Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Chapter 119: Inner Sight!

Chapter 119: Inner Sight!

Four years ago, Tang Zichen had actually been in the Tianxing district. In there, she had faced off against Yang Yingming and the two mercenaries codenamed Evil Wolf and Violent Bear.The three of them stood on top of the secret service world, but in the end, they had all been killed by her. However, due to the arrangements on their parts, their organizations had received some information even after their death.

Although they had been situated within China, the Americans weren’t capable of infiltrating it completely. At the very best, they were able to scan the surface, but that was all they could do. Tang Zichen and Wang Chao had lived together for two years, the traces from that would no doubt be trackable.

For a yankee to die there, many inquiries would most certainly be made, whether it be over or under the table.

“This man has been in Singapore?”

Several of the higher ranking police officers had managed to understand what Smith was getting at.

One of the police officers took the photo and began to scrutinize it. As he looked, not a single emotion had been betrayed in his face. The only thing he had done was to slowly put down the photograph, “But, Mr. Smith. Last week, this woman truly did come into Singapore with an official of the European summit, Mr. Thomas. However, their entry was done through the legal channels. This other person has quite the identity then. In accordance with the wishes of Interpol, what should we do then?”

“Investigate the Chenshi Corporation pronto. Seal off the airports, arrest that Chinese youth, and then hand him over to me!” Smith commanded.

This American who went by the name of Smith was a member of Interpol on the outside and oversaw the crimes that would happen in Singapore. But he was like Cao Yi and held a secret identity. In secret, he was a liaison officer for the US Central Intelligence Agency stationed within Singapore.

When it came to Smith’s secret identity, several police officers in Singapore weren’t idiots. They had all but confirmed it, but when it came to his public identity, no one dared try to expose him.

“These Americans have always been so unbridled. China, the European Union, and America have fought over Africa for profit, but something like this is quite chaotic, and is not worth us getting involved in. Your fights with terrorism has nothing to do with us. However, the Americans wouldn’t openly violate the law, instead, they will drag things on. Let’s see what they shall do. We will be motionless, and we will watch what they will do next.”

Several of the police officers had shared similar thoughts. “Seeing this information, that girl is not only a high profile terrorist, but she is also connected to the European Union in too many ways to count. If we were to cause trouble with her, then Singapore may very likely come across a terrorist attack. If we aren’t subtle enough, then we may become a victim of terrorism like you Americans. Investigating the Chenshi Corporation this time will be very difficult. Not only is Chen Aiyang a high ranking military instructor for our police department, he holds a rank higher than ours. If we wish to investigate him, then wouldn’t that be the same as depriving ourselves of our own apple to eat?”

“Mr. Smith, when it comes to investigating the Chenshi Corporation, we will have to ask the higher-ups for permission first. Sealing off the airports seems like an unnecessary move as well. We are able to keep a close watch over them, but wouldn’t it be better for Interpol to have us aid you in your attempts to search and arrest him in either airport or piers?”

Mr. Smith’s eyes narrowed together as he listened. His hand slapped against the table violently as he gave a malicious glare at the surrounding police officers. Wanting nothing more to curse them, the American manage to hold in his anger and spat, “Then we shall.”

Walking out from the police department, Smith spat out a single glob of saliva from his mouth before fishing out his cell phone. Dialing in a number, he spoke, “Headquarters? I need reinforcements to deal with that Chinese kid, Wang Chao. He has some potential worth to him. As long as we are able to arrest and interrogate him, we will be able to find some startling secrets!”

Oblivious to the fact that America had their eyes on him, Wang Chao and Zhu Jia were both on the flight prepared by Chen Bin. First, they would fly towards Vietnam. And from there, they would fly to Hong Kong and back to Qingdao, Shandong.

Chen Aiyang and Chen Bin were well deserving of being drug traffickers with their connections in Vietnam. Throughout the commercial flight through the territories, Wang Chao and Zhu Jia hadn’t come across any unexpected mishaps and were able to peacefully and quietly return to Shandong.

This trip to Singapore had only taken up a single week, but Wang Chao felt as if he had benefitted greatly from the trip.

Chen Aiyang’s “Flying Horse Treading on Sparrow”, the mystical display of skill, softness and hardness aiding each other, death hidden within ferocity, and powerful beyond all else.

