I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

Cangzhou has been a hometown of martial arts since ancient times.

"Don't shout 'Cang' when you're making a dart," this is an old rule left over from the martial arts world.

But today, this once sacred place of martial arts seems somewhat desolate.

The traditional red-brick martial arts schools have been largely demolished, replaced by reinforced concrete "mixed martial arts clubs" and "chain taekwondo gyms." Young people have all gone to practice boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After all, in an era without internal energy, scientifically trained modern combat sports are indeed more effective than those old men who just "draw circles" there.

Zhenwei Martial Arts School

This is a courtyard house located deep in the old city. The gold paint on the door plaque has peeled off, revealing the gray and worn wood underneath.

Lin Zhentian sat under the old locust tree in the courtyard, stroking two walnuts that had long been patinated in oil. He was sixty-eight years old and the seventh-generation successor of Lin-style Bajiquan.

But now he's more like a gatekeeper.

"Grandpa, the landlord called again."

Granddaughter Lin Xiaoman hung up the phone and walked over with a worried look on her face. "He said that if the rent is not paid by the end of the month, he will take back the yard and turn it into a bed and breakfast."

Lin Zhentian sighed, and stopped eating the walnuts in his hand.

"A bed and breakfast...heh, that's fine. Anyway, nobody wants to learn this clumsy 'swinging and bumping into trees' skill anymore."

The martial arts school was empty, with only a few wooden dummy figures standing forlornly.

Since that "master" was knocked out in 30 seconds by an amateur fighting coach in the ring five years ago, the reputation of traditional martial arts has been ruined. As a result, those who actually practice kung fu have been labeled as "fraudsters" and "fake martial arts".

"I'm not reconciled."

Lin Xiaoman bit her lip. She had her hair tied in a high ponytail and was wearing a training uniform. Although she was slender, her eyes were stubborn. "Grandpa, ever since I started practicing the 'Eighteen Basic Body Strengthening Forms,' I feel... I've been different these past few days."

"What's the difference? That's just the nationally promoted radio calisthenics, for improving health." Lin Zhentian shook his head.

"No!"

Lin Xiaoman walked to the sandbag in the center of the courtyard. It was a specially made sandbag filled with iron sand, weighing 100 kilograms, which only her grandfather could lift when he was young and in his prime.

"Grandpa, watch carefully."

Lin Xiaoman took a deep breath.

At that moment, the Qi and blood in her body flowed in accordance with the rhythm of the "Eighteen Forms of Body Forging," and that warm current instantly gathered at the base of her spine.

Instead of using a modern boxing punch, she adopted an ancient stance.

Step into the center, relax your shoulders and drop your elbows.

collapse!

The blue brick ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled.

Lin Xiaoman shot out like a fully drawn bow. Her back felt as if it had crashed into a mountain.

Bajiquan Iron Mountain Lean!

boom!!

A deep, muffled thud, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

That iron sandbag, weighing over 100 pounds, was actually sent flying by this seemingly weak leaning and exploded in mid-air!

Iron sand rained down like black rain, rustling the leaves of the trees in the yard.

"this……"

The walnut in Lin Zhentian's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

He suddenly stood up, a terrifying glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"A burst of internal energy? No... this is qi and blood penetrating the body?!"

He walked tremblingly to his granddaughter, squeezed her shoulder, and felt the power surging beneath her skin, like the Yangtze River.

"The boxing manual left by our ancestors... is it real?"

Lin Zhentian muttered to himself, tears streaming down his face, "So it wasn't that my martial arts were ineffective, it was that the world itself... was ineffective."

Traditional martial arts of the past were all moves but no substance, like a gun without bullets, only good for burning.

Now, Gu Qing has delivered the "bullets".

The gun is about to fire.

……

[A Mixed Martial Arts Gym in Shanghai]

Meanwhile, a conflict is erupting in front of the live broadcast cameras.

"Family members! Today we're going to expose these fakes!"

A muscular, tattooed-arm internet celebrity was shouting loudly into his phone camera. His name is "Crazy Dragon," and he's a rising star among "Awakeners" internet celebrities.

He developed superhuman strength through the "Eighteen Forms of Body Strengthening" and has recently been challenging various "masters" online to gain attention.

