Wang Chong Bids Farewell, Cultivation Plans

Chen Jing widened his eyes and saw Cheng Lianshan's aura surge with deep, majestic force, as if he were a towering Mountain Lord.

As his movements shifted and changed, he was now descending the mountain, now pouncing, now leaping swiftly, now kicking off, now drawing in his breath and concealing himself.

All manner of forms unfolded, the tiger shape standing out with peerless clarity, and Chen Jing watched until he sank into it, drunk and entranced.

And this was only the training method.

The fighting method was fierce and vicious. If unleashed, it would surely be a hundred times more savage.

As expected of a fist art born from the battle formations of the border army.

At last, Cheng Lianshan withdrew all his postures, gathered both hands back to his dantian, and let his spine sink slightly. The qi and blood roiling through his body slowly settled.

His eyes were half-open and half-closed, and his breathing gradually became long, fine, and subtle. His entire person seemed to change from a man-eating tiger back into a rock unmoving as a mountain.

Cheng Lianshan ended his practice and evened out his breathing. Seeing Chen Jing still standing there in a daze, staring at him, he could not help but smile faintly.

"What you just saw was the full appearance of the Nine Forms. Next, I'll teach you form by form."

"Today, first practice the movements accurately. Later, it will also help you understand the feeling of force entering the body and shaking the marrow."

"Come. We'll start with the Descending Mountain Stance."

Chen Jing came back to himself and walked over to Cheng Lianshan's side.

Cheng Lianshan began from the opening hand of the Descending Mountain Stance, teaching Chen Jing how his feet should open and close, how his knees should bend slightly, how his spine should sink, and how his hands should press down in front of him.

He did not let a single detail slip by.

From the waist and hips of the Descending Mountain Stance, to the breathing of the Roaring Mountain Stance, then to the body shape of the Crouching Stance.

After that came the footwork of the Patrolling Mountain Stance, the burst of the Pouncing Stance, the sweeping leg of the Tail-Clipping Stance, the tiger claws of the Claw-Flipping Stance, the springing launch of the Rock-Kicking Stance, and the held breath of the Concealment Stance.

Just like that, he taught one movement after another, and they practiced one movement after another.

Chen Jing learned in fits and starts, while Cheng Lianshan corrected him tirelessly.

The entire morning quickly passed.

Although Chen Jing's movements were still raw and stiff, at the very least, Cheng Lianshan had hammered them into a fairly standard shape.

He could perform the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord from beginning to end.

After finishing the closing posture, Chen Jing's clothes were already so soaked they could be wrung out, and his whole body felt as if it had been hollowed out.

Cheng Lianshan also wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, feeling in his heart that Chen Jing's talent perhaps was not as good as he had imagined.

However, this boy's temperament was tough and hardworking. Even after Cheng Lianshan had struck him several times, he had not complained. Cheng Lianshan was just about to offer a few words of encouragement.

From the courtyard gate came Su Ru's gentle voice. "No matter how absorbed you are in practice, you can't forget the hour. The meal is already prepared."

Su Ru stood by the courtyard gate, a trace of reproach on her face.

Only then did Chen Jing realize that the sun had already climbed directly overhead. Before he knew it, they had actually practiced until midday.

His stomach rumbled loudly, and he was so hungry his chest was sticking to his back.

Cheng Lianshan laughed. "My fault, my fault."

"This kid was too absorbed in practice, and I also forgot to watch the time."

"Let's go. We'll eat together."

"This afternoon, properly comprehend the feeling of Tiger Roar Force. We'll continue tomorrow."

"Yes, Master."

Chen Jing withdrew his stance frame and followed behind Cheng Lianshan, walking toward the courtyard gate together.

He opened the panel and took a look.

Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord (Entry: 1/200)

The whole morning of bitter grinding had not been in vain. The Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord had reached entry level.

Lunch was shared by the Cheng couple, Chen Jing, and Wang Chong.

After lunch, Wang Chong put down his teacup and spoke to take his leave.

"Chief Cheng, I've stayed in Green Mountain City for three days. It's time I went back. The times aren't good now, and over in Shuang'an Town, I can't feel at ease."

Cheng Lianshan's brows furrowed, and he scolded, "Your injuries haven't healed. The physician said you need to rest quietly for ten days to half a month. For you to set out now is far too reckless. No!"

