24: Chapter 24 One must eat step by step.

He remained silent for a moment before speaking in that tone which, though possessing the milky voice of a child, was exceptionally steady, responding one by one: "For footwork, you must first train the core; stand firm before moving. When your feet land, the ball of the foot should touch the ground first, and your center of gravity should follow your steps, so you won't wobble. When lifting stone locks, you shouldn't just use strength from your arms; you must first sink your waist and exert force from your legs, letting it travel through your waist and abdomen to your arms, and then it won't be strenuous. For archery, you must first stabilize your breathing; inhale when drawing the bow, and exhale when releasing the arrow. Once your breathing is steady, your hand won't shake."

With just a few short sentences, he precisely pinpointed the issues that plagued the three of them the most.

Qiangu Jue's eyes lit up instantly. He squatted down on the spot and, following the method Alternative described, tried the starting stance for lifting a stone lock. He immediately felt that his strength flowed much more smoothly and couldn't help but exclaim: "It's true! This is so much more comfortable than my blind training before! Alternative, you are just too amazing!"

Oupai also immediately picked up the bow and tried it twice, following the breathing method Alternative described. He felt his previously tense arms instantly relax significantly and nodded repeatedly: "Yes! That's the feeling! I was always stuck here before, and now I finally understand!"

Seeing the two of them so pleasantly surprised, Gui Mengguan leaned forward half a step, looking at Alternative with curved, smiling eyes, his tone full of anticipation: "Alternative, you're too amazing. The teacher has been teaching us for several days, yet you explained it in just a few sentences. Do you have a set of methods for training your own body? Can you teach us?"

As soon as he said this, Qiangu Jue and Oupai immediately stopped what they were doing and looked at Alternative in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation.

"The few of us are family to begin with," Gui Mengguan said, swinging his short legs, his tone soft and hitting the softest part of Alternative's heart. "My parents are Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, Oupai's grandfather is Light Feather Douluo, and Qiangu Jue's grandfather is Demon Subduing Douluo. Elder Bibi Dong, who takes care of you, is an Elder we all respect. We are destined to grow up together, Cultivate in Spirit Hall together, and get stronger together. Just teach us."

"Yeah, yeah!" Qiangu Jue immediately nodded in agreement. "In the future, we will be the best partners and become Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall together! You're so amazing; if you teach us, we can help you later on!"

Oupai also nodded vigorously, his eyes shining as he looked at Alternative: "We promise that whatever you teach us, we will absolutely not tell anyone else! Only the four of us will know!"

Alternative looked at the three expectant children of the same age. His fingertips paused slightly, and a wave of conflict instantly rose in his heart.

How could he possibly teach them his true Cultivation Technique?

Mysterious Heaven Skill, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Purple Demon Eye, and Controlling Crane Catching Dragon—these were all secret techniques of the Tang Sect, ancestral precepts engraved in his very bones.

Having lived two lives, his greatest obsession was to rebuild the Tang Sect here and restore its former glory. Tang Sect Cultivation Techniques could never be passed on to outsiders; this was the bottom line he was determined to defend.

But on the other hand, he couldn't harden his heart to refuse them directly.

Bibi Dong was his mother, who had given him all the warmth in this life; Spirit Hall was his home, providing him with the most stable environment to grow up in and the top-tier cultivation resources. The three children before him were his companions, relatives belonging to the same home, and they would grow up together and protect this home together in the future. If he were to coldly refuse them outright, it would be too heartless and would betray the values his mother had always taught him: "be open-minded and grateful."

Moreover, they were only three-year-old children. Even if he taught them the most basic methods, they wouldn't be able to discern the true depth of them.

Who would believe that a three-year-old child could produce a complete, top-tier Cultivation Technique passed down for a thousand years? They would at most think it was just a little method for physical fitness that he had figured out himself.

As for the core techniques, he simply wouldn't mention them.

Alternative weighed the pros and cons in his heart for a long time before finally looking up at the three of them and nodding slightly, his tone remaining steady: "I can teach you some methods I've figured out myself; whether you can learn them depends entirely on you."

