Chapter 143: An Inch Long, An Inch Strong

Stance training is the foundation of all martial arts techniques, the origin of the saying, "If you practice fists without mastering the basics, in the end, it all amounts to nothing."

The martial arts of the Flower Clan have a long and rich history; many of the associated stances bear names that reflect their respective sects.

For example, Tai Chi includes the Hun Yuan stance and the Wu Ji stance; Ba Ji Quan has the Liang Yi stance; Bagua Zhang features the Bagua stance—all evidently connected to Taoist classics.

Similarly, in Xin Yi Liu He Quan, there are stances named Descending Dragon and Subduing Tiger, while Hong Quan includes the Gong Character Subduing Tiger stance. These names derive from the Buddhist Arhats of Dragon Subduing and Tiger Subduing, embodying their true essence.

Of course, Taoism also has its own terminology for descending dragons and subduing tigers. For instance, the stance training of the Three Emperors Cannon Fist practiced by Lin Yuanchao, whom Chen Jue met earlier, is also called the Subduing Tiger stance (or Tiger Grasp stance). This art draws inspiration from the Three Sovereigns of ancient China—Heaven Sovereign Fuxi, Earth Sovereign Shennong, and Human Sovereign Huangdi—figures that appear in Taoist lore, thus classifying the Three Emperors Cannon Fist as a Taoist martial art.

Chen Jue’s own Ship Fist Eight Immortals stance similarly originates from Taoism’s Eight Immortals.

The eight methods of the Eight Immortals stance subtly correspond to the eight trigrams of the Bagua. As Chen Jue practiced a round along the rim of the water basin, Li Xiang, watching nearby, uttered softly, "Master Chen’s stance bears some resemblance to Wudang’s Eight Treasures stance and even hints of the Bagua stance."

Before he could finish, Chen Jue, footing steady as if on flat ground along the basin’s edge, suddenly twisted his posture and began to shake the basin beneath his feet as if intoxicated.

How to describe that sensation?

It was like a roly-poly toy, or a small boat rocking on the waves—unsteady and seemingly on the verge of toppling off the basin, yet in the instant of tilting, he maintained his center of gravity perfectly. His force remained aligned with the basin’s sway, a feat no easier than mastering Bagua Palm’s advanced techniques of stepping and turning along an oiled basin edge.

This is the Drunken Eight Immortals within the Eight Immortals stance, inspired by the Eight Immortals’ return from a drunken revelry at the Penglai Pavilion, still able to sail across the sea despite their inebriation.

Within the Eight Immortals stance, one set is the sober Eight Immortals, the other the drunken Eight Immortals, embodying the principle of yin and yang opposition.

After completing the round of the Eight Immortals stance, Chen Jue leapt down from the large water basin. The basin, which he had unsettled with his stomping, spun a few times before settling steadily on the ground.

“Excellent stance technique!”

“Master Chen, I had thought this Ship Fist was just a little-known style, but I never expected such formidable footwork and body movement hidden within the Eight Immortals stance—it truly conceals great depth!”

“Seeing this today has been an eye-opening experience!” Li Xiang couldn’t help but praise.

Since practicing Bagua Palm, Li Xiang had often trained his Bagua stance along the rim of this very basin, so he understood its difficulty well. Observing Chen Jue’s Eight Immortals stance up close left him deeply impressed and greatly benefited.

“You flatter me, Master Li. Your Chengmen Bagua Palm should make training on the basin much easier than mine,” Chen Jue replied modestly.

“I’m too humble to show off my modest footwork again. Since you’ve so generously demonstrated your true skill, I’ll reveal some weapon techniques instead.”

“My fist skills aren’t as good as my senior brother’s, but after so many years of Ba Ji training, I have some tricks worth showing!” Li Xiang said, then went to the weapon rack in the courtyard to grab a large iron spear.

Once grasping the spear, Li Xiang’s entire demeanor shifted sharply. A low hum rose in his chest, his hair bristled, and the fierce, indomitable spirit Li Jue had witnessed during their previous sparring now reached its peak.

Chen Jue narrowed his eyes as he observed, sensing from his spiritual perception that Li Xiang with the spear was like a different person altogether.

