I'm Just Making Up The Exercises, My Disciple, Have You Really Mastered Them?

Chapter 3: Xu Yan's Diligent Cultivation

"The horse stance is set, adjust your breathing, calm your mind, focus on your dantian, sense your own qi and blood..."

Xu Yan assumed the horse stance and, under Li Xuan's guidance, adjusted his breathing and sensed his qi and blood.

As Li Xuan pointed out, he said, "The key to my cultivation method lies in the word 'enlightenment' and the word 'intention.' It is not about form. You must calm your mind, forget the distinction between self and object, carefully perceive, and seek the 'intention' within..."

Since it was all made up, there were no techniques to teach. He couldn't possibly teach Xu Yan broadcast gymnastics, right? That would be too low-class.

So he could only have Xu Yan assume the horse stance and let him sense his own qi and blood.

As for not being able to sense it, that was a matter of aptitude.

It had nothing to do with the techniques taught by the master.

"Whether you can sense your qi and blood depends on your comprehension, on whether you can glimpse the 'intention' within. Once you can sense your qi and blood, try to mobilize it, refine the skin all over your body, and enter the Skin Refining stage..."

Li Xuan earnestly instructed Xu Yan in his cultivation.

"This is the foundation of martial dao. The so-called master guiding the disciple's practice is up to the individual. Practice diligently, carefully perceive, rest when tired, balance work and rest, and don't rush it."

"The more impatient you are, the harder it is to sense your qi and blood. Do you understand?"

Xu Yan respectfully said, "Yes, Master, I understand!"

"Good, practice diligently!"

Li Xuan left with his hands behind his back, happily accepting Xu Yan's gesture of apprenticeship.

"The Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi is a precious medicine. Stew some and try its effects!"

Li Xuan thought so, took out a small knife, carefully cut off a piece of the Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi, caught a chicken from the chicken coop, slaughtered it, and put it together with the Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi to stew.

"This disciple is here to cultivate, so it's necessary to provide meals. Since such a generous gift has been given, it would be a bit heartless not to provide meals."

Li Xuan muttered to himself.

While cooking, he took a look at Xu Yan, who was still in the horse stance, but he was swaying and about to give up.

After a while, Xu Yan couldn't hold on anymore and started to rest.

This was his third rest.

"It's fine to deceive for the time being. It's not that I want to deceive you, it's that you came to me willingly."

Li Xuan shook his head and didn't bother with him. For a while, he wouldn't be found out.

Moreover, Xu Yan's appearance gave Li Xuan the opportunity to leave the small village. Perhaps he could safely pass through the Evil Spirit Forest.

He had already planned his retreat. Once he left the small village, he would settle in Wu Country.

Far away from Qi Country, far away from East River County. Even if Xu Yan discovered that he had been deceived, he wouldn't be able to use his background to target him!

...

Xu Yan assumed the horse stance again, calmly sensing his qi and blood.

"Qi and blood, stored within the body, circulating throughout the body. How can I sense and mobilize them? Master said that it's about enlightenment and intention, not about form..."

Xu Yan continued to sense his qi and blood. However, apart from his legs getting sore from the horse stance, he didn't sense any qi and blood as claimed.

"Don't be discouraged. It hasn't been long. Persistence will surely yield results!"

Xu Yan encouraged himself in his heart, his gaze determined, as he continued to assume the horse stance and sense his qi and blood.

The chicken soup was ready.

Li Xuan took a look and saw that Xu Yan was still in the horse stance, so he didn't disturb him and started eating by himself.

"The Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi, a rare treasure in the world. Eating it prevents all diseases, prevents graying hair, and extends life by twenty years... I wonder if it's exaggerated!"

After eating his fill, Li Xuan didn't know if it was just psychological, but he felt much more energetic, and he seemed to have become much more relaxed.

"There's still a little left. Give it to Xu Yan to eat."

Muttering to himself, he got up and went to Xu Yan.

"What's the situation?"

Xu Yan put away the horse stance and said somewhat dejectedly, "Master, I still haven't sensed my qi and blood."

"It's okay, the path of Martial Dao is all about perseverance and unwavering will!" Li Xuan comforted.

In his heart, he chuckled, "He definitely can't sense Qi and blood. I made it up. If he could sense Qi and blood, wouldn't that be abnormal?"

"You still have one year left. Are you hungry now? Go eat." Upon hearing this, Xu Yan suddenly felt hungry and gratefully said, "Thank you, Master!"

"This is chicken soup stewed with Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi. Have some, it's a good nourishing tonic."

"Yes, Master!" Xu Yan was moved. Nine Leaf Yuan Zhi was his gift to his Master, but his Master simply used it to make soup for him. His Master didn't care about the gift at all. Just as his Master said, he was able to come here because of fate!

While eating and drinking the soup, Xu Yan asked, "Master, how long does it usually take to sense Qi and blood and start cultivating?"

"Well, it varies from person to person."

"Master, for the fastest cultivator, how long did it take?"

Li Xuan rolled his eyes in his heart. According to the cultivation method he made up, one could never achieve it in a lifetime.

"If I set the entry standard too low and he doesn't cultivate anything, will he suspect something? I must set the standard for geniuses a bit higher." Li Xuan thought to himself and said, "In ancient times, a genius would complete Skin Refining in five days, Bone Refining in ten days, Internal Organ Refining in fifteen days, and then their tendons and bones would thunder, their Qi and blood would surge, and they would successfully enter the door."

"About a month in total."

Xu Yan widened his eyes in astonishment.

Skin Refining in five days?

Entering the door in a month?

Is this what his Master considered a genius?

"Can I complete Skin Refining in five days? Today, I can't even sense Qi and blood. It seems impossible to complete Skin Refining in five days. Could it be that my aptitude is not good enough?"

Xu Yan suddenly became nervous.

Li Xuan had been paying attention to Xu Yan's expression all along. It was good that he felt nervous, so he said, "Of course, those were the geniuses of ancient times, one in ten thousand. You don't need to be anxious. As long as you can enter the door within a year, in my eyes, you will be qualified."

"So in Master's eyes, entering the door within a year is only considered qualified!"

Xu Yan's gaze became firm and he solemnly said, "Master, rest assured, I will definitely enter the door within a year and not disappoint your efforts!"

Li Xuan patted his shoulder, a look of satisfaction on his face, and said, "With your determination, it's not in vain that I made an exception to accept you as my disciple!"

Xu Yan was deeply moved.

At the same time, he felt a stronger sense of urgency. He quickly finished his meal, stood up, and said, "Master, I'm going to cultivate!"

"I must work hard in my cultivation and not let down my Master's efforts!"

With a firm determination in his heart, Xu Yan left quickly to continue his horse stance and sense Qi and blood.

"This foolish kid!" Li Xuan shook his head and sighed. He didn't want to deceive people.

But now, there was no turning back.

Since accepting the gift of discipleship and teaching Xu Yan a made-up cultivation method, Li Xuan knew that he couldn't turn back. He could only go down this path to the end.

It was already dark.

Before going to sleep, Li Xuan took a look outside and saw Xu Yan still practicing the horse stance. He was truly diligent.

Feeling a bit reluctant, afraid of exhausting him, Li Xuan said, "Cultivation emphasizes a balance between work and rest. Overworking oneself can actually damage the foundation. When it's time to rest, one should rest!"

"I understand, Master!" Xu Yan respectfully replied.

Li Xuan shook his head, closed the door, and went back to his room to sleep.

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(End of this chapter)