Chapter 129: What Lies Ahead for the Development of Traditional Martial Arts?

Yang Meng withdrew ten thousand yuan from the bank and placed it on the hotel table; this should be enough to cover the damages to the room. Looking at the unconscious Zhang Quanbiao, he shook his head. Well, that’s another causal debt settled and merit earned.

However, the risk this time was truly too high! He had almost lost his life! What on earth was that guy? Not only did he know his other identity, but why did he refrain from killing him when he clearly had the chance?

He had just wandered right at the gates of hell! The thought alone sent a shiver down his spine.

Hmm? In his current state, would dying count as "going home"? Uh, let’s not dwell on that; he hadn’t lived enough yet!

After his soul returned to his body, Zhang Quanbiao would certainly remain unconscious for a while. Yang Meng left the money on the table for no other reason than to avoid future headaches: if Zhang woke up with amnesia, saw the mess, and the hospital demanded payment, he might get dragged back into the trouble. It was better to spend a little money to avoid a catastrophe.

Yang Meng slung his cycling bag over his shoulder and left the hotel.

He had promised Duan Bowen he would go see Long Teng, and Yang Meng was not one to break his word. He cycled all the way to the Longyun Fitness Club.

In truth, the main reason was that Yang Meng also wanted a doctor to examine him. Although he had consumed the immortal wine, his injuries were external. While it provided pain relief and healing, they were bone injuries after all, and would require a significant amount of time to recover. It wouldn't hurt to have a doctor check on him. He had lived this long and had never enjoyed the luxury of a private doctor!

Upon arriving at the Longyun Fitness Club, Yang Meng headed upstairs, familiar with the route. However, once he got there, he saw plenty of people, but couldn't find Long Teng and his group anywhere.

"Chief Instructor!" People greeted him one after another upon seeing him.

Yang Meng waved a hand. "I'm not the chief instructor yet. Tell me, where are Long Teng and the others? They told me to come over, so why aren't they here?"

A young man replied, "Chief Instructor, just a moment ago, when Brother Long and Brother Bai were sparring, Brother Long bit Brother Bai. They are in the back now, getting tetanus shots."

Yang Meng was stunned. "What did you say? Long Teng bit someone?"

The young man nodded. "Yes. Didn't you say not to be restricted by moves? Once things get heated, all sorts of moves come out. This isn't the first time Brother Long has bitten someone."

Yang Meng was speechless. Well, there was nothing wrong with biting in a life-or-death situation. But the thought of Long Teng biting someone—the mental image was just too bizarre to contemplate!

In reality, traditional martial arts are not as graceful as people imagine. Moves like eye-gouging, throat-locking, or groin-striking are all present. Almost every style of boxing contains ruthless techniques like the "groin-kicking leg," "monkey steals the peach," or "immortal points the way." Why did the ancients study martial arts? Wasn't it just to fight? Naturally, they did whatever it took to win!

But now? It’s all for fitness and performance, so everything is done for aesthetic appeal, resulting in mostly flashy, hollow forms.

"Where are they?" Yang Meng asked.

"In the infirmary in the back!" the young man pointed the way.

Yang Meng nodded. "I'll go take a look!"

Entering the infirmary, Yang Meng saw Long Teng and Bai Ze lying on hospital beds, with Duan Bowen looking nervous nearby. However, he didn't see a doctor. When they saw Yang Meng enter, Bai Ze was doing better and could sit up to greet him, but Long Teng was wearing a pained expression.

Yang Meng signaled for him to lie down. "What happened here?"

Duan Bowen glanced at Long Teng and explained, "They were sparring just now. Bai Ze landed a 'scorpion tail' kick right on Long Teng's 'little brother,' and Long Teng grabbed Bai Ze and bit him. So, it's considered a draw."

Yang Meng scratched his head. "You two are certainly dedicated. What's the situation now?"

Duan Bowen said, "The doctor just checked. Long Teng's injury isn't very serious, but he's experiencing severe swelling and pain, accompanied by a feverish sensation. The doctor suspects it's epididymitis and went to find ice packs for a cold compress."

Yang Meng gave Bai Ze a thumbs-up. "Well, that was a kick with some kick! You nearly turned him into a eunuch!"

Duan Bowen smiled bitterly. "Mr. Yang, if something really goes wrong with Long Teng's 'little brother,' be careful that Uncle Long doesn't come looking for you!"

"Why would he come after me? If you want to become strong, you have to take risks!" Yang Meng didn't want to take the fall for this. "Besides, Bai Ze kicked him, not me! What does that have to do with me?"

Long Teng, enduring the pain on the bed, spoke up, "That's right, Master, this isn't your fault!"

Yang Meng was speechless. "Don't just climb up the pole; you haven't reached the standard to call me Master yet!"

Long Teng thought for a moment and asked, "Master, I feel that training this way can indeed enrich fighting techniques, but can it really make one stronger?"

Yang Meng countered, "Long Teng, why did you choose to learn Karate in the first place?"

Long Teng answered without hesitation, "Because of its strong combat effectiveness, of course!"

