Chapter 2: Extraordinary {2}
Chapter 2: Extraordinary {2}
Afterward, Ning Wantong and he had ascended to the second floor.
Compared to the first floor,
The training room on the second floor was much more spacious.
Apart from a small wooden table in the center, a few meditation cushions, and a mural hanging on the eastern wall, there were no additional decorations. Sunlight poured through the open windows, casting into the room where one could even see the fine dust floating in the air.
Next to the wooden table sat a bald middle-aged man, lean-bodied and not more than five feet tall, but his eyes were bright and spirited, showing great vitality.
This man was called Ning Zhibai, the head of Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall, and nominally, Su Heng’s master.
Of course, nowadays, under the Great Zhou Dynasty, fewer and fewer people were willing to devote themselves to the arduous study of martial arts, and martial artists did not hold any special status. Moreover, the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall had been revitalized with a fund provided by Su Heng, so, in their daily interactions, Su Heng’s status appeared somewhat more esteemed.
Upon seeing Su Heng arriving, Ning Zhibai also proactively stood up, squeezing a smile on his face.
"Master Ning," Su Heng nodded slightly, and the two sat down opposite each other.
"Has your cultivation been good recently?" Ning Zhibai initiated the conversation, while on the side, Ning Wantong brewed a pot of hot tea for them and then respectfully left."All is well," Su Heng pondered, "but there are some things in my cultivation that I still don’t quite understand."
"What matters?" Seeing his significant patron’s serious demeanor,
Ning Zhibai instinctively straightened up, his face adopting a look of earnest attentiveness.
"The Pure Yang Skill has five levels. After reaching the higher realms, not only can one benefit from cold and heat, be immune to all diseases, and even prolong life by a hundred years while remaining full of vigor. But is that all there is?
Is it possible to reach a higher realm through some special method or the use of elixirs, thereby obtaining incredible power?" Su Heng gazed into Ning Zhibai’s eyes, asking seriously.
Upon hearing these words, Ning Zhibai’s initially serious expression gradually became speechless.
Although this was the case, the young Su Heng before him was someone he could not afford to offend. Ning Zhibai sipped his hot tea lightly, sighed helplessly, and then said earnestly, "In this world, being able to fight multiple opponents alone can be considered skillful.
Being able to defeat armored warriors with bare hands can be considered first-class. But a grandmaster, at most, can only simultaneously defeat ten soldiers.
The Pure Yang Skill, although an ancient cultivation technique, cannot help you break through the human limits. More importantly, it focuses on regulating the spirit and following a balanced and harmonious path.
There isn’t any cultivation techniques in this world that can make a person break those limits.
Even those grandmaster-level martial artists in the martial fraternity are strong merely because of two reasons:
The first is their exceptional talent, and the second is that they devote all their time and energy to martial arts, engraving various techniques into their muscle memory. Thus, they can act faster than the brain can think, striking first even if they move after their opponent."
"Is that so?" Su Heng gazed into Ning Zhibai’s eyes, a bit disappointed but also seeing that his unassuming master was not lying.
"Demonstrate the stance of the Pure Yang Skill, let me see how your recent cultivation is progressing." Seeing that Su Heng wanted to ask further, Ning Zhibai could only stealthily change the topic.
Su Heng nodded, drank the tea in his cup in one gulp, and then rose from the meditation cushion.
The Pure Yang Skill is divided into stance work and breathing techniques.
The so-called stance work refers to a series of static movements recorded in the Pure Yang Skill, sometimes accompanied by specific mantras.
The stance work of the Pure Yang Skill consists of twelve forms, starting from the initial form where hands and feet align, elbows and knees meet, shoulders and hips joined, to the final form where the body slightly tilts, with arms opening up and down, the back of the head, neck, and spine forming one straight line.
The transitions between movements are smooth and natural, with steady breathing, which qualifies the stance work of the Pure Yang Skill.
The breathing technique, likewise, has nothing special, and is even more straightforward.
Ordinary breathing is only through the lungs, hence becoming short and rapid during intense exercise. But with the help of some special mantras and breathing techniques, the gases can permeate into the abdominal organs, making the breathing appear long and powerful. This technique is slightly similar to some advanced vocal techniques Su Heng had encountered before.
"Not bad, not bad." After several sets of stances, Su Heng’s forehead was slightly sweaty. Ning Zhibai handed him a clean white towel, his face showing genuine admiration, "In the path of martial arts, you are truly talented."
"If you diligently study and practice, you could also become a grandmaster," Ning Zhibai remarked.
After saying this,
Before Su Heng could reply, he just laughed to himself.
"However, even being a grandmaster might not mean much to you."
Martial arts, for ordinary people, might barely be considered a path. But for the affluent Su Family, not only is their wealth vast, as the eldest son, Su Heng is destined to inherit this great business, a fortune many could only envy.
"Master Ning, I would like to be alone for a while," Su Heng took the towel, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and then quietly spoke to Ning Zhibai.
"Yes, that’s fine," Ning Zhibai thought little of it.
He casually said, "If there’s anything else, just call me from downstairs."
"Okay."
Su Heng nodded.
After Ning Zhibai had left down the stairs, Su Heng turned around, gazing at the somewhat mottled mural on the wall.