Republic of China era: Actor? Please call me Martial Arts Master!

Chapter 48: Poor Scholars, Rich Warriors; A Wolf Pit That Cannot Be Filled with Meat Soup!

Qianmen Street, the backyard of the Lu residence.

As dawn broke, a few lingering stars still hung on the grayish-blue horizon.

February in Beiping (Beijing) is a time of "short spring days," with the wind whistling and still feeling like a knife cutting your face.

"ha--!"

"Hey--!"

The martial arts training ground in the backyard was bustling with activity.

It wasn't the heat from the earthen furnace, but the steam from the blood emanating from a person's body.

Lu Cheng, dressed in a short blue cloth outfit and carrying a rattan cane, stood expressionless under the old locust tree.

His eyes now have a truly venomous look.

With the foundation of "Eagle Eyes," even without deliberately activating it, their eyesight is as sharp as a hawk's, able to see through the bones of these children at a glance.

Inside the field, five children are practicing standing meditation.

Shunzi and Xiaodouzi are old hands at this, standing in the "Three-Body Stance". Although their calves were cramping, their posture was stable and their breathing was long and even, clearly showing that they had figured it out.

Only that wolf cub named Lu Feng.

That kid is really ruthless.

He wasn't wearing a cotton-padded coat; his bare upper body was covered in sweat, and his thin, bony frame was covered in sweat.

Sweat dripped down his spine and into his waistband.

He was practicing "leaning".

There were no fancy moves; he just rammed his shoulder into the old locust tree that was wrapped in hemp rope.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

The snow on the trees fell softly, landing on his steaming neck and melting into water.

Lu Feng didn't even blink. He took a step back, pushed off the ground with his heel, and slammed into the ground again.

"Bang!"

The skin on his shoulder was worn raw, oozing blood, and stuck to the hemp rope.

But he seemed oblivious to the pain, his eyes fixed straight ahead, revealing a stubborn determination to break the tree.

Lu Cheng frowned slightly as he looked at it.

"stop."

Lu Cheng walked over and gently tapped Lu Feng's calf with the rattan cane.

Lu Feng froze, immediately stopped his stance, and stood up straight, though his shoulders were still twitching slightly.

"Master," Lu Feng called out, his voice hoarse, a hoarse husky voice from puberty.

"Practice like this, it won't work."

Lu Cheng reached out and squeezed Lu Feng's shoulder.

It was scalding hot to the touch, but the muscles were as hard as stone; it was stiff.

"Steel cannot last."

Lu Cheng sighed, "You're burning yourself out. Your body is like a lamp; once the oil runs out, you're ruined."

"You have enough ruthlessness, but ruthlessness alone makes you a desperado, not a master."

"Look at your bones."

Lu Cheng ran his fingers along his spine. "You're not getting enough nutrition. The harder you train, the bigger the deficit will become. If you keep crashing like this, in less than three years, half of your body will be paralyzed."

Upon hearing the word "paralyzed," Lu Feng's eyes widened in panic.

But he gritted his teeth and looked down at his own thin, bony ribs.

"Grandpa, I eat a lot. I finished the whole pot of meat porridge this morning."

"That's pig feed."

Lu Cheng cursed, though his words were rough, they revealed his heartache.

"Ordinary pork and mutton are just for filling your stomach. To develop real skills, you need a complete transformation, and you have to take some 'special medicine'."

The saying "the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts" is not without reason.

In those days, one silver dollar could buy forty catties of flour, enough to feed a family for half a month.

But if someone practices martial arts, the cost of meat alone for a day would be half a silver dollar.

This is just external martial arts.

If you practice internal martial arts, you have to eat ginseng and deer antler like food to replenish your vital energy.

Although Lu Cheng is now rich, he feeds these kids big meals of fish and meat every day.

But these wolf cubs are at the age of rapid growth, and with Lu Cheng's "devilish training," the little bit of meat they put in is just a symptom, it doesn't really nourish their bones.

