Last year, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Yan Chuan successfully developed ’Xingyi Boxing’, writing down the boxing manual in three days, and subsequently upgraded the "Research" to establish [Task Three: Eight Diagram Palm].
Now, it is already the twenty-sixth day of the first lunar month.
Counting carefully, it has been exactly forty days, finally achieving the successful development of ’Eight Diagram Palm’.
This took seven more days than developing ’Xingyi Boxing’.
Logically, having the experience of developing ’Xingyi Boxing’, and on the foundation of its success, developing ’Eight Diagram Palm’ should have been easier.
"’Xingyi Boxing’ took a total of thirty-three days, benefiting from my practice of Guangling Boxing and Taikang Boxing, as they share more similarities with ’Xingyi Boxing’. Based on the boxing of the two counties, and integrating various boxing methods, it was naturally more effortless for me to create ’Xingyi Boxing’."
"But ’Eight Diagram Palm’ and ’Xingyi Boxing’ are in different fields, with less to borrow or learn from Guangling and Taikang boxing techniques."
As a result, the speed was slower.
After Yan Chuan developed ’Xingyi Boxing’, and established [Task Three: Eight Diagram Palm], most of his focus was on cultivating ’Xingyi Boxing’, cultivating at the ’Limit-breaking Level’, and exploring the Mountain and Sea Realm, leaving not much energy truly dedicated to developing ’Eight Diagram Palm’.
If not for the fortunate encounter with Fu Zhe, meeting the ’Black Dragon Heavy Cavalry’ delivering ’Experience’ to him, ’Eight Diagram Palm’ would likely have been delayed further.
However, Yan Chuan’s good fortune ends here.
On the third day after he created ’Eight Diagram Palm’, the ’Black Dragon Heavy Cavalry’ was about to leave.
"Weren’t they supposed to stay until at least mid-March?"
Yan Chuan looked at Fu Zhe and others donned in heavy armor, reluctant to part.
Fu Zhe, astride the Chasing Wind Horse, clad in black scale armor, appeared exceptionally thick and dignified, saying to Yan Chuan, "There are orders from above, an urgent task."
Li Hang and Hu Yanmo enveloped under the black scale armor, fully armed, revealing only a pair of eyes, smiled at Yan Chuan, "Brother Yan, when we reach the King City, let’s drink three hundred cups again!"
Yan Chuan clasped his fists, "Certainly!"
Not just Li Hang and Hu Yanmo.
There were also the Black Dragon Colts under the ’Black Dragon Heavy Cavalry’——
Led by Chasing Wind, nodding by tapping their forehooves, also bidding farewell to Yan Chuan. In a mere few days, under ’Mutual Teaching and Learning’, Yan Chuan barely managed to make them understand the ’Horse Form’ and ’Dragon Form’, whether they learned or not was unclear, but at least each one was friendly towards Yan Chuan.
"With your aptitude, diligently practicing ’Horse Form’, carefully refining ’Xingyi Boxing’, your future achievements will certainly not be low."
Yan Chuan stroked Chasing Wind, having learned a lot from these Black Dragon Colts; both the ’Horse Form’ and ’Dragon Form’ of the ’Twelve Forms’ made significant progress during this period, with expectations for them to be even better.
The ’Horse Form’ was akin to a key, hoping it could help these Black Dragon Colts unlock their limitless potential, become stronger, and become better.
Chasing Wind snorted in response to Yan Chuan’s blessings, unable to understand his words but sensing his goodwill.
On horseback, Fu Zhe took out a token from his arms and threw it to Yan Chuan: "This is the token for entering and exiting the Baili Family’s ’Martial Cave’ in Nanxiong City. With this token, you can enter the first six layers of the ’Martial Cave’ to peruse all books except the secret manuals. You can select any one Human-level secret manual and one Earth-level secret manual to take away, but only for a seven-day period, do not waste it."
Dozens of heavy cavalry, like a mighty army, charged into the morning sun and gradually disappeared from sight.
Yan Chuan watched them leave, as if in a dream.
With a sense of loss.
The ’Black Dragon Heavy Cavalry’ were all elite, each at least at the Limit-breaking Level, explaining ’Xingyi Boxing’ to them, discussing and communicating greatly enhanced Yan Chuan’s own progress.
It’s not just about the boxing proficiency.
It’s not only about thought feedback.
Nor is it only about the ’Eight Diagram Palm’.
It also includes the "Yijinjing" and "Purple Mist Divine Skill"——
[Research Project Name: Yijinjing (Difficulty: Geng★★★)]
[Upon task completion, gain ’Experience+150000’, ’Spiritual+150000’.]
[Research Project Name: Purple Mist Divine Skill (Difficulty: Xin★★★★★)]
[Upon task completion, gain ’Experience+25000’, ’Spiritual+25000’.]
"Yijinjing’s progress surpassed 70."
"Purple Mist Divine Skill’s progress is over halfway!"
The progress of the two divine skills is promising.
Especially the "Purple Mist Divine Skill", before meeting Fu Zhe and the Black Dragon Heavy Cavalry, the progress of accumulating inspiration was like a snail. But after encountering Fu Zhe and the others, inspiration burst forth, with progress surging, easily surpassing halfway.
"If only they could truly stay until mid-March, the ’Purple Mist Divine Skill’ might have been completed."
Yan Chuan felt regretful.
However, on the Great Yan side in late February, the ’Cang Mountain Sword Discussion’s ’State Competition’ was about to commence, so Yan Chuan actually couldn’t hang around here until mid-March, at most needing to return by mid-February, making his way back to Great Yan.
