65: Chapter 65 Offline Gathering of Martial Arts Enthusiasts: Training Grounds Packed with Fans

When the bronze door knockers of the training hall were still damp with dew, the rhythmic chants of the "Nine Palace Steps" were already echoing from the alley entrance. The moment Chen Wu pushed open the courtyard gate, he was startled into taking a half-step back by the sight before him—the bluestone road was packed with people wearing all sorts of training uniforms. From white-haired elders to young children with hair in tufts, everyone was holding a printed diagram of "Basic Footwork." Upon seeing him emerge, they immediately erupted into thunderous cheers.

"Master Chen! We came after watching the livestream!" A young man in glasses in the front row held up a Global Martial Arts System certification badge, its golden patterns shimmering in the morning light. "The System said there would be offline teaching today, so we've been queuing since three in the morning!" The crowd behind him automatically parted to create a path, at the end of which stood a temporary wooden table holding over a dozen thermal mugs printed with the words "Tomb Guardian Martial Arts Hall."

Lin Mo held his tactical tablet high above the crowd. The boy's voice came through a megaphone: "All 150 people who booked online have arrived, along with over 200 enthusiasts who came spontaneously." The heat map on the screen showed the entire alley covered in dense red dots, with Qi Energy fluctuations rising and falling like the tide; thirty percent of them showed clear characteristics of beginners. "The Special Incident Response Department sent drones over, saying they'd help us maintain order."

Grandpa Wang stood inside the gate with his dry tobacco pipe in his mouth, looking at the familiar faces mixed in the crowd—there was the Flower Girl from the pedestrian street, Officer Zhang from the police station, and even Scarface, who had been subdued last week, now clumsily handing out bottled water to everyone. "It was this lively back during the 1959 martial arts census," the old man said, tapping his pipe bowl against the doorframe. "Back then it was organized by the government, but now the common people have come looking for it themselves." He suddenly raised his voice, "Quiet down, everyone! If you want to learn, follow the rules. First, hold a Horse Stance for half an hour!"

The crowd immediately fell silent, assuming standard postures in unison. Chen Wu's "Listening Energy" captured subtle differences: Officer Zhang's Horse Stance carried the steadiness of the military, the Flower Girl's movements still held a hint of shyness, and Scarface was clearly using hidden energy to suppress the residual toxins in his body. Blue-gold Qi Energy spread along the ground, condensing into small energy rings beneath everyone's feet, glowing slightly as if calibrating their movements.

A car horn suddenly sounded from the alley entrance. The black sedan of the Special Incident Response Department was blocked outside by the crowd. The Chief of the Execution Division leaned out her window with a helpless smile. "The Minister asked me to deliver some protective mats, but I didn't expect it to be this crowded." She carried a large box over, which, when opened, revealed foam mats printed with nine-palace grid patterns. "These are made with powdered Tomb-Guarding Beast scales; they can cushion the Qi Energy backlash for beginners."

Chen Wu's gaze fell on a few strangers at the back of the crowd. Their movements were too standard for beginners, and their Qi Energy fluctuations hid a deliberately restrained sharpness that faintly matched the characteristics of Grey Shadow undercover agents. However, when his blue-gold Qi Energy swept past, they immediately showed looks of nervousness, clearly being ordinary Martial Artists who just wanted to steal his techniques—this reminded him of a passage from his grandfather's diary: 'The true threats hide in the shadows; those who come openly are all sincerely seeking to learn.'

When the wooden dummy was moved to the center of the courtyard, the crowd automatically formed a massive circle. As soon as Chen Wu's foot stepped into the center of the circle, his blue-gold Qi Energy drew a complete nine-palace grid on the ground, with a glowing kanji character floating at each node: 'Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui, Zhong'. "Today we will start practicing from the 'Taiji Eye'," he said, lightly stomping his foot at the central palace position. The Qi Energy spread along the stone slabs, causing every character to emit a humming resonance. "Remember, the essence of footwork isn't about how fast you move, but knowing where you should stand."

The Flower Girl was the first to raise her hand: "Master Chen, I always feel like the Qi Energy gets stuck in my knees. What should I do?" Just as she finished speaking, the 'Gen' position character beneath her feet suddenly lit up. A blue-gold energy stream traveled up her calf, swirled around her knee, and returned to the ground. "Ah! It doesn't hurt anymore!" The girl jumped up in surprise, the hem of her skirt sweeping across the Qi Energy trails on the ground, stirring up a small circle of ripples.

With the livestream camera mounted on the gatehouse, the number of online viewers on the Global Martial Arts System soared frantically. Coaches in the bullet comments began providing real-time commentary: "Look at that young man in glasses, his shoulders are too stiff!" "The one in the police uniform has very standard power delivery, he just lacks a bit of fluidity!" When Chen Wu demonstrated a variation of the "Stamping and Grinding Step," the slow-motion replay automatically marked eight key nodes, perfectly corresponding to the patterns on the protective mats sent by the Special Incident Response Department.

