Genius

Spitting out those few words, Instructor Xu slowly concluded his form, exhaling a foot-long plume of hot vapor that lingered in the air for several breaths before dissipating. "Did you catch that?" The youths all shook their heads in bewilderment, save for Huang Tian, who nodded thoughtfully. Sharp-eyed, Instructor Xu singled him out. "Since you nodded, step forward and give it a try." Huang Tian had no intention of playing weak. Composed and unhurried, he parted through the crowd and stepped onto the earthen platform. 'If nothing else, his bearing is quite impressive,' Instructor Xu praised inwardly. "Begin. Do not fear making mistakes; I will guide you." "Understood." Facing the dozens of martial students below the platform, Huang Tian focused his thoughts for a moment. He parted his feet, all ten toes digging into the ground like tiger claws. Knees slightly bent, hips sank, and his spine arched section by section like a great dragon. His hands cupped loosely into claws—in form, a crouching tiger; in intent, a ferocious beast! 'Not bad!' Instructor Xu's eyes lit up. He had not expected this youth to memorize the stance's form in a single glance. The next instant, a sharp crack echoed as Huang Tian snapped his hips and waist like a tiger whipping its tail. Amidst deep, measured breathing, every muscle in his body engaged, and twelve major tendons grew taut as drawn bowstrings. A surge of power originated from his feet, traveled through his legs, was governed by his waist, surged through his spine, pierced into his shoulders, and reached his claws—circulating endlessly in an unceasing torrent. At a certain moment, something seemed to dart and surge beneath the skin of his arms, gradually climbing up his spine, waist, and abdomen, suffusing him with warmth. "Y-You've developed force?!!" Seeing this, Instructor Xu's eyes widened in utter disbelief. How could anyone in this world, having seen a stance routine only once, not only adopt the posture flawlessly but also cultivate force on the spot? It was simply preposterous! An uproar broke out among the youths below the platform. Heavens knew they had not even grasped how to strike the posture of the Spirit Tiger Stance, yet someone had already manifested force. Could the disparity between mortals truly be this vast?! Jiang Hou and He Xu stared in blank astonishment, a single thought flashing through their minds: 'This is what you meant by having nothing you're particularly good at?' Huang Tian slowly drew in his stance, exhaling a wave of heat, only to see Instructor Xu staring at him as though looking at a monster. "H-Have you practiced the Spirit Tiger Stance before?" The Spirit Tiger Stance was not particularly rare or precious; many people outside relied on it to lay their martial foundation. Huang Jian, for instance, had trained in the Spirit Tiger Stance to cultivate Spirit Tiger Jin. Huang Tian shook his head. "Today is my first time seeing it." Instructor Xu drew a soft breath. "Truly?" "Truly," Huang Tian confirmed. "However, I vaguely sensed that this Spirit Tiger Stance lacks harmony, as though something is missing." Instructor Xu's eyes went even wider. "You can sense even that? The Spirit Tiger Stance originates from the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance. That stance routine is intricate, requiring the practitioner to visualize two forms simultaneously. It is exceedingly difficult to practice, which is why it was divided into the Spirit Tiger Stance and the Demon Crane Stance. "Originally, after teaching the Spirit Tiger Stance, I was going to teach you all the Demon Crane Stance so you could choose whichever suited your disposition." Huang Tian understood and asked, "What are the benefits of practicing this Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance?" "You wish to practice both together?" Instructor Xu realized. "Mastering the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance yields Tiger Crane Jin, which nurtures blood and qi much faster. Your progression toward the First Blood-Qi Transformation would be thirty to fifty percent quicker." It was only thirty to fifty percent faster, yet many times more difficult. No wonder practically no beginners took it up. For Huang Tian, however, this was not an issue. "Please demonstrate it for me, Instructor." Instructor Xu gave him a searching look and nodded slightly. "Very well. I shall demonstrate it for you." Truth be told, it was only after becoming an eighth-rank martial artist that he had circled back to master the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance; before that, he had tempered his body and nourished his blood and qi solely with Spirit Tiger Jin. Fortunately, he had learned the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance, or he would have inevitably lost face before all these martial students today. Instructor Xu pointed at Huang Tian, looked around at the youths below the earthen platform, and projected his voice: "Next, I will demonstrate the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance for him. You may watch as well. If any of you possess his talent, you too may cultivate this stance routine! "However, I advise you not to aim too high. Focus on the Spirit Tiger Stance or the Demon Crane Stance I will teach later. Otherwise, if you obsess over a dead end, you will waste your effort, stall your progress, and end up failing to cultivate force after two months—only to be kicked out of the Guard Academy in disgrace." Though Instructor Xu's blunt words grated on the ears of the martial students, they were not fools. Recognizing Huang Tian's exceptional talent and comprehension, which none of them could hope to match, almost none harbored any thoughts of competing with him. Seeing that everyone remained grounded, Instructor Xu felt satisfied. He turned to Huang Tian and said, "Watch closely!" With those words, he parted his feet slightly, his toes gripping the ground. His left arm reached forward with his elbow sinking slightly, palm cupped inward, fingers half-hooked into the shape of a tiger's claw. His right arm bent backward at the elbow, the back of his hand pressed against the side of his waist. His five fingers spread open, fingertips angling upward like crane feathers tucked against his flank. Then, tucking his chin and casting his gaze upward, his spine arched like a bow. Suddenly, his spine flexed and snapped like a drawn bow released. A jolt of force surged from his tailbone up along his spine, prompting a faint humming vibration from his sinews and bones. Standing beside Instructor Xu, Huang Tian could clearly see the skin of the instructor's left arm flushing red as though scorched by heat, while his right arm turned the opposite—pale and cool. The two forces intertwined at the junction of his chest and abdomen. The skin over his chest quivered uncontrollably in a subtle tremor, as though countless tiny tadpoles were wriggling beneath the surface. After dozens of breaths, Instructor Xu slowly drew in his stance, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. "The force of Tiger Crane Jin is exceedingly domineering. Its efficacy in tempering sinews and bones is exceptional, and it offers immense benefits in clearing meridians and nurturing blood and qi. It is simply too difficult to practice. Give it a try—start by attempting to strike the posture." Huang Tian nodded and closed his eyes, recalling every detail of Instructor Xu's posture from moments ago. A few breaths later, he opened his eyes, and his body moved. His center of gravity sank slightly. His right leg supported him with toes digging into the earth, force sinking deep into the soles of his feet. The palm of his left tiger claw suddenly hollowed, carrying a hidden gripping force, while his right scapula unfurled like a crane's wing, poised between closed and spread. 'Excellent!' Instructor Xu's eyes gleamed as he thought, 'A true genius! From merely watching my movements once, he grasped both the form and the core essentials of the Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Stance!' Upon the earthen platform, Huang Tian's body swayed subtly, and his skin seemed to ripple with faint waves. At that moment, he felt a sudden blaze in his left arm, as though pressed against glowing red coals, while his right arm grew wonderfully cool, as if submerged in icy water. The two distinct forces intertwined across his chest, abdomen, and back, then transformed into streams of warmth that spread throughout his body, steadily tempering his flesh, sinews, and bones! "He... he cultivated Tiger Crane Jin as well?!!" Instructor Xu's jaw nearly hit the ground. Striking the Spirit Tiger Stance in an instant and producing Spirit Tiger Jin was shocking enough, but to master the far more difficult Spirit Tiger Demon Crane Jin on the first try as well? 'Could this truly be the legendary martial genius?!' He fell into profound bewilderment.