Becoming a saint begins with the infinite accumulation of destiny.

Soon, the night deepened, and the sky returned to calm.

After staring at it for a moment, Chen Shisheng stopped looking, lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

I was somewhat surprised.

"The world is indeed not as simple as it seems."

Raindrops pattered on the thatched roof like jade beads falling on a drum, producing a series of dull sounds.

Some rainwater dripped through the cracks and fell onto the hard, black mud floor inside the house, forming puddles.

As night deepened, Chen Shisheng lay on the hard wooden plank, listening to the rain, and gradually fell asleep.

The next morning.

Chen Shisheng got up early in the morning to wash up, had breakfast, told his sister-in-law, and then went to the drill ground.

He hadn't gone far when he ran into Zhang Qing on the road.

His dark circles were very pronounced, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept well last night due to excitement.

The two greeted each other and headed off together. After walking along the street for a short while and passing through several alleys, they arrived at the large open space from the previous day.

On the way, Zhang Qing seemed to want to get closer to Chen Shisheng, and took the initiative to talk about the recent situation of the other apprentices.

"Liu Zi and Wang San are still at the clothing shop. I heard from them that Liu Tong has also become a disciple of Young Master Wen..."

"...Liu Ergou filled the vacancy and went to serve at the front..."

At this point, Chen Shisheng lowered his eyelids slightly and remained silent.

Perhaps... Liu Ergou is the true reflection of this world.

Without a family background to rely on, one wrong step could lead to utter ruin.

In this world, the poor want to turn their lives around...

Too difficult! Too difficult!

The drill ground was made of compacted yellow clay, forming a continuous area that covered a very large area.

The outer perimeter is surrounded by blue bricks and black tiles, forming a large circular courtyard. At this moment, two strong men dressed in gray short-sleeved shirts are standing at the gate, their faces solemn, guarding the gate.

Seeing the two men reach the door, one of the burly men stepped forward and shouted sternly:

"Everyone not involved in the affairs of the Wen family compound, leave immediately."

"Brothers, we were selected yesterday..."

Zhang Qing quickly stepped forward to explain, and took out a wooden plaque from his waist, which had his name and place of origin on it, serving as proof of his identity.

Chen Shisheng also took out a wooden plaque and handed it to the two men for inspection.

This wooden plaque was issued yesterday after the selection process, and it bears the exclusive mark of Young Master Wen, which no one dares to counterfeit.

"Then come with me."

After verifying their identities and confirming there were no issues, a man with a long face led them inside.

The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, and two weapon racks were placed on both sides, with knives, spears, clubs, and all kinds of weapons.

Right in the center, facing the courtyard gate, stands a three-story building with high eaves, red tiles, and wooden pillars. On either side of the main hall are two stone lions, each holding a stone ball in its mouth, exuding a majestic air.

The building has a simple and rustic style, but the workmanship is exquisite. It is clean and tidy, and you can tell at a glance that it was recently built. There is still a faint smell of paint in the air.

On the second floor, right in the center of the building, there is a red plaque with black characters that reads "Hall of Gathering Righteousness".

The two followed the horse-faced man inside, and soon they arrived at another large open space behind the three-story building.

"This is it."

The horse-faced man led the way, then turned and left without looking back.

At this moment, there were already quite a few people on the field, both men and women, their faces filled with excitement.

Chen Shisheng also found a corner to stand in, while Zhang Qing looked around with curiosity and excitement in his eyes.

Many more people arrived later, and they all stood in their own places. Some of the people who knew each other quickly formed small groups and had a lively discussion.

Before long, another person arrived, but this person was clearly different from the others. He had an invisible aura of pressure emanating from him, like a wild beast in the mountains, patrolling his territory.

The people who had been whispering just moments before suddenly fell silent, their breathing even slowing down slightly.

The man was dressed in a gray short-sleeved shirt and wore a pair of animal boots made of some kind of fur. He had a broad face and a gruff, powerful voice.

"My name is Zhang Kuang, and I am the master in charge of teaching you martial arts."

He scanned the entire arena with his eyes and slowly walked to the center.

"I wonder who is stronger, this person or Lin Bao?"

Chen Shisheng stood in the crowd, silently comparing things in his mind.

