Learning from Yang Wudi from a Hundred Years Ago

Ye Yunkai's expression was strange.

First came shock and disbelief, then shame, and finally, surprisingly, relief.

"Old Ye, do you know the limits now?" Chen Zhang said with a smile, pulling Ye Yunkai to his feet.

He was no match for Zhang Yang alone, so he was naturally happy to see more people fall to Zhang Yang's hands. The more this happened, the more it proved one thing: it wasn't that he was weak, but that his opponent was too strong.

"I'm impressed. That girl Lu Yao is really arrogant and doesn't know her place. How dare she compare herself to President Zhang?" He said, his old face turning red.

Zhang Yang smiled, but a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

I can't waste this [Copy Martial Arts] buff from the system! I have to learn as many techniques as possible within the limited time to make the most of this buff.

"Director Ye, I suddenly have an idea," Zhang Yang said abruptly.

"Mr. Zhang, please let me know if you need anything," Ye Yunkai said without hesitation.

"Um... if I wanted to have a chat with all the well-known martial arts schools in Tianjin like today, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Zhang Yang said rather tactfully.

The so-called exchange is, of course, no different from a challenge.

Although there is no such thing as a martial arts world in modern society, and most martial arts schools are just training institutions that operate for business, going to someone's place to challenge them... no, to have an exchange still carries a hint of looking for trouble.

Zhang Yang didn't care, but Ye Yunkai was the former president of the Tianjin Martial Arts Association, so it was necessary to greet him and inform him.

"This..." Ye Yunkai taken aback.

"It's no big deal, Zhang Yang. Go ahead and kick. I'll take care of anything that happens." Chen Zhang laughed and said, "Old Ye, don't hold back. Aren't you planning to use this competition to promote traditional Chinese martial arts? Let's lay the groundwork beforehand and help Zhang Yang establish himself as a master of traditional martial arts. Then, when he defeats masters from multiple countries, your event will be truly effective."

"Learn from Yang Luchan, the invincible warrior who swept through the Beijing a hundred years ago, and create another Zhang Wudi. Those martial arts schools that get challenged will be thanking us profusely."

Zhang Yang chuckled in disbelief.

"Zhang Wudi? Brother Chen, are you joking?"

"I'm not exaggerating at all. With your current strength, sweeping through those martial arts schools is absolutely no problem." Chen Zhang looked at Zhang Yang with considerable certainty. "We must win this cultural export!"

Ye Yunkai slowly considered the matter in his mind, his eyes becoming increasingly bright.

"Yes! That's how it should be done, Mr. Zhang. You go ahead and do it; I'll persuade the martial arts schools to cooperate."

Both of them patted their chests and guaranteed it.

"Don't make such a big fuss, you have to elevate it to the level of national righteousness, I'm afraid I can't handle it!" Zhang Yang waved his hands repeatedly, "How about this, I'll wear a mask, I don't want it to affect my real life."

The three of them quickly reached an agreement.

Ye Yunkai was in charge of coordinating with the martial arts school and making prior arrangements. Chen Zhang arranged for people to work with Ye Yunkai's sports culture company to generate buzz for Zhang Yang's challenge and lay the groundwork for the upcoming mixed martial arts tournament against top fighters from multiple countries.

As for Zhang Yang himself, once he put on the mask, he went all out.

He naturally has his own goals and gains.

In addition to the system's points and cash rewards, he also wants to learn from the strengths of many schools of martial arts and become the number one martial artist of his Dornbracht.

··

"That guy is so annoying!" Lu Yao angrily pounded on the wooden dummy, imagining the dummy in front of her as Zhang Yang's face just now.

It was clearly her spot, and also her opportunity and stage to fully showcase what she had learned.

Now it's someone else's.

"Junior Sister Lu Yao, well... don't be angry anymore, just now..." A student from the martial arts school said cautiously, watching Lu Yao hit the wooden dummy with a loud clang.

"What just happened?" Lu Yao replied irritably.

"Director Ye was also defeated by that guy in one move, so we think the main reason is that the opponent is too strong," the students comforted him.

"Huh? What?" Lu Yao let go of his hand and asked in disbelief.

Her master, Ye Yunkai, couldn't even last one round against this opponent. Just how strong must she be?

"No, I have to go ask."

She turned and left, intending to personally find Ye Yunkai and ask him about the situation.

Inside a quaint building at the Tianjin Martial Arts Hall, Lu Yao pushed open the door without hesitation, "Master!"

"You little brat, you didn't even knock, making such a racket!" Ye Yunkai covered her phone, startled. "What's wrong?"

"Director, I heard you couldn't even last a single round against him?" Lu Yao asked.

