Chapter 19: Gaps, Pressure, and Breathing Techniques!
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The military discipline at the Qin border garrison was lax, so new recruits were not required to stay in the barracks continuously. Over the following days, Xia He came to the cooks' camp every morning to practice martial arts and returned home on time each evening.
Before long, the gap between the new recruits’ skills began to widen. Instructor Zhang visited a few times afterward, informing everyone that if they wished to seek guidance, they could come to him. However, this came at a cost—fifty wen for each lesson, which was prohibitively expensive. Consequently, many simply gave up trying.
At noon, the blazing sun seemed intent on scorching the earth. In the courtyard, a group of men gritted their teeth, persevering through their martial arts practice. Though dressed, their clothes were drenched with sweat, clinging tightly to their bodies. Large beads of sweat covered their faces, rolling ceaselessly down their cheeks.
Yet, not everyone was so diligent. In the shade of nearby trees, several figures lounged lazily, taking advantage of the heat to slack off and cool down. Some even nodded off, emitting faint snores.
These men had joined the army merely to get by, content to spend their lives in the cooks' camp as long as their monthly pay arrived without fail.
At this moment, Xia He had just completed a stance drill. He breathed heavily, as if freshly pulled from water, his entire body soaked. Still, he showed no sign of resting and immediately prepared to begin the next stance.
[Skill: Mastery of Fist Stances (Novice)]
[Progress: 55/100]
[Effect: None]
“Huff... not bad!” Xia He thought to himself, feeling a rush of pride. After days of diligent practice, his progress had been astonishing. In a matter of days, he had already mastered the twentieth of the thirty-six fist stances, surpassing most new recruits.
Previously, Liu Wei had led the group, but he had only reached the twenty-third stance. Watching Xia He close in on him, Liu Wei felt unprecedented pressure and frequently glanced their way.
“Heh, Brother He, you’re really strong! That damn Liu Wei is about to be overtaken by you!”
“I’ve always been annoyed by how arrogant he acted!”
Wang Erpang stood beside Xia He, teeth clenched, persisting through the training. Over the past few days, he had visibly lost weight and looked exhausted. Without Xia He’s supervision, he would have surely given up.
Liu Wei was cunning and petty. Now that Xia He was catching up, he came an hour earlier each day, losing even the mood to mock others. This made Wang Erpang feel immensely satisfied.
Xia He glanced sideways at Liu Wei’s trembling muscles and thought, “Another hour earlier? Doesn’t he fear overtraining himself? This is too intense!”
Still, he had no time to worry about others.
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“Huff...” Xia He exhaled deeply, finishing the stance drill and rubbing his sore muscles, ready to rest. Not far away, Liu Wei observed Xia He’s movements, grit his teeth, and persisted a while longer before easing up.
“Xia He... right? You’re training extra at night too?” Liu Wei asked, furrowing his brows tightly.
Xia He, sipping water passed by Wang Erpang, looked up to see Liu Wei standing before him.
“Yeah, I train all night!” Xia He replied.
Liu Wei’s expression changed abruptly, and without a word, he left the courtyard, his steps resolute and heavy, as if determined.
“Brother He, you really train through the night?” Wang Erpang asked, astonished.
“You actually believe that? If I’m not cuddling with my wife at night, then what martial arts am I practicing?” Xia He laughed wryly, taking a scallion pancake handed to him by Wang Erpang. Chewing, he said, “Erpang, don’t slack off. One day, we’ll both become martial soldiers.”
Wang Erpang had a solid build but was lazy by nature and needed supervision. In these few days, he had reached the tenth stance, so Xia He planned to help him along.
“Alright, Brother He!”
“When I become a martial soldier, I’ll see if that damn Liu Wei still dares call me useless!”
After finishing his pancake, Xia He still felt hungry. They had eaten all the snake meat yesterday, and without more nourishment, his progress would slow. Moreover, the attribute points he longed for had yet to appear, which disappointed him.
You can’t practice martial arts on an empty stomach.
“I’ll have to find a chance to venture into the mountains again, see if I can hunt something.”
“Alright, finish eating and keep training! I’ll give you a massage later!” Wang Erpang sighed, his face creased with exhaustion.
That afternoon, as Xia He and Wang Erpang were practicing stances, Liu Wei suddenly returned after being absent for a long time. He deliberately passed in front of them, casting a glance of arrogance and confidence.
Xia He was surprised; Wang Erpang looked suspicious.
Liu Wei began his stance drills in a prominent spot.
Xia He noticed immediately. His breathing rhythm had changed—his movements were more precise, and the accompanying muscle tremors had greatly lessened.
“Hmm?”
“Brother He, he must have learned breathing techniques from Instructor Zhang. That’s quite the expense... fifty taels of silver!” Wang Erpang whispered.
Money was squeezed from every corner in the barracks. Ordinary soldiers received meager pay, so many found ways to earn extra.
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For example, Instructor Zhang charged for lessons.
Breathing techniques complemented stance training, speeding progress and reducing physical strain!
“There’s such a thing!?” Xia He was startled.
Fifty taels of silver... he certainly did not have that kind of money. It was clear Liu Wei had spent money on breathing techniques to maintain his lead.
The afternoon passed. Liu Wei advanced swiftly to the twenty-sixth stance, while Xia He reached only the twenty-second.
As the sun dipped west, Liu Wei approached Xia He, sneering, “I know you have some reputation in town and got lucky hunting some big game, but your martial skills are no good! I’m firmly taking first place in this assessment. You might as well give up now.”
With that, Liu Wei turned and left without looking back.
“Damn, what a show-off!” Wang Erpang wanted to rush forward and hit him but was held back by Xia He.
“Want to get beaten for fighting in the barracks?” Xia He warned.
“Brother He, he says I’m okay, but you’re useless!” Wang Erpang grumbled.
Xia He laughed and said, “Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, he won’t get first place!”
[Skill: Mastery of Fist Stances (Novice)]
[Progress: 65/100]
[Effect: None]
There was still much progress to be made. But...
[Current Skill Attribute Points: 1]
At last, the attribute point appeared!
“Time to head home!”
---
Inside the military tent, Kong Hu strolled in with a few ruffians.
“Tiger’s here?” Fan Qianhu put down his wine and meat, smiling.
Kong Hu gave a signal, and his men quickly offered something obsequiously.
Fan Qianhu nonchalantly opened the package but immediately frowned, displeased. “Why is there less silver than last month?”