Chapter 19

In Liang Xiao's mind, a phrase suddenly popped up: "Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, the body should never be separated from the bow."

When he first heard these words from Huan Jun, Liang Xiao did not feel much. He thought it was just Huan Jun's way of emphasizing the need for diligent practice and not to slack off for a moment. It was only now, as he felt the faint yet very real sense of power within his body, that he truly understood the meaning of these words.

Liang Xiao was very excited, but he did not indulge in his excitement. He knew that this was an opportunity, and understanding how to seize this opportunity was more useful than rushing into practice.

"Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish." Mastering the method of learning is more important than acquiring specific knowledge.

Liang Xiao sat down and began to carefully review the process of practicing with the bow from the beginning.

Huan Jun had taken away his bow and made him practice the bow-drawing motion for a hundred days without it.

Day after day, he practiced, focusing on the subtle changes in each movement, trying to mimic Huan Jun's bow-drawing as closely as possible until his movements became smooth and natural, like flowing clouds and running water.

He practiced in the dark, with no distractions, fully immersed, until his waist felt slightly warm and his strength flowed through his body.

But where was the target? Since this was archery, why had Huan Jun never mentioned a target? He had him practice the bow-drawing motion but never had him aim at a specific goal.

Without a target, practicing in the dark. Liang Xiao thought about this for a long time until he connected these two things and suddenly understood.

The purpose of this training step was to correct the body and the mind. Correcting the body aimed to refine the movements, while correcting the mind aimed to train focus. Archery is a sport that requires intense concentration, with the target often dozens or even a hundred steps away. A slight deviation can result in a significant miss. Without intense focus, how could one possibly hit the target?

Not setting a target was to avoid interference before the movements were fully formed. Practicing in the dark suppressed visual distractions to the minimum, allowing for the maximum concentration, which helped him notice the subtle changes in his body. If there were visual distractions, even if he was very focused, he might miss these details.

Once he understood this, Liang Xiao had a direction. He stood up again and continued practicing according to his new insights. Before, it was spontaneous, but now it was conscious. He repeatedly practiced the bow-drawing motion, feeling the subtle changes in his waist and back. With these changes as a standard, his understanding of the bow-drawing motion deepened.

Liang Xiao practiced again and again until a ray of sunlight crept through the door crack and shone on his feet.

Liang Xiao stopped practicing, feeling warm and slightly sweaty, but his breathing had become deeper and more sustained. Even Liang Miao noticed this. During breakfast, she glanced at Liang Xiao a few times.

"What's wrong?" Liang Xiao asked, drinking his porridge in large gulps. "Do I have a flower on my face?"

"No flower, but your eyes are very bright, and you look very spirited. Xiao'er, you will definitely win today."

Liang Xiao then remembered that he had a duel with Hu Lai today, and Tu Niu'er and his two friends had been digging a hole on Jin Kui Mountain all night and had not returned. He thought for a moment, finished his last two sips of porridge, picked up his small crossbow, and turned to leave.

"Xiao'er, wait." Liang Miao came out, handed a live chicken tied up to Liang Xiao. "When you pass the community tree, offer a sacrifice to the community god to ensure your victory."

"Sacrifice to the community god?" Liang Xiao held the chicken, feeling hesitant. He had never relied on the community god for protection, and he was more concerned about the chickens. Since he "fell ill," the family's chickens had been given away or eaten, leaving only this last one. Was it necessary to give it to the community god?

"Go quickly, don't dawdle! Forget it, I'll do it myself. You go about your business."

Seeing Liang Xiao's hesitation, Liang Miao no longer relied on him. She turned, picked up the prepared wine, and carried the chicken out to the community tree. Liang Xiao followed behind, feeling a lump in his throat as he watched his mother's hurried and determined appearance. No matter how strong and decisive she was, she was now at a loss and could only pray to the gods.

Oh, right, there was no Buddha at this time.

At the community tree, Liang Miao placed the chicken in front of the altar, poured the wine, clasped her hands, and bowed twice, muttering prayers and prostrating herself on the ground. Seeing Liang Xiao standing to the side, she pulled him over to bow as well. Although Liang Xiao was reluctant, he knelt down and bowed, just in time to hear his mother's curse.

"Lord Chi You, Lord Dong Wang Gong, Lady Xi Wang Mu, Lord Dong Huang Taiyi, Lord Da Siming..." After a series of divine names, Liang Miao solemnly swore. "My son Liang Xiao is about to duel. I pray to all the gods for his safe return. If he returns safely, I will offer a pig and a dog, and a jar of wine. If anything happens to him, I will destroy your shrines and cut off your offerings..."

Liang Xiao's scalp tingled, and he tugged at his mother's sleeve. "Mother, this... isn't quite right. The gods will be displeased."

Liang Miao was unperturbed. "Xiao'er, you are young and don't understand. The gods are tough, not soft. Flattery won't work; you have to make it clear what's at stake, and they will help. Otherwise, they will be like those officials and ignore you."

Liang Xiao was drenched in sweat. The Han people's thinking was indeed different from that of later generations. Not only did they negotiate with the gods, but they even dared to threaten them.

"Liang Aunt, what are you doing?" Tu Hua came out of the yard, saw this scene, and waved. "Are you praying for a match for Xiao'er? Who have you set your eyes on?"

"Hua'er, so early." Liang Miao stood up, dusted off the dirt on her knees. "No, Liang Xiao is about to duel, and I'm praying to the community god for his protection."

"Is that so? By the way, Xiao'er, have you seen my brother? He hasn't come back all night, I don't know where he is."

Liang Xiao rolled his eyes. "Hua-ge, Niu'er is fine. He saw a new grave yesterday and decided to dig it up to prepare a dowry for you."

"Spit! Xiao'er, you heartless one, would you want your wife to use a dead person's things as a dowry when you marry?"

Tu Hua scolded and picked up the broom, rushing over menacingly.

Seeing the situation was not good, Liang Xiao ran away. Liang Miao, quick on her feet, grabbed Tu Hua and said with a smile, "Hua'er, I see a sign of good fortune on your forehead. It's a sign of good things to come."

"Really?" Tu Hua immediately blushed, leaving Liang Xiao behind, and said shyly, "Liang Aunt, when did you learn to read faces? Have you heard something?"

"Of course, Hua'er, such a capable woman, how many families would vie to marry you?"

"Alas—" Tu Hua sighed deeply. "What's the use of being capable? People are very materialistic now. Without a dowry, they won't even look at you. My mother finally negotiated the sale of our land with the Hu family, but my brother's foolishness ruined it."

"Your brother is not ordinary now." Liang Miao took Tu Hua's hand and said mysteriously, "I heard from Xiao'er that he has a very skilled master. In the future, he will become a great warrior, serve in the army, earn a title, and be granted land. How could he forget his sister?"

Tu Hua's anger turned to joy. "Is that true?"

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