All Heavens: Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts Starting from the Republic of China

Inside the best guest room of the Feng family mansion.

Fu Ze connected his thoughts with the [Order of All Heavens], and purple characters once again appeared in the void before him.

"The wielder has been eliminated: one ferocious corpse spirit. The material [Corpse Qi] has been obtained, which can be decomposed into Heavenly Dao Points to complete or refine cultivation techniques. Decompose now?"

Decompose it immediately!

"Decomposition successful. You have gained 10 Heavenly Dao Points."

"It can be used to complete or deduce techniques."

"Displays holder information, available for selection."

【Name】

Fu Ze.

【identity】

Inspector of the Heavens, a wandering cultivator from Maoshan (not ordained), and a martial arts master (peak of Ming Jin).

【Tiandao Points】

10 points.

[Technique]

1. The fragment of "Shangqing Lingbao Dongshen Zhengfa" has a holding ratio of 5%, which can be replenished to 10% ​​by consuming 10 Heavenly Dao Points.

2. "The Great Manifestation of Powerful Magic Techniques from the Southern Transmission of Maoshan Altar" (Incomplete Version), with a holding ratio of 70%, which can be replenished to 80% by consuming 10 Heavenly Dao Points.

3. "Open Door Bajiquan" (Incomplete Version), with a holding ratio of 80%, can be completely completed by consuming 10 Heavenly Dao Points.

After reading this information, Fu Ze basically understood the true purpose of the [Order of the Heavens].

"Uh...it seems similar to the skill point allocation system I used to play in online games?"

At the same time, this was the first time he truly knew where the Xuanmen lineage he inherited came from.

That's right!

Prior to this, Fu Ze was unaware of the lineage and origins of the Xuanmen techniques he practiced.

After all, the Fu family were just independent practitioners. Moreover, his great-grandfather had joined the sect halfway through his life by following a wandering Taoist priest and didn't have much education, so their cultivation methods were not systematic.

Knowing the "techniques" but not the "methods," let alone the "principles."

Simply put, it involves hands-on practice but lacks theoretical foundation.

The master teaches his apprentices step by step, directly finding an evil spirit to demonstrate on the spot, and they learn while doing!

It wasn't until Fu Ze's generation, with their higher level of knowledge and culture, that they began to truly study the family's esoteric lineage.

Prior to this, Fu Ze had already basically confirmed that his family's inherited technique was "Maoshan magic".

However, the Maoshan School is the one with the most, most complex, and most chaotic lineages among the many Taoist sects!

Besides the lofty and prestigious Maoshan Orthodox Sect—the Maoshan Shangqing Sect, which, along with Longhu Mountain and Gezao Mountain, is known as one of the "Three Mountains of Talismans"—there are also sects such as: the Great Maoshan Sect, the Guanyin Maoshan Sect, the Northern Maoshan Sect, the Maolu Two Sects, the Southern Maoshan Sect, the Su Mao Lineage, the Western Maoshan Sect, and the Maoshan Zhenxin Sect…

It's so dazzling! After seeing so many of them in a row, I'm almost forgetting how to even read the character "茅" (mao) anymore!

And these are all from the Maoshan lineage, which has considerable influence and reputation.

As for smaller lineages, they are countless.

Now, Fu Ze has figured out that his family lineage is the Southern Maoshan lineage.

In layman's terms, it's the kind of stuff that Lam Ching-ying, known as "Uncle Nine," used in those supernatural films that were very popular in Hong Kong in the 1990s.

He had thought it looked very similar before, but now he's completely certain.

But what Fu Ze didn't expect was...

"The magic passed down by my great-grandfather's master actually contains trace amounts of authentic Maoshan elements?"

Anyone with a little knowledge or interest in esoteric Buddhism can tell from the name "Shangqing Lingbao Dongshen Zhengfa" that it belongs to the Shangqing sect of Maoshan.

Moreover, he is a seasoned "insider" like Fu Ze.

Although the concentration of the Shangqing Lingbao Dongshen Zhengfa is relatively weak, with only 5% of the fragmentary content mixed in with the family's teachings, it is still very real.

"I knew it! During my daily practice, I felt that a small part of the family's teachings was quite special. It was obscure, difficult, complex, and profound, making it very strenuous to practice, but also more effective. So that's what this concentration of the authentic Maoshan teachings is all about."

As for Bajiquan, it was something my grandfather "asked" for from a friend.

Therefore, Fu Ze knew from the very beginning that the training methods for [weapons] and [internal strength] were missing.

As for weaponry, all traditional Chinese martial arts have corresponding weapon training methods. After all, traditional Chinese martial arts are techniques for killing enemies and achieving victory, and their basic prototypes are derived from ancient battlefield combat.

Tai Chi Chuan originated from swordsmanship, while Baguazhang originated from knife techniques.

Like Xingyiquan, Bajiquan originated from the battlefield battles involving spears and lances!

Compared to the "whole-body power penetration" emphasized in Xingyiquan, Bajiquan is more violent and relentless, and its corresponding weapon, the "Liuhe Spear," weighs several tens of kilograms.

