This is for combat not dancing

Arriving at the dining hall, Cheng Mo was already sipping tea at the main seat, while Uncle Zhong directed the staff in serving dishes. Seeing Xiangbei approaching, he greeted, "Miss Tong is here, dinner is ready. Please," and pulled out the chair on Cheng Mo's left for Xiangbei.

Once Xiangbei sat down, Cheng Mo put down his teacup, picked up some food with chopsticks, and Uncle Zhong, along with Sister-in-law Tian, discreetly withdrew. Only a few maids quietly stood behind the two. The dishes were plentiful, but mostly steamed and lightly seasoned. Xiangbei, not used to duck soup without ginger, chose to eat steamed chicken, white radish, and a few pieces of tofu with a bowl of rice. After the meal, she curiously ate a piece of sliced fish and a small bite of a pancake before putting down her bowl.

"What's wrong? Doesn't suit your taste?" Cheng Mo also put down his chopsticks and asked.

"I'm full. The food is good, although my personal taste leans a bit heavier. But all these dishes are excellent."

"Well, then come with me; I have something to tell you." Cheng Mo took a handkerchief handed over by a maid, wiped his hands, and then got up, walking towards the corridor.

Imitating the action, Xiangbei also took the warm towel handed to her, wiped her hands, and followed him to a spacious hall in the main courtyard. As they entered, they heard the sound of the door closing. Xiangbei suddenly turned around, looking at Cheng Mo with a gaze filled with tension and suspicion.

"What are you thinking! What's with that look? With your appearance, I can't imagine anything improper! Sit over there." Cheng Mo glared at her impatiently, leading the way towards the window on the right. Seeing Cheng Tian's figure passing by, he gestured with his chin for Xiangbei to sit on the wooden platform before speaking, "I'll teach you a set of internal strength techniques. Use them as assistance when practicing Tai Chi. Don't waste your master's efforts."

"My master? Oh, right, my master. Techniques? So, after you teach me these techniques, will I have internal energy, and then I can start doing acrobatics like running on walls and flying through the air?"

"Put away your fantasies. This technique, with diligent practice, can gather internal energy. Fortunately, this Tai Chi technique is exquisite. With time, you can also achieve something."

"I'll just practice occasionally, for self-cultivation." Xiangbei grumbled reluctantly, pouting. Suddenly, her head received a firm tap from Cheng Mo.

"Wasting natural resources!" Seeing Cheng Mo's gaze, which was about to explode in the next second, Xiangbei sensibly pressed her lips shut. In a moment, she playfully changed her expression, "How about you demonstrate by infusing your so-called internal power and show me a move?"

Cheng Mo looked at the expressive and tender face in front of him, his heart uncontrollably skipped a beat, disrupting the rhythm. Closing his eyes, he secretly adjusted his breathing, then opened them to deeply gaze at Xiangbei, untied his jade belt, revealing a set of snowy white silver-patterned short martial attire, and walked towards the center.

As Cheng Mo's figure unfolded, the movements of Tai Chi—opening and closing, gathering and dispersing, the interweaving of points, lines, and surfaces, the circular rotations, the fusion of movement and stillness, the combination of firmness and softness with fluid transitions—gradually formed a rhythm of alternating reality and illusion in the space. Each move contained different practical attacking purposes, using force against force, yielding to advance. It was a rich aesthetic of movement and a combat technique following the principles of natural forces. Suddenly, he understood what Master Zhang meant by "The Tao follows nature." Concluding the routine, all the intense struggles and stormy encounters reverted to silence. Cheng Mo walked towards Xiangbei slowly, asking, "How does it feel?"

"As if a knife resounds, nothing is left unsounded, harmonizing with the dance in the mulberry forest..." Xiangbei was still immersed in the splendid visual feast just now, murmuring to herself.

"Oh, you read 'Zhuangzi'?"

"Huh? What? Oh, speaking from the heart, speaking from the heart. What Zhuangzi's yard? Weren't you going to teach me internal strength techniques? Come on, teach me now. Once I learn, I can dance as beautifully as this."

"This is for combat, not for dancing."

"As long as it looks good, I'm not going to fight people. What's the point of combat?"