“Fancy, right!” Chen Wujun laughed.
“Brother Jun, is this your car?”
“Otherwise, you think it’s borrowed?” Chen Wujun smiled.
“How much does this car cost?” A Yue asked curiously.
“Just know it’s very expensive.” Chen Wujun didn’t say the price, crossing his legs with some satisfaction as he looked at the pedestrians outside the car window.
He felt like he finally had a bit of a boss vibe.
Moments later, Chen Wujun and A Yue entered a mall to buy clothes, with the henchman following behind carrying things.
A Yue’s clothes were cheap and carried a faint walled city smell, but Chen Wujun’s physique made anyone able to talk to him calmly and politely.
After two hours, Chen Wujun bought A Yue several similar outfits, costing nearly ten thousand bucks, but his own clothes were hard to pick.
He was now 175 cm tall, but with a thick back and long arms; even 185 shirts felt small.
After going around a big circle, he bought a few pairs of pants and shirts, and also two casual suits, one blue plaid, one red…
Chen Wujun originally didn’t like red clothes much, but A Yue thought this one suited him well, making him look young and vibrant, high-spirited yet not frivolous.
Trying it on, it actually looked pretty good.
“Looks like I’ll need to get custom clothes in the future.” Chen Wujun muttered as he walked out.
A Yue was happily hugging Chen Wujun’s arm, her face beaming with smiles.
Ever since smuggling to East District 9, she had plunged headfirst into the walled city and hardly ever left; the farthest place was the hot pot restaurant Chen Wujun had taken her to.
This was the first time she felt the prosperity of North Port.
After eating outside and returning home, A Yue joyfully jumped onto Chen Wujun, letting out “giggle” laughter.
She was easily satisfied; the things bought today and the prosperity experienced could make her happy for days.
……
“Senior Brother, Master told me to get the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield medicinal recipe.” The next day, Chen Wujun found Senior Brother Li.
“I’ve already prepared it for you; go to Anji Hall to get it—their medicines are of better quality.” Senior Brother Li took a twice-folded recipe from his clothes pocket and gave it to Chen Wujun.
Chen Wujun opened it and saw at the top that it said medicinal bath three times a week.
Then the first ingredient in the recipe was magnetic field crystal.
After reading through all the herbs on it, Chen Wujun muttered: “No tiger bone? I thought there would be tiger bone. Isn’t this cinnamon a spice? And it wants 50-year-old wild cinnamon?”
“Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield relies entirely on a fierce and yang vital energy; cinnamon is the fire-starting medicine primer. Without cinnamon, the recipe’s effect would drop by thirty percent.” Senior Brother Li said casually.
“Be careful; if it feels wrong, don’t force it.” Senior Brother Li cautioned.
“This kind of kung fu that uses sound vibrations to make tendons and bones resonate together—if not practiced well, it will damage yourself.”
“I got it.” Chen Wujun nodded, went to get the medicine, and had someone buy a wooden bucket for soaking.
……
In the evening, Chen Wujun sank into the medicinal bath, and soon felt a fiery hot qi squeezing into his body.
Knowing this was the effect of the medicinal bath, Chen Wujun focused his mind and spirit, prepared for a long time, then began inhaling and pressing down the diaphragm to make it vibrate and trigger the tendons, bones, and vital energy to resonate.
His body kept emitting buzzing sounds, and the water surface in the wooden bucket was also vibrating continuously.
Half an hour later, Chen Wujun came out of the wooden bucket pale-faced, with a bloody taste still in his mouth.
However, there was no frustration on his face; instead, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Although he hadn’t succeeded this time and was injured again, he felt like he had touched upon it a little.