Scarface suddenly let out a cry of pain. Just as his right foot stepped into the 'Li' position, he was bounced back half a step by the Qi Energy, and a faint black mist rose from his ankle—evidently, his eagerness for success had triggered a toxin backlash. Chen Wu's figure instantly appeared before him, his palm's blue-gold Qi Energy pressing onto his Acupoints. "Qi Energy should be like flowing water; when it meets an obstacle, it goes around it, it doesn't ram through." When he released his hand, the black mist on Scarface's ankle had dissipated, his eyes full of gratitude.

A cry of surprise suddenly erupted from the crowd. Officer Zhang's "Nine Palace Steps" actually produced afterimages; though it was only for a brief moment, he had accurately stepped on every node. The old policeman's face turned bright red. "I practiced for half the night at the station yesterday, I didn't expect it to actually work!" His body camera happened to capture this scene, and the footage was synchronized in real-time to his colleagues at the station. It was said that their training ground also instantly filled with officers wanting to try it.

Lin Mo's tablet suddenly received a special notification. In the Global Martial Arts System's "Special Talent Mission" column, a new side quest called "Legacy Bearer Cultivation" had appeared: "Successfully guide 100 beginners to Master the Basic Footwork to unlock the 'Tomb-Guarding Beast Breathing Technique'." Just as the boy told Chen Wu the news, the Qi Energy rings of half the people in the crowd turned into a stable gold—clearly, they had met the standard. "The System says this is a surprise reward for you!"

During the noon break, everyone spontaneously set up a long-table feast in the alley. The Flower Girl brought freshly picked magnolias, Officer Zhang brought buns from the police canteen, and Scarface contributed his own homemade braised beef. Chen Wu noticed that everyone's food was infused with trace amounts of Qi Energy catalysts, clearly the work of the Special Incident Response Department—those protective mats were glowing slightly in the sunlight, continuously releasing gentle energy.

Grandpa Wang was surrounded by several old martial arts Masters asking for advice. The old man's tobacco pipe drew an ancient footwork diagram on the ground, which was both similar and different to Chen Wu's Nine Palace Steps. "This is the southern style's 'Plum Blossom Poles'. See? Doesn't it look like a brother to Master Chen's footwork?" He suddenly pointed at the sky. "The Special Incident Response Department's drones have been filming the whole time. I bet they want to record all of this to use as teaching materials."

The afternoon teaching was only halfway through when a commotion suddenly broke out at the alley entrance. Several people in black sportswear tried to force their way in, with the leader holding a video camera pointed directly at the training area. "We're from 'Combat Weekly', we want to interview Master Chen on his views on modern fighting!" Their Qi Energy fluctuations carried a provocative edge; they were clearly here to challenge the hall.

Scarface was the first to stand up and block their path. "If you want to learn, get in line. If you're here to cause trouble, we won't allow it!" The enthusiasts behind him immediately formed a human wall, their Qi Energy fluctuations converging like a rising tide into an invisible barrier. Officer Zhang quietly pressed his body camera, and the voice of police backup came through his communicator: "We'll be there in three minutes!"

Chen Wu's gaze fell on the leader's wrist. He was wearing a modified energy bracelet, the same model as the Grey Shadow Organization's gene scanners. Blue-gold Qi Energy suddenly exploded beneath his feet, and the nine-palace characters instantly expanded, enveloping the entire alley. The moment the intruder's foot stepped into the 'Kan' position, he felt as if he were stepping on cotton, losing all strength as his camera fell to the ground with a 'clatter'.

"Modern fighting emphasizes power, while traditional martial arts emphasize balance." Chen Wu's voice spread through the entire alley via his Qi Energy. "Just like you are now, using brute force to resist will only lead to a Qi Energy backlash." His fingertip traced a line in the air, the blue-gold trail forming a taiji diagram. "True confrontation isn't about striking the opponent down; it's about making them understand where they went wrong."

The reporters' faces suddenly turned pale. Their energy bracelets emitted ear-piercing alarms, with the screens displaying "Qi Energy Disorder"—they were clearly being suppressed by the nine-palace grid's energy field. One of the young men suddenly took off his bracelet and bowed in shame. "I'm sorry, Master Chen. We took money from the Grey Shadow Organization; we wanted to intentionally provoke you to film footage of you losing your temper." He pulled out a micro USB drive. "This is the 'dirt' they gave us; it's all fake."

The crowd erupted in angry discussion. Officer Zhang immediately stepped forward to restrain the men, his body camera clearly recording the confession. Lin Mo's tablet simultaneously connected to the global livestream, making the contents of the USB drive public—videos of "Chen Wu's violent training" forged by the Grey Shadow Organization, with special effects so crude they were laughable. The bullet comments were instantly filled with messages like "Heartbroken for the streamer" and "Severely punish the traitors."

