Chapter 0007: Baguazhang vs. Bajiquan

At this moment, a bandleader stood up from the crowd in the seats and said, "Hold on! Sir, I have something to say!"

At this moment, Zhao Shixiao felt a sense of urgency in his heart. Firstly, he was one of the few martial arts experts in the army, a company commander, and it was quite embarrassing that he had been unable to subdue a young man in his twenties for such a long time. Secondly, although his Baji Quan was fierce and unmatched, the more powerful it was, the less sustainable it became. With this in mind, Zhao Shixiao changed his fist technique, becoming even more vigorous, yet Zhang Yi remained as unyielding as a deep abyss or towering mountain, countering each move without showing any signs of defeat.

Li Gang was taken aback, unsure whether Nie Shicheng's words were true or false, and hurriedly bowed, saying: "I dare not, as a subordinate."

Nie Shicheng nodded slightly and said slowly: "Alright, Shi Xiao, what I value most is this quality of yours, being bold and responsible in your actions, able to take up and let go, losing is just losing, losing to your own soldiers is nothing to be ashamed of, losing to outsiders is what truly brings shame. You may step aside for now."

The officials accompanying Nie Shicheng all applauded, firstly because Zhao Shixiao's skills were indeed admirable, and secondly to cheer for their own. Nie Shicheng also nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself that Zhao Shixiao's Baji Quan had advanced another step.

Turning his head, Nie Shicheng said to Zhang Yi: "Hehe, young man, not bad, not bad, you actually defeated your captain, truly a hero emerges from the youth. I am old now, and the future will belong to you. Since it is as such, I officially appoint you as the commander of the special training camp to conduct the new army training"

The two individuals performed a bow and stood firmly in the center of the stage. Zhang Yi clasped his hands and said, "Lord Zhao, I look forward to your guidance!" After speaking, with a sweeping gesture, he opened the door, calm and composed.

Although Zhao Shixiao is arrogant, he truly has the credentials to be so. His mastery of Baji Quan is exceptional, and his keen eye is discerning. Having only seen Zhang Yi's Liang style, he already exudes the demeanor of a master. Zhao Shixiao secretly nods in praise, not daring to be negligent. He adopts a stance with both hands, steps forward, and calls out: "Kid, watch my fist!"

Nie Shicheng was taken aback and turned around, only to find that it was his own personal guard camp commander, Li Gang. Li Gang was not only the most formidable general under his command but also his top confidant, possessing exceptional abilities

Zhang Yi withdrew his stance and cupped his fists, saying: "Lord Zhao, I concede. I have been disrespectful."

Zhao Shixiao's face was flushed. In this battle, he was thoroughly convinced by his defeat. Even if he had not been thrown off the stage by Zhang Yi, he would have found it impossible to withstand Zhang Yi's onslaught. In his embarrassment, Zhao Shixiao cupped his fist towards Nie Shicheng and said: "My lord, I am inferior in skill and have no words to say. I am also a man of honor and can accept defeat. I have no further complaints."

The training ground is located in front of the deputy central camp of Nie Shicheng's personal guard, covering an area of several thousand square meters, and has long been surrounded by Qing soldiers, making it impossible for water to leak through. In the center stands a temporarily constructed arena and a * map * book, nearly two zhang in circumference. On one side, a row of seats is arranged, with Nie Shicheng leading the captains of various camps seated in the front, while Zhang Yi and Zhao Shixiao stand respectfully on the arena.

In the blink of an eye, the two had already exchanged over sixty moves. Zhao Shixiao's strikes remained as swift as the wind, unstoppable, while Zhang Yi showed no signs of weakness, employing a strategy of stillness to counter movement, balancing both offense and defense. The spectators present were captivated by this rare display of skill between masters, watching the battle between the two with rapt attention

Having said that, he shook his body and assumed a stance, and everyone present could hear the crackling sounds of Zhao Shixiao's muscles and bones, clearly indicating that his external martial arts had reached the pinnacle of mastery

At this moment, Zhao Shixiao executed a move called "Facing the Wind and Welcoming the Sun," striking directly at Zhang Yi's chest. Zhang Yi crossed his arms, using both wrists to block Zhao Shixiao's right fist. With a swift pull, Zhao Shixiao did not change his technique; instead, he leveraged Zhang Yi's pulling force to step in, his entire body slipping into Zhang Yi's space, with his right shoulder pressing against Zhang Yi's chest. This was precisely the ultimate technique "Bear Squat" from Baji Quan. With such a collision, even a large tree would be broken in half. The audience on stage gasped in astonishment, and in the blink of an eye, it seemed that Zhang Yi would not be able to evade the attack in time.

The next morning, at the training ground of the Qing army's camp

Seeing Li Gang stand up, Nie Shicheng furrowed his brows and asked, "What is it, Li Gang? What is the matter?"

The two individuals suddenly separated, and Zhang Yi felt a tingling sensation in his palm, secretly frowning. After all, although this body possessed some skills comparable to those in books, it still fell short when compared to Zhao Shixiao.

