Chapter 8

I've heard that the monks at Shaolin Temple can place seven bowls of water on their bodies while standing in a horse stance. Ji Ao Jian was truly amazed, "It seems that the martial arts of Shaolin Temple are far superior to our family's. Do I have to place seven bowls of water to catch up with them in the future?"

As he spoke, he felt the large bowl of water on his head sway slightly, and he quickly closed his mouth.

"Being able to place seven bowls of water steadily while standing in a horse stance is indeed very beneficial for mental cultivation," Ji Xiao Su said.

"Brother, you don't need to worry. Our Ji family's Qingtian Stance has many variations, and it's not necessary to place seven bowls of water. You are currently practicing the most basic Ground Stance. In the future, there are Water Stance, Horseback Stance, and Cloud Stance. As long as you can master these stances, one bowl of water is enough."

Do I have to stand on water and on horseback?

Ji Ao Jian thought, this is not an ordinary level of difficulty. Being able to keep one bowl of water steady is indeed enough.

But the Cloud Stance is really hard to imagine. Do I have to stand on a kite?

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt the green bowl on his head sway again and quickly dismissed his thoughts, focusing his mind to stabilize it.

"Placing a bowl of water on your head is not just for stabilizing your body, but more importantly, to keep you focused while practicing the stance," Ji Xiao Su said.

"After practicing the stance for a long time, some people may become drowsy. With a bowl of water on your head that could fall at any moment, you won't dare to daydream. Your mind will always be on the bowl of water, which forces you to concentrate."

"Whatever you do, if you can concentrate, you will do it better."

This concentration is actually about focusing your mind. Just like in class, teachers always tell us to focus our attention. When your mind is focused, your learning and training will be more effective.

If a person develops the habit of concentrating, he will also be dedicated when doing other things, and his achievements will certainly surpass those of ordinary people.

Ji Ao Jian thought of a fable from his previous life: one person built houses all his life and remained a construction worker; another built houses all his life and became an architect.

The difference between being dedicated and not being dedicated is like a chasm.

If you focus on any task for twenty years, there is nothing in the world you cannot accomplish.

Ji Xiao Su said, "Focusing and being serious while practicing not only improves your skills but also trains your mind. When your mind is highly focused, your practice will be more effective."

"Our Ji family practices mental and willpower cultivation. The first step is to concentrate, which means being 'careful and fully focused.'"

"By persisting in the two-hour stance, your willpower and perseverance will naturally be strengthened."

After standing in the stance, Ji Ao Jian felt a warm sensation rising from his lower body, which was the natural heat generated by the accelerated circulation of qi and blood.

After a long time, Ji Ao Jian began to feel aching in his legs, and his whole body started to sway slightly.

The bowl on his head trembled even more. As time passed, the aching in his legs worsened, and the "Qingtian" on his head seemed about to collapse. Ji Ao Jian held his breath and endured, and after a long time, the aching in his legs gradually subsided.

Sweat poured down his head, "Xiao Su, how long have I been standing in the stance?"

"Half an hour has passed."

Ji Ao Jian was unsatisfied, "Only half an hour..."

The aching in his legs during the stance was similar to the feeling of hitting a wall during a long run. As long as you push through this wall, you can continue for a while longer.

However, the intervals between these walls would become shorter. Ji Ao Jian had only completed a quarter of the two-hour stance, and he would face at least four or five more walls.

After all, practicing is about pushing yourself to the limit. The more you push, the better the results. Ji Ao Jian thought, no matter how uncomfortable the stance is, it can't be worse than the pain he endured during his heart and lung injuries.

He became even more determined and pushed through two more walls. But when the fourth wall came, he couldn't control the trembling of his body, and the green bowl on his head suddenly tipped over, shattering on the ground and splashing him with cold water.

However, his body was already drenched in hot sweat, and the cold water made him feel much more relaxed.

Ji Xiao Su shook her head, "Brother, the sky has collapsed."

Xiao Xun also said, "Young Master, the sky has collapsed."

Ji Ao Jian was speechless: It's just a broken bowl, do you two really need to look so serious?

Ji Xiao Su saw his indifference, "Brother, after the sky collapses, can you still concentrate?"

Ji Ao Jian suddenly realized that to concentrate, you need a goal. Now that the bowl on his head was gone, what should he be "careful and fully focused" on?

Ji Xiao Su waved her hand, "Xiao Xun, bring another bowl of Qingtian." She then said to Ji Ao Jian, "Brother, this bowl is really expensive."

Ji Ao Jian blinked, "You want me to think about how precious this bowl is, cherish it, and be reluctant to let it break, so I will be more focused?"

Ji Xiao Su said, "Exactly, Brother, you are very smart."

After placing another bowl of water on his head, Ji Ao Jian asked, "What kind of power can be developed after mastering the stance?"

