Chapter 123: Dealing with the Tiger for its Skin

"The Baji Frame consists of twenty-seven styles in total. Each style is an independent move, and naturally, the training methods for each differ. It is the foundation of Baji Fist; any martial artist who practices Baji Fist must start with the Baji Frame."

Lu Yu pondered to himself, this Baji Frame sounds quite similar to the Wuji Style; could they both be foundational techniques?

"Do not underestimate this Baji Frame. The core content of Baji Fist primarily consists of the Six Great Openings and the Eight Great Techniques, and these Eight Great Techniques are hidden within the Baji Frame."

"As for the Six Great Openings, they refer to the six basic techniques of thrusting, embracing, carrying, lifting, spanning, and coiling. They are the root of all movements in Baji Fist."

"Once you have practiced the Six Great Openings and the Eight Great Techniques well, you can consider yourself to have caught a glimpse of the path of Baji Fist and reached the realm of Small Success."

"At that point, you can begin practicing the Baji Great Spear Art, and at the same time, choose to practice another palm technique to enhance the power of your Baji Fist."

"Practice another palm technique? And it can enhance power?" Lu Yu was listening with full concentration, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but be stunned. It was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

"That's right, that palm technique is called Pigua Palm."

Wang Liang replied, "Pigua Palm was known as Pigua Fist in ancient times, but because it utilizes palm techniques more frequently, it earned the name Pigua Palm."

Baji Fist belongs to the short-range striking style, while Pigua Palm excels at attacking enemies at medium to long distances. It can strike long in long-range attacks and whip-strike in close combat; it is free to retract and release, suitable for both long and short ranges.

When coordinated with Baji Fist, one can combine long and short ranges and balance hardness with softness, which is why there is the saying, 'With Baji plus Pigua, even gods and ghosts will fear.'"

"It's actually that powerful?" Lu Yu licked his lips, wondering to himself, if he added Taiji Fist to the mix, wouldn't that be both offensive and defensive, making him impregnable?

"Ahem, Uncle Wang, this Pigua Palm..."

Wang Liang glanced at him and said, "Since you intend to learn Baji Fist, this Pigua Palm will naturally be taught to you as well. However, remember, Pigua Palm is only for supplementary practice; you must still prioritize Baji Fist."

Lu Yu nodded repeatedly. He truly hadn't expected that by asking for one Baji Fist, he would also gain two other techniques.

"As for the Baji Great Spear Art, its style is similar to Baji Fist; the movements are simple and plain, and the force is fierce and explosive..."

Lu Yu listened with extra care.

A few minutes later, two lines of small text appeared on the skill bar.

【Pigua Palm: Not Even a Clue, Unlock Requirement: Basic Palm Technique lv3】

【Baji Great Spear Art: Not Even a Clue, Unlock Requirement: Baji Fist Minor Accomplishment】

Lu Yu's gaze fell on Pigua Palm. The unlocking threshold for this palm technique was not as complex as that of Taiji Fist or Baji Fist; it only required Basic Palm Technique to reach the corresponding level.

Thinking of this, he looked down to find information on Basic Fist Technique.

Although he hadn't specifically practiced Basic Fist Technique before, his proficiency in Taiji Fist was already maxed out, so he assumed his proficiency in Basic Fist Technique would also have improved significantly.

Soon, he found Basic Fist Technique.

However, the situation was a bit special; it was unlocked, yet not fully unlocked.

【Basic Fist Technique: lv5, Trait: Powerful lv5, Body Strengthening lv2】

This line of small text appeared in gray, and there was another line of explanation below it.

【Basic Fist Technique, not yet fully unlocked. Only after unlocking can the trait effects be activated.】

"So that means I have to practice the moves of the Basic Fist Technique completely once to obtain the attribute points." Lu Yu was somewhat surprised.

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. After all, he had indeed never practiced Basic Fist Technique; although Taiji Fist contained some fist technique moves, it consisted mostly of palm and claw techniques.

Consequently, the Basic Fist Technique remained in this semi-unlocked, gray state.

"However, this isn't too difficult."

With a shift in his thoughts, he added a point of Experience Value to Basic Fist Technique.

In an instant, a warm current flowed through his entire body. The 55% behind Basic Fist Technique vanished instantly, and its color changed from gray to white.

At the same time, on the attribute panel, his Strength and Constitution attributes also increased by a few points.

Next, Lu Yu planned to focus on practicing the Baji Frame first.

After all, this was a prerequisite for practicing Baji Fist; if it wasn't met, he couldn't use Experience Value to increase his proficiency in Baji Fist.

Afterward, he would proceed to practice the Basic Fist Technique.

As the saying goes, "Sharpening the knife does not delay the woodcutting"; once the level of Basic Fist Technique was raised, practicing other fist techniques would naturally be faster.

