Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

When the morning dew slid from the tip of the grass leaf for the fifth time, Bai Tang's claws slammed heavily on the ground, and the light golden star rhyme exploded, leaving a shallow pit on the grass.

"Ah……"

He panted, his ears drooped, and he watched the faint light in his palm dissipate, and swung his tail irritably.

This is already the fifth day of practicing according to Senior Brother Rongguang's method.

The first three days were obviously smooth. Humming the tune of Chang Zong and calming down, Xingyun could steadily sink from the chest to the knees, and even stay briefly between the muscles.

But since yesterday, he always wanted to go a step further and tried to send the rhythmic force to his fingertips. As a result, when he got anxious, the breath that he had stabilized with great difficulty became chaotic again. The star rhythm was like a runaway pony, running around in the meridians, and he almost got a stitch in the side several times.

"Come again!"

Bai Tang gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and was about to hum a tune when his shoulder was suddenly gently pressed down.

"Stop for a moment."

Mo Yun's voice sounded behind him, with a hint of helplessness that was barely perceptible.

"You've been practicing for an hour, your aura has long been floating."

Bai Tang turned around and saw Mo Yun and Rong Guang standing side by side not far away, both of them had the same "as expected" expression on their faces.

Rongguang walked forward, picked up the candy wrapper he had dropped on the ground, smiled and shook his head:

"I knew your temper. After being nice for a couple of days, you can't stand it anymore. Just now, I heard you humming a tune by the bamboo forest. From 'slow and gentle like a stream' to 'rushing against rocks', it's strange that you can maintain a steady rhythm."

Having his thoughts exposed, Bai Tang's ears felt a little hot, and he scratched the grass with his claws and whispered in defense:

"But I want to practice faster... Wu Song and the others are definitely making progress, I can't keep getting stuck here."

"You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Why can't you remember this truth?"

Mo Yun squatted down, and a light water charm condensed on her fingertips, gently touching his brow.

"When you were practicing these past two days, were you always thinking about 'it has to reach your fingertips quickly' and 'it has to penetrate the skin quickly'?"

Bai Tang was stunned for a moment, then nodded obediently:

"Hmm... I saw Da Fei practicing 'Thousand-pound Collapse' and he could shatter rocks with one punch. Wu Song's 'Burning Sand and Tempering Meridians' technique can even envelop his entire body in a fiery aura. I want to do that as soon as possible."

Rongguang couldn't help but rub his head and said in a gentle tone:

"You've fallen into a misunderstanding. The road was built step by step. They must have suffered hardships that other cats could hardly endure!"

Mo Yun stood up, glanced at the sky, and suggested:

"Stop practicing. Go rest at the stone table. I've made some new bamboo tea."

Bai Tang wanted to say something, but Rong Guang half-pulled and half-dragged her to the edge of the bamboo forest.

The bamboo tea on the stone table was still steaming, with a lingering fragrance. Next to it was a plate of freshly bought osmanthus cake, which was his favorite flavor.

Rongguang pushed the osmanthus cake in front of him:

"Eat something first. You only had a piece of cake this morning. You should be hungry after practicing for so long."

Bai Tang picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and took a small bite. The sweet fragrance mixed with the osmanthus fragrance spread in his mouth, but he still felt a little depressed.

He looked at Mo Yun and Rong Guang and couldn't help asking:

"Brother Mo Yun, Senior Brother, tell me, am I really stupid? You've all taught me the method, but I still can't practice it well."

Mo Yun picked up the teacup and blew away the hot steam gently. Instead of answering directly, she looked at Rong Guang:

"Do you remember the first time we competed in rhyme skills?"

Rong Guang was stunned for a moment, then smiled:

"Of course I remember. Back in the mountains, you had just woken up there. I wasn't convinced and insisted on competing with you. As a result, you trapped me there with your water charm for half an hour, and I couldn't move at all."

"You were anxious then too,"

A smile flashed in Mo Yun's eyes.

"I always try to use the 'straight force' of the singing sect to suppress my water rhyme, but the harder I try, the more chaotic my breath becomes, and the more scattered my rhyme becomes."

Rongguang touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed:

"That's right. Later, you told me that rhythmic power doesn't rely on 'rush', but on 'control'. It's like flowing water. It looks gentle, but as long as you hold the power in your bones, it can break through rocks."

Bai Tang listened to the conversation between the two, and his eyes gradually lit up:

"You're saying that practicing rhyme power is the same as sparring with you guys?"

"That's it."

Mo Yun put down the teacup and looked at the empty grass not far away.

"Since you're always trying to improve quickly, why don't we give you a demonstration? Rongguang, do you want to try?"

Rong Guang's eyes lit up and he stood up immediately:

"Okay! I've been on patrol for the past two weeks, so I want to stretch my muscles. But let me tell you in advance, don't use your full strength, otherwise my singing power won't be able to withstand your water rhyme."

