Obscuris Labyrinth

In the following days, Zhao Yuxuan embarked on a journey to explore Miao martial arts. When the people in Tianwang Fort learned that he had become the apprentice of Witch Li Yuexuan, among the unmarried men, except for a small number who were jealous, the rest showed a sense of closeness to him.

At this time, Zhao Yuxuan truly realized that the Miao people are a nation with a very strong martial and combative spirit. The origin of Miao martial arts can be traced back to "Lin Yuxuan", that is, Zhao Junfeng, the leader of the Jiuli Sanmiao. In the past, wars were frequent, and the Miao people had long lived deep in the mountains and forests, surrounded by wolves, tigers and leopards. In such an environment, they had to practice self - defense techniques more diligently. They called this martial art "Wujibao" or "Goudong". In the Xiling area, this martial art was especially popular. In the mountain villages, both men and women were more or less involved in it, and as time passed, they continuously innovated and created a large number of martial art routines. Compared with Han martial arts, Miao martial arts abandoned many flashy and impractical moves and paid more attention to simplicity and high efficiency. Moreover, Miao martial arts also cleverly absorbed practical moves such as grappling and fighting in Han martial arts. After the combination of the two, its power was very sharp.

Miao weapons also have their unique charm. Take the flail - knife for example. It is a weapon similar in shape to a flail. The wooden handle is about five feet long. The blade of the flail - knife is in the shape of a double - edged spear and can rotate. When the user's wrist uses a certain rotational force, with just a little spin force applied, the blade will quickly rotate and cut out at an astonishing speed. Look at the nine - son whip again. It is a soft weapon that combines the characteristics of single - and double - meteor and rope whip. When attacking distant enemies or binding enemies, it can often produce unexpected wonderful effects. There is also the Bazhao'ou. It is a light soft weapon, and in the Miao language, it is the name of a venomous snake. It is made by weaving eight - or twelve - strand small hemp ropes into a one - meter - long hemp cable and then stringing thumb - long iron pipes of different sizes, turning it into a snake - shaped soft weapon. Usually, people can tuck it into their trouser waists, and when they need to use it, they can just take it out from their trouser waists, which is very convenient and practical.

Among the many weapons, the most common and also the most powerful is the hook - knife. This hook - knife is called "Guotenggao" in the Miao language, which means a hooked knife. The length of the blade is about 2.5 feet, with a hook and a handle. The handle is 8 feet long and is generally made of green steel wood as heavy as iron. This knife is always polished to a bright shine, and when carried on the shoulder, it emits a menacing coldness. On weekdays, this knife can be used to cut small bamboos and woods. One cut can bring down a piece. When encountering situations such as climbing rock ridges, one can also use the hook on the knife to reach the destination easily. In the past, when the Miao people went on a long journey, they were used to taking the hook - knife as a self - defense weapon. If they encountered wolves, tigers or leopards, they would use it to fight against the beasts; if they encountered villains, they would also use it to fight. The hook - knife can be hacked, slashed, hooked, lifted, blocked, knocked and stabbed, which is very different from Han weapons. In the past, when the Miao people fought against Han armies, although they were at a numerical disadvantage, they were often able to defeat the larger forces with a smaller number. The "Southern Barbarians" were feared by the monarchs of all dynasties, which was inseparable from their martial and combative spirit.

There were some old people in Tianwang Fort. Unexpectedly, almost all of them had learned some Miao martial arts. Now, tigers and leopards have become national protected animals, and villains rarely target the relatively poor, remote and extremely united Miao people. In this era of information explosion and surging economic tides, the interests of young people have changed dramatically. Some are addicted to playing computers, and some are keen on street dancing. They have no interest in this traditional martial art, which they regard as backward. Therefore, the martial arts that these old people learned in the past have not been put to use for a long time, and they only practice occasionally as a form of exercise. Zhao Yuxuan came to ask for advice, which just gave the old people a chance to show what they had learned. After all, no one wants to take their skills to the grave. In addition, Zhao Yuxuan was extremely humble, so the old people taught him wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.

Zhao Yuxuan was learning Miao martial arts from the old people in Tianwang Fort while carefully studying the mobile - phone boxing manual given to him by Grandma Li Yuexuan. He felt that these boxing postures were similar to what the old people taught, but the content recorded in the mobile - phone boxing manual was more detailed, with more changes in each move. He thought to himself that this should be something long lost by the Miao ancestors. He really didn't know how Grandma Li Yuexuan got it. His heart was full of doubts.

While learning Miao martial arts, Zhao Yuxuan also did not forget to practice climbing at the foot of Lingjiu Peak. Lingjiu Peak towered into the clouds, and the surrounding environment seemed a bit gloomy. Every time he came here and looked at the steep peak, a desire for challenge welled up in his heart. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could only climb up thirty or forty meters at most before his arms would feel sore and his legs would go weak. Especially his hands could not firmly grasp the protruding rocks at all and could not support his weight to continue climbing upward. On several occasions, he almost slipped and fell. At that moment, his heart leaped into his throat. Fortunately, although the vines on the cliff of Lingjiu Peak were not numerous, they were very tough and strong. He deliberately chose the easier places to climb up and down for practice. Every time he reached a place where he could stand, he tied his waist with a vine, thus avoiding danger. Even so, his ten fingers were still rubbed bloody, and his body was full of bruises from being hit by rocks. Lingjiu Peak is about more than 200 meters high. The higher one goes, the fewer vines there are. If one falls from it, one will surely be smashed to pieces. It is even more difficult to climb up than to reach the sky.

By this time, Zhao Yuxuan deeply realized how difficult the tasks Li Ruize had given him were. He even began to suspect that Li Ruize might not have any secrets at all. He was just afraid that he would continue to stay here and pester him, so he deliberately proposed these two impossible things for him to do, so as to make him retreat in the face of difficulties. His heart was full of contradictions and entanglements.

However, he could not retreat, nor did he have any way to retreat. For the sake of his parents' revenge, he must persevere. So, every day after practicing the Miao martial arts that he didn't know whether they were useful or not, he would come to the foot of Lingjiu Peak, looking at the towering peak in a daze and feeling depressed. As time passed, this sense of depression grew stronger, and he gradually lost his self - confidence. His whole appearance seemed a bit listless. He was not afraid of death. For the sake of his parents' revenge, death was just a momentary thing for him. However, the two conditions proposed by Li Ruize had completely exceeded the limits of his ability. He still remembered that Li Ruize had given him a three - year deadline, but from the current situation, even if it was thirty years, he would not be able to complete them.

Two months passed like this. One night, the moonlight shone at the foot of Lingjiu Peak. Zhao Yuxuan practiced according to the mobile - phone boxing manual for a full three hours there. During this period of time, he had already memorized the moves and footwork in the boxing manual thoroughly, but except for feeling that this set of boxing was very long, he didn't have any special feelings, nor did he have the confidence to defeat the enemy with this set of boxing. His heart was full of confusion and helplessness.

After practicing, he looked up at the high and steep Lingjiu Peak again and let out a long sigh, as if to expel the depression and helplessness in his heart with this sigh. Then he walked towards the Starlight Manor. In his heart, all he could do now was to do his best, and as for the result, he could only leave it to fate.