Half an hour after finishing archery practice, the sun had already risen.
"Ning, I'm going to teach you footwork," Yuchi Xue said, smiling at her son, draped in her white fur robe.
"Yes," Ji Ning replied.
Although he felt sore from archery practice earlier, due to his cultivation of the *Chi Ming Nine Heavens Diagram*, his body recovered astonishingly quickly, and now he was full of energy and ready for more.
"In close combat, footwork is just as important as swordplay!" Yuchi Xue said seriously. "When two opponents are fighting, the one with superior footwork can dodge and move with agility, making it difficult for the opponent to land a hit, while you can strike with ease."
Ji Ning nodded, understanding well.
Close combat isn't simply a matter of exchanging blows; it's more like a game of shadows where both fighters constantly shift and adjust their positions. In his previous life, Ji Ning had seen how critical footwork was in sports like boxing and martial arts. The top fighters always emphasized footwork — the more refined the footwork, the harder it was for an opponent to land a punch. Even if they did hit, it was much less effective due to the loss of power.
Footwork, in some cases, was even more important than the strike itself! During the time he was bedridden in his previous life, Ji Ning had become an avid spectator of various sports, so he understood how important footwork was in disciplines like boxing and martial arts.
In this world of gods and demons, the same principles likely applied.
Footwork was of the utmost importance.
"I'm going to teach you a technique called *Wind Shadow Steps*," Yuchi Xue said. "Don't be deceived by the plain name; this is a profound method. In the entire Ji Clan, this is considered one of the top footwork techniques, and I am the only one who knows it! Once you master this technique, not only will you learn how to maneuver in tight spaces, but you'll also grasp how to use lightness skill to escape if needed."
"First, study the six basic steps carefully." Yuchi Xue flipped her hand, and a dirt-colored book appeared.
Ji Ning took the book and read it attentively.
The book meticulously described how to perform the six foundational steps of *Wind Shadow Steps*. The footwork involved a precise and intricate use of force.
"Don't overthink it," Yuchi Xue pointed ahead. "Look over there."
Ji Ning turned his head and saw a forest of wooden stakes of various heights and distances apart. They stood tall, with at least a thousand stakes stretching out into the distance. Above these stakes were hanging numerous bags made of animal hide, swaying slightly. There must have been over a thousand of these hanging bags.
"That's called the *Thousand Star Formation*," Yuchi Xue explained. "With the help of this formation, you should be able to reach the second stage of *Wind Shadow Steps* within ten years. Without it, you'd need several times that amount of time."
"*Wind Shadow Steps* has three stages."
"The first is foundational."
"The second is *subtlety*."
"The third is *unity with nature*."
Yuchi Xue looked at Ji Ning. "In fact, all footwork, swordsmanship, knife skills, spear techniques, etc., can be divided into these three stages. The second stage of swordsmanship, for example, is called *man and sword as one*."
"Have you memorized the essence of the six basic steps?" Yuchi Xue asked.
"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.
Yuchi Xue walked toward the *Thousand Star Formation*, pointing to a short stake nearby. "Stand on that stake."
"Yes," Ji Ning replied, stepping easily onto the stake.
Standing on the stake, Ji Ning immediately felt a sense of imbalance. The stake was narrow, just large enough for one foot to stand on. Thanks to his training with the *Chi Ming Nine Heavens Diagram*, his balance was exceptional, allowing him to remain steady.
"Now, listen to my command. When I call out a step, perform it exactly as I instruct," Yuchi Xue said. "Step forward!"
Ji Ning followed the instructions, recalling the techniques from the book, and pushed himself forward. In one swift movement, he stepped onto the next stake, but his shoulder bumped into one of the hanging bags, and he fell to the ground.
"Remember, while moving through the *Thousand Star Formation*, you must not touch any of the hanging bags. If you do, you must start over," Yuchi Xue warned.
Ji Ning gritted his teeth.
Not willing to give up, he climbed back onto the short stake and executed a forward step. This time, he managed to avoid the bag and landed on another stake. However, he was thrown off balance by the force of the step and wobbled for a while, waving his arms wildly before regaining his footing.
