Chapter 43: Scapegoat King

“Stances?”

Fang Ping said in a low voice.

Next to him, Wu Zhihao was not surprised at all either. He nodded and said, “Yeah, second-generation martial artists tend to cultivate with their stances.”

Stances were not a secret. The martial arts universities had compiled 16 commonly-used stances, but there were more available out in the wider society. It was not impossible to learn them if one really wanted to.

One could even get the stances in the Sixteen Styles of Pole-standing for a fee.

Wu Zhihao did not care what Fang Ping thought about it, and he said softly, “Do you know why these second-generation martial artists aren’t very well-known?

“This is exactly why!

“Stance training begets long-term results. Their performances would only truly shine after they entered a martial arts university.

“Only after they enter a martial arts university will they have a chance to take the spotlight.”

Wu Zhihao shook his head and continued, “But we don’t have to follow their examples. Stances take a lot of time and effort.

“Its short-term effects won’t be much better than that of regular training, complemented with a special diet and medicine.

“Usually, only second-generation martial artists practice their stances during high school.”

Stances were a long-term project.

They had to be complemented with the Methods of Honing to achieve their maximum effect.

Without that, stances alone would not increase their Vitality any more effectively than regular training would. In fact, they would be less effective.

Of course, this referred to low-rank stances.

If one could actually reach the first level and achieve a stable stance before even becoming a martial artist, its effects would be far beyond that of regular training.

These descendants of martial artists lower than Rank-3 did not hope to become martial artists before passing their Gaokao.

Their aim was the future.

They would practice their stances first and get their Vitality high enough to enter a martial arts university. Once they were in, they would already have some basic experience with stances, and there, they could cultivate the Methods of Honing as well.

That was when they could reap the fruits of their labor.

Besides, they could also use the school’s resources then, rather than relying fully on their own pockets.

Practicing stances alone would not use up as many resources as cultivating the Methods of Honing would, reducing the financial burden on these Rank-3 and lower martial artists. From simply listening to Wu Zhihao’s simple explanation, Fang Ping had already considered all of the above.

Just then, Fang Ping could also understand why Wu Zhihao and the others did not learn the stances even though they knew of them.

Everyone was aiming for the Martial Science Exam now.

If regular training increased their Vitality faster than stances would, why should they bother with stances at all?

The future? That was far ahead.

If they did not get into the martial sciences, everything would be for naught.

However, almost all the descendants of martial artists aimed to become martial artists as well in the future.

That was why these people could afford to practice their stances, even though it took so long. Even if they did not get into a martial arts university, they would still continue on the path to become a martial artist.

…

As the two of them were chatting in low voices, Fang Ping was also observing the three students who were practicing their stances.

There were two boys and one girl. Just like Fang Ping, the two boys were cultivating the Horse-riding Stance.

The girl, on the other hand, was cultivating the Hun’yuan Stance.

Stances were very easy to identify simply by watching how the cultivator was standing.

As Fang Ping observed them, the students engaged in their stances noticed Wu Zhihao and Fang Ping as well.

Of the two boys, the rougher-looking one with a crew cut suddenly pulled back his stance and said with a hearty laugh, “Wu Zhihao, I haven’t seen you for a couple of days! How’s your Vitality now?”

“I haven’t checked lately. What about you, Tan Hao?”

“I’m at 118cal!”

Tan Hao did not bother lowering his volume, wiping his sweat with a towel as he complained, “If this was last year, I could go home and nap now, and I’d still pass!

“But this year, I hear that everyone’s Vitality is crazy high. Even 118 is no guarantee.”

Tan Hao looked rough and rowdy, with a figure similar to Yang Jian’s.

As he spoke, he glanced at Fang Ping too.

They were not close, however, so he did not greet Fang Ping.

Nevertheless, Wu Zhihao took the initiative to introduce them. “This is Fang Ping, a powerhouse from our class. His Vitality’s even higher than mine!”

After that, he smiled at Fang Ping and said, “This is Tan Hao from Class (2), a second-generation martial artist!”

