After last night's encounter, Yan Chuan realized the importance of weaponry—
"Fist and feet are ultimately limited."
"Last night, if I had a certain proficiency in spear techniques, relying on the 'Miracle Item·Red Tassel Spear', perhaps I could have had a bout with Du Hanfeng."
But Yan Chuan had spent most of the past twenty years in refined study of boxing, only doing basic exercises with weapons. Even his most skilled spear techniques were overshadowed by his current boxing prowess.
However, from today onwards, Yan Chuan must pay special attention to weaponry skills, especially spear techniques.
"Common weapons in 'Cheng Family Boxing' include the long stick, Qimei stick, three-section staff, two-section stick, floral spear, big spear, double spear, double-headed spear, hook and scythe spear, guard ring short knife, big saber, big Guan sword, Po Dao, horse saber, Seven Stars saber, double butterfly sabers, sword, halberd, bamboo shield, swallow-tail shield, Pai Cha, crescent moon spade, iron ruler, Ying spear, meteor hammer, iron chain, soft whip, etc."
Weapons are extensions of the fist and feet.
With the various boxing techniques of 'Cheng Family Boxing' as the foundation, whether it's the big saber, long stick, or long spear, they all derive from boxing.
The 'Red Tassel Spear' that Yan Chuan majors in is a type of 'Floral Spear'—
"Seven-foot floral spear, eight-foot stick, big spear ten feet and eight inches."
Compared to the big spear, the floral spear requires less strength in some ways. Compared to the big spear, its usage often borrows more from short weapons, being relatively more agile, generally better suited for agile spear techniques. Because it's shorter, it suits spear techniques that involve both spear and handle, being more flexible.
"Now that my boxing has reached great success, practicing spear techniques on this foundation will yield twice the result with half the effort."
First fists and feet.
This is the tradition in most boxing heritages, the reason for which lies here.
Neither rushed nor slackened.
Proceeding in an orderly way.
This is 'Martial Arts'!
And Yan Chuan is now at the stage of delving into weaponry and armory.
His major focus is spear techniques.
The spear techniques in 'Cheng Family Boxing' emphasize 'spear like a snake moving, hands and feet swift, see the flesh split the spear, adhere the pole deeply, circle as essence, divide form to use, rapid advance and consecutive strikes, yin and yang, attack and defense integrated', with eighteen stabbing skills, twelve reversing skills, and fifteen stepping techniques as the basic content, all derived from various boxing techniques.
Yan Chuan grips the spear, advancing with a stabbing spear—
"Single killer stab, left and right series stabbing, left and right circle stabbing, passing the curtain stab, belt binding, left and right intertwined stabbing, lift the pot stab, solid stab, return dragon stab, crescent moon stab, midnight-noon stab, cut-off spear stab, create from nothing stab, meeting spear stab, illusory stab, soaring snake stab, mandarin duck stab, subduing stab."
These are the 'Eighteen Stabbing Skills'.
"Split spear reverse hand, pick spear reverse hand, twine spear reverse hand, harmonize spear reverse hand, flow spear reverse hand, strike spear reverse hand, cover spear reverse hand, lift spear reverse hand, pounce spear reverse hand, hook spear reverse hand, roll spear reverse hand, seal spear reverse hand."
Reversing skills, also known as reverse hand, are the 'Twelve Reversing Skills'.
As for stepping techniques, they are all in boxing.
Stabbing skill is the offensive spear technique.
Reversing skill is the method of opening a spear, belonging to defensive spear techniques.
As long as these eighteen stabbing skills, twelve reversing skills, and fifteen stepping techniques are practiced solidly, and coordinated proficiently, one can reach the sixth grade of spear techniques 'Power Struggle'.
"The spear master from the previous dynasty, Wu Shu, made insightful discussions on various spear techniques and single sabers in the 'Arm Record', categorizing spear techniques into six grades: Divine Transformation, Tongwei, Refined, Observing the Law, Special Skill, Power Struggle."
