021 Air Filling the Chest?

"Let's watch together..." With that, Qiangzi piqued the interest of both Yuan Yuan and Yang Chenguang. The group huddled around to watch the video in Qiangzi's hand.

Yuan Yuan was aware that Du Ruo practiced martial arts—she'd seen him box before. She couldn't judge his technique, but from his movements, it was clear he was well-trained. There was a certain magnetism to Du Ruo when he was sparring.

In the video, a sturdy man assumed a horse stance. With a deep breath, his chest, already robust, began to swell like a balloon. To put it in perspective, the man's chest was perhaps an A+ at first, but with one inhalation, it expanded to a D-cup in an instant.

"Whoa—" Yang Chenguang's eyes widened as an expletive escaped his lips. Even Yuan Yuan couldn't hide her disbelief; her eyes were wide in astonishment. She managed to remain somewhat composed, but she was clearly shocked—she'd never seen anyone go from A+ to D before. Not even women with padding could achieve such an effect.

Only Du Ruo's expression remained unchanged. He sat quietly, watching the video with his usual calm.

"That's not all," Qiangzi said, delighted by Yang Chenguang and Yuan Yuan's reactions, as if the man in the video was himself. He lifted his chin, pride written all over his face.

Yuan Yuan and Yang Chenguang stared intently at the man in the video, determined not to miss a single detail.

After inflating his chest with breath, the man whipped his hands against his own chest like a lash, producing sharp, cracking sounds. Just hearing it, one could sense the force behind each strike.

"Impressive, right? That's the 'Qi Filling the Chest' technique from Xingyi Boxing. Even among practitioners, my teacher's level is one of a kind. Ordinary people striking him would be like scratching an itch," Qiangzi boasted as the video ended, putting away his phone and looking expectantly at Du Ruo, hoping to see awe or a desire to learn.

Yuan Yuan and Yang Chenguang said nothing; truthfully, they were amazed. They hadn't expected to encounter such an extraordinary figure.

"I'm not particularly interested. I know a bit about Xingyi Boxing. The 'Qi Filling the Chest' technique is real—it's an advanced method of manipulating one's vital energy," Du Ruo said, forcing himself to give at least a polite reply, seeing that Qiangzi was staring at him so intently.

"Exactly! So what are you waiting for? Honestly, it's the height of summer and you're still wearing long sleeves and pants, looking pale as a ghost. My teacher is incredible—if you train with him, you'll become strong and full of vitality. At the very least, you wouldn't be so frail," Qiangzi pressed eagerly, still trying to persuade Du Ruo.

Yuan Yuan and Yang Chenguang suppressed smiles. They knew Du Ruo wore long sleeves and pants to hide the bruises on his arms and legs, but Qiangzi assumed it was because he was weak.

Yang Chenguang, in fact, was a little tempted. Every man harbors a martial arts dream—at eight, at eighteen, even at eighty-eight. The idea that mastering martial arts could make one extraordinary was hard to resist.

"The technique I mentioned—manipulating vital energy—is advanced. But I never said this man was a master. At best, he knows a few tricks," Du Ruo replied, exasperated. He hadn't planned to comment, but Qiangzi seemed determined to continue unless convinced otherwise.

"Boss, I'm just trying to help you. How can you say that? I checked—the video is authentic, definitely no tampering," Qiangzi protested, visibly displeased. College students these days were nothing if not direct—if they liked something, it showed; if they didn't, that was evident, too.

"It's actually quite simple. First, you need a strong physique—a well-developed chest. Then pull your shoulders back, tighten your abdomen, and lift your chest. Watch, I'll show you," Du Ruo said, setting down his glass. He pulled his shoulders back, inhaled, and puffed out his chest. In an instant, his previously unremarkable chest swelled, pushing out his shirt—less dramatic than the man in the video, but at least a solid C+.

"If I were a bit stronger, with more developed pectorals, the effect would be about the same. Of course, some of this depends on natural build—people with naturally protruding breastbones get better visual results," Du Ruo added, brushing away Yang Chenguang's curious hand and letting out a breath, his chest returning to normal.

"How can this be? How can this be?" Qiangzi muttered, pulling out his phone to review the video again. He tried copying Du Ruo's demonstration and found he could achieve a similar effect—perhaps even more striking, since his chest muscles were already well developed from regular training.

His teacher had taught him to sense and strengthen his vital energy, to move it through his body, and the secret of "Qi Filling the Chest"—but never the trick of pulling back the shoulders and puffing out the chest.

"No, that's only the appearance. Look at my teacher—he can strike his chest with such force, that's the real test. What you did has no defensive value, it's just for show," Qiangzi insisted.

His idol, his hard-sought goal, had just been exposed as something easily achieved. Qiangzi was crushed, unable to accept it and desperate to find proof to defend his teacher.

"Didn't you notice the video was shot in a stairwell? That echo—can't you hear it? In a stairwell, even a minor sound booms like thunder," Du Ruo remarked. The others, caught up in the spectacle, hadn't thought of that; only Du Ruo, with his deep knowledge of Xingyi Boxing, saw through it immediately.

Still, the average person, without training, couldn't replicate the effect in the video. The man was gifted, with a naturally protruding breastbone—something even Du Ruo, with training, couldn't match in visual impact.

Qiangzi, stubbornly refusing to believe it, watched the video over and over. Now, paying attention, he did hear the echo in the stairwell—perhaps it really was as Du Ruo had said.

"I have to ask my teacher," Qiangzi muttered, biting his lip as he began typing on his phone.

Moments later, he set the phone down, looking utterly dejected, as if all the life had drained out of him.

"What happened?" Yang Chenguang asked, curious. He didn't understand martial arts, but was eager to see how things would play out.

"I was kicked out of the group and blocked," Qiangzi replied, slumping in his seat as though he'd lost his faith.

"Sorry about this, everyone. He's always like this—tries to persuade everyone he meets to practice martial arts. Our classmate wasn't feeling well today and couldn't make the hike, so we thought a little drink would help him sleep. Sorry for the disturbance; we'll take him away now," said one of Qiangzi's friends, coming over to lead him away. He apologized politely to the three of them before leaving.