Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

Heishan County, outer courtyard of Sanyangtang.

The old locust tree in the courtyard is lush and leafy, and the rustling of its leaves in the wind dispels the heat of the dog days of summer.

Along the courtyard wall, two rows of weapon racks held swords, spears, and halberds, their cold glints gleaming. On the other side, stone locks of various sizes were stacked, polished to a shine and exuding a sense of antiquity.

Dozens of thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boys stood in neat rows in the courtyard, sweating profusely, their wet clothes clinging to their upright bodies.

They either squatted with their knees bent or stood with their backs straight, their eyes bright and alert. Even with their legs trembling slightly and beads of sweat hitting the ground, not one of them moved.

Among the crowd, Shi Jian, an instructor at Sanyangtang, stood out.

He was eight feet tall, with bulging muscles and piercing eyes. He moved among them with his hands behind his back, his sharp gaze sweeping over them.

Walking to the left, he saw a kind-looking boy with his knees bent too far back and his body leaning forward. Shi Jian immediately pressed down on his lower back to straighten him.

"Standing exercises emphasize 'standing upright like a pine tree and sinking your breath like an abyss,' and the knees should not be bent too deeply or too straight."

Only by squatting halfway can one allow their Qi to sink to the Dantian (lower abdomen).

Shi Jian then adjusted his shoulders and neck, patiently instructing him: "Shoulders relaxed and neck straight. Do not shrug your shoulders or peek your head out, otherwise your Qi and blood will not flow smoothly."

After correcting the simple-minded boy's stance, Shi Jian walked over to a boy with a stiff back and gently tapped his side.

"The waist should be straight but not stiff, neither too loose nor too tight, so that the Qi can flow through the whole body and nourish the limbs and bones."

......

After surveying the group, Shi Jian walked to the front and said in a booming voice, "Remember, stance training is the foundation of all methods, and it is also the only way to nourish qi and blood and temper the body."

These thirty-six forms of the "Three Yang Stance" are the foundation upon which you embark on the path of martial arts. Only through diligent and solid practice can you tread the smooth road of martial arts!

Upon hearing Shi Jian's words, the eyes of the many youths shone even brighter, and their postures became even more upright.

At the southeast corner of the group, Fang Xia lowered his gaze, sweat trickling down his forehead and soaking his temples.

He maintained the Sanyang stance, knees bent in a half-squat, back straight, and remained motionless.

After Shi Jian left, some of the surrounding teenagers had slightly unfocused eyes, while others had their muscles trembling involuntarily.

However, Fang Xia remained as steadfast as a rock, letting the soreness spread through his muscles and bones, his breathing remained steady and long.

Memories of the past eight years flooded her mind, and Fang Xia murmured to herself.

"I awakened my past life memories at the age of five, and eight years have passed since I arrived in this world..."

From vaguely adapting to this world to eagerly anticipating turning thirteen and starting martial arts, I finally joined the Sanyang Hall half a month ago.

With her eyes slightly lowered, Fang Xia recalled what Shi Jian had once said, her tone tinged with emotion.

"No wonder one has to wait until the age of thirteen to learn martial arts. In ordinary families, a child's meridians and acupoints are not fully developed until the age of thirteen."

Learning martial arts too early will only damage one's foundation, leaving hidden injuries and endless troubles in the future.

Fang Xia paused, then frowned slightly as she recalled the secret Shi Jian had mentioned during their casual conversation.

"But the direct descendants of those wealthy and powerful families are different. They use spiritual medicine to nourish their meridians from the womb, and after birth, they are nourished by secret medicines every day."

There are also specialists who provide personalized guidance and conditioning, enabling the body to develop fully two or three years earlier, laying the foundation from the age of eight or nine, and nourishing qi and blood around the age of ten.

That's what true strength and foundation are; we can't compare. We can only take it one step at a time.

As her thoughts drifted home, Fang Xia felt a heaviness in her heart, and her breath hitched slightly.

Although the family had declined and lost its former glory, they still managed to scrape together fifty taels for the tuition...

This amount of money would take an average family of three three to five years to save, even if they didn't eat or drink anything else...

That's enough to buy a decent shop in Heishan County!

I can't let my family down.

Taking a deep breath, Fang Xia focused his mind and circulated the Three Yang Stance Technique, allowing his Qi and blood to flow slowly through his body.

The rustling of locust leaves in the wind filled my ears, and the cold glint of weapons gleamed before my eyes.

This world is not peaceful and stable. There are demons in the mountains and forests that devour people and commit all kinds of evil.

Beyond the mountains and forests, powerful families and gangs occupy the area, exploiting and plundering its resources.

Demons devour people, the strong prey on the weak, only force is fundamental, fists are power, I must become stronger to protect my family.

