My martial arts have no bottlenecks.

Chapter 2 Martial Arts Practice

Before dawn, Liang Cheng went out with a bag of coarse flour cakes in his pocket.

The signboard of Yangwei Martial Arts School is black with gold lettering, and shouts can be heard constantly in the courtyard as more than a dozen men practice their skills.

A dark-skinned young man approached: "Want to learn some boxing?"

"Yes, senior brother." Liang Cheng cupped his hands in greeting.

The young man led him into the main hall, where the owner, Yang Wei, sat upright in a chair, his gaze sweeping over him as if he could see right through him.

"How old are you? What do you do?"

"Sixteen, moving goods at the dock."

"Do you understand the rules?" Yang Wei's voice was hoarse.

Liang Cheng presented the oilcloth package, and Yang Wei counted it out in front of him: two taels of silver, three hundred and twenty cash.

"The tuition is two taels of silver a month, and the room and board are three hundred and twenty cash. If you want to stay after a month, you will have to pay more."

After Yang Wei finished speaking, he stood up and squeezed Liang Cheng's arms, shoulders, back, and legs with a heavy touch.

"Your bone structure is alright, but you suffered from health problems in your early years, including hidden injuries to your lower back and knees, and your skeletal structure is about 30% damaged." He sat back down, his tone calm. "Think it through. Do you still want to study?"

"I will learn," Liang Cheng answered without hesitation.

"Okay." Yang Wei said to the dark-faced youth, "Zhou Hu, settle him in properly, explain the rules clearly, and you teach him the Hunyuan Stance."

"Yes, Master."

Zhou Hu led Liang Cheng to the dormitory, which was a large communal room, simple but clean.

Zhou Hu succinctly explained the precepts, and concluded by saying, "Junior Brother Liang, your innate talent is predetermined, but the Hunyuan Stance is a foundational skill. If you master it, you can make up for any deficiencies. Since you've already paid, you should focus on it wholeheartedly for the next month."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother," Liang Cheng said earnestly.

He didn't bring any luggage and went straight back to the front yard with Zhou Hu. Seven or eight teenagers who were practicing standing meditation looked over and whispered among themselves when they saw his shabby clothes.

Zhou Hu ignored him and called Liang Cheng aside.

"Watch closely, the Hunyuan stance."

He assumed a stance, his feet firmly planted on the ground, his arms outstretched, as steady as a mountain.

"Feet firmly planted, knees extended, hips relaxed, back straight but not stiff, tongue touching the roof of the mouth, breathing naturally."

Liang Cheng imitated the posture and it worked at first, but after a dozen breaths, his thighs began to tremble and his body leaned forward.

A snicker came from the side.

"Your back is sagging, your shoulders are slumping!" Zhou Hu corrected him, pressing his hand on his back.

Liang Cheng gritted his teeth and adjusted, sweat quickly seeped out, his legs felt like they were filled with lead, and his back felt like it was being pricked by needles.

"There's nothing special about stance training except perseverance. The soreness, numbness, swelling, and pain are all signs of the qi and blood returning to their proper places and the muscles and bones being reshaped," Zhou Hu's voice rang out from the side. "Only by enduring this can you achieve everything that follows."

Liang Cheng stared intently at a paving stone in front of him, sweat streaming into his eyes, stinging and painful, but he didn't blink. All his thoughts were focused on fighting the trembling in his body and the urge to give up.

Just when he felt he was about to give up, deep in his consciousness, the dormant mayfly mark suddenly trembled very slightly.

A sense of clarity, difficult to describe, flooded my mind, as if a layer had been removed from the extreme pain in my body.

He vaguely "saw" that a few subtle errors in his stiff posture were adjusting themselves.

Mayflies are born in the morning and die at dusk, yet even with a breath of life remaining, they dance towards the light.

Though small as dust, aspiring to the clouds, with unyielding self-improvement, one will surely achieve great things.

[Introduction to Hunyuan Zhuang (1/100)]

Following his understanding of the mayfly's mark, Liang Cheng slightly adjusted his posture, relaxed his left hip, gripped the ground with his toes, and the stiffness in his waist and back quietly disappeared.

A strange sense of stability washed over him. His legs were still sore and numb, but his center of gravity was solid, his feet were rooted to the ground, and his head was suspended in mid-air. His entire frame was stable.

Even breathing unconsciously becomes deep and long, in harmony with the subtle tension and relaxation of the body.

