"Receiving a gift after requesting a favor is indeed a pleasant surprise. Stuart Buzer, a disciple of the outer sect, has been a prominent figure in the underworld of Zhuhai City for several years, so the item he presented was certainly not ordinary.
Bidegla, with a hopeful look on his face, inquired, "What is this item?"
"You will understand once you see it," Stuart Buzer replied, making his way to his usual office.
After dismissing the two guards at the door, Stuart Buzer ushered Bidegla into the office.
"Please have a seat and wait while I retrieve the item for you," Stuart Buzer said as he walked towards a safe.
The safe was swiftly opened and he pulled out a yellowed book that had clearly seen many years.
"This is a martial arts manual I acquired from an old man during my travels in China. I once practiced the martial art detailed in this book, which is extremely powerful. However, due to my insufficient strength, I was unable to continue training. You, being young, still have the opportunity. I'm entrusting this book to you," Stuart Buzer said, taking a seat next to Bidegla.
"May I have a look?" Bidegla asked as he received the book.
The pages emitted a musty odor and were filled with ink, likely transcribed in modern times.
The martial art was called Xingyi Quan, and the detailed instructions on the training method felt familiar to Bidegla, but he couldn't recall where he had seen it before.
"Does it feel familiar?" Stuart Buzer asked with a smile.
"Yes, it does seem familiar," Bidegla nodded.
"These are techniques from Taiji. They have almost disappeared in this era. Even the few that are still in circulation are only superficial and lack real power. The techniques in your hands are the most orthodox Xingyi Quan," Stuart Buzer said, reminiscing. "When I first came across this book, I thought it was a fake. However, after practicing one of the techniques, I found it to be perfectly suited for us. Hence, I paid a hefty sum of one hundred thousand to acquire it from the seller."
"I see," Bidegla nodded, understanding that the seller might not have realized the true value of the contents of the book. If this book had fallen into the hands of martial arts masters, it would have been considered invaluable. After all, the legacy left by our ancestors is the essence of essence, immeasurable in value.
"Brother, you're giving me such a precious item?" Bidegla was surprised.
"Keeping it serves me no great purpose. I'm afraid I'll never attain the internal strength in my lifetime, so I'm unable to fully master Xingyi Quan. It would be of greater use in your hands," Stuart Buzer said with a forced smile, a hint of bitterness in his tone. It felt as if he were a dying man guarding treasures he could never use.
"Is it truly so difficult to practice?" Bidegla's tone was even more incredulous. He had witnessed Stuart Buzer's strength, so if even he couldn't practice it, how difficult must it be?
"You'll understand once you read it yourself," Stuart Buzer said, closing his eyes and beginning to practice alongside Bidegla.
Seeing him engrossed in his practice, Bidegla didn't disturb him and began to meticulously read through the book's content. Since he began practicing, Bidegla's memory had become exceptional, and he was able to quickly read through the book. In about half an hour, he had memorized the content clearly in his mind. Though he couldn't claim to have a photographic memory, he was unlikely to forget any important details in the near future."
Closing the book, Bidegla let out a long sigh. Stuart Buzer was right; the Xingyi Quan was not only difficult to practice, it was exceptionally challenging. It demanded a high level of physical condition and strict requirements for cultivation. Only when one reached the level of external strength could they practice half of the techniques, and only after reaching the level of internal strength could they fully complete the Xingyi Quan.
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In other words, to truly master the Xingyi Quan, one must achieve a level of cultivation even more powerful than internal strength, a feat perhaps only achievable by someone as formidable as Guijiuchou.
At Stuart Buzer's current level of cultivation, he had only just scratched the surface of the Xingyi Quan, with the true mastery lying ahead, like the grand finale of an auction.
The ancestors' imagination was too strong, for Bidegla to create a martial art was simply impossible. After all, a martial art was the culmination of the insight of several generations, even dozens of generations, their invaluable legacy.
"Finished reading?" Stuart Buzer slowly opened his eyes and said calmly.
