Chapter 12

"Brother Dong, with your great abilities, why are you still selling fruit?"

Wang Meng felt very puzzled when he heard that Tang Zhendong was selling fruit in a small alley next to the train station. In Wang Meng's mind, whether it was Tang Zhendong or the prison's Xu Shenshen, they were both people he could only look up to with reverence.

Tang Zhendong was so impressive in prison, smooth in all directions, and no one would doubt that he would surely rise to prominence after his release.

But the scene before him was that Tang Zhendong, who had been out of prison for a year, was actually doing worse than himself, which left Wang Meng utterly baffled.

Could it be that Xu Shenshen's reputation was undeserved, and the disciples he taught had lost their own wisdom?

"Hehe, Mengzi, after being in there for so many years, don't you feel that society has changed from when we went in?"

Wang Meng touched his nearly bald head, "It has changed a bit. Before we went in, everyone fought with knives, but now it seems to have escalated to guns. But the fights are still about the same; if you fall, you have to go to the hospital, and if you bleed too much, you'll die."

"Hahaha," Tang Zhendong laughed heartily at Wang Meng's words.

"Brother Dong, are you free at noon or in the evening? Let's chat over drinks."

"In the evening."

"Great!" Wang Meng got Tang Zhendong's phone number.

Tang Zhendong then bought a few more types of fruit and rode his bike back to his rented apartment. After parking the bike, he took off his jacket and started running lightly.

Daily morning exercise was a good habit that Tang Zhendong had developed in prison. As he ran, he adjusted his breathing, gradually slowing down from a fast pace. At his fastest, Tang Zhendong almost became a blur. Of course, this was mainly due to the dim light of dawn.

When the sky was fully bright, the strong sunlight would dispel any illusions.

Tang Zhendong usually exercised at the small square in Happy Town, practicing the Guigu Fist taught by his master. The Guigu Fist emphasizes intention over force, typical of internal martial arts. Corresponding to the Guigu Fist is the Guigu Internal Skill, both of which are closely guarded secrets of the Guigu School, passed down only to direct descendants.

However, the Guigu Fist that the old Xu taught Tang Zhendong was not complete. Due to the Guigu School's tradition of not passing on its skills to non-direct descendants, many techniques were lost over the long history. The current Guigu Internal Skill is only a part of the original.

Today, the small square was a bit lively. Usually, only a few elderly people practiced Tai Chi here, but today a master had come. As soon as Tang Zhendong saw him, he knew this person was a master.

He was practicing Xingyi Fist, moving like the wind, with quick and decisive actions. Each punch, even in the air, produced a crisp sound as it broke through the air.

Faced with such a master, Tang Zhendong couldn't help but feel an urge to test his skills.

The man practicing the fist seemed to be in his forties or fifties, but from his agile movements, he could easily pass for his thirties.

After finishing his routine, he stood as straight as a pine tree.

Truly, as the saying goes: stand like a pine, move like the wind.

"Great!" Tang Zhendong clapped enthusiastically and called out loudly.

The man practicing the fist looked much older than Tang Zhendong, with a head of gray hair mixed with stubborn black strands. Despite his age, it was hard to tell how many white hairs he had, so Tang Zhendong initially thought he wasn't that old. But upon closer inspection, the man was likely over sixty, just not showing his age.

"Young man, how about a few rounds?" The man, seeing Tang Zhendong's enthusiastic applause, could tell he was also a martial artist.

"Sure!"

Tang Zhendong didn't hesitate. With a master in front of him, he wouldn't miss the chance to learn.

Tang Zhendong had always been in excellent physical condition, with remarkable strength, agility, and endurance. Later, with the meticulous guidance of Old Xu, the exclusive Guigu Internal Skill, and his fearless fighting spirit, Tang Zhendong was confident in his abilities, even though he hadn't fought anyone since his release.

Today was no exception.

Tang Zhendong faced the old man and threw a punch straight at his face, reducing the force by half. Although the old man was skilled, if he couldn't dodge the punch, it could result in a fatal accident, and he would end up back in prison after being out for less than a year.

As Tang Zhendong's punch came, the old man's figure flashed, brushing past Tang Zhendong's arm, and a cannon punch sent him flying three meters away, off the ground.

When Tang Zhendong landed, he felt his chest as if it had caved in, making him short of breath. Fortunately, his strong bones and six years of pure Guigu Internal Skill protected him from injury.

Tang Zhendong quickly got up, now taking the old man seriously. This time, he was much more cautious, circling the old man slowly without making a move.

But the old man stood as firm as a mountain, immovable, not even glancing at him.

After circling for a while, Tang Zhendong moved to the old man's right side and suddenly advanced, aiming a punch at his right ribs. In prison, Tang Zhendong had learned to fight with ferocity, as there was no room for mercy in a fight. Without that ferocity, one might as well be a pushover.

Before Tang Zhendong's punch reached the old man, the old man, without turning, suddenly half-turned and delivered a diagonal punch.

This was a劈拳 (pi quan) from the Xingyi Five Elements Fist, using the rotational force to strike Tang Zhendong's shoulder, pinning him to the spot.

The劈拳 (pi quan) pinned Tang Zhendong like a large axe, nailing a wedge in place.

Tang Zhendong stood still for three seconds before he could move again, the force of the pin slowly dissipating. Although he was incredulous, he had to focus.

Tang Zhendong was never one to give up easily. Otherwise, he wouldn't have become the leader in prison, nor would he have maintained his composure after the seven-day Cadillac incident.

"Again!" Tang Zhendong attacked again, but this time he used only a third of his strength, reserving more for adapting to the old man's movements.

Indeed, Tang Zhendong's restraint made the old man more cautious. The first time, Tang Zhendong used half his strength but was overconfident, allowing the old man to hit him and send him flying. The second time, Tang Zhendong, seeing the old man's strength, didn't hold back, but this resulted in more force and less adaptability.

Tang Zhendong, being extremely intelligent, quickly identified his weakness from the two encounters. For the third punch, he used very little force, reserving most of it for adaptability.

The old man's崩拳 (beng quan), fast as an arrow, hit Tang Zhendong, but this time, it only made him retreat five or six steps.

The old man laughed heartily, "You are a promising young man!" Mobile users, please visit http://m.piaotia.net

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