Zhou Hu was instructing the other teenagers when he glanced back and saw Liang Cheng, and he paused in his tracks.

This kid...

Just now it was only similar in form, but now it has the spirit of being rooted and established? The innate talent is not good, but the comprehension is so good.

Zhou Hu approached and examined it closely, confirming that it was indeed true. He was surprised, but he did not show it on his face.

Liang Cheng was also immersed in that feeling of connection, and the old injury in his waist and knees was washed away by a slight heat, which made him feel somewhat comfortable.

"That's enough!"

At this moment, Zhou Hu gave an order, and everyone collapsed to the ground. Liang Cheng slowly exhaled, his eyes shining.

I've mastered the Hunyuan stance.

Zhou Hu gave him a deep look: "Tomorrow, as usual."

After saying that, he turned and left, walking faster than usual.

In the corridor of the main hall, Yang Wei was standing there at some point, and Zhou Hu stepped forward and whispered a few words to him.

Yang Wei's gaze swept across the courtyard and landed on Liang Cheng. He said calmly, "Although his physical constitution is damaged, his comprehension is still acceptable. Keep an eye on him."

"Yes."

As evening approached, Liang Cheng asked for leave to go home and collect his belongings. As he walked, he unconsciously used the strength of a stance training exercise, feeling that each step was more stable.

Pushing open the door, Ning San Niang immediately put down her needlework: "Cheng'er, has Master Yang taken you in?"

"I'll take it." Liang Cheng took out the martial arts school's nameplate and smiled. "Mom, I'm an apprentice at the martial arts school now. I'll be eating and living here from now on."

Ning San Niang's eyes reddened, and she repeatedly said yes, then turned around to pack her bedding.

"The restaurant provides meals, but we're worried you might get hungry at night. Remember to get along well with your senior brother and don't be reluctant to leave..." she rambled on as she packed the food.

Just then, a shout came from outside the door, and Da Tou, Er Gou, and San Ya ran in. When they saw his martial arts school number, they were all stunned.

"Brother Cheng! You really joined a martial arts school?" Big Head's eyes lit up.

"Yes, I just went today."

"Let's go, let's go to the beach and talk!"

Er Gou was impatient and grabbed him, pulling him away.

The four people arrived at the rocky beach outside the town. The sun was setting, and the sea was a golden red.

"Tell me quickly, is it true that Master Yang can kill people with his glare?" Big Head couldn't wait.

Liang Cheng recounted what he could say about his experiences at the martial arts school, omitting details about his physical constitution and his progress in stance training.

The three listened intently; the martial arts school seemed like another world to them, so distant.

"Third Sister is really generous this time!" Big Head clicked his tongue. "Two taels of silver... Brother Cheng, you absolutely have to learn from her!"

Sanya asked softly, "Brother Liang Cheng, is the food at the martial arts school particularly good?"

"It should be oilier than usual, after all, martial arts training is very physically demanding," Liang Cheng said.

Big Head slapped his thigh: "Once Brother Cheng finishes his training, let's see who dares to withhold wages when we get back to the docks. Even that old bastard Manager Wang will have to think twice!"

Er Gou got excited too: "Yes, yes, Cheng Ge, study hard! We're counting on you for the future! Let's see who dares to bully us!"

Looking at his companions' eager gazes and facing the sea breeze, Liang Cheng simply gave a soft "hmm".

I won't just study for a month, but I can't say that now; things must be done in secret.

The sea breeze grew cooler, and the setting sun sank into the sea.

"It's time to go back. I have to go to the martial arts school tomorrow morning." Liang Cheng stood up.

The three men saw him to the door and offered him many words of encouragement before leaving.

Inside the house, Ning Sanniang carefully tied up the bundle under the oil lamp and handed it to Liang Cheng: "I don't know how to practice martial arts, but I know that you have to be focused when you do things. Go there and learn well, don't worry about home."

She didn't say "finish the course in a month" at this time, but said "come back after completing the course". Although she disagreed at first, she eventually firmly supported her son.

Hearing this, Liang Cheng felt a warmth in his heart and nodded emphatically: "Mother, don't worry."

He slept soundly that night.

At dawn the next day, when it was pitch black, Liang Cheng shouldered his pack and stepped into the morning mist once again. The lights of fishing boats on the shore indicated that they had already set sail.

Liang Cheng walked with firm steps, and soon the black lacquered gate of the martial arts school came into view.

Liang Cheng lifted his foot and stepped over the threshold.

……