Enduring the Soreness to Complete Nine Stances, the Martial Path Officially Begins

The next day.

Morning light was faint, and a cool breeze swept through the courtyard.

Liu Yunche rose early. After washing up, he hurried toward Liu Wangzhou's study.

By the time Liu Yunche arrived, Liu Wangzhou was already standing outside the study.

Seeing Liu Yunche approach, Liu Wangzhou said in a deep voice, "Not bad. I did not remind you, yet you came early today."

"Still, this is what you should have done. It is not worth praise."

"Yes, Father," Liu Yunche answered brightly.

Liu Wangzhou was not wearing his brocade robes today. He wore a dark martial outfit and carried an ordinary blue-steel saber, dressed like any common martial artist.

He beckoned Liu Yunche over and said:

"If you wish to learn martial arts, you must first understand what martial arts are. You have read quite a few martial manuals this past month. Tell me, what is the beginning of martial cultivation?"

Liu Yunche did not answer at once. He pondered for a moment, then spoke after organizing his thoughts.

"The first realm of martial arts is the Body Realm. It is divided into five stages: skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and blood."

"Once all five have been cultivated to completion, one reaches the peak of the first realm."

"The first step of a martial artist's cultivation is tempering the skin. One uses specialized methods to temper the body, and it is divided into Copper Skin, Iron Skin, and Silver Skin."

After pausing briefly, Liu Yunche continued, "Beyond those three, it is said there is also Jade Skin. However, that realm is something one may encounter but cannot seek. Few ever attain it."

Only then did Liu Wangzhou nod in satisfaction. "Not bad. You even know about Jade Skin. It seems you have truly put in the effort."

"You have always had a gentle temperament. Whenever I told you to practice martial arts before, you always made excuses. But seeing your performance this time, I believe you have truly made up your mind."

"Now that you have entered the martial path, I must take responsibility for you. From now on, I will demand the strictest standards of you."

There was no fear in Liu Yunche's eyes, only calm. "Yes, Father."

Liu Wangzhou's expression turned solemn as he said gravely, "Martial arts cannot do without stance training. Stance training is the foundation: tempering the skin, refining the flesh, strengthening the tendons, hardening the bones, and fortifying the blood."

"Cultivation in every realm cannot do without stance training."

"Today, I will first teach you the Nurturing Origin Stance. Watch carefully."

Liu Wangzhou spread his feet shoulder-width apart, relaxed his waist, tucked his hips, and slightly drew in his tailbone as though setting up an arched bridge.

He assumed a posture of chest contained and back lifted. His bearing was steady and precise, and his eyes were filled with focus.

His shoulders hung naturally. He raised both hands before his chest, palms facing each other as if embracing a whirl of qi. His posture remained upright throughout, without the slightest slackness.

His voice drifted over slowly. His gaze rested on Liu Yunche's still-slight frame, carrying a father's affection and consideration.

"Your body is weak, so you cannot cultivate the Liu Household's inherited stance, the Dragon-Imprisoning Stance. The Nurturing Origin Stance strengthens one's foundation and nourishes one's vital essence. It is perfectly suited to your current condition."

"Practice the Nurturing Origin Stance with me first. Once you have mastered it, it will not be too late to cultivate the Dragon-Imprisoning Stance."

"The Dragon-Imprisoning Stance?" A trace of surprise flashed through Liu Yunche's eyes as he asked seriously.

Liu Wangzhou's expression dimmed slightly, and regret appeared between his brows as he sighed.

"The Dragon-Imprisoning Stance was obtained by your grandfather from the army. Its cultivation is brutal, and broken tendons and shattered bones are common. Yet fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. Cultivating this stance can establish a foundation far sturdier than others can ever achieve."

He sighed again, helplessness hidden in his eyes.

"Unfortunately, this method places harsh demands on both a martial artist's talent and physique. Ordinary people simply cannot meet its requirements."

"Only great Aristocratic Clans can force their way through with resources."

"Everything will be according to Father's arrangements," Liu Yunche replied.

Following Liu Wangzhou's demonstration, Liu Yunche tried his best to adjust his posture.

However, he had only recently recovered from a serious illness. His tendons and bones were weak, and his blood and qi were insufficient. Before long, his posture gradually lost shape.

His knees unconsciously pushed forward, his waist and back sagged slightly, and his shoulders tensed up by instinct, losing the relaxed uprightness of the Nurturing Origin Stance.

