I achieved mastery of martial arts during the Republic of China era.

Chapter 29 New Secret Technique: Mountain Reset

early morning.

Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School.

As Zhou Tong finished the last movement of his stance training, he exhaled a wisp of condensed white vapor.

After resting for a while, just as he picked up the kettle to drink, he saw his senior brother Chen Zong walking towards him from the direction of the moon gate.

"Senior Brother." Zhou Tong put down the kettle, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

Chen Zong nodded slightly and said calmly, "Today I will teach you the twelve forms of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade."

The two walked to an open area in the corner of the courtyard.

"The first twelve moves, while encompassing both offense and defense, actually focus on honing the body's flexibility through these moves."

With a slight flick of his wrist, Chen Zong conjured a steel blade that flashed into existence, tracing several clean arcs in the air.

"The focus should be on improving speed and agility. After all, in a fight, self-preservation is paramount. By training your agility and speed first, you'll have a better chance of escaping when faced with an insurmountable enemy."

Zhou Tong agreed wholeheartedly and laughed, "I understand. As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about running out of firewood."

That makes sense.

Chen Zong continued, "Now that you've mastered the art of escaping, it's time to focus on explosive power."

He lowered his body slightly and slowly raised the wooden knife in his hand.

Unlike the fluid and graceful movements of the previous twelve forms, this opening gesture exudes a profound and weighty quality, as if the blade has become several times heavier out of thin air.

"These twelve styles are both offensive and defensive in nature."

Chen Zong's voice deepened: "But the focus is on training explosive power. Only with strong bones can one support such a powerful burst of energy. This is why only those at the Bone Forging Realm can unleash the true power of the Twelfth Form."

Zhou Tong listened quietly.

"This is the first move, Mountain Collapse. Watch closely!"

Chen Zong looked at Zhou Tong and suddenly raised his hand.

The wooden sword is slashed diagonally upwards, the movement seems slow, but it suddenly accelerates when the blade is halfway through its path!

The sharp, piercing "hiss" sound of the air being torn apart, and the blade left a faint afterimage in the morning light as it passed through!

Zhou Tong's pupils constricted slightly.

He could see clearly that the true power of this strike was not in the initial strike, but in the sudden burst of inch-force in the middle of the strike—as if all the strength in the body was compressed to the extreme and released in an instant!

"Do you understand now?" Chen Zong sheathed his sword, his breathing as steady as ever.

"The power bursts forth from the smallest detail, and the strength originates from the very core of one's being," Zhou Tong said in a deep voice.

A look of approval flashed across Chen Zong's eyes: "You have good comprehension. Come, let me teach you the first move."

Next, Chen Zong will break down and demonstrate each of the twelve moves.

The second move, "City Destroyer," is characterized by a blade strike as powerful as a giant axe splitting a mountain, emphasizing a vertical burst of power from top to bottom.

The third move, "Severing the Flow," is a horizontal inch-force contained within a horizontal slash;

The fourth move, "Tiger Tremor," unleashes a high-frequency, short burst of force as the blade vibrates...

Each move corresponds to a different way of exerting force, but the core is the word "explosive".

Zhou Tong studied extremely diligently.

"Alright, practice on your own now."

After Chen finished teaching the last move, he instructed, "The middle twelve moves are far more difficult than the first twelve moves, so don't be impatient."

"Yes, thank you, Senior Brother." Zhou Tong clasped his hands in a salute.

Chen Zongchong nodded, turned and left, but when he reached the back gate, he suddenly paused and looked back.

In the corner of the courtyard, Zhou Tong had already assumed the starting stance of "Collapse Mountain," and was slowly repeating the movements of twisting his waist and hips and lowering his center of gravity over and over again, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was pondering something.

I wonder if he can develop his own style from the Twelve Forms of the Middle School...

A hint of anticipation flashed in Chen Zong's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and pushed open the door to the backyard.

On the other side, Zhou Tong practiced for a while under the guidance of the information on the panel. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he slowly stopped and walked to the bench to sit down and drink water.

With a focused mind, the transparent panel quietly appeared.

[Based on the host's spirit and physique, the Dragon-Tiger Ruyi Blade (Middle Twelve Forms) can be refined to a perfect version. The refinement will take 9 hours. Would you like to refine it?]