Fu Ze's kung fu is missing the secret to practicing the Six Harmonies Spear.

As for internal strength, it is actually what is called "hidden strength" and "neutralizing strength" in traditional Chinese martial arts.

Ming Jin is the condensation of the body's muscles, bones, and other "large" and "whole" parts into a unified whole.

By utilizing the muscles of the legs, waist, hips, and shoulders, the power of the whole body is concentrated into one, naturally enabling one to unleash power that ordinary people cannot imagine.

The core principles are: [unity of upper and lower body] and [strength reaching all four limbs].

With fists and legs, one must possess the strength of several hundred kilograms; when they strike, the air explodes with tremendous force.

When one reaches the level of internal strength, one must open up and connect even the "delicate" parts such as tendons, fascia, ligaments, and joints.

The core principles are "internal strength" and "connection of tendons and bones".

Through training the main spine, one gains free control over the fascia and bones, and the power begins to penetrate into the smallest details.

The hidden force it emits can penetrate the enemy's skin and muscles, reaching deep inside to cause damage!

Reaching the level of Hua Jin (化劲) is a further step forward from the level of An Jin (暗劲). The power completely permeates every part of the body, including the internal organs and bone marrow... all of which have been properly trained.

The core principles are "Kung Fu reaching the marrow" and "Power reaching the extremities".

At this point, the bone marrow and blood have an extremely fast metabolic rate, generating a vitality several times stronger than that of an ordinary person.

The force can also reach the teeth, tongue, nails, and hair. The hidden force spreads throughout the body, and every part of the body can strike people; it's all a fist!

To reach the state that martial arts practitioners dream of, where "not even a feather can be added, and not even a fly can land."

Essentially, hidden strength and neutralizing strength are the same thing, just at different degrees.

Therefore, they are collectively referred to as "internal strength".

Musculoskeletal muscles are easy to train, and there are ways to train fascia, but common sense tells us that bone marrow, internal organs, and other parts of the body simply cannot be trained!

Ancient martial artists, through arduous and persistent searching, finally discovered a solution.

That is, to cultivate through sound!

That's right!

Using special sounds in conjunction with martial arts movements, one continuously vibrates the bone marrow and internal organs to achieve the purpose of cultivation.

Through generations of exploration and summarization, different schools of Chinese martial arts have developed their own secrets of neutralizing force.

Tai Chi Chuan has the "Toad Fishing Strength," Xingyi Quan has the "Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound," Bagua Zhang has the "Bull Moo and Dragon Roar"... while Bajiquan's is called the "Hum and Ha Two Breaths."

Fu Ze knew all of these things.

However, the specifics of how to practice and the details are unknown.

Because the secrets of neutralizing internal energy are the most crucial element of every Chinese martial arts style, even true disciples often have to serve their masters for over a decade before they can receive the instruction...

Even in modern society, the traditional master-disciple relationship of personal dependence has almost disappeared, but obtaining the secret of transforming internal energy is not an easy task.

Fu Ze was both surprised and delighted as he looked at the information displayed by the [Order of All Heavens].

After calming down, I began to consider the pros and cons.

"Currently, it seems that I am simultaneously practicing [magic arts] and [martial arts], and there are three different cultivation methods."

"The most powerful of them is naturally the incomplete 'Shangqing Lingbao Dongshen Zhengfa'. But it's too incomplete, only 5% of the content. Even if we use up all our current Heavenly Dao Points, it will only be able to replenish 10%."

"Moreover, it's just learning; to master it or achieve great success, you need continuous training. It's a long-term plan, but not cost-effective in the short term."

"The various talismans and spells in 'The Great Manifestation of Powerful Magic Techniques in the Southern Transmission of Maoshan Dharma Altar' are the ones I use most often. However, I still cannot fully supplement and deduce them."

"The most urgent task in this unfamiliar world is to develop a cultivation technique that is as perfect and complete as possible. Only in this way can we ensure safety to the greatest extent possible..."

With this in mind, Fu Ze had already decided to give all 10 Heavenly Dao Points to "Open Door Bajiquan"!

"In the chaotic world of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, in addition to demons and monsters, the dangers of war and man-made disasters were also very high! Even if my current magical cultivation were doubled, it wouldn't be very intimidating when facing living people."

"On the contrary, in martial arts, once you reach the level of internal strength... you'd be considered a master even in this era, right?"

Having made his decision, Fu Ze, with a thought, connected with the [Order of All Heavens] and added all 10 Heavenly Dao Points he had gained from killing the Corpse Demon to the "Open Door Eight Extremes Fist".

Buzz!

The Heavenly Decree trembled, emitting a purple halo and manifesting new characters.

"The complete training method of 'Open Door Bajiquan' is being developed..."

"Deduction complete! 100% completeness achieved."

"Please present this document for acceptance."

In an instant, streams of thoughts entered Fu Ze's mind.