An unexpected gain appeared toward evening. That young man in glasses suddenly cracked a high-level variation of the "Nine Palace Steps," the blue-gold Qi Energy beneath his feet forming a complex star map. The Global Martial Arts System's alarm suddenly rang, and a "Legacy Bearer Awakening" prompt popped up on the screen: "Detected Qi Energy frequency matching the Tomb Guardian, meets the criteria for a Tomb-Guarding Beast Protector." A faint golden light appeared in the youth's pupils, resonating with Chen Wu's peace lock.

"He's Xiao Li's younger brother!" Officer Zhang suddenly recognized him. "The family member of that officer who was coerced by Grey Shadow!" The young man finally realized what was happening and pulled an old peace lock from his shirt—it was the very one Xiao Li's father had lost, which he had been wearing all along. "My brother said this lock could protect me. I didn't expect it to actually have a resonance with Master Chen!"

Grandpa Wang tapped the young man's head with his tobacco pipe. "I saw long ago that you had extraordinary potential, kid." The old man brought out a set of his grandfather's old training clothes from the inner room. "Put these on. From now on, you are an official Disciple of the martial arts hall." On the blue-gold silk, the hidden patterns of the nine-palace grid shimmered in the setting sun, merging perfectly with the Qi Energy on the young man's body.

As the last rays of sunlight swept over the tiled eaves of the training hall, the crowd gradually dispersed. Dense footprints were left on the bluestone road, each carrying a faint blue-gold hue, forming a complete nine-palace diagram in the twilight. Chen Wu's tactical tablet received a settlement notification from the Global Martial Arts System: "Offline teaching mission completion 180%, reward: 10 million points, unlocked the full version of 'Tomb-Guarding Beast Breathing Technique'."

Lin Mo came in carrying a pile of gifts from fans, including handwritten letters, handmade peace locks, and a family portrait drawn by a little girl. In the drawing, Chen Wu stood in the center, surrounded by the Flower Girl, Officer Zhang, and Scarface, with the "Tomb Guardian Martial Arts Hall" plaque in the background. "The Special Incident Response Department says today's livestream tripled the number of people applying for special talent certification," the boy said, his finger sliding across the screen. "The International Martial Arts Federation even wants to invite you to their Swiss headquarters for a demonstration."

The black sedan of the Chief of the Execution Division appeared again, this time with the trunk full of new teaching equipment. "The Minister said these count as official sponsorship," she said, holding a document. "This is the application for the 'National Qi Energy Health Initiative'. Once you sign, you can open branch halls in communities, and the Special Incident Response Department will be responsible for providing the venues and equipment." Next to the bronze seal at the end of the document was a handwritten note: "The wish of Mr. Chen Jianguo in 1987 is finally realized today."

Chen Wu's gaze fell on the livestream replay on the wall. In the footage, he was teaching children to identify Qi Energy nodes, the golden light of the setting sun spilling through the crowd onto their faces. Every earnest look was like a shining star. He suddenly understood that a so-called Legacy was never the work of one person; it was the persistence of the Flower Girl, the transformation of Officer Zhang, the repentance of Scarface, and the yearning of all ordinary people for justice and strength.

Grandpa Wang hung a newly made apprentice uniform on the wooden dummy. The old man's tobacco pipe pointed toward the alley entrance. "You see, the people have a scale in their hearts. They can tell at a glance who is sincerely teaching and who is trying to play tricks." The sparks in his pipe reflected his smiling eyes. "Back then, your grandfather always said the roots of traditional martial arts are among the people. Today, I believe it."

When the lights of the training hall came on, Chen Wu began practicing the newly unlocked "Tomb-Guarding Beast Breathing Technique." The blue-gold Qi Energy rose and fell with a special rhythm, resonating with the residual energy field in the alley, as if the entire space were breathing with him. Lin Mo's tablet showed that the Global Martial Arts System's homepage recommendation had been replaced by today's group photo, with the title: "The best traditional martial arts are in the streets and alleys, right by your side."

In the dead of night, Chen Wu received a text from an unknown number. It was from the young man in glasses: "Master, my brother says he wants to come and learn once he recovers, and many colleagues at the station want to sign up too." Attached was a photo of Xiao Li in his hospital room, practicing an unstandardized "Nine Palace Steps," with the thermal mug he received today sitting on his bedside table.

Chen Wu stood at the courtyard gate, watching the moonlight draw a nine-palace grid on the bluestone. Tomorrow, this place would be crowded again with people coming to learn; there would be new stories and a new Legacy. He knew the threat of the Grey Shadow Organization had not been eliminated, and the cooperation with the Special Incident Response Department had only just begun. But at this moment, the residual laughter and the warmth of the Qi Energy in the alley already provided the most powerful answer—the vitality of traditional martial arts has never been in archives or livestreams, but in the daily lives of every ordinary person willing to believe and practice.

Just like that thermal mug printed with "Tomb Guardian Martial Arts Hall," currently being held by countless people, what was warm was not just the tea, but the faith in justice and strength, emitting a light warmer than any Qi Energy in the night.