The key to martial arts lay in perseverance. Practicing morning and evening was essential, and training through the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter was especially important.
After all, at dawn, one was refreshed and the muscles and bones had just loosened up. Practicing swordplay then not only helped one focus, but also awakened the blood and qi, circulating it throughout the body. It was twice as effective, not to mention beneficial for increasing one's inner strength.
So naturally, the Huashan disciples couldn't skip their morning and evening lessons!
Take today, for example. They had risen at the first crow of the rooster and gathered at the training ground before dawn. Then, facing the red glow on the horizon, they had diligently practiced the Huashan Swordplay for half an hour, performing every move in a clear mind beneath the morning light. The sword followed the will, and the sword intent naturally became pure, while their foundations grew ever more solid.
And at dusk, there were other benefits.
After a day of hard training and work, the disciples' bodies had fully warmed up. Practicing again then could reinforce what they had learned that morning and throughout the day, while the fading light helped them settle their minds and bring their sword moves closer to perfect harmony!
Besides, persisting even when exhausted at the end of the day was itself a way to temper their will.
Therefore, before sunset, the Huashan disciples still had to gather once more at the training ground and practice their swordplay repeatedly for at least half an hour beneath the golden evening sun. They wouldn't stop until the moves were etched into their minds and flowed as naturally as moving their own arms.
Their Sect Leader, Yue Buqun, had told them many times