Chapter 162: Training (Part 2)

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Training (Part 2)

"Come. I thought you would have at least learned the basics, but since you haven’t, let’s start there," Yizhou said, turning toward a more open space in the courtyard.

After catching his breath, Sui Sui quickly got to his feet and followed. His arms and legs were still a little sore from the sparring, but he was eager to see what Yizhou would teach him next. At least now they were moving on to proper instruction instead of having him serve as a practice target.

Once they had found a suitable spot, Yizhou turned to face him and began with the most fundamental part of martial arts training: proper standing posture.

"Ah? The standing position?" Sui Sui looked at Yizhou in confusion. "Aren’t we supposed to be learning swordsmanship?"

"En. Do you think you can learn swordsmanship in your current state?" Yizhou replied, giving him an amused look. "Don’t even think about it. You can’t even maintain a proper stance yet."

Sui Sui’s lips immediately pushed into a pout.

Hmph! Couldn’t he have said that a little more nicely?

Yizhou seemed rather pleased with his reaction. He didn’t bother explaining further and simply gestured for Sui Sui to stand properly.

"Stand straight. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart. Don’t lock your knees, and keep your back straight."

Sui Sui obediently followed his instructions, adjusting his feet and straightening his back. He tried to maintain the position, but no matter how carefully he arranged himself, something still didn’t feel quite right.

Yizhou watched him for a moment before slowly circling around him. After inspecting his posture from both sides, he eventually stopped behind Sui Sui, close enough that the younger man’s back was almost brushing against his chest.

"Your shoulders are too tense. Relax them."

Sui Sui tried to loosen his shoulders, but before he could figure out how, Yizhou placed a hand on one of them. His fingers rested lightly against the fabric of Sui Sui’s training clothes.

"Here. You’re holding too much tension."

Yizhou leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering as he spoke near Sui Sui’s ear. "You don’t have to tense up every muscle just to stand properly, Junior Brother. Otherwise, you’ll tire yourself out before you even begin."

The sudden closeness caught Sui Sui off guard. His shoulders stiffened almost immediately, doing precisely the opposite of what Yizhou had just told him to do. He could feel the warmth of the hand resting against his shoulder, and the faint breath near his ear made him unusually conscious of how close they were standing.

For some reason, the spot beneath Yizhou’s palm seemed to grow warm. Sui Sui couldn’t quite explain the sensation, but it was distracting enough that he momentarily forgot about maintaining his posture.

"Hmm? Didn’t I just tell you to relax?" Yizhou chuckled softly. His hand gave Sui Sui’s shoulder a gentle press. "You’re getting even stiffer now."

Sui Sui quickly came back to his senses. He lowered his shoulders, trying to follow the instruction, though he couldn’t understand why his body had suddenly become so uncooperative.

What’s wrong with me?

Perhaps it was simply the weather. They had been training since early morning, and the temperature was gradually rising along with the sun. That had to be the reason. There was no need to make a fuss over something as ordinary as a hand on his shoulder.

After a while, Yizhou finally withdrew his hand and stepped back, giving Sui Sui some room to adjust himself. Without the distraction of Yizhou standing so close, Sui Sui found it easier to concentrate on the remaining instructions. He straightened his back, settled his weight evenly between his feet, and tried to keep his shoulders loose.

Yizhou observed him for another moment before giving a small nod.

"Better. This is your basic standing posture. Remember it. Every movement begins with proper control over your body."

Sui Sui nodded seriously, committing the instructions to memory. He was determined to get this right.

The next lesson was the basic stance.

Yizhou stepped in front of Sui Sui and demonstrated the movement himself. He spread his feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, bent his knees, and slowly lowered his body. His back remained straight, and his weight was evenly distributed between both legs. Even in such a simple position, his movements looked steady and effortless, as though maintaining his balance required no thought at all.

"Lower your center of gravity and keep your weight balanced. Your knees should follow the direction of your toes. Don’t let them bend inward."

Sui Sui watched carefully, making sure to memorize every detail before attempting to imitate him. He spread his legs, bent his knees, and lowered himself, occasionally glancing down to check whether his feet were in the right position.

Yizhou examined him for a moment before shaking his head "Not quite. Your feet are too close together."

He moved closer and used the side of his foot to nudge Sui Sui’s right foot outward. Then he shifted to the other side and adjusted his left foot in the same way, leaving them at the proper distance.

"Like this. Keep both feet firmly planted. Don’t let your weight shift to one side."

Sui Sui nodded and tried to settle into the position. He was just beginning to feel that he had finally gotten it right when Yizhou spoke again.

"Lower yourself a little more."

Sui Sui obediently bent his knees further, but as his body descended, his upper half instinctively leaned forward to compensate. He hadn’t even realized he was doing it until Yizhou clicked his tongue.

"Your back is bending."

Before Sui Sui could straighten himself, Yizhou stepped behind him and placed one hand against his upper back, while the other settled near his shoulder. He gently pressed against Sui Sui’s back, guiding it into a straighter position, then adjusted his shoulder with his other hand.

"Keep your back straight. Don’t lean forward just because you’re lowering your body."

Sui Sui tried to follow his guidance, but having Yizhou standing so close behind him made it a little difficult to concentrate. He could feel the pressure of his palm against his back, along with the slight movement of his fingers as he corrected his posture. Yizhou’s other hand remained near his shoulder, keeping him from hunching forward again.

"Is this better?" Sui Sui asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Mm. A little more."

Yizhou pressed lightly against his upper back, and Sui Sui straightened himself as instructed. After a few more adjustments, Yizhou finally seemed satisfied and withdrew his hands.

"That’s better. Now hold it."

Sui Sui remained in position, waiting for the next instruction. After a moment, he couldn’t help asking, "For how long?"

Yizhou looked at him, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

"Let’s start with thirty minutes, ba."

"..."

Sui Sui’s expression froze.

This little—!

Was he learning a basic stance or being punished for some crime?

For the rest of the morning until the afternoon, Yizhou focused entirely on teaching Sui Sui the fundamentals. They went through the proper standing posture, basic stances, footworks, and the correct way to distribute his weight.

Whenever Sui Sui made a mistake, Yizhou would point it out and have him repeat the movement until he got it right.By the time they finished, Sui Sui had repeated the same movements so many times that he could practically perform them with his eyes closed.

Only then did Yizhou finally allow him to stop.

"That’s enough for today. Remember what I taught you. You can practice these movements on your own whenever you have free time."

Sui Sui nodded obediently, though his expression had become somewhat vacant. His legs were already beginning to feel sore, and the thought of having to repeat all those movements again during his free time wasn’t particularly appealing.

He had originally imagined that learning martial arts would be quite interesting. Perhaps he would get to practice impressive sword techniques or learn a few exciting moves. Who would have expected that his first lesson would consist mostly of standing in one position, bending his knees, and repeatedly adjusting his feet?

Still, he couldn’t deny that he had learned something. At least now he understood that martial arts involved more than simply swinging a sword around. Even the most basic movements required proper posture, balance, and control. If he wanted to improve, he would have to build a solid foundation first.