Training Stances to Build a Foundation, Seeking Moves and Guidance

Chen Feng furrowed his brows tightly and cast the handsome youth before him a deep glance, saying "good" three times in a row.

Great Zhou had founded its nation upon martial arts, and its border troops were especially fierce, their arrogance and overbearing air unmatched.

Joining the military ranks did not make bribing one's superior mandatory.

But most of the time, it was tacitly permitted. If one refused to pay up, a superior could assign tricky, malicious tasks or make things difficult in countless ways. That was when one would truly be left helpless.

For Wang Xuance to be so oblivious to favors was simply the fearlessness of a newborn calf before a tiger.

"Brother Wang, you're very good—plenty of backbone. Go train with the deputy squad leader!"

As soon as he finished speaking, without caring how Wang Xuance might react, Chen Feng took the lead in walking toward the resting command tent at the training grounds.

"Hmph! The mountains may not turn, but the rivers do. We'll see each other again!"

Wang Xuance's eyes raked across Chen Feng several times, utterly unconcerned whether the man might pull some tricks on him.

He had already reached the Two-Knock Blood Pass. As long as he gained enough True Martial Qi to deduce martial arts, his cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds. Why would he need to watch Chen Feng's expression?

Ignoring the looks from the surrounding soldiers, he began his own cultivation in a corner of the training grounds.

Only soldiers who reached the Three-Knock Blood Pass would be sent beyond the city to carry out dangerous assignments.

Someone at his level would face an assessment after one hundred days to see whether he could attain the Three-Knock Blood Pass. Those who failed would be kept outside.

That meant managing certain defensive duties in the outer city.

Those who succeeded would earn the right to remain in the military ranks, receive a ninth-rank official title, and from then on feed upon the sovereign's salary.

Upon entering the military, aside from receiving the basic stance art, Crane Form Grand Stance, one was also given a fist technique.

By sheer coincidence, it was Vajra Fist, the very technique the youth had learned under the instructors of Tower Stele Martial Hall.

"Hoo..."

He softly exhaled a breath of turbid air, focused his mind, and slowly assumed his fighting stance.

On the path of martial arts, besides practicing foundational stances to build one's blood and vitality, one also had to train in fists, kicks, blades, and swords.

Otherwise, one would only know how to stand in a stance and be useless in battle—a pillow stuffed with embroidered flowers.

"Most of the martial apprentices in the training grounds are at the Two-Knock Blood Pass. The day is roughly divided into two parts: stance practice in the morning, fist practice in the evening!"

"One hundred days! Why does this feel like cramming for the college entrance exam in my previous life..."

Wang Xuance's eyes shifted as he cast aside the distracting thoughts in his heart and silently reviewed the fist forms in his mind.

Vajra Fist carried force as hard as steel; its blows smashed and slew enemies. It was a true offensive killing art.

Martial arts were divided into four grades: Mortal, Profound, Spirit, and Saint. Although Vajra Fist was merely one of the most ordinary Mortal-grade fist arts, once mastered, it was no weaker than an ordinary Profound-grade martial art.

"First form of Vajra Fist: Weituo Presents the Pestle!"

One arm stretched long while the other supported it loosely. Blood and vitality circulated through the muscles of both arms, and a deep, rumbling hum began to sound.

Smack!

"Second form: Dispersing Clouds, Scattering Snow!"

His arm was like a pole or staff, sweeping out a ring of force. This was the most vicious killing move among Vajra Fist's three forms!

"Second form: Eight-Armed Vajra!"

Fist shadows and arm shadows poured down like torrential rain. One man struck many; fist shadows came from every direction, his fists like drilling cannons aimed specifically at fatal points!

The sun blazed over the training grounds. Dozens of sturdy young men were drenched in sweat, countless low, thunderous sounds stirring beneath their bronze skin. The allure of a ninth-rank official title was plain to see.

"This... isn't the increase a little too small?"

Wang Xuance withdrew his stance and panted heavily like a bellows. As his blood and vitality circulated, faint white vapor rose from his body as though he were a steaming cage.

His mind looked upon the line of gilded words on the transparent panel.

[Vajra Fist: 230/2000 (Beginner)]

He had painstakingly drilled the three fist forms. Starting from the morning, he had forced himself to practice for six full hours, yet it had only increased by a measly thirty.

