Chapter 162: Strange
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The woods are still the same. There was no one else here. Zhang Xiaohua’s mentality completely changed as soon as he entered the woods. He stabilized his body and took a deep breath. He began to practice the Misty Steps according to He Tianshu’s teachings, weaving between the trees deftly.
There are many kinds of Movement techniques in the Jianghu. A simple technique uses the method of Body Lightening, which can make the body agile and have superhuman speed. They use special breathing methods and require the circulation of Internal Strength. It is in this way that they tap into the potential of humans.
Zhang Xiaohua already knows the Misty Steps and is quite skilled, but unfortunately, he has not learned the complete set of moves, not to mention the Cultivation Arts to match it, and so, he cannot display even a small fraction of the Movement technique. What he is practising now is still the moves and details that He Tianshu told him last time. He Tianshu’s original Movement techniques are the secrets of the sect and naturally, he cannot teach them to him.
However, merely with this small amount of understanding, Zhang Xiaohua was moving freely in the woods, like a butterfly flying among the flowers. His appearance was very graceful. it was just his slightly rough clothes that tarnished his graceful appearance.
After a moment of practice, Zhang Xiaohua felt a little sad. What he practised could only allow him to move through the gaps in the woods, although it was quick, after all, he couldn't leave the ground, he couldn't jump over fences and climb roofs, which was a big difference from the Movement techniques. How could it satisfy his interest?
Zhang Xiaohua had learnt only till the second-level footwork of the Misty Steps. Although the complete footwork was exceptional, He Tianshu had only taught him a small part of it. Zhang Xiaohua started practising this as soon as he warmed up, but he had a feeling of wanting to stop. After a little thought, he stepped out of the woods and walked towards the courtyard.
He thought while walking, how much Captain He would have understood by this time.
The door of He Tianshu's room was ajar. When Zhang Xiaohua peeped in, he found He Tianshu asleep at his desk, holding some papers in his hand. The room was full of the smell of oil lamps. Presumably, Captain He had not slept last night.
Zhang Xiaohua’s gaze moved to He Tianshu’s hand. He walked soundlessly to the desk and carefully pulled out the several pages held in He Tianshu’s hand.
However, just after Zhang Xiaohua had got the papers, He Tianshu roared: “Who?”
Then, although He Tianshu's eyes hadn't opened yet, his figure turned, and his left hand punched towards Zhang Xiaohua's face. Zhang Xiaohua didn't want to wake He Tianshu, so he was being light-handed, when the loud roar scared him, making him jump in fright. He saw the fist coming towards his face, getting bigger and bigger. He could even feel the wind behind it. Without thinking much, Zhang Xiaohua quickly let go of the pages of the book and quickly backed away, but the fist still pursued him. At this time, Zhang Xiaohua had the opportunity to shout and called out, “Captain He, it's me.”
He Tianshu had missed the punch and was about to take advantage of the situation by bending his arm and following up with a hit by his elbow. Hearing the familiar cries he quickly stopped his momentum. He opened his hazy eyes and said with surprise, “Zhang Xiaohua? Is it you?”
Zhang Xiaohua stood far away, and said embarrassedly, “Of course it’s me, Captain He.”
He Tianshu rubbed his eyes, yawned, and said, “When did you come in? Why didn't I hear any footsteps?”
Zhang Xiaohua walked up and said with a smile, “How can you hear the sound in your sleep?”
He Tianshu frowned and said, “How is it possible? Do you think that the experts are like you, when they sleep, they won't wake up at all? When I sleep, and someone approaches me within 3 chi (0.33m), I can immediately feel it.”
He Tianshu's mouth twitched a few times. He said embarrassedly, “However, I was reading overnight, and I was still reading in the morning, maybe I was too tired.”
Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, and asked in surprise, “Zhang Xiaohua, you evaded my fist just now, did you use the Misty Steps?”
Zhang Xiaohua said happily, “Yeah, Captain He. When you hit me just now, I was also shocked. I didn't know how to avoid it. That’s when I thought of the Misty Steps.”
He Tianshu squinted his eyes in happiness and said enthusiastically, “The Misty Steps really lives up to its name. At your level, you can actually escape my fist. If I say that no one would believe it. Hahaha, I definitely have to understand this Misty Steps to the end.”
Zhang Xiaohua listened, and was also happy and excitedly asked, “Captain He, how far were you able to understand? Hurry up and teach me.”
Hearing this, He Tianshu's smile froze on his face. He said angrily, “Zhang Xiaohua, do you think this is Arhat Fists? This is one of the three Divine Cultivation Arts of the Misty Faction. Learning it completely in a few days, and then teaching it to you, is unlikely. You know how to eat ready-made food, why don’t you see it for yourself, how difficult is this method? I have been looking at this since yesterday, but I have not been able to understand much.”
Then he gave Zhang Xiaohua the pages in his hand, but then took them back, saying, “I am not finished with these yet, cannot give them to you.”
Then, pointing to some pages on the bed said, “That one over there, read it for yourself.”
