4: Chapter 4 The Second Life, A First Glimpse into Martial Arts (Part 3)

Early the next morning, Hansha Town.

Steward Lin Zhen carried a steam lamp in his hand; its dim, yellowish light could only illuminate the small patch of ground at their feet.

Lin Shi followed his father, walking unsteadily along the empty, deserted streets.

The white mist exhaled from his mouth was swallowed by the darkness the moment it emerged.

Wearing the cotton-padded jacket his mother had altered overnight, he still felt the cold piercing his bones like needle pricks.

Steward Lin Zhen led Lin Shi to the entrance of the Instruction Courtyard and slowly pushed open the gate.

The first thing they saw was Instructor Wang Zhong standing in the center of the courtyard, resembling a stone statue that had been nailed into place long ago.

Beside him was a small stove with a clay pot sitting on top, bubbling and emitting steam; the bitter scent of medicinal herbs permeated the cool morning breeze.

Steward Lin Zhen stopped, bowed solemnly to Instructor Wang Zhong, whispered a few words of instruction to Lin Shi, and then, without lingering, turned and walked away quickly.

The courtyard gate closed, leaving only the master and student behind.

Once the figure had faded into the distance, Instructor Wang Zhong lifted his eyes and pointed to the clay pot beside him, his voice calm:

"I happened to brew a pot of the 'Qi-Nourishing Soup' ingredients provided by the academy. Drink a bowl first to warm your body and activate your circulation."

There was no superfluous chatter.

Lin Shi took the rough clay bowl handed over by Instructor Wang Zhong with both hands. As the warm medicinal soup entered his stomach, a distinct current of warmth quickly spread throughout his limbs and bones.

The chill was instantly dispelled, and even his somewhat stiff joints loosened up a bit.

After he set down the empty bowl, the cold, stern voice of Instructor Wang Zhong fell once again: "Stand firm and perform the diagrams you memorized yesterday for me. The first stance of the 'Houshan Stance': 'Rooting Stance'."

Lin Shi took a deep breath, recalling the diagrams and chants branded into his mind the previous night, and slowly assumed the stance.

His feet were apart at shoulder width, knees slightly bent, spine straight like a line, and arms held loosely in front; he assumed the posture quickly, resembling the form.

"The form is dead, but the person is alive."

Instructor Wang Zhong's ruler tapped his lower back silently, "It's collapsed here, collapsed. If your strength dissipates into the ground, how can you root?"

The ruler tapped his shoulder blades again, "Here, it's too tense. If your Qi is stagnant at the top, how can you sink and settle?"

Each tap was accompanied by a brief piece of advice.

Lin Shi adjusted according to the instructions, striving to perceive the subtle changes in his body.

With his inferior aptitude and 4 points of comprehension, he could not immediately grasp the intricacies, but he had enough patience to try over and over again.

Clumsily searching for that balance point of "neither collapsed nor tense, neither scattered nor stagnant."

Time passed slowly amidst the tedious adjustments and perseverance.

When the sky began to turn pale white at the horizon, Lin Shi had already been standing for nearly an hour.

His legs were trembling slightly, feeling as if they were filled with lead, and his waist and back were sore and numb.

"That will do," Instructor Wang Zhong finally spoke.

Lin Shi slowly withdrew from the stance, stumbling and nearly falling, but quickly steadied himself.

"Today was just to loosen your muscles and activate your circulation, and to familiarize yourself with the stance."

Instructor Wang Zhong looked at his pale, sweating face, his tone still indifferent, "From now on, arrive here at the end of the Yin hour every day. Warm up first, then practice the stance."

"Martial arts is a grind; it is hard labor. Your aptitude is insufficient. If you cannot even endure this hardship, you should go home early and not waste the medicinal materials."

"This disciple understands." Lin Shi caught his breath slightly and replied immediately; his voice was not loud, but it carried an unusual firmness.

Day after day.

Regardless of the cold, heat, rain, or snow, Lin Shi was always the first to arrive, treading through the night.

The martial academy provided only five bowls of free Qi-Nourishing Soup to registered disciples per month; any excess cost one tael of silver per bowl.

This was equivalent to the expenses of an ordinary family for more than half a month, so ordinary disciples could simply not afford it.

