A few words escaped Instructor Xu's lips as he slowly drew his stance to a close. He breathed out a stream of hot air over a foot long, which lingered in midair for several breaths before dissipating.
"Did you see how it was done?"
The boys all shook their heads, looking bewildered. Only Huang Tian nodded thoughtfully. Instructor Xu's sharp eyes caught him. "You nodded. Come up and give it a try."
Huang Tian had no intention of hiding his abilities. He passed calmly through the crowd and stepped onto the earthen platform.
If nothing else, he carries himself well, Instructor Xu thought with quiet approval.
"Go ahead. Don't worry about making mistakes. I'll guide you."
"All right."
Facing the dozens of martial students below the platform, Huang Tian gathered his thoughts. Then he spread his feet and dug all ten toes into the ground like tiger claws. His knees bent slightly, his hips sank, and his spine arched segment by segment like a great dragon. His hands curled loosely into claws. He had the form of a crouching tiger and the spirit of one ready to pounce!
"Good!"
Instructor Xu's eyes lit up. He had not expected the boy to remember the stance after seeing it just once.
The next instant, a sharp crack rang out. Huang Tian snapped his waist and hips like a tiger lashing its tail. As he breathed in slow, heavy rhythms, every muscle in his body tightened, and his twelve major tendons drew taut like fully drawn bowstrings. Force rose from his feet, traveled through his legs, gathered at his waist, ran up his spine, passed through his shoulders, and reached his claws. The cycle repeated without end.
For an instant, something seemed to dart and writhe beneath the skin of his arms. It