Footwork Matures

The first rays of dawn pierced through the thin mist, spilling onto the open ground before Room C. Zhang Shan clutched the handwritten copy of the Basic Footwork Technique, throwing himself into training with single-minded focus. He muttered the oral formula under his breath, his steps clumsy as he shifted, turned, and dodged. Sweat beaded on his forehead, slid down his cheeks, and soaked his collar, yet he remained utterly unaware.

Shen Hao wasn't idle either. After completing a round of Meridian Tempering Art and practicing the three sword forms from the Purple Sun Basic Sword Codex twice, he turned his attention to Zhang Shan. He understood well that in a Combat Competition, footwork and body movement often held the key to victory. Sometimes, a single deft step could both evade a lethal blow and create an opening for a counterattack—its importance rivaling even the sharpest sword technique.

But he had no footwork manual of his own. His only option was to observe Zhang Shan's practice and glean insights through his own exploration.

Shen Hao stood at the edge of the clearing, his gaze locked onto every move Zhang Shan made—the angle of each step, the range of each turn, the shift of his center of gravity, the flow of Spiritual Energy through his body. He etched every detail into his mind. When Zhang Shan grew tired and sat down to rest and wipe his sweat, Shen Hao walked slowly to the center of the clearing and tried to imitate those movements.

At first, his motions were painfully clumsy. His steps were weak and unsteady; the moment he took a stride, his body wobbled, nearly sending him crashing to the ground. Spiritual Energy crawled sluggishly through the Meridians in his legs, as if two heavy stones were tied to his feet, making every shift an ordeal.

"Where exactly is the key to footwork?" Shen Hao muttered to himself, frowning, but he showed no sign of discouragement. He repeated the starting stance over and over, slowly channeling Spiritual Energy from his Sea of Qi into the already-tempered Meridians of his legs. The energy flowed warmly, and his legs lightened at once. As he stepped forward, he adjusted his center of gravity—from heel to sole to toe—gradually feeling out the knack of transferring force.

The sun climbed higher, its blazing heat baking the ground until it was scorching. Shen Hao's clothes were drenched with sweat, clinging tightly to his skin, yet he still didn't stop. He lost count of how many times he repeated the motions. Then, as he twisted on a misstep, he suddenly felt his feet grow light, as if the wind itself were lifting him. Spiritual Energy coursed smoothly through the Meridians in his legs, driving his body into a series of rapid, flickering movements.

Across the clearing, his figure darted back and forth, leaving faint afterimages in its wake—so fast it was nearly impossible to track.

"Center of gravity moves with the step; Spiritual Energy accompanies the body!" A flash of clarity struck Shen Hao's mind, and a relieved smile spread across his face. He had finally grasped the essence of the footwork.

He didn't stop. Instead, he tried to combine the footwork with his sword forms. His foot suddenly slid several feet to the side, barely dodging an imagined blade thrust. At the same time, his wrist twisted, and the Basic Flying Sword in his hand shot out like a venomous snake emerging from its lair, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. The angle was vicious, nearly impossible to defend against.

The agility of the footwork, paired with the ferocity of the sword technique, made his attacks instantly unpredictable and multiplied their power several times over.

Shen Hao lost himself in this exhilarating state of practice, drilling the movements again and again. From dawn to dusk, the setting sun dyed the horizon a golden red, spilling its glow across the clearing and coating Shen Hao's agile figure in a layer of golden light. His steps grew faster, his sword forms smoother, and the fusion between the two became more seamless and natural with every repetition.