"Shunzi" (a type of Chinese character)

Lu Cheng called out.

"Here!" Shunzi finished her work and ran over, covered in sweat.

"Go, prepare the car."

Lu Cheng looked at the wolf cubs in the yard, their faces pale and thin, but their eyes shining.

"No practice today."

"Go to Tongrentang."

"You bunch of brats, beg for some real 'elixir'!"

……

Outside Qianmen, Dashilan.

The golden signboard of Tongrentang shines brightly under the winter sun.

The two couplets at the entrance, which read, “Though the preparation is complex, we dare not skimp on labor; though the ingredients are expensive, we dare not reduce the quality,” exude a sense of weight and discipline accumulated over hundreds of years.

Before even entering, the rich aroma of medicine wafted over.

Lu Cheng was dressed in a moon-white silk robe with a black sable fur jacket over it, and he was twirling two lion's head walnuts in his hand.

Shunzi followed behind, carrying a heavy leather suitcase.

This place has such an impressive atmosphere; it's clearly a big customer.

"Oh, Mr. Lu! You've arrived!"

The young waiter at the door had sharp eyes and recognized the now famous "Master Lu" at a glance.

You know, last time Lu Cheng really spent a lot of money to treat blind man Abing's eyes, which even alarmed Mr. Le.

Lu Cheng is currently at Tongrentang, where he is a top-tier VIP.

"Is Mr. Le here?"

Lu Cheng casually rewarded the young waiter with a silver dollar.

The young waiter caught the silver dollar, his face beaming with joy, his back bent like a shrimp.

"Yes, yes! The old gentleman was just talking about you, saying that your skill in 'circulating qi' is something even the most skilled doctors can't envy."

"Mr. Lu, please come in. Please go directly to the back hall!"

After passing through the noisy pharmacy hall in the front and entering the backyard, it instantly became quiet.

This is Mr. Le's private clinic, and also where he develops his secret formulas.

Various precious medicinal herbs were drying in the courtyard, their smell even stronger, but the aroma brought a sense of calm.

Mr. Le was sitting in a rattan chair, holding a yellowed medical book in his hands, with a purple clay teapot in front of him.

Upon seeing Lu Cheng enter, the old gentleman put down his book and stood up with a smile.

"Boss Lu, what a rare guest."

"It's been a while since you last visited Master A Bing, once his eyesight was restored."

"Sir, you flatter me."

Lu Cheng quickly stepped forward and performed a standard junior's greeting.

In front of this benevolent bodhisattva who saves people from suffering, his airs of being a "master" were long gone.

"One doesn't visit the temple without a reason."

Lu Cheng didn't mince words and got straight to the point.

"I've come today to ask the old gentleman for a prescription."

"Oh?"

Mr. Le gestured for Lu Cheng to sit down and have some tea.

"Boss Lu has excellent blood circulation and a ruddy complexion; his body is practically made of iron. Why would he need a prescription?"

"Not for me."

Lu Cheng sighed, picked up his teacup, but didn't drink it.

"It's because of my good-for-nothing apprentices."

"Those children all came from poor backgrounds. They suffered greatly in the slave market, and their finances were severely depleted."

"Now, when you practice boxing with me, you're putting in your absolute best effort."

"Looking at their bodies, they're like boats with holes in them. No matter how much meat they eat, it won't nourish their marrow."

"If this continues, I'm afraid I'll ruin my health before I even master the art of boxing."

Lu Cheng looked at Mr. Le with sincere eyes.

"I've heard that our Tongrentang has a 'secret martial arts formula' that was leaked from the palace back then, which can strengthen muscles and bones, replenish marrow and nourish the brain."

"As long as the old gentleman is willing to provide the prescription, you can name your price."

Shunzi, who was standing nearby, placed the leather suitcase on the table at the opportune moment.

It opened with a "click".

A whole box full of silver dollars, plus a few small yellow croakers.

The golden and silver light was so dazzling that it made people dizzy.