Only about ten days difference, after all.
"State competition on February twenty-fourth."
"The time left for me is not much!"
Now, at the end of January, Yan Chuan couldn’t stay much longer in the Mountain and Sea Realm or Nanxiong City.
Yet before he left, he left a big gift for Yan Chuan.
"My Baili family has collected martial arts from all over the world and placed them in the ’Martial Cave’."
"The ’Martial Cave’ has nine layers, with the upper three layers containing non-prominent secret manuals, the middle three layers containing Human-level secret manuals, and the bottom three layers holding the rare Earth-level secret manuals."
"Holding this token, you can freely move in the first six layers, view any book except secret manuals. After seven days, you can take away one Human-level secret manual and one Earth-level secret manual."
Yan Chuan, holding the token, came to the Baili family and was taken to the core area of the Baili family with no obstacles, reaching an underground cave known as the ’Martial Cave’, where countless manuals and books collected over several hundred years by the Baili family were stored.
This is a local prestigious family in Nanxiong City, existing since the founding of Nanxiong City, with a history of hundreds of years, rooted in Nanxiong City, with intertwined influences and formidable strength.
Over the past few hundred years, the Baili family had experienced rises and falls.
They once fell to low points.
And once had glorious times.
In recent decades, the Baili family has been broadening friendships with heroes from all around, every year issuing numerous ’Hundred-mile Orders’. With the token, one can come to the Baili family, enter the Martial Cave, peruse books, and take away manuals.
By this strategy, the Baili family rapidly developed and grew stronger, with their subordinate ’Baili Guard’ absorbing numerous talents, virtually becoming the foremost strong army in Nanxiong City.
Yan Chuan followed a person into the Martial Cave, secretly admiring.
Even for him, although his ’Six Cave Baili Order’ was gifted by Fu Zhe, having entered the Martial Cave, read the books inside, and taken the Baili family’s manuals, he would inevitably be somewhat grateful to the Baili family in the future.
The Baili family has woven an incredibly vast network of relationships through these variously large or small favors and sentiments.
Even the Baili family itself may not fully account for or fully understand.
For example, Yan Chuan.
He came with the ’Baili Order’, and the Baili family recognized the token, not the person, not questioning Yan Chuan’s origins or the channels through which the ’Baili Order’ was acquired.
Upon seeing the token, immediately taking Yan Chuan into the Martial Cave.
This left a great impression.
Even if the Baili family secretly still records or investigates Yan Chuan, at least on the surface, it makes people feel comfortable, not turning a favor into something condescending, losing its original meaning, and turning into hostility instead.
Yan Chuan thought of his own ’Hundred Flower Palace’, feeling he could also learn from the Baili family, drawing inspiration from the ’Martial Cave’ and ’Hundred-mile Order’ format, thus befriending and recruiting the heroes of Jianghu.
For instance, setting up something similar to a ’Martial Arts Vault’ and ’Baihua Order’.
"What is too easily obtained is ultimately not cherished."
"Artificially setting some barriers may instead be more appealing."
Yan Chuan contemplated deeply.
Until he entered the first layer of the ’Martial Cave’, seeing row upon row of bookshelves, filled with countless books, he then refocused——
Focused wholeheartedly!
Within the Baili family’s ’Martial Cave’, various books are all-encompassing——
And the most numerous and diverse martial arts sections——
’Fist and Feet’, ’Weapons’, ’Qinggong’, ’Inner Strength’, ’Cross Refining’, ’Hidden Weapon’, ’Array’.
Each category is subdivided.
For example, ’Fist and Feet’, is divided into ’Fist’, ’Hand’, ’Palm’, ’Claw’, ’Finger’, ’Grappling’, ’Leg’, ’Foot’, etc.
Further down, it’s specific to a certain scroll or secret manual.
The secret manuals only have summaries; the texts are sealed and cannot be accessed, only seeing some analyses and experiences related to these secret manuals. Even if not practicing the corresponding secret manual, the principles are analogous, universally applicable, offering some benefit.
This time entering the Martial Cave, Yan Chuan had a clear target, directly focusing——
"The transmission of Inner Strength is truly profound. Without understanding its paths, forcefully practicing brings harm rather than benefit. The front guides the rear, the qi flows relentlessly, the twin wells are agitated, Fa Force emerges evenly. Thousand changes and variations, not departing from the essence. Only upon grasping its mysteries, does one marvel at its ease. Guiwei Ascending Qi, Dantian refines the spirit, qi descends to the ocean, light converges at the heart of the sky."
"First inhale then exhale, one in one out, ’first lift then lower, one rise one fall. Draw inward to Dantian, the lodging of qi. Inhale and exhale, do not make a sound."
"Descending collects the valley, ascending lifts the jade tower, whether standing or sitting, inhale through the throat, send down with intention, sever at the bottom collection. Ascent has its path, ribs equally lifted, descent has its place, qi swallowed at Yu mouth."
In the Martial Cave, aside from non-prominent secret manuals, other high-tier secret manuals are deeply hidden, not directly displayed. Those presented on the middle three layers are just analyses and experiences written by predecessors practicing the corresponding secret manuals. Occasionally, some original text of the secret manual’s mental methods is seen, without context, isolated interpretation often leaves the average person baffled.
Yan Chuan was alright.
He perused these analyses, mainly to understand more theories of Inner Strength cultivation, and enrich more details of internal cultivation, providing more theoretical support for the research and development of "Yijinjing" and "Purple Mist Divine Skill".