Chapter 300: Bajiquan vs. Wudang Sanshou

“Ding!”

System notification:

“《Snake Fist》 has advanced from ‘Minor Mastery’ to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Agility.”

After four hours of training, Su Wangchuan had finally broken through. The moment he logged in, the pleasant system notification sounded.

Smiling broadly, he summoned his attribute panel.

Su Wangchuan: Male (Hunger 77/100)

(Life Profession: Blacksmith)

(Combat Profession: Second-Rank Martial Artist)

Strength: 52; Attack: 17–18

Agility: 60; Defense: 12; Speed: +60

Stamina: 66; Health: 660/660

Spirit: 21; Internal Energy: 210/210

Free Attributes: 5 (Available for Allocation)

(Cultivation techniques folded)

His Agility had reached 60.

Now only Strength remained at 52. To break through into the Third-Rank Martial Artist realm, he still needed eight more points of Strength.

With the five free attribute points he already possessed, he technically needed only one strength-oriented martial art manual to officially enter the ranks of Third-Rank Martial Artists.

After thinking it over, he decided to visit the Bajiquan Martial Arts Gym again and see whether he could learn another martial art from Chen Gang.

Chen Gang clearly did not expect Su Wangchuan to return so quickly.

Su Wangchuan spoke directly.

“Instructor Chen, I am very interested in different martial arts. What other techniques do you know? I would like to learn them from you.”

“My specialties are Xingyi Quan, Bajiquan, Tongbei Quan, and Bajiquan spear techniques…”

“Which one is the most powerful and aggressive?”

Su Wangchuan asked a rather amateurish question.

Chen Gang was visibly stunned for a moment, but he answered seriously.

“Xingyi kills a man in a year; Bajiquan can break down a gate in six months! In terms of sheer power, I would lean toward Bajiquan. Of course, the Vajra Eight Spear Forms of Bajiquan spear techniques are on another level compared to bare-handed combat. If I unleash them fully, I can dismantle ten security robots in a single breath.”

At that point, he asked Su Wangchuan:

“Su Wangchuan, are you practicing multiple martial arts and selecting the most suitable one to break through your realm?”

“Something like that.”

Su Wangchuan did not elaborate.

Chen Gang pondered aloud.

“So this is the path of ancient martial arts families? With more resources and more choices, you can select the best martial path from countless techniques and cultivate it specifically. Truly worthy of an ancient martial arts lineage.”

Su Wangchuan felt helpless.

Chen Gang was clearly constructing an entire backstory for him in his own mind.

“Since Instructor Chen specializes in Bajiquan and Bajiquan spear techniques, I would like to learn both from you. I am willing to pay whatever it costs.”

Su Wangchuan currently had just over two million in his account. It was not much, but paying for martial arts lessons would certainly not be a problem.

Unexpectedly, Chen Gang shook his head.

“You have already paid the tuition fee. I cannot charge you again.”

“If you truly feel uncomfortable about it, then let us have a proper sparring match inside the cage. I have not encountered a powerful martial artist in a long time, and I would like a real duel.”

Su Wangchuan was surprised.

Chen Gang explained:

“The Snake Fist earlier was only instruction. I want to see the true strength of a disciple from an ancient martial arts family—and understand the gap between us.”

As he spoke, a burning fighting spirit appeared in his eyes.

Su Wangchuan understood.

A martial artist who had trained for decades had inevitably been provoked by a young “ancient martial arts disciple” not yet twenty years old. He wanted to test himself with a full-force battle.

“Alright.”

“Then I will fight you seriously.”

Su Wangchuan agreed.

In truth, he also wanted to know what level Chen Gang’s strength corresponded to.

He wanted a genuine fight in the real world—to see where he stood compared to a martial artist who had trained for decades.

“Please.”

Chen Gang smiled and gestured.

Su Wangchuan clasped his fists.

“Please.”

The two entered the octagonal cage ring.

Chen Gang took his stance.

His body lowered into a bow stance, forming the posture of Bajiquan. His eyes grew deep and sharp. His entire body resembled a drawn bow ready to release an arrow, muscles and bones emitting faint crackling sounds of excitement.

“Bajiquan emphasizes momentum. Power begins in the feet, gathers in the waist, and explodes through the fists, palms, elbows, and shoulder strikes. Its destructive force is astonishing! Brother Su, you had better use your full strength.”

“I will.”

Su Wangchuan nodded.

He then lowered his stance slightly and assumed the opening posture of 《Wudang Sanshou》.

“Wudang Sanshou excels at using softness to overcome hardness.”

Chen Gang’s eyes lit up.

Wudang!

A true great school of ancient martial arts!

At that moment, he clearly felt a gentle yet steady aura emanating from Su Wangchuan.

Facing him, Su Wangchuan stood calm and unmoving, as though everything were under control.

More importantly, a mysterious momentum arose from Su Wangchuan’s body, creating a subtle pressure.

“Good!”

“Here I come!”

Chen Gang knew he could not allow his opponent to build momentum.

With a shout, he attacked first.

Thud! Thud!

He took two powerful steps forward, leaving clear footprints on the ground.

Power rising from the feet!

Each step was heavy, building momentum like a charging beast descending from the mountains.

His elbow swept toward Su Wangchuan with overwhelming force.

Su Wangchuan remained calm.

He sidestepped gently, drawing a circle beneath his feet. One palm pressed lightly against Chen Gang’s scapula, widening the distance.

Chen Gang turned and struck with another elbow, but he could no longer reach Su Wangchuan.

Forced to accelerate forward, his fists exploded like cannon fire, tearing through the air as they slammed toward Su Wangchuan’s palms.

Su Wangchuan retreated while dispersing the force, neutralizing the attack with softness overcoming hardness.

Footwork controlled distance.

Palm techniques suppressed fist techniques.

Chen Gang’s Bajiquan was completely restrained.

All his strength seemed to strike nothing but empty air.

The longer he fought, the more frustrated he felt.

Moreover, every spot struck by Su Wangchuan’s palm gradually grew numb and sore.

His breathing became uneven, and the flow of his movements slowed.

After more than a dozen exchanges, Chen Gang’s face darkened as he gasped for breath.

The hidden injuries left behind by Wudang Sanshou began to appear within his body.

“Let us stop.”

Su Wangchuan stepped back and halted the match.

“If we continue, you will end up lying down to recover.”

By now, Su Wangchuan had roughly gauged Chen Gang’s strength.

Chen Gang was probably just barely at the threshold of the Second Rank.

However, he had never cultivated protective body techniques or internal cultivation methods.

Therefore, he was only an ordinary Second-Rank Martial Artist.

The realm of Chen Gang’s Bajiquan was indeed very high. It could threaten even a Third-Rank Martial Artist.

But against an opponent like Su Wangchuan—whose protective body technique had reached Integration and whose internal cultivation method had also reached Integration—it became extremely difficult.

His attacks were suppressed completely.

Chen Gang stopped and smiled bitterly.

“Brother Su is truly formidable.”

“As expected of a disciple of an ancient martial arts family. Your Wudang Sanshou is exquisite. I am completely outmatched.”

Su Wangchuan wanted to say that it was not Chen Gang’s fault, but he swallowed the words and instead said:

“If we were only discussing ordinary martial arts sparring, your Bajiquan is indeed powerful and ferocious. Unfortunately, it happens to be restrained by Wudang Sanshou. Still, I would like to learn this technique properly. I hope Instructor Chen will not hesitate to teach me.”

“No problem.”

Chen Gang agreed readily and laughed.

“Brother Su, you are a disciple of ancient martial arts with extraordinary talent. I also hope Bajiquan can flourish even further in your hands.”