Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Fierce Bull Force
The morning training clapper sounded, and Liang Cheng was already standing firm in the front courtyard. The moment he assumed the Mixed Element Stance, Zhou Hu’s gaze swept over him.
"Lower your stance!" Zhou Hu barked.
Liang Cheng adjusted as instructed, and the burning ache in his thighs intensified. He gritted his teeth and held the position while, deep in his consciousness, the Mayfly Mark glowed with a faint, flowing light.
When the two hours of Posture Stance training ended, the other boys began to sway and stumble. Liang Cheng, though drenched in sweat, still hadn’t collapsed. He walked step by step to the water vat and ladled himself some water.
"Just for show."
The resentful comment came from beside him. It was Zhao Yuan, the young master of the grain shop. His Root Bone was good, making him one of the standouts in this batch of disciples.
Liang Cheng acted as if he hadn’t heard, slowly drinking his water. He looked at the small characters that had appeared deep within his consciousness:
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (2/100)]
’A little faster than I expected.’
’I have to keep going!’
...
「Five days later.」
"Assume the stance!"
Zhou Hu commanded.
Liang Cheng settled into the Mixed Element Stance. His soles pressed against the ground, his focus sinking downward. In just three to five breaths, that stable feeling of "taking root" naturally emerged.
The warmth from the old injuries in his waist and knees merged, pulsing faintly with each breath.
Two hours later, when he finished his practice, Liang Cheng slowly exhaled, his eyes shining.
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (11/100)]
Though his progress was slow, every step was incredibly solid. He could feel his old injuries gradually healing.
For the past few days, he had been in the front courtyard practicing his Posture Stance even before 3:00 AM. For others, this training was a grueling ordeal, but for him, it was a process of meticulous refinement.
This visible daily progress made his enthusiasm grow even stronger.
Another seven days of morning Posture Stance training passed.
As Zhou Hu made his rounds, his gaze would occasionally sweep over Liang Cheng. The boy’s clothes were soaked with sweat, yet his form was as steady as a reef. His breathing was long and even, and he was already beginning to exude an aura of being as immovable as a mountain.
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (23/100)]
"End of practice."
At Zhou Hu’s command, several of the boys collapsed to the ground, panting. Liang Cheng, however, simply relaxed his stance and stood up, his breathing barely disturbed.
This time, Zhou Hu called Liang Cheng over to personally assess him. Zhao Yuan glanced over and snorted. He had been taught the Fierce Bull Force seven days prior and was already performing the forms quite skillfully. He considered himself to have left Liang Cheng far behind.
’Senior Brother Zhou is just too soft,’ Zhao Yuan thought. ’I’m the one who’s actually worth training. That pauper probably can’t even afford next month’s tuition.’
Another seven days passed.
Liang Cheng’s progress continued, even accelerating.
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (42/100)]
After morning training that day, Zhou Hu called Liang Cheng and two other disciples with solid Pile Skills to the front. Nearby, Zhao Yuan and the first group of five were sparring with the Fierce Bull Force.
"Your Pile Skill foundations are now solid," Zhou Hu said to Liang Cheng and the other two. "Starting today, I will teach you the basic forms of the Fierce Bull Force. Watch carefully."
He took a stance and demonstrated the first three moves of the Fierce Bull Force. His movements were steady and powerful, his waist and stance perfectly coordinated. His punches stirred the air.
"The Fierce Bull Force emphasizes a single principle: integration. Power rises from the ground, passes through the waist, channels through the back, and reaches the edge of your fist. Your form must be integrated, and your Power even more so!"
Zhou Hu explained as he slowed down, breaking the movements apart.
Liang Cheng watched without blinking, memorizing every move and form. He committed everything to memory, combining the visuals with Zhou Hu’s explanation. When the demonstration was over, Zhou Hu told them to practice on their own.
Over on Zhao Yuan’s side, his punches whistled through the air, drawing a few cheers. After finishing his set, he glanced toward Liang Cheng and saw him slowly assume a stance, his movements still clumsy. The transition between his waist and hips was particularly stiff, and Zhao Yuan couldn’t help but sneer.
Li Mao, standing beside him, took the cue and called out, "Liang Cheng, your punches are so weak! You’re nowhere near as good as Senior Brother Zhao. Guess starting seven days late really holds you back."
A few of the other boys laughed along.
Liang Cheng paid them no mind, completely focused on the flow of Power within his body. He was trying to integrate the "substantial" quality gained from his Posture Stance with the new forms.
