Chapter 161

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Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s expression change, Elder Yu felt that his words might have been too harsh, as if he’d struck a blow to the heart of this diligent country boy. Softening his tone slightly, he continued: “I’ve watched you practice your fist techniques. Your comprehension is very poor, and you still haven’t managed to learn a full set. But that’s not a big deal—if you can’t, you can’t. It won’t affect much. However, internal martial arts are different. They directly concern your life. A single mistake could lead to ‘qi deviation,’ and at best, you could be severely injured, or at worst, your life could be in danger. This is good<Wild Ox Strength>—it’s simple and easy to understand, and suits you well. But I must remind you: if, after several attempts, you still can’t sense the flow of qi, don’t stubbornly insist on continuing. It’s better to give it up. As the ancients said, ‘Take a step back, and the world becomes broader’. You could always try external martial arts—they are not bad either.”

After listening for a long while, Zhang Xiaohua finally understood. Elder Yu was genuinely concerned about him and hadn’t treated him like an outsider. That was why he spoke so frankly. Zhang Xiaohua was deeply grateful and said to Elder Yu: “I understand your good intentions. The idea behind building the straw shed does carry that meaning. Captain He has also shared a lot of precautions with me over the past few days. I will be careful. Right now, I’m just trying to find the sense of qi, so there shouldn’t be any major issues. Please don’t worry.”

He then turned to Ou Yan and said: “Sister Ou, the main reason for setting up the straw shed is still to watch over the medicine fields. Training is secondary.”

Seeing how thoughtful he was, how could Ou Yan possibly blame him? She said, “It’s alright, Zhang Xiaohua. Even if you want to train in martial arts, I’m happy to support you. Just be careful. Don’t risk your life practicing through the night just to win at the martial arts tournament.”

Zhang Xiaohua bowed and replied: “I understand, Sister Ou.”

Ou Yan then asked: “How are you planning to set up the straw shed? Do you need help from the people in the villa?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “There’s no need. I’ve been building straw sheds since I was young. I don’t need anyone’s help. I can finish it in an afternoon by myself.”

Ou Yan smiled and said: “Then get to it. If you need any materials, feel free to grab them from the warehouse.”

Zhang Xiaohua, overjoyed after receiving the confirmation, quickly took his leave and eagerly headed to the warehouse to gather materials.

When it came to building straw huts in the fields, Zhang Xiaohua had done it many times as a child, helping his father and older brother, so he was quite familiar with the process. Since it was only meant to shield against the morning dew, there was no need for anything fancy, making the task even easier. Zhang Xiaohua managed to complete the shed in just one afternoon. Additionally, since he hadn’t done much heavy labor for a long time, Zhang Xiaohua noticed that when he was handling the wood in the afternoon, his strength seemed to have grown significantly. He could lift large, heavy pieces of timber with just one hand.

Zhang Xiaohua found this puzzling. Could his strength really continue increasing with his age? He had no idea how much strength he possessed now. Moreover, while spreading the straw and tying the ropes, Zhang Xiaohua could distinctly feel that the fingers of his right hand had become much more nimble. It seemed that the injury to his bones had completely healed.

One good thing after another—this was truly a blessed time in Zhang Xiaohua’s life.

The straw shed was built right next to the medicine field. It stood there, alone and out of place, but since no one else ever came by this area except for Zhang Xiaohua, who would raise any objections?

Throughout the day, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t see He Tianshu at all. He figured he must be locked in his room, tugging at his hair, pondering something intensely. Hopefully, when he finally emerged, his hair wouldn’t have all fallen out.

As evening descended, just as it always did.

Zhang Xiaohua sat cross-legged inside the straw shed. Facing the setting sun, which dyed the distant clouds a brilliant red, he silently watched the breathtaking scene, feeling deeply moved. The beauty of the sunset was unparalleled, yet it only signaled the approach of dusk.

This beautiful scene only held Zhang Xiaohua’s attention for a brief moment before he closed his eyes and began cultivating according to the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. He started circulating his energy, trying to draw in qi.

The Yuan Qi was still as sparse as ever, faint and barely noticeable. Whenever Zhang Xiaohua managed to draw it into his body, it would quickly dissipate, but he remained calm, gently guiding the flow. After a while, his body seemed to become like a magnet, naturally attracting more Yuan Qi, giving him more time to experience the sensation of Yuan Qi entering his body.

