Chapter 217: Chen Family Boxing

Though Chen Tianxing’s admiration for Lin Xiao grew even deeper, he didn’t show it on his face.

He smiled and said, “There’s nothing much to do. Usually, I handle the teaching at the Martial Arts Hall myself. However, your visit is timely. My father told me yesterday that if you came, I should bring you to see him.”

“Old Master Chen?”

Lin Xiao was a bit puzzled. He didn’t know why the old master wanted to see him. Despite his curiosity, Lin Xiao didn’t ask further and followed Chen Tianxing to a room.

“Father, Lin Xiao is here,” Chen Tianxing called out loudly at the door.

“Alright, I’ll be out shortly,” came the old master’s voice from inside the room.

Soon, the door opened, and Old Master Chen walked out.

“Old Master Chen,” Lin Xiao greeted him.

“Yes, Lin Xiao, you’re here,” Old Master Chen nodded at Lin Xiao, then looked at Chen Tianxing and said, “You can go now. I have something to discuss with Lin Xiao.”

“Okay,” Chen Tianxing nodded and left.

After Chen Tianxing left until he was out of sight, Old Master Chen turned to Lin Xiao and said, “Lin Xiao, follow me.”

He then turned and headed toward the martial arts hall.

Lin Xiao’s curiosity deepened, but he knew there must be a reason for the old master’s actions. He would soon know the answer, so he didn’t ask any questions and silently followed behind him.

The two walked into the martial arts hall one after the other.

The words “Understand the Mind and See the Nature,” prominently displayed at the front of the hall, once again came into Lin Xiao’s view.

Old Master Chen stopped, and despite having walked only a short distance, he was already panting, his voice filled with fatigue, “Lin Xiao, do you know why I brought you to the martial arts hall?”

Lin Xiao shook his head.

Old Master Chen looked around the entire martial arts hall, a nostalgic expression on his face.

“When I was young, I used to practice here every day. The setup here hasn’t changed at all since then. But after I’ve suffered from a qi deviation, I rarely come here anymore because I can no longer train. Coming here only brings me sadness.”

Lin Xiao listened quietly, not interrupting.

Old Master Chen slowly rolled up his sleeves and suddenly asked, “Lin Xiao, why do you practice martial arts?”

Lin Xiao was taken aback by the question. After a moment of reflection, he replied, “To become stronger.”

“And why do you want to become stronger?”

Lin Xiao lowered his eyes, pondering deeply. To be honest, he had never thought about this question before.

Why did he want to become stronger?

After several seconds, Lin Xiao slowly spoke, “I desire power. With power, I can protect those I want to protect and do the things I want to do.”

“Very good. I can see that you are exceptionally talented in martial arts. If not, you wouldn’t have achieved Dark Force at such a young age. Perhaps even more.”

At this point, a gleam flashed in Old Master Chen’s aged eyes, and his voice grew softer, trailing off.

“Lin Xiao, are you interested in the Chen-style Fist?”

Lin Xiao’s body tensed, and he looked directly into Old Master Chen’s eyes.

Of course, he was interested in the Chen-style Fist. He knew his own strengths and weaknesses. His strength lay in his high level of cultivation. As a Flowing Force master, he could easily overpower most martial artists.

But his weakness was also apparent. He didn’t know many techniques. If he encountered a martial artist of the same level, he would be at a disadvantage.

Although Lin Xiao was diligently working to improve in this area, his exposure to the martial arts world had been too short.

Moreover, without a teacher, no matter how astute he was, he could only grasp the surface by observing techniques. The true essence could only be mastered through direct transmission and personal instruction.

The Chen-style Fist, though not an exceptionally formidable art, had been passed down for over a century and naturally had its unique qualities. Learning it would allow him to integrate its strengths and improve his overall abilities significantly.

When Old Master Chen asked this question, Lin Xiao had already guessed that the reason for bringing him to the martial arts hall was to teach him the Chen-style Fist.

Though Lin Xiao didn’t know why the old master suddenly decided to do this, he didn’t hesitate and promptly nodded.

Old Master Chen greatly appreciated Lin Xiao’s straightforward and candid attitude, though he felt a tinge of melancholy and sentimentality.

If it weren’t for Lin Xiao rescuing Chen’s Martial Arts Hall from a dire situation, the old master wouldn’t have entertained the idea of teaching him the Chen-style Fist. The school had no successors, and Chen Lingxin, though talented, was still young.

The Chen family had always had strict values, being clear about gratitude and grudges. Since Lin Xiao had done the Chen family a great favor, how could they not repay him?

The old master also noticed that while Lin Xiao had profound skills, he lacked in technique. Therefore, he decided to offer the Chen family’s only valuable asset that could benefit Lin Xiao—the Chen Family’s martial technique.

In Jinghai City, the Chen-style Fist was widely known, and Chen’s Martial Arts Hall also taught it, but these were just the basics. The true teachings of the Chen-style Fist were only passed down to Chen Tianxing and Chen Lingxin.

Even his own grandson, Chen Tianli, had not received the true teachings of the Chen-style Fist.

The Chen ancestor who had inscribed “Understand the Mind and See the Nature,” had been a grandmaster of boxing. Throughout his life, he had only practiced boxing. After reaching the Dark Force level, he passed on all his insights into boxing to his descendants, naming it the Chen-style Fist.

However, despite the profound depth of the Chen-style Fist, no descendant of the Chen family had ever reached the Dark Force again. Unable to further glorify the Chen Martial Arts Hall, it gradually declined over the generations and faded into obscurity.

“Since you are interested, I will teach you the Chen-style Fist,” Old Master Chen said with a slight smile.

Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment. “Old Master, do I need to formally become your disciple?”

“No need. I know you value your freedom and dislike being constrained. Just consider this a gift from an elder to a younger generation. Don’t worry too much about it,” Old Master Chen waved his hand dismissively. “Moreover, you not only saved my life but also rescued our school. If teaching you a martial art required you to become my disciple, how would we ever repay your kindness?”

Lin Xiao responded solemnly, “Rest assured, Old Master. I will never pass on the Chen-style Fist to anyone else.”

“Alright, let’s begin.”

Old Master Chen spread his legs slightly and extended his arms, lifting his internal energy. His previously dull eyes suddenly sparkled with sharpness.

“The Chen-style Fist is fierce and explosive, characterized by hard strikes and direct attacks. Our ancestor synthesized the essence of various martial arts to create it. Each move has a different technique for generating force. With my current strength, I can only demonstrate it once. Lin Xiao, watch carefully.”

With that, Old Master Chen lifted his left foot, brought it down, and stomped hard on the floor while simultaneously punching forward.

Old and weakened, Old Master Chen’s punch lacked power, yet Lin Xiao watched with unwavering focus, not blinking once.

Next, Old Master Chen demonstrated the entire Chen-style Fist from start to finish in front of Lin Xiao.

As he practiced, Old Master Chen explained the intricacies and key points of the Chen-style Fist to Lin Xiao.

“The most important aspects of the Chen-style Fist are to move the waist like a snake and the feet like drills…”

After completing the entire routine, Old Master Chen was utterly exhausted, his body swaying as if he might collapse. Lin Xiao swiftly caught him by the arm.

“Do you remember everything?”

“Yes, I remember.”