Wu Zhengjiang faced Tian Shan, who charged like a wild bull, without changing his expression.
His tailcoat swirled, revealing an air of refined dignity. His slightly slender frame retreated half a step.
Just as Tian Shan was about to collide with him, Wu Zhengjiang lightly guided his right arm, moving like the wind brushing clouds, as if weightless.
He gently placed his hand on Tian Shan's right shoulder blade, and Tian Shan's face changed dramatically.
His body involuntarily veered to the left, like a three-year-old child running too fast and losing balance, almost falling face-first to the ground.
After tumbling twice, he managed to support himself with his hands.
His sunglasses were flung off, revealing a single eye filled with ferocious intent: "Wu Style Tai Chi? A descendant of Wu Yu Xiang!"
His other eye, destroyed by Xu Lie, was covered with a black bandage, its appearance unclear.
"A mere street sweeper actually has some knowledge and has heard of my ancestor's great name," Wu Zhengjiang chuckled, exuding a dashing demeanor that stunned everyone.
Even Li Chonglou felt a tremor of fear.
He knew Tian Shan's power most intimately. Yet, this formidable bandit was like a child in Wu Zhengjiang's hands, unable to maintain his balance.
How strong was Wu Zhengjiang really?
Could his master achieve this level?
He knew of Wu Yu Xiang, of course. A native of Guangping Prefecture, Zhili, during the Qing Dynasty, which was now Yongnian District, Handan City, Hebei Province, near Shangjing.
He was a fellow townsman and close friend of the Tai Chi master Yang Lu Chan. His martial arts were superb, a renowned Grandmaster.
However, before witnessing Wu Zhengjiang's demonstration, he had always thought Tai Chi was a form of exercise for elderly men and women in parks.
He never expected it to be so formidable.
That technique, as light as the wind brushing clouds, had perfectly countered Tian Shan's ferocity and power.
It left him deeply shaken.
However, he also noticed Wu Zhengjiang's hand, which he had placed behind his back after deflecting Tian Shan, was trembling slightly.
He immediately understood.
Tai Chi emphasized using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, conquering hardness with softness, but this was merely the surface.
One must first possess a thousand pounds of strength within to be invincible, with continuous power and surging momentum, but it was by no means a path of trickery.
Wu Zhengjiang was indeed stronger than Tian Shan, but only by a small margin.
He was able to neutralize and deflect his attack solely due to Tai Chi's development of the body's natural instincts and guidance of force application.
It wasn't so easy to injure Tian Shan.
Wu Zhengjiang had stood on the stage earlier observing Tian Shan's every move. Knowing oneself and one's enemy leads to victory.
He had put on a show of being calm and collected, which was the result of thorough preparation.
But in a real fight, it wouldn't be so easy.
Clearly, Tian Shan, an old hand, also saw that Wu Zhengjiang was only slightly stronger than him. The shock on his face gradually faded, replaced by a grim expression: "The Wu family is impressive. You are so noble."
"But if you want to kill me, you'll be at least seriously injured yourself. Think carefully, is it worth it?"
"Killing a dog is not worth it!" Wu Zhengjiang sneered as if hearing a great joke.
His expression suddenly turned stern. With a slight shift of his feet, his shoulders remained perfectly still. His body slid towards Tian Shan like a phantom.
Though his movements appeared unhurried to onlookers, their actual speed was extreme.
He was able to deceive the eyes with his footwork.
Tian Shan had not expected Wu Zhengjiang's deceptive slowness. As soon as he reacted, he threw a punch.
Wu Zhengjiang did not dodge or evade. This time, abandoning his previous light and carefree demeanor, his body vibrated and shook with imperceptible speed. His spine bent like a bow within a hair's breadth.
He used his right fist, tucked beneath his ribs, as an arrow, unleashing it instantly.
Bang!
The two fists met squarely.
Wu Zhengjiang retreated half a step with his right leg, stabilizing his body. However, Tian Shan, caught off guard, grunted and staggered back four or five steps.
