SNT Chapter 5: Taking a Master

This was a courtyard with two sections. The outer courtyard was filled with wooden posts, stone locks, and various weapons like swords, spears, and halberds.

The sound of vigorous shouts filled the air. On the blue brick ground of the outer courtyard, seven or eight bare-chested men were training. Their bronze-colored backs gleamed with oil under the blazing sun, and the dull thuds of stone locks hitting the ground sent numbing vibrations through one's feet.

"Practice properly, all of you! If you want wealth and honor in public, you must suffer in private!"

A man in his fifties wearing a black robe with a goatee was holding a rattan cane and loudly scolding them.

This was Zhou Liang.

Zhang San quickly stepped forward with a smile, "Master Zhou, this is Chen Qing from Mute Bay. He sincerely wants to learn some skills from you."

"A fisherman?"

Zhou Liang glanced at Chen Qing, then asked, "How old are you?"

Chen Qing quickly replied, "Not quite sixteen."

Zhou Liang squeezed his shoulder blades with rough palms that felt like iron sand, then suddenly applied force. Chen Qing grimaced in pain but held back any sound.

"Your bones haven't fully set yet, and your tendons have some flexibility. You can still be trained."

Zhou Liang released his grip, his tone softening slightly.

He then carefully questioned Chen Qing about his family background.

Taking disciples was no small matter, if a disciple caused trouble outside, the master would inevitably be implicated.

Many martial arts instructors had stumbled over this before.

Chen Qing recounted his family background.

"Hmm, your family background is fairly clean."

Zhou Liang nodded slightly, then his tone became serious, "Let me speak plainly, I charge tuition for teaching. If you cannot pay on time, don't blame me for expelling you. Have you thought this through?"

His teaching wasn't charity after all, he had to consider his livelihood.

Zhang San gave Chen Qing a meaningful look, and the latter quickly took out his silver, saying solemnly, "I've thought it through."

"This silver is enough for three months' tuition."

Zhou Liang weighed it and tucked it into his robe, "From today, you'll stay in the courtyard to practice martial arts. As for how much skill you can develop, that depends on your own fortune."

Seeing this, Zhang San breathed a sigh of relief, the matter was settled.

Chen Qing cupped his hands in salute, "This disciple will definitely work hard and practice diligently, not disappointing Master's expectations."

The crucial first step on the martial arts path had finally been taken.

Zhou Liang waved his hand, "Practice some real skills, and making a living won't be difficult."

Poor children learning martial arts mostly just sought a livelihood, truly rising above one's station? That was harder than reaching heaven.

Zhang San said his farewells and left.

Zhou Liang picked up his tea bowl and took a sip, "Sun Shun, show Chen Qing around and explain the courtyard rules."

"Yes!"

A burly, honest-faced man approached.

"I'm Sun Shun, I'll be your third senior brother from now on."

Sun Shun grinned, "Come on, senior brother will show you around."

Sun Shun led Chen Qing around the not-too-large courtyard.

The front yard was the training ground, the back yard was the master's residence, entry only by invitation.

The storehouse, dining hall, and bath house were all present, small but complete.

"We don't have many rules here, but a few are iron laws," Sun Shun said seriously:

"First, before graduating, you cannot use the master's name outside, much less cause trouble."

"Second, whether it's challenging a place, standing guard, or sparring with others, you must first announce yourself and reveal your background."

"Third, only when seeking revenge or challenging a school can you not reveal your background or announce yourself."

"Fourth, respect your master and fellow disciples, strictly forbidden to harm each other!"

Chen Qing stood to the side, memorizing each rule carefully.

"Come, let me get you a practice uniform."

Finally, Sun Shun brought him to the storage room and took out a coarse cloth outfit washed to white, the dense stitches at the sleeves showing it had been mended many times.

Soon after lunch, Zhou Liang strolled over, "For beginners, foundation is most important. These few days, I'll personally guide you."

Chen Qing's heart warmed as he nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Master!"

He was full of curiosity and anticipation about martial arts in this world.

Were they truly as miraculous as the story books from his previous life?

"Before practicing martial arts, you must first understand what true martial arts are."

Zhou Liang brought him to a row of wooden posts and said solemnly, "Martial arts, in professional terms, are called 'performance styles.' Street performers often use so-called 'showy styles,' which are fake stuff. These martial arts emphasize looking good, being spectacular, showing off many techniques."

"Though these moves look impressive, they violate all principles of true martial arts. They can only fool ignorant outsiders and country folk. Authentic 'real styles' can't attract audiences at all."

"Because true martial arts are killing techniques."

Zhou Liang's tone was calm, without the slightest ripple.

But Chen Qing's heart stirred with waves.

Killing techniques!

This was exactly what he wanted to learn.

After all, in this world, learning flowery fists and fancy footwork was useless.

Zhou Liang continued, "The foundation of martial training lies first in cultivating qi and blood. Tempering tendons and bones, stance training and qi circulation are all methods to strengthen qi and blood. When qi and blood reach their peak, only then can you knock on the door of obvious strength."

"Watch carefully."

Zhou Liang suddenly leaped onto the plum blossom posts, his withered frame surprisingly agile as an ape.

He assumed a strange posture: left arm reaching forward like an ape grasping the moon, right fist drawn back like a leopard hiding its claws, legs slightly bent in a sitting-but-not-sitting position, his entire being radiating a tense energy of stillness ready to pounce.

"Through-arm stance work emphasizes the concept of 'ape arms reaching heaven,'" Zhou Liang's voice suddenly became resonant, "Head suspended, tailbone straight, relaxed waist and settled hips like sitting on empty air."

"You try it."

"Yes, Master!"

