"You two, come in."
Hong Zhengdao led Zhang Lingshan and Tie Feng through the main hall to the central courtyard and said, "From now on, you will practice stance training here."
Zhang Lingshan and Tie Feng were both startled.
More stance training?
Hadn't the Zhengyang Stance already been mastered?
Hong Zhengdao explained, "The Zhengyang Stance I taught you before was, firstly, to test your character and see if you could persevere; secondly, to strengthen your bodies and lay the foundation for your current study of the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance. Little Stone, first demonstrate the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance for them."
"Yes!"
Shi Lei quickly began demonstrating in the central courtyard.
At this time, the other registered Disciples in the central courtyard also stopped to watch, cherishing this opportunity to observe Senior Brother's practice.
Shi Lei stood tall with chest out, then half-squatted and held his arms in a circle, explaining loudly as he performed the stance.
"The Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance is based on the Zhengyang Stance. The postures and movements of all the stances are the same, but there is an additional key point."
"When practicing the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, with every Move and every stance, you must meditate in your heart that you are holding a large fireball, and use the fireball to propel the Zhengyang Stance."
"Every Move and every stance is not spontaneous, but changes according to the variation of the fireball."
"In this way, you disrupt the previous eighteen-stance sequence of the Zhengyang Stance and find your own unique Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance."
"The Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, with Hunyuan as the intent and Zhengyang Stance as the form, this is the method of Form-Intent."
With that, he finished his demonstration.
The registered Disciples quickly praised, "As expected of Senior Brother Shi, after finishing this set, it has enlightened me."
"Senior Brother Shi, please demonstrate it again, we haven't watched enough."
"Just standing here every day watching Senior Brother Shi practice stance training makes me feel very happy."
"All of you, shut up!" Hong Zhengdao roared, "Get back to training! Spend half the effort you use for flattering me on training, and you would have mastered the Hunyuan Stance long ago."
Everyone quickly dispersed and honestly began practicing their stances.
Only then did Hong Zhengdao look at Zhang Lingshan and ask, "You two can ask if there's anything you don't understand."
Zhang Lingshan shook his head.
Hong Zhengdao frowned slightly.
How could there be no questions after just learning a new stance training method?
No questions meant he didn't understand it at all!
"What about you?" He looked at Tie Feng.
Tie Feng observed the situation and quickly asked, "Hong Shi, regarding the variations of these eighteen stances, if they are suddenly disrupted, I'm not very clear on how to connect some of the forward lunging and backward retreating postures."
Hong Zhengdao nodded; this was a normal person's reaction.
But he didn't explain, instead turning to Zhang Lingshan and saying, "You just shook your head, did you not understand, or did you fully understand?"
"This Disciple has already understood."
"Good. Then perform it for me."
Hong Zhengdao laughed heartily, wanting to see how capable this kid really was.
If he hadn't understood but was pretending, he would have to be disciplined to make him more humble and not become arrogant just because he mastered the Zhengyang Stance quickly.
If he had understood, then this kid's comprehension was extraordinary and worth cultivating.
"Yes."
Zhang Lingshan obeyed the command and immediately walked into the courtyard, slowly beginning to practice the stance.
After all, it was his first time.
Even if he understood, he had to slowly perform the variations to smoothly connect the various movements and postures.
But although the performance was clumsy, even a blind person could tell that he truly understood, and even performed it more smoothly than some of the older Disciples in the courtyard.
"Good, good, good!"
Hong Zhengdao was overjoyed, "Little Stone, I'm giving you a task. For the time being, you don't need to worry about anything else, just focus on teaching Xiao Shan stance training properly, don't be negligent!"
"Ah? Yes, yes."
Shi Lei was stunned, nodding quickly in surprise.
He looked at Zhang Lingshan with an extremely complex gaze, filled with envy and jealousy, mixed with a hint of awe.
Because with Master's emphasis on Zhang Lingshan, he was now like Zhang Lingshan's servant. If Zhang Lingshan was unhappy and complained to Master, he would definitely be severely punished.
He thought about how he was Zhang Lingshan's Senior Brother at noon and could scold and curse him.
In the blink of an eye, he had become a servant.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
But on second thought, this was also a good opportunity to build a relationship with a Genius; others wouldn't even get this chance.
'He actually has a dedicated person guiding the shorty.'
Tie Feng saw this differential treatment, and his eyes turned green with jealousy. Comparing oneself to others is infuriating. Although this shorty was short and ugly, he had extraordinary talent.
Damn it!
While everyone was envying and being jealous of Zhang Lingshan, Zhang Lingshan was silently checking his panel.
Name: Zhang Lingshan
Martial Arts: Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance (Beginner)
Energy: 0
The reason he had no questions and dared to practice the stance directly in front of Hong Zhengdao was because after Shi Lei finished teaching the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, the panel gave him a prompt.
The original Zhengyang Stance was instantly upgraded by the panel to the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance.
The difference was that the previous Zhengyang Stance was already perfected, while the current Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance was only at the beginner level.
But even at the beginner level, he had already surpassed many people.
Among the registered Disciples standing in this central courtyard, there were quite a few who hadn't even reached the beginner level yet.
Clearly, the panel had helped him solve a major problem, allowing him to Move one step faster than others.
"Xiao Shan, I see that you are quite compatible with my Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance. Practice hard, don't disappoint me."
Hong Zhengdao said earnestly.
Zhang Lingshan nodded heavily and guaranteed, "I will not disappoint Hong Shi!"
"Good, then follow Shi Lei and practice well."
"Yes."
After watching Hong Zhengdao leave, Zhang Lingshan followed Shi Lei to practice stance training.
Mainly, he practiced, and Shi Lei gave pointers from the side.
Time flew by quickly during the practice, and soon it was time for the afternoon meal again.
Zhang Lingshan found that the food for registered Disciples was a notch higher than that for apprentices, with more meat added.
The treatment really improved with status.
"Junior Brother Shan, let me escort you home."
Shi Lei followed along eagerly.
Zhang Lingshan didn't refuse, his heart filled with emotion.
The treatment for a Genius was different; he even had a bodyguard escorting him.
Shi Lei, as an inner Disciple under Hong Zhengdao, wore the Hong's Martial Arts School Disciple uniform, which was much more impressive than his own as a registered Disciple.
Although he followed beside him, deferring to him and giving him a lot of Face.
However, others only showed Shi Lei looks of awe, believing that Zhang Lingshan was the follower.
'Is this the power of Hong's Martial Arts School?'
Zhang Lingshan noticed the gazes of the crowd and thought to himself that Hong Zhengdao's reputation was indeed widespread. He wondered when he could reach a level like Hong Zhengdao's.
Thinking of this, Zhang Lingshan asked a question that had troubled him for a long time, saying, "Senior Brother Shi, after practicing the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stance, what should I practice next?"
Shi Lei looked troubled and said, "Junior Brother, Master hasn't allowed me to talk about your question."
"I see. Then, Senior Brother, can you tell me if I can be considered a Martial Artist now, and what level my strength should be considered?"