Under the fist

Chapter 46 The Death of a Martial Artist, the Junior Protector of the State

……

"What do you want?"

Lian Youming walked ahead of the crowd in the long corridor.

The woman laughed and said, "Of course, it's the old medicine that prolongs life... and those treasures."

The flickering firelight illuminated the carvings on the stone walls and the strange inscriptions on the stone tablets.

Lian Youming was intrigued. Now that he had been captured, he was calm and strolled around without a trace of tension on his face. "Which of you hasn't been through the wringer? Are you afraid of death?"

A burly man with a thick beard, dressed in a blue People's uniform, sneered: "Are you really that clueless, kid, or are you just pretending? Didn't Li Da tell you about the death of a warrior?"

Lian Youming shook his head and said, "I have no master."

The elegantly dressed noblewoman chuckled, "Very well, I find you pleasing to the eye, so I'll enlighten you. In the eyes of a martial artist, the human body is a shackle, and all actions are nothing more than turning clumsiness into skill, breaking free of those shackles. When ordinary people get old, their hands and feet naturally become stiff and clumsy, all because their energy is depleted and their vital essence dissipates. To a certain extent, practicing martial arts is about preserving this vital essence, or even strengthening it and rejuvenating oneself."

The woman crossed her arms, and although she was wearing short boots, her steps were silent and light.

"Rejuvenation is never about age, but about the accumulation of vital energy. A person's vital energy is at its peak when they are young and strong. What martial artists do is to further enhance and extend this energy. As long as you extend it to sixty or seventy years old, you can also rejuvenate."

At this point, the woman countered, "We martial artists, with each breath we take, our blood vessels surge, our body heat intensifies, and our flesh feels like a furnace. Do you think this is a good or bad thing?"

Lian Youming walked unhurriedly, pondered for a moment, and then answered irrelevantly, "That's why we need to strengthen our muscles and bones, and temper our internal organs with our inner energy, so that we can bear such a burden?"

The woman praised, "That's alright, but ultimately a bit simplistic. It's not about endurance, but about coordination. The stronger one's essence and energy, the brighter the furnace fire, but the physical body is a cage and shackles, like a furnace. Too much fire harms the body, but the fire cannot be extinguished. An ordinary person with vigorous essence and energy might fall seriously ill, but what about a martial artist? He needs divine assistance. The size of the fire in the furnace depends entirely on the divine will, whether it's stirring, suppressing, or flowing smoothly. Essence, energy, and spirit blend together seamlessly, inseparable."

Lian Youming seemed to be deep in thought, "So having too much vital energy isn't good either?"

The woman sighed, “It’s not that it’s bad. Practicing martial arts, in the end, is about mastering self-control. But people get old. You can replenish your vital energy from the outside, but how can you strengthen your spirit? Once your body is old and your spirit is weak, and your heart is like dead ashes, the fire in the furnace will get out of control. At that time, your vital energy will rush out and dissipate like a raging fire. That is the death of a martial artist and the calamity of losing his skills.”

Someone else chimed in, "You must have heard of Du Xinwu, right? He was a top-tier master, yet he still died from the dissipation of his power. Before he died, his body shrank to the size of a monkey because all the bones in his body were crushed by the outward-flowing essence. Once the essence is lost, the muscles shrink inward, as if a pair of invisible hands were about to crush you."

Lian Youming's eyes flickered. "So, if I always maintain a high level of energy, will I avoid this calamity?"

"It's easier said than done," the woman sighed repeatedly. "Old age and declining spirit don't mean that your spirit will age along with your body. Rather, it's the myriad changes in this world, the birth, aging, sickness, death, and all kinds of suffering, that are like swords that wound the spirit and sever the will. When you grow up and grow old, when your loved ones leave, your lover passes away, and your friends die, can you remain unmoved? If you have even a single thought, and you can't guard your mind, you might face death."

The burly, bearded man also became interested and interjected, "Kid, don't even mention martial artists. Even ordinary people can die from grief when faced with separation or death. Some fall seriously ill, some turn white-haired overnight—all results of their vital energy escaping and dissipating. A martial artist's vital energy is even more potent. Once it surges outward, it's like a river bursting its banks, instantly draining a person's life force...tsk tsk tsk..."

At this point, everyone felt a deep fear and apprehension about the "death of the warrior."

Lian Youming was somewhat skeptical; this was all too far-fetched.

"Did you see it with your own eyes? Or did you experience it firsthand?"

The group fell silent again.

