Skill Archive

For ten days, every grain merchant in Green Rock City, big or small, had been in the same boat: if trouble came, they would all shoulder it together.

I had to admit, that sort of self-comforting—"We're all last in class, so why am I the only one standing in punishment?"—actually worked a little.

Feng Xiu felt much better at once.

"Going now?" he then asked Uncle Zheng.

The weather was so hot it could crack stone. They were going to practice martial arts now? Weren't they afraid someone might get heatstroke?

"Mm."

Uncle Zheng nodded solemnly. The eldest young master had handled things well these past few days, and he had seen it. The family head had even praised him in private.

But there was just one problem: he wasn't ruthless enough!

Uncle Zheng had meant to wait until spring planting was over before teaching him martial arts. But since the young master had brought it up himself...

It was time to move up the plan to toughen his temperament.

"Good." Feng Xiu nodded.

When they arrived at the West Courtyard, the escort guards were still practicing under the blazing sun, with Zhou Gang giving pointers nearby.

"Come on, take off your clothes."

Zhou Gang was perfectly at ease around Feng Xiu. His words and manner remained direct, like any martial man's, and he got straight to the point.

Brother Feng's meaning had been to have him build up his body, not mess around with rudimentary training that could damage his foundations. But Zhou Gang had no intention of listening to him.

Learning martial arts was no overnight affair. Sweat and talent were the only true shortcuts.

There was no such thing as effort wasted in vain.

"I'll start by loosening up your muscles and bones." Zhou Gang finished his thought and gave the order.

He had expected Feng Xiu to resist. Who would have thought that, as soon as he heard the instruction, Feng Xiu would strip off his shirt without the slightest hesitation, revealing fair skin.

"I ask Uncle Zhou to instruct me."

The scorching rays made Feng Xiu feel as if his whole body were stinging, but his expression remained calm. He clasped his fists and bowed, imitating the manners of a man of the martial world.

Zhou Gang was taken aback, then burst into booming, hearty laughter.

"Good lad. I knew I wasn't wrong about you." His expression turned serious.

"The first hurdle for a martial artist is to rein in the restless mind. You temper your sinews and bones, and refine your blood and qi."

"So you'd better learn it well."

As he spoke, Zhou Gang's entire bearing changed. He shifted his stance and slowly began a set of boxing moves.

His movements looked gentle and unhurried, but they stretched and flexed the fascia throughout his body, dispelling stiffness. The movements of his fists and feet were accompanied by the crackle of his bones.

Feng Xiu watched without blinking, utterly focused.

After the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, Zhou Gang finished the set and glanced at him. "How much did you remember?"

Feng Xiu opened his mouth. Zhou Gang's movements had been too fast; his eyes couldn't keep up, and the moves in his memory were already starting to blur.

He gritted his teeth. "Uncle Zhou, please do it again."

Zhou Gang smiled. "All right. You've got a stubborn streak."

He continued teaching at an even slower pace, afraid Feng Xiu wouldn't understand, and demonstrated the set three times.

Each time was slower than the last. Feng Xiu fixed his eyes on him, memorizing the moves while making small gestures with his hands.

"How much did you remember this time?" Zhou Gang asked again when he stopped.

Feng Xiu nodded slightly.

Since he couldn't remember everything, Feng Xiu's solution was simple: he memorized the beginning, middle, and end of each move.

Even so, Zhou Gang's set was still a little too complicated.

It had taken him a whole week to learn the school calisthenics as a kid. How could he be expected to get the hang of this so quickly?

"This fist is called the Five Force Fist. It's the foundation of our martial artists' travels through the martial world. Once mastered, it lets you unite the five forces of your chest, both hands, and both legs."

"Wen Zheng, don't push yourself. You only need to learn the first eight basic forms."

Feng Xiu said nothing. With his eyes closed, he ran through the trajectory of Zhou Gang's punches once more in his mind.

Imitating Zhou Gang, he formed the starting stance with a fist salute and began to perform the moves, looking the part.

Thanks to the subtle conditioning of his body through the Eight Sections Vajra Skill over the past two months, his awareness of his limbs and movements far surpassed that of an ordinary person.

Still, his steps were crooked, the transitions between forms stiff and clumsy, with not a trace of fluidity.

Nothing like Zhou Gang's steady demonstration.

As soon as Feng Xiu performed the third form, his mind seized up. A needle-like pain shot through his entire body.

