Chapter 149: Subjugate School
During the Ming Dynasty, there were incidents of pirates causing trouble along the borders, and there were also clashes with the Yingzhou Shogunate.
In the early years of the thriving Ming Dynasty, there were numerous warriors who engaged in real combat. Among the military commanders of the Ming Dynasty, there were three renowned martial arts experts, who were highly skilled in the art of war.
Qin Jigong, Yu Dayou, and Cheng Chongdou.
Qin Jigong's improved Qijia Sword Kill and Mandarin Duck Formation were renowned. Even now, in the Ming Country's military, they are practiced as a performance event.
Yu Dayou and General Qin co-authored a book called "Sword Classic." Despite its name, the book mainly discusses the techniques of staff fighting and the use of long weapons. It also provides a detailed explanation supporting the notion that the staff is the ancestor of all weapons.
Cheng Chongdou, a renowned master of spear techniques, was also unparalleled in his single sword skills. Of particular importance is his single sword, which he learned from Master Liu Yunfeng. He later compiled a book called "Selected Single Sword Techniques."
This book, "Selected Single Sword Techniques," along with General Qin's written "Xinyou Saber Techniques," filled the gap in the Ming Country's lost dual-handed saber techniques from the past. Not only were they highly practical, but they also became exemplary lessons for the military to prioritize learning.
The Miao Sword appeared during the Tang Dynasty. It was commonly used by the Imperial Guards. The sword has a long and slender blade, combining the advantages of both a sword and a spear. However, without the corresponding sword techniques, it becomes difficult to wield effectively. Moreover, the Imperial Guards rarely engaged in actual combat, so the Miao Sword mostly served as decoration.
Until the arrival of pirates during the Ming Dynasty, it was then that they realized that the Yingzhou swords possessed an immense level of lethality that ordinary weapons could not withstand. Furthermore, due to the sharpness of the pirate sword techniques, martial artists in the Ming Country developed a strong interest in Yingzhou Swordsmanship. By referencing the Yingzhou sword techniques and combining them with Ming Dynasty martial arts, they ultimately created the Yingzhou Sword Art. The improved Yingzhou Sword Art also influenced the techniques used with the Miao Sword.
In "Research on the Miao Sword," it is stated as follows, "The renowned General Qi Jiguang of the Ming Dynasty acquired this sword technique and passed it down to his subordinates. It was used for charging into battle, breaking through enemy lines, beheading generals, and capturing flags. Thanks to this sword technique, its power reverberated throughout the land."
At the same time, the Miao Sword could also be used to deal with cavalry, as it had a long blade that combined the characteristics of a long spear. It could be used for thrusting attacks, making it effective against Mongol horsemen and the nomads on the grasslands along the Ming Country's borders.
As for why we are going through all this trouble to talk about the Miao Sword...
Because the Miao Sword is the designated weapon of the Subjugate School, and Qi Jiguang is an inheritor of the Subjugate School, promoting the techniques of Subjugate Boxing as well.
Defeating the monsters from Yingzhou is a skill passed down by the ancient master of the Subjugate School.
...
Bai Wei hesitated and didn't choose to draw his sword.
Sanada felt underestimated and let out a roar, as the flames behind him grew brighter and hotter.
He rushed up to the second floor with great strides. With a swift leap, he raised his fist and charged towards the opponent's face, without a care for defense or posture.
He was not a disciple of a martial arts school, nor had he formally studied martial arts. All of his fighting skills were learned through years of trial and error on the streets.
Just like the rebellious students in a spirited high school, they relied solely on shouting and physical ability during fights, with all their techniques being learned through practical experience.
Street basketball and formal basketball are two different sports. Street fighting and martial arts are also two different modes. When it comes to difficulty, the latter is naturally more challenging.
If street fighters can surpass martial artists, it can only be said that the latter have not yet adapted to the rules, or, to put it another way, they are unwilling to learn dirty tricks. But if they were to truly unleash their skills, do you really think that there are no vicious techniques in martial arts that aim to take lives?
Bai Wei shifted his body to dodge Sanada's attacks. Instead of making a fist, his palm opened up, pushing and shaking. Sanada, who seemed invincible, suddenly lost his balance and stumbled backward, although he was not injured.
Sanada firmly stepped to stabilize his body, but before he could completely regain his balance, he threw a punch. However, his lower body was unstable, and the hastily thrown punch was anticipated with precision. With a press and a pat of the left hand, Bai Wei's right hand lifted and swept in an arc. Bai Wei's both hands moved like the pedals of a spinning bicycle. The left hand sank and swung open into a fist, while the right hand descended, delivering a palm strike to Sanada's shoulder.
Stay down and surrender!
Bang! The sound was not crisp, but rather heavy, like slamming a steel rod onto a person's body. The floor tiles on the second floor shattered, and Sanada's knee buckled halfway.
He widened his eyes. After fighting for so many years, he had never really crossed paths with the martial artists from the Ming Country. Most of the formidable opponents he encountered were not well-versed in martial arts. He couldn't quite understand why, after being only tapped on the shoulder, he felt a numbness that seemed to spread through half of his body.
The main attacks of Subjugate Boxing were aimed at the upper body - the shoulders, neck, and chest, all vulnerable to both short and long-range strikes.
And the importance of the neck and shoulders to the human body is undeniable.
Bai Wei, having landed a successful strike, followed up with a kick. His right leg swept across, sending Sanada flying out of the second floor once again, crashing into the shattered center of the dance floor.
Sanada climbed to his feet from the shards of broken glass, his whole body pulsating with even fiercer hostility.
Sanada charged up the second floor once again, like a raging bull.