Ji Xiao Su said, "The stance can promote the circulation of qi and blood and strengthen the tendons and bones. When the tendons and bones are stretched, the strength from different parts of the body can be gathered and released as a whole."

"What is 'whole strength'?"

Xiao Su kicked a small tree in the garden, breaking it instantly.

"An untrained person's punch is just a punch, and a kick is just a kick, using only the strength of the limb. A trained person can gather the strength of the whole body and release it through the limb, which is 'whole strength.'"

Seeing his sister's slender body break a tree, Ji Ao Jian was greatly inspired, "When can I achieve this?"

Xiao Su said, "You can already kick down such a tree. Just keep practicing. Within three years, you can reach the ninth level of qi and blood circulation and become a top expert."

That day, Ji Ao Jian stood in the stance for two hours, but the "Qingtian" on his head collapsed twice.

After the stance, Ji Ao Jian was too exhausted to walk back to his room and collapsed on the ground. Ji Xiao Su called two servants to drag him to a prepared medicinal bath.

In a daze, Ji Ao Jian felt the medicinal bath was extremely strong. It was more like being soaked in a medicinal vat to be pickled.

After the bath, Ji Ao Jian was carried back to his room by the servants and fell onto the bed, unable to get up. Although he felt as if his body was pierced by a thousand needles, the fatigue was overwhelming, and he soon fell asleep.

When the sun was about to set, he was woken up by Xiao Xun's desperate calls. He barely managed to get up and ate a meal that was even more medicinal than when he was sick. Although he was starving, the strange taste of the food made him lose his appetite.

Ji Ao Jian steeled himself, pretending he had no sense of taste, and forced himself to eat.

Xiao Xun saw his struggle and said, "Young Master, when martial artists make rapid progress, it's like this. They are always soaked in medicinal vats."

Ji Ao Jian nodded, thinking that it was no wonder martial arts were lost in later generations. The cost of becoming a top expert was too high.

Thinking of the future, Ji Ao Jian remembered his穿越 to this era, which felt like the Ming and Qing dynasties, but he was still unsure of the exact time. So he asked Xiao Xun.

Based on Xiao Xun's information, Ji Ao Jian was first shocked and then delighted.

It turned out that the era he was in should have been the Daoguang period of the Qing dynasty, but now it was the Ming dynasty that had been restored.

In this world, the Qing dynasty did not fare well compared to his original world.

During the Kangxi era, although the Three Feudatories were eliminated, Taiwan was not pacified.

During the Yongzheng era, the efforts to address financial deficits and administrative reforms were not significant.

By the Qianlong era, the country's strength had declined, and the various military campaigns, which were supposed to be a symbol of the Ten Perfect Military Achievements, became fatal wounds for the Qing Empire.

During the Jiaqing era, the country was in turmoil, and rebellions were rampant. The Qing court, with its weakened Eight Banners, retreated to the Northeast, becoming a regional power.

The Zheng family in Taiwan sent a descendant of the Ming royal family to Beijing, nominally becoming the ruler of the country and restoring the Ming dynasty.

After the restoration, the central power of the Ming dynasty was naturally weak. Although the local warlords and rebel kings nominally respected the Ming court, the court had little control over most provinces.

At the same time, the power of the martial arts sects had developed underground for nearly two hundred years, with well-established organizations and a strong sense of "anti-Qing and restore the Ming." The connection between the martial arts sects and local strongmen made it even harder for the central government to regain control.

Although the country's situation was still a mess, Ji Ao Jian was more than satisfied.

He was relieved that he had traveled to an era that should have been the Qing dynasty but was now the restored Ming dynasty. He wouldn't have to wear the "money rat tail" hairstyle. Thinking of this, he was happy even in his dreams.

Xiao Xun didn't understand why Ji Ao Jian was suddenly smiling and eating faster, and asked worriedly, "Young Master, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, very fine." Ji Ao Jian patted his stomach, feeling as satisfied as when he drove away those "martial heroes" the day before.

He thought, it seems this era is the early 19th century, just as the First Industrial Revolution is about to be completed, a time of great change in the world.

For a former model student who had always wanted to contribute to society, could China avoid the fate of becoming a semi-colonial country in this era? The restored Ming dynasty, being more isolated than the "Qing dynasty," might be more resistant.

However, as a humanities student, Ji Ao Jian, despite his strong background in history and philosophy, was not a science student and had no intention of pursuing technological advancements.

After all, he had no connections or funds, and he had recently dismissed the guests in the manor due to financial issues.

Moreover, this was a martial arts world where powerful martial arts meant powerful strength, a crucial resource. His eight sisters, who had become top experts, could achieve great things.

Tianqing Manor was a top martial arts family, and the efficiency of martial arts practice was also top-notch. As long as he practiced diligently and became a top expert, the world would be his to explore.

If he practiced hard, he could become a top expert by the age of twenty. At that time, he would still be in his prime, ready to build his own power base, pursue technological advancements, or serve the country and save the people...

