Combat Techniques

The next day.

Lu Hao got up early. After breakfast, he went to the Martial Arts Training Room, where he began adjusting his condition and practicing the Stance Technique as he waited for his combat techniques instructor to arrive.

It wasn't long before he heard the door open.

Lu Hao looked up. A middle-aged man stood there, his face kind and smiling as he looked at Lu Hao. He wore a pale white martial arts uniform.

"Lu Hao, this is the combat techniques instructor I found for you. Just call him Teacher Li. He was an old classmate of your mother's and mine. There's no Basic Combat Technique he doesn't know, so you can learn from him without worrying about going astray."

Bai Qiuyao introduced him.

"Hello, Teacher Li." Lu Hao gave Teacher Li a martial arts salute.

"Mm, your stance looks pretty steady, and your horse stance is coming along well. Your Vital Blood is good, too. Sister Bai, your son has quite a talent."

Li Siyuan observed Lu Hao and said.

"Of course! Just look whose son he is. How could your big sister Bai's son not be talented? I'll leave him in your hands. I still have to go to the Detective Bureau."

"Sure. Don't worry, Sister Bai. I'll whip this kid into shape for you."

With that, Bai Qiuyao left, leaving the two of them alone in the Martial Arts Training Room.

"You're Lu Hao, right? Let me give you a quick introduction. I was in the same year at school as your parents. Your father was the most talented of us, and he's already reached the Grandmaster realm. Your mother came next and has become a fifth-rank martial artist."

"I'd say I'm the weakest of the three. I'm still only fourth-rank. I teach practical combat at Donglin Martial University. My cultivation may not measure up to your parents', but when it comes to understanding the various Basic Combat Techniques, they can't match me."

"Ever since I realized I wasn't very talented, I've devoted half my life to Basic Combat Techniques. I've trained in every Basic Combat Technique available."

"So when it comes to understanding Basic Combat Techniques, I rank among the top ten in Huaxia. That's why Donglin Martial University invited me to teach practical combat."

"Sister Bai said you want to train with a cold weapon. You're planning to use a saber?"

Listening to Teacher Li's introduction, Lu Hao couldn't help marveling at the kind of combat techniques instructor his mother had found for him. An instructor ranked among the top ten in Huaxia—that was the advantage of having connections.

"Yes, Teacher Li. I do plan to train with a saber."

"All right. We can worry about saber techniques later. Today, I'll teach you basic kicking techniques first. Kicking is the foundation of everything. If your kicks are poor, it won't matter how well you train in anything else."

Li Siyuan said no more and began teaching Lu Hao kicking techniques.

"The first thing to remember when training your kicks is stability!

"If you can't keep your balance, you'll fall with one push and stumble back from one kick. Your kicks will be nothing but flashy moves.

"Only when you're steady on your feet can you run fast, kick accurately, and hit hard!

"If your Stance Technique hasn't reached the Steady-Stance Realm, no matter how well you train your kicks, they'll amount to nothing more than a performance routine... That's why it's best to wait until your Stance Technique reaches the Steady-Stance Realm before training in combat techniques."

Lu Hao nodded. That was why Bai Qiuyao had waited until his Stance Technique broke through before finding someone to teach him combat techniques.

"The Steady-Stance Realm of the Stance Technique is the foundation for training in many combat techniques.

"Being steady on your feet doesn't just mean what the words say. Reaching the Steady-Stance Realm also means you can control your body's coordination well.

"You won't kick and miss your opponent, only to fall over yourself.

"Martial combat techniques are different from traditional martial arts routines. Traditional routines focus on performance and looking good.

"Combat techniques, on the other hand, focus on explosive power and lethality.

"The purpose of combat techniques is to defeat enemies. They're techniques for defeating and killing. Everything about them serves that purpose. How to defeat an enemy faster and more effectively—that's the core of combat techniques."

"The core of basic kicking techniques lies in three things: gathering force, explosive force, and Adhesion Force."

"Gathering force means bringing all your Vital Blood together in your legs. That's the only way to make your attacks deal the most damage.

"Explosive force means releasing your power in an instant when your attack lands. Otherwise, in a fight, an enemy who gets knocked back or sent flying can shed the force along the way. Of the full force of your strike, only half may end up having any effect.

"And finally, Adhesion Force means sticking to your enemy, keeping them within your range and preventing them from retreating and shedding the force."

Listening to Li Siyuan's explanation, Lu Hao gained a much better understanding of basic kicking techniques. Gathering force, explosive force, and Adhesion Force—he still had a lot to train in.

"Come. Look at this punching bag. I'll show you."

As he spoke, Li Siyuan led Lu Hao over to a punching bag. He stepped forward with his left foot and swiftly kicked the bag with his right leg.

The bag burst with a bang.

"Did you see how I struck? The instant my leg hit the bag, it burst at the point of contact. That's explosive force. When your kicking technique is perfected, you'll gather all your force at a single point with every move. That's what people call Point-Burst."

"When you reach the level of explosive force, your kicking technique will be a minor success. Adhesion Force, meanwhile, marks mastery. Once an enemy is caught by someone who's mastered kicking techniques, they won't be able to escape."

Li Siyuan then broke the kicking techniques down into individual movements and slowly taught Lu Hao. Lu Hao followed his lead, learning one step at a time.

The sound of kicks striking the punching bag echoed through the Martial Arts Training Room...

That evening.

"How was training with Li Siyuan today?"

Bai Qiuyao asked as she served Lu Hao some food.

"Pretty good. Teacher Li explained everything very clearly. I've basically mastered gathering force today. Now I just need to slowly master explosive force."

"Mm, not bad. Gathering force is simple, and most people pick it up quickly. Explosive force takes a long time to train, while Adhesion Force comes from experience in real combat."

"By the way, Mom, Teacher Li said his Basic Combat Techniques ranked among the top ten in Huaxia. Is that true?"

"It is. Li Siyuan wasn't very talented, so he got stuck at fourth-rank and couldn't break through. That's why he's spent nearly twenty years studying Basic Combat Techniques. It's no exaggeration to say they're among the top ten in Huaxia."

"Still, his expertise is only useful for martial artists below third-rank. After fourth-rank, they train in middle-grade combat techniques. Those techniques are much more powerful than Basic Combat Techniques and low-grade combat techniques."

"So Li Siyuan is stuck in an awkward position. He can only stay at Donglin Martial University and teach students."

"I see. But Teacher Li has already reached fourth-rank. Why doesn't he study middle-grade martial techniques?"

"Li Siyuan reached fourth-rank by spending resources and time grinding his way up. He hardly has any combat experience, so training in middle-grade combat techniques would take twice the effort for half the result. He gave up on it."

After dinner, Lu Hao returned to the Martial Arts Training Room.

He took out a large basin, filled it with water, and prepared to train in the Stance Technique.

Li Siyuan had taught him this. To break through to the Void-Standing Realm in the Stance Technique, he needed to practice standing on water. Once he could stand in water that came up to no higher than his knees and control his center of gravity well enough to avoid falling in, he would have reached the Void-Standing Realm.

It was just like the Water-Walking Lightness Skill in the movies.

Lu Hao had barely stepped onto the water when he fell into the basin before he could even assume his stance. He was soaked from head to toe. He took off his wet clothes and continued practicing the Stance Technique.

After all, the Stance Technique was the foundation.