Fierce Tiger Stance Initiation!

"No!"

Butcher Zhang refused without a second thought, his voice rising several notches. "I finally picked up an apprentice who can work and see me off in my old age, and now you want to whisk him away?"

"If he dies outside, who am I supposed to look for?"

"Old Zhang!" Instructor Wang grew anxious, pointing at the two corpses on the ground. "Haven't you understood yet?"

"If the bandits really come, with over a hundred of them flooding into town, no matter how well you can chop, how many can you hold off?"

"If the town is overrun, forget seeing you off in your old age—you two will both lose your lives!"

His tone softened slightly.

"Besides, letting Little Chen learn more ways to protect himself is a good thing for you, for him, and for the whole town."

Butcher Zhang glared at Instructor Wang, then looked at Chen Jing. In the end, he cursed under his breath, turned his head aside, and said nothing.

Chen Jing heard everything clearly from the side and began calculating rapidly.

Although he had trained the Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique to Minor Accomplishment over the past few days, his abilities were still meager when all was said and done.

If he truly had to fight for his life against someone, he probably would not be enough against a trained martial artist.

And as Shuang'an Town's Militia Instructor, Instructor Wang surely possessed genuine skills.

Training under him might let Chen Jing learn other martial arts. He might even develop one or two more talents, giving himself more means to stay alive.

"Master," Chen Jing said, "Instructor Wang is right."

"I'll go train with him. If the bandits really come, I'll be able to cut down a few more."

"I won't neglect the work at the shop. I'll come back to help as soon as training is over."

Hearing this, Instructor Wang patted Chen Jing's shoulder approvingly, then said to Butcher Zhang:

"See? Your apprentice understands things better than you do."

"It's settled, then. Don't worry—I'll return this kid to you whole and unhurt."

Butcher Zhang's face darkened. He snorted through his nose, which counted as agreement.

He kicked one of the corpses aside and said roughly to Instructor Wang, "Drag them away. Don't dirty my yard."

Instructor Wang grinned and waved over several sturdy young men to carry the two bandit corpses onto a cart. Then he turned back and reminded them:

"Come to the East Town Drill Ground at first light tomorrow. Don't be late."

With that, he led his men away in a whirlwind.

The next day, Chen Jing got up while dawn was still only a pale blur.

He first went to the front-yard shop and tidied up the meat stall.

Then he wolfed down a flatbread to fill his stomach, informed Butcher Zhang, and headed out.

On the eastern side of Shuang'an Town was an open field enclosed by rammed-earth walls. That was the drill ground.

When Chen Jing arrived, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Yet over thirty sturdy young men had already gathered on the drill ground. They stood in twos and threes; some were loosening their muscles, while others spoke in low voices.

Most of them were laborers from town—apprentices from the blacksmith shop, clerks from the grain store, and porters who carried shoulder poles.

Every one of them was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, their faces dark red from the cold wind.

After a while, Instructor Wang strode into the drill ground.

He had changed into a clean, fitted training outfit, an iron spear slung over his shoulder. Three youths followed behind him—two boys and one girl.

The three were about Chen Jing's age, around seventeen or eighteen. Their faces still carried a trace of childishness, and it was obvious this was their first time at the drill ground as well.

"Everyone, get over here!"

Instructor Wang shouted.

The thirty-odd men surged over in a clamor. Instructor Wang pointed at Chen Jing and the other three youths and said loudly:

"These are the youngsters I've newly recruited. From now on, they'll train with everyone else. The bandits outside town have been making a fierce mess of things. Every extra person means an extra measure of strength. No one is allowed to bully the newcomers, understand?"

The crowd answered in a booming chorus.

Instructor Wang had the main group begin training on their own, while he called Chen Jing and the other three aside to a corner of the drill ground.

First, he had the four introduce themselves.

Besides Chen Jing, the other three were Zhao Tianli, Sun Tiezhu, and Liu Xiaolan.

Zhao Tianli was the nephew of the grain shopkeeper. He was fair and clean-looking, with bright eyes that carried a sharp, clever glint.

Sun Tiezhu was a blacksmith's apprentice, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, his limbs as sturdy as little tree stumps. Standing there, he looked like a stone pier.

Liu Xiaolan was the daughter of a hunter. A thick black braid hung down her back, a hunting knife was tucked at her waist, and there was a wildness between her brows. Rumor had it that she was Sun Dali's niece.

"I don't care what you do in your daily lives. From today onward, once you step onto this drill ground, you are soldiers under my command."

Instructor Wang's gaze swept over the four of them. Though he was not angry, he carried an imposing authority.

"My real name is Wang Chong. In my early years, I served in the Great Yu border army and fought the northern barbarians. After leaving the service, I returned to Shuang'an Town. Thanks to the regard of my fellow townsfolk, I became the Militia Instructor."

"I don't care for empty formalities. There's only one thing I care about: no slacking when training."

He paused, and his tone eased a little.

"Today, we'll start by practicing stance work."

"Stance work is the foundation of martial arts. Stand your stance well, and your lower body will be stable, your blood and qi will flourish, and when fighting for your life, your feet will take root in the ground so you won't be easily knocked down."

"The stance work commonly used by the Yu Dynasty border army is called the Fierce Tiger Stance. It looks simple, but if you stand it correctly, it can forge great skill."

As he spoke, he planted his iron spear into the ground.

He spread his feet shoulder-width apart, bent his knees slightly, tucked in his chest and straightened his back. His arms bent at the elbows, his five fingers curled slightly into tiger claws.

His whole body seemed nailed steadily to the earth. But on closer inspection, one could see his back rising and falling faintly.

He maintained that posture, his breathing long and powerful.

His chest slowly rose and fell with each breath, and a muffled rumble could faintly be heard as his breath rolled through his abdomen.

"Did you see clearly?"

Wang Chong withdrew from the stance and explained, "The key to the Fierce Tiger Stance is to stand with presence. Imagine that you are a fierce tiger crouching in the mountains."

"The muscles throughout your body must not be tensed. Let your strength sink into the soles of your feet."

"Keep your breathing even and deep. Sink your qi into your dantian. Come one at a time, and I'll correct you."

Zhao Tianli and the others stepped forward one by one, taking up the stance as Wang Chong had demonstrated. But they had the shape without the spirit.

They were especially lost when it came to the presence Wang Chong spoke of and how to direct the Inner Force within.

Wang Chong walked around them, correcting their postures. Sometimes he patted a shoulder; sometimes he pressed a fist against a lower back. First, he made sure their stances were correct. The tiger's presence and Inner Force had to be slowly comprehended during stance training.

When it was Chen Jing's turn, he took a deep breath and recalled Wang Chong's demonstration, though he had no confidence in his heart.

He spread his feet apart, bent his knees slightly, tucked in his chest, and straightened his back.

Wang Chong walked over. He first examined Chen Jing's lower body, then circled behind him and suddenly gave his calf a light kick.

Chen Jing swayed and nearly lost his balance.

"Your strength hasn't sunk down. It's floating above your knees."

Wang Chong frowned. "Relax your knees a little more. Feel as though the soles of your feet are stuck to the ground. Slow your breathing. Breathe with your belly, not just your chest."

Chen Jing adjusted himself according to the instructions, trying again and again. At last, he found that subtle point of balance.

The moment his breathing and posture finally aligned, he felt a faint current of heat surge up from the soles of his feet.

It traveled up his calves and thighs, warm and comfortable in a way he could not describe.

At the same time, that familiar prompt sounded in his mind once more:

[Fierce Tiger Stance Initiated!]