That was something he had never known before: the training methods for the "Six Harmonies Spear" and the "Hum and Ha Two Breaths" in Bajiquan.

"The Six Harmonies Spear has a shaft that is over ten feet long, with the spearhead alone being about one foot long. Its core techniques are blocking, seizing, thrusting, chopping, striking, pointing, entangling, and twisting."

"The spear manual is divided into six sections, each containing six moves, for a total of thirty-six spear techniques, namely..."

"The 'Hum and Ha' 'two breaths' is the highest secret technique of Bajiquan, which uses the two syllables 'Hum and Ha' to guide internal energy, coordinate the body, and generate explosive power."

"【Hmph】belongs to Yin, represents gathering and sinking, and is used when accumulating power, blocking, and closing the body. 【Ha】belongs to Yang, represents releasing and opening. It is used when exerting force, attacking, and opening the body."

"A hum and a ha, a contraction and a release, yin and yang, mysterious and unpredictable..."

The secret techniques for practicing these two Bajiquan styles quickly appeared in Fu Ze's mind.

Every exquisite detail and every crucial point is crystal clear!

And it left a deep impression, as if he had practiced it countless times.

Of course, this only means that you have "learned" it. To "master" or even "achieve great success," you still need to practice diligently.

Fu Ze is the least afraid of hardship!

Even though he had just gone through a life-or-death battle, he didn't care at all; he only felt incredibly excited and thrilled.

"I've been stuck at the peak of Ming Jin for a year or two. It's not that I lack talent or hard work; it's just that I lack the training method for Bajiquan's internal strength. Now, it's all in my mind, and I finally have a chance."

Fu Ze immediately started practicing!

He stood in the Yin-Yang stance, feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned inward, and squatted in a half-horse stance with knees bent.

With chest slightly concave and back straight, arms wrapped around the chest, front hand pushing forward and back hand protecting the chest and ribs. At the same time, elbows push outward as if supporting a mountain, with the shoulders, elbows, and wrists working in unison.

The body is relaxed yet at a proper tension, neither stiff nor slack.

As he inhaled, his abdomen bulged slightly, his front hand pushed forward slightly, his muscles tensed, and he exhaled a stream of air from his nostrils, making a "humph" sound.

As he exhaled, his arms simultaneously exploded with force, his whole body sprang to life, and his oral muscles violently exhaled, producing a "ha" sound.

Hmph, ha! Hmph, ha!

Fu Ze's voice was like muffled thunder, his breath followed his strength, and his strength rose with his body.

His humming and hawing, his contraction and expansion, his yin and yang, were completely synchronized with the tension and relaxation, opening and closing of the Yin-Yang stance exercise.

Gradually, his whole body began to vibrate and hum, with a strange rhythm.

It even gives people the illusion that the surrounding air is oscillating like water, spreading out in circles of transparent ripples.

Fu Ze cultivated like this for an hour...

Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his body, and a strange sensation rose from his bones.

The pores on his body closed instantly, sealing the "qi" gained from an hour of cultivation inside his body, and not a single drop of sweat could be seen.

Then Fu Ze understood.

He suddenly raised his right hand, making a loose fist, his palm hollow. It was as if he were holding a huge iron hammer!

Then, he slammed his fist down on the wooden table in front of him.

This move is one of the six major opening techniques of Bajiquan, named "Mountain-Splitting Fist". It is derived from the meaning of "splitting Mount Hua with force".

Snapped!

Fu Ze's mountain-splitting hammer struck the wooden table, but only produced a crisp sound.

It gives people the feeling of picking it up heavily and then letting it fall gently.

He slammed his fist on the table, but the table didn't budge; it neither broke nor collapsed.

However, the next moment!

boom……

A strange sound came from the desk, and at the same time, a cloud of sawdust-like dust rose from under Fu Ze's hand.

He slowly moved his hand away.

Where the fist had just landed, a wet fist print had appeared!

The fist imprint was three inches deep into the wood, and even the lines of the palm were clearly visible.

The surrounding wood had all become loose and crumbly, as if it had been shattered into sawdust and powder by a terrifying force.

Fu Ze put his fist back and stood up.

call……

He exhaled a very clear stream of white vapor, more than a foot long.

At the same time, steaming water vapor rose from above, and the clothes on his body quickly showed traces of sweat, making him look as if he had just taken a shower.

Bang bang bang, beep click, click click!

The wooden table in front of me completely collapsed from the inside out, turning into scattered pieces of wood on the floor.

Fu Ze reached out and wiped the sweat from his forehead, a smile appearing on his face.

"The hidden strength has been achieved!"

"From now on, I am also a master of internal strength."

Just now, he unleashed a powerful burst of internal force. The fierce internal energy penetrated into the wooden table, directly destroying its structure and causing it to fall apart.

Only then did Fu Ze feel a bit tired.

"I just mastered the internal energy technique; firing a single shot would be too taxing. I need to go to sleep!"

He got into bed, lay down, and closed his eyes.

After a few breaths, I entered a deep sleep...