"What are you saying? Youth has the upper hand in martial arts. I'm already this old, and I still have to worry about the development of the martial arts school and the company's affairs every day. So many people depend on me for their livelihood. How much do you think my martial arts skills have deteriorated? And you still have the nerve to question me?" Ye Yunkai's face turned red.

"Look at yourself, you're eighteen, the prime age, and you haven't even managed to take a single move from him?"

"That's true." Lu Yao said softly, then felt a little ashamed. "Director, it's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you that question."

"Of course, Mr. Zhang is indeed a master of traditional martial arts, with extraordinary talent. When you meet him in the future, you must be very polite, understand?" Ye Yunkai admonished. "Do you know what phone call I'm making right now?"

Lu Yao looked puzzled.

"It's no big deal to tell you. Boss Zhang plans to challenge all the Tianjin Martial Arts Hall. I'm busy making phone calls right now, explaining and giving them a heads-up," Ye Yunkai said.

"What? He's too confident!" Lu Yao almost blurted out the word "arrogant."

He thinks he's some kind of the Tianjin Martial Arts Hall genius, the best in the world? Although, he is indeed very strong.

"In literature, there's no first place, but in martial arts, there's always a second. A martial artist should have an indomitable spirit, a willingness to take on any challenge. If you're curious, you can go and take a look," Ye Yunkai said with a smile. "Whether it's feasible or not, you should know better than anyone else."

Lu Yao blushed, inexplicably recalling the scene from that time, and that indescribable feeling.

··

Zhang Yang had never done anything like challenging someone to a competition before.

To put it nicely, it's called mutual learning and exchange; to put it bluntly, it's cutting off someone's livelihood.

However, time was limited, so he had to maximize the effect of the [Copy Martial Arts] buff. In addition, with Ye Yunkai, the former president of the Tianjin Martial Arts Association, endorsing him, and Chen Zhang, the young master from Beijing, guaranteeing it, he naturally didn't need to think too much.

A vendor is selling handicrafts by the roadside.

"Hey? This dragon mask is nice, how much is it?" Zhang Yang immediately took a liking to a handmade dragon mask.

Exquisite, rustic, and quite beautiful.

It's perfect for him to wear when he goes to challenge the other team later.

"This one? This one's a hundred." The stall owner enthusiastically handed the dragon mask to Zhang Yang. "Would you like to try it on?"

Zhang Yang put it on casually.

Hmm, it's light and comfortable, and it doesn't feel tight at all. More importantly, no one will recognize him when he wears it.

"This one will do."

He scanned the QR code, took the dragon-shaped mask, and drifted away.

Ever-Victorious Martial Arts Hall.

The curator, Wu Chengsheng, is a master of Tongbei Quan (a style of Chinese martial arts) and has about twenty apprentices under his tutelage.

He has practiced Tongbei Quan for nearly twenty years and boasts that he has mastered the true skills. In his daily life, he can bend a wrench with a flick of his wrist and open a soda can with his bare hands, all in a matter of course.

"Okay, Brother Ye, I understand."

Wu Chengsheng put down his phone, his face showing deep thought.

"Master, whose phone is that? What's wrong?"

A young man with a buzz cut and neat clothes, wearing a short jacket, saw this and asked.

"Director Ye from the Tianjin Martial Arts Hall came to say hello, saying that a young man will be coming over later and wants to exchange ideas. You can give it a try then," Wu Chengsheng said casually.

"Isn't this... a challenge?" The young man's eyes widened as he blurted out.

"What 'challenge'? What era are we living in? Stop with the old-fashioned, closed-door approach! They're here to exchange and learn, so just give it your all," Wu Chengsheng said. "Be prepared, Director Ye said they have real skills."

"Don't worry, Master. Just say the word, and I'll get it done!" The young man said nonchalantly, showing off his muscular forearms.

Not long after, the receptionist suddenly came running over.

"Director Wu, someone outside says they want to come... for an exchange."

Wu Chengsheng and his prized student, Xiao Wang, exchanged a glance. "Go ahead, it should be it."

A moment later, the first-floor open lobby appeared.

Amidst the bustling crowd, many people stared at the tall, masked figure ahead, whispering amongst themselves.

"Wow, that's so cringeworthy! Wearing a mask to challenge someone in the arena?"

"Have you been watching too many movies? Or are you trying to become a famous internet celebrity?"

"If you want to become famous, you have to see if you have the ability. Do you think Master Wu is joking with you? Over the years, how many internet celebrities have come here wanting to ride the wave of popularity or challenge the martial arts school? Those who exposed fakes, those who practiced bodybuilding, those who practiced combat sports—all of them left looking utterly defeated."

