Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Chapter 141: The Capital! A Hundred Years Ago, Yang the Invincible! A Hundred Years Later, Wang the Undefeated! (One)

“Are you the Wang Chao that fought and killed Duan Guochao without an order?”

Du Heng stared at the uniformed 1.79~1.8 meter tall male youth in front of him with a strict expression. As if he was playing poker, a grim cold aura could be felt wafting from his body. Du Heng was the leader of the investigation group in charge of overseeing the battle between Wang Chao and Duan Guochao. This time, central had sent out five men, Du Heng was the leader.

When it came to the number one expert of the Ministry of State Security, Duan Guochao, Du Heng was very familiar with him. Duan Guochao was a disciple born and raised in the Shaolin Temple. Not only did he have an outstanding mission record, but he was even well known in the Beijing police department, army, bodyguards, Wushu, and fighting rings to be extremely terrifying. He had fought with many experts to compare notes, but never did he ever lose.

Even when the head of states from the other nations came to visit, Duan Guochao would not lose in a friendly competition with their bodyguards.

The moniker of “National Arhat” was fashioned after winning countless of battles.

“This Wang Chao is the Military Commission’s specially raised expert, but why is it I can’t sense even a single bit of the air of an expert? He seems rather calm.”

Although the Wang Chao in front of him didn’t look like an expert, Du Heng couldn’t detect even the most minute of changes in Wang Chao’s face. Because of the lack of facial change, he felt that there was something strange about Wang Chao.

Du Heng held a high status in the army as a major general. Commandeering power with each movement and every word, he carried the presence of a top seat position and held an equally large political might. When he came cracking down on corruption, then even the major officials within a province wouldn’t be able to rest easily and would quake in fear.

And his iron fist methods had led to him bearing the nickname of “Iron-blooded General” when in private.

“You’ve violated the principles of the organization. You will put down your work and your membership for now. In Beijing, you will assist in the investigations. What have you to say about that?”

“I will do as the organization wishes for me to.” Wang Chao spoke those ten words without another extra word.

“Good! Off we go then.” Du Heng remained emotionless without any twitches to be seen on his face.

So went the greeting words between Wang Chao and Du Heng of the central investigation team.

After that, Wang Chao had two plainclothesmen with doughty physiques press their hands against their waists without a word. At a single glance, anyone could tell that these were special sharpshooters of the army.

That night, Wang Chao, Lin Yanan, Dong Ling, and the rescued Chen Ke boarded a military airplane and flew off towards Beijing after taking off from a military airport.

Chen Ke had been sent flying by Wang Chao’s “Body Blocking Blow” and had a weak pulse as a result. So on the airplane, she had gone into shock several times before being brought back, but it was still quite dangerous. Wang Chao’s usage of Taichi had made use of the strong power of vibrations to affect the internal organs. In that moment, the organs would be affected by the vibrations and would be dealt a fatal blow.

But because of the fact that Wang Chao had only just finished his fight with Duan Guocao, the power had been lower. Furthermore, he had also deliberately lessened the strength so that it wouldn’t kill anyone. With that, Chen Ke could be brought back to health without a problem, but for now, she would be weak.

Chen Ke had obviously detested Wang Chao to her very bones and wanted nothing more than to shoot him dead on the spot. But because she too was being investigated by the central government, she didn’t dare act impudent in any manner or word.

Despite her background and power, she didn’t dare act as she pleased in front of the investigation team from the central government. That was because to resist was the same as committing treason!

After reaching the military airport in Beijing, several black cars came driving on over. From the cars came several soldiers locked and loaded for combat. Splitting apart Wang Chao’s group, the soldiers had the group sit in different cars before driving off into several different directions.

“This car has to be a transport vehicle. From the back, one can’t even see the outside view.” Wang Chao thought as he entered the car. The entire car seemed as if it was built from reinforced steel. With the doors closed, the entire vehicle had been plunged into darkness, but with the light within the car, the interior could be seen clearly.

There was a total of six fully armed soldiers in the car. At a single glance, Wang Chao knew that these six soldiers were all equal to Boulder in strength. All of them were baptized by warfare and could be considered to be the cream of the crop of soldiers.

But these six soldiers would sometimes send an inquiring glance over at Wang Chao as if to size him up. This time, their mission was to just escort Wang Chao to the predetermined location.

