They chatted as they walked, returning to the outer courtyard.
At some point, Mei Shuangfeng had changed into a clean, fitted martial outfit.
Seeing this, Xu Chuan immediately took his leave.
After he had gone, Mei Shuangfeng tossed over an exquisitely embroidered brocade pouch.
"The remaining money I owed you from yesterday. Open it and count it yourself."
Shen Xiuhan caught it, opened the pouch and gave it a glance, then carefully put it away before cupping his hands.
"Thank you, Master."
"It was a fair trade. What is there to thank me for?"
Mei Shuangfeng stood with her hands behind her back and said,
"When first learning martial arts, one's foundation is of utmost importance. For the next few days, I will instruct you personally."
"Sorry for troubling you, Master!"
Warmth stirred in Shen Xiuhan's heart.
A few days ago, when he had heard Chen An talk about learning martial arts, he would have been lying if he said he was not envious.
And yesterday, after witnessing Mei Shuangfeng's unfathomable movement technique upon the ice, his yearning for the martial path had climbed to its peak.
Now, at last, his wish had come true.
"To lay the foundation for martial arts, one must first nurture one's qi and blood."
Mei Shuangfeng's gaze fell upon him, her voice cool as a spring. "But how does one nourish the blood?"
"One must first employ stance training, guiding the blood back into the meridians and sensing the circulation of qi and blood. Then one strengthens the Greater Celestial Circuit. Only when qi and blood surge forth, boiling like soup, can one achieve the martial path!"
The instant her words fell,
Mei Shuangfeng lightly tapped off with her toes, soaring from the ground like a hunting eagle and shooting several zhang into the air!
When she descended, she extended both arms before her at shoulder height, her ten fingers curled into claws, the Laogong acupoints in her palms facing each other from afar.
Her aura drew inward, her intent guarding her twin claws. Her entire body froze in an unusual stance.
"This is the Mystic Eagle Stance of Mei Martial Hall, inspired by the meaning: 'The Mystic Eagle soars through the heavens, shattering bones and seizing dragons'!"
Mei Shuangfeng's cool voice pierced the howling winter wind, like a clear cry ringing through the ninth heaven.
Her body began to shift through the stances as fluidly as drifting clouds and flowing water, one form following another.
"When standing a stance, never resemble rotten wood, rigid and stiff!"
"Turn the palms into claws, send strength through the fingertips, and focus the mind to steady the breath!"
"Visualize a thousand-jin square stone before your chest. Under the pincer strike of your twin claws, it rises inch by inch to your chest. When the Laogong acupoints begin to feel scorching and swollen, draw your hands inward..."
As Mei Shuangfeng demonstrated the stance technique, Shen Xiuhan's vision suddenly flickered.
Deduction...
The system had triggered?!
Shen Xiuhan's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he silently recited in his heart,
Deduce!
[...Insufficient intelligence accumulated. Deduction can only begin after fifteen days.]
Just as expected...
Shen Xiuhan pressed his lips together slightly.
However...
Though this "deduction" could not be used for now, it was not without gains.
Within Shen Xiuhan's field of vision,
Every time Mei Shuangfeng demonstrated a stance, the system imprinted it with absolute precision, as though making a rubbing. A figure formed from faint golden motes condensed into the corresponding stance!
One form, two forms, three forms...
A full twenty-eight intricate stances were etched into his eyes.
Mei Shuangfeng withdrew her stance and stood upright. Drawing in her breath, her chest and abdomen swelled, and she exhaled a long stream of white vapor three chi away like a sharp sword.
Her phoenix eyes shifted as she looked toward Shen Xiuhan, who stood rooted to the spot.
"Your turn."
"Go through the movements I just showed you. This stance method is obscure. It does not matter if you cannot remember all of it. If you can imitate a cat by drawing a tiger and put on a few stances, that will do."
Shen Xiuhan suppressed the thoughts in his heart, cupped his hands, and said in a deep voice,
"...Understood!"
He stepped onto the wooden stakes and began reproducing the stances according to the faint golden figures in his mind.
Shen Xiuhan had assumed he would merely be imitating a cat by drawing a tiger, copying the answers.
But once he truly assumed the stance, he realized that these seemingly simple postures were astonishingly difficult!
