The next day.
Old Ninth, who habitually woke early, slowly opened his eyes. Little White Tiger, who had been sleeping beside him, was already gone.
When he walked into the little courtyard, he found Little White Tiger sprawled on top of the wall, his backside sticking out as he peeked into the neighboring courtyard.
The Zhu Residence had the layout of an old-fashioned compound. Its rear grounds consisted of several small courtyards separated by low walls.
"Peeping at a woman bathing?"
Old Ninth swaggered over and gave Little White Tiger a hard slap on the backside.
Little White Tiger hurriedly turned around and gestured for silence.
He motioned for Old Ninth to climb up and look too.
"Come look."
"At what?"
Old Ninth craned his neck to peer into the neighboring courtyard.
The commander in the white robe was practicing martial arts.
Neither of them understood his boxing techniques, but his movements whipped up fierce gusts, and even an unadorned punch carried the power to split mountains and shatter stone.
"There's something strange about his Martial Techniques," Little White Tiger whispered to Old Ninth. "I've been watching for ages. His boxing looks a little like military moves, but why is it so powerful?"
"Watch his footwork."
Old Ninth watched White Robe shrewdly. "Look at his legs when he exerts his strength."
"Hah!"
As if to oblige Old Ninth, White Robe roared and blasted out a punch.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The ground throughout the little courtyard actually rose and fell like waves.
The ground beneath his feet collapsed outright.
"How did his feet sink in? How much strength would that take?"
"Xiao Meng, did you understand?" With his back to the two of them, White Robe smiled and asked the guard standing watch at the courtyard entrance.
The guard was a