The mornings at St. Freya were beautiful. Perhaps because of the excellent greenery, the air was extremely moist. A deep breath would send a cool, gentle sensation straight to the lungs. The air carried the unique scent of the forest, and bathing in it made one feel refreshed. A faint white mist veiled the distant buildings, making them hazy and indistinct. The sun, just peeking over the horizon, cast golden rays of light, its usually harsh glare softened by the mist.
The day's plan is made in the morning. Ming Yu admired the view for a moment, took a deep breath facing the window, and began his day.
He went downstairs quietly. Kiana wouldn't be awake at this hour, and Himeko wasn't an early riser either. As for Bronya, as long as she didn't pull an all-nighter, it was considered good performance; waking up early was just a fantasy for the gaming addict. Mei would probably be up soon to prepare breakfast. After a moment of thought, Ming Yu left a note saying he would go buy breakfast and headed out to the small training ground in the dormitory area. *Mei should get a break once in a while, too. It must be tiring to be responsible for the meals of an entire houseful of people.*
The small training ground in the dormitory area, while not as large or well-equipped as the one in the teaching area, had the advantage of being close. It was an excellent place for short practice sessions in the morning and evening.
When Ming Yu arrived at the training ground, there were already a few people inside. As soon as he entered, he could hear the sound of "thump, thump, thump." *As expected, there are hardworking people everywhere,* Ming Yu mused.
Scanning the area, his gaze was inevitably drawn to a blue figure. A girl in a blue training suit was practicing a set of fist techniques. Her body moved with her shadow, her fists striking like a dragon. Not only were her punches swift and powerful, but her footwork was also elusive, interspersed with dazzling kicks and roundhouse kicks. The entire set of movements flowed like water, not only decisive and deadly but also possessing a dance-like beauty that was pleasing to the eye.
*This must be why the ancients were fond of sword dancing,* he thought. *If fist techniques are like this, then sword techniques must be the same. When a sword dance reaches a state of perfection, it's not just a symbol of martial prowess but also a manifestation of beauty.* Du Fu had once watched a disciple of Lady Gongsun's sword dance and wrote a long poem about it, which was quite good.
When the girl in blue finished her routine, Ming Yu, who had been waiting on the side, applauded and walked over, praising, "Fu Hua, your fist technique looks incredible."
"Thank you for the compliment," Fu Hua said calmly. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the exercise, and her forehead was beaded with fine sweat. Her breathing was a little faster than usual, but it remained steady.
Looking at the composed Fu Hua before him, Ming Yu zoned out for a moment. If he remembered correctly, Fu Hua was not only proficient in fist and leg techniques but also a master of swordsmanship. *Just how many types of Chinese martial arts does she know?*
As a survivor of the Previous Era, Fu Hua had remained on the continent of Shenzhou ever since she awoke five thousand years ago. Over the long years, she had left behind many legends. It was possible that many of the martial arts that sounded so mythical were based on her, Ming Yu couldn't help but think.
Fu Hua looked at the dazed boy in front of her, a slight blush creeping onto her face. She coughed deliberately, narrowed her eyes at his face, and said in a somewhat cold tone, "I have a feeling you're thinking about something strange."
"No, no, of course not," Ming Yu waved his hands frantically, cold sweat beading on his back. He couldn't help but complain internally, *Is every woman's sixth sense this accurate?* Changing the subject, Ming Yu asked, "Fu Hua, do you know many types of martial arts? I was wondering if I could ask you to teach me how to train?"
Nodding, Fu Hua agreed, "Of course. But I know quite a few. What do you want to learn?"
Worried that choosing too quickly would make Fu Hua suspicious, Ming Yu pretended to hesitate for a moment before saying, "The fist technique you were just practicing. It looks really powerful. Is that okay?" Although Fu Hua was very enthusiastic about teaching others, the Inch-Heart Fist Technique was one of her trump cards. Ming Yu wasn't sure if she would teach it to others so easily. However, the power of this technique was obvious. A move chosen as a signature by a legendary figure like Fu Hua had to have something unique about it. Ming Yu had great faith in Fu Hua's judgment.
To Ming Yu's surprise, Fu Hua only thought for a moment before quickly agreeing without any hesitation. *The magnanimity of Celestial Phoenix is truly beyond what an ordinary person can fathom.*
Under Ming Yu's eager gaze, Fu Hua began to speak slowly, "The Inch-Heart Fist Technique is something I developed after many years of training. It includes not only fist techniques but also leg techniques, movement techniques, and more, as well as various exquisite secret arts. When mastered, you can shatter mountains and split rocks. The secret arts of the Inch-Heart Fist Technique are many, such as Earth Shatter, Cloud Palm, Thundering Tempest, Thundering Onslaught, Fiery Will, Flashing Pulses, Shockwave Palm, Waning Moon, and so on. Each one is different and corresponds to different combat situations..."
Ming Yu trembled all over, so excited he could barely contain himself. *Is it starting? As long as I can learn the Inch-Heart Fist Technique, my strength will definitely improve rapidly. This is the beginning of my ascent!*
Fu Hua paused slightly, then said seriously, "But none of that has anything to do with you right now. Your foundation is too poor. We will start with the foundational horse stance!"
*CRACK!* Ming Yu felt as if he could hear his heart breaking. His dream of getting strong quickly was shattered just like that. As expected, everything she said before was just to lead him on.
Seeing Ming Yu's dejection, Fu Hua said with a straight face, "Don't be overly ambitious and think that the basics are not important. Without a strong foundation, you cannot learn powerful secret arts. Even if you manage to perform them, it will be a mere imitation, a clumsy copy with no power to speak of."
Hearing these words, Ming Yu was instantly jolted from his disappointment. A ten-thousand-foot tower is built from the ground up. Right now, a strong foundation was the most important thing. Even with the help of the System, he could quickly master those secret arts by adding points, but would that really be enough? Even the Honkai Energy points he added to Basic Swordsmanship, which increased his understanding of it, his body couldn't adapt immediately. It still required a certain amount of practice to form muscle memory and fully convert that understanding into his own ability. If that was the case for Basic Swordsmanship, how much more so for the profound Inch-Heart Fist Technique? Was adding points like this really the right way?
Thinking of this, Ming Yu quickly adjusted his mindset. *So what if it's the horse stance? What's so difficult about that? I'll just do it!*
Nearly half an hour later, Ming Yu glanced at the calm and composed Fu Hua beside him and pleaded, "Class Monitor, it's been half an hour, right?" Ming Yu had underestimated the horse stance. Fu Hua's requirements were very strict: feet spread slightly wider than the shoulders, in a half-squatting position, and as steady as a post. If he was off by even a little, Fu Hua would point it out.
After half an hour, Ming Yu's legs were numb and trembling, and he had to struggle to keep his upper body stable. In contrast, Fu Hua, who was also in a horse stance, was calm and steady, her entire body not showing the slightest tremor, truly achieving the state of being as steady as a post.
"There's still one minute left. Hold on a little longer, Ming Yu," Fu Hua said calmly.
After a pause, Fu Hua suddenly said, "Time's up."
Hearing her voice, Ming Yu's entire body collapsed. He patted his numb legs while stretching his sore body.
Looking at the wailing Ming Yu, a flash of familiarity and melancholy crossed Fu Hua's mind. *It seems I've taught others like this before. When was that?* The next moment, Fu Hua shook her head slightly, the thought passing. She stopped thinking about it and looked at the groaning boy before her, a faint smile gracing her lips.