Chapter 26: The Fist is Called Taiji (1)

  Deng Fan is fourteen years old, one year younger than Cao Peng.

  Deng Juye, Hongniang's husband, is a middle-aged man in his forties. He is an honest and kind-hearted craftsman. Born into poverty, he lost his parents at a young age and was raised as an orphan. In his early years, he learned the skills of a rattan artisan from a master craftsman who came from Gia ??nh (now Ho Chi Minh City). After that, he made a living by doing this work. Until he was nearly thirty years old, he got married to Hongniang and had a son named Deng Fan.

  Deng Juye's craftsmanship was excellent, and the bamboo craftsmen in the surrounding villages would often come to him for work. Life wasn't wealthy, but it was manageable.

  This old son Deng Fan always makes him worry.

  Not only did he refuse to inherit his craftsmanship, but he also spent his days idling about and fighting with others outside.

  Deng Juyi was at his wit's end.

  It's impossible for Deng Fan to be here, and it's also unrealistic to ask him to learn the skills of a bamboo craftsman. All we can do is let him go, as long as he doesn't commit murder or arson, that's all.

  "What? Let me learn martial arts with that sickly girl?"

  Hong Niangzi got Cao Peng's nod and returned home with great joy, telling Deng Juyi.

  The couple was overjoyed and told Deng Fan about it at dinner that night. They thought Deng Fan would be very happy, but he jumped three feet high instead.

  "Father, mother, I can beat that guy to death with just one finger. Let me practice martial arts with him, what a joke!"

  "Damn thing!"

  Deng Juye's face turned red with rage, and he pointed at Deng Fan, scolding: "I let you follow him to learn martial arts, not to compete with him. What kind of person is Cao Gongzi? Even the county magistrate calls him brother, what qualifications do you have to pick faults? I'm telling you, your mother did this for your own good... From tomorrow on, you'd better behave yourself and go through the motions. Whatever Cao Gongzi says, you'll do it. If you dare disobey, I'll break your legs."

  "I'm not going!"

  Deng Fan stuck out his neck and loudly refused.

  "What's so special about that sickly kid? If I follow him, won't people laugh at me?"

  Bang!

  Deng Fan had barely finished speaking when Hong Niangzi suddenly stood up and slapped him in the face.

  "Daughter, you..."

  The mother was so angry that her whole body was trembling, and she gritted her teeth and said: "Son, how can you be so disobedient?"

  "Mom, I..."

  "How old are you this year? Your father was able to support himself at your age, but what about you?"

  "Son, you used to be so reckless and I didn't know how to discipline you. But things are different now, Cao Gongzi is not an ordinary person, he will definitely achieve great things in the future. I don't expect you to learn any skills, I just hope you can follow Cao Gongzi, who knows, maybe one day you'll make a big name for yourself... Son, I'm telling you clearly today, whether you want to or not, you have to go. Whether you want to practice martial arts or not, I don't care. What I want is for you to follow Cao Gongzi and stop wandering around, making me worry."

  Deng Fan saw Hong Niangzi really got angry and was also a little scared.

  He is a bit silly, but he has a natural filial piety.

  Hurriedly kowtowing in front of Hong's mother, "Mother, don't be angry, I'll listen to you, can't I go find that Cao fellow tomorrow?"

  "It's Cao Gongzi!"

  "Yes, Lord Cao."

  But in his heart, he muttered to himself: Tomorrow I'll go find that Cao guy and beat him up, make him listen to me.

  When mother asks, I'll just say I went... If Cao's family dares to bother me, I won't forgive him and beat him until he behaves.

  With this decision made, Deng Fan immediately felt at ease.

  Seeing her son nod in agreement, Hong Niangzi and Deng Juyi finally felt a sense of relief.

  The couple both looked up to the Cao family, knowing that they would definitely become something big. They didn't quite understand the grand principles, but they knew that by following Cao Peng, at least they would be better off than being idle and causing trouble like Rong. The couple exchanged relieved smiles.

  Nothing happened overnight, and on the second day, it was misty and cold outside the house.

  Cao Peng and Wang Mai ran quickly to the riverbank.

  As usual, start with warm-up exercises.

  After these days of practice, the effect is still very obvious. At least compared to before, the amount of food has increased, and the arms and legs have also gained two taels of muscle. In comparison, Wang's effect is even more pronounced... His body is much more solid than before, and as a whole person, he exudes a strong and heroic spirit. Moreover, with his deepening skills, he practiced Jin Gang Ba Shi to perfection, and under Cao Peng's guidance, he began to practice Ba Ji Jia, also known as Small Ba Ji. This Ba Ji Jia is the basic skill of Ba Ji Quan, and it is also the true introductory skill.