"The physician was just crying wolf. My injuries aren't anything serious." Wang Chong grinned, patted his chest, and made himself bare his teeth in pain.

"Back then at the frontier, I took two arrows to the chest and still didn't go down. This little injury counts for shit."

Chen Jing also spoke up to persuade him. "Uncle Wang, the bandits of Clear Wind Stronghold are still running rampant outside the city. It's too dangerous for you to leave the city like this."

Wang Chong waved a hand. "I've already asked around."

"Yesterday, the county office and the Six Gates sent troops together to clear out the mountain bandits nearby. The thieves of Clear Wind Stronghold fled like stray dogs."

"From Green Mountain City to Shuang'an Town, this is exactly when it's safest."

Cheng Lianshan fell silent for a moment.

He had been Wang Chong's centurion for many years, and he knew the brat's temper. Once he got stubborn, even ten oxen could not drag him back.

"Fine." Cheng Lianshan rose to his feet. "I'll have a horse prepared for you. Once you reach Shuang'an Town, you must send a letter back to report that you're safe."

Wang Chong laughed. "Done!"

His luggage had long since been packed.

Calling it luggage was an exaggeration; it was really just the bundle he had brought with him when he came, a few changes of clothes, and an iron spear.

Cheng Lianshan had someone lead a sturdy blue roan horse out from the stable in the rear courtyard, then stuffed dry rations and two bottles of wound salve into his bundle.

Chen Jing escorted Wang Chong all the way to the city gate.

Afternoon sunlight spilled over the broad street paved with bluestone slabs, while wine-shop streamers and tea-house banners on either side fluttered gently in the breeze.

Wang Chong sat astride the horse, his iron spear laid across the front of the saddle.

He turned back and glanced at Chen Jing.

"Little Jing, learn properly from Master. Don't disgrace Shuang'an Town, and don't disgrace Old Zhang. Hear me?"

Chen Jing nodded.

"When you have time in the future, go back to the town and take a look."

Chen Jing nodded again.

Wang Chong said no more.

He squeezed the horse's belly, and the blue roan immediately flung out its hooves and raced down the official road, its hooves kicking up a trail of dust. Before long, it had melted into the gray, hazy mountain silhouettes at the end of the road.

Chen Jing stood at the city gate, watching that figure vanish into the distance. Only after standing there for a while did he turn and head back.

The draft through the city gate tunnel snapped his clothes with a hunting sound. He took a deep breath and strode toward Deer Cry Alley.

After returning to the martial hall, Chen Jing did not go back to the side courtyard to rest.

Instead, he went straight to the training ground in the inner courtyard.

The afternoon sunlight was just right. The yellow earth ground had been warmed until it gave off a faint heat, and a thin layer of dust floated in the air.

He found a shaded corner, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began sorting through what he needed to do next.

First was his martial training schedule.

He currently had four Blood-Qi Pills and one portion of Blood-Qi Powder in hand. He had to calculate carefully how to use these resources.

Although his Fierce Tiger Stance had already reached major accomplishment, Cheng Lianshan had said that morning that stepping into the Blood-Qi Realm with perfected Body Tempering was the best of the best.

The reason the perfected realm was so hard to seek was that they were stuck at bottlenecks.

But Chen Jing was different. He had no bottlenecks.

As long as he filled up his proficiency, reaching perfection would also follow as naturally as water flowing into a channel. With such a heaven-given advantage, he decided to push his stance work to perfection first.

As for Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord, Cheng Lianshan required him to build on his comprehension of Tiger Roar Force before the training method's true effectiveness could be brought out.

He had not even entered the door of Tiger Roar Force yet, and no amount of impatience would help. First, he would practice the movements and force circulation of the Nine Forms until they were familiar, slowly raising his proficiency.

Once he had sorted out what mattered most and what came next, Chen Jing's thinking became clear.

Fierce Tiger Stance was the foundation, and the thicker the foundation, the better.

The better the effect of marrow training, the faster his cultivation of Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord would become.

Moreover, Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord itself was founded on Fierce Tiger Stance. When practicing Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord, he would inevitably have to assume Fierce Tiger Stance to issue force.

Therefore, Chen Jing guessed that practicing the Nine Forms might also drive up the proficiency of his stance work along with it. If so, that would be killing two birds with one stone.

As for the Blood-Qi Pills, he would use them all on polishing his stance work, pushing Fierce Tiger Stance to perfection as quickly as possible.