Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Practical Combat of Traditional Martial Arts

To be honest, if he could truly join the cavalry, Du Huaishan would be quite willing. After all, the cavalry was considered the elite force of the army. Before the advent of Maxim machine guns and mechanized units, cavalry had long reigned as the undisputed ace on land battlefields. They were tightly united, highly mobile, and able to combine their agility with the destructive power of mounted assault, employing extensive firepower and other technological weapons.

Now, with the addition of demonic power and Red Marrow weaponry, these three characteristics of the cavalry were undoubtedly being reapplied.

On the training ground, under Du Huaishan’s example, the tests were proceeding in full swing. To be fair, other male recruits managed to pass as well, including Xing Zhenhao. That fellow had also practiced martial arts; relying on his solid footing, he stubbornly persevered to the end. After consulting Du Huaishan for some coping techniques, Guo Tingyu barely managed to finish.

Among the female recruits, quite a few succeeded one after another. Du Huaishan noticed that those who passed the orientation and balance tests, regardless of gender, were nearly all people with guardian spirits or martial arts training.

“All right, that’s it for today’s test. Tomorrow we’ll gather here punctually and begin formal training,” Zhou Zhong’ai recorded the final group’s successful results in her notebook, put away her pocket watch, and called out, “Everyone, you’re free to rest for twenty minutes!”

As soon as she finished speaking, the recruits collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The break was short, and many didn’t mind the cold, simply sitting down right where they were to rest. Perhaps because Du Huaishan’s earlier performance was so dazzling, it didn’t take long during free time for many to approach him willingly.

Du Huaishan welcomed all comers. After all, more friends meant more paths forward.

“Bro Hao, that guy’s really stolen the show now!” Not far away, the slender monkey-faced man stared at Du Huaishan and muttered.

Xing Zhenhao, still digesting his dizziness with eyes closed, slowly opened them and glanced at Du Huaishan laughing and chatting with the new recruits: “Sometimes being in the spotlight is a burden. We should focus on training. Once we obtain the military’s demonic guardian spirits, who will be stronger or weaker is anyone’s guess.”

Having said that, Xing Zhenhao closed his eyes again. Seeing no intent from him to deal with Du Huaishan, the monkey-faced man’s expression became uncertain, repeatedly rubbing his left cheek, still brooding over the punch he took a week ago.

The new recruits were chatting merrily.

Thud, thud, thud.

Heavy boots approached from outside the training ground. Everyone turned to look and saw a burly officer in a wool military coat, his face weathered and smoky, with flaming red pupils radiating a sense of oppression.

This was a veteran who had truly seen blood and survived battles!

Instantly, the recruits stood at attention and straightened their formation.

Chang Sui’an walked before the recruits, nodded, “Not bad. It seems the previous instructors’ training has been quite effective.”

“My name is Chang Sui’an, graduated from the 139th Infantry Course of the Army Martial Academy, currently second platoon leader in the Reconnaissance Regiment, First Cavalry Brigade, Fifty-Seventh Division of Yingzhou Army.”

“For the coming year, I’ll be responsible for your combat training. I don’t speak pretty words; apart from training essentials, everything else you can let pass without concern.”

Chang Sui’an’s introduction was almost devoid of emotion, the polar opposite of Zhou Zhong’ai’s charming gentleness. Yet his deep voice and valiant appearance actually reassured the recruits, making them feel grounded.

Chang Sui’an and Zhou Zhong’ai were from the same training cohort...

Just as Du Huaishan was distracted, Chang Sui’an suddenly spoke, “Those among the recruits who have practiced martial arts, raise your hand.”

Swish! Instantly, nearly one-third of the fifteen or sixteen hundred recruits raised their right hands.

In troubled times, with demons rampant, the people’s martial spirit was only natural.

Tan Hai proudly raised his hand as well, feeling fortunate to be acquainted with someone like Du Huaishan.

“Good, put them down.” Chang Sui’an had a rough idea. “No matter what you’ve learned or practiced before, from today onward, you must strictly train according to my methods.”

With that last sentence, Du Huaishan distinctly felt Chang Sui’an glance deliberately his way.

Chang Sui’an then inhaled deeply, clasped his hands, lifted his head, stepped forward with his left leg, slowly opened his arms, pushing left hand forward and pulling right hand back, as if tearing cotton, finally exhaling gently.

Xingyi!

Du Huaishan, who had studied traditional routines for four years in university, recognized at a glance: this was the starting posture of Xingyi Boxing—San Ti Shi!

Many recruits in the ranks recognized the technique as well. Yingzhou was located in the northeast of the Scarlet Yu Empire, and Xingyi Boxing was one of the most popular styles in the north. Anyone who had practiced martial arts had heard of it.

So the battlefield killing arts taught by the Yingzhou Army were Xingyi.

Du Huaishan recalled his university textbooks mentioning the application of Xingyi Boxing in warfare. Of its three origin legends, two evolved from real combat spear techniques. In national tournaments during the Republic era, most champions practiced Xingyi.

For example, in 1918 at the “International Martial Arts Tournament” in Zhongshan Park, Yanjing, Master Zhang Zhankui and his disciple Han Muxia defeated the Russian strongman Kontel. Sun Lutang also bested the Russian fighter Petrov and the Japanese imperial samurai Itagaki Kazuo. Zhao Daoxin encountered a Danish boxer and dispatched him with a single blow.

Du Huaishan dared not judge the authenticity of these records, but at least they reflected the practical capability of Xingyi Boxing.

Though he trained in modern combat, he always believed there was real substance in traditional martial arts. At least their power generation techniques aligned well with biomechanics and physics.

Even top UFC athletes like Zhang Weili and boxer Gao Rui had visited masters of Tongbei Boxing to learn the relaxed whip force—such that a single palm could bend an iron plate.

Yet precisely because of these miraculous force techniques, the entry threshold was high, genuine skills rare, fake masters rampant, training lacked resistance, and legal restrictions limited the practice, making traditional martial arts unsuitable for modern competition.

Take Eagle Claw, for example: most of its power lies in the finger bones, and wearing partial gloves renders much of it useless. Even without gloves, it struggles against modern fighting, which itself is a summary of the former, designed for human athletic competition, full of footwork, slips, power—all for KO and scoring.

While many Eagle Claw moves are lethal, designed for killing, such techniques are forbidden in the ring.

Xingyi Boxing, derived from battlefield weaponry, is even more so.

Many ridicule China’s traditional martial arts and national arts as ineffective. In truth, it’s not that they’re useless—the times have simply changed. Traditional martial arts modes are destined to be eliminated, just as ancient Muay Thai became modern Muay Thai, or classical karate evolved into modern karate. China’s national arts transformed into modern Sanda.

Therefore, arriving in a world like Scarlet Yu Empire, Du Huaishan genuinely wanted to see: what power does the complete form of traditional martial arts truly possess?