Why would Zhang Xiaohua want to see it for himself? He liked it when He Tianshu taught him, but at this moment He Tianshu was a little angry, so he walked over and took the page in his hand and watching it pretendingly said, “Okay, Captain He, I will also read it, let's read together.”
He Tianshu snorted and mumbled, “How’s that any different. That will also be my hard work.”
Zhang Xiaohua said with a smile, “Well, I will learn from Captain He and pay tribute to Captain He.”
The pages are covered with dense and numerous footprints, some inexplicable numbers, and some characters in small print next to them. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t make any sense of it, what could he do? He Tianshu looked at his embarrassed face, and he was very happy, said, “Look at the words first, and then according to the explanation, look at the footprints. The numbers represent the order in which you have to look at the footprints.”
Zhang Xiaohua listened and looked at it slowly. He still didn't understand it very much at first, but when he combined the explanation with the footprints, slowly, he understood that this was actually the Second Layer which He Tianshu had demonstrated earlier.
Zhang Xiaohua looked at it, and a small figure appeared in his mind. The small figure was performing the moves according to the records on the page and Zhang Xiaohua's understanding. After Zhang Xiaohua had read the book pages, the figure also completed the demonstration, almost the same as He Tianshu, but there were a few differences. These differences were not in the footwork but in the shape of the body. Zhang Xiaohua didn’t understand whether this was due to his own misunderstanding or something else.
So, Zhang Xiaohua raised his head and said, “Captain He.”
He Tianshu squinted his eyes, frowning. It was a critical moment of enlightenment for him. Hearing Zhang Xiaohua call him, he could not help but tighten his eyebrows, impatiently saying, “What is it?”
Zhang Xiaohua wanted to ask, “Did you teach it differently than what I understood?”
But seeing He Tianshu’s impatience, he swallowed his words and only stuttered, “I have already learned this.”
He Tianshu said, “Look at it again after learning. There’s a saying, new things are learned based on old things. That’s the real way to learn.”
Then he took the pages from Zhang Xiaohua, and after reading it carefully, said to himself, “I was really wrong. This kid can understand it.”
Looking at Zhang Xiaohua with some surprise, he took two sheets of paper from one end of the desk, took a closer look, and handed them to Zhang Xiaohua, saying, “This is the Third Layer of Misty Steps, you can take it and see. Now, go back to your house. I want to read alone.”
Zhang Xiaohua took it, preparing to turn around.
He Tianshu said with amusement, “If you can understand something, don't forget to tell me.”
Zhang Xiaohua smiled hehe, closed the door, and returned to his hut.
He Tianshu shook his head, and said to himself, behind his back, “This kid is really anxious. If you are not a homeowner, you don't know how expensive salt and rice is. This cannot be understood in just a few days. Just learn for yourself how difficult it is.”
Zhang Xiaohua returned to the hut and did not waste time. Sitting on the bed, he looked at the book pages in his hand. He saw that the page only contained a few words, the Vertical Law. Zhang Xiaohua was excited, wasn’t this a Body Lightening Cultivation Art that he wanted. As the saying goes, you looked high and low till your iron shoes were worn out but still to no avail. Then you chanced upon it without ever looking.
Suppressing his excitement, Zhang Xiaohua read it carefully, studying the text and comparing the pictures. After reading it carefully, Zhang Xiaohua felt as if a bucket of cold water was thrown on his enthusiasm. The foundation of the Vertical Law was Internal force. It was precisely the way of manipulating the internal force, and he had no internal force. Wasn’t there a big problem in learning this law?
Zhang Xiaohua was very disappointed and threw the two sheets of paper on the table, and ground his teeth in frustration. He thought that the core of Martial Arts is the Internal Force, Movement techniques, advanced Fist skills, Sword skills, everything requires Internal Force. He should practise the Serene Heart Sutra first.
When he stood up and picked up the pages of the book, he remembered that there were two pages in the Third Layer of Misty Steps, and he had not read the second page yet. He did not have much hope, he couldn’t even practice the first page, would the second page be any better?
The second page had the Technique of Levitation.
Levitation? Zhang Xiaohua stared, what does this mean? Next, Zhang Xiaohua slapped his forehead and smiled. The first page talked about vertical, this second page must be the continuation of the first page. However, Movement techniques wouldn’t make anyone float. Zhang Xiaohua didn't believe it, but since it was written like this, there should be some truth to it.
Zhang Xiaohua took it for granted.
However, after Zhang Xiaohua's careful study, he found that he had considered somethings wrongly. This Levitation Technique was not a follow-up to the Vertical Law, but another kind of Movement technique, similar to the Vertical law. The difference was that the Vertical Law talked about how to circulate the qi in the meridians to achieve the effect of a lighter body, while the technique of Levitation talks about how to release the qi in the meridians to achieve the floating effect.
However, no matter what technique it is, if it needs Internal force, he cannot learn it now. There are many details in the pages but Zhang Xiaohua's insights are like the moon in the water, visible but out of reach.
