Chapter 7

Jiao Jian felt extremely uncomfortable ever since he heard that there were hundreds of "heroes and valiant men" in his family. Now, with these martial figures either walking away or being caught, the once bustling Tianqing Manor suddenly became quiet. However, he felt particularly relieved and strolled leisurely around the manor.

Xun accompanied him, saying joyfully, "It turns out that Young Master and Miss Su had already planned everything out for those people."

Jiao Jian sighed, "This was just a trick, not real skill."

Xun hurriedly said, "Young Master, you will soon become a top expert. If you have to drive people away again, you can do it with just a few punches and kicks."

Jiao Jian laughed, both amused and exasperated, "If I were a top expert, I could naturally control them and use them to my advantage. Why would I need to drive them all away?"

Xun understood, "Without real skill, you can't use people, and you might even be controlled by them."

Jiao Jian said, "Yes, that's what they call 'a tail too big to wag.'"

As they walked to the back garden, Tianqing Manor had a touch of the style of southern Jiangnan gardens. Though it wasn't overly intricate to the point of being dazzling and maze-like, it still had all the elements: corridors, pavilions, artificial hills, and flowing water.

Jiao Jian thought to himself: Living in Jiangnan, even martial families can enjoy such luxuries. If I had been transported to a large courtyard in Beijing or Shanxi, no matter how big the place, it would still feel dull.

Suddenly, he looked at a tall artificial hill in front of him and was slightly stunned.

This artificial hill had a long, narrow crack that split it into two halves. If it were enlarged a thousand times, it would resemble the famous "Heavenly Gorge" landscape.

As he approached and examined it closely, Jiao Jian was even more surprised. The long crack was smooth, not like a natural fracture, but rather as if it had been cut by a sharp object.

Xun said beside him, "Young Master, this is the mark left by Second Miss when she practiced her sword skills years ago."

Jiao Jian's heart skipped a beat. This was really done by a person, a single sword cut splitting the artificial hill? Could Second Miss's sword skills be so advanced?

He suddenly remembered what Xiao Su said, that eight of his sisters had become top experts before the age of twenty. He wondered how far they had come now.

Xun said proudly, "Those eight young misses are all great figures at the level of grandmasters, especially the eldest and second eldest, whose reputations are almost as great as the old manor lord's."

Jiao Jian thought for a moment and asked, "Why are none of my sisters at home?"

Xun replied, "Young Master, because the young misses cannot inherit Tianqing Manor, they went out to pursue martial arts and establish their own schools."

She rolled her eyes and whispered, "If they didn't go out to make a name for themselves, Young Master wouldn't be at ease."

Jiao Jian was taken aback. It turned out that this young master was afraid of being overshadowed by his sisters. These sisters, with their high skills, must have had high ambitions, so they went out to build their own empires to avoid being suspected by their younger brother.

"When did they leave?"

Xun said, "They left at about the same age as you are now."

Jiao Jian coughed. At this age, he was still a spoiled second-generation rich kid, while his sisters had already made their own way in the world. How could there be such a big difference between people?

He remembered that Xiao Su said he had nine sisters, but Xun only mentioned eight, so he asked, "What about my Ninth Sister?"

Xun replied, "Ninth Miss recently went out to seek the way and visit friends, aiming to create her own martial art and establish a school."

Jiao Jian felt a sense of melancholy: As expected, Ninth Sister also chose this path and went out to establish her own school.

"Where are my sisters now?"

Xun said, "They are scattered all over the country."

"Is there no sister in the Jiangnan region?"

Xun thought for a moment, "Eighth Miss was in Jiangnan, but a few months ago, she set sail with Sixth Miss's fleet."

Jiao Jian looked at the green brick and stone paths of the manor, realizing that in this ancient society where communication relied on shouting and transportation on walking, it would be quite troublesome to keep in touch with these sisters.

He admired these sisters and, hearing that one of them had gone to sea, couldn't help but worry about the storms and waves at sea. People who do great things face great risks. These sisters had only been out for a few years, and even though they were already famous, they might not have stabilized their positions and could still face many troubles and crises.

"Xun, what are my sisters doing now, and are they involved in any conflicts?"

Xun tilted her head and thought for a while, "Eldest Miss temporarily took over as the leader of the martial alliance after the old manor lord passed away, and Seventh Miss serves as her strategist. They are busy resolving disputes in the martial world, so they shouldn't be involved in any conflicts, right?"