When Li Xiang settled into a horse stance and held the spear horizontally, Chen Jue even felt a faint sense of threat.

As the saying goes, “the longer the weapon, the stronger the force.” A warrior skilled with weapons can multiply their combat effectiveness tenfold.

Like the generals of old who wielded their swords and rode their horses into battle, the difference between fighting empty-handed and with a weapon was as vast as heaven and earth.

“Hmph!” Another forceful exhalation from Ba Ji’s breath technique, Li Xiang’s spear quivered, his bones and sinews resonating as the long spear seemed fused with his very being.

Thrust, jab, flick, entangle, block, point—the six spear techniques danced in the air, filling the courtyard with the acrid scent of clashing metal.

After performing the Ba Ji spear form, Li Xiang exhaled sharply, struck the spear tip to the ground, dragged it forward, then flicked the spearhead upward with such force that the hundred-plus-kilogram water basin was lifted smoothly into the air, balanced steadily on the spear tip. With one final whirl, he gently set the basin back down.

Such control and explosive power—no wonder Chen Jue felt threatened. If struck or lifted by such a fierce thrust, even his hard training and earth-shaking strength might not suffice.

“An impressive Ba Ji spear display!”

“Master Li, your weapon skills are truly exceptional,” Chen Jue couldn’t help but admire. Though he had learned much in fist techniques, he’d never ventured into weapons.

Seeing Chen Jue eager to try, Li Xiang returned the spear to the rack and gestured toward the eighteen weapons array. “Master Chen, which weapon would you like to learn? I’ve been a chief instructor for over ten years; I can teach you a bit of any.”

Chen Jue glanced over the weapons, then pointed to a pair of drum-beaten bronze hammers. “Please teach me hammer techniques! I’m the type who dislikes complexity; straight and straightforward hammer strikes suit me best.”

Li Xiang paused briefly, recalling the incredible strength Chen Jue had displayed lifting the water basin, and agreed this hammer style would indeed suit him.

As the saying goes, “One powerful strike overcomes ten clever moves.” No matter how flashy or intricate the eighteen weapons may be, none could withstand Chen Jue’s thunderous hammer blow.

“Very well! I’ll teach you this hammer style, though I warn you it might look crude!” Li Xiang said, seizing the drum-beaten bronze hammers from the rack.

Swinging both hammers, he stirred fierce winds throughout the courtyard as hammer shadows danced with mighty force.

After finishing the broad, sweeping hammer form, Li Xiang relaxed, sweat pouring from every pore, clearly exhausted.

“This is the orthodox Eight Moves Cloak Hammer technique, including eight variations: strike, drag, hook, smash, pound, charge, cloud, and cover. Simple and clear. Master Chen, you can try it out.”

Handing the hammers to Chen Jue, Li Xiang watched as he took them up.

Chen Jue immediately felt the modern-crafted bronze hammers were somewhat light—each weighing only about thirty to forty kilograms.

For Li Xiang and Li Wei, that weight was appropriate; anything heavier would waste energy and defeat the training purpose.

But for Chen Jue, who casually lifted 200-kilogram dumbbells with one hand, he’d need hammers as heavy as the legendary 400 jin bronze hammers wielded by Li Yuanba to feel satisfied.

His current yearning for weaponry was much like Sun Wukong’s visit to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace in Journey to the West, where he dismissed every shrimp soldier and crab warrior’s weapon as too light, finally content only with the 13,500-jin golden cudgel.

However, since he was here to learn from Li Xiang, Chen Jue kept his thoughts to himself and began mimicking the movements.

Throughout, Li Xiang corrected his force application and hammer swings.

After completing the round of hammer techniques, Chen Jue was surprised to find a new skill appeared in his attributes panel: [Eight Moves Cloak Hammer ***v0 (5/100)].

“So hammer techniques can be converted into skills?”

“Then why can’t all those classics and medical knowledge I studied before be turned into skills?”

“Could it be… only martial arts that are physically practiced or complete can transform into skills?” Chen Jue pondered, quietly forming a hypothesis as he stared at the skills section.

Here comes the guaranteed second update! I’m off to take a shower to clear my head and relax before taking some cold medicine and continuing the grind. More to come tonight~