Chapter 9: Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance

"The two of you, come in."

Hong Zhengdao led Zhang Lingshan and Tie Feng through the main hall and into the middle courtyard. "From now on, you will practice your stance training here."

Zhang Lingshan and Tie Feng were both taken aback.

Stance training again?

Hadn't they already mastered the Zhengyang Stance?

Hong Zhengdao explained, "The Zhengyang Stance I taught you before served two purposes: first, to test your character and see if you could persevere; second, to strengthen your bodies and lay the foundation for learning the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance. Little Stone, demonstrate the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance for them."

"Yes!"

Shi Lei immediately began to demonstrate in the middle courtyard.

At this moment, the other registered disciples in the courtyard stopped what they were doing to watch, cherishing the opportunity to observe their senior brother’s technique.

Shi Lei held his head high and chest out, then crouched into a half-squat with his arms rounded, explaining in a loud voice as he moved.

"The Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance is based on the Zhengyang Stance. All the postures and movements are the same, but there is one additional key principle."

"When practicing the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, you must meditate on a large fireball in your chest with every single move, using that fireball to drive the Zhengyang Stance."

"Every move and posture is not performed by your own will, but changes according to the movement of the fireball."

"By disrupting the original order of the eighteen Zhengyang Stance forms in this way, you find the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance that is unique to you."

"In the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, 'Hunyuan' is the intent, and the 'Zhengyang Stance' is the form. This is the method of Form and Intent."

With that, he finished his set and stood at ease.

The other registered disciples quickly praised him: "As expected of Senior Brother Shi! Watching this set has cleared up all my confusion."

"Senior Brother Shi, do it again! We haven't seen enough."

"Just standing here watching Senior Brother Shi practice his stance work every day makes me feel blessed."

"Shut your mouths, all of you!" Hong Zhengdao barked. "Get back to training! If you spent half the effort you use on flattery on your actual training, you would have mastered the Hunyuan Stance long ago."

The crowd quickly scattered and returned to their stance training.

Hong Zhengdao then looked at Zhang Lingshan and asked, "Do you two have any questions about what you don't understand?"

Zhang Lingshan shook his head.

Hong Zhengdao frowned slightly.

How could there be no questions after just learning a new stance technique?

If there were no questions, it meant they hadn't understood it at all!

"What about you?" He looked at Tie Feng.

Tie Feng, reading the room, quickly asked, "Master Hong, with the eighteen forms of the stance changing and being disrupted, I don't quite understand how to transition between some of the lunging and retreating postures."

Hong Zhengdao nodded; this was the reaction of a normal person.

However, he didn't explain. Instead, he asked Zhang Lingshan, "You shook your head just now—was it because you didn't understand, or because you understood everything?"

"Disciple has already understood it."

"Good. Then show me."

Hong Zhengdao laughed, curious to see how much this kid was really worth.

If he didn't understand but was just putting on a show, he would have to be taken down a peg to teach him humility, so he wouldn't get arrogant just because he learned the Zhengyang Stance quickly.

If he did understand, then the boy had extraordinary comprehension and was worth cultivating.

"Yes."

Zhang Lingshan obeyed and immediately walked into the courtyard, beginning to practice the stance slowly.

After all, it was his first time.

Even if he understood it, he had to move slowly to connect the various postures smoothly.

But even though his movements were raw, anyone could see that he truly understood it—he was even more fluid than some of the veteran disciples in the courtyard.

"Good, very good!"

Hong Zhengdao was overjoyed. "Little Stone, I have a task for you. For the time being, don't worry about anything else; just focus on teaching Little Shan the stance. Do not be negligent!"

"Ah? Yes, yes."

Shi Lei was stunned and nodded hurriedly.

He looked at Zhang Lingshan with a complex expression, a mix of envy, jealousy, and a hint of awe.

Because of the importance the master placed on Zhang Lingshan, he was now essentially a servant; if Zhang Lingshan were unhappy and complained to the master, he would surely be severely punished.

To think that just this afternoon, he was the senior brother who could scold and berate the boy.

In the blink of an eye, he had become a servant.

A sense of bitterness welled up in his heart.

But then he thought, this was also a good opportunity to get close to a genius; others would kill for such a chance.

'To think that the shorty actually gets personal instruction.'

Seeing this preferential treatment, Tie Feng’s eyes turned green with envy. It was infuriating how people compared to one another. Even though the shorty was short and ugly, he possessed extraordinary talent.

Damn it!

While everyone was filled with envy and jealousy toward Zhang Lingshan, Zhang Lingshan was silently checking his panel.

Name: Zhang Lingshan Martial Arts: Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance (Entry) Energy: 0

The reason he had no questions and dared to practice in front of Hong Zhengdao was that the panel had given him a prompt as soon as Shi Lei finished teaching.

The original Zhengyang Stance had been upgraded by the panel into the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance.

The difference was that his previous Zhengyang Stance had reached Great Success, while the current Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance was only at the Entry level.

But even at the Entry level, he had already surpassed many people.

Many of the registered disciples standing in the middle courtyard hadn't even reached the Entry level yet.

It was clear that the panel had solved a major problem for him, allowing him to take a step ahead of everyone else.

"Little Shan, I see that you are quite compatible with this Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance of mine. Practice hard; don't let me down."

Hong Zhengdao said earnestly.

Zhang Lingshan nodded heavily and promised, "I will not let Master Hong down!"

"Good. Then follow Shi Lei and practice well."

"Yes."

Watching Hong Zhengdao leave, Zhang Lingshan began practicing the stance with Shi Lei.

He did the practicing, while Shi Lei provided pointers on the side.

Time passed quickly in the grind, and soon it was time for the afternoon meal.

Zhang Lingshan discovered that the food for registered disciples was a grade higher than that of the apprentices, with more meat included.

The treatment really did rise with one's status.

"Junior Brother Shan, let me walk you home."

Shi Lei followed him eagerly.

Zhang Lingshan did not refuse, feeling a thousand emotions in his heart.

The treatment of a genius really was different; he even had a bodyguard.

As an inner disciple under Hong Zhengdao, wearing the Hong Martial Arts Hall uniform, Shi Lei looked much more impressive than he, a mere registered disciple.

Although Shi Lei followed him and gave him plenty of face, everyone else only looked at Shi Lei with awe, assuming Zhang Lingshan was the one tagging along.

'Is this the power of the Hong Martial Arts Hall?'

Zhang Lingshan noticed the looks from the crowd and thought that Hong Zhengdao’s reputation was indeed far-reaching. He wondered when he would reach the level of Hong Zhengdao.

Thinking of this, Zhang Lingshan asked a question that had been bothering him for a long time: "Senior Brother Shi, after practicing this Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, what should I practice next?"

Shi Lei looked troubled. "Junior Brother, the Master hasn't given permission, so I can't tell you that."

"I see. Then, Senior Brother, can you tell me if I count as a martial artist now? Based on my strength, what level would I be considered?"