Jiao Jian thought to himself, you don't know, do you? You think being a mediator means being kind to everyone? In fact, in mediation, some will be satisfied, and some will be dissatisfied. Those who are dissatisfied will think you are biased and will hold a grudge against you, and you won't even know why they are angry with you.

But, the eldest sister is actually the acting leader of the martial alliance... Indeed, a tiger father does not have a dog daughter.

"Second Miss is the sword god of the world, undefeated and leaving no survivors." Xun cupped her face, and two red clouds suddenly appeared on her cheeks, "I still remember when Second Miss practiced at home, her white clothes were like clouds, and she moved gracefully like a fairy, truly beautiful."

This Second Sister, who split the artificial hill with one sword cut, was indeed worthy of the title of sword god. To earn this title, she must have defeated many experts and left no survivors, meaning she killed all her opponents. This martial path was clearly a series of life-and-death battles.

Jiao Jian sighed and asked, "What about the others?"

"Third Miss is known as the 'Holy Light,' and Fourth Miss is called the 'Crying Demon.'" Xun thought hard, "It's strange, I don't know what they have done, but I know they are very famous."

Crying Demon, this name sounds like a great demoness. How many heinous deeds must she have committed to be called a demon? Jiao Jian also thought that Holy Light might not be a good person either; someone who follows the White Lotus Sect could also earn this title.

"The other young misses have each formed their own teams to do business. Fifth Miss has a horse team on the grasslands, Sixth Miss has a fleet at sea, and Eighth Miss is in the money exchange business."

Jiao Jian asked, "How are their businesses doing?"

Xun said, "When people in the martial world mention them, they say they are as rich as a nation... again and again."

Jiao Jian sighed: Each of them has such a large business, making so much money, how many people will they offend and how many troubles will they cause?

He thought for a while and suddenly said, "Xun, with so many powerful sisters, how could Yuan Jiankong dare to almost beat me to death?"

Xun was stunned and thought for a long time before saying, "He definitely didn't have the nerve. He might have just lost control when he attacked."

Jiao Jian said, "What if he didn't lose control and deliberately tried to kill me?"

Xun said, "Young Master, in that case, there must be a huge conspiracy."

Jiao Jian nodded, "That's right."

If the sisters judged by their own martial experiences, they might think that Young Master Jiao Jian was the best of the young generation in the martial world, capable of handling interactions with the children of noble families. But they didn't know that in the past year, his martial skills had not only stagnated but had also fallen behind.

Whether Yuan Jiankong's attack was accidental or intentional, this incident deeply taught him a lesson: to stand firm in the martial world, one's own strength is the foundation.

After waking up again, it was the day Jiao Jian, now recovered from his illness, started practicing martial arts again.

The sky was just beginning to brighten. Since Jiao Jian was transported to ancient times, he didn't light lamps at night and went to sleep easily in the dark. He naturally woke up when the sky started to brighten, feeling refreshed and energetic, with his biological clock adjusted significantly compared to before.

But there were still people who woke up earlier than him. Xun led Jiao Jian to the back garden, where the two long-tailed green-haired sisters were already waiting.

Since he was transported from another world, Jiao Jian had no idea how to practice the family's martial arts and had to rely on the sisters for guidance.

Jiao Xiao Su was also excited to guide her brother. Observing how a person who had forgotten their martial skills could regain them and even become a top expert would be a valuable reference for medical and health practices.

Of course, she could only provide guidance at the beginner level. Whether he could become a top expert in the world would depend on Jiao Jian's own efforts.

"Brother, since you have forgotten your past, I will start from the beginning."

Jiao Xiao Su began, "All martial arts in the world are divided into two aspects: practicing skills and practicing techniques."

Practicing skills involves strengthening the body, toughening the muscles and bones, and making the body's qi and blood increasingly vigorous, thus generating more powerful force.

Practicing skills can be further divided into external and internal skills. Major martial arts schools have their own unique methods for practicing external and internal skills, allowing disciples to have the opportunity to become top experts with a harmonious balance of internal and external skills.

A martial artist who can practice to the fourth level of qi and blood is considered a solid hand in the martial world.

One who can practice to the seventh level of qi and blood is considered a high-level expert.

One who can practice to the ninth level of qi and blood is a top expert, with the strength to fight tigers and leopards bare-handed.

Jiao Jian understood here that top experts could become tiger-fighting heroes with their bare hands, just like Wu Er.