"No, we've only heard about it. Only top masters who have preserved their peak energy to a certain age will encounter the tribulation of dissipated power. Although we are all skilled, we are still some distance from those top masters."

Lian Youming rolled his eyes. They all spoke with such certainty and conviction, but it turned out they had only heard rumors all along.

He suddenly thought of the old man guarding the mountain, and the strange scene when he first met him last autumn, when the old man exhaled gray breath and his body collapsed rapidly.

Could that be a sign of "dissipating one's power"?

"Then why are you still robbing?"

The woman sneered, "Li Dana used that old medicine to save someone. How can we let him have his way? Besides, that stuff might be useless to ordinary people, but it's a priceless treasure to top experts. What do you know?"

Lian Youming's mind stirred slightly. "You all seem quite afraid of Li Da?"

The bearded man sneered, "If you were from the White Lotus Sect, would you be afraid of him? That's the 'Young Guardian of the Nation.' When we practice martial arts, we first strengthen our muscles and bones. That kid observes before he practices. Before he was ten, he followed an extraordinary master and traveled all over the north. The older ones would find people to fight, and the younger ones would watch from the sidelines, observing all kinds of fighting styles from various schools."

Lian Youming clicked his tongue in amazement, "So amazing."

A group of people walked and talked as they went.

After wandering around for about ten or twenty minutes, they passed through a wide-open stone gate, and their view suddenly opened up before them.

Then a huge natural cave came into view, with countless wooden crates piled up or scattered around, as well as a lot of equipment and supplies of the Kwantung Army, such as canned food, military uniforms, and helmets, piled up haphazardly like a small mountain.

Seeing the stunned crowd behind him, Lian Youming swept his foot, and a box fell to the ground and shattered with a "crash," revealing sealed silver coins and some gold and silver bars. Below, there were even many antique paintings and calligraphy, as well as some old books, sealed in wooden boxes.

Lian Youming glanced at it casually, and his eyelids twitched wildly. He saw the ancient characters "Yongle Encyclopedia" written on a moldy book.

There seemed to be traces of a fierce battle around them, with fist marks and footprints, but it seemed to have happened a long time ago. Cobwebs were tangled and dust was thick. As soon as you entered, dust filled the air.

Moreover, there were many skeletons lying around these wooden boxes. In addition to some Japanese soldiers, there were also several figures dressed in Manchu uniforms and some wearing long, tight-fitting clothes. It looked exactly like the style of the Republic of China era.

Just as everyone arrived, a number of people rushed out of another tunnel in the underground cave.

Lian Youming glanced inside and saw that the two from the Xingyi School were also there, clearly indicating that they were from various martial arts factions.

The two sides immediately faced off in a stalemate, with tensions running high and a murderous intent brewing.

Lian Youming shouted, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and take it!"

With his shout, a group of people quickly walked towards the boxes. Having come all the way to Baoshan, how could they leave empty-handed?

Lian Youming wasn't pretending; he genuinely wanted to take it. Large items were difficult to move, and gold was too heavy, so he could only steal glances left and right while rummaging through the piles of antiques. He needed money for training and nourishing his body, and he needed money for getting married and having children. If he were to marry a gluttonous wife, he could afford to support her even if his family's wealth dwindled in the future.

Then, he crouched down and slipped towards the door.

"Bye bye!"

But suddenly several figures blocked his way. It was the same wealthy woman who smiled and said, "Boy, don't bother with your tricks. Just turn around and behave. Don't make us beat you. We'll pull down your pants and spank your ass."

But just as Lian Youming stood up, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he walked straight past the group, shouting, "Li Da!" "What a commotion! Li Da... Li Da!!!"

The woman looked at Lian Youming with some disdain, thinking it was just another of his tricks. But when she turned around, she saw a tall, slender figure slowly walking towards her from the tunnel. Her expression immediately changed, and her voice became shrill.

Li Da walked with his hands behind his back, saying in a light tone, "Let him go, and you can take any two things from here. I can pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"You got that thing?" the woman asked, her voice filled with suspicion, before a cold laugh broke out. "That saves us the trouble of looking for you."

Li Da seemed to have just been through a fierce battle; his clothes were slightly dirty and his face was bloodied, but his expression remained unchanged, still innocent and carefree. He didn't even bother to lift his hands as he walked slowly.

"kill!"

As soon as the battle cries rang out, several White Lotus Sect masters moved with lightning speed, leaping and bounding across walls, unleashing a barrage of deadly moves.

