Chapter 4: On The Verge Of A Great Enemy
Dad Chen Hanliang saw Chen Wujun practicing Standing Meditation for no reason and didn’t mind.
After all, he was just a kid; he’d definitely be excited for a few days after just starting at the Martial Arts School.
After some time, once the excitement wore off, it would start to get tough.
Dad didn’t care how well he learned Martial Arts Practice; as long as the Second Son learned Dentistry from him, he would never worry about food and drink in the future.
The Third Son studied well, so he could go work as a white-collar worker outside later.
As for the Eldest Son… Thinking of the Eldest Son, Chen Hanliang sighed in his heart.
……
Over the next few days, Chen Wujun went to the Martial Arts School every morning, and at noon he went to the shop to help out.
When idle, Chen Wujun practiced Standing Meditation in the shop, even feeling that the shoes on his feet were in the way, so he simply kicked them off, with his toes gripping the ground tightly.
Chen Hanliang told him several times to put his shoes back on, but he didn’t listen.
Not only did he practice in the shop, he also practiced at home in the evening.
Even when walking, every step he took had his toes gripping the ground tightly.
Chen Wujun knew very well in his heart that to Make a Name for Oneself, he had to master what the Martial Arts School taught.
At first, his legs felt like they were going to tear apart every day, but after a few days, the pain gradually disappeared, and he became more and more adept at Standing Meditation.
That afternoon, someone came to the shop to order a pair of Dentures. With no other work, Chen Hanliang dozed off in the shop.
He didn’t know how much time passed when suddenly he felt like his whole body was being pricked by needles; he jolted awake and looked around.
Then he saw the Second Son standing barefoot on the ground, his toes like iron hooks firmly gripping the ground, his Hip in a virtual sit, slightly rising and falling, upper body leaning forward, as if sitting on an invisible warhorse.
His whole body was tensed to the extreme, his Body like a Spring ready to pop out at any moment, all his body hair standing on end, like a wild beast with fur bristled, carrying a ferocious Aura.
Chen Hanliang had been startled awake by this Aura; even as an ordinary person, he could feel the ferocity ready to pounce at any moment.
Seeing the Second Son like this startled Chen Hanliang, and then his heart sank—had the Second Son gone mad from practicing?
At this moment, Chen Wujun’s eyes were fixed straight ahead; his Body suddenly trembled violently, and like an arrow off the string, he lunged forward fiercely, thrusting out an extremely sharp elbow, before jolting awake with a gasp.
Then sweat immediately poured from his forehead and body, drenched head to toe as if just pulled from water.
“Second Son!” Chen Hanliang stood up from the Chair.
“I did it! Dad, I did it!” Chen Wujun ignored his fatigue and the sweat on his body; his eyes were bright with excitement.
Just now, it was as if he was facing an invisible enemy, triggering a stress response to danger; his entire attention was at its peak, everything around him extremely clear, even hearing the sound of blood flowing in his own body.
Then soon after, he couldn’t control his Body anymore, as if he had to lunge out to Combat the enemy.
That’s why there was that forward lunge and elbow smash.
After doing that Movement, sweat surged out all over his body, cooling it down.
Chen Hanliang looked at Chen Wujun’s excited expression, thinking of his posture just now and that beast-like ferocity; he opened his mouth, then swallowed back “Wipe off the sweat, don’t catch a cold,” his face full of complexity.
That evening on the way home, Chen Wujun was still full of excitement.
The family dinner that night was very sumptuous.
“Bro!” A boy somewhat resembling Chen Wujun ran out from the Parents’ Room.
“Younger Brother!”
Seeing his Younger Brother Chen Wuqi, Chen Wujun showed a genuine smile from the heart.
“On vacation?”
“Yeah, finally on vacation!”
“How’s school? Did anyone bully you? Tell me if someone bullies you!”
After dinner in the evening, he virtually sat on the Sofa watching Television; it looked like he was sitting on the Sofa, but his butt was two centimeters away from it—neither the Parents nor his Younger Brother noticed.
“At nine o’clock this morning, a brutal murder occurred in Sham Shui Po…”
The evening Police News always reported where vicious cases occurred, where Robbery happened, where there were Gang conflicts.
Chen Wujun loved watching this; he felt he could learn a lot.
Especially when some Robbery criminals were caught on site; from the news, he could know how they were caught and why.
Then he put himself in their place, thinking about what he would do to avoid being caught.
His dad Chen Hanliang often told him that it didn’t matter if he wasn’t good at studying; after leaving school, he still needed to learn more and think more.
He remembered those words.
After watching Television, Chen Wujun returned to the Room, glanced at the female celebrity Poster on the wall, then climbed onto his own bed.
After all, he was a teenager who had just finished middle school; he would have some fantasies about young, beautiful female celebrities.
This Room was shared with his big brother; when big brother didn’t come home, it was his.
The Third Son Chen Wuqi usually stayed at the boarding school; when home, he stayed in the same Room as the Parents.
……
Early the next morning, Chen Wujun went to the Martial Arts School and began Standing Meditation.
While standing, he recalled the feeling from yesterday’s Standing Meditation.
Senior Brother Li watched the few disciples in the Martial Arts School from not far away; when he entered the Martial Arts School, there weren’t many disciples.
The rich all went to practice New Technique, the poor wouldn’t practice Martial Arts at all.
Even occasional sign-ups, out of ten students, not one could persist.
So he didn’t pay much attention to this current batch; in a few months, maybe none would remain.
Senior Brother Li watched everyone doing Standing Meditation; his gaze swept over Chen Wujun, nodding slightly in his heart.