Yang Meng nodded. "Japanese Karate is derived from our traditional martial arts, but in truth, it only captures the surface of our traditions. Yet, why is it said today that the combat effectiveness of Karate is higher than that of traditional martial arts? Have you ever thought about that?"

Long Teng and Bai Ze exchanged glances, then looked at Yang Meng and shook their heads.

Yang Meng explained, "Karate is indeed quite prominent now, with top international competitors like Lyoto Machida and Andy Hug. Leg techniques common in Karate, such as the front kick, crescent kick, sickle kick, and switch kick, are frequently seen in top combat sports like the UFC, whereas our traditional martial arts are rarely seen. Naturally, it makes people feel that Karate's combat effectiveness is far superior to traditional arts. It's no wonder you think that way. But I want to tell you that when it comes to true combat effectiveness, our traditional kung fu is actually stronger!"

"Why?" Long Teng asked, confused.

Yang Meng pointed to his groin. "What move did Bai Ze use to kick you just now? It was a 'scorpion tail.' To put it plainly, it's a spinning back kick, using the power of body rotation to deliver a more powerful blow. Of course, the rotation naturally increases the time it takes to execute, making it easier to defend against, so it's a surprise move. This move comes in two types: a high kick, commonly known as the 'Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail,' and a low kick, known as the 'Scorpion Tail.' Do people use these moves in the ring today? Yes, they do. Just look at 'Tank' Qiu Jianliang; although he studied Muay Thai, he has used these two moves to defeat opponents in the ring multiple times. But I must say, his application of this move is wrong!"

"Wrong?" Bai Ze asked, puzzled.

Yang Meng nodded. "We say these two moves—the 'Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail' is a skill intended to strike the face or neck. But because it's a high kick, it's easily defended by the arms. Its destructive power is greater than the 'Scorpion Tail,' but it's hard to land, so in actual combat, it's not as effective as the low 'Scorpion Tail.' In traditional martial arts, the 'Scorpion Tail' is actually a leg technique specifically designed to kick the groin, but today, it has turned into a skill for kicking the thighs, shins, or abdomen, so its destructive power has naturally dropped significantly! Even so, it's still much more practical than the 'Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail.' However, because the 'Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail' is more aesthetically pleasing—landing a beautiful 'Divine Dragon' gets you a round of applause—if you look at those practicing traditional kung fu routines today, how many are practicing the 'Scorpion Tail'? They're all doing the 'Divine Dragon'! Is that effective in combat?"

Long Teng and Bai Ze nodded repeatedly. One practiced Karate and the other Muay Thai; they chose these over traditional arts precisely because they focused more on actual combat, and what Yang Meng was describing was exactly the problem facing traditional martial arts today.

Yang Meng continued, "You might say that Karate originally had eye-gouging and groin-kicking skills, yet even after removing them, it's still more combat-effective than traditional martial arts. The answer is simple: modern Karate is an innovative, new-style Karate, whereas our traditional martial arts lack sufficient innovation. Let's take a simple example: Wing Chun."

Long Teng said, "You mean Ip Man, right? The Wing Chun he practiced is certainly different from what people practice today! His era was mostly about real combat, right?"

Yang Meng nodded. "That's correct. The Wing Chun he practiced does indeed differ from what people practice today, but that's not a reason for Wing Chun's current weakness. Bruce Lee took the foundation of traditional Wing Chun, discarded the impractical techniques, removed the 'dirty' routines, and pioneered Jeet Kune Do. He now has countless students and is considered a grandmaster! That is the power brought about by the improvement and innovation of traditional martial arts!"

Bai Ze countered, "Master, Bruce Lee was the only one who could do his Jeet Kune Do, right? The theories he left behind are just the surface; the only person in the world who truly understood Jeet Kune Do was Bruce Lee himself! Many people learn Jeet Kune Do, but no one can reach Bruce Lee's level! To this day, there are no real Jeet Kune Do masters, right?"

"What about 'Wing Fight'?" Yang Meng retorted.

Bai Ze was left speechless.

So-called 'Wing Fight' is another form of innovation in Wing Chun.

In the West, Wing Chun is extremely popular; it is no exaggeration to say that its popularity exceeds that of almost any other combat style.

This is also related to Bruce Lee. Almost every champion in mixed martial arts worldwide is a fan of Bruce Lee, and influenced by him, they have begun to study Wing Chun.

On the UFC stage, many famous fighters have a background in practicing Wing Chun, such as UFC Lightweight Interim Champion 'El Cucuy' Tony Ferguson, former Middleweight World Champion 'The Spider' Anderson Silva, and Light Heavyweight World Champion Jon Jones, all of whom have specifically trained in Wing Chun.

Some professional MMA fighters who have been beaten by these people even once produced a video collectively complaining, jointly demanding a ban on the 'dirty moves' of Wing Chun. The power of Wing Chun is evident!

However, the Wing Chun they practice is still different from the routines practiced domestically in China; the Wing Chun they practice is also an improved and strengthened version.

It has another name in foreign countries: 'Wing Fight.'