Mo Yun nodded lightly:

"Don't worry, it's just a pure rhythmic exchange, no skills required, just a little bit."

Bai Tang instantly perked up and didn't even bother to eat the osmanthus cake in his mouth. He ran to the edge of the grass and found a suitable place to sit down, his eyes wide open, afraid of missing any details.

Mo Yun and Rong Guang were standing opposite each other, with a distance of about three meters between them.

Rong Guang took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, and a faint golden halo gradually appeared on the ink-black robe of the Changzong - that was the voice of the Changzong, warm and heavy, like the afternoon sun, slowly spreading around.

His breathing was very steady, and each breath was rhythmic. The sound and rhythm slowly condensed with his breathing, forming a translucent golden light shield in front of him. Subtle ripples could be vaguely seen on the light shield, which was the trajectory of the flow of sound and rhythm.

"Are you ready?"

Rong Guang opened his mouth, his voice carrying the unique penetrating power of a singing master, and the rhythm of the voice fluctuated slightly.

Mo Yun nodded slightly, without any extra movements, just raised her hand, and a light blue halo appeared on her fingertips - that was the water rhyme of the Water Sect, clear and soft, like a mountain stream, seemingly calm, but hiding a power that should not be underestimated.

His water aura condensed extremely quickly. Almost at the moment he raised his hand, a blue water aura shield formed in front of him. The shield was thinner and more transparent than Rong Guang's. If you didn't look carefully, it would almost blend into the surrounding air.

"let's start."

Mo Yun's voice was very soft, but it reached Rong Guang's ears clearly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden light shield in front of Rong Guang suddenly pushed forward with a heavy sound, like a moving shield, pressing towards Mo Yun.

Shengyun did not make much noise when he moved, but the air around him became heavy. The grass leaves on the grass were slightly bent by the pressure, and even the bamboo leaves in the distance swayed gently.

Bai Tang held his breath as he watched. He could feel the power in Rong Guang's voice - it was a very "real" power, and every inch of it was firm, just like the way the eldest brother usually spoke, straightforward, but making people feel reliable.

Just as the golden light shield was about to approach Mo Yun, the blue water-themed light shield in front of him suddenly moved.

There was no fierce push like Rong Guang, but it slid gently to the side like a stream of water, just avoiding the head-on impact of the golden light shield.

Immediately afterwards, the blue light shield spun slightly, and with a gentle force, it gently hit the side of the golden light shield.

With a light "bang" sound, the two rhythmic forces collided, the golden light shield shook slightly, and the ripples on it became violent, while the blue light shield only trembled slightly and then returned to calm.

Rongguang raised his eyebrows slightly, obviously not expecting Mo Yun's water rhythm to be so flexible.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and the sound was condensed again. The golden light shield became thicker and pressed towards Mo Yun again. This time the speed was faster than before, and the direction was more tricky. He tried to break through from Mo Yun's left side.

Mo Yun remained calm and composed. The blue water-themed light shield moved gently with his footsteps, always remaining in front of him.

Facing Rongguang's attack, he did not take it head-on, but constantly adjusted the direction of the water rhyme, sliding, spinning, or blocking, each time using the most labor-saving way to resolve Rongguang's attack.

His water rhythm seems gentle, but he can always accurately find the weak points of Rong Guang's sound rhythm. A slight touch can disrupt Rong Guang's offensive rhythm.

Bai Tang's eyes widened. He had only seen the ferocity of Wu Song's Fire Aura and the depth of Da Fei's Voice Aura, but he had never seen such power. Mo Yun's Water Aura looked so soft, yet it easily blocked Rong Guang's powerful Voice Aura. Moreover, from beginning to end, Mo Yun barely moved, his breath so steady that it seemed like he had exerted no effort.

"Your pronunciation is still too 'rigid',"

Mo Yun's voice came, with a hint of guidance.

"The breath is gathered in the chest and does not sink down. Therefore, although the rhythm power is strong, it is not flexible enough. Once the flaw is found, it will be easily disrupted."

Rong Guang laughed heartily and retracted his voice:

"You're truly amazing! After all these years, I still haven't grasped the essence of your water charm. But those few moves you made just now reminded me of the 'softness overcoming hardness' you taught me."

Mo Yun also took back Shui Yun, walked to Bai Tang and asked:

"do you understand?"

Bai Tang nodded vigorously, his eyes full of excitement:

"I see! I just saw that Senior Brother's Yunli was very powerful, but Brother Mo Yun blocked it with a softer Yunli! Is it because Senior Brother's Yunli didn't sink, so it wasn't stable enough?"

"almost."

Mo Yun glanced at him approvingly.

"Rongguang's vocal rhythm is inherently 'straight'. If the breath can't sink deep, the rhythmic power will float on the surface. It may seem powerful, but it's actually easily disrupted. And what about you?"

