Chapter 147: Wudang Tai Chi

It was another busy morning, yet the backyard of the Gourmet Street Police Station remained exceptionally serene. This was not because it was empty; rather, a neat formation of about twenty police officers stood at attention on the small parade ground.

Standing on the steps, Zhu Zhicheng swept his gaze across the assembled group and began his lecture: "Officers, through this recent period of physical conditioning, your stamina and fitness have improved significantly. You are the elite of the police force. Once you complete your studies, you will become the very first batch of trainees from this program. Like seeds, you will be scattered across every suburban county, every police station, and every branch in Huangjiang, all the way down to the grassroots level where you will sprout and blossom. You will make our city's police force even more formidable and cohesive, projecting a brand-new image in the hearts of our citizens."

Zhu Zhicheng paused briefly before continuing: "Today, we will commence our first formal martial arts training session. Perhaps most of you have only encountered martial arts in wuxia novels, but our nation truly possesses authentic martial arts—techniques and forms designed to defeat opponents. Now, I have the honor of introducing our martial arts instructor, Police Superintendent Liu Yunfei."

Catching sight of that familiar face, the two young female officers exchanged joyful, knowing glances. Ever since they had been transferred away from that post, they hadn't seen this fellow. Although they had cheered along with everyone else at the station when they saw him win his lawsuit on television, both of them had secretly sighed in their hearts, wondering when the parallel lines of their lives might intersect with his once again.

They had never expected to encounter him so soon, and what was more, they would now be seeing him regularly. A rosy flush immediately bloomed on the young policewoman's delicate cheeks. Remembering the moment he saved her, and recalling how many people at the station had recognized her when that video was played in court, the voluptuous policewoman felt a sudden surge of internal conflict. Should she compete with her junior schoolmate for him? Was this young man sincere? Did he like her more, or did he prefer her junior?

It was quite obvious that Liu Yunfei had not yet noticed the two female officers. With a faint smile, he began to elaborate on the basic theories of their first lesson: "What we are going to learn is a form of internal martial art. This differs from the fist techniques we have studied in the past; our art originates from the Daoist tradition of Mount Wudang. Internal martial arts are so named in contrast to the external martial arts of the Shaolin Temple.

"Shaolin's external styles emphasize using sheer force to overcome ten techniques; with enough brute strength, one can completely overcome any combination of moves. Thus, Shaolin's Iron Sand Palm and Golden Bell Shield are classic representatives of Shaolin boxing.

"Legend has it that after studying at Shaolin, the true master Zhang Sanfeng of Mount Wudang had an epiphany. He conceived the idea of overcoming brute strength with finesse, utilizing various ingenious forms to neutralize an opponent's attacks, diverting their force into the boundless void, or even turning the enemy's own power back against them to inflict injury. This is what is known as 'defeating a thousand pounds with four ounces.'

"This style of boxing emphasizes avoiding the enemy's sharp edge while attacking their weak points: when the enemy moves, we remain still; when the enemy is still, we move. Right now, mere words may not be enough for you to fully understand. Is there anyone willing to step forward and assist with a demonstration?"

Liu Yunfei could be considered a celebrity in Huangjiang, and every officer knew him, but they only learned today that he possessed genuine martial arts skills. Seeing that Liu Yunfei was young and did not appear exceptionally imposing, and given that many of the officers below had undergone professional combat training, several felt their hands itching and wanted to step up to test their skills against him.

Observing the raised hands in the crowd, Liu Yunfei pointed to the tallest and most robust officer, motioning for him to step forward. Liu Yunfei also descended the steps to stand on the sandy ground to prevent any injuries. The two female police officers immediately began to worry. Why did he pick someone of roughly equal size? Why not choose a notorious giant or a hulking brute? If he lost, how humiliating would that first lesson be? And what if he got hurt? How heartbroken they would feel!

Even as they thought this, the demonstration had already begun. This "Big Black Bear" was renowned throughout the police force for his fighting prowess. Back in police academy, he had single-handedly taken on seven male students from the neighboring class, and he was an avid fitness enthusiast who had never let up on his workouts during his years on the job. Seeing that Liu Yunfei was two sizes smaller than him, he felt a slight sense of contempt. However, since the man was acting as an instructor, he must have a few tricks up his sleeve, so he threw a punch at Liu Yunfei using about fifty percent of his strength. He never bothered with feints; to him, a punch was a punch—if it missed, he would just throw another, and if he took a blow in return, it didn't matter at all.

Watching the big bear's fist hurtle toward him, Liu Yunfei offered a rapid commentary: "Notice that he is moving, so we must remain still. Remaining still does not mean just taking a beating; it means calmly observing where his weak points lie."

