Chapter 189 [Success]
Our ancestors had a tradition that isn't exactly commendable: they liked to hoard any unique martial skills as a closely guarded secret, fearing that spreading the knowledge would lead to teaching skills that would starve the master if the disciples knew them.
This practice is often criticized by modern people.
But in fact, in ancient times, it was not at all unreasonable. This was because there was no protection for intellectual property and patents.
Therefore, in the world of martial arts, this practice was promoted to the utmost.
Traditional masters who possessed genuine skills were often extremely cautious about choosing their successors.
For example, there were rules such as only passing on skills to men and not women, or to sons and not daughters-in-law...
Even among disciples, there was a distinction between those of the Outer Gate and those who were taken as indoor disciples.