Jiao Jian originally had his skills at the fourth level of qi and blood, making him a good hand in the martial world. But after this injury, he had fallen back to the third level and had to start over as a beginner.

Jiao Xiao Su continued, "Practicing techniques involves refining skills and mastering various techniques for using fists, feet, and weapons."

No matter how strong a person's body is, without martial skills, they are still a novice, like a clumsy beast with only brute strength.

The green-clad sister said, "Being able to deepen one's skills is also a kind of technique. In today's martial arts system, there is no significant gap between skills and techniques."

Jiao Jian nodded.

"And our Jiao family is different from other schools. In addition to practicing skills and techniques, we also practice the spirit."

Practicing the spirit?

This concept greatly surprised Jiao Jian. It sounded like cultivation, making him think of concepts like "returning to the void" and "uniting with the Dao."

Jiao Xiao Su said, "Practicing techniques without practicing skills is empty. Practicing skills without practicing the spirit will never make you a grandmaster."

Jiao Jian asked, "Practicing the spirit can make one a grandmaster?"

Jiao Xiao Su said calmly, "When the mind is fully developed and the world is in the heart, one can have the mind of a grandmaster. Do you think it's a coincidence that eight of our sisters are almost grandmasters?"

No wonder, why is the success rate of grandmasters in our family so high? There is indeed a reason for this.

The green-clad sister said, "The sisters developed strong minds at home. After going out, they had a broader horizon and a clearer mind, and each of them quickly achieved the realm of a grandmaster."

Jiao Jian was stunned. It turns out that the sisters going out on their own was a good thing, and each of them achieved great success in martial arts.

"Xiao Su, what exactly is the realm of a grandmaster?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "To become a grandmaster, one must have a high level of mental cultivation. A top expert has mountains and rivers in their heart, while a grandmaster has the world. Therefore, going out and traveling the world, experiencing the world, can better help one understand the way of a grandmaster. If the sisters had stayed at home to practice, they wouldn't have become grandmasters so quickly."

Although these words were profound, they made sense.

Jiao Jian nodded silently, "What do you mean by 'mind'?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "The mind and the body are combined to form the mind. The higher the mind, the higher one can fly. To cultivate the mind, one must first strengthen the mind, which is why our Jiao family emphasizes practicing the spirit first."

She continued, "A strong mind allows one to endure and persist in practicing skills and strengthening the body. A strong mind makes it easy to master martial techniques. Therefore, achieving success in practicing the spirit makes it easier and faster to improve in martial arts."

So, practicing the spirit is about strengthening the mind. Jiao Jian asked, "Do other schools practice the spirit?"

"Any process of practicing skills and techniques also involves cultivating the mind."

Jiao Xiao Su said, "Any martial arts expert is also a master of the mind. But in terms of a complete system for cultivating the mind, only our Tianqing Manor has it."

"Martial arts are constantly developing, and the levels of cultivation are also advancing. Before the Southern Song Dynasty, only a few martial arts experts could feel the flow of internal skills from their strong qi and blood, and internal skills were not yet a complete system. Now, the theory of internal skills is popular throughout the world."

Jiao Jian understood, "How does one strengthen the mind?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "Practicing the spirit involves cultivating the will and mind. The mind must be steady, the spirit must be accurate, the will must be as strong as iron, and the mind must be able to perceive all things, ultimately transcending the world."

"In our Jiao family, we have unique methods for cultivating the spirit, and practicing the spirit is integrated with practicing skills. Just as in other schools, internal and external skills are often practiced together."

"Pure external skill practice involves lifting stone locks and kicking wooden stakes."

"Pure internal skill practice involves sitting in meditation, cultivating the spirit, and regulating the breath."

Jiao Xiao Su said, "The most basic and simple method for practicing both internal and external skills is standing in a horse stance."

Standing in a horse stance involves squatting with the legs apart and holding the position for a long time.

Based on Jiao Jian's knowledge of martial arts, it is natural for external martial arts to practice the horse stance, and even internal martial arts like Tai Chi have the practice of the thirteen Tai Chi stances, showing that the horse stance is a fundamental practice for both internal and external skills.

Jiao Xiao Su said, "The horse stance strengthens the muscles and bones, which is external skill. It also allows one to experience breathing and regulation while standing still, which is internal skill."

She pointed to two marks on the stone path in the garden, "Brother, look, these are the footprints you left from standing in the horse stance before."

