Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 6: Chapter 5: You Call This a Newcomer?

A light drizzle had been falling all day.

After school in the afternoon, Zhou Xianchuan was the first to get up and look out the window. His face suddenly lit up with joy, and he grabbed his schoolbag and rushed to Wan Ze’s side. ”The rain has stopped! Ah Ze, this is a good omen.”

Wan Ze smiled, quickly packed his schoolbag, and was about to get up and leave.

Suddenly, Zhao Hexiang’s voice came from behind them. ”Wan Ze, you guys...”

”What is it?”

”It’s nothing.” Zhao Hexiang’s smile was a bit forced.

He waved his hand, feeling that he shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

But as he watched the backs of Wan Ze and Zhou Xianchuan quickly weaving through the crowd and leaving, he felt a flicker of envy he couldn’t quite put into words.

...

Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall, front hall.

After the two filled out their forms, the look on Zhou Xianchuan’s face changed the moment he saw the money Wan Ze took out.

”Ah Ze, what are you doing? Didn’t we agree that my uncle would...”

”If I don’t pay this money today, I won’t feel right about my training later on.” Wan Ze said with a sincere expression. After handing over the money, he lightly punched Zhou Xianchuan on the shoulder and smiled. ”I know you mean well, but we’re brothers, so you have to let me do this, right? Alright, enough nonsense. Hurry up and pay, we’re learning fist techniques together tonight!”

Zhou Xianchuan fell silent for a moment. He knew Wan Ze was a person with his own strong opinions and secretly felt guilty that what he said yesterday might have been too blunt and hurt his friend’s pride.

He handed in his form and said decisively, ”Fine, I’ll listen to you.”

Wan Ze smiled.

Just then, someone came to the entrance. After greeting the front desk, they led the two away.

However, they didn’t go to the small courtyard they had observed from yesterday. Instead, they left the front hall of the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall, went around two alleys, and turned into a much more spacious courtyard.

”From now on, you will conduct your cultivation here. As students of D Class, you are not to cause trouble... You must follow the arrangements of your fist technique master. If you have any objections, you can go to the front hall and file a complaint yourself.” The young man was a fast talker. After he finished speaking, he left Wan Ze and Zhou Xianchuan behind and walked alone into the shade of a tree.

Only then did Wan Ze and Zhou Xianchuan see an old man with a silver beard and a buzz cut leaning back in a lounge chair under the shade of the tree. He was holding an ancient-looking book, his expression leisurely. Across from him stood several people in the Squatting Horse Stance—they all looked like students, four men and two women.

”Master Qin, these two are also new students. From now on, they’ll be part of D Class.”

”Mm, got it. Just leave them here.”

”In that case, Master Qin... I’ll be leaving now.”

The young man left without the slightest hesitation, as if he were very afraid of this Master Qin.

Zhou Xianchuan had a bad feeling and was about to speak when he suddenly heard the silver-bearded old man put down his book, rise to his feet, and say, ”All students who come to the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall, without exception, must cultivate the Iron Mountain Fist. This is the foundational fist technique of our Dragon Eagle hall. But don’t look down on it just because it’s foundational; it offers immense benefits for tempering your bodies...

If your aptitude is good and you can thoroughly master this fist technique within a year, the martial arts hall will also teach you more profound things for free.”

”You two, come over here.”

Wan Ze and Zhou Xianchuan were confused, but they exchanged a glance and walked forward.

”Brace yourselves.”

After speaking, the silver-bearded old man suddenly pinched them both, right on their ribs.

”HISS!”

Both of them felt a sharp pain. Before they could even react, the silver-bearded old man had already withdrawn his hand. He said slowly, ”Your bone structures are decent. But, little fatty, you should get your weight under control.”

”You’re too kind,” Zhou Xianchuan said, his face flushing red as he laughed sheepishly.

The silver-bearded old man ignored him and said with a faint smile, ”Since you two want to practice martial arts, you must first understand what it is you’re actually practicing!”

Wan Ze and Zhou Xianchuan immediately adopted expressions of rapt attention.

Unexpectedly, the silver-bearded old man suddenly turned his head and berated the others who were in the Squatting Horse Stance, ”Your minds are full of distracting thoughts, how can you train like that! Hold your stance properly!”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Zhou Xianchuan lost his nerve and shot Wan Ze a look.

