Early that morning, Chen Tie and Mo Fang took Chen Xi to the White Crane Martial Arts Hall together.
The White Crane Martial Arts Hall was not far from the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall. It occupied considerably more space and was also divided into inner and outer courtyards.
As soon as they entered, they saw many disciples practicing martial arts, several times as many as at the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall.
The male and female disciples were evenly split, and quite a few were very young. Presumably, wealthy families in the city had sent them here to build their foundations early.
Most disciples wore white, and even as they practiced, their every movement had an airy grace, a completely different style from the bunch of roughnecks at the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall.
"Junior Sister Mo, who is this?" a senior sister asked, walking briskly over.
She wore a white training outfit, her long hair simply tied behind her head. Her posture was upright, her sinews and bones loose and extended, and she wore an approachable smile.
"Senior Sister Qian, this is Junior Brother Chen Tie from the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall."
Qian Hualing's eyes lit up. "So you're Junior Brother Chen, who defeated Qi Feng. Now that we've met, you truly are unlike the rest."
"Greetings, Senior Sister Cao." Chen Tie cupped his hands in salute.
"Senior Sister Qian is the one who usually teaches Chen Xi."
"Thank you for your efforts, Senior Sister Qian." Chen Tie cupped his hands again in thanks.
Mo Fang took Chen Xi to change clothes.
A faint smile touched Qian Hualing's lips. "This must be your first visit to the White Crane Martial Arts Hall, Junior Brother Chen. Shall I show you around?"
"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Sister."
Qian Hualing introduced the grounds as they walked, raising her fingertips slightly to indicate one side of the training yard. "This is where we practice basic stance training every day. It's mainly divided into two areas. Up ahead is where the newly admitted outer courtyard disciples work on their foundations, while the area behind is for martial artists at the Skin Refining realm."
Chen Tie nodded slightly. He learned that most outer courtyard disciples were either Skin Refining martial artists or newcomers, and that veteran disciples could teach the newcomers.
The two continued forward. Stone locks and stone blocks were piled in the corner for disciples to temper their strength. Qian Hualing casually patted a hundred-jin stone lock and said quietly, "Brute force alone doesn't count as martial arts. You have to learn to channel your Qi and blood into your limbs. That's the same at every martial hall."
Chen Tie glanced over and saw more than a dozen female martial artists training their strength in the yard. Their expressions were calm and relaxed, and their movements were quite pleasing to the eye.
Chen Tie followed Qian Hualing around a covered corridor, and a faint, fresh scent of vegetation greeted him.
Beside a shallow pond on one side of the small courtyard, they actually kept more than thirty white cranes.
The white cranes stood or walked, their plumage white as snow, their wingtips stained with ink, their long red legs stepping among bluestone and short grass. Some stood quietly on one leg, their long necks slightly curved as they closed their eyes and regulated their breathing; others paced slowly, lowering their pointed beaks to preen their wings; two or three spread their wings and gently fanned them, giving low cries that left one feeling all the more refreshed and carefree.
Qian Hualing slowed her steps and lowered her voice, afraid of disturbing these spirit birds. Turning toward Chen Tie, she said, "These are white cranes raised and tamed by the hall. Many disciples practicing stance training often come here to observe them, learning their still posture and comprehending the principles of extending the sinews and bones and sustaining the Qi and blood. Cranes are tranquil by nature and are especially good for nurturing the mind."
Watching these leisurely white cranes, Chen Tie could not help letting his thoughts wander. Perhaps he should have chosen the White Crane Martial Arts Hall in the first place.
Just then, a bold white crane slowly approached, stretching its long neck slightly to examine Chen Tie. His gaze settled on its extended form, and something stirred in his mind. This posture faintly matched the White Crane Stance he had seen.
Qian Hualing raised a hand in a gentle gesture and said quietly, "Don't reach out rashly and startle it. These white cranes are highly perceptive. When a martial artist's mind is restless, they keep their distance. Only when your mind is steady and your Qi and blood are calm will they approach."
Chen Tie nodded slightly, collected his thoughts, and suppressed the restless Qi and blood within him. He slowly extended his palm toward the white crane. Most white cranes he had seen in his previous life only reached an ordinary person's chest, but the ones here were as tall as a person.