Liu Wangzhou slowly stepped forward. Seeing his son's stiff posture, there was not the slightest hint of blame in his eyes. He gently placed a hand against Liu Yunche's waist and applied light pressure with his fingertips.

"Keep your spine naturally straight. Relax your waist, tuck your hips, lower your center of gravity, and do not lean forward."

Once Liu Yunche's lower stance was somewhat corrected, Liu Wangzhou personally demonstrated the breathing method for the Nurturing Origin Stance.

Liu Wangzhou spoke with great precision. "Follow my rhythm. Inhale for three breaths, exhale for four."

"Your breathing must be fine, even, slow, and long. Do not hold your breath, and do not gasp. Lightly keep your awareness on your dantian."

"Imagine warmth slowly gathering in your abdomen and nourishing the blood and qi throughout your body. Do not force yourself to sense qi."

Liu Yunche adjusted as instructed. His breathing was inevitably disordered at first, but having lived two lives, his mind was steady and his comprehension far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Within only a few breaths, he caught the rhythm. His hurried panting gradually calmed, and his breathing became long and gentle.

His originally stiff posture slowly relaxed as well. Though he still trembled faintly from weakness, he no longer had his earlier crooked form.

Seeing Liu Yunche grasp the essentials so quickly, Liu Wangzhou felt a surge of delight and murmured, "His comprehension is not bad."

He then commented aloud, "You managed to grasp the essentials of the Nurturing Origin Stance in such a short time. That counts as passing."

"With your current body, you can only complete the Nurturing Origin Stance nine times each day."

"When you feel warmth in your abdomen, as if a stream of heat is circulating through your lower belly, that counts as one complete round."

"At your pace, one morning should be enough to complete all nine rounds."

"Practice..." After speaking, Liu Wangzhou stood off to the side rather than leaving. He needed to keep watch over Liu Yunche at all times, preventing his movements from deforming and injuring his tendons and bones.

At that moment, Liu Yunche immersed himself in his own world. He recalled the movements and breathing rhythm Liu Wangzhou had just taught him.

He slowly assumed the stance, relaxing his waist, tucking his hips, and slightly drawing in his tailbone as if setting up an arched bridge. His breathing also adjusted to the proper rhythm.

Gradually, waves of soreness spread through his body. His legs trembled faintly, and his hands unconsciously began to droop.

Liu Wangzhou saw it all but did not speak to remind him. He wanted Liu Yunche to notice and correct the mistake himself.

The soreness was like countless fine needles, spreading upward along the tendons and bones of his legs.

A thin layer of sweat formed on Liu Yunche's forehead, and his cheeks paled slightly from exertion.

Yet a fierce stubbornness rose within him. The more difficult it became, the firmer his resolve grew.

Hardship was like an iron-forging furnace, grinding away and tempering every stray thought in Liu Yunche's heart. At that moment, only one thought remained.

"Complete this full round of the Nurturing Origin Stance!"

Slowly, relying on the willpower of someone who had lived two lives, he corrected his distorted movements bit by bit. He began with his arms, bringing his palms to face each other and imagining a whirl of qi circulating between them.

Gradually, as his breathing changed, he came to a realization: the whirl of qi did not truly exist outside his body. It arose from his own breathing.

With that thought, Liu Yunche adjusted his breathing and followed the method his father had taught him, sensing and experiencing it.

His movements gradually became more precise, and the entire stance training returned to the proper track.

Liu Wangzhou watched every change in Liu Yunche's movements and expression. Folding his arms, he secretly nodded, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"As expected of a child of the Liu Household. That refusal to admit defeat is exactly like mine when I was young."

"Though his force is still imperfect in the finer details, being able to reach this level on his first attempt already marks him as highly talented."

Liu Yunche focused on the Nurturing Origin Stance. As time passed, he gradually felt warmth in his abdomen, as though a small flame were burning there.

"So this is the warm current produced by completing one full round..."

The next instant, the flame in his abdomen burst apart, turning into countless sparks that raced through every part of his body, nourishing his body's foundation.

Liu Yunche discovered that after the warm current passed through them, his formerly sore and weak legs had recovered considerably. This gave him even greater confidence in completing all nine rounds.

At his side, Liu Wangzhou spoke in approval.

"Not bad. You have completed one full round. However, some of your muscles still lack sufficient force. You will need to adjust that yourself in the future."

"A thousand people practicing will produce a thousand different Nurturing Origin Stances. There is no best one, only the one that suits you best."

"Adjust your posture according to your own body. That is my requirement of you. I hope you can accomplish it."

