Chapter 9: Horse Stance

Martial arts training has become a matter of life and death for him

Chen Yifan did not stay in the room for long; he merely inquired briefly about the items needed by the old craftsman before leaving in a hurry

Chen Yifan said softly: "Young man, if you want to achieve success in martial arts, you must endure enough hardships. Now, assume the horse stance."

Although his words were harsh, in just these three short days, Ouyang Ming had already achieved the minimum requirements for forging armor in terms of control over the military supplies

Ouyang Ming nodded repeatedly, swearing to the heavens that he would never disappoint the old gentleman's high expectations

After Chen Yifan assumed a horse stance, although he remained completely still, for some reason, Ouyang Ming felt as if he were witnessing a galloping steed. If one were to gaze intently for a long time, one might even sense an overwhelming aura rushing towards him, as if it could crush him entirely.

Ouyang Ming nodded repeatedly, acknowledging that the old craftsman had indeed exerted himself to the utmost and had put in considerable effort for his matters

Where will this young man be able to go in the future

He slowly closed his eyes, following Chen Yifan's narration, and imagined the flow of energy within his body. Gradually, that energy became larger and stronger, and finally stabilized completely

The reason he agreed to impart his martial arts skills to Ouyang Ming was not only due to his appreciation for talent, but primarily out of respect for the old craftsman.

At this moment, seeing Ouyang Ming's expression of uncontainable joy, the old craftsman felt an indescribable emotion in his heart

Ouyang Ming's eyes lit up as he said, "Old master, are you willing to teach me?"

As his gaze fell upon himself, Ouyang Ming could not help but feel his face flush with embarrassment. Although his stance appeared identical to that of Chen Yifan's, there was an unmistakable sense of looseness about him, as if he might collapse at any moment

With his eyes rolling, he immediately said: "Old Master, why don't you let General Chen know that I have already activated the munitions?"

Chen Yifan's figure swayed slightly, and he had already appeared before Ouyang Ming like a ghostly apparition

Ouyang Ming responded with a sound and squatted down again in the same posture as before

The old master slowly nodded and said, "If Zhang Yinfan does not come over, it is not a big deal whether you go or not. After all, once you become a formal arms forger, it will be difficult for him to touch you. However, his quick arrival should indicate that he harbors considerable resentment towards you." Sighing, the old master continued, "I cannot handle that miser, but it would be different if it were General Chen. If you go to his military camp for training, Zhang Yinfan would definitely not dare to easily move against you"

Ouyang Ming glanced at it, not daring to be negligent, and squatted down in the same manner.

This young lad has always been quite envious of the soldiers training their martial skills on the playground, wishing he could join them. Now that he has this opportunity, it is only natural that he would not easily give it up or let it slip away.

Chen Yifan approached Ouyang Ming, extended his large hand, and began to knead and tap on him for a while, saying: "Good, indeed a martial arts seed with abundant vitality. Little fellow, since you have come to me, you must train hard. Hehe, if you fail to complete the tasks I assign, I will not let you off easily, do you understand?"

In front of Ouyang Ming, Chen Yifan had already widened his eyes, and in his gaze was a look of disbelief.

However, Ouyang Ming's performance was far beyond his expectations and those of the books. Surprisingly, during his first time in a horse stance, he was able to perceive the sensation of qi. Observing the subtle fluctuations of qi around Ouyang Ming, it seems that this is no longer merely about possessing the sensation of qi.

Chen Yifan's expression remained unchanged as he coldly said: "Get up!"

Chen Yifan shifted his gaze and reached out to tap him a few times, saying: "Raise your hands, bend your knees, keep your back straight, and do not move your eyes around."

The next morning, Ouyang Ming got up early. Unlike the previous days, he did not enter the old craftsman's forge, but instead headed directly towards the western camp

***

In the past, the old master craftsman took a full three months to barely accomplish it. Yet this young man managed to do it in just three days.

These two individuals have communicated face-to-face, and it is evident to anyone who is not a fool that they are not on the same level at all

Ouyang Ming nodded in a seemingly understanding manner. Although he felt a tinge of regret in his heart, he was even more certain that the old craftsman would never harm him

Ouyang Ming was taken aback, and immediately sat down on the ground, screaming.

These eyes were fixed intently on Ouyang Ming, their gaze quite complex, as if it were the first time encountering this young man. After a long while, Chen Yifan let out a long sigh, murmuring to himself with a bitter smile: "To think that a martial arts genius could be discovered in such a small place, hey, what luck ... ... "

The old master cast a disdainful glance at him and said: "Your fundamental skills are still lacking by a long way, but I have to forge weapons for General Chen, and I really cannot afford to delay any longer. However, you must remember that even if you learn the art of forging, you cannot be arrogant or complacent; you must strive for excellence in order to make progress"

Ouyang Ming nodded slowly and said, "I understand, as long as General Chen is present, Zhang Yinfan will not dare to do anything to me"

The old craftsman chuckled silently and said, "Little brat, you are indeed a bit clever." After pondering for a moment, he continued, "General Chen is right; to enhance strength and physique, merely forging iron here is not sufficient. You have already ignited the weaponry, and a stronger physique is needed to truly unleash the power of the weaponry. Therefore, following General Chen can also be considered a form of training."