They had more or less heard about Wang Chao’s situation. Anyone would be curious to see the one who had killed the number one expert in the Ministry of State Security with just their bare hands,

Duan Guochao’s name was well known throughout the fighting circles of the army and the police department. When there was nothing to be done, the special soldiers had loved to exchange notes with him. Naturally, they learned plenty about him as a result.

The car continued along the road for about an hour before suddenly coming to a slow. Turning around a corner, it then came to a full stop.

“We’ve arrived. Lieutenant colonel Wang, please alight from the car.” Although they looked serious from their escort mission, these soldiers had spoken in a soft but polite tone.

When Wang Chao stepped out of the car, the first thing he had seen was an ordinary courtyard. It was an ordinary courtyard house seen typically in Beijing, but it was rather secluded.

“We hope that while the investigation is being conducted, you will not leave this courtyard. If you wish to leave, then you must fill out an application. There will be three meals a day that will be brought to you in person.”

After one of the soldiers finished speaking, they waved their hands in salute before splitting into two lines from left and right right in front of the door to the courtyard.

“A designated time and a designated place for an investigation without my input.” Wang Chao thought to how the investigation was being conducted before a sudden realization of what this was struck him, “Isn’t this Shuanggui?”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

To think that he was undergoing the Shuanggui treatment.

Although he had known that the investigation would be done through the Shuanggui process, commissar Yang had reassured him. But after the situation on the road, Wang Chao couldn’t help but feel something unfathomable in him.

This sensation was similar to what the ancient officials used to say, “Accompanying a sovereign is like accompanying a tiger.”

Entering the home, there was a TV, bed, running water, and several other living necessities that could be seen. This was a much better treatment than what the imprisoned would normally get. There was even a bathroom on the left side, and a shower on the right.

There were several pomegranate trees in the middle of the courtyard along with dozens of flowers and plants at the foot of the wall.

“Who cares how they investigate then, I will remain unruffled. Back when I was fighting Duan Guochao, I could just faintly feel myself being able to reach that state of ;Empty Mind’. Duan Guochao’s Eagle Claw of the Iron Body and the Eight Arts of the Snake and Crane, Yong Bao and Yong He’s ‘Leopard Chain Strike’, the Shaolin’s ‘Crane Fist’, Iron Crotch, and Tantui, all of them were exquisite and esoteric martial arts. For me being able to overcome those, it was all because of my physical strength and deep understanding of martial arts.”

Too lazy to think of the bothersome things, Wang Chao had thrown aside all of the daily affairs to the back of his mind and began to research his martial arts once again.

These few days, it could be said that he had contested with the Shaolin fist many times. It could also be said that he had now a bigger understanding on the movements needed to dodge a gun.

While under fire from the special agents Lisa and Li Ming, Wang Chao was able to secure a victory over Yong Bao and Yong He in an instant. Then, in another quick movement, he was able to use the “Eagle Claw” to kill Li Ming and capture Lisa. However, he himself knew he had brought out his max potential, causing his body to lose out energy at a violent rate. The end result was a heavy amount of sweat that sapped him of his strength.

If there had been just one more sharpshooter that day, then Wang Chao would most definitely be shot to death, or captured.

“I’ve practiced my martial arts under water with the mercury ball, causing my movements to reach a height similar to a dragon soaring to the ninth heaven where it becomes indiscernible. But yet, I’ve still yet to reach the Transforming Jin. That means my skills has not yet reached a maturity point. I cannot force this transition, I must work hard to reach success. However, there had been other benefits to training underwater. My leg moves with my body as if they were one, making my movements all the more agile while remaining the firm vibrational power….Shaolin truly does have some originality to it. Xinyi, Eight Arts of the Snake and Crane, Eagle Claw of the Iron Body, Leopard Fist, they all differ from Xinyiquan, Liao Junhua’s Xinyi Liuhe, and Wingchun’s White Crane. They each have their good points, and each and every detail has been carefully thought over…..”

Wang Chao thought back to his fight with Yong He, Yong Bao, and Duan Guochao. Each scene had replayed in his mind like if he was watching it on a movie screen.

The Shaolin’s mind and intent slight difference to Xinyi Liuhe and Xingyiquan. The Crane Fist of Shaolin’s difference to the Wingchun’s White Crane Fist in fighting style, and the Eagle Claw of the Iron Body difference to the Eagle Claw of Xinyiquan, Wang Chao had begun to compare them all.

