That evening, the three of them gathered at *Guyue Lou*, a renowned restaurant. Chen Zheng rarely drank, and the only times he had been exposed to alcohol were at his university and graduate school graduation banquets, when he had only consumed a little. His tolerance for alcohol was low—he could barely finish five cans of beer or take more than a few sips of strong liquor.
However, on this occasion, as he had just become a disciple of Huo Yuanjia, he didn't want to embarrass his master. Despite his usual low tolerance, Chen Zheng surprisingly didn't get drunk that night.
"Must be due to some genetic enhancement or something," Chen Zheng thought to himself.
That night, the three of them ate and drank in moderation, without going overboard. They shared many stories, and the atmosphere was warm, but they did not overindulge in alcohol.
The next morning, Chen Zheng woke up at five a.m., a bit earlier than usual.
"You're up!" Huo Yuanjia greeted him when Chen Zheng entered the courtyard. Chen Zheng had thought he was waking up early, but Huo Yuanjia was already practicing his martial arts.
"Master!" Chen Zheng greeted in surprise.
"Good! You got up early," Huo Yuanjia said with satisfaction.
Chen Zheng felt a little embarrassed, replying, "I'm still later than you, Master."
Huo Yuanjia nodded. "From now on, unless you have special circumstances, you need to get up at this time every day. Training in martial arts is grueling work."
"Yes, Master!" Chen Zheng nodded seriously. The night before, he had paid his tuition fee. This time, he had chosen the intermediate-level package, and though his family was no longer wealthy, he still had enough silver to cover the cost.
For Chen Zheng, paying tuition felt like a normal, expected step in the process. Huo Yuanjia had not refused him, as it was a part of the tradition. Chen Zheng now stayed at the Huo family home.
"Your age is a bit on the higher side, but it's not a problem. As long as you practice diligently, you can still master the skills," Huo Yuanjia said as he spoke about his own struggles.
Huo Yuanjia had been physically weak as a child, and both his father and the family physician had forbidden him from learning martial arts, fearing it would be too hard on his body. But Huo Yuanjia was stubborn and secretly trained. Though he didn't speak in detail about those early struggles, Chen Zheng could tell that Huo Yuanjia had suffered much more than other children, considering how low his starting point had been.
Hearing this, Chen Zheng felt a surge of motivation. "If Master could succeed despite such a difficult beginning, I have no reason not to succeed. Besides, I've got the intermediate package advantage!" he thought, feeling encouraged.
"Since you've never practiced martial arts before, your waist, legs, and feet are weak. To begin, you must first learn to stand in the Horse Stance. It's the foundation of the Huo Family Fist," Huo Yuanjia instructed.
"Horse Stance?" Chen Zheng was puzzled. "I can stand like that. Is there something special I need to learn?"
"Try it," Huo Yuanjia said with a knowing smile.
Chen Zheng widened his legs to shoulder width, extended his arms forward, and bent his knees slightly to assume the stance. Huo Yuanjia watched him with a smile, but did not offer any additional instructions.
Chen Zheng stood still, but after about three minutes, his knees began to ache, and his legs started trembling. His calves felt like they were burning.
"Alright, stop. You're doing it wrong," Huo Yuanjia said as he placed a hand on Chen Zheng's shoulder and gently lifted him out of the stance.
Chen Zheng looked at Huo Yuanjia in confusion.
"You're not supposed to just stand there and hold the position like that," Huo Yuanjia explained. "That will only result in muscle strain. The true Horse Stance should be able to 'stand a horse' without relying on external support!"
"'Stand a horse'?" Chen Zheng still didn't understand.
"Have you ever seen someone riding a horse?" Huo Yuanjia asked.
"I've seen it!" Although Chen Zheng had never ridden a horse himself, he had seen it on television.
"To stand the Horse Stance is to mimic the posture of riding a horse. Imagine yourself galloping—your body should rise and fall with the rhythm of the horse. Combine this with breathing techniques, and that's the foundation of Internal Style boxing—'Hunyuan Zhuang'."
Huo Yuanjia then widened his legs and demonstrated the movement. As he performed the stance, his lower body moved up and down rhythmically. Chen Zheng was amazed; if one only focused on Huo Yuanjia's upper body, it really seemed like he was riding a horse without reins.
"While riding a horse, you borrow the power of the horse. It doesn't seem like much, but when you're standing on the ground without that external force, you have to generate your own strength. That's why mastering this stance requires cultivating internal energy and focus," Huo Yuanjia explained.
"Try it," Huo Yuanjia instructed.
"Okay," Chen Zheng replied, mimicking Huo Yuanjia's posture. Huo Yuanjia stood beside him, offering guidance and correction.
"As you squat down, focus the energy in your feet. When you rise, press your toes firmly into the ground. This will activate your calves and, naturally, your knees will straighten. As your knees straighten, your thighs will tighten, then engage your waist and tighten your abdomen. That's the essence of building strength."
"As you descend, relax the toes, loosen the knees, and drop your hips. Your abdomen should expand. As you move between these two states, your weight should shift continuously. If you stay rigid, like you did before, your knees will give out," Huo Yuanjia continued, offering a clear, step-by-step explanation.
Chen Zheng had to concentrate all his energy to perform the movement correctly. Huo Yuanjia occasionally reached out and gently tapped certain areas of Chen Zheng's body to correct his posture. Each tap felt like a small needle prick, instantly bringing the muscles into the right position.
"Remember the feeling of this energy flow, and focus on your breathing. Breathe with my rhythm," Huo Yuanjia said as he gently patted Chen Zheng's back.
After about half an hour of practice, Chen Zheng had mostly grasped the key points. More importantly, he no longer felt the intense pain he had experienced during his initial attempts.
"Now, stand firm and calm your mind. Follow the breathing technique I taught you. Stand for twenty minutes. Don't close your eyes—keep your gaze forward," Huo Yuanjia instructed.
Huo Yuanjia stood behind Chen Zheng, observing his performance. He was satisfied with Chen Zheng's progress. Despite Chen Zheng's older age, his physical condition and talent were promising.
However, Huo Yuanjia also felt a pang of regret. "If he had started three to five years earlier, his potential would have been even greater," Huo Yuanjia thought.
Martial arts couldn't begin too early—bones and bodies needed time to develop. But they couldn't start too late either, or the body would become less pliable. A child could easily perform the "split leg" stance, but for an adult, without prior training, it would be nearly impossible. The same applied to martial arts training.
Still, Huo Yuanjia didn't say anything. He didn't want to discourage Chen Zheng, and there were examples of late bloomers who achieved great success. Perhaps Chen Zheng could be one of them.
For the rest of the day, Chen Zheng practiced in half-hour intervals, standing in the Horse Stance and resting in between. Each cycle of breathing and movement felt like an important step in his journey toward mastery.