"Yes, Father." Fine sweat beaded on Liu Yunche's forehead as he adjusted his posture and began again. Though exhausted, his heart was full of delight.

At that moment, the rising sun cast golden light across Liu Yunche's face. The vigor of youth overflowed from him as he faced the morning light and began his martial cultivation.

As time passed, the sun gradually climbed to the center of the sky, and Liu Yunche's body was already drenched in sweat.

A puddle had formed beneath his feet, proof of his hard work.

His body had long gone numb. His limbs and bones seemed devoid of feeling, and he remained standing only through a stubborn refusal to yield.

Liu Wangzhou stood silently nearby, counting the time in his heart.

Though he had set Liu Yunche the requirement of nine rounds a day, he had never expected his son to truly manage it. Completing three or four rounds would already have counted as success.

Yet Liu Yunche had actually persisted. He was now about to complete the ninth round.

Moreover, his movements had grown increasingly precise, and he was gradually correcting even the smallest mistakes.

This made Liu Wangzhou's eyes shine brighter and brighter as he looked at Liu Yunche. Wonder flickered in his gaze, as if he were seeing this side of his son for the first time, and he was filled with gratification.

During that time, Liu Yunche's mother came several times, wanting him to stop and rest for a while, but Liu Wangzhou stopped her each time and whispered to her.

"Our son has rarely shown such perseverance. As his parents, we cannot become an obstacle in his way."

Though Liu Yunche's mother felt heartache, she understood what mattered.

With the final burst of flame, his body, exhausted to the limit, received nourishment. Liu Yunche paused where he stood for a moment, then slowly walked to the side after recovering a little strength.

Seeing him, his mother's heart ached. She hurriedly handed him a bowl of steaming crimson porridge with a fragrant aroma.

Liu Yunche took the Blood Rice Porridge and ate it in large mouthfuls. Before long, he had finished the entire bowl.

Feeling the changes within his body, Liu Yunche found that his exhausted strength had recovered considerably from the Blood Rice Porridge.

"As expected of Blood Rice Porridge."

When Liu Wangzhou walked away, Liu Yunche's mother lowered her voice and said to him.

"Your father has been investigating the poisoning lately. He has barely eaten or slept... Practice well, and do not let him worry about you."

"Do not worry, Mother. I understand."

Liu Yunche set the bowl aside. Feeling the hunger in his body, he rubbed his stomach and suddenly felt the urge to feast.

Seeing Liu Yunche's actions, Liu Wangzhou shook his head and laughed softly.

"This Blood Rice Porridge is made from a special spiritual rice, cultivated with the blood of demonic beasts. It bears grain once every two years and is best suited for martial artists newly entering the martial path."

Liu Wangzhou handed him another bowl of soup and said brightly, "Come, drink this bowl of Nourishing Origin Soup as well."

Liu Yunche accepted the Nourishing Origin Soup and softly said, "Thank you, Father," before draining it in one gulp.

The Nourishing Origin Soup turned into a gentle warm current the instant it entered his throat. It surged straight into his dantian, slowly merging with the remaining vital energy from his stance training.

The sore, swollen, numb tendons and bones throughout his body were gently nourished. The fatigue from his training quickly faded, while his formerly weak blood and qi gradually became full and steady.

"From now on, drink a bowl of Nourishing Origin Soup after every training session. Only then can you advance steadily," Liu Wangzhou instructed.

"That will be all for this morning. Go on now."

"Yes, Father." Liu Yunche bade Liu Wangzhou farewell, then slowly walked away while dragging his weary body.

As he walked along the bluestone path, Liu Yunche continued recalling the details of his morning training.

The feeling of clearly sensing himself grow stronger was truly intoxicating.

In merely one morning, he could distinctly feel that his body had improved considerably.

By the time he reached Cloud Perch Courtyard, his formerly exhausted body had already recovered. By afternoon, he would surely be full of energy again.

Inside Cloud Perch Courtyard, meat dishes for replenishing blood and qi had long been prepared. A roasted Black Boar leg, a large pot of blood rice, and several appetizing side dishes were neatly arranged.

Liu Wangzhou had personally ordered all of it prepared, so there was no need to worry about anyone poisoning it.

Liu Yunche strode forward. Although the Blood Rice Porridge had somewhat filled his stomach, he was still ravenous.

After picking up his chopsticks and bowl, he did not wolf the food down. Having only recently recovered from a serious illness, it was better for him to chew slowly and eat carefully.

After the meal, Liu Yunche moved about in the courtyard for a while before returning to his room and falling into a deep sleep.