A surge of heat rose from the bottom of his heart, and Fang Xia's movements of the Thirty-Six Forms of the "Three Yang Stance" became increasingly proficient.

Martial arts is a path of extraordinary transformation; it is said that those who master it live for over a hundred years and touch the realm of immortality…

The hope of reaching the realm of immortality—this is Fang Xia's original intention in pursuing the path of martial arts!

So, when faced with the path to immortality, which human on Earth can remain calm?

However, the path of martial arts is difficult, and for ordinary people to achieve anything in martial arts is as difficult as climbing to the sky!

Let alone touching the path to immortality!

Throughout his life, he remained detached from the profound realm of martial arts, living in a daze, unable to see a glimmer of light.

But Fang Xia is different.

A barely perceptible warmth emanated from between my eyebrows, as if something was awakening.

Upon closer inspection, a point of golden light shimmered.

Immediately, pale gold characters appeared clearly in his mind.

[Destiny: Late bloomer.]

[Attribute: Perseverance will surely lead to success.]

[Introduction to Sanyang Zhuang (86/100)]

.......

Fang Xia's lips twitched slightly.

The destiny of "great talents mature late" would be of no use on Earth.

He'll achieve his "late bloomer" when he's in his seventies or eighties...

Even though he was incredibly wealthy, he had lost all his teeth and had difficulty even eating meat.

Not to mention indulging in sensual pleasures, I have the will but not the ability!

However, this extraordinary and extraordinary world is Fang Xia's greatest asset.

His "late bloomer" destiny may prevent him from achieving instant success.

But as long as Fang Xia remains 'persevering', he will eventually achieve great things later in life.

Fang Xia's gaze fell on the "Introduction to the Three Yang Stance (86/100)" and his eyes showed more certainty.

"At the current pace, with diligent daily practice, the Three Yang Stance can be mastered to a minor level within seven days, nurturing the first wisp of Qi and blood."

My innate talent is only grade C below, which is mediocre. Logically speaking, I shouldn't be able to achieve much.

Although among the dozens of teenagers in the academy, my aptitude, though below Grade C, is not bad.

As she murmured to herself, a slight smile appeared on Fang Xia's lips.

"A disciple with ordinary aptitude of Grade C or below needs at least two or three months of arduous practice to achieve even a minor success in the Three Yang Stance Technique."

I can finish it within a month. That speed is top-notch even among those with the highest level of skill.

"If it weren't for my destiny of 'late bloomers' and my unwavering perseverance, I wouldn't have been able to achieve this!"

.........

Slowly closing her eyes, Fang Xia suppressed all her emotional turmoil and focused her mind entirely on the circulation of qi in her stance training.

With a relaxed back and supple waist, breathing as gentle as water, blood and qi flowed slowly, nourishing every inch of muscles and bones.

Sweat poured down his face, soaking his clothes and dripping from his trouser legs, but it did nothing to shake Fang Xia's resolve.

"There are no shortcuts on the path of martial arts. Those from prominent families have the advantage of a strong foundation, but I rely on my destiny and diligence."

Calm down and practice diligently, make steady progress, accumulate knowledge and experience, and one day...

Just as Fang Xia was completely absorbed in the moment, the pale golden [Three Yang Stance Beginner (86/100)] deep in his consciousness seemed to twitch very slightly.

The setting sun shone through the gaps in the locust tree leaves, landing on Fang Xia's eyelashes.

The faint golden light in her consciousness flickered almost imperceptibly, yet Fang Xia felt a chill run down her spine.

I felt the slow-flowing Qi in my body become even smoother, following the posture of the Three Yang Stance.

The soreness in his legs was still tearing at his bones, but his mind remained steadfast, and he managed to endure it thanks to the resilience brought by his destiny.

Most of the teenagers around him were already at their limit.

Many people's legs were shaking like leaves, and their breathing was heavy and disordered.

Some people secretly straightened up to catch their breath, while others had unfocused eyes and had long lost their initial fierceness.

Fang Xia maintained perfect posture from beginning to end, her back straight as a pine tree, her breathing long and steady, as if she never tired.

This scene happened to be witnessed by Shi Jian, who was returning from his patrol.

Shi Xuan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his gaze lingered on Fang Xia for a few more moments.

He remembered Fang Xia; his natural talent was only below grade C, not exactly a genius.

But this composure and tenacity are the most outstanding among this group of apprentices.

"Standing meditation is not only about physical training, but also about cultivating one's state of mind." Shi Jian nodded to himself, but did not go forward to disturb him.

He could tell that Fang Xia had entered a state of complete absorption in his cultivation, and interrupting him now would only harm him.

Just as Fang Xia was completely absorbed in practicing his stance training, a low shout filled with undisguised joy suddenly broke the tranquility of the outer courtyard.