"Nine hours...that's considerably longer than the three hours of the previous twelve forms, probably due to the increased difficulty."

Zhou Tong's mind raced, and without hesitation, he silently recited, "Deduction!"

……

The sun was gradually setting in the west.

Zhou Tong walked out of the martial arts school, got into the car, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes to rest.

Just then—

"Ding!"

A soft sound echoed in my mind, so clear it was as if real objects were colliding.

Zhou Tong opened his eyes

The front panel has automatically appeared, and the text refreshes like flowing water:

[The twelve forms of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade (Perfect Version) have been fully demonstrated.]

[Cultivation Notes: Due to the perfect harmony between the technique and the host's physique and spirit, its power is slightly higher than the normal version. Upon full mastery, a unique secret technique can be derived: Mountain Reset.]

[Secret Technique: Mountain Reset: A unique burst technique generated based on the host's traits, which greatly enhances burst power when used.]

Estimated time required for complete mastery (basic level): 153 days.

[Note: Before breaking through to the Bone Forging Realm, one cannot fully master deep-level power generation techniques; only superficial applications are possible.]

"Chongshan..."

Zhou Tong muttered those two words to himself, his gaze burning.

Having witnessed the power of the Shadowless Technique, he naturally had high expectations for this Mountain-Covering Technique.

Even more so.

The reason is simple: compared to relying on speed to cheat, a head-on crushing victory is much more satisfying.

"The first twelve forms of the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Blade emphasize agility and speed, hence the derived secret technique is Shadowless; the middle twelve forms emphasize attack and burst damage, hence the derived secret technique enhances burst power."

Zhou Tong muttered to himself, realizing he had figured out the direction from which the secret technique was derived.

The car stopped in front of the Zhou residence.

As soon as Zhou Tong stepped into the courtyard, he heard laughter and conversation coming from the living room.

"Senior Brother Ji is back." Zhou Tong's expression shifted.

Three days ago, Ji Chang escorted the first cart of medicinal herbs to the surrounding towns.

Now that we're back as planned, it seems everything went smoothly.

He strode into the living room and, sure enough, saw Ji Changzheng sitting opposite his father, Zhou Chengzong, drinking tea.

Both of them had smiles on their faces, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

"Senior Brother Ji, you must be tired from your journey." Zhou Tong smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Ji Chang quickly stood up to return the greeting, his smile widening: "Junior Brother Zhou! I just got back and was just chatting with my uncle about what I saw and heard on this trip."

Zhou Tong sat down to the left of his father, and a maidservant served him hot tea.

He warmed his hands with the teacup and asked, "Was the journey smooth?"

"Smoothly, very smoothly!"

Ji Chang rubbed his hands together, his tone light: "The buyers my uncle contacted were all very easy to talk to. They inspected the goods and settled the payment without any hesitation. We traveled along the official road, and there were patrols in the villages and towns along the way. We didn't encounter any petty thieves who dared to mess with us."

Zhou Chengzong smiled and said, "It's our first time, so we should proceed with caution. Once we're more familiar with the route, we can gradually increase the amount of food we take."

"Uncle is right."

Ji Chang nodded, then looked at Zhou Tong and smiled, "Speaking of which, I just happened to be back before the Lantern Festival, so I can have a proper celebration. Junior Brother Zhou, do you have any plans for the Lantern Festival night? If not, how about we go to the lantern festival together?"

Zhou Tong smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

The three then discussed some business details.

Ji Chang was meticulous in his work. He had a general understanding of the pharmacies, road conditions, and even the sphere of influence of local gangs in the towns along the way, and told Zhou Chengzong about it one by one.

As they chatted, Ji Chang suddenly sighed, his expression turning slightly grave: "However... there's something about this trip that's making me uneasy."

"Oh?" Zhou Chengzong put down his teacup. "What is it?"

Zhou Tong also stared intently at it.

"Worry-Free Education"

Ji Chang uttered three words, his brows furrowing slightly, "I saw them in two towns along the way. Not the kind of parade that took place in Cangzhou City, but something more... more eerie."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "In the wasteland outside the town, a group of people gathered in the middle of the night. It was pitch black, and they didn't even light any torches. I could hear someone muttering inside, their voice rising and falling, like a ghost wailing. I glanced at them from a distance and didn't dare to go any closer."

