“I don’t know either. I just endured it. But Uncle Mang’s massage does indeed train muscle flexibility quickly, effectively enhancing one’s strength,” Su Jie explained to Josh and Zhang Manman. “You two should try to endure it; it’s extremely beneficial for training.”

“Forget it,” Josh waved his hand dismissively. “I’ve tried it no less than five times, and I couldn’t last more than ten seconds each time. It cost me fifteen thousand for nothing.”

Uncle Mang had a rule: to receive his massage, you had to pay a deposit of three thousand. If you managed to endure an entire set of his massage techniques, the deposit would be refunded, and you could receive free massages in the future.

Unfortunately, so far, many had tried, but only Su Jie had succeeded in the wager. As a result, he became Uncle Mang’s test subject and gained immense benefits from it.

“I’ve also tried several times, but I couldn’t handle it,” Zhang Manman admitted, shaking her head. “That’s why I’m so curious about Su Jie. Uncle Mang is a remarkable individual, and gaining his favor leads to rapid improvement in martial arts, almost like acquiring years of skill in a novel.”

“Is it really possible to transfer martial arts skills?” Josh nearly jumped in excitement. “Ah, the magical land of Ch!na! Did it involve Qi transmission?”

“Science, Josh. You need to trust in science,” Su Jie sighed, feeling exasperated. “The internal energy of Ch!nese martial arts is similar to the elasticity of full-body relaxation and tension, just like combat techniques. However, many of Ch!na’s training methods are mysterious and can significantly enhance the limits of relaxation and tension. This results in extraordinary explosive power, such as the one-inch punch in Jeet Kune Do, which can send someone flying from a short distance. But techniques like that are more for show and rarely usable in real combat.”

“True. The inch punch in Wing Chun looks impressive, but in a tense exchange, you need to have honed it through endless practice and countless battles to seize an opportunity to use it. Otherwise, even if you’ve learned it, you’ll still get beaten by a boxer,” Zhang Manman remarked, her gaze toward Su Jie increasingly impressed. Understanding such martial arts principles was rare, especially for a high schooler like Su Jie.

Ninety-nine percent of people still clung to the fantasy of martial arts from novels—things like walking on walls, attacking from a distance, or defying physics by stepping on one’s own feet to fly.

Only those who truly understood martial arts knew it was deeply scientific, albeit vast and profound, becoming more fascinating the deeper one delved.

“Everyone has their own finishing move. What’s your most practiced technique?” Josh asked Zhang Manman.

“This.” Suddenly, Zhang Manman moved. She darted forward like a snake, her arms mimicking serpentine motions. Her fingers were joined together, forming a knife-hand strike rather than a fist.

In an instant, she was right in front of Josh, her fingers stopping just short of his eyes. A slight push, and his eyes would have been blinded.

“Wing Chun’s ‘Viper Strikes Out,'” Zhang Manman explained. “This is a technique banned in all combat sports, but it’s perfect for women with weaker strength. Precision and speed are enough to deliver a fatal strike.”

“So fast!” Su Jie exclaimed, observing the technique. It was a swift and deadly move, aiming straight for the eyes with no room for mercy. If he encountered this on the street, he would likely end up blinded.

He fell into deep thought.

“In that move just now, Zhang Manman’s footwork resembled the ‘Hoe Strike’ technique. It’s fast and powerful. But once you lunge forward, there’s no variation—it’s a direct kill. If the enemy dodges or blocks, you expose yourself. The ‘Hoe Strike’ is different; it combines a strike and a guard, allowing continuous attacks. Even if you miss, you can adapt and defend while preparing your next move. It’s an all-encompassing technique designed by ancient warriors after countless battles. However, as for the ‘Viper Strikes Out,’ its speed compensates for its lack of versatility. It’s a single, decisive strike, capable of taking down even the strongest opponents by surprise. For women, mastering it might enable them to quickly subdue enemies…”

“Let’s go.” Josh patted Su Jie on the shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts. “Let’s check out the ring matches. I heard there’s a national-level professional fight today.”

“I’ll head to Uncle Mang for a massage first,” Su Jie replied. “Want to give it another shot?”

“No way. I don’t want to experience that again.” Josh shuddered. “Anyway, your endurance surpasses mine. We’ll compete tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, Gu Yang will teach us something real, focused on combat. Our summer training class is ending soon, and in the last few days, there will be a competition with other classes. You two better not miss it,” Zhang Manman called out. “Coach Gu Yang has true skills. The routines he’s taught before were just for school regulations and earning a living.”

“That I know. He’s actually teaching us practical combat? Let’s see what that’s all about,” Su Jie said, intrigued.