“Whaddaya mean, a second-generation martial artist? Eff off!”

Tam Hao berated him and said in a huff, “I’m no second-generation martial artist. My old man’s only Rank-1, and he got that rank from a martial arts training course, no less.

“We’re flat broke. I have even fewer pills than you do!”

Wu Zhihao chuckled. “Don’t be so shameless. You clearly know which one of us had more pills.”

“Hahaha… Alright, that’s enough BS. You say Fang Ping’s Vitality is even higher than yours?”

Just then, Tan Hao’s interest was piqued by Fang Ping, and he began to appraise Fang Ping up and down.

That was when the other boy, with prettier features and longer hair than Tan Hao’s, pulled back his stance as well.

Having heard their conversation, the pretty boy walked over to them and said slightly curiously, “Wu Zhihao, are you telling the truth?”

Wu Zhihao did not answer immediately, first telling Fang Ping, “This is Tan Tao, also from Class (2).

“These brothers are the two second-generation martial artists from our year.

“Sure, their Vitality may even lower than Zhou Bin and Xiao Liang’s now.

“But once they get into a martial arts university, these brothers will be something else entirely…”

These two were the only second-generation martial artists among No.1 High School’s Year 3 students.

As for the girl beside them, she was in Year 2. She could see that they were chatting, but the girl chose to stay out of it and continue cultivating on her own.

“Brothers?”

Fang Ping looked at the two before him. One was large and rough, while the other was slender and pretty.

What the heck?!

These two were brothers?

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Fang Ping talked some smack about them inwardly, but he kept his expression straight and greeted them with a smile.

Before the brothers said anything more, Fang Ping said curiously, “You two were cultivating the Horse-riding Stance, right?”

“Yep, you know it too?” Tan Hao laughed heartily. “It sounds bad*ss, but its effects are meh.

“If our old man hadn’t insisted we cultivate our stances, I’d have thrown in the towel ages ago.

“If I just trained like Wu Zhihao, my Vitality might even be higher than Zhou Bin’s!”

“Could you stop tooting your own horn?”

As soon as Tan Hao said that, Tan Tao interrupted him somewhat exasperatedly. “Zhou Bin’s Vitality is at 125cal. He really is different from us.

“120cal is a roadblock. Even if we did train like him, we may not break 120cal.”

‘120cal is a roadblock?’

Fang Ping muttered inwardly. ‘What roadblock?

‘Why don’t I know about it?

‘Also, these brothers sure talk a lot. I mentioned the Horse-riding Stance, but there they went, changing the topic to Zhou Bin in an instant.’

While Fang Ping dissed them in his mind, the two brothers finally came back to the topic.

Tan Tao glanced at Fang Ping somewhat curiously and asked, “Fang Ping, is your Vitality really higher than Wu Zhihao’s?”

Wu Zhihao’s Vitality was by no means low. He already had 115cal below, which meant that he was right on their tail.

Since Wu Zhihao did not say how much he had now, they would not know either.

If Fang Ping’s Vitality was higher than Wu Zhihao’s, did that mean it was about the same as the brothers’?

There were not that many students with more than 115cal in No.1 High School, and they had never heard of Fang Ping before this.

“Zhihao’s just saying it. I never went to check, so I don’t really know either.”

Fang Ping did not want to dwell on that subject, so he forced the conversation back to the previous topic. “You guys look like you’ve been practicing your stances for some time. How long can you last now?”

“About half an hour, I guess.”

“You mean you’ve reached the first level?”

“Oh, so you know about that too…”

The rough-looking Tan Hao was once more taken by surprise, but he immediately laughed. “I’ve been practicing my stance for three years, but I only recently reached this level…”

After a moment, Tan Tao suddenly said, “Fang Ping, do you practice a stance too?”

“Hmm?”

Wu Zhihao glanced at Fang Ping involuntarily.

Fang Ping did not deny it, saying with a smile, “Yeah, I do. Just like you, I’m cultivating the Horse-riding Stance.