The muscles throughout his body twisted taut like hemp ropes, straining against one another. His shoulder blades, waist, abdomen, thighs, and ankles—every part was locked in a contest of strength.
It was as though countless invisible threads were pulling at his sinews and bones from every direction.
He barely held on until the third stance. His entire body ached as though it were splitting apart, then his legs gave way and he crashed down with a thud.
"Mm, not bad." Mei Shuangfeng nodded faintly. "For your first time practicing stances, being able to set up three forms already places you above average in the Martial Arts School."
That counted as above average?
Shen Xiuhan panted heavily, wiped the sweat from his brow, and asked, "Master, when the senior brothers and sisters in the Martial Arts School first practiced stances, how many forms could they manage?"
"The six in the inner courtyard all managed more than three stances."
Mei Shuangfeng stood with her hands behind her back. "There is no use overthinking it. Nothing is more taboo in martial arts than impatience."
"Today, practice these three stances until you have mastered them. Add two or three more each day, and within ten days, you will be able to perform a complete set of stance training. By then, you may try sensing your qi and blood."
"Yes, Master!"
Mei Shuangfeng watched him repeat the three stances twice, his movements growing increasingly proficient, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Go practice with the others."
The master led one through the door; cultivation depended on the individual.
After Mei Shuangfeng left, Shen Xiuhan practiced the stances another three times.
He had gained a clear understanding of his own natural aptitude.
Four words summed it up.
Utterly ordinary.
If he proceeded step by step, he feared it would take four or five months before he could sense qi and blood.
Therefore...
Accumulating "intelligence" to deduce the Mystic Eagle Stance had become urgent.
Though he did not know precisely what mysteries "deduction" held, judging by its name, it was most likely simulated practice that would deepen his understanding of the true meaning of the technique.
For him, it was undoubtedly a martial tool capable of defying heaven and changing fate!
Of course, he could not neglect practicing the stance technique while accumulating it.
Otherwise, if he appeared to do nothing every day and then suddenly made tremendous progress in martial arts, people would inevitably grow suspicious.
With that thought, Shen Xiuhan gritted his teeth, stepped back onto the wooden stakes, and continued his stance training!
More than an hour passed.
Following the methods of the other outer-courtyard disciples, Shen Xiuhan practiced one round, then rested for a while.
By the end of the morning, his progress was far faster than he had imagined.
He had completely mastered the first three stances and had already begun attempting the fourth.
This bit-by-bit progress gave him ever greater motivation, and he threw himself into it wholeheartedly.
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Chuan's booming voice suddenly rang out in the courtyard.
"Time for lunch!"
The moment his words fell, the outer-courtyard disciples stopped their movements in twos and threes.
Some gathered together to chat, while others moved toward the center of the courtyard.
Before long, several disciples emerged from the inner courtyard carrying enormous steamers.
The steamers were set in the middle of the courtyard. Once the lids were lifted, hot vapor billowed forth and white mist swirled everywhere.
A rich fragrance of wheat instantly spread through the air.
Inside the steamers were large white steamed buns made from fine sorghum flour, plump, pale, and soft enough to make one's mouth water at a glance.
The outer-courtyard disciples throughout the Martial Arts School immediately swarmed around them in a noisy crowd.
"Two per person, no taking extra! If that is not enough, bring your own rations..."
Xu Chuan stood before the steamers with a whip in hand, shouting loudly like a shepherd watching over a flock.
The tuition the disciples paid to the Martial Arts School originally included one lunch.
But those who trained in martial arts tempered their sinews and bones, consuming enormous amounts of energy. How could two steamed buns possibly fill their stomachs?
Thus, everyone had prepared dry rations.
Yet how could dry rations compare to freshly steamed white-flour buns still giving off billowing heat?
"Junior Brother Shen, these are yours."
There were still quite a few left in the large steamer basket. Xu Chuan handed him four steamed buns and laughed heartily.
"Most newcomers do not know to bring food, so there is an exception on the first day—you can receive two extra buns. But starting tomorrow, you will have to figure it out yourself."
Shen Xiuhan's eyes lit up. He hurriedly accepted them and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
"What are you thanking me for? These are rules set by Master."
"Then thank you, Master, for your consideration."
"Haha, you brat!"
Before you continue