Pathway

Chapter 10: Coming Of Age [5]

Ju Feng had just reached the martial arts' Yinying stage after three years of intense training. Although this was just a level above the beginner, it was the silver eagle stage of the martial arts. He had just finished learning various stances of hand combats from his grandfather. Despite having a long way to go in his hand martial training, he would be moving on to swordsmanship to have a balance.

With all readiness, he steadily walked up to his grandfather, who was checking the defensive arrays that were protecting the cave. He looked a little grown as he walked, probably due to his physique which resembled that of a twelve year old. His stature was over five feet tall with bones as strong as a cave bear, and skin as thick as a bark hide. The senses in his eyes, nose and ears, were also growing keener as he engrossed himself in hard training.

"Good morning grandpa."

"Ju Feng!. A very good morning to you too. I guess that means you are ready for your morning training?"

"Yes grandpa, I even woke up ealier today to prepare."

"Mhm. I can see that. Then, let's go."

Arriving at the training center, Zhang Li Qiang produced a sword-shaped wood replica and gave it to his grandson.

"Swordsmanship means the abilities of a martial artist to use the sword properly."

Zhang Li Qiang materialised his own sword, the Skyfire. Made from white nephrite with the core of a white wyvern at its centre, this was a beautiful white sword. He glanced at his grandson as he performed a few rhythmic swings.

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"True words I tell you, my grandson. Sword is a weapon of blade that can look beautiful and delicate, but in the hand of a swordsman, it's a deadly weapon. This is the reason why a martial artist must be mentally and spiritually prepared. Proper training must be taken by a cultivator to be a true swordsman. Know this Jufeng, it takes a true swordsman to know when to draw a sword and when not to. You do not draw your sword for every little things. You draw your sword when it's absolutely necessary and you are left with no other alternative."

With his brows furrowed tightly together, Zhang Li Qiang stared extensively at his grandson and slowly asked.

"Ju Feng, which one is easier, to destroy or to make?"

"To destroy something is easier, grandpa."

"Yes, it is easier to destroy. But to make? It can take forever. This is where the nature of a heart comes in. How can a violent and easy to anger heart understand the true nature of the universe? It takes a calm and patient heart. Now, let's start and I will need your extra focus and seriousness. Alright?"

His unyielding stare on his grandson who quickly replied with a focused gaze.

"Yes, grandpa."

"The basic defense moves involve blocking and stepping. This move is voiding. It's a defensive move used to step either forward, backward, or sideways, out of the sword's attack range like this. Remember, voiding a slash involves the same concept as voiding a thrust, with the added element of the arc of attack instead of the line of attack. Uppercuts are voided by dropping the blade to your side."

Zhang Li Qiang started displaying the techniques by moving his feet back and forth, while watching his grandson to see if he was following his moves according to the steps. After confirming his grandson's grasp of the moves, he nodded and changed his posture.

"Now, we proceed to stepping. If your back foot passes your front foot in a passing step, it's a burst. If your front foot passes your back foot in a passing step, it's a lunge."

Zhang Li Qiang continued to put himself in different postures as he directed his grandson into the proper positions.

"Stances. The ox ward is a stance. You put the left foot forward with the sword held close to your face and aimed towards the upper regions of your opponent's body. Another stance is the the plow ward. This one, you put your right foot forward and place the sword near your knees, with the blade aimed at your opponent's chest. And the third one, is the the fool ward. For this one, you put your left foot forward with the sword aimed towards the ground in front of your left foot."

Satisfied with the progress of his grandson, Zhang Li Qiang swiftly changed the position of his sword and waited for his grandson to do the same. Seconds later, he continued with his words.

"Now attack moves. The first one is the high blow. A vertical blow against the opponent's head. The second is the wrath blow. You swing the sword from above, and diagonally aimed towards the opponent's ear. The third one is the middle blow. This you do horizontally, either from left to right or right to left. The fourth one is low blow. Swinging the sword from below, and aimed towards the opponent's arms. The fifth one is the overhead thrust. A move in which you jab the opponent with the sword, single-handedly. I need your total focus, Ju Feng."

Zhang Li Qian continued to show Ju Feng all the sword moves. They were so immersed in training that they failed to notice the flight of time. Being eight hours ago since they started, Zhang Li Qiang stopped the training and both of them left the practice area. On their way back to the cave, Zhang Li Qiang glanced at his grandson.

"Physical training develops body strength and health. It will surely provide you with the hardness and toughness of physique, greater mobility and agility. You will have wider abilities to perform to your strength, and the capacity to survive and thrive in a crisis. Truly I say to you Ju Feng, every man should be physically strong."

Few minutes after getting back to the cave, Ju Feng made his way to the pool area. He sat down on a bamboo mat beside the pool with his eyes closed, feeling his inner peace as he waited for his grandmother.

"As long as humans have lived on this planet, we have relied on water to nourish and replenish our systems physically."

Caught off-guard, Ju Feng turned his head, sharply, to the source of the voice. Seeing his grandmother, he heaved a sigh of relief knowing she was the one. Heavens tears! He didn't know when she arrived. It was as if his grandmother always walked on air.

"But it also provide mental and emotional benefits as well. It is a natural progression that we feel so at peace when we get near to water. It is part of who we are. The sound and sight of water is not only soothing but can directly affect your mood and environment. The sight of a pleasant water feature can also be a source of healing and relaxing."

With a nod of her head, Zhang Wang Jing indicated the pond to her grandson.

"These energy are released from water by the power of nature and found in high concentrations virtually anywhere water flows. We absorb these energy with each breath we take. When you are around a pond, the air will affect your mood and heighten your ability to concentrate. It also clean the air and promote a sense of tranquility and inner peace."

With a light energy pull, Zhang Wang Jing drew another bamboo mat and placed it opposite her grandson before sitting down in a lotus position.