Chen Tie's fingertips gently touched the soft, smooth white feathers on the side of the crane's neck. The feathers were warm and delicate to the touch. The crane merely tilted its head slightly without shying away. With his palm against its body, he could faintly feel the even extension of the sinews and bones beneath this spirit bird's skin and its long, steady breaths. A peaceful, soothing rhythm flowed through his fingertips.
A trace of surprise flashed through Qian Hualing's eyes. "You really are different, Junior Brother Chen. Martial artists from other halls have visited White Crane Pond, but their Qi and blood were restless. As soon as they approached, most of the white cranes would move away."
"You flatter me, Senior Sister Cao."
Chen Tie looked up toward a spot nearby. Seven or eight disciples of the hall stood scattered around White Crane Pond. All held their breath in concentration, saying nothing, each standing quietly in a corner of their choosing, their gazes fixed entirely on the cranes in the pond.
Looking at the disciples quietly cultivating by the pond, most of whom were at the Flesh Refining realm, Chen Tie asked, "Senior Sister Cao, are only disciples who have made progress in their cultivation allowed to come here to observe the white cranes and gain insight?"
Chen Tie vaguely sensed that the training method for White Crane Fist differed somewhat from Fierce Tiger Fist.
Qian Hualing stopped beside the pond, gazing gently at the cranes, and said softly:
"There's no hard rule. All disciples can come here to observe the white cranes."
"It's just that new disciples don't have stable foundations yet. All they understand is grinding away at brute strength and drilling moves mechanically. Their minds are restless, so even if they come, they can't understand what they see. They may even feel it's a waste of time. At most, it soothes their mood."
"White Crane Fist has graceful postures and harmonious sinews and bones. It emphasizes 'momentum born of stillness, strength hidden in relaxation.' Disciples who haven't reached the Skin Refining realm, whose minds are unsteady and whose Qi and blood are restless, can't comprehend even a fraction of it."
Chen Tie nodded slightly. Without a sufficient realm, coming here amounted to merely watching the spectacle.
She pointed toward the disciples sitting cross-legged on the opposite bank. "White Crane Fist draws its meaning from white cranes. Look over there. Those who spend long periods observing cranes here are mostly Flesh Refining disciples with a certain depth of attainment in their fist technique. To advance further, beyond the constraints of their own aptitude and the support of resources, they also need a deeper understanding of White Crane Fist."
"The hall raises cranes not just for viewing, but also to comprehend true intent."
"Since you've reached major accomplishment in your fist technique, Junior Brother Chen, I imagine you already know about the true intent of a fist technique."
Chen Tie was rather surprised.
Qian Hualing explained unhurriedly, "The way of the fierce tiger lies in ferocity, in dominance, in the wild nature of fighting to the death; the way of the white crane lies in steadiness, in composure, in the natural great Dao of the sinews and bones opening and closing. Learn to stand still as a mountain, to stretch out like clouds, to move or remain still as your heart wills, without stiffness or obstruction."
Chen Tie's expression remained calm, but inwardly he was deeply shocked.
This Qian Hualing before him looked sixteen and was only one step away from Flesh Refining, yet she possessed such insight.
"I never expected you to have such insight into White Crane Fist, Senior Sister Qian. Breaking through to Flesh Refining must only be a matter of time."
Qian Hualing blushed slightly at his words. "You praise me too highly, Junior Brother Chen. This is all what my father said."
"My father is the hall master."
Understanding dawned on Chen Tie. So she was Hall Master Qian He's daughter.
He watched the white crane amble back to the pond, then turned toward Qian Hualing and said sincerely, "Senior Sister Qian, the spirit cranes here are wonderfully perceptive. Watching them has put me in a fine mood. Would I be allowed to visit this courtyard often to observe them in the future?"
Qian Hualing laughed softly. "You're Chen Xi's older brother, so of course you can. Just keep your mind quiet when you come, and don't make a racket and disturb the cranes."
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Delight stirred in Chen Tie's heart. Looking once more at the cranes beside the pond, he silently made up his mind to break through to the Skin Refining realm in White Crane Fist as soon as possible.