Chapter 10: Footwork

Half an hour after archery practice ended, the sun had already risen.

"Ning'er, I'll teach you footwork." Yuchi Xue, clad in white fur, smiled at her son.

"Yes." Ji Ning replied.

Though his back and legs ached from archery practice, his body recovered astonishingly fast thanks to cultivating the "Red Ming Nine Heavens Diagram," and he now felt refreshed and full of fighting spirit.

"In close combat, footwork is no less important than swordsmanship!" Yuchi Xue said solemnly. "In a duel, the one with superior footwork can dodge and weave, making it hard for the enemy to harm you while you can easily strike them."

Ji Ning nodded.

He understood.

Close combat wasn't a foolish exchange of blows; it was a phantom-like dance of shifting positions. In his past life, top boxers and kickboxers all valued footwork highly. Exquisite footwork could let you avoid ten punches, and even if you were hit, the force would be weakened.

Footwork was even more important than fist techniques! Because of his illness in his past life, Ji Ning had been keen on watching sports, so he understood the importance of footwork in boxing and kickboxing.

In this world, gods and demons lurked, but the basic principles were probably similar.

Footwork was of utmost importance.

"The footwork I'll teach you is called 'Wind Shadow Steps.'" Yuchi Xue said. "Though the name sounds ordinary, it's a profound technique, among the best in the entire Ji clan's five prefectures. And only I know it! Once you learn it, you'll master small-scale dodging and weaving, as well as the art of light-footed escape."

"First, carefully study the six basic steps." Yuchi Xue flipped her hand and produced a soil-yellow book.

Ji Ning took it and began to read carefully.

The book detailed the execution of the six basic steps of the Wind Shadow Steps, with extremely subtle methods of channeling force.

"Don't just ponder blindly." Yuchi Xue pointed into the distance. "Look over there."

Ji Ning turned his head. In the distance stood countless wooden stakes—at first glance, perhaps a thousand of them—of varying heights and distances, like a forest. Above these stakes hung numerous leather bags, densely packed, also numbering in the thousands.

"That's called the Thousand Star Formation!" Yuchi Xue said. "With the Thousand Star Formation's help, you should be able to master the Wind Shadow Steps to the 'Subtlety' level within ten years. Without it, it would take several times longer."

"The Wind Shadow Steps have three levels."

"First, Foundation."

"Second, Subtlety."

"Third, Unity of Heaven and Man."

Yuchi Xue looked at Ji Ning. "In fact, any footwork, swordsmanship, blade techniques, spear techniques, etc., can be divided into these three levels. For swordsmanship, the second level 'Subtlety' can also be called 'Unity of Man and Sword.'"

"Have you memorized the mysteries of the six basic steps?" Yuchi Xue asked.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded.

Yuchi Xue walked to the Thousand Star Formation and pointed to a very short stake. "Stand on this stake."

"Yes." Ji Ning easily stepped onto the stake.

Standing on the stake, he felt it wobble. The stake wasn't thick, barely enough for one foot. Fortunately, having cultivated the Red Ming Nine Heavens Diagram, his balance was excellent, so he could stand steady.

"Now follow my commands. I'll tell you which basic step to perform, and you do it." Yuchi Xue said. "Advance!"

Ji Ning recalled the force method and tried a forward lunge. Whoosh, he landed on a stake ahead, but brushed against a hanging leather bag. With a thud, he fell to the ground.

"Remember, when moving on the stakes in the Thousand Star Formation, you must not touch any leather bag. If you do, start over." Yuchi Xue said.

Ji Ning gritted his teeth.

He refused to be defeated.

He climbed back onto the short stake, then with a bowing advance, dodged a sandbag and landed on another stake. But the forward momentum was too strong; he wobbled for a while, flailing his arms before finally balancing on one foot.

"Remember, footwork should be like a nail—each step plants you firmly on the stake!" Yuchi Xue said. "A step must not be too small or too large, too light or too heavy. Wobbling like that in a life-or-death fight would let the enemy spot a flaw and run you through with a sword. Continue, advance!"

"Advance!"

"Walk step!"

"Leap step!"

"Retreat step!"

"Withdraw step!"

"Turn step!"

Yuchi Xue gave orders repeatedly.

In truth, no matter the footwork, the basic steps were always the same—advance, retreat, etc. But different techniques varied vastly in skill. Some were as swift as lightning, others drifted like the wind, and some shifted like ghosts.

Different footwork mysteries produced different movements.

"Thud!" He didn't squat low enough, and his back brushed a leather bag, causing him to miss the stake and fall.

Ji Ning silently climbed back onto the stake and continued.

"Thud!" His knees weren't bent enough.

"Thud!" His force wasn't light enough.

...

Ji Ning moved across the thousand stakes, flashing and shifting, frantically practicing the six basic steps. The hanging leather bags forced him into various postures to avoid obstacles, but no matter the posture, his center of gravity had to be stable, and his footing firm.

