Extraordinary Realm from Persuasion System

Watching Zhang Beixing, Liu Yi appeared calm on the surface. But internally, he was already screaming, "Holy hell!"

Elder Chen saw that Liu Yi had yet to respond, so he reached out, gently touched Liu Yi's arm, and asked, "Brother Liu, I'm asking you, this stance work of Nephew Zhang's—was it you who taught him?"

Hearing this, Liu Yi finally snapped back to reality.

A wry smile appeared on his face as he looked at Elder Chen. "Old Brother, if I were to say I never taught him how to train his stance work at all, that he's entirely self-taught, would you believe me?"

"What?"

Elder Chen's voice suddenly shot up a few octaves, his eyes widening as he looked at Liu Yi. "Brother Liu, you're not joking with me, are you?"

"Old Brother, listen to yourself! Why would I joke with you about something like this? He's been learning martial arts for less than a month; I haven't even had a chance to teach him yet!" Liu Yi said, shaking his head.

He himself was stunned, wondering just how Zhang Beixing had managed it.

On the other hand, Elder Chen, after listening to Liu Yi's words, quietly observed him for a moment.

From Liu Yi's expression, he confirmed that Liu Yi wasn't lying. He truly hadn't taught Zhang Beixing how to train his stance work.

Elder Chen turned his head, looking toward Zhang Beixing, who at that moment was watching him and Liu Yi with a puzzled expression.

His curiosity about the young man intensified.

Initially, he'd thought this young man was just a martial arts novice. He hadn't expected him to actually possess some skill.

How had he perfected this stance work, having trained for less than a month and with no guidance?

With such aptitude, it was no wonder even the semi-retired Liu Yi had taken him as a disciple.

Turning to Liu Yi, Elder Chen remarked, "Brother, this disciple of yours has a touch of your old flair!"

Hearing this, Liu Yi gave a wry laugh, about to say, "You're really too kind," but before the words left his mouth, he heard Elder Chen suggest, "Brother, would you like to test your disciple's true level? See how much his skills have progressed this past month?"

Liu Yi's eyebrows shot up. "Old Brother, what do you mean by that?" he asked, puzzled.

"Exactly what it sounds like, Brother," Elder Chen said with a grin. "Don't you want to know the true state of your disciple's stance work? Even though he's only standing at the bridge entrance and hasn't started crossing, for a novice, that's already quite remarkable. So, even if you're not curious, I am. He's only been training for a month, after all!"

"Then I'll trouble you, Old Brother!"

Liu Yi guessed what Elder Chen was up to, but he still nodded readily. It wasn't for any other reason; Liu Yi himself was curious too.

Hearing his words, Elder Chen's smile grew even wider.

He quickly walked across the bridge with Liu Yi to the other side.

Then, turning around, he glanced at the Chen Family descendants, who were completely oblivious to their scheming and were struggling on the Entry to Martial Arts Bridge. He also looked at Zhang Beixing, who stood as firm as a rock at the bridge entrance, watching the Chen family's spectacle.

"Nephew Zhang, come on across."

"Alright," Zhang Beixing responded to the invitation. Just then, Elder Chen stepped heavily onto the other end of the bridge.

"THUD!"

A dull sound echoed as the wooden planks creaked and groaned under the strain.

Hearing this commotion and feeling the intense vibrations coming from ahead, Zhang Beixing thought, Damn, this old geezer has no martial ethics!

Zhang Beixing, however, merely arched an eyebrow. He suspected Elder Chen might be going senile but didn't pay it much mind, as it wasn't a big deal to him.

The middle-aged man, Chen Fenghua, walking ahead of Zhang Beixing, stiffened when he saw this.

Then, as if a thought struck him, he stared intently at Elder Chen.

Seeing Elder Chen's actions, his pupils contracted, and he quickly yelled, "Dad! Don't!"

"Too late!"

Elder Chen grinned, continuing to apply force with his feet, shifting his weight from side to side.

The already unsteady Entry to Martial Arts Bridge was immediately set swaying by his movements.

This sudden development truly made the Chen Family descendants on the bridge suffer.

They weren't particularly stable on the bridge to begin with. Now, with Elder Chen's interference, their already shaky forms became even more unsteady.

The older ones, in their forties and fifties, fared better. Regardless of talent, they had years of practice under their belts and had built up some muscle. Thus, they could barely manage to keep their balance despite the disturbance and avoid falling off.

But the younger ones, around twenty years old, were in dire straits!

Their stances weren't very stable to begin with; even crossing the bridge normally was an arduous task for them.

With Elder Chen suddenly ramping up the difficulty, many were caught off guard, stumbling and falling onto the wooden bridge.

The youngest, who looked to be just eighteen, was so light he was flung directly into the river.

Fortunately, people were always watching from the side. The moment they saw someone fall in, they immediately dived in for the rescue.

This prevented any serious accidents.

However, Elder Chen didn't even spare them a glance, which showed just how ruthless the old man could be.

Meanwhile, on the wooden bridge:

"AAAHHH—"

"WAAAHHH—"

Listening to the shouts and screams around him, Zhang Beixing wore a strange expression.

