From Robinson Crusoe

Which young man hasn't dreamed of being a martial arts hero? Which young man doesn't want to roam the martial arts world freely?
Chen Zhou had never imagined that he would one day be able to learn martial arts. Hearing Bi Kai's words, he was overjoyed and had no reason to refuse, so he readily agreed.

Upon seeing his benefactor agree, Bi Kai's expression immediately turned serious. Although he was disheveled, a chivalrous air returned to his brows.

As if knowing his days were numbered, his tone carried a hint of sorrow—

“My benefactor, before I pass on my martial arts skills to you, there are a few things I must make clear.”

First of all, no martial art can be mastered overnight. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day, and the same applies to martial arts training.

When you learn marksmanship from me, you must not be greedy for quick results or rush things.

Even those with exceptional talent need to repeatedly experience and gain insights from martial arts training.

Even for beginners, it takes at least dozens of recitations, careful study, and diligent practice to achieve mastery of spear techniques as soon as possible.

The determination, perseverance, and hardships required are beyond the endurance of ordinary people. If you wish to learn, my benefactor, you must always remember this: skills acquired quickly are merely commonplace and will never amount to anything.

When it comes to martial arts, Bi Kai is completely different from before.

After all, he was self-taught and had already made a name for himself in the martial arts world before he turned thirty. In addition to the family's "Hun Yuan Sword Scripture", he also had many other unique skills from various schools and sects. Of course, he had reason to be proud.

After saying this, he paused for a moment, and seeing that Chen Zhou had not given up, he continued with the second point.

"Most people can endure hardship, especially children from poor families. They will endure any hardship to earn a living without complaining or feeling tired or in pain."

However, in the path of martial arts, being able to endure hardship is not enough; one also needs talent, comprehension, and a wealthy family background.

My ancestor Bi Kun learned about swordsmanship at the age of five, practiced martial arts at the age of six, mastered swordsmanship at the age of twelve, became invincible in the martial arts world at the age of seventeen, and ascended to heaven in broad daylight at the age of two hundred.

I also learned swordsmanship in my youth, but I have wasted more than twenty years of my life. Yet I still have to rely on the sharpness of weapons to show off my power. The difference between me and my ancestors is like heaven and earth.

"If you wish to learn martial arts, my benefactor, you must recognize that everyone has different talents. If you do not make progress over a long period, do not belittle yourself; after all, there are many mediocre people in the world."

As he finished speaking, Bi Kai worried that Chen Zhou would be angered by the phrase "mostly mediocre people," so he carefully glanced at Chen Zhou's expression.

Most people in high positions or who have made achievements in a certain field dislike being told what to do, even if it's something they're not good at.

In Bi Kai's eyes, Chen Zhou was undoubtedly the kind of person who took an unconventional approach but unexpectedly reached a higher level.

Such people are mostly arrogant and unwilling to listen to outsiders.

Moreover, Chen Zhou had done him a favor after all, and was superior to him in both age and seniority. As a junior, it was indeed taboo for a prisoner for him to say such things.

Unexpectedly, Chen Zhou simply listened attentively, showing no displeasure whatsoever in response to his words.

Chen Zhou is not one of those people who get carried away with a little success; he knows his own limitations best.

Despite his tall stature, he actually had little athletic talent from a young age. Despite being over 1.8 meters tall, he always came in last in the high school physical fitness tests, and before he went to the island, he couldn't even do two pull-ups.

As for flexibility tests such as sit-and-reach, he had absolutely no talent for them; his whole body was like a zombie, impossible to bend.

Besides, his reaction speed is also a bit slow. He's just a little smarter and has a slightly better memory than the average person. Otherwise, he would have ended up in a situation where no one would even hire him to carry bricks on a construction site.

The work on the isolated island strengthened his physique, but at best it only brought him to the level of a normal person.

The reason he has achieved what he has today and made a name for himself in the world of extreme sports is that everyone thinks he has reached the pinnacle of skill and physical fitness, even the limits of human potential.

In fact, Chen Zhou knew perfectly well that he didn't have any special skills; he relied entirely on his physical abilities, or rather, he was cheating.

If a world gymnastics champion were to wield his body, he could certainly reach an even higher level, but there's nothing we can do about it; after all, this body belongs to him.

Because he knew that everything he possessed was due to chance and an unexpected gift from the Time and Space Administration, Chen Zhou had no arrogant feelings.

He also agreed with Bi Kai's statement that "most people are mediocre." Geniuses are a tiny minority, and everyone is just an ordinary person. There's nothing to be angry about.

Seeing that Bi Kai had stopped talking, Chen Zhou thought he was afraid of upsetting him, so he waited a while before asking him questions.

"And the third point?"

After being reminded, Bi Kai continued.

"This third point is even more important than the first two."

Presumably, my benefactor also knows that martial arts training is a skill that must be learned from childhood.