"Mother, how long will this take?" Ji Ning was battered.

"Ning'er, start from the shortest stake, traverse all 1,008 stakes, and leap down from the tallest! Without touching a single leather bag!"

"Complete it within ten breaths, and your footwork will have reached the first level, 'Foundation.'" Yuchi Xue smiled.

Ji Ning was stunned. "What? Ten breaths? Even on flat ground, I couldn't sprint that distance in ten breaths." Covering all 1,008 stakes would be over a kilometer; even sprinting would take a while.

"Once you complete the first level of the Red Ming Nine Heavens Diagram, on flat ground, you could probably sprint it in ten breaths." Yuchi Xue laughed.

"This..." Ji Ning was dumbfounded.

"Moving through the Thousand Star Formation as if on flat ground—that's the first level, 'Foundation.'" Yuchi Xue smiled.

"And the second level, 'Subtlety'?" Ji Ning couldn't help asking.

Yuchi Xue pushed the leather bags nearby, causing them to knock into others. Soon, all thousand leather bags were swinging and colliding with each other, moving in chaotic patterns.

"The second level, 'Subtlety,' means that with all the leather bags swinging and colliding, you still start from the shortest stake, traverse all 1,008 stakes in ten breaths, leap from the tallest, and touch no leather bag." Yuchi Xue looked at Ji Ning. "Achieve that, and you've mastered the second level."

"This, this, this is impossible? With all the leather bags moving, how can you avoid them? There might only be a split-second opportunity. To dodge all the bags and land precisely on the stake, all in such a short time..." Ji Ning found it incredibly difficult, impossible.

"That's why, with the Thousand Star Formation, you should reach the Subtlety level of Wind Shadow Steps within ten years." Yuchi Xue said. "From now until lunch, you'll stay on the stakes of the Thousand Star Formation."

"And the third level, 'Unity of Heaven and Man'?" Ji Ning pressed.

Yuchi Xue looked at him and smiled. "That's a realm. You'll know it when you reach it."

"How strong is it? There must be some description." Ji Ning persisted.

"Well, if I must say... even ten thousand arrows fired at once won't touch you." Yuchi Xue looked at her son.

"Ten thousand arrows?" Ji Ning imagined a dense rain of arrows. It seemed impossible to dodge them all, as they would fill all the space.

Yuchi Xue smiled. "Don't be discouraged. Among tribal warriors, top-tier Houtian experts usually only reach the first level, 'Foundation.'"

"Xiantian beings generally reach the second level, 'Subtlety.'"

"Zifu cultivators usually reach the third level, 'Unity of Heaven and Man.' But some extraordinary Xiantian beings can also achieve it—like your father!" Yuchi Xue said.

"Father?" Ji Ning was delighted.

"Your father's footwork is at the Unity of Heaven and Man level, and even the more difficult 'swordsmanship' is also at that level." Yuchi Xue smiled. "That's why your father is indisputably the strongest in the Ji clan's Western Prefecture, renowned among countless tribes."

Ji Ning felt a surge of pride. His father had done it! With the "Nuwa Diagram" and his past life's wisdom, he could too!

"Continue!"

"Advance!"

"Turn step!"

"Leap step!"

Ji Ning's small figure moved cautiously across the stakes of the Thousand Star Formation, sometimes falling.

...

Afternoon.

After a full meal and a short rest, his father dragged him to the training ground. The spring sun shone brightly, warming his body.

"Father." Ji Ning looked at his father, who was clad in white fur like an iceberg, and felt deep admiration. His father had slain powerful demons like flood dragons, reaching the pinnacle of strength and skill. Even some Xiantian beings wanted to study swordsmanship under him.

His father had nine disciples, three of whom were Xiantian beings. Yet he only instructed them once a month.

But he taught Ji Ning every day!

"Starting today, I'll teach you swordsmanship." Ji Yichuan looked at his son coldly. "The sword is not like the bow or footwork."

"Archery, once mastered, only requires greater strength and better vision to shoot more powerful arrows."

"Footwork, though important, is still auxiliary. Killing relies on the final strike of the sword."

"The sword is a short weapon, light and agile, with a double edge. It is more subtle and versatile than a blade. A thrust, a slash, a wipe, a point—all can easily kill an enemy. Even a careless practitioner might harm himself. It is a true blade of slaughter." Ji Yichuan looked at his son.

Ji Ning was filled with excitement and anticipation, his eyes shining. "Father, what sword technique will I learn?"

"Sword technique? Wait a few years!" Ji Yichuan said coldly.

"A few years?" Ji Ning was puzzled.

Ji Yichuan said coldly, "The sword is an extension of the body. To use the sword well, you must first control your own body. You need to practice boxing first, until your body, arms, and legs are all flexible and you can exert force freely. Only then are you physically prepared for swordsmanship."

"Physical preparation alone isn't enough."

"Your 'mind' must also be ready for swordsmanship."