However, the Yuan Qi flowing through his pores was so minuscule that Zhang Xiaohua still couldn’t sense it. And since the <Carefree Heart Sutra> didn’t teach how to detect Yuan Qi once it entered the body, only how to circulate the Yuan Qi once it was inside, Zhang Xiaohua had no idea how to proceed.

After pondering for a long while without any results, Zhang Xiaohua grew a bit impatient. His thoughts began to wander, and he found himself comparing the differences between the <Wild Ox Strength> and the <Carefree Heart Sutra>. Just as he was thinking about this, a sudden idea flashed in his mind like lightning, illuminating his understanding. He remembered what He Tianshu had said: the sensation of qi in internal cultivation didn’t really come from a real warm current flowing into the forehead. Rather, the warm current in the meridians was produced by the practitioner’s imagination. So, if he couldn’t sense the Yuan Qi in his pores, could he not imagine it instead?

It was only at this moment that Zhang Xiaohua realized what had been nagging at the back of his mind for the past few days. He’d felt like he was missing something important but couldn’t figure out what it was. Now, he understood—it was right here.

At this point, one couldn’t help but applaud Zhang Xiaohua for his insight. Many things in the world are unpredictable, much like the paths on the land. Originally, there were neither paths nor a lack of them; it was only after people walked the ground repeatedly that a path naturally formed.

The Heart Sutra didn’t explain how to sense the elusive Yuan Qi, but Zhang Xiaohua borrowed the idea of imagination to push forward his cultivation of Yuan Qi. Such an act could only be described as genius.

However, such a genius move, if seen by an internal martial arts master, would surely be met with scorn and a shake of the head, with only one comment: ‘The ignorant know no fear.’

With a plan set in his mind, Zhang Xiaohua began to experiment. He imagined his pores were filled with Yuan Qi, and according to the teachings of the sutra, he visualized drawing all of that energy into his meridians. Then, following his own insight, he mentally guided the imperceptible Yuan Qi through his body’s meridians. After completing a full cycle and returning the energy to his middle dantian, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t continue cultivating. Instead, he paused to assess his body and found no abnormalities. This meant that, while he didn’t know if his imagination was truly effective, it at least didn’t seem to be harmful.

So, Zhang Xiaohua resumed his practice, circulating the energy through thirty-six full cycles before stopping.

When he opened his eyes, it was already night. Remembering that he hadn’t practiced his fist and sword techniques yet, Zhang Xiaohua left the straw shed. Outside, the sky was overcast, with no moon or stars visible. Under the cover of the night, Zhang Xiaohua practiced his sword forms and the Big Dipper Divine Fist. As the cool flow of energy coursed through his body, Zhang Xiaohua felt an unparalleled sense of comfort.

After finishing his practice, Zhang Xiaohua discovered a new problem. He had always thought that the flow he felt during his fist practice occurred in his meridians. But today, after imagining the flow of Yuan Qi, he realized that the meridians described in the Heart Sutra should be the real meridians. However, these meridians were different from the ones involved in his fist techniques. Why was that?

Moreover, the sword techniques Elder Yu taught when performed with his left hand, could also generate a warm current. However, this current didn’t flow through his entire body, only circulating within his left arm. Perhaps it was passing through a part of the meridians, but it wasn’t mentioned in the Heart Sutra. Why was this?

To uncover the reason, Zhang Xiaohua practiced the Big Dipper Divine Fist several more times, carefully sensing the parts through which the flow moved. After finishing his practice and reflecting on the sensations, he was stunned to discover that the movement of flow during the Big Dipper Divine Fist wasn’t actually within his meridians. More accurately, the energy was actually flowing through Zhang Xiaohua’s bones!

Every one of the 108 moves of the fist technique guided the flow to pass through a different bone. Once he completed all the moves, the energy had flowed through all 108 bones of his body! (Zhang Xiaohua might be different from us—if someone like Tan Hua were practicing, it would probably take 206 moves)

[TL_Note: This refers to the fact that modern anatomy recognizes 206 bones in the human body]

Zhang Xiaohua’s mind was somewhat overwhelmed. How could a fist technique he had pieced together on his own have such an effect? What exactly was this technique doing?

Was it tempering his bones?

This was a question without an answer, and no one could explain it to him.

Zhang Xiaohua stroked his smooth chin, deciding not to overthink it. Since there was no one he could ask, why make things difficult for himself?

