What if Xiao Feng got born in Qing dynasty instead?

[PJ]

In Qing dynasty, MAs deteriorated significantly from previously. In particular, internal energy became less and less advanced with each generation.

So, if XF got born in Qing dynasty, he would be only have access to crappy MAs (compared to previous dynasties).

Given his supreme talent, how high in martial arts can he get?

Let's say that he learns some of the best MAs of the time:

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1. Could he surpass the #1 fighter of the novel?

2. In any of these novels, could he reach Song dynasty Great level?

3. What if he stumbled upon a long-lost Great-level manual, could he reach Great-level?

[devilz91]

1. Probably not, unless he has access to good martial arts. If he did not have someone good to teach him he would never surpass the likes of Yuan Chengzhi or Di Yun. He may have some chance in Flying Fox though.

2. Impossible.

3. It is possible to self-teach yourself if you have access to a Great-level manual. If he gets his hands on BMSG he should be able to reach it.

[Banh Mi]

I think he could have. As far as we know, the only outstanding martial arts he has is Dragon Palms, and the only outsanding opponents he's fought are after he's gotten powerful. Furthermore, his prowess at martial arts was that he could use basic shaolin fist to best a shaolin elder. Which kind of suggests that it's not the art that makes him powerful, he's the one that can make the art powerful. He doesn't necessarilly need top notch peers to be powerful either. Dugu was leagues above all his opponents and still continued to be improve.

[CancerLuna]

1. From how XF is portrayed, I wouldn't see why he couldn't get to the elites of the timeline, but getting #1? He was only like top 10 in his own novel.

2. He could probably get there around 90+ like the old greats did, or 50+ like GJ.

3. It depends what manual he gets, if its 9yang, easily, if its 9yin, easily. But if its something like finger flick from HYS, lol.

Edit;

Most of what makes XF amazing doesn't seem to be his innate talents(which are great too), but his conditioning, that "bred to be a warrior" is what makes him and how he uses his martial arts great. I don't see him being extremely successful without being bred to be.

[PJ]

Edit;

Most of what makes XF amazing doesn't seem to be his innate talents(which are great too), but his conditioning, that "bred to be a warrior" is what makes him and how he uses his martial arts great. I don't see him being extremely successful without being bred to be.

By "bred", I assume you mean the "warrior spirit" genes he inherited from XYS.

Well, historically, I believe the Manchus are the descendants of the Khitans (or interbred, or something related). And since we have someone like Aobai from the Qing dynasty whose strength reminds of life XF, we can imagine Qing dynasty XF inheriting the same "warrior spirit" genes as the Song dynasty him.

[CancerLuna]

I believe those are his innate talents, but without the solid conditioning of his teachers from young, I doubt he'd go very far.

Most protagonists are more shaped by their environment than their actual ability. XF just happened to have very great ability and an amazing environment to thrive. In the Qing dynasty, I doubt he'd have such a luxury.

GJ is a good example of a slow car on the right track to success. From his encounters with the super elites of the martial world, he was pretty much on the fast track to stardom, with a 20 mile per hour car.. XF is like a car going 80 mile per hour on the same fast track to stardom. The difference, one at 30+, the other at 50+.

[PJ]

I believe those are his innate talents, but without the solid conditioning of his teachers from young, I doubt he'd go very far.

Yes, I would agree with this.

Even with proper conditioning of Qing era-calibre teachers, without Song dynasty-calibre MA, XF might just become another Aobai.

[CancerLuna]

Its crazy but environment in JY world seems to play a much bigger role than any type of innate talent.

The super geniuses are the Greats in ROCH who achieved that level whilst creating their own martial arts.

I definitely don't see Xuzhu, Duan Yu, GJ, ZWJ, and a few others hitting even 1st class martial artist without their overwhelming luck.