The three of them parted ways, and Su Jie once again headed to Uncle Mang’s massage parlor.

This time, Uncle Mang seemed to have been waiting for him. The moment he heard Su Jie’s voice, a smile appeared on his face, which gave Su Jie a bad feeling.

“I’ve been giving you massages and acupuncture for days, stimulating your entire body inside and out, causing your physical abilities to increase rapidly. Today, I’m going to take it up a notch,” Uncle Mang said as he took out the usual silver needles. However, this time, the needles were attached to wires connected to a machine that was powered by electricity.

“What is this?” Su Jie asked, startled.

“This is electrotherapy, also known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The principle is to use electric currents to stimulate muscle tissues, causing intense contraction and release while engaging motor neurons. This technology was already used in the former Soviet Union for training agents and even tried by Bruce Lee. Over the years, it has been refined, and now many professional athletes use it. The current strength and control vary depending on the person. Early in the 2000s, there was an experiment in which a weightlifter’s strength increased by 40% after a few weeks of electrical stimulation. It’s much more advanced now, with wearable microcurrent stimulation devices. Many celebrities wear them during workouts for better results. My electric stimulation is far more intense, though. Most people can’t handle it, but if you can endure it, the benefits for your body are immense. This is an improved method based on the U.S. special agents’ top-secret training techniques,” Uncle Mang explained, leaving Su Jie feeling chills.

He had already experienced the hellish pain of Uncle Mang’s massages.

Initially, Su Jie thought the massages were the most painful thing he’d ever endured, but the subsequent acupuncture proved to be a level of torment beyond imagining.

Now, Uncle Mang was planning to stimulate his muscles with electricity, using methods derived from U.S. special agent training.

Foreign agents were renowned for their endurance. Even when captured and tortured, they wouldn’t divulge secrets. Su Jie believed he could endure some pain, but compared to U.S. agents, he felt like a child playing make-believe.

This was bound to be unbearable.

“Lie down and drink this wine to condition your body and put yourself in the best state. Otherwise, you might not get through this,” Uncle Mang instructed. “Also, bite down on this chopstick to avoid accidentally biting off your tongue when the shocks hit.”

“Do I have to do this?” Su Jie asked, growing more terrified.

“You don’t have to, of course. I won’t force you. But if you refuse, you’ll miss a tremendous opportunity. And don’t bother coming to me tomorrow; I won’t treat you anymore,” Uncle Mang said, his tone turning stern.

“Without Uncle Mang’s massages and acupuncture, my training progress would slow down significantly. Besides, what’s a little pain? Uncle Mang is a medical doctor and an expert in human anatomy. Even though it’s painful, it won’t harm my body,” Su Jie thought. “I only have half a month left before I have to make my choice. I need to maximize my training time to improve my technique and physical fitness. Pain has proven effective in enhancing my martial arts training. Let’s do it!”

“Fine, I’ll go along with your experiment,” Su Jie said.

“Good! You’re a brave kid,” Uncle Mang said, his face lighting up with joy. “Don’t worry. Apart from the pain, it won’t harm you. Once you get through this, your physical and psychological resilience will surpass that of professional athletes. If you can endure this kind of pain, your nerve resilience will be extraordinary. Taking punches will feel like a child tickling you. Plus, I’ll provide you with sufficient nutrition. Aren’t you starting school soon? With half a month left, this is enough time to enhance your motor neurons and boost your athletic potential several fold.”

“Alright!” Su Jie downed the “strengthening wine” in one gulp, immediately feeling intoxicated yet relaxed. He knew this wine contained numerous nutrients to regulate the digestive system, cleanse the organs, and promote flexibility. It was a secret formula developed by the principal of Minglun Martial Arts Academy and refined by a modern research team. It was incredibly precious, but Su Jie only got to drink it occasionally when Uncle Mang forced a cup on him.

He lay on the bed and bit down on the chopstick.

At this moment, Uncle Mang inserted a needle into the “Mingmen” (Life Gate) point on his back.

The Mingmen acupoint, as described in traditional Chinese medicine, was one of the body’s most crucial points. Its name alone, “Life Gate,” indicated its significance.

“The Mingmen is located at the lumbar spine, corresponding to the navel on the front of the body. It governs the central nervous system of the spine and controls the waist, knees, and even the soles of the feet. It’s the key to physical strength. In internal martial arts training, one of the most important principles is to push out the Mingmen. This means the lower back must exert force, with energy and blood flowing to this point to achieve stability like a mountain,” Uncle Mang explained while calibrating the device. A computer connected to the machine emitted a series of beeping sounds as it ran diagnostics.

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