Gou Zai, a corpse sewn into a spirit in a mortuary during the Republic of China era, became a spirit

Upon hearing that Zhou Fu was going to teach real kung fu, Xie An immediately became serious.

Zhou Fu pondered for a moment and said, "I originally intended to casually teach you a couple of boxing techniques, but considering your exceptional talent, I will teach you the Bajiquan that my master passed down to me."

Although Xie An was extremely excited, he was also a man of principle. "The martial arts of our sect are a unique and unparalleled art. Can I really do this without becoming a disciple?"

Xie An knew that in this world, craftsmanship especially valued the master-apprentice lineage. In the martial arts world of Tianjin, the words "master and apprentice" carried immense weight.

There's an old saying: "Teach your apprentice, and you'll starve." This isn't just about fearing the apprentice will steal your livelihood; it's also about the fear of passing on your skills to the wrong person. If someone with a wicked heart learns the skills and uses them to bully the good and do evil, they'll ruin the family's century-old reputation and disgrace their ancestor!

The so-called ten years of service to the master is not just about doing hard labor, but also about the master testing one's character and tempering one's impetuousness.

Once you join the sect, you're part of the family. Your master and mistress are like your parents. You have to care for them in their old age and see them off when they pass away. If your master scolds or beats you, you have to endure it; if something happens to your master's family, you have to be the first to step up; if your master gets old and paralyzed, you have to take care of them by their bedside!

Conversely, once a master accepts you, they must teach you all their most secret skills without reservation, help you plan your future, and support you in establishing yourself and your family. If you get into trouble, the master will risk their life to save you!

This is what is meant by "a teacher and student are like father and son".

It's not just talk; it's a rule that flows in our blood and a belief that's etched into our bones!

Zhou Fu turned around and walked back under the eaves, picked up the wine bowl and took a swig of wine. "Do you think I don't want to pass on my skills honestly and uprightly, and watch them blossom and bear fruit?"

"I'm just unlucky; I don't deserve it!"

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Back then, at the Tianjin dock, in order to protect your Aunt Lan, I accidentally killed Hong Sihai's son, one of the 'Three Tigers of Tianjin.' Hong Sihai, backed by an old warlord, came to demand an explanation. To protect me... my master personally broke three of my ribs with a ruler in front of the ancestral tablet and in front of Hong Sihai, expelling me from the sect and forbidding me from ever using the name 'Cangzhou Bajiquan' in the martial arts world again. Only then did Hong Sihai give up."

Hong Sihai!

This name is legendary in Tianjin! Similar to the three giants of Shanghai that Xie An knew in his previous life!

No wonder Zhou Fu didn't even teach his own son...

The courtyard was eerily quiet, with only the rustling of the wind through the old locust tree leaves.

After a long pause, Zhou Fucai continued, "How can I, a 'discarded disciple' of the Bajiquan lineage, represent the Bajiquan lineage in accepting disciples? My name is not recorded in the master's register; even if you kowtow, you will not be accepted into the sect. I only do this because I see your exceptional talent and cherish your abilities, and also because I have received half a lifetime of kindness from your father. If you are willing, you can call me Uncle Fu. From now on, I will secretly pass on my skills to you, and you must not reveal it to others. If you achieve success in martial arts in the future, you must not reveal that I taught you the skills."

Xie An bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, Uncle Fu."

Zhou Fu nodded and began to explain: "Bajiquan is a first-class martial art. It originated from Master Wu in Mengcun Town, Cangzhou. During the previous dynasty, Master Wu met two martial arts masters and learned this style of boxing. Later, Master Wu went to Shaolin Temple alone and became famous in Jiangnan and renowned in the capital. It has been passed down for seven generations and spread throughout the Great Xin Dynasty, and its fame has spread overseas."

"The core of Bajiquan is the Vajra Eight Forms: Supporting Hammer, Subduing Tiger, Subduing Dragon, Mountain Splitting Palm, Horse Probing Palm, Tiger Embrace, Bear Crouch, and Crane Step Push. These eight forms are further divided into three categories: frontal breakthrough, close-quarters combat, and integrated offense and defense..."

After explaining the general principles of Bajiquan, Zhou Fu began to demonstrate.

"The first move is the hammer strike. This is a frontal breakthrough method, a powerful and aggressive attack, which emphasizes forcefully opening the gate."

Zhou Fu's right fist twisted and shot out from his waist, the muscles of his forearm twisting like old vines, making a crisp "snap" sound in the air, as if the tip of a whip had exploded.

"See that? It's not about using your arms, it's about your waist and hips 'jumping' forward, your fists are like hammerheads, and your body is like a bow handle. The force should be straight and rapid, like a snapped bowstring shooting an arrow. You try it."

Xie An imitated the punch, but it was all show and no substance. Zhou Fu walked over, placed his hand on Xie An's side, and gently pushed him the instant he threw the punch: "Thrust!...That's it, just this one! Remember this feeling, this is the axe used to break through the door. In martial arts, to kill, you must strike first, hard and fierce enough..."

Under Zhou Fu's patient guidance, Xie An repeatedly adjusted his posture and power techniques, spending over an hour before he finally grasped some of the essentials. Even so, Zhou Fu praised Xie An for his quick learning and then began to teach the second move.