However, what Lu Yu didn't expect was that the Baji Frame also had a threshold regarding Stance Training.

According to Wang Liang, the Baji Frame placed extreme importance on Stance Training. Only after practicing the Wuji Style well could one practice the Taiji Style; only after the Taiji Style was practiced well could one practice the Liangyi Style; and only after the foundation of the Liangyi Style was firmly laid was one qualified to practice the Baji Frame.

Clearly, the Liangyi Style was also a type of basic Stance Training, derived from the Taiji Style; it would not be an exaggeration to call it an advanced Stance Training.

Fortunately, the Baji Frame's requirement for the Liangyi Style was not high; it could be unlocked upon reaching level 1.

Just as the people of Lu Family Stockade were focusing on their martial arts training, a stifling silence hung over Li Family Fort.

In a low, earthen room, Chen Suhua kept her head down, her eyes fixed on her feet, remaining silent.

Beside the table sat a short-statured man.

His pair of eyes were pitch-black and bright; one could tell at a glance that he was not a character to be trifled with.

The man swept a glance across the room, and the little girl peeking from the inner room was instantly frightened, her face turning as pale as paper.

The man, however, didn't care; instead, he flashed a smile at the little girl, then turned his head, fixed his gaze on Chen Suhua, and said, "Madam Liu, you should be clear about the purpose of my visit here, right?"

"No, I don't know," Chen Suhua replied, stammering.

"Still playing dumb," Fan Ze sneered. "Madam Liu, are you unaware of the current situation of your husband and brother-in-law?"

Chen Suhua's expression changed instantly.

Of course she was aware. Her husband, Liu Tianhong, her brother-in-law, Liu Tianyao, and the two others who had come with them from Lu Family Stockade were being ostracized everywhere here, and life was very difficult.

These past few days, she had been tossing and turning, her heart filled with anxiety.

If time could turn back, she would absolutely not have supported the decision for Liu Tianhong and the others to come here.

At this moment, Fan Ze's voice sounded again: "You were all people from Lu Family Stockade, right? Seeing that you couldn't survive there anymore, you wanted to come and seek refuge in our Li Family Fort.

Brother Li Meng and the others were kind-hearted and agreed to your request.

And what happened? Your husband and the others are still thinking about Lu Family Stockade, and actually told Third Brother that they sent quite a bit of game over there. Tell me, is what they did proper?"

Chen Suhua hurriedly explained: "It wasn't much, just one Wasteland Rabbit."

"You think one Wasteland Rabbit isn't much?" Fan Ze widened his eyes. "That's tens of catties of meat, think about it!"

Chen Suhua was suddenly at a loss for words, not knowing how to refute him.

"Hmph, it's not like we haven't given them chances, but they disappoint people time and time again."

"Now, they've already been sent to build walls with those commoners. Mrs. Liu, you wouldn't want to see your husband worked to death just like those people, would you?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Suhua's face changed drastically, and she pleaded hurriedly, "Brother Fan, I beg you, please put in a good word for us in front of Third Brother and the others. Tianhong and the others know they were wrong; they definitely won't do this again in the future."

"Brother Fan, Tianhong and the others are Martial Artists. They should be out hunting with Third Brother. Letting them go build walls is truly a waste of talent."

"A waste of talent?" Fan Ze sneered, "They're just two Body Tempering First Layer Martial Artists. Maybe they count for something in Lu Family Stockade, but here, they are nothing."

Chen Suhua pleaded incessantly.

Fan Ze frowned impatiently: "Enough, don't keep babbling here. Are you willing to serve our Big Brother or not? Give me a straight answer."

Chen Suhua was stunned, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"What, is my meaning hard to understand?" Fan Ze frowned, "Seeing as you still have some beauty, as long as you serve Brother Li Meng and the others comfortably, what wouldn't you be able to get? Hmm?"

Chen Suhua was deathly pale with fright and shook her head hurriedly: "This, how can this be? I cannot do something that would betray Tianhong."

"If you don't do this, that is what's truly betraying him." Fan Ze lowered his voice and said, "Didn't you just say you wanted me to put in a good word for your husband in front of Brother Li Meng and the others? Wouldn't it be better for you to do this kind of thing yourself?"

The smile on his face became increasingly lewd, "Think about it carefully. If you satisfy Big Brother and the others, and you just mention a word in his ear, couldn't Tianhong and the others come back?"

"By then, they could go out hunting with Third Brother and the others again, and they'd even be able to get a share of the prey. How good would that be? This would all be your contribution; even if Tianhong found out, he might even be grateful to you."

"No, no." Chen Suhua shook her head desperately, her body trembling like chaff.

She never expected that this group of people would be so devoid of a bottom line, running over to say such things to her while Tianhong and the others were away.