This latest student was very diligent, Progress lightning fast; Movements corrected once wouldn’t be repeated.
Estimated two weeks and he’d master Charge Stance, about the same as himself.
Next, it depended on whether he could persist.
His gaze had just turned to Lin Zetao when Senior Brother Li seemed to sense something and sharply turned back.
He saw Chen Wujun’s toes gripping the ground like steel bars, Body rising and falling, whole body hair standing on end, as if On the Verge of a Great Enemy.
His Body even more taut like a drawn bow, ready to shoot at any moment.
“This… this!” Senior Brother Li’s eyes bulged.
“Fuck his old mother, what the hell!”
He had thought Chen Wujun could master Charge Stance in half a month—meaning stand for half an hour without fatigue or wobbling, Body like a rock.
But this kid now… this was Standing Meditation to “On the Verge of a Great Enemy”!
He himself had taken a year of practice to reach this level.
But this latest student—how long had it been? Fully counting, just one week!
It was fucking ghostly!
If not knowing this student’s background as the son of Dentistry Boss Chen Hanliang with zero Foundation, he’d think someone was messing with him.
While Senior Brother Li’s heart surged like stormy waves, eyes bulging in disbelief, others also noticed the Aura emanating from Chen Wujun.
Several students practicing Golden Rooster Stance, including Lin Zetao, couldn’t help stopping their Movements; even the distant sparring students stopped.
“Senior Brother Li, what’s he…” Lin Zetao came over to ask.
“Your Classmate really never practiced before?” Senior Brother Li stiffly turned his Neck to ask.
“Probably not!” Lin Zetao wasn’t sure.
“We really picked up a ghost!” Senior Brother Li turned his Neck back, eyes fixed on Chen Wujun.
After a full ten minutes, Chen Wujun could no longer maintain that state; his Body shot forward like an arrow off the string, with a simultaneous Knee Strike—no, elbow thrust.
Then massive sweat instantly poured from his whole body, as if just pulled from water.
Chen Wujun stood there panting heavily, gaze turning to Senior Brother Li; in that On the Verge of a Great Enemy state just now, everything around was extremely clear, including Senior Brother Li’s words.
Joy showed at the corners of Chen Wujun’s eyes and brows as he awaited Senior Brother Li’s praise.
Teenagers all liked hearing praise from others.
Senior Brother Li circled him several times, looking him up and down while clucking his tongue.
“You really never practiced before?”
“No!” Chen Wujun said.
“You’re 16 this year? Going to high school next month?”
“Not planning to; not the studying type!” Chen Wujun felt a bit proud inside, face showing honest obedience.
“Good, since not the studying type, Martial Arts Practice is a path too!” Senior Brother Li nodded deeply.
Then he changed tone: “Just now, did you feel your Body couldn’t stay taut and had to release? Then every sweat gland opened, and once the sweat flowed, you felt drained?”
“Yes, Senior Brother Li, what’s going on?”
“Because in normal Combat, you only enter this On the Verge of a Great Enemy state in the instant before fighting; you can’t sustain it, and your stamina can’t support it.”
“So in Combat, maintain just on the verge of entering that state, but not quite in it.”
“Otherwise, you collapse before even making a move.”
“When exiting that state, the Body releases massive sweat to cool down; after sweating that much, you’re bound to feel weak. Like soaking in a hot bath too long, sweating all over, and feeling drained when you get out.”
Senior Brother Li explained in detail.
“In a bit, I’ll teach you a Breathing method; use it in Standing Meditation to stay just on the verge of On the Verge of a Great Enemy, but not entering it.”
Before, Senior Brother Li hadn’t cared about these Martial Arts School disciples; he figured they’d be gone in months.
But now looking at Chen Wujun was completely different.
His Standing Meditation Progress was too fast; just one week to “On the Verge of a Great Enemy”—terrifying.
He almost wanted to drag Chen Wujun to see Master right now.
But he suppressed the urge, planning to teach Chen Wujun other things first, see if he progressed that fast too.
“Starting today, besides continuing Charge Stance daily, also practice Golden Rooster Stance like them.”
In one week Chen Wujun had grasped the intent of Charge Stance; he wanted to see how long for the “kill” intent of Golden Rooster Stance.
Senior Brother Li’s gaze swept over the others; Lin Zetao and the students hurried back to Standing Meditation.
Only then did Senior Brother Li say to Chen Wujun: “Charge Stance is the Foundation, gives your feet roots to move mountains. But to hit people, you need other techniques.”
Facing Chen Wujun, he suddenly sank his stance, right leg firmly rooted to the ground, left Knee Strike raised past the waist; his whole body instantly in an extremely precarious yet stable posture, like a fully drawn strongbow, with the kneecap as the arrow ready to launch.
“This is Golden Rooster Stance: your knee is the hammer! Your calf is the shield! This raised leg is the King of Hell’s summons!”
Chen Wujun rested a moment, imitating Senior Brother Li: single foot gripping the ground, other leg raised past the knee, hands guarding in front.
His stance wobbled slightly.
Chen Wujun’s Thoughts were all on stabilizing his stance.
Senior Brother Li lightly kicked his ankle; Chen Wujun fell to the ground.
“Where’s your strength? Old tree rooting? Two legs steady, one leg not?” Senior Brother Li scolded.
Chen Wujun gritted his teeth and got up, one foot’s toes gripping tightly to the ground’s bluestone, other leg raised.
“Imagine an enemy in front of you; one Knee Strike smashes his internals to pulp!” Senior Brother Li shouted.