The two young policewomen shrieked internally, *Quick, dodge! What are you talking about now?*

Having finished speaking, Liu Yunfei swiftly raised his hand to grab the big bear's wrist, lifting it upward. "The so-called avoidance of the sharp edge means not meeting his fist head-on, but gently guiding it past."

Combined with Liu Yunfei's pull, the big bear's own forward momentum caused him to lunge ahead by inertia. Liu Yunfei sidestepped and, using his other hand, delivered swift, light taps to the big bear's armpit, lower abdomen, and chin, continuing his explanation: "At this moment, he cannot check his momentum, and his body is out of his own control—this is what we call stillness. While he is still, we must move. Look, all of these are vulnerable points; we can strike them fiercely to render the enemy combat-ineffective."

With that, Liu Yunfei drew a circle with his hand, diffusing the big bear's force and helping him regain his footing so he wouldn't make a fool of himself. The big bear felt himself being tossed to and fro by a single technique and was already slightly out of breath, whereas Liu Yunfei hadn't exerted any effort at all. A sense of respect began to grow in his heart, though feeling unsatisfied since he had only used half his strength, he couldn't help but charge in again with full power—only to meet the exact same result.

Convinced, the big bear readily admitted his defeat. Several other young officers stepped up after him, and Liu Yunfei took the opportunity to demonstrate that his boxing had no fixed patterns; the key was grasping the underlying principles and acting intuitively according to the actual situation.

Finally, a voluptuous female officer stepped forward, causing Liu Yunfei to pause for a moment. Having changed out of her traffic police uniform into regular civilian attire, this policewoman looked even more voluptuous. Having been out of the sun for days, her skin appeared much fairer.

"What are you staring at? Make your move," the voluptuous policewoman said with a hint of coyness.

Liu Yunfei looked at her face more closely. Although she wasn't an absolute beauty, her arched eyebrows and large eyes were pleasing to the mind and spirit, especially her slightly tender and delicate gaze, which was utterly alluring without being vulgar and seductive without being cheap. He smiled faintly. "Today's focus is defense. Fellow officer, launch your attack."

Seeing that the preceding male officers had all used punches, the voluptuous policewoman had made up her mind; she smiled faintly, raised her leg, and delivered a fierce kick.

*What a sexy leg!* Liu Yunfei felt a ripple in his heart. The last time he had observed her backside from inside the Porsche, he had noted she possessed a remarkably fine lower body. With other thoughts now occupying his mind, his reaction naturally slowed down. By the time he snapped back to reality, the shoe with its sharp black leather toe was already right in front of him, too late to dodge. Pushing, blocking, or striking none of them were appropriate; if the young policewoman lost her footing and fell, and after so many others had been handled without embarrassment, letting this lovely policewoman take a hard tumble was certainly not something a man of Liu Yunfei's caliber would do.

*Sigh, I have no choice but to catch her.*

Liu Yunfei shifted his body slightly to the side and opened his arms, letting the voluptuous policewoman's foot brush past his waist before extending an arm to clasp the back of her knee. With one leg trapped, her other foot lost its balance, and her body leaned heavily toward him. Liu Yunfei quickly stretched out the arm holding her thigh so that his hand naturally supported her voluptuous hip, applied a tiny bit of force to help her steady herself, and then released her.

While the onlookers perceived nothing amiss, the voluptuous policewoman herself knew very well that when Liu Yunfei steadied her, his hand had given her backside a firm pinch and squeeze. *This damned hooligan! He never lets slip an opportunity.* Making sure no one was paying attention, she glared at him with a pair of fierce rolling eyes.

Acting as if he hadn't noticed a thing, Liu Yunfei maintained his professional, business-like smile and asked, "Is there anyone else willing to come up and demonstrate?"

As he spoke, his eyes swept over the crowd. In truth, he was searching for that particular young policewoman, knowing that the two of them were inseparable companions. Catching Liu Yunfei's gaze, the young policewoman's large eyes narrowed, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a slight smile, almost causing Liu Yunfei to miss a beat. "If not, then we will—um, take a short break."

Liu Yunfei had originally intended to catch up with the two female officers about their parting feelings after the session ended, but a large crowd of officers suddenly swarmed around him.

"Little Liu, I never knew your martial arts were so impressive!"

"Police Superintendent Liu, my daughter is a huge fan of yours and keeps saying she wants to get your autograph."

"Are you seeing anyone? There's a wonderful girl living right next door to me; would you like me to introduce you two?"