"With these inferior bones and this lousy aptitude, no wonder the senior brothers at Tower Stele Martial Hall never took much care of me when I first joined!"

"Just to enter the beginner level of this fist art, with my aptitude, I'm afraid I won't improve without half a year!"

He felt somewhat displeased, but when he remembered the True Martial Qi, the youth's lively thoughts began to stir again.

His gaze swept over the soldiers from his own unit on the training grounds, and he immediately walked toward a burly young man practicing the Crane Form Stance.

"Hehe, isn't there one right here?"

"This brother, I am Wang Xuance. May I know your name?"

"Xu Dalin! What does Brother Wang need from me?"

Xu Dalin glanced at Wang Xuance. Knowing that he had already fallen out with squad leader Chen Feng, he found it inconvenient to say much. He merely replied politely, while the movements of his hands never stopped.

"Heh!"

"Heh!"

Seeing this, Wang Xuance did not grow annoyed. He merely gestured modestly.

"Brother Xu, might I ask for your guidance? Seeing Brother Xu's fist forms so free and elegant, I cannot help but admire them. Would you be willing to exchange a few moves with me?"

Before his words had even faded, everyone nearby turned their eyes toward the two of them.

Wang Xuance did not know why. Though he found it strange, what difficulty could matter for the sake of martial arts?

"Hehe!"

Xu Dalin halted his stance and finally looked at him directly. A sharp edge seemed to gleam in his eyes, and under that stare, Wang Xuance felt the hairs on his back rise.

"This kid really is asking for a beating. Brother Xu has already attempted the Three-Knock Blood Pass once!"

"Though he failed, the foundation of his blood and vitality must still be stronger than someone at the Two-Knock Blood Pass!"

"With this kid's strength, how many moves do you think he can last?"

"Within three moves, he'll be defeated! Within ten, he'll suffer internal injuries!"

"What a calf that doesn't fear death..."

The surrounding voices poured into Wang Xuance's ears. For a moment, the youth cried out bitterly within his heart. How had he casually picked such a tough opponent?

But with the arrow already on the string, it had to be fired. He could only brace himself and step forward.

"Brother Wang, don't blame me for bullying you. If you can withstand five of my moves, I, Xu Dalin, will acknowledge you as someone worth knowing!"

With that, he opened his stance. Like a fierce tiger pouncing upon prey, he smashed a fist down from above his head.

If Wang Xuance took that punch solidly, even if he did not die, he would be crippled.

He bent his arm to block, hurriedly spread his stance, and began to counterattack.

A wild gust rose from beneath the two men's feet, sending dust flying and sweeping up fallen leaves around them.

Inside the command tent, Chen Feng's face showed neither joy nor anger as he simply watched the two fight.

"Hmph, he is merely overestimating himself!"

At first, when Wang Xuance met Xu Dalin's fist force, he felt utterly helpless. Every punch was incomparably heavy, too much for him to withstand.

But as he circulated his own fist force to defend, he gradually managed to counter half a move after five exchanges, then one move after ten. Each time the other man's fist force struck his body,

the areas where his blood and vitality circulated would return to normal after only a few breaths. Meanwhile, they had already exchanged more than thirty punches back and forth.

[True Martial Qi +9!]

[True Martial Qi +9!]

Instead, the more he fought, the more excited he became, and the blood and vitality within his body began to circulate faster and faster.

Seeing that he still had not driven the youth before him back after more than thirty moves, Xu Dalin's face immediately lost its luster, and he began putting his full strength into his fists.

Sure enough, once his power rose, Wang Xuance could no longer withstand him within two moves.

Thud!

A dull impact burst between them. Wang Xuance staggered back several steps before stopping, the blood and vitality within him churning like rivers and seas. For a moment, he could not even speak.

[True Martial Qi +30!]

"Brother Wang, what a fine physique. I, Xu Dalin, acknowledge you!"

Xu Dalin clasped his fists in salute and nodded toward him.

Wang Xuance circulated the stance method of Dragon Elephant Grand Stance to move his blood and vitality, gradually clearing the congested feeling around his sternum and shoulders.

"I wouldn't dare. Brother Xu's skill is superior; this younger brother willingly admits defeat!"

Most men in the military were blunt, rugged, and bold. Wang Xuance's neither servile nor overbearing manner immediately won the recognition of quite a few people!