I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Chapter 16 Songhe Posture

At the training ground, Chief Instructor Xu was already waiting.

He stood bare-chested, his muscular frame glistening with sweat. In his hands was a long spear, which he was polishing while practicing martial arts. When he saw Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan approach, he gave a shake of his arm, and the spear shot like a swimming dragon, landing precisely on the weapon rack.

"You're here?" He glanced at their faces, a mischievous smile on his own. "What? Got the short end of the stick with the Seventh Young Master, huh?"

Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan: "…"

"They say being a study attendant for the Zhao family is a prestigious job, but this is the sixth time I’ve trained a study attendant for the Seventh Young Master." Chief Instructor Xu's tone carried a hint of sympathy.

Zheng Fa recalled Gao Yuan mentioning that the Seventh Young Master had indeed gone through five previous study attendants. Gao Yuan, standing beside him, looked even more sullen.

"The Seventh Young Master is difficult to please; no study attendant lasts long around him. Yet almost everyone in the Zhao family eagerly takes up this job. Do you know why?" Chief Instructor Xu suddenly changed the topic.

Both Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan looked at him curiously.

"The reason," he said, "is the martial arts I'm about to teach you!"

Chief Instructor Xu continued, "Our Zhao family’s ancestor was a disciple of the Immortal Sect. In fact, every generation has had members who entered the Immortal Sect to cultivate, which is why the Zhao family has enjoyed a thousand years of prestige in the region."

"But immortal techniques are elusive. For us, born of humble origins, Heavenly Favor is something we can only dream of."

Chief Instructor Xu's tone grew somber, but his next words were filled with zeal. "However, the Zhao family possesses more than just Heavenly Favor—we have martial arts that allow us to dominate the mortal realm! With martial arts, we are no longer weaklings! Even if you don’t remain a study attendant, you’ll have a solid foundation to stand tall in life!"

"Take me, for instance. By mastering martial arts and honing my skills, I’ve earned the role of training the Zhao family’s guards, living well with food and drink aplenty. When I travel outside, who doesn’t show me respect?"

His words lit up Gao Yuan’s eyes with excitement. Zheng Fa, however, found the scene strangely familiar—it was almost like watching a modern-day motivational sales pitch. At least, he thought, modern pitches started with creating anxiety, right?

Chief Instructor Xu glanced at the two, a bit puzzled. He was aware of his own lack of eloquence and had spent ages coming up with this “inspirational” speech. Yet the well-born Gao Yuan looked so inspired he was practically howling, while Zheng Fa remained completely unmoved.

After sizing them up, Chief Instructor Xu turned to Gao Yuan and asked, "You’ve trained in martial arts before. Do you know what it takes to learn at a martial arts school in Jingzhou City?"

Gao Yuan thought for a moment before answering, "Usually, you first need to pay an entrance fee—at least twenty taels of silver, I think?"

"And what else?"

"I’ve heard the schools have a rule: three years of training, five years of servitude."

"Exactly!" Chief Instructor Xu clapped his hands loudly. "In those schools, you’re not guaranteed to learn anything of real value, and you still have to serve them for years." ṞαꞐÔ₿Εs̈

"But here, at the Zhao family, Madam has shown great generosity by allowing you, mere study attendants, to learn martial arts! This is an extraordinary kindness!"

Zheng Fa found himself agreeing with this assessment. In this world, being a servant of the Zhao family was seen as a privilege. This was because the Zhao family controlled vast social resources, and even a small share trickling down to their servants provided a better life than that of true commoners.

"What’s more, how could the martial arts taught at those schools compare to the Zhao family’s treasured techniques?"

"Chief Instructor, how do you measure the quality of martial arts?" Gao Yuan asked curiously.

Chief Instructor Xu smiled proudly and explained, "In the Xuanyi Realm, all martial arts ultimately originate from one place—the Immortal Sect!"

"The Immortal Sect?"

"Legend has it that the disciples of the Immortal Sect possess countless mystical abilities, and their techniques are incredibly powerful. But there’s one catch—these techniques require innate talent. Without it, one cannot cultivate immortal techniques. Yet those disciples undoubtedly had friends and family who lacked talent, right?"