First is 'Divine Transformation', I have nothing I cannot do, forming a body with the enemy, like water producing waves, like fire making flames.
Second is 'Tongwei', not yet macro whole body, alone comprehending the essence, using one to resist a hundred, all are destroyed.
Third is 'Refined', sensitive comprehension not thorough, deep power, like Lu Xian, learning enters through the body.
Fourth is 'Observing the Law', if it is transmitted, it must be learned, not replacing family heritage.
Fifth is 'Special Skill', hands, feet, body, eyes, profoundly excelling in one.
Sixth is 'Power Struggle', illusion and reality entirely absent, moving then offense 'hard'.
The so-called 'Power Struggle' allows one to oppose the enemy with spear techniques, but not understanding illusion and reality, only knowing to follow routine practice, the skill used is spear, though in reality it's brute force, only considered as the initial entry stage to spear techniques.
Yan Chuan is currently at this stage.
"My next step must excel in one of hands, feet, body, eyes to defeat the enemy, to gain a glimpse of the essence of spear techniques, this is the fifth grade 'Special Skill'!"
Yan Chuan steadies the spear, stabbing, reversing, stepping, all three techniques practiced!
The third day after Master left.
Du Hanfeng was just an episode, after dealing with it, Yan Chuan continued to practice martial arts and manage the Martial Arts Hall in an orderly manner.
In the Martial Arts Hall, about twenty new disciples were practicing the 'Horse Stance', the entry skill for 'Cheng Family Boxing', which wasn't easy. For example, Wei Quan, together with the 'Twelve Bridge Hands', practiced hard for three years before 'entering the room'.
This is a threshold, a threshold for practicing 'Cheng Family Boxing'.
Yan Chuan had been in the Martial Arts Hall since he was six, over twenty years, he had seen many senior and junior brothers blocked by this threshold, unable to practice 'Copper Bridge Iron Horse' for one or two years, losing hope, eventually giving up and choosing to leave.
There were few like Wei Quan who could persevere for three years with single-mindedness. In this regard, Wei Quan at least far exceeds ordinary people in perseverance and determination.
However, that was before.
Under the blessing of 'Mutual Teaching and Learning', the explanatory effect for those who listen to the lecture is enhanced by 50%, which is equivalent to reducing the difficulty of practicing 'Horse Stance', lowering the entry threshold for Cheng Family Boxing, so that in this batch of over twenty new disciples, their progress in practicing 'Horse Stance' was unexpectedly fast, everyone quickly got the hang of it—
"Are all the talents of this batch of disciples so good?"
"When I explained to them, each of them was as dumb as a wood block, enough to piss someone off!"
"But when Senior Brother gives the lecture, each of them understands instantly."
"In my opinion, it's not that these people have good talents, it's that Senior Brother explains well!"
Another morning, after finishing horse stance, Wei Quan found the key, he stared at Yan Chuan, eyes shining: "Not only these disciples, but even I have progressed terrifyingly in this month!"
At the beginning of the month, Wei Quan's 'Copper Bridge Iron Horse' just broke through, approximately at 'entering the room' of the Third Realm.
Only a month later, Wei Quan vaguely felt that his 'Horse Stance' and 'Twelve Bridge Hands' had improved, seemingly moving to another level.
This included the 'Tiger Form Boxing' and 'Crane Form Boxing' practiced for a month, the progress was astonishing in such a short time.
And all of this started from Senior Brother's guidance.
Jin Yutang and Yu Jinpeng also had this feeling—
Not feeling it day by day, but a month accumulated, looking back suddenly, only to find the progress astonishing!
"You have indeed made considerable progress this month. Here are the 'Boxing Progress Charts' I have drafted based on your expertise in various boxing techniques and the extent of your progress. Take a look."
Yan Chuan took out three forms, recording the progress of Wei Quan, Jin Yutang, and Yu Jinpeng in various boxing techniques over the past month.
"'Boxing Progress Chart'?"
Wei Quan was curious and quickly took a look—