As the old saying goes, “Why should women make life harder for other women?”

So, why should he make things harder for himself?

Since he wasn’t going to trouble himself over it, the warm current generated by his sword practice became even less important to consider and beyond Zhang Xiaohua’s consideration.

Zhang Xiaohua returned to the straw shed with an indescribable feeling.

Nervous? How could he be? This was, after all, the Big Dipper Divine Fist he had personally named. He had practiced it for so long without any ill effects, so why would he be afraid?

Ecstatic? A little bit. After all, both He Tianshu and Elder Yu advised him to give up cultivating internal energy and focus on external martial arts. This bone-tempering technique was likely an external martial art, so there was no need to be overly proud or excited about it.

Secretly pleased? Haha, that’s for sure!

Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but think of the great heroes in the martial arts novels he had read. Those who achieve greatness and stand out from the rest often forge their own paths. One type of hero was adept at both internal and external cultivation. Didn’t He Tianshu also say, “Internal training refines inner energy, external training strengthens muscles, bones, and skin”? By using the Big Dipper Divine Fist to train his muscles, bones, and skin, while using the Carefree Heart Sutra to cultivate inner energy, wasn’t he on the path to becoming a true hero?

The more Zhang Xiaohua thought about it, the more pleased he became, and his little tail slowly started to lift.

However, when he sat back down on the cold ground of the straw shed, the chill made that ‘tail’ go back down and pulled Zhang Xiaohua out of his hero’s dream. Let’s not talk about whether his understanding was correct or not, it didn’t matter for now. Even though he had just gained a sense of qi, he was still far from developing true inner energy. Was there any point in thinking so far ahead? As the ancients said, ‘A thousand years is too long; we only strive for the present’.

It was better to focus on doing his part diligently for now.

Zhang Xiaohua lit the oil lamp in the straw shed, picked up a book, and began reading it with great interest.

As the ancients said, ‘Skill should never be a burden’. The more one learns, the more leverage one has to make a living. If martial arts don’t bring great achievements, then cultivating herbs and plants could still ensure a comfortable life, without worrying about missing out on a good meal.

This was Zhang Xiaohua’s lofty ideal!

After reading for a while, Zhang Xiaohua reluctantly closed the book. The old saying, “Knowledge is the best spiritual nourishment for humanity”, resonated deeply with Zhang Xiaohua. However, his body’s instinct clearly told him that it was getting late—midnight was approaching. He decided to close the book and prepare for rest. Zhang Xiaohua tidied up and extinguished the oil lamp.

People are strange creatures. Zhang Xiaohua had always gone to bed early at Guo Village and didn’t realize his body’s need for sleep around midnight until he came out here. After a few instances, his body adapted naturally, and he developed an instinct that told him when it was almost time to sleep. Even without the sound of a night watchman’s drum, he was aware of the approaching hour.

Once everything was settled, Zhang Xiaohua moved to the center of the straw shed, sat cross-legged, and performed the “Nine Shallow and One Deep” breathing technique. In no time, he entered a state of emptiness and began his routine of guiding qi into his body.

The night passed without incident. When Zhang Xiaohua awoke the next morning, he didn’t get up immediately. Instead, he focused his mind on circulating the Yuan Qi in his pores, running it through his meridians for thirty-six full cycles before finally standing up. He then went outside the straw shed to practice his fist techniques and sword forms.

During the day, Zhang Xiaohua was the only one in the medicine field, and He Tianshu still hadn’t appeared. However, Zhang Xiaohua noticed that the annoying weeds in the field seemed to be fewer than usual, which greatly pleased Zhang Xiaohua. As the ancients said, “Heaven rewards diligence”. It was as if the heavens, seeing that Zhang Xiaohua was managing the field alone, had made the weeds avoid the area to give him more time to practice martial arts. This unexpected turn of events made Zhang Xiaohua even more eager for the upcoming martial arts tournament.

Lightness skill and footwork should be practiced in the forest, so Zhang Xiaohua decided to leave the medicine field.

As Zhang Xiaohua was heading towards the forest, he encountered Ma Jing and Liu Er. Ma Jing spotted Zhang Xiaohua from a distance and immediately greeted him, rushing over and reaching out to grab Zhang Xiaohua’s hand. With his agile reflexes, Zhang Xiaohua deftly sidestepped slightly and clasped his hands together, saying: “Brother Ma, long time no see. How have you been?”