"So martial arts were created for them?"

"Not exactly created," Chief Instructor Xu clarified. "In the beginning, martial arts were simplified versions of Immortal Sect techniques—or perhaps incomplete ones. Those without cultivation talent could train in martial arts to gain strength superior to others, though still incomparable to immortal techniques."

Hearing this, Gao Yuan muttered, "I’d still prefer to cultivate."

"Of course, who wouldn’t?" Chief Instructor Xu snorted. "But whether you have cultivation potential is another question. Even in the Zhao family, the Seventh Young Master has a touch of immortal aptitude—yet can he cultivate?"

"The Seventh Young Master? Why not?" Gao Yuan asked, confused.

Chief Instructor Xu slapped his own cheek lightly, clearly annoyed at himself for almost revealing a sensitive matter. "Enough! Let’s move on."

"Martial arts passed down in city schools are remnants of Immortal Sect techniques from declining immortal clans. Over generations, much has been lost, and later inheritors lacked the ability to preserve the techniques’ power."

"But the Zhao family is different. With immortals in every generation, our martial arts have been refined continuously. In terms of sophistication, they even surpass their original versions."

Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan were inclined to believe him, given the Zhao family’s thousand-year reputation.

"Today, I’ll teach you one of our Zhao family’s legacy techniques—a skill called the 'Pine Crane Stance.'" Chief Instructor Xu, perhaps still annoyed at his earlier slip, wasted no more words.

"Watch closely!"

He demonstrated the stance. His feet were staggered, the front foot lightly touching the ground while the toes of the rear foot pressed into the floor, forming an arch inside his shoe. His hands were clenched into loose fists, held slightly close to his body.

The most remarkable part was his upper body. From waist to neck, he bent backward like a bow, resembling a crane singing into the sky.

"Pay attention to my posture! Follow along!" he barked at them. "Root your feet! Your five toes should dig into the ground like claws! But keep your upper body loose!"

Once they mimicked his stance, he added, "Match my breathing! Inhale… exhale!"

As he inhaled, his upper body muscles rippled like rolling wheels until his chest and abdomen swelled into a large ball. When he exhaled, his long, drawn-out breath sounded like a melodious crane’s cry.

Zheng Fa struggled to follow. No matter how he adjusted, the posture felt awkward. Chief Instructor Xu circled him, slapping his back and abdomen repeatedly.

"Arch your back! Not too much!"

"Your stomach! Relax it!"

"Focus on the rhythm of your breathing!"

Gradually, Zheng Fa felt a hint of something—a warmth coursing through his body in tandem with his breaths.

After a while, however, the strain became unbearable, and he couldn’t maintain the posture any longer. Gao Yuan, too, was grimacing in discomfort.

"Chief Instructor, this 'Pine Crane Stance' is so hard!" Gao Yuan complained.

"It’s hard because it’s powerful!"

"How powerful?" Gao Yuan pressed.

Chief Instructor Xu smirked and spread his arms. Suddenly, his burly frame shot up into the air like a bird. For such a heavily muscled man, his movements were astonishingly light and graceful, as though he were gliding on the wind.

When he landed, he had leapt a distance of five or six zhang!

"You… you can fly?" Gao Yuan gaped.

"Fly? Of course not. But with the 'Pine Crane Stance,' you’ll become a master of light-body techniques, unmatched in the mortal realm," Chief Instructor Xu boasted. "Moreover, the 'Pine Crane Stance' originates from a legendary immortal technique said to grant eternal life. If you master it, you might…"

"Eternal life?" Gao Yuan exclaimed excitedly.

"Dream on! At best, it prolongs your years," Chief Instructor Xu retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Then… how long would it take to master this technique?" Gao Yuan asked after a pause.

"Someone like you? Maybe thirty years." Chief Instructor Xu shot him a sideways glance.

"And once I master it, how many extra years can I live?"

"Twenty years, maybe."

"… So I’d lose ten years net?" Gao Yuan, the budding mathematician, remarked critically.

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