Chen Qing imitated him and stepped onto the wooden post, immediately feeling dizzy and disoriented.

This seemingly simple posture actually required all the body's muscles to twist tight like hemp rope, fighting against each other.

In less than three breaths, he tumbled down, scraping a bloody mark on his elbow against the blue bricks.

This through-arm stance work wasn't so simple after all!

Chen Qing gasped for breath and asked, "Master, what you just mentioned about qi and blood, breaking through barriers, achieving obvious strength..."

Zhou Liang explained, "Martial training has two processes: accumulation and breaking through barriers."

"Stance training and strength conditioning both cultivate your qi and blood. When qi and blood reach a peak, you can attempt to break through barriers, sublimating your strength. My through-arm boxing, when cultivated to perfection, allows three barrier breakthroughs: obvious strength, hidden strength, and transforming strength."

"Each barrier breakthrough brings earth-shaking changes to a martial artist, but the risk of failure is also great, and it will cause some bodily damage. The later breakthroughs become increasingly difficult."

Hearing this, Chen Qing immediately understood.

Wasn't breaking through barriers just overcoming bottlenecks?

If he wanted to succeed, wouldn't he need to complete the first breakthrough within three months?

Thinking this, he couldn't help asking again, "Master, what's the success rate for the first breakthrough?"

Zhou Liang said flatly, "For ordinary disciples, around twenty to thirty percent. The higher your bone structure, better your aptitude, and more solid your foundation, the higher the success rate."

Hearing this, Chen Qing's heart shook.

The breakthrough success rate was so low?

And this was just the first breakthrough!

Obviously strength, hidden strength, transforming strength clearly required three breakthroughs.

"My through-arm boxing practices stance work internally and striking methods externally. Only when internal and external unite is it true through-arm boxing."

Zhou Liang said plainly, "You start with stance work first. When your qi and blood reach a certain level, I'll teach you through-arm boxing techniques."

"Yes!"

Chen Qing took a deep breath and stepped onto the wooden post again.

Instantly, a sharp, bone-piercing pain exploded from his feet and shot through his entire body like lightning.

He gritted his teeth, veins bulging at his temples, beads of sweat rolling down, yet his body maintained that twisted posture like solid rock, motionless.

Time crawled by in torment.

Chen Qing felt his lungs being seared by a branding iron, each breath carrying a bloody taste, his legs trembling on the wooden post like chaff, yet his toes gripped the post surface tightly, knuckles turning blue-white.

Half an hour passed, his coarse cloth training outfit long since soaked with sweat, clinging stickily to his body.

Just then, a golden light suddenly flashed in his mind:

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed]

[Through-arm Stance Work Beginner (1/1000): Ten practices daily, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

Chen Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered, "Others need to break through barriers to overcome bottlenecks in martial training, but I only need diligent practice to guarantee breakthrough success."

According to Zhou Liang, ordinary people only had about a twenty to thirty percent chance, but Chen Qing was different, as long as he practiced, he would definitely succeed.

This was the extraordinary nature of his fate pattern.

Heaven rewards diligence, success guaranteed.

Chen Qing immediately felt motivated and began practicing diligently.

At midday, when other disciples in the courtyard were resting and chatting in small groups, only he continued repeating the monotonous stance training.

Several fellow disciples came to greet him. He responded briefly, then quickly returned to practice.

In the afternoon, the courtyard was filled with sounds of exerted breathing.

After practicing through-arm boxing two more times, Chen Qing felt his entire body's tendons and bones were falling apart, weak and powerless.

Each step felt like walking on soft cotton, extremely unsteady.

He gasped for breath, sweat sliding down his temples.

Just then, the disciples found sheltered corners to rest, taking out food they'd kept warm against their bodies.

The courtyard temperature had quickly cooled the food.

Chen Qing's gaze swept around, seeing disciples from poor families hunched over, struggling to gnaw at rock-hard cornbread with cold pickled vegetables, each bite seeming difficult.

Those from better families carefully unwrapped oil paper packages containing still-warm wheat cakes, even a few pieces of braised meat with congealed fat.

The faint meaty aroma drifted over in the cold air, making empty stomachs rumble even more.

Chen Qing touched his stomach, a sharp cramping sensation striking, his throat rolling dryly.

"Junior Brother Chen."

Sun Shun hurried over with two snow-white steamed buns still slightly steaming from the steamer, "First day here, didn't bring food, right? Master's orders, in this freezing weather, practice consumes energy, can't have an empty stomach. Starting tomorrow, you'll need to prepare your own."

He pressed the buns into Chen Qing's hands.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Chen Qing's eyes immediately lit up as he eagerly accepted them.

The buns were warm and soft in his hands, with sweet wheat fragrance rising up.

White flour fine grain, in this cold winter, for someone from a fishing family, this was rare warmth and luxury.

"Don't mention it, eat up quickly." Sun Shun waved with a smile and walked away.

Chen Qing held the buns, unable to restrain himself any longer, and bit into one.

The soft, scalding interior with its grain sweetness instantly warmed his mouth.

He practically devoured them, stuffing both buns into his stomach in just a few bites.

Warmth rose from his stomach, dispelling some of the cold brought by exhaustion.

He leaned against the cold corridor pillar for a brief rest. The bodily aches hadn't completely disappeared, but that floating, powerless feeling had lessened considerably.

Seeing most of his fellow disciples still resting or eating in the courtyard, Chen Qing took a deep breath, straightened his back, and returned to the wooden posts.

He knew that with his [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate pattern, he had to put in ten times, a hundred times more effort than others.

Round after round, sweat soon soaked his clothes completely.

Until dusk fell and only he remained in the courtyard.

[Through-arm Stance Work Beginner (10/1000): Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed, ten practices daily, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

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