The little girl, hopping and skipping while licking a sugar phoenix, ran to listen to a storyteller by the restaurant.
Zhou Ping'an listened briefly, the town hall scholar was talking about the old tale of the Sword Power of Canghai slicing the Five Desires Demon.
The storytelling was fantastical and unrealistic, yet the audience was captivated.
After a while, Zhou Ping'an decided to find a place to have a grand meal.
He would not come out again that night, needing to conserve and gather energy.
Tomorrow morning, he had to learn the Gentle Water Eight Stance Method from the Lin family. He wondered how it compared to the Xingyi Three-body Form.
He hadn't walked far when he saw a middle-aged man in gray clothes carrying a little girl.
The toddler, around three or four years old, had hair like clumps of grass and was extremely thin, looking nowhere near as healthy as the "Tiger Head Hat" he had seen earlier.
"Is Master Wang also out to watch?" Zhou Ping'an remembered this man was incredibly skilled in staff technique, and Tang Lin'er had mentioned that he would soon become an offering, which would presumably end his life of uncertainty and allow him to take better care of his daughter.
"Yes, Brother Zhou, please feel free to do as you wish."
Wang Jizu seemed not too keen on interacting, managing to squeeze out a stiff smile and a polite comment.
However, the little girl on his back did not even glance at the "Sugar Tiger" in her own hand.
In fact, she didn't even look at the sugar figurine stall opposite them.
Poor thing, she probably didn't even recognize the candy, having never seen or tasted it before.
Zhou Ping'an gave the middle-aged man an odd look and handed the Sugar Tiger to the little girl, "Here, try this, it's very sweet."
The little girl's eyes were blank, and she remained silent.
"Aren't you going to thank Uncle Zhou?"
Wang Jizu turned his head and spoke.
The little girl still wasn't speaking.
The middle-aged man took the Sugar Tiger himself, thanked him, and explained, "Her mother passed away early, the little one still doesn't talk much."
"I understand."
Zhou Ping'an smiled and nodded.
After the two parted, he found a restaurant, ordered a dish of meat, and ate until he was round-bellied, then staggered back to the Lin Residence.
...
The next day.
The sky was just turning a light fish-belly white.
Zhou Ping'an got up early, stretched his muscles and bones, hastily washed his face, and headed towards the Martial Arts Ground.
On his way, he saw the house servants and Protectors from the East Cross Courtyard already up.
At the east gate, one by one, more robust men in robust attire streamed in.
These were the Guardian House Servants residing near the Lin Residence.
Tang Lin'er once muttered that he was fortunate to have grabbed a residential spot inside the estate, saving him from renting outside.
Nevertheless, regardless of how near or far they lived, everyone's enthusiasm for learning martial arts was high.
No one wanted to miss out.
...
"Starting today, I'll be teaching the Gentle Water Eight Stances. Those who haven't learned it, step forward."
As if confirming a prophecy.
Indeed, the instructor of the Stance Method at the Martial Arts Ground was Wei Dazui.
At that moment, the big-mouthed Wei, spitting as he spoke, stood with a general's belly in the center of the ground, his presence dominating.
"In five days, we'll have a contest. Those who achieve a Minor Accomplishment in the stance method will receive the transmission of the Chopping Wave Sword Technique.
This is a formidable sword technique capable of conquering enemies; gentlemen, do not miss out."
As he spoke these words, Zhou Ping'an noticed that bear-like big mouth seemed to have glanced his way, his eyes concealing inexplicable meanings.
Recalling some things Tang Lin'er had said about the Gentle Water Stance Method, Zhou Ping'an quietly cursed.
Wei Dazui was truly a petty man.
"This round of new Protectors numbers thirty-eight. Whether you wish to learn or not, no one is forced here.
Those who wish to learn, the Lin family is generous with instruction. Those who do not, just perform your duties well."
After Wei Dazui finished speaking, he took the Broad-back sword off his back, his wrist flicking slightly, making the blade hum.
The fearsome noise was like wolf howls mixed with eagle cries, chilling to the core.
Brandishing his sword, he charged forward and reeled back, spinning and dancing with the blade.
At times, his body nearly touched the ground, at others, he sprang up and straddled...
