Ba Liming!

Ba Liming!

"This old man's martial arts are extraordinarily high-level. Many prisoners who get released are his disciples, and every year they send him money and medicinal herbs. Even quite a few armed police officers have learned a move or two from him and take especially good care of him! He lives better in here than he ever did outside!" Political Commissar Zhang said with a sigh.

"You go on in! I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first!" Political Commissar Zhang said as he watched the armed police open the door.

"Uncle Zhang, go ahead and get busy. I'll follow them in and have a look!"

Ever since witnessing Gu Shaoshang collide head-on with that car, Zhao Liang had developed a deep interest in Guoshu.

Especially a Great Master whose Guoshu, in Gu Shaoshang's words, had reached miraculous perfection—of course Zhao Liang wanted to see him for himself.

"Just don't provoke him." Political Commissar Zhang waved a hand and left.

Gu Shaoshang took the lead into the prison. Even at noon, the place was dim and nearly devoid of light.

Enormous iron-barred windows, heavy iron doors, rows of pitch-black rooms—no lights, no sounds.

Gu Shaoshang closed his eyes and relaxed his entire body.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A deep, resonant heartbeat sounded like the beat of war drums!

His heartbeat is slow and powerful, only around ten beats a minute! This King of Martial Arts truly is no ordinary man! Gu Shaoshang silently praised.

A Great Master!

The slower the heartbeat, the stronger the heart's ability to pump blood. Immense strength was contained within without leaking the slightest bit. His physique had already surpassed the limits of the human body!

Two armed police officers stepped forward and opened the heavy iron door to the cell.

The lights came on, and Gu Shaoshang stepped inside.

It was not large, only about twenty square meters. The furnishings were simple: one bed and one cabinet. On the broad concrete bed sat a middle-aged man cross-legged, turtle-shaped and crane-backed. Shackles bound his hands and feet, while massive chains as thick as eggs wound around his body!

"What a man!" Gu Shaoshang raised his brows.

The middle-aged man had black hair half a foot long, without a trace of any other color. Thick bristles of beard stood up all over his face. Leopard eyes and a round gaze made him the very image of a fierce Zhang Fei, inspiring awe and fear like an ancient general.

"Boy! Who are you? Who told you about me?" Seeing Gu Shaoshang enter, Ba Liming suddenly spoke from where he sat on the bed, his voice rumbling like thunder.

"This junior is Gu Shaoshang. My master once studied under Three Emperors Cannon Fist Grandmaster Li Yaochen for several days, and I heard of the illustrious name of the King of Martial Arts of a generation!" Gu Shaoshang said with a smile, his eyes gleaming and his body taut.

Gu Shaoshang had thought it over carefully for a long time. Ba Liming had been imprisoned for nearly thirty years, and barely anyone still knew him! Only after much thought had Gu Shaoshang recalled this obscure piece of information.

"Li Yaochen!" Ba Liming's burly body shook, and the thick chains wrapped around him clattered loudly.

For a moment, Ba Liming looked dazed. A flash of reminiscence surfaced on that rough face, fierce as Zhang Fei's.

"Li Yaochen of the Three Emperors Cannon Fist! That man truly was a grandmaster of his generation! I sparred with him when I was young. Even in his nineties, his fist techniques remained incomparably fierce!" Ba Liming abruptly rose, and a vast, unrestrained, domineering aura surged outward.

"Sadly, there are no masters like that anymore! Boy, what do you want with me?" Ba Liming took a step forward and glared as he asked!

When Ba Liming stood, stepped forward, and glared, ninety percent of people would instinctively retreat!

Zhao Liang, standing to one side, nearly pissed himself from fright. Even the two highly trained armed police officers had their hearts pounding wildly as they involuntarily raised their guns!

Like a startled cat, every hair on Gu Shaoshang's body stood on end, and his scalp tingled as if struck by electricity!

Yet not only did he not retreat, he instead advanced half a step and cupped his fists.

"I want to learn boxing from you!" Gu Shaoshang said solemnly, cupping his fists and bowing.

"Haha! Good!" Ba Liming burst into hearty laughter, agreeing with remarkable frankness.