The person he blocked at the door was a middle-aged man dressed in a Tang suit, who was the owner of a branch of "Chen Style Tai Chi".

"Old man! Stop playing dead! Come out!"

Kuanglong kicked the door of the martial arts school, punching a large hole in the solid wood panel. "You always brag like you're some kind of god, talking about using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds. Now that everyone's cultivating immortality, do you dare to come out and practice?"

A large crowd of onlookers gathered around, and the live chat was flooded with comments:

"Kill these swindlers!"

"Support Brother Kuanglong! Strip these fake gurus naked!"

The owner of the museum, Chen Shixing, walked out with a gloomy face. He was in his forties and usually cultivated a calm and composed demeanor, but at this moment he was also forced to lose his temper.

"Young man, be forgiving when you can."

"Spare my ass!"

Mad Dragon had no regard for martial ethics. Relying on his enhanced physical strength, he threw a powerful swing punch.

This punch sent a gust of wind through the air; if an ordinary person were to be hit by it, they would suffer a mild concussion.

A sinister smile crept across Kuanglong's face. He seemed to see the old man lying on the ground begging for mercy—that was his secret to generating traffic today.

however.

Just as the fist was about to strike Chen Shixing's face.

Chen Shi took action.

No, it was more like the air around him moved.

He didn't dodge, but instead stretched out a hand, seemingly slowly, yet striking first, and placed it on Kuanglong's wrist.

Go with the flow, guide, and draw a circle.

Tai Chi - Grasping the Sparrow's Tail.

In the past, the power of Kuanglong's punch would have definitely been enough to break through Chen Shixing's defense.

But today, the faint spiritual energy that had just awakened within Chen Shixing's body seemed to transform into the best lubricant and amplifier in that instant.

hum!

A strange tremor came from the air.

Kuanglong felt as if his punch had hit a huge vortex, and the force of several hundred kilograms vanished instantly. Then, an even more terrifying recoil came from the opponent's palm.

"go back!"

Chen Shixing gave a low shout and gently pushed with one hand.

This seemingly casual push embodies the highest principle of Tai Chi: "using the opponent's force against them."

With the added boost of spiritual energy, the physical effect of this attack was amplified tenfold.

boom! !

Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of live viewers.

The 200-pound Kuanglong was sent flying like a cannonball, traveling seven or eight meters before crashing heavily into a roadside trash can, where he couldn't get up for a long time.

The entire room fell silent.

The comments section paused for three seconds, then exploded instantly.

"Holy crap?! Special effects?!"

"Is this supposed to be Tai Chi? This looks like an air cannon!"

"Am I seeing things? Did the Mad Dragon just fly away?"

"Using minimal force to achieve maximum effect... It turns out the physics textbooks weren't lying; as long as the torque is large enough and the fulcrum is rigid enough..."

Chen Shixing stared at his own palm, stunned.

He just... was trying to push him away.

Is this the effect of "qi"? It turns power generation techniques that originally only existed in theory into real physical damage?

……

[749th Bureau - Tactical Discussion Room]

If the conflicts among civilians are merely minor skirmishes, then the official response is swift and precise.

On the big screen, a slow-motion video is being played back.

That was a test conducted within the military.

A new recruit, who has just joined the army but comes from a family of Xingyiquan practitioners, is facing off against a three-time consecutive All-Army Fighting Champion.

The fighting champion's strength and speed surpassed those of the recruits.

But the outcome was—the battle ended in three seconds.

The recruit's "half-step collapsing fist" pierced through the composite material shield in the fighting champion's hand, knocking the champion back five steps and causing him to vomit on the spot.

"The data is out."

An analyst pushed up his glasses and said in a fervent tone, "The Eighteen Forms of Body Forging provides the 'hardware' (physical fitness, total spiritual energy), while ancient martial arts provide the 'driver' (power generation techniques)."

"In an era without spiritual energy, ancient martial arts were like dragon-slaying techniques, because there was no 'dragon' (energy) to kill it. Those complex power-generating movements would only consume excess physical energy, unlike the direct approach of modern combat sports."

"But!" The analyst pulled up a diagram of the human meridian system. "Once there is 'qi' in the body, those seemingly fancy stances in ancient martial arts are actually building an 'acceleration track' for the body's energy."