He walked effortlessly, his body constantly shifting posture to maintain balance, as if he could anticipate every unpredictable sway of the bridge. He had achieved a certain realm in stance work: 'Feet Rooted to the Ground.'

It felt as if he had returned to those recent days of practicing his boxing on a steel wire, making him somewhat nostalgic.

How stable is your stance? Walk a tightrope, and you'll find out.

He turned his head to look at the people in front of and behind him, only to find them swaying precariously, a truly sorry sight. Only a few of the older, middle-aged men could remain standing and keep their forms stable.

Seeing this, Zhang Beixing scratched his head. Is it really that serious?

It's just shaking a little; why is everyone making such a fuss?

This isn't difficult at all. If they can't even handle this, what will they do if a strong wind picks up? Just stop their martial arts training altogether?

Zhang Beixing muttered, quite puzzled.

He remembered Teacher Liu saying that the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade primarily focused on the Horse Stance.

Logically speaking, this group practicing the Northern Sect's Eight Pieces of Brocade might not have exceptionally strong stances, but at the very least, they shouldn't be this pathetic.

And didn't they say that only those who crossed this bridge were qualified to learn the Eight Pieces of Brocade? Looking at them now…

It's a miracle the Eight Pieces of Brocade haven't been lost to time! Zhang Beixing commented dispassionately.

As he said this, he completely failed to consider that times had long since changed.

This was the twenty-first century, an era of harmony, stability, and rapid scientific development!

Although there had been numerous disputes with other countries over the years, the nation's strength meant that despite these constant disputes, no petty aggressors dared to directly confront them or wage war.

This resulted in domestic peace.

With peace came the desire for comfort, and once comfort was achieved, indulgence followed.

In short, it was all about doing whatever felt good.

It was in such an environment that martial arts—something requiring long-term, persistent training, with increasingly little practical use—naturally fell by the wayside, gradually fading from the stage of history.

After all, you could painstakingly train in martial arts for ten years, finally perfecting your skills, thinking you'd descend from the mountains to champion justice and uphold righteousness.

But upon coming down, you'd look around and realize, "Well, damn, the Qing Dynasty is long gone! The world is at peace!"

With a full set of martial skills and nowhere to use them, you'd end up jobless due to a lack of education, connections, or work experience, unwanted everywhere.

You might resort to working as a security guard at a residential complex entrance, handing out flyers for gyms, or even becoming a male model at a club...

Even if, one day, you truly encountered some ruffians or a thief and decided to help right a wrong, one punch might be all it took.

CRACK!

You break a few of the other person's bones. Not only would you have to pay compensation, but you might also be convicted of negligent injury and spend a few days in jail.

But if you encountered a terrorist... well, good luck. Within seven paces, their handguns are far quicker and more lethal.

What the hell was the use of learning martial arts then?

It was better to study hard and find a good job.

Consequently, fewer and fewer people learned martial arts.

Even for martial arts aristocratic families like the Chen Family, with many descendants, few could actually persist in training year in and year out. Most were busy with their livelihoods and families.

To ensure their family's martial arts were passed down and not lost, the Chen Family had lowered the standards for learning the Eight Pieces of Brocade somewhat, ensuring their descendants wouldn't be left with no one capable of learning it.

This was what had led to today's situation.

Standing at the edge of the bridge, seeing the pathetic state of his own descendants, and then looking at Zhang Beixing—steady as Mount Tai, completely unfazed, and advancing as if it were a stroll in the park—Elder Chen's face flushed red to the tips of his ears!

His original intention was to see just how stable Zhang Beixing's stance work truly was. But now, Zhang Beixing's actual level of stability hadn't even been determined, and his own old face had been thoroughly disgraced first!

"These damn rascals!" he seethed internally. "I told them ages ago not to change the entry requirements for martial arts training, that it would cause problems! They just wouldn't listen!"

"Now look! I've lost all face because of them! Chen Fenghua, you damn bastard, just you wait! After today, see if I don't beat you to death!" Elder Chen glared at his eldest son walking ahead, gnashing his teeth internally.

Outwardly, however, he maintained a benevolent expression and said to Liu Yi, "Brother Liu, your disciple is quite something. His stance is so stable even through all this. How about we test him a bit more?"

Hearing his words, Liu Yi looked at Zhang Beixing thoughtfully, frowned for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

He wasn't deliberately trying to make things difficult for Zhang Beixing. It was just that, as Zhang Beixing's master, he needed to understand his disciple's true capabilities. Otherwise, it would be difficult to teach him effectively!

Liu Yi and Elder Chen were each lost in their own thoughts. As they schemed, back on the Entry to Martial Arts Bridge, Zhang Beixing and Chen Fenghua simultaneously shivered. They glanced around and then at each other, noticing the wariness in the other's eyes.

They had a subtle feeling, as if someone was watching them, someone filled with malice.

"Strange," Zhang Beixing rubbed his nose, murmuring to himself, "which scoundrel is out to get me?"

"Brother, I was thinking the exact same thing!" Chen Fenghua called back from ahead, turning his head with a rueful expression.