Thinking about the future, he fell asleep with a sense of satisfaction.

The next day, seeing Ji Ao Jian even more spirited than the previous day, Ji Xiao Su was even more surprised.

Anyone who engages in intense exercise will experience the most severe after-effects in the first three days, especially the first day.

Although Ji Ao Jian had shown great determination to practice, Ji Xiao Su thought he would be intimidated by the pain after the first day and would struggle to maintain his enthusiasm on the second day, only recovering after four or five days.

But Ji Ao Jian's spirited appearance was even better than his eager first day.

She looked at Xiao Xun with doubt, but Xiao Xun just shrugged, "I don't know."

It seems I really need to look at my brother with new eyes.

During the two-hour stance, although Ji Ao Jian tipped over the "Qingtian" on his head in the last half-hour, he quickly reached out and caught the bowl.

On the third day, the "Qingtian" remained steady throughout.

The next day, Ji Xiao Su no longer came, as standing for two hours with her brother was boring. And since Ji Ao Jian no longer let the "Qingtian" collapse, there was no more excitement to look forward to.

This cycle of practicing the stance, taking a medicinal bath, eating, and sleeping continued for over ten days.

He practiced the stance every day, and his qi and blood circulation accelerated, gradually restoring his original level of martial arts. His senses, which were already better than those of ordinary people, became even sharper.

After all, the original Ji Ao Jian had practiced for seven or eight years. If he hadn't been idle, he would have reached the fifth level of qi and blood circulation by now.

One night, shortly after falling asleep, Ji Ao Jian suddenly heard a light sound on the roof and immediately woke up.

Was it a thief? Ji Ao Jian flipped out of bed and ran outside. In the bright moonlight, he saw a black shadow running on the roof.

He immediately chased the black shadow. Seeing it jump over a wall, Ji Ao Jian followed, feeling his qi and blood surge, making his movements light and agile. He easily climbed the wall.

But standing on the wall, he suddenly felt dizzy. He quickly planted his feet firmly, feeling the "rooted" sensation of the stance, and remained steady.

Ji Ao Jian used to be afraid of heights and would feel nervous just thinking about standing on a wall. Now, with his feet so firmly planted, he felt that the height of the wall was nothing. He tried swaying his upper body and found that even doing a "iron board bridge" pose was easy.

Practicing martial arts and the stance had indeed made a difference, even overcoming his fear of heights.

He was happy and looked around, but the black shadow was gone.

At that moment, he heard a sharp cry from ahead.

Ji Ao Jian quickly jumped down from the wall and followed the sound. He saw a black figure lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

With his sharp eyesight, he clearly saw that the "thief" was a young girl, looking at him with a pained expression.

A long crossbow bolt had pierced her right leg, causing her face to contort in pain, but she dared not pull it out.

Ji Ao Jian said coolly, "Who are you, and what did you come to steal from my house at night?"

The girl thief gritted her teeth and said, "Young Master, my name is A Ke. I heard you had retired from the martial arts world, so I thought that Tianqing Manor, being a top family, must have many martial arts manuals, divine weapons, training formulas, and valuable herbs. I just needed to find a little, and I would be rich."

Ji Ao Jian said, "You know our family is a top family, yet you still dare to steal?"

The thief huffed, "Your family is no longer a top family, just an ordinary one. Why can't I steal?"

Ji Ao Jian shook his head, "Our manor may not be impregnable, but it has many traps. How did you sneak into the back yard?"

The girl thief blinked, "I don't know, I just kept jumping over walls and roofs and got in."

Ji Ao Jian sighed, "You are truly lucky, but your luck ran out when you tried to escape."

A Ke pleaded, "Young Master, please save me."

Ji Ao Jian pondered for a moment, and suddenly a green lantern appeared in the darkness, followed by a green figure.

Ji Xiao Su walked up and said coolly, "Brother, there's no need to bother with her. Let her fend for herself."

Ji Ao Jian asked, "Is that necessary?"

Ji Xiao Su said, "It's only right to kill a thief who breaks into your home."

A Ke panicked, "Miss Su, please spare me."

Ji Ao Jian felt a bit of sympathy, "She hasn't stolen anything yet."

Ji Xiao Su looked at her brother intently, her eyes glowing green, "Brother, didn't you hear what she said? The martial arts world thinks Tianqing Manor is no longer a top family, but it still has many valuable things, making it a big target."

"If this thief can escape, you will soon see a flood of thieves. Do you think you can handle it?"

Ji Ao Jian was silent.

This is the martial arts world, where things are done in a certain way.

He thought for a moment, "Then let's report it to the authorities. Wu Buzhang is a public official in Nanjing. We can hand her over to the government for punishment."

Ji Xiao Su said, "Since Brother has decided, I have no objections."

She paused and asked, "But Brother, why did you think of reporting it?"

Ji Ao Jian scratched his head and said, "Because I have always been a law-abiding citizen."