He paused and continued:

"Your Star Rhythm is rather intense, even more impetuous than Wu Song's Fire Rhythm. If your breath is unstable and you rush for success, your Rhythm will fly around like a headless fly. Not only will it be unable to penetrate your muscles, it may also damage your meridians."

Rong Guang also came over and added:

"When you watched me and Mo Yun sparring just now, you should have sensed that truly powerful rhyme power doesn't rely on 'force', but on 'control'. Just like Mo Yun's water rhyme, he can contain the power within and let it go wherever he wants. And my sound rhyme just now, although it looks strong, is like a tree without roots, swaying at the slightest breeze."

Bai Tang lowered his head and looked at his paws, thinking:

"So... I wasn't able to practice well before because I was too anxious. I didn't calm my breath down, and I didn't control my rhythmic energy. I was just rushing forward?"

"Yes."

Mo Yun rubbed his ears.

"Sinking your breath isn't just about humming a tune; it's about calming your mind and allowing your breath and rhythmic energy to merge. Just like the water rhythm I just used, every movement follows the breath, without a single unnecessary movement. When you practiced before, humming the tune was just a formality, and you were still thinking, 'Hurry up, get to your fingertips!' Naturally, your breath couldn't sink, and your rhythmic energy was disrupted."

Rongguang squatted down and looked at Baitang at eye level:

"Actually, you've done quite well. You were able to get your rhythmic energy down to your ankles on the first day. That's much better than I was back then. But improvement is like playing chess; you have to take it one step at a time and not rush it. You care about your companions and want to get stronger quickly to protect them. That's a good intention, but it should be a motivation to focus on your practice, not a reason to rush."

Bai Tang bit her lip, suddenly stood up, and bowed to Mo Yun and Rong Guang:

"Brother Mo Yun, Senior Brother, I'm sorry. I was too anxious before and complained that you didn't guide me. I won't do that again. I will practice calming my qi, controlling my rhyme power, and take it step by step."

Looking at his serious expression, Mo Yun and Rong Guang smiled at each other.

Rongguang took out a piece of sugar cake from his pocket and handed it to Baitang:

"That's right. Here, I'll give you a piece of candy as a reward. After you eat it, we'll continue practicing. This time, I'll teach you to sing Zong's 'Calming Tune'. It's more suitable for calming your spirit than the tune you hummed before."

Bai Tang took the cake, nodded vigorously, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face.

He took a bite of the cake, and the sweet taste spread in his mouth, and his heart felt a lot brighter.

The scene of watching Mo Yun and Rong Guang sparring was still replaying in his mind - Mo Yun's seemingly soft but powerful water rhyme, Rong Guang's heavy but voice rhyme that needed to be supported by calmness, both told him that there was no shortcut to practicing rhyme power. Only by calming down and taking one step at a time could he truly master his own power.

The sunlight shines through the bamboo leaves and falls on Baitang, giving his furry body a golden halo.

He clenched his claws, and the pale golden star rhythm gathered in his palms again - this time he did not rush forward, but slowly sank down following his breathing.

Xingyun is very steady, like a small star, gently beating in the palm of your hand, bringing with it warm power.

"good,"

Mo Yun's voice carried a hint of approval.

"The breath is much steadier this time."

Rong Guang also smiled and nodded:

"It seems the demonstration just now was not in vain. Come on, let's go to the grass and practice again. This time I'll teach you the tune of 'Tranquility Tune'. Hum after me."

Bai Tang followed the two cats to the grass, his tail wagging like a small fan.

He knew that he might still encounter difficulties in the next practice and there might still be times when he couldn't practice well, but he was no longer anxious.

Because he understood that true strength is not achieved overnight, but is slowly accumulated through repeated practice - just like the rhyme of ink and water, which seems soft but contains a strength that has been tempered through thousands of trials and tribulations; just like the rhyme of glory, which seems direct but is accumulated day after day.

He will practice hard, stay calm, and control the star rhythm well.

After he has mastered the third stage of "Meteor", he will take this accumulated power to find Wu Song and Da Fei, and work with them to drive away the remaining chaos and protect all the kittens.

The wind blew through the bamboo forest, carrying the fragrance of bamboo tea and the sweet aroma of sugar cakes, blowing the furry ears of Baitang.

He followed Rong Guang's tune and hummed the "Meditation Tune" softly. The tune was no longer as chaotic as before, but followed his breathing and slowly became steady.

The star rhythm in the palm of your hand also slowly sinks down with the tune, seeping into your skin texture bit by bit, bringing a warm feeling.

This time, he was neither anxious nor panicked.

Because he knew that as long as he took one step at a time, one day, his star rhyme would be as powerful and steady as the water rhyme of ink and the sound rhyme of glory.