Ma Jing’s hand hung in the air, but he didn’t seem embarrassed. He quickly returned the greeting with a fist clasp, saying: “Zhang Xiaohua, it’s good to see you.”

Then, with a knowing wink and a conspiratorial look, he leaned in and whispered: “Zhang Xiaohua, you really have some skills. I thought you just got lucky when you went to see Captain He, but now I see you actually have real talent. I’m genuinely impressed.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled at the compliment and said: “Of course. It’s all thanks to Brother Ma’s influence. Without your help, how could I have grown so quickly?”

Ma Jing’s eyes crinkled with a pleased smile, and he glanced sideways at Liu Er. “This is also due to your natural talent. Look at my old buddy Liu Er here. He’s been with me for so long, but he just doesn’t seem to get it. By the way, Zhang Xiaohua, if you ever come into wealth in the future, don’t forget about us. After all, we’ve lived together.”

Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but get goosebumps at the memory and quickly assured him: “Of course, of course.”

Ma Jing, pleased with the promise, grinned and said: “I’ll hold you to that. When you make it big, I’ll have something to brag about. Maybe I could even write a book called <The Untold Story of Me and Zhang Xiaohua>!”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and hurriedly advised: “Brother Ma, we only lived together for a short time. How much could you possibly remember? Besides, is there enough material for a book?”

Ma Jing waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that. If it can make money, I can write anything.”

Zhang Xiaohua could only smile bitterly.

Ma Jing clasped his hands in farewell and said: “Alright, let’s not talk about that anymore. Focus on making progress. Everything will be better once you’ve achieved something.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded with a smile. “Yes, Brother Ma, you’re right. Everything depends on real skill and achievement. I’ll work hard.”

Ma Jing grinned, waved goodbye, and walked away, with Liu Er, who gave Zhang Xiaohua a simple smile and followed closely.

Just as he was about to leave, Ma Jing turned back and called out: “Zhang Xiaohua.”

Zhang Xiaohua had to stop and turn back, asking: “Brother Ma, is there something else?”

Ma Jing looked at Zhang Xiaohua with profound admiration and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, what you did by building a grass hut in the medicinal herb field was truly brilliant. Flattering the boss like that was spot-on; it really aligned with our leader’s intentions. Today, all the underlings centered around Brother Xi have been discussing you. I, as the elder brother, am utterly impressed by you. How did you come up with such a brilliant idea? Your genuine talent and skills are something I can’t even come close to matching.”

Zhang Xiaohua stood there in stunned silence!

Ma Jing, seemingly oblivious to Zhang Xiaohua’s reaction, turned and walked away, muttering to himself: “I need to hurry to the warehouse before Brother Xi and the others get there first!”

Watching Ma Jing’s departing figure, Zhang Xiaohua was at a loss for words. As the ancients said, “One’s words may be heartfelt, but they can be interpreted in various ways”. Although Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t intended anything particular, his actions seemed to have led to misunderstandings. Reflecting on human nature and his second brother’s experiences in the Piaomiao Sect, Zhang Xiaohua felt a swirl of emotions.

But then he suddenly burst out laughing. After today, won’t the medicine field overseen by Ma Jing and the others be filled with many straw sheds? That sight would be quite a spectacle. But what did it matter to him? As the saying goes, “Walk your own path and let others talk”. A gentleman is open and magnanimous. Zhang Xiaohua felt reassured, knowing that he had acted with a clear conscience. How others viewed it was their concern. In an instant, he seemed to understand his brother Zhang Xiaohu’s intentions better.

The path from the herb fields to the forest was somewhat lengthy, and Zhang Xiaohua inevitably passed by the small courtyard. In a hurry, he encountered several of the young lads who, without exception, gave him thumbs up. Zhang Xiaohua found it amusing but did not say much. Noting the direction they were looking, it seemed that, just like Ma Jing said, today’s warehouse would be bustling.

The forest was as serene as ever. As soon as Zhang Xiaohua stepped in, he felt a sense of tranquility. He smiled lightly, this was the atmosphere he enjoyed.

Recalling the lightness techniques and the Piaomiao steps that He Tianshu had taught him, Zhang Xiaohua took a deep breath. With a powerful push of his right foot, his figure darted forward like an arrow, fluttering through the forest like a butterfly among flowers, savoring the freedom of movement in this tranquil woodland.

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