Primordial Chaos Stance

Early the next morning.

A series of shouts woke Zhou Yi.

He opened the window.

Outside, many disciples were already practicing martial arts on the Training Ground.

Zhou Yi had been assigned to a martial arts instructor.

Chen Hong.

A second-generation member of the Chen Family of the Golden Saber Sect, and the sect master's nephew.

The martial arts school did not teach students individually. Besides Zhou Yi, there were sixteen other disciples from the same intake.

By seniority, Zhou Yi counted as a third-generation disciple of the Golden Saber Sect, though he was not officially recognized.

Five hundred coins bought one month of lessons. After that, payment and goods were settled, and they were not allowed to use the Golden Saber Sect's name outside.

Chen Hong glanced at Zhou Yi. He was thin and frail, utterly unsuitable for martial arts. It would not have been unusual for him to force himself to train until his blood and qi were depleted and he died.

But that had nothing to do with Chen Hong. As long as they paid, he taught them. Whether they learned much or little, or even trained themselves to death, had nothing to do with the martial arts school.

"Practicing martial arts means strengthening the blood and qi within your body. When your blood and qi are abundant, your strength grows. No matter what moves you know, without strength, they are useless..."

Chen Hong ordered the dozen or so disciples to line up. His exhalation rumbled like drums and thunder. "My Chen Family's inherited Primordial Chaos Stance is a true direct Daoist transmission. It is not something Iron Shirt or Golden Bell Shield can compare to. Watch carefully!"

He planted his feet in a straight line, bent his knees at right angles, held his waist steady as a millstone, arched his back like a drawn bow, and rounded his arms into primal chaos.

"Inhale—exhale—long breath out—draw in!"

The Primordial Chaos Stance had nine forms. Combined with a special breathing method, it trained the muscles and bones throughout the body from the outside in.

After Chen Hong demonstrated it three times, he had everyone imitate the stance.

Most of these disciples were newcomers. They did not even know the most basic horse stance, much less true martial stance training.

Chen Hong was not in a hurry. He had expected this and corrected their postures one by one.

When someone's stance turned slack, Chen Hong would grab them and forcefully correct their form. If they sagged again afterward, he could not be bothered with them.

Every month, he taught a batch of disciples. Yet out of a hundred, there might not be even one who achieved anything.

Chen Hong had received guidance from his elders since childhood. He trained through the bitter cold of winter and scorching heat of summer, spending ten years before mastering the Primordial Chaos Stance.

Only then did he advance from External Forging inward and step onto the true path of martial arts.

Zhou Yi silently recited the formulas and techniques of the Primordial Chaos Stance again and again. This was a Martial Dao True Method, not the tai chi practiced by old men and women in the park.

After memorizing it, the information for the Primordial Chaos Stance appeared in the cultivation technique section of the attribute panel.

Cultivation Technique: Primordial Chaos Stance

Proficiency: None (+)

Description: A crude and shallow mortal body-tempering art.

"Proficiency?"

A sudden insight struck Zhou Yi. With a thought, he tapped the plus sign.

Proficiency: Beginner

Buzz!

A stream of information entered his mind, and he suddenly gained a wealth of experience practicing the Primordial Chaos Stance.

Zhou Yi moved. His feet, knees, waist, spine, and arms linked as one, and the form unfolded naturally.

He moved as he pleased, smooth and fluid, as though he had practiced it countless times.

"Inhale—exhale—long breath out—draw in!"

With every breath Zhou Yi shifted through the nine stance forms, like a lotus swaying in the wind—moving without falling.

After holding the stance for a moment, Zhou Yi felt his muscles tingle.

His muscles were growing stronger!

He had mastered the Primordial Chaos Stance!

Just as Zhou Yi began to rejoice, his stomach rumbled, followed by an overwhelming wave of hunger.

"Good!"

Chen Hong walked over to Zhou Yi and could not help clapping in praise.

At a glance, he could tell that Zhou Yi had possessed no martial arts foundation whatsoever.

Though the Primordial Chaos Stance was an external martial art, learning it so quickly was already the mark of a rare martial arts prodigy.

"Greetings, Master Chen!" Zhou Yi bowed respectfully. Respecting one's teacher was only proper.

Chen Hong said, "External Forging and body tempering consume blood and qi more than anything. If you cannot replenish them in time, you will harm your body instead. Remember to eat more meat—Tiger Leopard Beef is best."

Zhou Yi finally understood. No wonder he had felt ravenously hungry despite having just eaten breakfast. It had been caused by the expenditure from stance training.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Master Chen."