Zhang Yang adjusted the mask on his face.

Damn it, does he not know whether he's being childish or not? As long as he's not embarrassed, it's everyone else who's embarrassed.

As for becoming famous, well, that's the effect that Director Ye and Chen Zhang hope to achieve. Anyway, he just wants to take this opportunity to reap the benefits of learning from everyone's strengths.

"So you've come here to learn from me?" Two figures stepped out from the crowd, and the one who spoke was none other than Director Wu Chengsheng.

A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"Director Wu is here."

"Quickly, seize the opportunity to start a live stream. It'll definitely boost your followers and popularity. I've already thought of a title: '[Someone has kicked Director Wu's place again and again]'"

Yes, Wu Chengsheng has some popularity on short videos and is considered by a considerable number of martial arts enthusiasts in China to be one of those with genuine skills.

Immediately, many people around raised their phones to watch the spectacle.

In the distance, a petite figure peeked furtively on tiptoe.

"Haha, that's hilarious! That guy even wore a mask, like he was afraid someone would recognize him. Was he afraid of losing face?" Lu Yao's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "But this guy has guts, daring to mess with Wu Chengsheng."

She knew Wu Chengsheng's skill level; the skill of bending a wrench with a single slap was genuine and unadulterated.

In the distance, Zhang Yang, wearing a mask, nodded.

"Yes, please give me some pointers, Director Wu."

"Why wear a mask? Are you afraid of losing and being embarrassed?" Director Wu chuckled. "If you want to learn from me, that's not an option yet. You'll have to get past my apprentice first."

A young man named Xiao Wang stepped forward.

With a buzz cut, muscular arms, and a sharp gaze, he practically had "I'm a master" written all over his face.

"Okay." Zhang Yang nodded without hesitation.

Anyway, the [Copy Martial Arts] buff doesn't discriminate based on skill level. Once learned, it will automatically level up to mastery, so it doesn't matter who you fight in the arena.

"Go up, masked man." Xiao Wang raised his chin, his eyes defiant.

The sight of everyone holding up their phones around him made him realize this was a good opportunity to show off, and he was already preparing how to strike a cool pose.

On the ring, Zhang Yang stared at his opponent, the origins of Tongbei Quan flashing through his mind.

Tongbeiquan, a style of boxing from northern China, has been practiced since the Ming Dynasty. It emphasizes using the back or arms of an ape to gain momentum and achieves victory through flexible and varied moves and unique power generation methods.

In terms of actual combat ability, Tongbei Quan is quite strong.

On the other side, Xiao Wang had already shown his starting stance, and with a few graceful arm swings, a crisp sound immediately rang out in the air. This is also one of the hallmarks of Tongbei Quan, the Nine Echo Force.

It is said that each move produces a crisp sound, with each strike more powerful than the last, for a total of nine strikes.

There are also legends that when Tongbei Quan is practiced to a very high level, the muscles and bones work together so well that one can even produce a tenth sound.

A burst of cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Great! Beautiful!"

"This must be the Nine Echo Force of Tongbei Quan! Awesome!"

Hearing the cheers, Xiao Wang looked smug and stepped forward. "Hey buddy, come on, but don't blame me if I accidentally knock your mask off and reveal your face."

"It's not your fault," Zhang Yang said simply, without lingering.

His current physical abilities are beyond human comprehension; he possesses superhuman strength, the limits of which even he himself doesn't know. Furthermore, he now boasts national-level Sanda skills and is proficient in Wing Chun.

The combination of absolute power and absolute skill naturally results in terrifying strength.

He stepped forward and casually threw a punch.

Bang! The air exploded!

Xiao Wang froze, his face contorted in disbelief, before being sent flying backward by the immense force that slammed into his chest, crashing heavily into a nearby fence.

"I... cough cough."

He collapsed to the ground, his chest aching terribly, still reeling from the dizzying scene he had just witnessed.

Did I... I lost?

One move?

The crowd below the stage erupted in a huge uproar.

"Holy crap, did I just see that right? He got sent flying!"

"It's absolutely real. The power was incredible; just look at how the ring railings were trembling!"

"This is an eye-opener! Absolutely an eye-opener! This is real skill!"

Everyone's tone gradually became excited.

This is why everyone is so attached to traditional martial arts; they all want to see its practical application. Who wins or loses is not important; what matters is whether traditional martial arts truly possess real combat effectiveness.

"This guy is still outrageously strong." Lu Yao, oblivious to everything, clutched her phone to her chest with both hands.

It's still the same move.

True skill appears clumsy, and effortlessness is effortless; it's a very simple move.