But Wan Ze paid him no mind.

The silver-bearded old man then retracted his gaze, glanced at the little fatty, and pretended not to see the subtle gesture. He continued, ”Practicing martial arts means being able to beat others! On the path of the Martial Dao, there is no such thing as peace and quiet... Where there is martial arts, there is contention; where there is contention, there is battle. If you’re just here to fool around, then pretend I never said a thing!”

”And as for how to beat others, it essentially comes down to yourself—who has more power, who has more speed. It’s not just about being quick-witted; you also have to be tougher than anyone else!”

”This Iron Mountain Fist was created by a master of the Martial Dao. Its purpose is to mobilize your own power to the greatest extent... Have you ever heard of the Eight Maternal Sword Techniques?”

As soon as the silver-bearded old man finished speaking, Zhou Xianchuan immediately looked at Wan Ze with an excited expression. He knew, after all, about his brother’s accomplishments in Basic Swordsmanship.

Noticing his small gesture, the silver-bearded old man couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at Wan Ze. ”You know of them?”

”The Eight Maternal Sword Techniques give birth to sixty-four children. They are not moves, just as Go joseki are not meant for rigid adherence.” Wan Ze recalled the words of his swordsmanship teacher that day and repeated them.

”Correct. For a master, practicing the fist is practicing the sword. Transformation Force into Edge. Holding the Sword as if Holding a Fist, Hidden Fist in Blade,” the silver-bearded old man said slowly.

After speaking, he glanced at the two of them and instructed, ”Today, you will start with the Squatting Horse Stance. Let’s see your limits.”

Zhou Xianchuan’s face turned green.

But after seeing Wan Ze comply, he could only follow suit with a pained expression. When he thought no one was paying attention, he whispered, ”Ah Ze, do you think... it’s still not too late to get a refund?”

”...”

Just as Wan Ze was about to speak, a line of text appeared in his vision.

[Illustrated Guide: Squatting Horse Stance]

[Skill Beginner Level requirement satisfied: ten seconds]

The corner of his eyebrow twitched slightly.

’A mere Squatting Horse Stance? I’ve got this in the bag!’

”Giving up already? You little weakling.”

Wan Ze tossed the comment over his shoulder and, without waiting for Zhou Xianchuan’s pained reply, quickly caught up.

After the gray-robed Master Qin taught them the technique for the Squatting Horse Stance, he had already sunk his hips and lowered his rear, beginning the stance.

Ten seconds wasn’t long.

It passed in just a few slow breaths. Wan Ze felt the sinking sensation abruptly vanish, and the slight trembling in the front of his thighs disappeared along with it.

He glanced at the bottom of his field of vision.

[Illustrated Guide: Squatting Horse Stance] (Beginner Level Mastered)

[Skill Basic requirement satisfied: twenty seconds]

The timer reset.

This time, the trembling in the front of his thighs was a little more pronounced than before. However, the moment twenty seconds was up, the shaking stopped, and he continued to hold the posture with his thighs parallel to the ground.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Squatting Horse Stance] (Basic Mastered)

[Skill Intermediate requirement satisfied: one minute]

...

Wan Ze gradually adjusted his breathing.

As time went on, a distinct burning and aching sensation appeared in the front of his thighs.

He had rarely done the Squatting Horse Stance before, lasting a little over a minute at most, but he was managing to hold on now.

Gradually, the soles of his feet began to grow hot, and his toes gripped the ground.

Just as he felt his quadratus lumborum begin to stiffen, the time was up. A cool stream of energy shot up his spine, and all the soreness and numbness vanished completely.

Wan Ze was startled.

Sure enough, on the Illustrated Guide panel at the bottom of his vision, the requirement for the High Level Skill had appeared. The time went from one minute to ten minutes, and there was now an additional effect display.

[Intermediate Effect: Strengthened Lower Limb Strength (Power +0.02)]

Ten minutes later, just as Wan Ze stood up to move around, the person across from him couldn’t help but look up.

It was a tall girl with her hair in a ponytail. The expression on her face was extremely odd; she was looking at Wan Ze as if he were a monster.

’Eleven minutes!’

’A new guy could casually hold a Squatting Horse Stance for that long?’

’Is he even human!!’