"...Uh." Gu Shaoshang had not expected Ba Liming to agree so readily, and the words he had prepared next suddenly stuck in his throat.

In truth, in Dragon Snake Strike, Guoshu masters accepted disciples very simply! It was nothing like the countless tests of the late Qing era!

Wang Chao had encountered Tang Zichen by chance. Just because he had stopped to watch her practice boxing, she taught him Bagua, Xingyi, and Taiji alike! She even held nothing back when it came to her closely guarded Dragon Snake Strike!

The same was true when Wang Chao happened upon Tan Wendong!

Why?

In this golden age of technology, martial arts were at their end! Even Guoshu masters like Tang Zichen and Ba Liming longed for outstanding successors. They did not want their lifetime of learning to vanish without a trace! They wanted to leave behind even the smallest seed for Guoshu!

"Greetings, Master!" Gu Shaoshang bowed again.

"Good! Good! Good!" Ba Liming laughed heartily, in excellent spirits! He had never imagined that after sitting in prison for thirty years, he would still encounter such an outstanding Guoshu prospect!

Naturally, Ba Liming was satisfied. The instant Gu Shaoshang entered, he had begun testing him. Under the full eruption of his aura, Gu Shaoshang had not only refused to retreat, but had even advanced and bowed!

Even if Gu Shaoshang had not come to learn boxing from him, Ba Liming would have taken the initiative to impart some of his boxing experience!

"Brother Shang! Congratulations on gaining such a renowned master!" Zhao Liang said, still shaken as he glanced at Ba Liming.

"Thank you!" Gu Shaoshang replied with a smile.

"I'll put in a word with Uncle Zhang. Just stay here and learn boxing properly—don't worry about anything else! I'll be going now! Haha!" Zhao Liang reached out, intending to pat Gu Shaoshang on the shoulder, but abruptly lifted his hand to scratch his head instead, smiling awkwardly.

"All right!" Gu Shaoshang smiled.

Though Zhao Liang was somewhat of a playboy, he could still be considered Gu Shaoshang's benefactor.

"Keep this safe. Consider it my repayment to you!" Gu Shaoshang took a notebook from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Liang.

"Don't say anything, and don't ask anything! Just understand it yourself!" Gu Shaoshang stopped Zhao Liang from speaking.

The notebook recorded a few scattered matters—several ways to make money in this era that Gu Shaoshang remembered, such as a certain game from Bangzi Country that had once taken the world by storm. Though the details were vague, it was enough to repay Zhao Liang.

In any case, he would not be staying in this world. Nothing could be better than using these things to repay a few favors!

Zhao Liang did not care much either. He waved his hand, led the two armed police soldiers out, and shut the door behind them.

Only the newly acquainted master and disciple remained in the cell.

"Master, this is my gift for becoming your disciple!" Gu Shaoshang took out another notebook.

It was the manual for Tiger Roar Fist, which he had written through the night! Something utterly unique to this world!

"Haha, thoughtful of you!" Ba Liming accepted it casually, not taking it to heart.

In his youth, Ba Liming had smashed his way through sacred sites of Daoism and Buddhism such as Wudang Mountain, Shaolin Temple, Qingcheng Mountain, Emei Mountain, and Mount Wutai. Who knew how many martial arts manuals, supreme techniques, and lone surviving copies he had seen!

The myriad boxing arts beneath heaven, the countless divine techniques—there was none he did not understand. He was a Great Master and Grandmaster who had studied Guoshu from across the world!

Gu Shaoshang said nothing, merely waited for Ba Liming to read it, confident that he would be utterly stunned!

After all, although Tiger Roar Fist was merely an ordinary boxing art used by Great Yan's army, and ranked even below Xingyi Quan!

This Tiger Roar Fist not only systematically explained the Five Stages of Foundation Establishment, but also recorded a miraculous secret method that had never shown its face in this world!

A method to open the Gate of Life Establishment and condense one's blood and qi!

Thanks to Shuimu Yiyang L, Lazy Cat Eats Mice, and the Cool Moonlight for their rewards, as well as the readers for their recommendation votes! Thank you for your support! Thank you!