Nie Shicheng smiled faintly and said, "You have all experienced Zhang Yi's skills. As for his strategies, I indeed had the opportunity to learn from them yesterday, and I must admit that I am not as good as him. Do you really consider yourselves stronger than I am?"

Nie Shicheng's expression was calm as he said in a deep voice: "Zhao Shixiao, Zhang Yi, are you both ready?"

Li Gang bowed and said: "My lord, just now I observed the duel between Zhang Yi and Captain Zhao. I hold Zhang Yi's skills in high regard; even I do not have the confidence to defeat Captain Zhao, who indeed possesses exceptional abilities. However, in today's world, as armies from various nations engage in combat, firearms take precedence, and the valor of a single individual can no longer determine the outcome of a war. Therefore, the formation of the new army is also based on the precedents set by the Western powers, implementing new training methods. I believe that the commanders of the new army must prioritize proficiency in firearms and Western military tactics as their foremost duty. Although Zhang Yi is exceptionally brave, I am uncertain about his knowledge of firearms and military education. If he lacks excellence in these two areas, I respectfully request that you consider selecting someone else."

Nie Shicheng nodded and said, "Alright, let us begin now."

Zhang Yishun took the opportunity to extend his left hand, grabbing Zhao Shixiao's belt. With both hands exerting force, he flung Zhao Shixiao outward. Zhao Shixiao felt a numbness and weakness in his body, and with no place to gain leverage in the air, he was violently thrown down to the ground beneath the ring. Although he was not injured, he indeed ended up covered in dust and dirt, feeling sore all over.

Nie Shicheng chuckled and said, "Very well, then let you compete with him in marksmanship once more"

At this moment, the two individuals engaged in combat, with Zhao Shixiao's martial arts being robust and forceful, characterized by grand movements and swift actions akin to thunder and torrential rain; while Zhang Yi remained calm and composed, yet moved with the agility of a startled rabbit, his palm strikes flowing continuously without interruption

Nie Shicheng found it amusing; he knew his own soldiers well. This kid saw Zhao Shixiao lose and thought he would come to his buddy's aid. It was well-known that he was protective of those under his command

However, to Zhao Shixiao's surprise, when he rushed into Zhang Yi's arms with his originally swift momentum, he felt his body go numb and weak. Zhao Shixiao was greatly alarmed, and by the time he thought of changing his move, he found himself unable to do so.

After several dozen moves, Zhao Shixiao's techniques gradually slowed down. As the saying goes, one cannot be too aggressive for too long. Such a rapid fighting style, sustained for over one hundred moves, has already reached his limit, consuming more than twice the energy of Zhang Yi.

Zhao Shixiao felt that this set of skills resembled grappling techniques, yet it was somewhat different from them, being more fierce and aggressive than grappling techniques. He felt increasingly unable to defend himself, gradually becoming overwhelmed. The various camp leaders around him also began to sweat nervously for Zhao Shixiao.

It turned out that my right fist was entangled by Zhang Yi. When I leaned forward, my wrist was seized by Zhang Yi, and my pulse point was tightly gripped. Zhang Yi's skill in the art of the eagle claw was extraordinarily profound. Under his full strength, Zhao Shixiao found it impossible to exert even a fraction of his own power.

Zhao Shixiao on the opposite side also took a deep breath. There are not many who can withstand a punch from him in the camp. This young man's skills are indeed quite impressive. Thinking this, he shouted loudly: "Let's go again!"

Nie Shicheng and others had just witnessed Zhao Shixiao adopting a bear squat posture, leaning against the mountain as he approached Zhang Yi, believing that Zhang Yi was bound to be defeated. However, in an instant, Zhang Yi turned the tide of the battle, throwing Zhao Shixiao off the stage, leaving everyone astonished

At this moment, Zhang Yi changed his previous defensive stance, transforming his Bagua Zhang into the Great Grappling Technique. This set of grappling techniques incorporates the essence of modern military free combat, emphasizing lethal strikes, with deadly moves present at every turn, showcasing a sharp killing method

It was the advancing collapse punch from Baji Quan, "The bow collapses and the arrow rushes swiftly." Zhao Shixiao's figure moved like an arrow, instantly arriving in front of Zhang Yi. His right fist was aimed directly at Zhang Yi's face. Zhang Yi shouted, "Well done!" His right palm rose, executing the technique "Peacock Spreads Its Tail," deflecting Zhao Shixiao's collapse punch. Stepping on the Bagua, he had already maneuvered to Zhao Shixiao's left side, immediately following up with a horizontal push of his left palm, sweeping towards Zhao Shixiao's shoulder. Zhao Shixiao smiled coldly, neither dodging nor avoiding, his body swaying as he stomped his feet. This was the stomping technique in Baji Quan, the power from his feet penetrating straight into the ground. Zhang Yi felt the makeshift arena tremble slightly, secretly astonished by Zhao Shixiao's immense strength. At this moment, Zhao Shixiao transformed his right fist, still meeting Zhang Yi's left palm. The fists and palms collided, producing a muffled sound of impact.

The two individuals bowed and saluted, responding in unison: "My lord, I am ready."