Lian Youming's playful smile gradually disappeared, and his pupils instantly shrank to the size of beans as he stared blankly at Li Da, filled with disbelief.

At this moment, he finally witnessed what a true master was.

Facing the relentless onslaught, Li Da deftly maneuvered, his feet darting left and right, leaping and bounding as if he had eyes all over his body. He walked through the relentless barrage of attacks, dodging several people, avoiding countless punches, and evading layers of kicks. Finally, amidst gasps of astonishment from everyone, he stood before the woman.

There was dead silence.

"Have you perhaps already reached that level?"

The woman looked unwell and had a dry mouth and throat.

Li Da said gently, "We're still far from there... Let's retreat first. There are strange things hidden in this fortress, and the map is inaccurate. Going any deeper might be extremely dangerous."

Lian Youming couldn't help but ask, "Is the map wrong?"

Li sighed, "Only the map of the Kwantung Army's underground fortress shows a path deep inside, as if a large tomb is hidden there."

Upon hearing this, Lian Youming immediately thought of the other leather map in the jade box, which also depicted Changbai Mountain. Could it be a map of the tomb?

So that's how it is. This underground fortress is actually connected to a large tomb. No wonder it's so difficult to traverse.

He was curious, "Did you get the item?"

Li laughed loudly, "You want one too?"

Lian Youming shook his head, "If you don't get it, then I've been bait for nothing."

Li Da smiled slightly, "It's alright. I guess some beings in the tomb don't want me to go any deeper. It just took some effort... Let's go, let's get out of here first."

Upon hearing that he could leave, Lian Youming's face first showed a hint of joy, followed by a trace of doubt.

Li Da lured these White Lotus Cult members out, going through so much trouble. Shouldn't there have been a major confrontation? And they just left like that?
And there are also these masters from various schools and sects...

In an instant, Lian Youming quickly reviewed everything that had happened before in his mind.

He suddenly remembered hearing someone outside mention a certain name while he was in the cabin.

Deputy leader.

Lian Youming raised his eyebrows, following Li Da as they walked out, glancing at the demons of the White Lotus Sect.

Moreover, following the air flowing through the tunnel, he could faintly smell a fishy odor, just like the one he had smelled outside.

Lian Youming peeked out from the source of the foul wind and saw a cold-faced woman dressed in black walking alongside two Xingyi Sect masters.

The art of herding beasts?

He had also thought about this thing and asked some elderly people in the village. The methods he came up with were nothing more than three: sound stimulation, raising it from a young age, or using scent to guide it.

There was this fishy smell when that tiger appeared outside...

Just as his thoughts were racing, Li Da suddenly said softly, "You go first."

Lian Youming's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and he immediately understood what was about to happen. He changed his pace and quickly walked forward.

Just as Li Da spoke and Lian Youming quickened his pace, the Xingyi Sect master, whose body moved as nimbly as a monkey, suddenly laughed strangely: "I told you we couldn't hide it from this person. A sneak attack is really outdated... But you're really too arrogant, daring to lure us out all by yourself. Zhenguo Shaobao, do you think you're Sun Lutang? Want to find out the identity of our Vice Sect Leader? Keep dreaming."

They were all indeed spies of the White Lotus Sect.

Lian Youming, who was in front, suddenly turned around and shouted, "It's that woman in black!"

Li laughed and said, "I know, you'd better run far away."

Lian Youming knew he couldn't be of much help and that staying would only cause trouble, so he planned to stab someone in the back.

But before he could even draw his pistol, he had just reached the corner of a passage and caught his breath when he was suddenly assaulted by a stench and a foul wind. A colossal creature was strutting towards him, its fangs bared and saliva mixed with blood dripping from its mouth, the thick stench of blood almost making him nauseous.

The heavy footsteps seemed to pound on Lian Youming's heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

What came into view was a magnificent tiger with a gaping maw.

"Roar!"

……

Hearing the tiger's roar from the other end of the tunnel, the woman in black stepped out from the crowd. Her face was beautiful yet cold, her eyes filled with murderous intent. She said icily, "That brat has been poisoned with beast-attracting medicine. He's doomed... I am Gu Yutong, the vice leader of the White Lotus Sect. I'll take you in!"

Li Da finally put his hands down at his sides. "The path of the martial world is not easy to walk. It is full of twists and turns and unpredictable events. Even a fierce tiger is not as evil as the human heart. He has to get through it on his own... However, whether he lives or dies is still unknown. You are definitely in some danger."

The moment the words were spoken, a murderous intent suddenly arose within that small space.

(End of this chapter)