The surface of his fist rapidly turned red, and his entire hand trembled.
A deep look of apprehension appeared in his eyes.
Tai Chi was far from the simple, frivolous art it appeared to be.
It mastered the interplay of hardness and softness, motion and stillness, seamlessly transitioning and cleverly utilizing the body's potential to deliver immeasurable blows.
If Tian Shan hadn't had a strong foundation and solid skills, this punch would have shattered his hand bones.
"Is this the profundity of Tai Chi?" Li Chonglou sat against the wall, enduring the dull ache in his chest, his eyes unblinking.
He was too green in the martial arts. Had it not been for the Lin family's sheepskin scroll mental cultivation method given by his master, he would have long since perished.
Now that Xu Lie was gone, he was the only one moving forward, and he needed the means to protect himself.
The battle between Wu Zhengjiang and Tian Shan opened his eyes. He had to remember everything and see how much he could transform into his own experience, depending on his comprehension.
"I admit you're tough. We'll never meet again," Tian Shan gritted his teeth, glancing at the handcuffed beautiful secretary. He knew that with Wu Zhengjiang present, his plan was impossible.
Then, he glared at Li Chonglou: "Kid, the Wu family can't protect you forever. Just you wait!"
With that, his body leaped like a wild goose, intending to smash through the window to escape.
"Don't let him get away," Li Chonglou, seeing him attempt the same trick, forced himself to stand despite the pain and shouted.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Wu Zhengjiang had already moved. He beckoned towards the air, his wrist spinning as he grabbed Tian Shan's foot and pulled. "Come down."
Tian Shan's body plummeted like a kite with a broken string, making him turn deathly pale. He kicked towards Wu Zhengjiang's chest.
But it was easily blocked. However, he used the force of the kick to flip twice and land on the ground.
But his direction was not towards the window; Wu Zhengjiang had forcefully guided him to the other side, further away from the window.
"My ancestor's good friend Yang Lu Chan in the past could control birds in his hand, leaving them nowhere to land and no leverage to fly," Wu Zhengjiang said sharply, disdainfully. "Although the Wu style is not as intricate as the Yang style, controlling a mere street sweeper like you is more than enough."
"If I let you escape from my hands, how will I explain myself when I return?"
These words were spoken without thought, but struck a chord with the listener.
Tian Shan didn't seem to notice anything amiss, but Li Chonglou's heart gave a sudden jolt.
Explain?
To whom did Wu Zhengjiang need to explain?
Had he come to help him on someone's behalf?
The Wu family was one of the eight great families, a martial arts lineage with a long history, located in Shangjing, with deep roots.
They were the only noble family that had not declined or fallen into disrepair.
Wu Zhengjiang himself was definitely among the top contenders in strength. Who could command him?
And why would he help him?
A series of mysteries arose in Li Chonglou's mind, but it was clearly not the right time to ask these questions.
Forcibly regulating his internal energy, Li Chonglou stood up with Xiao Da's support.
He said softly, "I'm alright. You and Captain Guan should stay vigilant, always mindful of Tian Shan making a desperate move."
He was determined to avenge Xu Lie himself!
But a fierce bandit like Tian Shan, a desperate man, would retaliate at all costs if pushed to the brink.
Although Wu Zhengjiang was present, Guan Jian and Xiao Da were ordinary people. They could easily become hostages or be silenced by Tian Shan.
One had to be prepared.
"Alright, I understand!" Xiao Da's usual arrogance was replaced by caution.
He had been toyed with by a woman earlier, and if Li Chonglou hadn't saved him in time, his throat would have been slit.
This incident had taught him more than his twenty-plus years of learning.
"Tian Shan, your opponent is me. Today, I will kill you!" Li Chonglou straightened his body, walked towards Tian Shan step by step, his voice and eyes as firm as iron.
Wu Zhengjiang's hidden admiration was evident in his eyes.