"Tai Chi uses centrifugal force to accelerate."

"The Eight Extremes are an instantaneous explosion."

"Xingyi is a straight line that penetrates."

The bureau chief stared at the screen, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "So, we need to reassess the value of those veteran boxers?"

"Yes, Director." The military representative stood up, his gaze intense. "Those old men aren't just obsolete relics of the past; they're living 'combat skills museums.' If we can extract these skills and teach them to our soldiers..."

"Then they're not ordinary special forces soldiers," the director continued. "They're... the prototypes of cultivators."

"Pass down the order."

The bureau chief suddenly stood up.

"Initiate the 'Ancient Martial Arts Project.' Send people to contact the successors of various martial arts families and schools. Whether they're practicing martial arts in a park or delivering food, invite them back."

"Tell them that the country needs them. This time, they're not being put on a show; they're being made instructors."

……

【Kunlun Mountain - Star-Picking Platform】

Gu Qing looked at a newly unlocked branch option on the system panel—【Martial Arts Pavilion: Collection of Mortal Martial Arts】.

With Lin Xiaoman's Iron Mountain Lean and Chen Shixing's Grasp the Sparrow's Tail, countless points of light representing "skill" lit up on the map.

The growth rate of credibility has increased to a new level.

"The body is the boat, the spirit is the sail, and the technique is the rudder."

Gu Qing commented with a smile.

Although modern people have accepted the "Eighteen Forms of Body Strengthening," most of them only use brute force like wild beasts.

This is not only inefficient, but also utterly lacking in aesthetic appeal.

The revival of ancient martial arts completes an important piece of the puzzle of mortals cultivating immortality—[skills].

"However, that alone is not enough."

Gu Qing looked at the old boxers who were still hesitating and doubting.

"We need to give them a stage to showcase themselves, an opportunity for 'remnants of the old era' to become 'heroes of the new era'."

"System, update the app."

"In addition to the 'Heaven and Earth Ranking', a new section called 'Martial Arts Hall' will be added."

"Users are allowed to upload combat videos, which are then rated by the system. Those with high ratings can earn points, and even... exchange them for 'Longevity Pills'."

For those aging boxers who are nearing the end of their lives, money may no longer be important.

But the prospect of "extending lifespan" was an irresistible temptation for them.

They wanted to live.

I want to see this craft flourish and prosper in this vibrant and revitalized world.

……

[That evening, Cangzhou, Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall]

dong dong dong.

There was a knock on the door of the martial arts school.

This time, it wasn't a landlord demanding repayment of debts, nor was it an internet celebrity causing trouble.

Lin Zhentian opened the door and saw a row of soldiers in dark green uniforms, standing tall and straight.

The leading officer gave a standard military salute.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lin Zhentian, a successor of Bajiquan?"

Lin Zhentian was somewhat stunned: "I am... and you are?"

"We are from the Special Operations Brigade of the Southern Theater Command." The officer's eyes were sincere as he handed over an official document. "The nation is forming its first 'Extraordinary Tactical Squad' and urgently needs close combat instructors. We have reviewed the files, and we found that Mr. Lin is a master of Bajiquan."

"I wonder if the old gentleman would be willing to come out of retirement? The salary and benefits will be in accordance with the standards for a major general-level expert."

Lin Zhentian held the heavy document, his hands trembling slightly.

He glanced back at the sandbag that had been blown up in the yard, then looked at his granddaughter beside him, whose eyes were filled with expectation.

At that moment, he felt his heart, which had been dormant for twenty years, begin to beat again.

That is the passion of a martial artist.

"This old man... can still fight."

Lin Zhentian straightened his back, and his originally hunched body emitted a series of cracking sounds from his bones.

In his cloudy eyes, there was only a sharp, knife-like edge.

"I'll take the job as instructor."

This night was not just in Cangzhou.

In front of countless long-deceased gates in Chenjiagou, Songshan, Wudang Mountain, and other places, military green jeeps have stopped.

A remnant of the old era?

No.

They are mentors of the new era.

After being stranded for a century, the giant ship named "Huaxia Ancient Martial Arts" finally set sail again, riding the wave of spiritual energy.