Ouyang Mingxin was well aware and had long guessed Zhang Yinfan's intentions, but he absolutely could not reveal it.

The main reason for not daring to let outsiders know that Ouyang Ming has already activated the arms is precisely this

However, the old craftsman shook his head helplessly on the surface, yet he was filled with deep emotions in his heart

"Young man, starting tomorrow, you will report to the Western Camp," the old foreman said after a moment of contemplation.

After all, the weapon he intends to forge can only be crafted here by the old master craftsman, and no one else can accomplish it

Only at this point did he realize that there were so many intricacies to the horse stance, and it was not merely a simple surface posture. Accompanied by breathing and the imagination of intent, there were many profound teachings within it

The old craftsman's voice suddenly turned stern, saying: "In the coming days, you must work hard. Hmph, train at the western camp during the day, and come here at night; I will begin to teach you the true methods of forging."

Ouyang Ming immediately got up, his face filled with a look of displeasure, yet he did not know how to explain it

Although the old master had long known that a weapons controller with spiritual power is far more formidable than one who relies solely on physical strength, Ouyang Ming's performance was still enough to leave him in awe

Chen Yifan said loudly: "It is not an easy task to maintain a proper horse stance. Hmph, I will teach you a set of mnemonic verses; listen carefully. How much you can comprehend will depend on your own efforts."

Moreover, after yesterday's surprise attack by Zhang Hanyu, he is now acutely aware of the perilous situation he finds himself in at this moment

With each press of his finger, Ouyang Ming could clearly sense a flow of energy within himself, as if a warm current was moving in response, bringing a profound sense of comfort and relaxation

Ouyang Ming complied and maintained this posture without daring to relax in the slightest. However, strangely enough, after being corrected by Chen Yifan, he suddenly realized that his body seemed to have become much more relaxed, no longer experiencing the initial tension.

When Ouyang Ming finally met Chen Yifan, the formidable general looked at him with a gaze full of interest, his expression quite peculiar

The old craftsman's thoughts were indeed led astray by him. He shot him a glare and sighed, "You young man, do you not understand the principle that a tree that stands out in the forest will be struck by the wind? Hmph, I have already made it known that you possess the aura of a seed of military arms. Just endure for a few more days, and it can be announced."

Ouyang Ming blinked his bright eyes and said, "Old sir, what is the background of General Chen, and why is Zhang Yinfan so afraid of him?"

The old craftsman said with a bitter smile: "General Chen arrived here by parachute three months ago, and I do not know his background. However, he shares some insights in forging that resonate with my own, which is why we can converse well. Nevertheless, the fact that Zhang Yinfan holds him in such high regard indicates that he must have a significant background."

Ouyang Ming was left speechless, unable to utter a word. However, upon closely observing Chen Yifan, he indeed felt quite uncomfortable in his heart

What? Ouyang Ming looked up in surprise and said, "Old Master, are you really sending me there?"

Certainly, without a strong contrast between the two individuals, Ouyang Ming would find it difficult to perceive this significant difference

In fact, he had seen this horse stance technique many times in the military camp, as many soldiers would perform similar movements during their leisure time. However, Chen Yifan's horse stance seemed to have some slight differences.

The old foreman's expression was not pleasant; he snorted coldly and said, "Hmph, that stingy steward actually couldn't hold his temper and came in person." Shaking his head, he murmured, "Strange, this is not like his character..."

Chen Yifan brought Ouyang Ming into a tent and said, "Kid, if you want to learn martial arts, you must first stand firm. Watch closely." He lowered his waist and assumed a stance, saying, "Do it like this."

This young man may indeed bring himself a great surprise

Within the military camp, the rules are strict. However, once Ouyang Ming announced the name of General Chen Yifan from the Western Camp, he encountered no further obstacles, and no one showed any interest in questioning him a second time. Of course, this is also related to Ouyang Ming having spent two years in the military camp; if a true stranger were to attempt to navigate the camp in such a manner, it would be utterly impossible.

Chen Yifan furrowed his brows and scolded, "Hmph, you little brat, get your act together. Did I allow you to sit there?"

Having said that, he spoke while simultaneously pointing his finger at Ouyang Ming's body.

Ouyang Ming nodded emphatically and said loudly: "Yes!"

Ouyang Ming's scalp felt a slight tingling, and for some reason, under such a gaze, he experienced a sense of being completely exposed.