The direct descendants of martial arts families, once they can speak, must memorize incantations, which are for cultivation, physical fitness, and practical application.

Our kendo skills are divided into three realms: Form Sword, Qi Sword, and Divine Sword. Ordinary people can hardly reach the second realm in their entire lives.

Judging from my benefactor's appearance, he is probably over thirty years old. Starting to learn martial arts at this age is probably ten or a hundred times more difficult than for ordinary people.

To have a clear understanding of the situation, I have a presumptuous request, though I'm unsure if I should make it.

Before learning a single trick, Chen Zhou listened to Bi Kai spout a long string of things about how he wasn't suited to martial arts. He thought to himself, even if I can't learn real kung fu, mastering a few fancy moves is still better than swinging my fists wildly.

Let's not talk about age; I've made my stance so firm, how could I possibly not learn?

Recalling the wording in period dramas, he replied, "Speak freely."

"Alright, please take off your clothes, my benefactor."

I want to feel your bones and muscles to see how much talent you possess, so that I can continue my teaching.

……

On a cold winter night, several thick pieces of firewood were added to the campfire in the forest, causing the flames to burn high and making the surrounding area hot.

Under the bright red firelight, Chen Zhou took off his clothes, leaving only his thin underwear, and sat by the fire while Bi Kai massaged his muscles and acupoints, cooperating with Bi Kai to make various movements.

Although Bi Kai possessed family-inherited swordsmanship, he lacked formal training and was unfamiliar with bone-reading techniques.

He could only judge whether Chen Zhou was a good candidate for martial arts training based on the commonalities among martial arts masters.

The first aspect is comprehension, which will only be understood after Chen Zhou memorizes the key points of the technique and practices the movements.

Secondly, it lies in martial virtue and moral character.

A person of high moral character is humble, calm, and kind, and never bullies the weak.

Chen Zhou had already passed this test.

The battle with the mammoth was caused by Bi Kai and Gao Yao diverting the trouble to the east. Chen Zhou could have ignored it, but he stepped in out of righteousness. Moreover, after saving them, he did not seek repayment but left gracefully. This alone is something that ordinary people cannot do.

Thirdly, it lies in the muscles and bones.

This sounds complicated, but in modern terms it's about a person's natural physique, such as the length of their arms. People with longer arms have an advantage in combat, while those with longer legs are better suited to training their legwork.

Other factors include coordination, flexibility, and reaction speed.

In this respect, Chen Zhou has demonstrated terrifying potential—

Although his arms and legs are only of normal proportions, his flexibility, coordination, and reaction speed are far superior to ordinary people, even surpassing Bi Kai, a martial arts master, by a large margin.

After Chen Zhou demonstrated several extremely difficult yoga poses to Bi Kai, Bi Kai was even more astonished. He simply couldn't imagine how someone who had never practiced any martial arts could possess such talent. Not to mention comparing him to other adults, even many masters in Shaolin Temple probably couldn't achieve this level of skill.

Without a doubt, Jin Gu Chen Zhou was fully qualified and far exceeded Bi Kai's expectations.

With such a physique, even if Chen Zhou is older and less perceptive, as long as he puts in the effort, he can at least achieve something in the field of external martial arts.

Having tested Chen Zhou's physique, Bi Kai had great confidence in him. He then tested Chen Zhou's strength.

In modern terms, this can be explained as strength and gait, including explosive power and the stability of the lower body.

Chen Zhou underwent several tests, including carrying heavy objects, testing his punching power, and practicing horse stance.

The result also left Bi Kai speechless.

A person who had never practiced martial arts was stronger and more explosive than any master who specialized in external martial arts, and his lower body was incredibly stable.

After Chen Zhou assumed a horse stance, even if a rope was tied to his calf and the giant antler deer pulled on him, he wouldn't budge.

If Bi Kai hadn't known that his benefactor had no reason to lie to him, he might have even thought that Chen Zhou was deliberately pretending not to know martial arts to deceive him.

There's no problem with his martial virtue, his physique, or his strength. His comprehension still needs further evaluation, and as for the remaining aspect, willpower, Bi Kai felt there was no need to test it.

To have survived in such an environment for so long, Chen Zhou's willpower couldn't be weak.

Moreover, with such amazing physical qualities, even if one's comprehension and willpower are somewhat lacking, learning two martial arts styles that focus more on techniques would be more than enough.

It should be noted that, within Bi Kai's knowledge and experience, none of the established martial arts masters possessed the terrifying strength and power that Chen Zhou possessed.

In other words, his benefactor first developed a strong physique through physical training, and then learned the techniques.

In this way, as long as a person is not too dull, after memorizing the moves, they can master them in three to five years at most and leap into the ranks of grandmasters.

……

Having confirmed that his benefactor possessed enviable martial arts talent, Bi Kai got down to business.

He closed his eyes to rest, quietly waiting for Chen Zhou to get dressed. He stood up, holding a long stick, his eyes gleaming, and he vaguely regained his former spirit.