With an arrogant and overbearing expression, he strode confidently toward the crowd and spoke again:

"None of you are here because you're young masters. The master instructed me to teach you martial arts to train skilled fighters. You must devote yourselves fully and not slack off!"

His gaze sharpened, sweeping across left and right. Those he looked at felt as if they were being pricked by needles, making it difficult for them to stand still.

Fortunately, the person stopped talking and began explaining the basics of martial arts.

"Martial arts are divided into external training and internal training. External training involves cultivating muscles, bones, and skin, and honing strength and techniques. Internal training involves cultivating one's breath, nourishing blood, and circulating qi throughout the body."

"The essence of martial arts is strength and vital energy. With great strength, one punch can kill a person."

"Today, I will first teach you the fundamentals of strength training: stance training."

After saying that, Zhang Kuang stepped back a few paces and began to demonstrate.

He stood with his feet parallel, shoulder-width apart, his legs slightly bent, in a posture that was neither sitting nor sitting.

At the same time, he stood upright with his head hanging by a thread, relaxed his waist and hips, and slowly wrapped his arms around his chest with his palms facing inward, as if embracing a full, round ball.

"This is the Primordial Chaos Stance!"

"Copy my moves!"

Zhang Kuang shouted loudly, startling the stunned crowd.

"It is somewhat similar to Tai Chi."

Chen Shisheng silently chanted to himself, mimicking Zhang Kuang's arrogant movements with a practiced air.

The others followed suit, spreading out their ranks and beginning to practice standing meditation.

Afterwards, Zhang Kuang relaxed his stance and wandered among the crowd, correcting everyone's posture one by one, manipulating them as if they were toys.

"Your waist is level with your hips, and your butt is sticking out so high, who are you trying to show it off to?"

"Holding your arms tight and focused, are you trying to hug a woman? Your hands won't stay steady!"

He was serious and corrected everyone from beginning to end.

As time passed, half an incense stick's time had gone by. Some people were already sweating profusely, with large patches of sweat seeping out from their backs. Their legs were trembling, but they gritted their teeth and persevered.

Zhang Kuang shook his head in disappointment. The quality of this group of people was too poor, and their bodies were too weak.

Just then, he glanced up and saw a boy in the first row whose posture was perfect and whose breathing was long and steady. It seemed that he had already mastered the secrets and developed a sense of stance.

The boy had slightly dark skin, was not tall, wore a simple brown linen outfit, and had a resolute gaze.

"What's your name?"

Zhang Kuang walked up to the boy and asked softly.

"Zhu You" (祝由).

The boy's movements remained unchanged, and his tone was calm.

"Very good, you have good talent. Take a rest first."

Zhang Kuang naturally understood the principle that too much of a good thing can be bad, so he patted Zhu You on the shoulder.

Then he told everyone to relax and rest for a while.

The afternoon passed quickly.

It was their first time learning martial arts, and everyone was clearly very enthusiastic. Even though Zhang Kuang dismissed them, many people still stayed in the open space.

Zhang Qing and Chen Shisheng also stood in the corner, silently practicing the Hunyuan stance.

After practicing for a while, Chen Shisheng relaxed his stance, closed his eyes, and silently recalled the key points of his arrogant movements.

With the blessing of "skillful hands," the memories in his mind are like a flashback, which he can browse at will.

"I can always meet the standard by paying attention to every little detail."

Chen Shisheng's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but look at the Zhu You at the very front.

At this moment, Zhu You was surrounded by a group of people asking him about some practice techniques and key points of Hunyuan Zhuang.

They practiced until dusk, when everyone clocked out and went home.

The same thing happened for the next few days.

Everyone practiced Hunyuan Zhuang (a type of standing meditation) all day long to strengthen their body's Qi and blood.

One morning, Chen Shisheng got up early and rushed to the Wen family compound.

As soon as I stepped inside, I saw a person standing in the open space, practicing stance training alone, covered in sweat, working very hard.

It also has large white characters on its head.

[Diligence and hard work (speaking): Heaven rewards diligence; success is inevitable. Endurance and perseverance are also essential.]

After glancing around, Chen Shisheng walked into a small hut on the side of the courtyard. Inside, a fat man was eating breakfast. He glanced at Chen Shisheng and greeted him.

"You're here so early?"