Aided by the Mayfly Mark, he could clearly perceive where his waist injury was obstructing the generation of force and was attempting to adjust the angle of his power exertion.
Once, twice...
He made constant micro-adjustments as beads of sweat rolled down his face.
"Focus on your own training!"
Zhou Hu’s low shout cut through the air, and Li Mao and the others immediately fell silent.
During the afternoon sparring corrections, Zhou Hu lingered by Liang Cheng’s side for a moment. He reached out and tapped a few spots on Liang Cheng’s waist, hips, shoulders, and back, injecting a skillful burst of Power to guide him.
"Where the mind goes, the qi follows; where the qi goes, the force follows. Your waist injury hasn’t fully healed, so you can’t force your power to flow through. You need to find the openings and follow its natural path."
"Yes, Senior Brother," Liang Cheng replied.
Aided by this guidance, he felt a rush of warmth in the small of his back. A joint that had been stuck suddenly cleared. He threw a punch, and the sound it made slicing through the air was instantly different.
[Fierce Bull Force: Beginner Level (1/200)]
A flash of surprise crossed Zhou Hu’s eyes.
’This Liang Cheng... he just started learning the Fierce Bull Force, and he has old injuries to boot. How did he get the hang of it so quickly?’
He nodded, then walked over to the other students to continue his instruction.
After practice ended that evening, Liang Cheng stayed behind in a corner of the courtyard for extra training, as was his custom.
Under the moonlight, he practiced the Fierce Bull Force, move by move. He wasn’t fast, but he was exceptionally steady. He experimented repeatedly with the path of Power Zhou Hu had shown him earlier, embedding the feeling into his muscle memory.
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (44/100)]
[Fierce Bull Force: Beginner Level (2/200)]
He finished his form and stood still, gently exhaling. He felt the increasingly smooth flow of his Qi Blood and the distinctly greater strength in his waist and legs. His heart grew calm, and he felt no arrogance.
’The road ahead is long and arduous. I must continue to train hard!’
...
「Night.」
Yang Wei sat in the Grandmaster’s Chair, resting with his eyes closed. Zhou Hu came before him and began to quietly report on the progress of the new batch of disciples.
"Zhao Yuan has the best Root Bone. He is strong and learns the forms quickly. His Fierce Bull Force has reached about fifty percent mastery. However, he is arrogant and lacks patience."
Yang Wei grunted. "A common ailment for the sons of rich families. And?"
"Li Mao, Wang Hai, and a few others are of average talent. They’re progressing as expected, with nothing out of the ordinary." Zhou Hu paused. "But as for Liang Cheng... I’m not quite sure what to make of him."
Hearing this, Yang Wei opened his eyes. "The dock boy with the damaged Root Bone?"
"The very same." Zhou Hu’s tone grew serious. "This boy’s comprehension is excellent. What’s even rarer is his steady mind and willingness to put in the hard work. His progress on the Mixed Element Stance is good. And though he started the Fierce Bull Force late, his Power flows correctly, and his improvement is plain to see."
"Oh?" Yang Wei sat up a little straighter. "The damage to his Root Bone doesn’t affect his Cultivation?"
"It still has an effect, but his comprehension is exceptional," Zhou Hu said, recalling the way Liang Cheng practiced his forms. "And he’s incredibly diligent. He stays the latest every day to do extra training."
Yang Wei’s fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. "What’s your assessment?"
Zhou Hu considered for a moment. "His Root Bone is certainly a weakness. In the long run, it will limit the upper ceiling of his Realm. But given the comprehension and temperament he has shown, I believe he could reach the Peak of the Bright Force Realm. He might even have a chance at breaking through to the Dark Force Realm. He’s a promising talent."
Yang Wei nodded. "Since he’s a promising talent, put some extra effort into guiding him. However, rules are rules. He must pay his tuition in full, not a single coin short. But when it comes to guidance on his Cultivation, don’t hold anything back."
"This Disciple understands."
"Also," Yang Wei added, "discipline Zhao Yuan a bit. Don’t let him waste his talent. Temper his character."
"Yes."
As Zhou Hu exited the Main Hall, the sky had already grown dark. From a corner of the front courtyard, he could still hear the rhythmic sound of punches slicing through the air.
Liang Cheng was still doing extra practice on his Fierce Bull Force, sweat pouring down like rain.
He watched from a distance for a while, then turned and left without disturbing him.