Bai Wei, like a bullfighter holding a red cloth, made grand movements, skillfully toying with his opponent in the palm of his hand.
Once again, there was a brief exchange. Bai Wei's hands moved back and forth, making a feint with a sweeping palm that stopped short upon reaching the shoulder. He then took a half step forward, transitioning into close-range strikes with short, powerful punches.
Sanada smashed into the second-floor private room, gripping the wooden door and windows with both hands. The spot he held immediately burst into roaring flames.
"Are you done playing?" Sanada snarled, grinning. "This level of attack can't harm me at all!"
Bai Wei stared at his crimson arms, the fiery tattoos had unknowingly spread onto his limbs, almost becoming one with him.
The supernatural power surged like never before.
The young man's face turned slightly serious, realizing that if he continued fighting barehanded, he would actually end up at a disadvantage.
His hands blazed with fiery heat, roaring for victory... Damn it.
Sanada lunged forward suddenly, intending to tackle him and capture him in a firm grasp. If he were captured up close, breaking free would be impossible, especially with the intense flames engulfing his body.
"Huff..."
Bai Wei let out a breath, abandoning his stance of waiting in place and began to launch a powerful attack.
Suddenly, the ground on the second floor rumbled, as if it had been shaken by a powerful machine for three seconds. The tremendous force of the resulting shockwave was beyond what one could imagine from a human.
He raised both hands, akin to tiger claws, with soft palms. However, the swirling qi unleashed by his hands tore through flesh and skin. He threw punches up close, pulled them back, and then threw punches again. He followed up with elbow strikes, double palm strikes, single palm strikes, double palm strikes, a powerful cannon punch, an inverted thunder strike, and an earth-stirring dragon strike. The furious punches and shadows were akin to the explosive sound of hitting a target during training with fists.
When Sanada was hit by the first three punches, he was already slammed into the wall. Bai Wei grabbed his body, lifted his chin, and relentlessly pounded him, sending him airborne. It was as if he was a powerless demon in Devil May Cry, completely helpless against the consecutive strikes. However, Sanada was not without defense and counterattacks. Every time he made a slight movement, he was swiftly suppressed. Before he could unleash his punches with his hands held down, his attacks were already misaligned.
Sanada's body hung on the wall, which then got punched through. Immediately after, he slammed into another wall, getting embedded into it. Then, the wall got punched through again. This cycle continued, until he was finally grabbed by his ankle and smashed onto the ground of the first floor. The walls surrounding the entire second floor were pierced through at every turn, except for the load-bearing pillars that remained unharmed. All other walls were shattered.
Sanada had almost no power to fight back. How could someone who was merely at the 18th level of street brawling be a match for the true disciple of Subjugate School?
If it weren't for the tremendous boost of his life force and physical strength from the raging demonic power, every bone in his body would have been shattered from this relentless beating.
Bai Wei had confidence, even though Sanada's bones were shattered, that he still had at least another six months to live.
Bai Wei splashed Sanada into the first-floor water pool, causing waves to churn and splash. Bai Wei caught a little stream of water, which also helped to cool down his scalding hot hands.
Gurgle gurgle gurgle... Bubbles began to emerge in the icy pool, as Sanada slowly emerged from the steaming hot vapor.
His hair stood on end, his skin was now fiery red and scorching hot. The Rouindō tattoos not only spread to his arms, but further covered his entire body. His eyes grew even redder, leaving burnt footprints on the ground wherever he walked.
"Unbelievable...," Bai Wei sighed, "You, you wretched bastard, have ceased to be human."
Just moments ago, each of his punches could have killed a big, rural white goose, and the force of his palm strikes reached deep into the marrow of his organs.
Even with such intense, furious onslaught, even with deliberate punches that inflicted real harm, it still couldn't completely defeat Sanada.
Sanada tilted his neck, clenched his fists tightly, and flames truly burned on top of his fists. With a wave in the air, the flames condensed into a ball and slammed towards the target.
Bai Wei, tilting his upper body upward, caused the second floor to be immediately enveloped in a sea of flames.
"Woow~"
The young man showed no signs of nervousness, merely watching the burning building, feeling a bit sorry for the renovation expenses.
From this moment on, they were no longer ordinary humans dealing with other humans. Humans don't just conjure fireballs out of thin air.
The high-temperature flames triggered the warning device, and a large amount of firefighting water poured down in the courtyard. The sprinkled water mist appeared colorful and translucent amidst the alternating lights.
Bai Wei's clothes got wet once again.
Sanada was covered in the patterns of Rouindō, which crawled all over his body. The crimson skin was adorned with continuously evaporating mist.
They looked at each other for a moment.
Bai Wei's shirt sleeve slid down, revealing a gleaming blade.
Sanada's eyes were almost completely filled with darkness and blood-red. He grinned and as he spoke, his mouth emitted scorching flames, as if the fire had damaged his throat, making his voice hoarse and unpleasant.
"Come on, this is the final test! Only one person can keep standing."
"I agree, and... that has to be me."
Bai Wei flicked his Han sword, the metal emitting a buzzing sound, followed by echoes that spread and transformed into a roaring tiger.
The imaginary tiger slinked on the ground, more vivid and lifelike than before. Amidst the burning buildings, it let out a deep, echoing roar.
At the same time, a faint red glow illuminated Bai Wei's body.
[Demon Fury]
With a state of empowerment, Bai Wei felt a surge of unwavering confidence within him, believing he could conquer any battle. However, this fleeting moment was soon suppressed.
He stared directly ahead, suddenly swinging his blade, confronting the roaring inferno and the thunderous rolling wheels of fire.