Zhou Chengzong's expression turned serious: "Are there many believers?"

"many!"

Ji Chang said heavily, "Especially the poor. I heard from the clerk at the town's pharmacy that the Wuyou Sect claims to have specially made talisman water that can not only cure diseases but also boost energy. Many people have brought their families to believe in it."

Zhou Tong stroked the teacup, his brows slightly furrowed.

"This world..." Zhou Chengzong sighed, shook his head, and didn't continue.

The living room fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional crackling sound from the charcoal brazier.

……

After the Lantern Festival, the festive atmosphere in Cangzhou City gradually faded.

On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhou Tong once again visited Huichuntang on Zhengyang Old Street.

Pushing open the mottled wooden door, you see Manager Hu, wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat, dozing off behind the counter.

Hearing the door open, he raised his eyelids slightly, saw it was Zhou Tong, then lowered his head again, too lazy to even greet him.

Zhou Tong didn't mind. He walked to the counter, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, "Senior Hu, I've come to bother you again."

"Buy medicine?" Shopkeeper Hu asked without looking up.

"Buy medicine, and that thing we talked about before."

Zhou Tong smiled and said, "I would like to ask for your help to bring some medicinal herb samples from Southeast Asia. I don't care about the type, as long as they are used locally to strengthen the body and replenish qi and blood."

"A deposit of one hundred silver dollars, any overpayment will be refunded and any underpayment will be collected," Manager Hu said directly.

Zhou Tong agreed and placed the prepared money on the table.

Shopkeeper Hu stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly grinned, revealing a set of teeth yellowed from smoking: "You little rascal, you're quite willing to spend money."

He reached for the banknote, weighed it in his hand, and casually tossed it into the drawer of the counter: "Alright. I'll have them collect a more complete set for you. Just wait, at least a month."

"Thank you very much, senior!" Zhou Tong was overjoyed, and then asked, "Would it be possible to expedite this?"

"It won't be quick." Manager Hu said indifferently, as if to say, "Take the business or leave it."

Zhou Tong didn't say anything more and bought another seven days' worth of snake scale grass.

After paying, he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he skillfully moved a bench from the wall and sat down next to the counter.

Manager Hu glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Zhou Tong wasn't embarrassed and asked, "Senior, just how venomous are the sea snakes of the South Seas?"

"..."

"And those coral reefs, I heard that at low tide you can walk for miles out there, and they're covered with all sorts of strangely shaped shells and conches?"

"..."

"By the way, do the natives in Southeast Asia practice martial arts? What style do they follow?"

"..."

Zhou Tong would often speak ten sentences before the other party would respond with only one or two.

But he was not discouraged. He talked about this and that, from that topic to the situation in the city, expressing his own opinions.

About half an hour later, Zhou Tong stood up, cupped his hands and smiled, "Then I won't bother you any longer. I'll come again another day."

Manager Hu didn't speak, only letting out a muffled "hmm" through his nose.

……

Seven more days passed.

Zhou Tong stepped into Huichuntang again, and as usual bought seven days' worth of snake scale grass. After paying, he turned around and went to move the stool.

But this time, he had just put down the stool and hadn't even had a chance to sit down when an unbearable cough came from behind the counter.

"cough!"

Zhou Tong paused, then looked up.

Manager Hu leaned back in his chair, his cloudy old eyes staring straight at him, his face saying, "Are you ever going to stop?"

"Senior?" Zhou Tong blinked, revealing just the right amount of confusion.

"You little brat."

Shopkeeper Hu spoke, his voice hoarse and tinged with helplessness, "He doesn't seem like someone who's short of money. Couldn't you have bought more of this snake scale grass at once? Why do you keep buying it, and even after you've bought it, you won't leave; you just have to chat with me here."

He extended a finger and tapped his temple:

"I ignore you, but you just keep talking to yourself and forcing a conversation. Every time you come and leave, my head buzzes, like a swarm of flies have crawled in."