With a thought, a Purple Attribute Panel appeared in Zhou Yi's mind.

Name: Zhou Yi (Other Self)

Race: Human

Cultivation: None

Lifespan: 16/39

Origin: 9 (+2 points/day)

Talent: Great Luo

Aptitude: Earth (1)

Cultivation Technique: Primordial Chaos Stance (Beginner)

Spells: None

Divine Abilities: None

Equipment: None

This world's Other Self was short-lived. Even if nothing went wrong, this frail body would only live to thirty-nine.

Its only advantage over his True Self was its Earth Attribute Aptitude.

"This world generates 2 Origin Points each day. That means its spiritual energy is at least twice as dense as Earth's. It really is a fine place for cultivation."

"Origin Points can not only strengthen the body and reinforce one's foundation, but also raise cultivation technique proficiency. They are truly universal!"

Zhou Yi had been here for seven days and accumulated fourteen Origin Points, four of which he had used to strengthen his body. Otherwise, with his originally frail body, even traveling would have been a problem, let alone holding a stance.

Four Origin Points had brought Zhou Yi's physique close to that of an ordinary person.

He had just spent another Origin Point, instantly bringing the Primordial Chaos Stance to Beginner level.

With another thought from Zhou Yi, one Origin Point turned into wisps of silver threads that merged into his body, nourishing his internal organs, muscles, and bones.

His hungry stomach was like a sponge meeting water, greedily devouring the Origin.

Nourished by the Origin, his internal organs seemed to become clear and transparent. Breathing in and out felt far more comfortable.

"The Gateway to Myriad Wonders absorbs Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy and converts it into Origin. I wonder whether there are other ways to increase it."

Zhou Yi lightly flexed his muscles and bones, sensing the changes in his body.

"His strength had increased by a little. The Primordial Chaos Stance truly was a Martial Dao True Method!

"With Origin nourishing his body, he no longer had to worry about training damaging him. What a pity he had no medicinal herbs like ginseng or lingzhi. Otherwise, he could try absorbing them and see whether they replenished Origin and accelerate his martial cultivation."

After that, every morning.

The Golden Saber Sect gathered, and Chen Hong taught the Primordial Chaos Stance.

Zhou Yi had reached Beginner level in the Primordial Chaos Stance on his first day. In truth, he did not need to keep studying it. With Origin Points, he only needed to add points to perfect his stance training.

However, Zhou Yi's goal was not limited to the Primordial Chaos Stance.

The Primordial Chaos Stance was a technique the Golden Saber Sect handed out wholesale. They surely possessed stronger cultivation methods.

Zhou Yi planned to formally join the Golden Saber Sect. Not only would he learn better cultivation techniques, but he would also gain a foothold in Guo Bei County.

After several days of investigation, Zhou Yi finally understood just how chaotic Guo Bei County was. Murder in broad daylight was commonplace. It was dangerously lawless.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Today was the final day of training for this batch of disciples.

Among the dozen or so people, aside from Zhou Yi, who had used Origin Points to improve, everyone else had only learned the superficial form.

Chen Hong swept his gaze over them and offered his usual admonition.

"Martial cultivation values perseverance and resolve, especially External Forging stance training! After you return home, practice every day. Sooner or later, you will achieve something."

The disciples looked dejected. Their already loose stances lost even more Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Only Zhou Yi kept his muscles and bones taut, his Primordial Chaos Stance exceptionally precise.

A month ago, Zhou Yi had been the weakest among all the disciples. Now, he was the strongest, without question.

He used Origin to strengthen his body, and stance training to increase his strength.

His once-frail body seemed to inflate with air. He changed from a skinny scholar into a well-proportioned, muscular young man. The strength in his arms surpassed three hundred jin, while his legs exceeded six or seven hundred jin.

After Chen Hong finished his admonition and was about to leave, Zhou Yi's thoughts stirred.

"Upgrade the Primordial Chaos Stance!"

Two Origin Points were consumed, and the Primordial Chaos Stance advanced another step in proficiency.

Primordial Chaos Stance (Minor Accomplishment)

Countless experiences of stance training flooded into his mind, and he instantly understood many principles.

"The stance is dead, but people are alive. Everyone has a different physique. Only by finding the stance best suited to oneself can one achieve the finest body-tempering results!"

Zhou Yi's previously rigidly standard stance became flexible.

Beginner-level stance training meant he had learned it, while Minor Accomplishment meant he had developed a stance of his own.

Those who learn from others live; those who merely imitate them die!