Success and Descent from the Mountain

[Having learned most of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts, you already knew that these seventy-two arts were not the seventy-two supreme techniques from the martial arts novels of your previous life.

After all, this Martial World had no such unscientific thing as internal energy, so naturally, it could not produce those terrifying martial arts capable of injuring people by plucking flowers.

However, the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts also encompassed martial arts in every aspect: fists, palms, fingers, legs, sabers, spears, swords, staffs, hidden weapons, Golden Bell Shield, Iron Shirt... and more.

It could be said that after learning more than half of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts, you could more or less be considered an all-round powerhouse.]

"Sure enough, it wasn't?" Zheng Qian muttered disappointedly as he looked at the words before him.

But he was only somewhat disappointed, because he had long been mentally prepared.

When he obtained the Huo Family Fist and Flying Swallow Skill, he had already gained some understanding of the martial arts in this Martial World.

Martial arts in the Martial World were divided into three ranks: third-rate, second-rate, and first-rate. The higher the rank, the harder they naturally were to cultivate.

Among them, the limit of third-rate martial arts was the Clear Force stage of mid-Body Tempering Realm. The limit of second-rate martial arts was the Hidden Force stage of late-Body Tempering Realm. Only first-rate martial arts had the potential to reach the legendary Hua Jin stage.

But that required cultivating a first-rate martial art to the perfected realm.

Unfortunately, that was nearly impossible.

Zheng Qian's Huo Family Fist and Flying Swallow Skill were both first-rate martial arts, yet neither could advance any further after reaching Great Accomplishment.

It was not because he lacked talent for martial arts, nor because there was anything incomplete about his techniques.

Everything came down to one word: comprehension!

Every first-rate martial art was personally tailored by its creator according to their own circumstances.

But there were no two identical people in this world.

Therefore, only the creator could cultivate a first-rate martial art to the perfected realm, allowing themselves to break through to the Hua Jin stage at the peak of Body Tempering.

This was not limited to first-rate martial arts. The same was true of second-rate and third-rate martial arts.

If later generations wanted to break through to the Hua Jin stage, they could only create a first-rate martial art uniquely suited to themselves.

And this was Zheng Qian's future path.

With his current strength and insight, creating a third-rate martial art would be easy, and even a second-rate one would not be difficult. But creating a complete first-rate martial art would undoubtedly be extremely hard.

Knowledge, foundation, vision, insight, and comprehension—none could be lacking.

Perhaps that was why he had gone to Shaolin Temple to study martial arts in the simulation.

[In the twenty-sixth year, although your body continued to grow stronger under the dual blessings of the talents 'Eating is a Blessing' and 'Strength Multiplier,' the cultivation of all your martial arts had stalled.

You knew it was time to leave Shaolin Temple.]

[Three months later, after adjusting yourself to peak condition, you successfully passed through the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation and descended the mountain.

As for your departure, the abbot could only say, "Amitabha!"]

[Two months later, you first returned to Little Li Village, where you had grown up, only to discover that your grandfather and grandmother had already passed away. You could only kneel before their graves for an entire night.

Afterward, you quietly returned to Foshan to visit your parents and found that they had given you a younger brother and sister.

The two little ones were around ten years old, right at the age when they needed food to grow.

Their arrival had made your parents even poorer. Though both were not yet fifty, they now looked as if they were already in their sixties.

Although none of this had been caused by you, a trace of guilt still arose in your heart.]

[You were not penniless. In the month or so since descending the mountain, you had been robbed four times in total.

As the saying went, those who kill shall themselves be killed!

After robbing those four groups of bandits in return, you had accumulated a modest sum, enough to ensure that your parents and younger siblings would not go hungry or cold.

Therefore, you planned to help your family from the shadows.

Of course, even if you helped them openly, they would no longer recognize you. But you did not want to bring them unnecessary attention or trouble.]

[One month later, with your secret help, your parents' work became easier and more profitable. Not only was the family no longer hungry or cold, they even had some money left over each month.

That was enough. You did not intend to help them any further.]

[In the twenty-seventh year, the year had reached 1888. The Qing Government's incompetence allowed foreign powers to run rampant, and public resentment boiled over.

Having solved the food and clothing problems of your parents and younger siblings, you officially began your cultivation in the secular world. You also began creating martial arts best suited to yourself, hoping to find that sliver of opportunity to break through to the Hua Jin stage.]

[In the twenty-eighth year, after a year of effort, you successfully created an incomplete first-rate fist technique that could be cultivated to Great Accomplishment—Hun Yuan Pi Li Quan.

This was a fist technique best suited to you, created by combining the essences of the Huo Family Fist, Arhat Fist, Seven Star Flower Fist, Xuan Kong Fist, and many other Shaolin fist techniques, along with your own insights.]

[Unfortunately, your Hun Yuan Pi Li Quan could not advance another inch after reaching Great Accomplishment.

Having fallen into a bottleneck in creating martial arts, you knew that shutting yourself away to build a cart behind closed doors would never allow you to integrate all your martial arts and break through to the Hua Jin stage.]

[After much consideration, you decided to make friends through martial arts.

And the first opponent you thought of was Wong Fei Hung, who was already thirty-four years old.

Wong Fei Hung had inherited his father Wong Kei Ying's title as one of the Ten Tigers of Guangdong. Coupled with his superb medical skills, he was naturally extremely famous.

You did not even need to investigate to easily learn where he was—Baozhilin Clinic!

But you merely wanted to make friends through martial arts, not smash up his establishment, so you planned to go after nightfall.]

[Half a day later, as the sky darkened, you appeared outside Baozhilin Clinic.

But what met your eyes was a stretch of scorched earth. Baozhilin Clinic had actually been burned down!

You immediately asked around and learned that Baozhilin Clinic had been burned the previous night. They said Wong Fei Hung had offended the Shahe Gang, which had retaliated by setting it ablaze.]

"What? Has the plot only reached this point? Well, Wong Fei Hung only opened Baozhilin Clinic in his thirties. The timing does seem about right."

Zheng Qian's expression first turned solemn as he read the words before him, then he nodded lightly.

He had not expected that, despite delaying for so long, he could still catch up with the plot of the first film.

As he muttered to himself, the words before him continued to emerge rapidly:

[Baozhilin Clinic had been burned beyond habitation, so Wong Fei Hung was not here. Your trip had been in vain.

However, you were not discouraged. Since you already knew the timeline of the current world's plot, you naturally had to participate in it. This was the best way to increase your simulation score.

And once you became involved in the plot, you would have plenty of time and opportunities to spar with Wong Fei Hung. There would even be other experts besides Wong Fei Hung.]