Gradually, while Wang Chao was thinking, his hands automatically moved to grab his bedside before suddenly vaulting himself through a window and into the middle of the courtyard.

There had only been a flicker of his movements as he flew through the window. A single gust of wind had blown forth from Wang Chao’s bed to the window while Wang Chao steadied himself in the middle as if he had just accomplished the art of “Teleportation” as spoken in the legends. This movement of his had reached a realm where no man should be able to step into practically.

Baguazhang, Xinyiquan, Bajiquan, White Crane, White Ape of Tongbeiquan, the sword style of Li Jinglin, Piguaquan, the whipping motion, the Shaolin Fist, and many others. Wang Chao began to think back to his entire history of life. Each memory he saw, he began to imitate and practice out in the middle of the courtyard in a disordered manner.

As he fought, suddenly, Wang Chao felt an euphoric moment arise from the myriad of thoughts in his mind. The chopping motion from the tiger stance transformed into a claw before clenching down to form a fist and withdrew to reveal the elbow. Somehow, he had transitioned into the “Under Elbow Punch” of Taichi.

“Finding an epiphany from many. There was truly such a sensation in martial arts.”

Wang Chao continued to transform his movements one after another so that his hands would chop down like in the tiger stance before transforming into the whipping motion of Taichi. Just a little over a meter above the ground, Wang Chao’s arm had managed to bring forth a gust of wind that scattered the dust and leaves near it.

Move after move, Wang Chao began to practice his Taichi while his mind was clear and blank as if he had entered a state of mind where he could find a winning move when there was none to be found.

In a flash, Wang Chao felt his environment warp and change. In that moment, his spirit seemed to have traveled back a hundred years where he was interacting with a grandmaster of Taichi.

In a courtyard in Beijing a hundred years ago, the Taichi grandmaster Yang Luchan had beaten all sorts of practitioners to be said to be undefeatable.

And in a courtyard in Bejing a hundred years later, would Wang Chao be able to follow in the trail left behind by his predecessors and reach just as high as a realm of achievements?

“In this ancient city–the monarch city, there was undoubtedly many hidden dragons and crouching tigers. The grandmasters a hundred years ago went through many life and death battles in order to become known as undefeatable in Beijing. If I were to try again and walk in their footsteps, then I could die without any regrets.”

In an instant, Wang Chao felt an incredible fighting spirit in his mind. His thoughts that had arose at that moment could go toe to toe with the masters of the previous generations.

In a high class bar on Sanlitun Street in Beijing, a gray-clothed male youth sat in a corner with a cocktail right in front of him. But there had been no sign of him drinking it.

His eyes were looking over at the restless males and females all over the bar who all seemed to be drunk but having fun.

This youth had grown up to be rather handsome and scholarly. His slender white fingers had matched his pale face which had attracted the eyes of many pleasure-seeking females in the bar.

But whenever one of the females came over to hit on him, the male would avert his eyes to the woman in front of him. His eyes seemed to carry a substance that seemed to pierce through the eyelids and stab into the mind. There had also been an especially unusual sense of might to him, causing every woman to falter in their words and retreat in embarrassment.

The staff of the bar were already all too familiar with this youth. In their eyes, this young man would come in every night and sit down for a while. Then, without even drinking or talking, he would sit there and soak in the atmosphere.

“Practicing in the day and training the mind to be tranquil and quiet at night. If one can remain as calm as before in a noisy place like this, then it will be regarded as perfect.”

The man sat there and seemed to soliloquize to himself for a while before finally standing. Preparing to pay his bill, a male and female suddenly came walking in. Turning around, they took notice of the youth and walked on over to him.

“You two were interested in this place as well?” The corners to the youth’s mouth began to curl into a smile towards the two.

They were clearly someone he knew.

“We were just looking for you, something big has happened.” The woman said.

“What happened?” The youth continued to smile. It seemed that in this world, there was nothing that could shake his mood.

“Duan Guochao from the Ministry of State Security was killed in a match.”

“What!” The youth’s fingers grew taut, and his eyes finally revealed two slits that were his pupils, seemingly revealing a light from his pupils, causing the female and male who were in front of him to involuntarily wince.