The three children's eyes lit up instantly, and they nodded repeatedly like three chicks pecking at rice, promising in unison: "We will definitely study hard! We absolutely won't tell anyone else!"

Seeing their excitement, the conflict in Alternative's heart eased slightly. He led the three of them to the open space under the corridor and first taught them the most basic introductory breathing method of the Mysterious Heaven Skill—only teaching the most superficial breathing technique. He told them how to follow their breath to feel that faint, warm energy between heaven and earth, and how to let this energy circulate simply within their bodies. He made absolutely no mention of the circulation of Qi through the body's meridians, nor did he mention the words "Mysterious Heaven Skill," only calling it a "little method for practicing Qi."

Next, he taught them the most basic balance footwork of the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, teaching only the basic techniques of how to land their feet, how to adjust their center of gravity, and how to maneuver within a small space. He did not teach those intricate evasion or tracking footwork techniques, only calling it a "little trick for training footwork."

Finally, he only told Oupai to focus his mind and calm his Spirit while facing the rising sun every day at the hour of Yin, following the sun with his eyes without blinking or letting his focus wander, which could train his eyesight. He made absolutely no mention of the operating method for the Purple Demon Eye.

In less than an hour, Alternative stopped and looked at the three of them, saying: "That's all. Practice these first; once you've mastered them, we can talk about what comes next."

The three transmigrators knew clearly in their hearts that Alternative had held back; he hadn't taught them the true core techniques at all.

But they didn't care at all; in fact, they were already overjoyed.

They hadn't expected to get the complete Tang Sect secret arts all at once; being able to get these most basic introductory methods was already a huge surprise.

You have to know, this was the Foundation of Tang San's survival in the original work, a Cultivation Technique that even a God King would still need to practice. Even if it was just the most superficial breathing method, it was still several times stronger than the basic methods of ordinary Spirit Masters on Douluo Continent, enough for them to lay the most solid Foundation before their Spirit Awakening.

Having something is better than having nothing. Anyway, there was a long life ahead, and they had plenty of time to slowly grind it out.

There wasn't a hint of dissatisfaction on the three faces; instead, they were full of gratitude and thanked Alternative repeatedly.

"Thank you so much, Alternative!" Gui Mengguan smiled until his eyes curved. "I'll practice hard when I go back! How about we all come here to practice together every morning from now on? We'll supervise each other, and no one is allowed to slack off!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Qiangu Jue immediately agreed. "From now on, the four of us will practice together and get stronger together!"

Oupai also nodded vigorously: "If you have anything you need help with in the future, we'll help you too! We are the best partners!"

Alternative looked at the three sincere children, nodded slightly, and didn't say anything more, simply picking up the book he had placed to the side.

But he couldn't help but have new thoughts arise in his heart—Mother and Spirit Hall had given him the best of everything and were cultivating him as a future core member. He didn't want to fail this kindness, nor did he want to fail his mother's expectations.

But rebuilding the Tang Sect was his obsession across two lives.

He couldn't possibly set up a separate Tang Sect department within the home of Spirit Hall, could he?

He shook his head, suppressing this absurd thought.

There is plenty of time in the future; it's too early to think about these things now. The most pressing matter is to improve his own strength first. When his Spirit awakens at age six, he must not fail his mother's expectations and must accumulate enough confidence for what he wants to do in the future.

The setting sun gradually slanted westward, and the golden afterglow stretched the four small figures long.

"How about this: from now on, I am the eldest. Gui Gui, you are the second. Alternative, your name happens to be 'San', so you are the third. Oupai, you are the fourth."

Qiangu Jue proposed, and Gui Mengguan indicated he had no objections; this was also a step in building a bond, after all.

"I have no objections."

Naturally, Alternative had no objections either. Since his name contained the character "San," wasn't he naturally destined to be ranked third?

"I also have no objections."

"Why do I have to be ranked fourth?"

Oupai was stunned; having to be ranked behind that little brat, even though this little brat wasn't the one from the original work who had been corrupted.

"Who told you to be a year or two younger than the rest of us? Just be a good little brother." Gui Mengguan smiled.

...