"Yes," Bidegla nodded. "Senior, could you show me the Xingyi Quan?"
"I can, but I've only just touched the surface of this martial art. Let's skip ahead," Stuart Buzer stood up.
"Watch closely. I will now demonstrate the Xingyi Quan," Stuart Buzer positioned himself in the center of the office in a horse stance.
In the next moment, Bidegla's eyes blurred, and Stuart Buzer's figure had disappeared, leaving only a trail of afterimages. Sheets of paper flew up incessantly as Stuart Buzer's speed reached its peak. Even with Bidegla's exceptional vision, all he could see were the remnants of Stuart Buzer's movements.
"Too fast," Bidegla exclaimed in disbelief. To think that this was only scratching the surface of the Xingyi Quan, it was already so terrifying. If this was the epitome, how much more terrifying could it be?
In a battle, with such a speed, the opponent would hardly stand a chance. If both sides were evenly matched, the outcome of the fight was evident.
Unbelievably fast, it dazzled Bidegla's eyes, causing him unbearable discomfort.
"This is the result of practicing the Xingyi Quan. With such speed, one can deliver a lethal blow to the enemy," Stuart Buzer stopped in front of Bidegla, causing a gust of wind that nearly blew Bidegla off the couch.
After this frenzy of extreme speed, Stuart Buzer's face remained calm, as if he had not exerted any effort at all, as relaxed as if he were taking a leisurely stroll.
"Senior, did Master also practice the Xingyi Quan?" Bidegla remembered the terrifying speed that Guijiuchou had displayed when they first met. At the time, he had thought he was seeing a ghost; how could a human move at such a speed?
"Of course, Master practiced it. I obtained this martial art by contemplating it together with Master. Fortunately, with Master's guidance, I was able to grasp the basics at that time. Otherwise, do you think my dull brain could have mastered it?" Stuart Buzer rolled his eyes helplessly, then sat calmly next to Bidegla.
Only then did the papers that had been flying in the air due to the strong wind finally fall to the ground, leaving the spacious office in disarray, as if it had been ransacked.
"To possess such terrifying speed by practicing the Xingyi Quan at the level of external strength, what level of ability could one achieve after reaching the level of internal strength?" Bidegla asked, his heart pounding.
"I am not entirely sure about this, but I have heard from the master that once one achieves internal strength and learns the corresponding part of Xingyi Quan, it can greatly increase speed and significantly enhance attack power," Stuart Buzer's eyes revealed a hint of longing.
"Senior brother, are you saying that you will never be able to achieve internal strength in your lifetime?" Seeing the longing in Stuart Buzer's eyes, Bidegla asked persistently.
"Heh, junior brother, you are unaware of something. In our realm of cultivation, if one has not achieved internal strength by the age of thirty, there will hardly be any significant progress in their lifetime, because by that time the bones have already formed, and seeking progress becomes as difficult as ascending to the heavens," Stuart Buzer said with a wry smile.
Once, he thought he had a great opportunity to achieve internal strength and become a true disciple of Gu Jianchou, but with the passage of time, that perseverance had long since disappeared.
He was already thirty-four years old, and the likelihood of achieving internal strength was slim to none.
Even Gu Jianchou, this living Hua Tuo, could not help him, so he gradually gave up.
Xingyi Quan lay before him, but he could not practice it, a truly tragic situation.
"Can bones be changed?" Bidegla asked.
"Bones are something that a person is born with, can they be changed? It's not flesh and blood, it's a person's basic structure. Even the master can't do anything about it, so you shouldn't dwell on it," Stuart Buzer waved his hand, seeming unwilling to discuss the topic.
This was his inner pain, and it was only because Bidegla, his junior brother, was discussing it with him that he did not get angry. If it had been someone else, he would have been furious, as this was touching on his sore spot.
"Take it easy, perhaps in the future we might have some way out," Bidegla didn't say much more. Although he hadn't known Stuart Buzer for long, he had truly accepted this senior brother. Seeing him in such pain, if there was a chance, Bidegla really wanted to lend him a hand.