Jiao Jian was slightly surprised: My foundation must have been very good, to leave such deep marks?

He stood on the two footprints and saw that they fit his feet perfectly, with no gaps. Just standing there, with the footprints holding his feet, he felt much more stable.

Jiao Jian thought, if I were to fight someone and step down hard, sinking a few inches into the ground, wouldn't my stance be truly rooted?

But Jiao Xiao Su frowned, "Brother, come out and stand in a different place."

Jiao Jian asked, "Why?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "When you can stand and leave such footprints again, it will mean that your original skills have been restored."

Jiao Jian thought that standing on these footprints made his lower body naturally stable, reducing the difficulty, which wasn't meaningful.

So, he walked a few steps away, spread his legs to the width of the two footprints, and asked, "How do I practice next?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "Just sit down as if there's a stool under you, and try to sit as level as possible."

Jiao Jian slowly squatted down until his thighs were completely horizontal and said, "Is this good?"

For a beginner, it would be almost impossible to squat to this level, and even if they managed to do so, they couldn't hold it for more than half a minute. But Jiao Jian felt no discomfort, admiring the solid foundation of the previous Jiao Jian.

Jiao Xiao Su nodded and said, "Stand in this position for two hours."

In his previous life, Jiao Jian had heard that others could stand in the horse stance for no more than an hour, and that was not at such a low and difficult level. But at this moment, he was not surprised. To practice diligently, it should be like this.

"Brother, with your previous foundation, you need to stand in the horse stance for at least one hour each day to maintain your skills. To make rapid progress, you need to stand for two hours. If you can persist in standing for two hours every day, I guarantee that you can defeat Yuan Jiankong in three years."

Mentioning defeating Yuan Jiankong, Jiao Jian's enthusiasm increased, and he asked, "What if I stand for three hours every day?"

Jiao Xiao Su looked at him with a sympathetic expression, "Your knees will be ruined."

"Brother, do you know why practicing skills increases one's strength? Practicing skills involves pushing the body beyond its limits, causing minor damage, and then promptly recovering. This way, the body, having been stimulated by damage, becomes stronger."

The green-clad sister said seriously, "The key is that the body must be fully rested after being damaged. Therefore, practicing and recovering are two essential aspects. Practicing without recovery is just damaging the body."

"In the path of martial arts, the amount of practice should be determined by the recovery methods. It's not true that the more you practice, the better the results. Many professions, like farming, blacksmithing, and boating, involve heavy physical labor. They are almost always overworked, and due to a lack of adequate recovery methods, they not only fail to develop great skills but also gradually damage their bodies, often aging prematurely."

"If you have the energy after standing in the horse stance for two hours in the morning, you can practice sword, knife, and fist techniques in the afternoon."

Jiao Jian asked, "Is it that your recovery methods can only allow me to stand in the horse stance for two hours?"

The green-clad sister shook her head, "Repeating a single practice for too long is meaningless. Standing in the horse stance for two hours is the optimal limit for the human body. Practicing longer will damage the foundation. If you insist on standing for three hours, I can use special drugs to push your potential, allowing you to defeat Yuan Jiankong in six months, but your skills will stop there, and you will suffer from chronic pain and likely not live past thirty."

Jiao Jian nodded and asked, "Xiao Su, standing in the horse stance like this is no different from other schools. How do we practice the spirit?"

Jiao Xiao Su said, "Brother, our Jiao family's horse stance is called the 'Blue Sky Stance.' It not only practices skills but also the spirit. The core of practicing the spirit is the four words 'head held high.'"

Jiao Jian remembered the four words "head held high" on the archway at the entrance and looked up at the sky.

"Head held high, cultivating the spirit." Jiao Xiao Su waved her hand, "Xun, bring the blue sky and place it on Young Master's head."

How can the blue sky be brought? Jiao Jian curiously turned and saw Xun carrying a large blue porcelain bowl filled with water, which she carefully placed on his head.

"Brother, this blue bowl is the blue sky. You are holding the bowl on your head, which means you are holding the blue sky," Jiao Xiao Su said, "The I Ching says: 'Heaven generates water.' Therefore, the bowl is filled with water to align with the Dao."

So, standing with a bowl on the head is called the Blue Sky Stance.

"The first step in practicing the Blue Sky Stance is to focus."

Jiao Xiao Su continued, "Be very careful when standing in the horse stance, don't let the bowl fall, it's very expensive. By the way,