His movements were agile, resembling a carp leaping through waves, floating and sinking with the tide.
```
The broad blade in his hand whirled up mounds of snow, layer upon layer of knife waves, chopping in every direction.
For a moment, all that could be heard was the intense roar of the blades, slicing through the wind with a shrill hum.
"Can I block that movement technique and sword technique?"
Zhou Ping'an watched, not blinking at all.
Indeed, the opponent didn't need to make it look good, nor did they need any super difficult moves.
The knife moves in his hand were simple and direct, consisting of horizontal slashes, diagonal chops, and sweeping cuts.
If one were to just look at this sword technique, aside from the technique of applying force, there wasn't much that was difficult to learn.
What was formidable was that combined with the Gentle Water Stance Method, Wei Dazui's broad blade strikes were incredibly fierce...
It almost seemed as if the blade could seal all eight directions.
A burst of rapid breathing echoed around.
Zhou Ping'an turned his head and saw the newly appointed Protectors and house servants, all with feverish eyes.
Obviously, they were shocked.
And Tang Lin'er's face was slightly pale.
She obviously realized too.
During the selection, she had only managed a slight advantage by clever maneuvers and underhanded attacks.
If the opponent also had a knife in hand and could fight freely,
she might not even have touched him and would be "chopped" dead on the spot.
"The knife is the Chopping Wave Knife, the stepping technique stance is the Gentle Water Eight Stances, follow me, and let's learn."
Wei Dazui, seeing the expressions of the new members, grinned broadly, his smile almost reaching his ears, indicating his good mood.
He sheathed his blade behind him and carefully demonstrated the Gentle Water Eight Stance Method.
"Pounce, tumble, rush, prostrate, spin, ascend, step, and mount—eight stances flowing smoothly.
First train the fixed stances, then move to flow stances, until the body floats like duckweed on the waves and the mind flows like water west and east…"
"The essence of the Pounce Knife Stance is to seize the fleeting chance of life and death while falling but not yet fallen.
All four limbs move together, the three sections interlocked, grounded on the stance as the root, concentrating power at the front point."
This stance method was even more difficult than Golden Rooster Stands Alone.
Seeing everyone around him struggling and occasionally falling to the ground with nobody able to stand steadily,
Zhou Ping'an also gave it a try, feeling an indescribable discomfort all over.
'It seems, this Gentle Water Eight Stance Method, takes the approach of stimulating the circulation of qi-blood by adopting the most contorted, inhumane body postures, to develop natural bodily instincts.
Once mastery is profoundly achieved and the movements flow together, only then can one execute the blade from any of the eight directions.'
'It's a stance method, a stepping technique, and a movement technique all in one, truly a superior method of building a foundation.'
Thinking of his own training in the Xingyi Three-body Form, Zhou Ping'an fell silent.
He wondered if Master Dong Dong Qingshan hadn't taught him, or maybe he himself did not have the tradition of such stepping techniques and movement techniques…
He even sensed the vigorous flow of qi-blood within Wei Dazui's body who was demonstrating the Eight-Form Method.
No need to guess.
As the stance method varied, so did the flow of his qi-blood.
It seemed to correspond with his breathing too.
…
Afterward, Wei Dazui did not say much more.
He simply observed people getting into the stance, then went forward to point at specific parts of their body, seemingly able to facilitate blood flow.
After his pointing and rubbing of a few crucial parts of the waist, back, shoulders, and hips, those who originally stood crookedly soon stood properly.
"Remember this feeling, the stance is dead but the spirit alive, the qi-blood circulates in an orderly manner through pivotal joints, enhancing strength, reinforcing sinews, and fortifying bones…
Otherwise, standing in a dead stance, not to mention enhancing ability, standing too long may lead to rigidity in the body and damage to joints."
It wasn't clear who these words were meant for.
But Zhou Ping'an knew he was definitely one of them.
Because he noticed that among those standing in stances, basically all had been attended to by Wei Dazui's hands.
Even Tang Lin'er had her shoulders pressed to get the right feel.
Throughout, Dazui had not touched him once.
The implication was clear.
Whether you learn or watch, I just won't instruct you.
To teach you a lesson for kicking my nose.
Hmph…
```