“I haven’t reached your level yet, though. When I watched you earlier, you were much more stable than I am. It makes me kinda jealous.”

It was not easy to determine if someone was cultivating stances without close observation.

Upon taking a closer look, however, there were still some signs in how one walked or carried themselves.

Fang Ping did not walk, Tan Tao just asked out of a slight suspicion.

When he heard Fang Ping admit that he was in fact cultivating the Horse-riding Stance, Tan Tao’s interest was instantly piqued, and he said hurriedly, “How long have you been working on your stance?”

“Quite long, actually.”

Fang Ping did not give a concrete answer, and then he forced the topic back. “I’ve always been experimenting on my own, and I didn’t know there were others practicing stances here at this school.

“You two are the first people I’ve seen who actually cultivate stances.

“Next time you’re practicing your stances, can I stand by and watch?”

He had not achieved a stable stance yet, which meant he had yet to reach the first level. It was extremely difficult, not to mention dangerous, to cultivate the Methods of Honing while also cultivating stances.

That was why Fang Ping truly wanted to reach the first level, that of a stable stance, before he attempted to cultivate both at once.

Nevertheless, it was difficult to fully comprehend some things from the diagrams alone.

If he had a real-life model for reference, however, that would make reaching the first level much easier.

Wang Jinyang could give him some pointers, but he was in River City, after all. Besides, he was trying to break through lately, so Fang Ping preferred not to keep bothering him.

Now, he just happened to meet these brothers. Both were at the first level, with stable stances, and they just happened to be cultivating the Horse-riding Stance too.

If Fang Ping could stand by and observe them, he would definitely benefit greatly from them.

Tan Hao chuckled. “Feel free to watch. It’s no secret, anyway. The most important part of cultivating stances is the determination and persistence.

“Tan Tao and I had been practicing out stances since Year 1 of high school, and we only just reached the first level.”

Now that they knew Fang Ping was also cultivating the Horse-riding Stance, the Tan brothers had a lot more to say.

Since they had just finished practicing their stances, they did not continue. Instead, they began to talk to Fang Ping about the essence of the Horse-riding Stance.

High-school students did not usually have the same twisted considerations as adults did.

Although it was their first time meeting Fang Ping, the brothers gave him advice based on their experience without much hesitation.

With that, Fang Ping instantly felt like this trip was worth it, and he had come to the right place.

Fang Ping even took his stance right there and then, and the brothers even helped to correct some of his movements.

…

Half an hour later.

After the Tan brothers went home, Wu Zhihao remained, looking at Fang Ping strangely.

“Fang Ping, you’re cultivating a stance too?”

“Yeah.”

Wu Zhihao wanted to say something, but he held back. Those who cultivated stances tended to see a slow increase in Vitality, and dietary and medicinal supplements were also a must.

Where did Fang Ping’s family find the money to support him?

Fang Ping seemed to read his thoughts, saying with a nonchalant laugh, “Oh, I just used to cultivate it on the side, casually, without hoping for much progress. Why else would my Vitality be so low back then?

“And I took some pills after that, right?

“My Vitality increased a good deal. That’s why I went back to cultivating my stance.”

Wu Zhihao was still somewhat perplexed, but he did not ask further. Inwardly, though, he thought that Fang Ping was a man of many secrets.

Fang Ping was not unduly bothered. He could suspect all he wanted, and at the most, Fang Ping would just pin it all on Wang Jinyang again.

With the Scapegoat King behind him, Fang Ping was not afraid of anyone’s suspicions.

After all, would these guys dare to ask Wang Jinyang?

Even if they did, Wang Jinyang would take all their questions for him. He definitely had to complete the after-sales services for the Huang Bin incident.

…

River City.

Fresh from his breakthrough, Wang Jinyang suddenly sneezed!

He shook his head and seemed to feel a bad premonition.

Still, when he thought of how he had broken through to Rank-3, Wang Jinyang grinned and laughed, throwing those concerns to the back of his mind.