Steward Lin Zhen, with a monthly salary of 30 taels, after deducting household expenses, decided to add five more bowls for his son each month.

Exactly one bowl every three days, enough to support the blood and Qi consumption for the stance training.

Lin Shi knew well this sacrifice from his father and dared not waste it, practicing diligently every day.

Instructor Wang Zhong saw this and said nothing more.

He would only occasionally brew an extra bowl, pushing it to Lin Shi with the excuse, "It's leftovers, don't waste it."

Lin Shi accepted it respectfully, keeping this care in his heart, and practiced the stance even more earnestly.

However, limited by his aptitude, his progress was slow.

Wang Hao, a disciple in the same batch, had already developed the essence of the 'Rooting Stance' in half a month and had long since begun learning the second stance.

But he was not in the slightest bit impatient; his fifty years of turbulent life in his previous existence had long since worn away any desire for quick success.

He focused only on firmly establishing his foundation, practicing the stance for far longer than the required duration every day.

One morning two months later.

Lin Shi assumed the 'Rooting Stance' as usual; the cold was biting, but he felt the Qi and blood in his body circulating exceptionally smoothly and naturally.

Without needing deliberate guidance, it sank heavily into his Dantian, while threads of it nourished his sore muscles and bones.

An unprecedented sense of "stability" rose from the soles of his feet.

It was as if he had truly become a tree, with its roots deeply embedded in the bluestone ground, unshakable by wind or rain.

He was immersed in this wonderful sensation, and even when Instructor Wang Zhong's ruler tapped lightly on his shoulder, he did not sway in the slightest.

"Hmm, you have passed the 'Rooting Stance'. Tomorrow, begin learning the Rock Stance." Instructor Wang Zhong emitted an almost inaudible grunt and withdrew the ruler.

Just then, a noisy sound of footsteps came from the courtyard entrance.

Several youths of similar age crowded in, and leading them was Wang Hao.

He was wearing a brand-new brocade training uniform, his chin slightly raised, followed by several disciples of the same clan from his batch.

His gaze swept over the plainly dressed Lin Shi, and Wang Hao curled his lips with undisguised mockery.

"Yo, who did I think it was? So it's Junior Brother Lin. You spent two whole months to finally pass this introductory 'Rooting Stance'. This is truly 'diligence can compensate for clumsiness'!"

He drew out his tone, the superiority in his voice almost overflowing.

He emphasized the last four words heavily, causing the followers behind him to burst into laughter.

Lin Shi looked up at Wang Hao, his expression calm.

There was not much anger in his heart; he only felt bored.

This kind of childish showing off and comparison was just kids playing house.

"Senior Brother Wang has great talent; it is only natural that your progress is fast." Lin Shi replied indifferently, then picked up the cloth bag placed to the side, wanting to leave early.

"Hey, don't go yet." Wang Hao blocked his path, the smile on his face growing even brighter.

"Standing in a stance by yourself is boring. Since Instructor Wang is here, how about we brothers have a spar?"

"Let's just compare this simplest 'Rooting Stance'. Let's compare who stands more steadily and for longer. Let me also let you, Junior Brother, take a good look at what it looks like when this stance is truly mastered."

He deliberately emphasized the two words "truly mastered" with a heavy tone, full of provocation.

Other disciples in the courtyard were also attracted by the commotion, gathering around and whispering.

Wang Hao was a clan disciple, his talent ranked among the top of his batch, and he had long since become the leader of these youths.

And Lin Shi, this registered disciple who got in through his father's connections, had inferior aptitude, and slow progress, was also a frequent subject of their private discussions.

Lin Shi stopped and looked at Instructor Wang Zhong.

Instructor Wang Zhong stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a pillar, without speaking to stop them.

"What, are you afraid?" Wang Hao pressed closer, carrying the arrogance typical of a young man.

"Or are you saying that in these two months, you only practiced an empty form that looks good but is useless?"

Lin Shi was silent for a moment; it seemed he could not avoid it, so then, fight!

They were both of the same age; even if Wang Hao's progress was faster and his physical fitness was stronger, how much stronger could he really be?

It was just a contest of willpower, and as for willpower, he had never been afraid of anyone.

"Alright." He nodded, his expression calm, "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Wang."