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Zhou Tong's face at the opportune moment:

"Well... I just feel that you are very knowledgeable and would like to learn more from your teachings."

Don't give me that.

Shopkeeper Hu chuckled, leaning forward as his old eyes swept over Zhou Tong's face, as if trying to scrape out every thought from him. "Speak," he said, "what exactly do you want?"

Zhou Tong was silent for two seconds, knowing that going around in circles would be pointless.

He smiled, his expression becoming frank: "Nothing much. Senior, you've traveled all over the country and seen a lot. Your experience in the martial arts world and the customs of foreign lands are things that I've never heard of before. I just enjoy hearing about strange and unusual things, and I'm happy to chat with you—I really want to learn something."

Shopkeeper Hu stared at him without saying a word, but reached under the counter and pulled out a brass pipe, slowly stuffed it with tobacco, and lit it with a match.

"Plop...plop..."

He took two puffs, and wisps of bluish-gray smoke rose in the dimly lit pharmacy, blurring his wrinkled face.

"You want to hear me tell my stories from Southeast Asia."

Manager Hu's voice drifted slowly through the smoke.

Zhou Tong quickly replied, "If you'd like to speak, senior, I'm all ears."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Afu, who was standing by the door: "Afu, why don't you hurry up and buy some good wine and food? I want to have a good chat with my senior today."

Afu responded and turned to leave.

"Wait a moment."

Manager Hu suddenly raised his hand.

Afu stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Zhou Tong.

Zhou Tong smiled and looked at Manager Hu, only to see the old man remove his pipe from his mouth, lean back in his chair, and leisurely swing his legs, a half-smile on his face:

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, young man. I... never talk about the past."

Zhou Tong opened his mouth, his face slightly stiffening.

He had been laying the groundwork for so long, waiting for this day, but unexpectedly, the old man didn't talk about any of that when the moment finally arrived.

Looking at his expression, Manager Hu suddenly chuckled, his smile carrying three parts amusement, four parts mockery, and three parts an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

He stretched out his right hand, raising a withered, thin finger:

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like to talk about the past.

"The first type—"

He paused, drawing out his words, "They are people who are dissatisfied with their current lives. They feel unhappy and frustrated now, so they seek solace in their past glories. Tsk tsk, what a pity, this old man is very satisfied with his current life."

He glanced around the small, old-fashioned pharmacy and said lazily:

"No shortage of food, no worries about clothing, no need to compete or fight with others, just running this little shop, watching people come and go, listening to the gossip of the town, enjoying a peaceful old age. Life couldn't be more comfortable. What's there to complain about?"

Zhou Tong's smile returned, and he quickly chimed in, "Senior is magnanimous. What about the second one?"

"The second one..."

Shopkeeper Hu chuckled, put the pipe back in his mouth, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled.

"Now that they've achieved success and are doing well, they want to talk about the hardships of the past, how difficult it was. They say it's to educate the younger generation, to remind them of the bitter past and appreciate the sweet present—"

He abruptly changed the subject and sneered:

"In reality, it's about erecting a 'worthwhile' monument to all the embarrassing and unbearable things that happened to me in the past."

While comforting themselves, they also satisfy their sense of superiority that they are ashamed to admit.

Look, I suffered so much back then, but I've made it big now, haven't I? You young people should learn from me."

Zhou Tong sincerely praised, "Senior, you have a profound understanding of people's hearts; I admire you greatly."

"What's there to admire?"

Shopkeeper Hu waved his hand, his tone returning to its usual indifference, "I know my own limitations. I don't need to comfort myself, nor do I need to find a sense of superiority in someone like you. Naturally, I'm too lazy to reminisce about the past."

Zhou Tong gave a thumbs-up and praised again:

"There are many capable people in this world, but people as capable and clear-headed as our senior are rare."

Shopkeeper Hu took another drag of his cigarette, and a barely perceptible hint of smugness flickered across his face behind the smoke.

"Of course. If I weren't mentally sharp, would I still be alive today?"

He stopped talking abruptly as soon as he finished speaking.

The next second, Manager Hu spat out angrily, pointed at Zhou Tong, and said with a laugh:

"You little rascal...you really are everywhere! I almost fell for your tricks! I almost drank your love potion!"