Wang Chao had originally been very extensive with his training. After training for so long, his legs had been capable of breaking out with soft Hidden Jin. He was finally capable of taking eight steps up a wall, almost similar to the way martial artists in Wuxia films were capable of “flying”.

The “Flying Horse Treading on Sparrow” was the horse stance followed by the sparrow stance. Similar to how a sparrow streaming across water and a goshawk overturning, when the two stances were combined and Chen Aiyang’s killing move was perfected, it would be the same as Wang Chao perfecting the goshawk stance.

Of the 12 stances, Wang Chao was now proficient with the dragon, tiger, snake, eagle, monkey, sparrow, and goshawk stances. Each one of these 8 stances could be said to learnt to a master level by Wang Chao. Each strike from each action could break out with the sounds of thunder and the gusts of wind.

Of the remaining four stances, the bear, chicken, crocodile, and phoenix, he was familiar with. As long as he carefully trained in it and comprehended the spirit and form within the stances, mastery would come sooner or later.

In truth, his skill with martial arts had already led him to a stage where his muscles and bones moved as one, the sounds of thunder could be heard, the interior and exterior parts of his body could work together, and the sounds of thunder had permeated his inner organs.

His entire body could break out with Hidden Jin with ease and harm aside from his face and genitals.

In a professional way of saying, those two sports were Wang Chao’s “Achilles’ Heel”.

If he was able to perfect these two spots and bring the Hidden Jin all over his body, then his pores would become extremely sensitive down to the finest detail. In an instant, he would enter the echelons where those on the pinnacle stood at.

If his Hidden Jin were to reach his face, it wasn’t a simple matter as being able to endure a bone-crunching fist to the face.

But vision! Hearing! Smell! Every sense would be strengthened.

Hidden Jin to the face meant the mouth, eyes, ears, and nose; the four organs would be refined and tempered.

At that point, it would require a single movement, a single sound, or the faintest smell of an enemy for them to be detected. With a single thought and breaking out of Jin, one would be able to dodge any attack that comes their way and then kill their enemy.

For a person who reached the Transforming Jin to strengthen his vision, hearing, and smell; being able to dodge two or three bullets from any normal gun wouldn’t be anything too difficult.

Back when Cheng Tinghua’s nephew, Cheng Yougong and Li Shuwen’s disciple, Huo Diange exchanged their teachings. The Bajiquan sect and Baguazhang sect had fused together and produced many outstanding disciples. Cheng Shanming was undoubtedly one of those outstanding individuals.

Bajiquan was extremely fierce, and Baguazhang was tricky in its movements. One discipline was hard, the other was soft; one steady, the other slippery. When combined together, they brought out the best in each other.

Cheng Shanming’s “Hengha” sounds to refine the marrow and temper the muscles originated from Bajiquan. With a single blade made from a hand, it could be as hard as a mountain cleaving axe, or as soft as a rattan stripe of silk.

His technique, the “Dragging Blade Jin” was a perfect amalgamation of the two.

When Wang Chao and Cheng Shanming fought, Wang Chao may have been able to release a fist that was one with the universe and take the upper hand beautifully, when Cheng Shanming brought out his killing move, both sides had lost their momentum.

‘

That day, if Wang Chao did not hold back, then he would have been able to shatter Cheng Shanming’s throat with his foot.

But Cheng Shanming would have shattered Wang Chao’s leg. A death for a permanent deformity, such a result like this was not desired by anyone.

For an expert like Cheng Shanming, it would require an incredibly heavy price in order to kill him. In order to defeat him without any damage to oneself, it would require an expert who has reached a state of nothingness with his martial arts

“Practicing Jin underwater, truly, that is a challenging way to practice.”

In the sandy beaches of Laoshan, the fine sunlight shined bright and the winds blew ripples across the oceans so that the fish swimming underneath could be seen. This piece of land was a very well-known tourist spot with its original environment still intact. A simple breath of nature could be experienced here, and such a feeling like that allowed for Wang Chao to train in peace.

His hand dragged a basketball-sized sphere almost effortlessly.

This sphere was the very same mercury-filled lead balls back in the Tianxing district meant to practice martial arts. Over here, he would use them as a way to ensure his body would not float back up from underwater and counteract the underwater currents.

