Chapter 9: He Weng

The next day, they met He Weng, an elderly man. Despite his age, he had a healthy complexion, his white beard hanging from his chin like a white radish, and sported a belly the size of a seven-to-eight-month pregnancy.

His face conveyed an air of authority. On their way there, Zhan Ze had briefed him on who this old man was and how he should be handled, a discussion that took up half an hour.

Zhan Ze led Ye Chen in and said, "Old man, my father must have told you about him, right?"

He Weng was seated beneath a towering willow tree, at an old-fashioned square table, engrossed in a book. Upon hearing Zhan Ze speak, he looked up and scrutinized Ye Chen solemnly, seemingly able to determine with one look whether Ye Chen was martial arts material.

He put down his book and said, "You're becoming less punctual. I'll have to talk to your father about this."

"Hey, old man, don't be like that, snitching is really annoying, you know!" Zhan Ze hurriedly explained, "I was delayed because I was bringing Ye Chen here."

"Horse Stance." He commanded, slapping the ruler on the table.

"You mean him, or me? Because I don't need to do the Horse Stance." Zhan Ze continued, "That's beginner stuff."

"Who said? Who said?" He gesticulated with his ruler.

Zhan Ze directed Ye Chen: "Put your stuff down. Put it down."

They placed their extra belongings on the old-fashioned square table and squatted into the horse stance.

Each of them took one side and stood as rigid as wooden stakes.

"This is the Horse Stance? Press lower! If you don't, I'll help you."

Zhan Ze quickly pressed lower, lest the nearby water barrels be placed on him. "I've already passed the stage of the Horse Stance, why do I need to do it again?"

"Recently, you've been slacking off. It's time for a refresher. Warm-up for one hour."

Zhan Ze groaned upon hearing this.

"What groan..."

Zhan Ze explained, "I can endure one hour, but he has never trained in martial arts. If we make him do the Horse Stance for one hour on his first day, he won't be able to walk tomorrow."

"Heh, you really think about others."

Ye Chen quickly replied, "I've done some training before. I can handle an hour."

"I'm telling you, don't push yourself." said Zhan Ze.

"Really, it's fine. I've practiced the Horse Stance before."

"I worry that you won't be able to stand straight tomorrow."

He Weng commented, "You really do consider others a lot."

Zhan Ze chuckled.

After half an hour, their bodies were drenched in sweat and their calves trembled.

"Still holding up?" Zhan Ze questioned.

Beads of sweat rolled down Ye Chen's cheeks as the sun made things increasingly uncomfortable.

Zhan Ze was also sweating profusely now, but his foundation in martial arts was evident.

"Don't overdo it, if you're not comfortable, just say it." Zhan Ze was actually hoping Ye Chen would give in soon - if Ye Chen persisted, he would feel awkward admitting his own exhaustion.

Ye Chen recalled the words of his mother.

"These basic moves need to be practiced every day by beginners to eventually master them." He Weng lessoned.

"Don't you think your intensity is a little too high?" Zhan Ze remarked.

"Hah, you think this is intense?" He Weng turned to Ye Chen, "What martial arts have you learned before?"

"I have not systematically practiced martial arts, but I learned a few defensive moves." Ye Chen replied.

"That counts as knowing martial arts, do you know how to scale walls and roofs? How about Sword Control? Breathing Technique? Internal Power? How about controlling Immortal Beasts?" Zhan Ze questioned.

Ye Chen shook his head repeatedly.

"Then you haven't learned anything!"

"Stand steady." The old man resumed reading his book, and only allowed them to rest once the incense stick had burnt out fully.

Both men collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted.

Weng laughed, "You can't even stand in a Horse Stance, and yet you talk about Sword Control and scaling walls and roofs."

"Hey, old man, you're really knocking us hard. If you're so good, why don't you do a Horse Stance for an hour? I guarantee you won't even be able to get up tomorrow." Young Master Ze retorted.

He Weng chortled, "Am I here to teach you or are you here to teach me?"

"Didn't you say that you've done this before? How come you look so worn out too?" Ye Chen asked Zhan Ze.

"I haven't practiced this for a while."

"Wait, what are we learning next?"

He Weng replied: "Continue with the Horse Stance, one more hour."

"Ha, didn't you say we only had one hour of warm-up?" Zhan Ze queried.

"You two have too much body fat. This is the best way to lose weight."

Zhan Ze, looking at He Weng's big belly, replied, "I think you should lose some weight."

Overhearing this, He Weng exclaimed, "What did you just say, kid?"

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." He backed down nervously.

He Weng chuckled coldly,

"You're doing this on purpose, right?"

"So, do you want to continue with the Horse Stance?"

Zhan Ze believed that the old man would rat him out to his father, so he quickly said, "Do as the master says."

He waved Ye Chen over.

They practised the horse stance the entire morning, and could finally catch their breaths in the afternoon at the martial arts library.

Suddenly, Zhan Ze pointed at a guy in the corner who was chatting with someone. "That guy is my enemy."

"Qiao Haoyu?" Ye Chen asked.

"Right, remember him. He's incredibly irritating, always opposing me. He even wants to take the woman I love."