"Second move, Dragon Subduing."

Zhou Fu changed his fist to a palm, and with a powerful upward thrust, his arm and shoulder swelled up, just like a dragon raising its head.

"This is a pry bar, used for breaking up frames. The force starts from the heels, goes up the spine and 'drills' to the fingertips. If the lower body isn't grounded, this technique is just for show."

Xie An followed Zhou Fu's movements and, after several adjustments, finally felt a force being forcefully "drawn" from the soles of his feet to his fingertips, causing his entire arm to feel sore, numb, swollen, and hot.

Zhou Fu nodded slightly: "Although your strength is a bit lacking, you've grasped the basics. I'll teach you the third move so you can have a reference point."

"The third move, Subduing the Tiger."

Zhou Fu stepped forward with his left leg into a bow stance, and pressed his palms down sharply, as if a giant god were pressing down on a struggling beast. His entire weight seemed to be pressing down on those two palms, creating a downward gust of wind.

"This is the force used to press a cow down to drink water. If the opponent lunges forward, or if you raise their center of gravity, you use this hand to press them down and 'nail' them to the ground."

"These three techniques—the Hammer Strikes Front, the Dragon Subduing Prys Open the Gate, and the Tiger Crouching Presses Down—are the three axes for a hard-hitting, forceful attack. The moves are fixed, but the 'force' is flexible. The 'jump' of the Hammer Strikes, the 'drill' of the Dragon Subduing, and the 'press' of the Tiger Crouching can all be flexibly combined and adapted to the situation."

Remember, Bajiquan emphasizes root-joint power. The feet are the root, the waist and hips are the joints, and the fist is merely the tip. If the tip moves one foot, the root joints must move ten feet. When you feel the ground pushing you forward when you throw a punch, rather than your arm pulling you, then you've truly grasped the basics of Bajiquan.

Xie An finally had his eyes opened today. He had seen Liu Hu's martial arts before, and occasionally he had seen the martial arts of Scarface Liu from Yongning County... but compared to this Bajiquan, they were worlds apart.

Gurgle.

Zhou Fu raised his wine bowl and took a big gulp of wine. "You've only just started learning martial arts. You haven't even begun to toughen up your skin yet. Your skin membranes haven't opened up. Don't try to learn too much today. Just master the postures of these three forms. Stand in the stance for half an hour and think about how to 'jump' your waist and hips. Don't move until I tell you to stop."

Xie An nodded in agreement and patiently began the rehearsal.

It wasn't until dusk that Zhou Ji knocked on the door, at which point Zhou Fu called for them to stop, and Xie An also got up to take his leave.

Since it's a secret, it's best not to let anyone know.

Back at the mortuary, he began to ponder under the moonlight. With the moonlight entering his body, his cultivation speed had indeed increased considerably.

From then on, Xie An practiced his martial arts diligently from dawn till dusk every day, going to Zhou Fu's house on time for training. Since he no longer had his treasured old baijiu, he would buy a few kilograms of strong liquor from a local shop and send it to Uncle Fu. Uncle Fu was unpretentious and always patiently guided Xie An, correcting his postures. He even had Xie An buy some skin-grinding medicine from a pharmacy for medicinal baths.

Skin polishing is the first level of external martial arts. It involves polishing the skin to make the skin membrane as tough and durable as cowhide, impervious to heat and cold, and unharmed by ordinary scratches.

Although Bajiquan is powerful and can eventually develop internal strength, it requires taking one step at a time.

The medicine supplements are a bit expensive, costing one silver dollar per dose.

It's often said that scholars are poor while warriors are rich, and that's absolutely true.

Five days passed in a flash.

That night, Xie An took a medicinal bath in his room in the west wing of the mortuary. Sitting upright in the wooden tub, he felt the medicinal power penetrate his skin and enter the membranes, refining and making his skin more robust and resilient.

After the medicinal bath, Xie An stood in front of the full-length mirror wearing only his undershirt and found himself completely different from nine days ago. He was now strong and upright, with a wheat-colored complexion. Even scraping his skin with wood wouldn't leave a mark.

With a casual punch, the wind howls and the force is immense.

"I think I've successfully completed the skin resurfacing. Next is training my tendons. Once I've trained my large tendons to be flexible and precise, I can achieve the strength of copper tendons. It's just that we don't have enough silver dollars at home to cover the cost of medicine and supplements. However, Luo Bosi has collected a batch of funerary objects, which I'll find on the black market to resell and get some silver dollars to buy medicine."

Just as Xie An was planning for the future, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Xie An put on his jacket and went to open the door, only to see Li Erniu sweating profusely, shouting, "Young Master, something terrible has happened! Li Zhonglin, the head of the Special Police Section of the police station, has come to the estate with several armed patrolmen to inquire about Wang Qinian's matter. They've even started arguing with the manager."

Xie An's pupils contracted; what was bound to happen had finally arrived.

As he walked out, he asked, "Who else came with us?"

Li Erniu hurriedly followed beside him, "There was also a female officer leading a group of people carrying a coffin."

Xie An was taken aback: "A coffin? Empty?"

If someone brings an empty coffin to your door, it's like they're trying to wipe out the whole village.

Li Erniu shook his head: "It shouldn't be. The coffin was very mysterious, with thick iron chains binding it."