"Remember, your footwork must be like nails — each step is like driving a nail. When you land, your foot should be firmly planted," Yuchi Xue instructed. "Each step must be neither too short nor too long. It can't be too light or too heavy. If you wobble like you just did, in a real fight, the enemy would have already exploited your mistake and killed you with one strike. Keep going, step forward!"
"Step forward!"
"Stride!"
"Leap!"
"Retreat!"
"Withdraw!"
"Turn!"
Yuchi Xue continuously called out commands.
While there are many types of basic steps in any footwork technique, such as forward steps and retreating steps, the key is in how they are executed. Different techniques have vastly different levels of intricacy, some allowing practitioners to move as swiftly as lightning, while others make them drift like the wind or vanish like ghosts.
The essence of footwork varies greatly, and so does its execution.
"Bang!" Ji Ning missed a deep enough squat, causing his back to brush against a bag, and he fell again.
Without saying a word, Ji Ning climbed back onto the stakes and continued practicing.
"Bang!" His knee didn't bend enough.
"Bang!" His step was too heavy.
Ji Ning's small figure could be seen darting through the maze of stakes, practicing the six basic steps relentlessly. The hanging bags forced him to adopt all kinds of strange postures to avoid them, yet no matter the pose, his balance and footwork had to remain steady!
"Mother, how long do I have to practice this?" Ji Ning asked, worn out from being repeatedly knocked down.
"Ning, start from the lowest stake, move across all 1,008 stakes, and leap from the highest one without touching a single bag in between!" Yuchi Xue smiled.
"Do this within ten breaths, and you'll have mastered the first stage of *Wind Shadow Steps*."
Ji Ning was stunned. "What? Ten breaths? That's way too short... I can't even run 1,000 meters in ten breaths!"
"When you complete the first stage of the *Chi Ming Nine Heavens Diagram*, you'll be able to run that distance on flat ground within ten breaths," Yuchi Xue chuckled.
"This…" Ji Ning was astonished.
"In the *Thousand Star Formation*, you must move as if walking on flat ground. Only then can you be said to have reached the first stage, the *foundational* level," Yuchi Xue smiled.
"And the second stage, *subtlety*?" Ji Ning asked eagerly.
Yuchi Xue pushed one of the bags, causing it to collide with another. Soon, all the bags were swinging and knocking into each other in random patterns.
"The second stage, *subtlety*, requires you to move across all 1,008 stakes in ten breaths while all the bags are swinging and colliding. You must avoid them without touching a single one," Yuchi Xue said. "Achieve this, and you'll have reached the second stage."
"That's impossible! With the bags moving like that, there's barely a chance to dodge! You'd need split-second reactions to avoid all of them, let alone land perfectly on each stake!" Ji Ning was overwhelmed by the difficulty.
"That's why I said it will take you ten years to master the *subtlety* stage with the help of the *Thousand Star Formation*," Yuchi Xue said. "From now until lunch, you'll be practicing on these stakes."
"And what about the third stage, *unity with nature*?" Ji Ning couldn't help but ask.
Yuchi Xue smiled at him. "That's something you'll understand when you reach it."
"How strong would someone be at that level? Can you give me a comparison?" Ji Ning pressed on.
"Hmm, if I had to compare… you'd be able to dodge a volley of arrows fired all at once, without being touched," Yuchi Xue said, looking at her son.
"A volley of arrows?" Ji Ning imagined countless arrows filling the sky and somehow dodging every single one. It seemed impossible — how could anyone avoid being hit in such a confined space?
Yuchi Xue smiled. "Don't be discouraged. Most warriors of the clan, even at the peak of the *Post-Heaven* realm, have only reached the *foundational* level in footwork."
"Those in the *Pre-Heaven* realm generally reach the *subtlety* stage."
"Only *Zifu Immortals* usually attain the third stage, *unity with nature*. Of course, there are a few exceptional *Pre-Heaven* practitioners who can also reach that stage… like your father!" Yuchi Xue said.
"My father?" Ji Ning was thrilled.
"Your father's footwork is