Thinking about it now, those rumors that had spread from Li Family Fort before were likely all true!

"What's wrong with it? Everyone does it this way. Rest assured, no one will laugh at you," Fan Ze said with a smile.

Take himself, for example; at first, he also felt that sending his wife to accompany Li Meng was an extremely humiliating thing.

At the time, quite a few people thought that way, and some even went to fight Li Meng to the death over it, but they were all tortured to death in public, and there was more than one of them.

Ever since then, he stopped thinking that way. Besides, every time his wife went, she could bring back some extra Fierce Beast Meat. He didn't have to go out hunting to get these benefits, so what was there to be dissatisfied about?

Come to think of it, even those people in the Hunting Team couldn't avoid this kind of thing.

But precisely because of this, they were able to get a larger share of the prey every time.

However, no matter how Fan Ze tried to persuade her, Chen Suhua just kept shaking her head.

"Don't be ungrateful!"

Fan Ze finally lost his patience and slammed the table hard.

"I'll make it clear to you today: our Big Brother's patience is limited."

Today is the first time, consider it a reminder to give you some mental preparation.

I'll come back at this time tomorrow. If you still don't cooperate, don't blame us for being impolite. By the way, you can also try telling your husband about this and see what he can do."

After speaking, he sneered, turned around, and walked toward the door, still cursing and swearing.

Chen Suhua felt as if her soul had been drained away; with a "thump," she collapsed onto the floor.

"Mommy." The little girl ran out from the inner room and hugged her mother's body tightly.

"What should I do? What should I do?" Chen Suhua sobbed uncontrollably.

The harsh words the other party left behind were clearly spoken with no fear of consequences; they didn't take them seriously at all. In fact, they truly had the strength to back it up.

"No, I still have to tell Tianhong and the others about this. Even if we die together, I will not submit to those bastards!"

She gritted her teeth and reached out to wipe the tears from her face.

Because she understood in her heart that compromising with this group of people was like asking a tiger for its hide; it would only end in drinking poison to quench one's thirst.

The sun slowly sank into the west, the afterglow gradually faded, and the sky slowly darkened along with it.

On the open ground, two figures moved in an interlaced dance, the sound of fists colliding echoing incessantly.

Li Yang and the others on the sidelines witnessed this scene, and envy was revealed in all of their eyes.

They thought to themselves that Brother Yu could actually fight Wang Shu to a standstill relying solely on his Fist Technique; they wondered when they would be able to reach such a level.

Accompanied by a dull thud, Lu Yu stumbled, staggering backward several steps in a row, looking somewhat disheveled.

At this moment, his fists were already bright red, just like two steamed red shrimp.

"Do you still want to go again?" Wang Liang's inquiry came from opposite him.

"No more, no more." Lu Yu shook his head with a bitter smile while gently shaking his hands.

"Hmm." Wang Liang calmly placed his right fist behind his back, the corner of his mouth unable to stop twitching slightly.

The entire afternoon, he had been sparring with Lu Yu using Fist Technique.

Seeing that Lu Yu was using Basic Fist Technique, he felt embarrassed and did not use Fist Techniques like Taiji or Xingyi, choosing to use Basic Fist Technique as well.

At first, Lu Yu's movements were still slightly unfamiliar, but as time passed, he fought with increasing courage. By the end, Wang Liang, who was in the same Realm, found it somewhat difficult to parry.

One must know that Wang Liang had always been known for his Fist Technique, yet he was forced into such a state by Lu Yu, which was truly unexpected.

Having no other choice, he had to raise his Realm, and only then did he regain the upper hand.

"Wang Shu, I'm going back to eat. After I finish, we'll continue sparring," Lu Yu said with a smile.

"Good, will we continue sparring with Fist Technique?" Wang Liang asked after hearing this.

To be honest, after the bout of sparring with Lu Yu just now, Wang Liang felt that he had also gained some inspiration from it.

Over these years, he had been focused on practicing various Fist Techniques like Taiji Fist, Xingyi Fist, and Baji Fist, but had instead neglected Basic Fist Technique.

Perhaps if he tried to forget everything he had learned and focused on practicing Basic Fist Technique for a period of time, it would help him break through his current bottleneck?

"Let's use Spear Technique this time," Lu Yu said after pondering for a moment. "Practicing fists all the time, it's inevitable to feel a bit dull."

"Fine, then we'll talk after we eat." Wang Liang nodded in agreement, then turned and walked toward the house.

Lu Yu smiled slightly and also walked slowly toward his home.

This afternoon, Lu Yu started from the most basic Two Forms, then practiced the Baji Frame, and after successfully unlocking Baji Fist, he immediately engaged in a Fist Technique spar with Wang Liang, gaining quite a lot.