"The Yue Family Spear originated from the great hero Zhou Tong."

After learning the spear technique, Yue Shuai combined the Xiang family spear of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, the Zhao family spear of Zhao Yun, the Luo family spear of Luo Cheng, and the Yang family spear of Yang Liulang. After many battles, he finally created the Yue family spear style.

My lineage is incomplete; my spear technique lacks military strategy and tactics, and the true essence of the art is not fully preserved.

The "Hun Yuan Sword Classic" created by my ancestors contains information about swordsmanship, including internal and external techniques, as well as the practice of stepping on the Big Dipper.

To elaborate further, it can be divided into principle, method, technique, skill, intention, body, and application; presumably, the same applies to spear techniques.

The Yue Family Spear technique is missing most of its internal strength, only the classic manuals and external techniques remain. However, it does have all sixty-four spear moves. As long as one understands the external techniques, one can become a fierce general capable of taking down ten thousand soldiers.

"My benefactor, listen carefully, watch closely, and remember well. I will now demonstrate all sixty-four spear techniques!"

As he spoke, Bi Kai, who only had one arm left, began to wield the long stick in his hand.

"This gun is short and sharp."

Short stature means that only the most skilled can fight on the battlefield;
Fa'ao, those who are careless cannot teach;
This method is specifically designed for rough and uncouth men in battle formations. The spear is long and has a large shaft, making it easy for those who are brave and strong to learn...

……

Despite his severe injuries and disability, Bi Kai recited the gun mantra while wielding the gun. Although he tried his best to concentrate and control his body, his steps were still unsteady, and sometimes he could not even straighten his arm.

To stretch his body, Bi Kai even took off his animal skin clothes and hat, wearing only a thin garment.

The mountains and forests are coldest at night. Even though there is a campfire nearby, the heat from the campfire cannot be completely directed to a person without the obstruction of a wall.

Even with Chen Zhou's constitution, he was shivering slightly from the cold after taking off his clothes and doing some movements, let alone Bi Kai.

Knowing that Bi Kai might only be able to demonstrate once, he focused 120% of his attention, watching Bi Kai's every move closely, and at the same time used his superb memory to engrave all of Bi Kai's words into his mind.

Bi Kai's language has a strong regional flavor. He can't fully remember and understand it after listening to it once, but he can at least review it from time to time and absorb its true essence.

Halfway through the gunfight, Bi Kai's forehead was already covered in a fine layer of sweat.

A martial artist should have a rosy complexion after exercising, but after this display of skill, Bi Kai's face turned deathly pale. Chen Zhou's heart tightened at the sight, and he quickly got up to stop Bi Kai from continuing to wield the spear.

However, Bi Kai is an exceptionally stubborn person. He usually appears to be mild-mannered, but once he makes up his mind to do something, nothing can sway him.

He pursed his lips, his face revealing an indescribable tenacity. He didn't say anything, but gently pushed Chen Zhou's hand away, then gestured for Chen Zhou to continue watching, and earnestly demonstrated the next move.

……

After a short while, the entire Yue Family Spear Technique was finally demonstrated, and Bi Kai's face had turned from white to purple.

After he wrapped himself in the animal skin and sat back down by the campfire, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his beard red.

Knowing that Chen Zhou was about to try to dissuade him again, Bi Kai raised one hand in advance.

“My benefactor, my days are numbered, and I have lost all my martial arts skills; I am now a cripple.”

I cannot avenge Brother Gao, nor can I repay your great kindness. Please stop trying to persuade me.

Today, I would rather die than fail to pass on my spear and sword skills to you. If one day you are able to kill our enemies, I hope you will cut off their heads and sprinkle a cup of river water as a sacrifice.

Gao Yao and I are buried in these mountains and rivers, and our souls will finally rest here.

At that time, my brother and I will be able to find peace in heaven.

After speaking, Bi Kai wiped the bloodstains from his mouth, forced himself to stand up, and his demeanor changed, suddenly appearing exceptionally heroic.

"My benefactor, please lend me your help!"

Chen Zhou handed over the long knife, and Bi Kai grabbed the hilt, turned around sharply, and drew the long knife.

Looking down at the gleaming blade, he praised it as a fine sword and swung it with all his might.

……

Beside the flickering firelight, the blades gleamed.

A dying swordsman, burning with his last breath, chanted sword incantations and wielded a long sword with ferocious power.

Chen Zhou sat on the bench, staring intently at the scene.

He thought he would always remember this day, this night, this chivalrous man, and Bi Kai's weak yet resolute voice—

"The best posture is with the left hand forward and the right hand behind."

Retreating swiftly like the wind, one must not change one's course; the blade's edge is so fast it is truly difficult to withstand...

This was the only chivalrous person he had encountered in over fifty years—a true hero, a man of flesh and blood, with integrity and a chivalrous spirit. (End of Chapter)