His legs stood waist deep within the ocean waters. He could see the seabed right in front of him, but despite that, it was very deep. Drowning here wouldn’t be too hard.

“Was there a training method like this? When I practice my fist in the ocean, my fist strikes the waves with a straightened back and avoid breathing with the waves. But during this, the lungs take damage and bring harm to the body. For you, you’ll be standing underwater….is…isn’t that terrifying? How will you breathe?”

Zhao Xinglong stood nearby the waters and watched as Wang Chao brought the lead balls one step closer and closer to the seabed. In the end, the water had reached Wang Chao’s neck. When Zhao Xinglong saw that, he had been frightened.

“Your muscles and inner organs haven’t yet been refined enough. Naturally, you will not be able to copy this. When I went to Singapore, I learned one of the traditional methods of refining the marrow of the Bajiquan discipline. Wait for me to go underwater and understand it for myself before I explain anymore for you.”

Wang Chao gave a smile before taking one final breath. With that, his entire body fell into the water.

Upon entering the waters, Wang Chao had felt extremely powerless. Water entered his ears and nose and even began to press against every single pore on his body.

His entire body had been extremely sensitive. So when the seawater rushed against his body, he was clearly able to feel the distinct sensation.

Glub, glub! With the lead ball, Wang Chao’s body was anchored to the seabed without a chance of floating back up.

At the same time, the water currents pressed into his pores–especially around the portion where his lungs were. The pressure had been enough for the air within his lungs to be squeezed out, causing a choking sensation to occur.

With a slight movement, Wang Chao tried to take two steps further before. With both hand forming palms, he turned the lead ball around himself before using the Chopping Jin of the tiger stance and then the Eagle Claw of the eagle stance. Straight after using both moves, Wang Chao immediately felt as if his lungs were about to explode.

“Breaking out with Jin underwater truly is a hundred times more dangerous than on land! Each movement causes an unbelievable amount of pressure on both the heart and lungs.”

Before the Chopping Jin to Eagle Claw had even finished, Wang Chao felt himself at his limits. A chain of bubbles burst forth from his lips while an annoying amount of pain could be felt in his lungs.

Knowing that he couldn’t take it any more, Wang Chao dropped the ball and kicked off to the surface.

“How refreshing.”

When he took in a deep breath, he immediately an unprecedented amount of soothingness. This single breath of air had traveled through his internal organs and all the way through his muscles and pores.

When the water had pressed against his pores underwater, his lungs had felt some sort of liberation.

After he broke the surface of the water, Wang Chao had felt all his pores begin to breathe at once. Each exhale and inhale had practically shot straight through his pores and internal organs.

“The breath travels through the organs and ends at the skin. It seems that my martial arts has indeed truly reached the inner organs.”

With this inhale and exhale, Wang Chao had been able to confirm his own skill.

Taking in another deep breath, Wang Chao allowed for the air to streamline through his lungs and began to emit a rumbling sound within his throat. After all had been steady once more, Wang Chao’s legs brought him deeper into the waters once more. With a hook and kick of his leg, the lead ball was in Wang Chao’s hand once more.

With a turn of his body, Wang Chao began to experienced the variations of the water current on his body. Moving through the motions, Wang Chao began to practice the Jin of Taichi.

When the water current crashed into him, he was able to experience its momentum.

Then at last, Wang Chao’s breath had run out once more. Treading up to the surface, Wang Chao took in a deep breath once again.

For four or five days, Wang Chao played with the lead ball underwater and took over a thousand trips. Each trip for air, Wang Chao had gathered his mind and experienced the way his lungs would squirm and expand with each time.

After so many times of concentrating his senses whenever Wang Chao inhaled and exhaled, Wang Chao had finally realized that he had begun to imagine a picture of his own lungs in his mind.

With this sensation, it was almost as if his eyes were able to sense his own lungs.

After one’s martial arts had reached a level like this, the natural phenomenon known as “Inner Sight” was inevitable.

This was not an example of Wang Chao’s eyes actually seeing the lungs in his body, but rather him being familiar with his lungs to the extreme.

A blind person would be able to visualize an accurate imagery of an object after a process of feeling an item a hundred to a thousand times over.

To be able to have this “Inner Sight” was an indicator that one’s martial arts had truly reached their internal organs.