It was as if some switch had been flipped inside him. Wave after wave of wrenching pain suddenly intensified.

Feng Xiu's face turned pale, the healthy flush vanishing in an instant, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.

Zhou Gang didn't stop him or offer any pointers. He only watched in silence.

Nearby, Uncle Zheng hesitated, his expression suggesting he wanted to stop him.

The eldest young master might not understand, but how could Uncle Zheng not?

The Five Force Fist was no beginner's martial art. It was the escort guards' signature skill.

It was only taught to seasoned fighters capable of standing on their own and leading an escort convoy.

For a novice who knew nothing about meridians and channels and had never even touched the path of martial arts, it was practically a recipe for ruining himself!

No horse stance, no stake training, no bone conditioning.

No theoretical foundation, either. They had gone straight to teaching him the Five Force Fist!

"Eldest young master, don't practice anymore. If you want to learn martial arts, this old servant can teach you."

Uncle Zheng's heart softened at last, and he stepped forward to urge him.

But the moment he took a step, Zhou Gang blocked his way. "What, you think he can't stick it out?"

"If even you refuse to believe in him, how can he believe in himself?" Zhou Gang cast Uncle Zheng a cool glance.

"Chief Escort Zhou!" Uncle Zheng's voice rose sharply, his expression hardening.

Zhou Gang folded his arms and stood before Uncle Zheng like a mountain, his expression as calm and unyielding as iron.

"Brother Zheng, all you see are foundations." Zhou Gang watched Feng Xiu grit his teeth in the training yard and spoke in a low voice. "But when it comes to martial arts, resolve matters more than foundations. Wen Zheng is steady of character and measured in his actions. Those are his strengths."

"If he can make it through this hurdle, things will be easier from here on. If he can't, then it's best he gives up early. That would be good for him, too."

The escort guards had already cleared a large space. Seeing the two important men arguing, none of them dared to interfere.

"Uncle Zheng, don't say anything."

Feng Xiu's movements paused. His voice came between ragged breaths, and sweat poured off him.

"I'm fine."

Learning martial arts really did hurt like nothing else, but he could still manage. Overall, the pain was within what he could bear.

"Eldest young master, you... sigh..."

Hearing him, Uncle Zheng sighed softly and didn't try to persuade him again.

Feng Xiu then immediately immersed himself in practicing the moves once more.

The Five Force Fist seemed to have only sixteen forms, but each major form contained another six to twelve smaller moves, and they weren't limited to the hands.

With every small move, Feng Xiu felt his ankles, legs, and muscles all over his body being pulled taut, violently.

Fortunately, Feng Xiu wasn't a complete beginner. His body wasn't so frail, thanks to the modest foundation laid by the Eight Sections Vajra Skill.

At last, stumbling and fumbling, he performed every move.

The moment he finished, the numbness, soreness, tingling, and itching that had built up for so long surged over him, mixed with sharp pains from his trembling muscles. Feng Xiu felt the world spin around him.

[Archived: Five Force Fist (None)]

The words for the Five Force Fist on the visual display flickered faintly, but there was no progress yet.

A few simple characters, yet a complicated mix of exhaustion and delight welled up inside him.

In his mind, the trajectories of the punches he had just practiced, still somewhat jumbled, seemed to grow clearer.

Though it lasted only an instant, he could sense how his muscles should contract when he exerted force and how they should work together.

It was completely different from his own Vajra Skill.

Feng Xiu stared at the display, stunned for a moment. He wanted to smile, but the moment he tugged at the corners of his mouth, he sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

At least his effort hadn't been wasted!

Just as he had thought, archiving a martial art produced positive feedback that he could see!

Uncle Zheng's expression turned anxious, and he hurried forward to support him.

But Zhou Gang stopped him again. "Don't go. Let him hold on."

This time, Uncle Zheng didn't move. He watched Feng Xiu endure the discomfort and stay on his feet, remaining still for quite a while as he recovered.

In his previous life, Feng Xiu had never been a soldier, but he had taken part in systematic militia training.

Some veterans had told him that a five-kilometer run wasn't difficult. Once you crossed that hurdle, everything afterward became easier.

That was exactly how Feng Xiu felt now. His whole body still hurt, but he also felt an indescribable lightness.

Aside from his lungs feeling ready to burst, the rest of his body felt completely at ease.