326: Chapter 326 Afternoon Martial Arts Arena

After lunch, the Outer Sect Disciples arrived at the Martial Arts Arena one after another.

The white-haired elder who had lectured in the morning was already standing in the center of the arena, having changed into a sharp, short-sleeved outfit with tight cuffs, looking much more capable than during the morning lecture.

He held no weapon, simply standing with his hands behind his back, waiting for all the Disciples to arrive.

Ling Ye found a spot near the front and stood still.

He noticed that the number of Disciples, who had packed the lecture hall in the morning, was significantly lower in the afternoon—only about half of the morning's attendance.

The elder did not call roll, nor did he pursue those who were absent; he simply waited for everyone to stand still before speaking: "The path of Cultivate is about the unity of knowledge and action. Listening without practicing will forever be nothing more than empty talk on paper. This afternoon, we will practice stance training."

Stance training. Ling Ye had heard this term mentioned in tea houses; it was said to be one of the most fundamental skills for those who Cultivate, appearing simple but actually containing great depth.

The elder demonstrated the essentials of the posture: feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, buttocks tucked in, chest slightly hollowed, chin slightly tucked, tongue lightly touching the roof of the mouth, and hands held in a circle before the abdomen, as if embracing an invisible ball.

As he demonstrated, he explained the essentials and purpose of each movement, his language concise and clear, without any unnecessary embellishment.

"The core of stance training does not lie in how steady one stands, but in using static postures to adjust the body's internal structure, allowing Qi and blood to flow smoothly and Spiritual Qi to generate naturally. When standing in the stance, your intent must be focused on the Dantian, and your breathing must be deep, long, even, and fine, without haste or impatience."

The elder said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, "Begin. Stand for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. Those who cannot hold on halfway may stop and rest on their own; do not force yourselves."

The Disciples followed suit, imitating the elder's posture and spreading out across the Martial Arts Arena. Ling Ye also chose an open space and adjusted his posture according to the essentials the elder had taught.

He had thought that stance training was a simple matter, but once he truly began, he realized it was not so simple at all.

The first problem was the tension in his legs. If the angle of his slightly bent knees was too small, the effect was not obvious; if it was too large, his thigh muscles would soon begin to ache. He adjusted a few times before finding a relatively suitable angle.

The second problem was the straightness of his waist and back. He was accustomed to the slightly crouched posture of the Star Gate World, always ready for battle, and needed to consciously adjust to this "hollow chest, straight back" stance.

The third problem was the concentration of his intent—he had to simultaneously attend to the correctness of his posture, the rhythm of his breathing, and the intent on his Dantian; for a beginner, the amount of information to process was quite significant.

The time it took for one incense stick to burn was far longer than he had imagined.

After about half the time, some Disciples could no longer hold on and began to sway; some simply plopped onto the ground, gasping for air, refusing to get up again.

Ling Ye's thighs were also trembling slightly, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, but he did not stop. He adjusted his breathing, moving his attention away from his aching thighs and refocusing it on that wisp of Spiritual Qi in his Dantian.

He could feel that as the stance training progressed, the Spiritual Qi within his body began to flow slowly. It no longer required him to actively guide it as it had in the morning; instead, it was as if drawn by some force, circulating slowly through his Meridians on its own.

That feeling was wondrous—it was as if there was an invisible river flowing slowly inside his body, washing away those blocked channels he had never been aware of.

The incense stick finally burned out. When the elder announced the rest period, Ling Ye slowly withdrew from his posture, feeling his legs a bit weak, but his mind was clear, with no trace of fatigue.

He moved his knees and waist, his bones emitting a slight clicking sound, and a sense of comfort rose from deep within his body.

He looked down at his hands. He could feel that the wisp of Spiritual Qi within his body had grown a fraction stronger than it was in the morning—an extremely faint fraction, but it was indeed there. At this rate, accumulating bit by bit, one day he would be able to gather enough strength to attempt to break through the first threshold on the path of Cultivate.

The elder did not let them rest for too long. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he spoke again: "The second incense stick. This time, while holding the stance, try to circulate the 'Qingyun Basic Formula' Qi-guiding technique to lead the Spiritual Qi from the Dantian to the extremities of your limbs."

Ling Ye reset his posture, closed his eyes, and while maintaining the stability of his stance, attempted to circulate the Qi-guiding technique he had learned during the morning class. Leading Spiritual Qi from the Dantian to the extremities was easy to say, but much more difficult to do than simple stance training.

He needed to simultaneously maintain four threads: posture, breathing, intent, and the circulation of Spiritual Qi; the slightest distraction would cause one of them to break.

He failed three times. Each time, just as the Spiritual Qi left the Dantian and before it reached his shoulders, it was interrupted because his attention wandered.

On the fourth attempt, he slowed down, no longer eager for quick success, but first stabilized his stance and breathing, then divided his intent into two parts—one part maintaining the Spiritual Qi in the Dantian, and the other cautiously guiding it to flow upward.

The Spiritual Qi was like an obedient stream, following the path guided by his intent, slowly passing through his chest, reaching his shoulders, and then continuing to extend toward his arms.

He succeeded.

Although he had only guided the Spiritual Qi to his elbows, still a long way from the "extremities of his limbs," this was the first time he had actively guided Spiritual Qi out of the area beyond the Dantian. He felt his arms heating up slightly; that warmth did not come from the outside, but rose from within, carrying an indescribable sense of fulfillment.

He maintained this state until the second incense stick burned out.

When the elder announced the end, Ling Ye slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath. In the sunlight, the white color of that breath was even more distinct than in the morning.

He looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them, feeling that faint but real power flowing within his body.

He looked up at the distant mountain peaks. The summit was glowing with a faint golden halo in the afternoon sun, as if something were breathing silently at the peak. He knew that up there was the location of the Qingyun Sect's Inner Sect, an area that only those who Cultivate at a higher level could set foot in.

He was still very, very far from there.

But he was already on the path.