Zhou Tong solemnly replied, "Every word I uttered came from the bottom of my heart."

"Come on. Do you think I can't see through your little schemes these days?"

The old man chuckled, staring into Zhou Tong's eyes, and said:

"Don't think you can fool this old man just because you're young and have a sweet tongue. You think you can get anything real out of me? Dream on!"

Zhou Tong finally showed genuine embarrassment.

He did indeed have that intention.

From the first time he met Manager Hu, he sensed the hidden aura of a martial artist in the other party, and considering the other party's identity as a sea traveler, he had a thought.

Since you've embarked on the path of martial arts, you'll inevitably have to fight with others in the future.

Real martial arts battles are not like playing a game where you manipulate stats; it's not about who has the higher cultivation level and who will necessarily win.

Poisoning, hidden weapons, traps, environmental manipulation... there are many insidious methods that can influence the outcome of a battle.

At least at the Martial Master level, cultivation level is not the only factor determining life and death.

Shopkeeper Hu, who has traveled the seas, ventured to Southeast Asia, and managed to retire unscathed by running a small shop, probably has far more experience in the ways of the world than even a master of dirty tricks like Senior Brother.

If he could get guidance from this seasoned veteran, he would definitely avoid making a lot of mistakes.

Being exposed to his face, especially with that ambiguous smile in his eyes, Zhou Tong was a little overwhelmed.

He stood up, awkwardly cupping his hands in apology: "I was being presumptuous, I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

But just as he took a step—

"etc."

Manager Hu's voice came from behind.

Zhou Tong paused and turned around.

But Manager Hu didn't look at him; instead, he glared at Afu, who was still standing dumbfounded by the door, and said, puffing out his beard and glaring:

"What are you standing there for? Go buy some wine and food!"

Afu was taken aback and looked at Zhou Tong.

Zhou Tong was also stunned, unable to react for a moment: "Senior, what is this...?"

Manager Hu turned his head, looked at Zhou Tong's bewildered expression, and suddenly burst into laughter.

Laughter echoed through the small pharmacy, making the medicine jars on the counter tremble slightly.

He laughed for a while before wiping his eyes, looking like he was about to laugh until tears streamed down his face. He looked at Zhou Tong with a mischievous grin and said:

"I didn't want to talk about it just now."

"But when I saw you standing there dumbfounded, looking completely dazed after I exposed you to your face—"

He paused, then his smile widened, even the jellyfish scar on his left cheek seemed to relax: "It's quite interesting."

"???" Zhou Tong.

"So I suddenly felt like talking again."

Manager Hu leaned back in his chair, and Chong Zhoutong raised his chin. "Sit down. The food and wine are here. Let's eat and chat."

Zhou Tong: "???"

He stood there, looking at the unpredictable and eccentric old man before him, and was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Seeing Zhou Tong's appearance, Manager Hu laughed again and pointed at him with his finger: "That's more like it. Young people should be a little clumsy, that's what makes them cute."

What are you standing there for? Didn't you want to hear a story? Well, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll tell you something real—this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Zhou Tong then came to his senses and quickly sat down.

Zhou Tong said, both amused and exasperated, "It's my fault. I tried to show off my limited skills in front of you. I should have just said what I meant."

"Just say what you want to say?"

Manager Hu glanced at Zhou Tong and sneered:

"If it weren't for your previous nagging and pestering, would I have even paid attention to you? It's only because you're patient, have some sincerity, and respect the elderly that I..."

The old man suddenly stopped mid-sentence, looked at Zhou Tong suspiciously, and said, "Oh no, have I fallen for your trick after all?"

Zhou Tong quickly waved his hand: "No, no, senior, you're overthinking it."

"Well, if you've already fallen, so be it. You seem like a clever fellow, and your appearance is pleasing to the eye, so I'll give you a couple of pointers," the old man said quietly.

"Thank you, senior." Zhou Tong quickly clasped his hands in thanks.

Soon, Afu returned with the wine and food.

The old man wielded his chopsticks with lightning speed, picking up several pieces of meat close to the bone and swallowing them. He then took a sip of wine, clicked his tongue in satisfaction, and finally put down his chopsticks, saying:

"Speak, kid. What do you want to hear?"