  At the same time, according to Wang Mai's characteristics, Cao Peng also let him do some auxiliary training such as wrapping poles, leaning on poles and pushing palm boards.

  After Wang finished buying his training equipment, Cao Peng began practicing Tai Chi on the side.

  "Are you practicing boxing?"

  Just as Cao Peng was feeling relaxed and comfortable, someone beside him said in a gloomy and sarcastic tone: "With your boxing skills, I can beat you with just one hand."

  Cao Peng withdrew his fist and turned his head to look over.

  Under a bare old locust tree stood a sturdy young man.

  To say the least, Wang's blockhead is already astonishing!

  But compared to this young man, it seems to be a bit worse... With a face full of ferocity, exuding a strong and heroic spirit.

  He's about 175 cm tall, standing there, a whole head taller than Cao Peng. The young man curled his lips, with a provocative air in his eyes.

  Cao Peng hadn't even spoken yet when Wang Mai flew into a rage!

  "Who is this little rascal, daring to spout such arrogant words here."

  "Brother Tiger Head..."

  Cao Peng hastily stopped Wang Mai from speaking and said with a smile: "You're Giant Industry Uncle's son, right?"

  Aunt Hong said let you come over and practice martial arts with us, later everyone will be our own people, I'm Cao Peng, he's Wang Mai, what about you?

  Deng Fan sneered, "What's with this 'one of us' nonsense? If it weren't for my mother forcing me to come, I wouldn't bother with a sickly thing like you."

  Cao Peng didn't get angry, still with a smile on his face, as if he hadn't heard Deng Fan's words, and continued to say: "However, since you're here, you have to follow our rules. I'm not particular about anything, first, what I say goes; second, if you want to practice boxing, you must persevere and can't be idle for three days and then work for two days; third, if you don't listen to me, don't blame me for being impolite to you."

  "You're not being polite to me?"

  Deng Fan burst out laughing and said: "You with the surname of Cao, I don't care what you were like before, but from now on, here I'm in charge."

  "Are you in charge?" Wang Ma asked with a cold smile: "What are your skills, dare to talk big here? You're in charge, ask me if I agree or not."

  "Brother Tiger Head, let me."

  Cao Peng stretched out his hand and pulled Wang Mai, walking slowly forward.

  His pace was slow, but as he walked, a sense of rhythm that was both surprising and terrifying emerged unintentionally.

  Deng Fan said: "You with the surname of Cao, what are you trying to do?"

  "Hehe, I'm just a sickly person, what are you afraid of?"

  "What am I afraid of?"

  "What's wrong, why are you retreating?"

  Two lifetimes as a human being, Cao Peng said that although his body was no match for the past, but after all, the mark left by the previous generation still existed.

  In his previous life, he was a law enforcer and had the unique majesty of one. So, although his body was thin and small, that aura still existed.

  Not long after rebirth in this life, I had already stained my hands with human lives.

  In terms of momentum, Deng Fan was a bit stunned and couldn't hold on.

  Unconsciously, he actually retreated three steps. Hearing Cao Peng say so, he suddenly realized this and couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and shame.

  "Are you looking for a fight?"

  As he spoke, Deng Fan suddenly pounced on him.

  Cao Peng calmly and unhurriedly, with his feet planted in a Tai Chi stance, one hand behind his back, slightly shifted his body to the side, allowing Deng Fan's fist to pass by. His other hand lightly landed on Deng Fan's arm, and with a slight kick from the bottom of his foot and a push from his arm... Deng Fan's large body was instantly sent flying out, and he crashed into the snowy ground, only getting up after a while.

  Yesterday evening, after Deng Jie returned home, he heard that Hong Niangzi's son was coming over and was somewhat surprised.

  He knew Deng Fan's temperament and also knew that guy was a troublemaker...

  Then he told Cao Peng about Deng Fan's situation and anxiously said: "Ah Fu, that kid is not afraid of heaven or earth, but only his mother. Tomorrow he will definitely come, but I estimate that he won't lower his head to you. Be careful, in case you provoke him, that kid might even fight with you."

  "Don't worry, brother-in-law, Tiger's here."

  ————————————————————————

  Thanks to book friends: Tears of Mo Tian Shi, Brother Zhuan Lu, and Zhuo Er Fa Shi for their generous rewards.

  Brothers are really powerful, Lao Xin shamelessly asked for a recommendation and came up with a triple jump... Can you be more powerful?

  ^_^