Only then did Zhang Xiaohua understand what Zhang Chengyue, the eldest disciple of the Misty Faction, had said when he handed him Misty Steps. He had told him that the first three layers didn’t have high requirements regarding Internal force. The first two layers didn’t need Internal force. The third layer was the first one to use internal force. Presumably, the following several layers would also use Internal force.
Zhang Xiaohua originally wanted to return these two pages to He Tianshu but thought that he must still be racking his brains to understand the footwork at this moment. He didn’t want to disturb him. Moreover, maybe He Tianshu won’t teach him these techniques at this time, but he might do it in the future when he has solved his problem of disappearing qi. Could he be lucky? He thought that he should still take advantage of this opportunity to take a good look at the two techniques first.
Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaohua sat down and with a calm mind, concentrated on understanding the two skills.
After a whole afternoon, Zhang Xiaohua came out of his hut.
Zhang Xiaohua’s face had no joy, but instead puzzlement. After a whole afternoon of enlightenment, he basically remembered these two exercises. He was quite confident that if he had Internal force, he could have displayed the two skills.
The reason for his puzzlement then was that in the first skill of the Third Layer he couldn’t get a clear picture in his mind, although he was confident that he had understood it. However, the Levitation Technique was clearly shown in his mind.
Why was this?
Since it was the first method of the two, Zhang Xiaohua spent more energy on it and went over it three times. Until he confirmed that he had learned it, he didn’t begin to read the second technique. But his understanding of the Levitation technique was far beyond his expectations. Maybe it was because he had just read the first skill, that learning the second technique was so smooth. A clear figure emerged in his mind.
From this figure, Zhang Xiaohua could clearly see how the qi was released and manipulated in the meridians. Only then did Zhang Xiaohua think that he hadn’t seen this figure for the Vertical technique, so he looked again at the Vertical technique, but, no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t form the picture in his mind. Outside as the sky went dark, Zhang Xiaohua decided to give up helplessly.
Zhang Xiaohua thought that there must be some mistakes in his understanding of the Vertical Technique.
Even while having dinner, Zhang Xiaohua was full of thoughts, and he didn't notice the respectful gazes from the direction of the other dinner tables. He didn’t seem to have a large appetite today. Zhang Xiaohua used to come to eat after practising his exercises, and he was still in the stages of growing up. For every meal, he was the first one to come, and the last one to go for which he was often ridiculed by the young male servants.
But today, Zhang Xiaohua had obviously eaten less than before, which seemed a little abnormal. After all, practising martial arts is very tiring.
What could be troubling him?
Did he see a ghost?
What could make a youngster like him worry?
Homesickness?
The young servants discussed endlessly in whispers, having found a new topic.
Zhang Xiaohua turned a deaf ear to it. He ate mechanically, took a few more bites and hurried out.
The servants could only make jokes behind his back.
After leaving the small courtyard, Zhang Xiaohua did not go to the woods and went directly back to the grass shed of the Medicine field. When passing by other medicine fields, Zhang Xiaohua paid special attention to it and found that there were grass sheds on the boundary of every field.
It seems that the other servants were really trying hard to show off.
At night, Zhang Xiaohua was practising in the grass shed, using his imagination to feel the qi circulating in his meridians, when he suddenly had a new idea. Since he was using the method of imagination to learn the Serene Heart Sutra, then, why couldn’t he practice the Movement techniques by the same method?
He had knowledge of two kinds of internal exercises. Why didn’t he get this idea earlier? However, practising the Levitation technique may not be possible in this way, if one did not have Internal force how could one manipulate it and show its effects?
Thinking about it, Zhang Xiaohua fell asleep in the dim night, his breathing adjusted to the particular frequency, outside star power was immediately attracted, the heaven and earth vitality were also attracted to his body. Everything felt so harmonious.
The next day was quite a sunny day. Zhang Xiaohua just practised boxing and sword arts by the grass shed. Since he needed to water the Medicine Field, Zhang Xiaohua did not have time to practice his ideas about the Movement techniques last night.
The Medicine Field was still the same, the weeds were still less. Zhang Xiaohua didn't have much work to do. If the weeds continued to grow in such small quantities, perhaps after a month or two, weeds would not grow in the field.
Later in the day, Zhang Xiaohua was watering the field, when he heard someone calling him. When he looked up, it was Qiu Tong.
Zhang Xiaohua hurried over and asked with a smile, “Elder Sister Qiu Tong, why did you come here suddenly? It's such a hot day, you must not tan your skin.”
Qiu Tong said, “Isn’t it because of your business, that I had to come here.”
Zhang Xiaohua asked in surprise, “What's the matter, Elder Sister Qiu Tong.”
Qiu Tong looked at him and said with a smile, “Haven’t you already guessed it?”
Immediately, Zhang Xiaohua came to understand it and tentatively said, “Is it the matter of the Misty faction’s Martial Arts Competition?”
Qiu Tong clapped her hands and praised, “Yes, Zhang Xiaohua, that's it. Young Lady asked me to tell you that she has signed you up, and she will let someone inform you on that day.”
Thanks for the chapter :)
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