Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

The morning of the body is softened by water vapor.

The green tiles and white walls meander along the river, like a string of jade beads dipped in ink, spreading out along the direction of the water.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, floating on the water, carrying the black-sailed boats back and forth as if they were floating in the clouds. The "Aina" sound of the oars cutting through the water, mixed with the "rustling" sound of the willow leaves on the shore, slowly spread in the air.

On the stone steps by the shore, a few newly planted white lotuses had just emerged, their tender white petals covered with morning dew. When the wind blew, the dew rolled into the water, causing a circle of very faint ripples, and even the shadows of the clouds reflected on the water were shaken.

The air is filled with the freshness of algae and the sweet fragrance of lotus. Even the wind is wrapped in moisture. When it blows across the cheek, it is like silk soaked in warm water, soft and sticking to the skin - this is the body sect. Even the morning light carries the unique warmth of Jiangnan, and even time goes slower than elsewhere.

Walking deeper along the water corridor, the bluestone slabs under your feet are slightly cool due to the morning dew. When your fingertips run across the white jade railings on the side of the corridor, you can touch a layer of fine water droplets.

Further ahead is the main palace of the Shen Sect, the "Ningshui Palace".

The door of the hall was open, and the carved window lattices cut the morning light into tiny golden flakes, which sprinkled on the bluestone floor inside the hall, reflecting the half-person-high water mirror in the hall with shimmering light.

On the open space next to the water mirror, two figures were waving their sleeves to the rhythm of the water. The pale purple and green sleeves were passing through the air, like two streams of water held by the wind. They were Xiaoqing and Mozi.

The dark purple sleeves are lavender, and the material is the "water-rippled silk" unique to the Shen Sect. Fine ripples can be seen under the light, and when they are waved, they look like iris petals dyed by the morning mist.

Her movements were slower than usual. When she raised her arms, she could see the water ripples embroidered with silver thread on the cuffs swaying gently with her movements, but her fingertips were turning a light white due to the secret exertion - her old heart disease had not yet healed completely. Even with the support of the "hidden bridge" connected to Mo Yun's heart meridian, any slightly more intense movement would still make her breathing slightly quicker.

At this moment, she was practicing the basic form of "Silk-Wrapping Sleeves". The sleeves were slowly extended from the wrists, and should have been stuck to the ground steadily like water wrapping around a reef. However, at the moment when the sleeves were about to touch the bluestone, her wrist shook uncontrollably, and the sleeves "slapped" on the ground, splashing a few tiny drops of water.

Mo Zi breathed softly and raised her hand to press her chest. Her fingertips could feel her heart beating faster than usual. At this moment, a distant, gentle rhythmic force gently came from her pulse, circling her heart like a trickle of water - it was Mo Yun.

He probably noticed that his rhythmic power was disordered, and was using his water rhythm to quietly help her stabilize her breath.

Mo Zi curled his lips, and a light blue water charm condensed on his fingertips, which he gently sent back along the pulse, as if to tell the other person "I'm fine".

"Hold your wrists a little harder."

Rong Mama's voice came from the corridor. She was wearing a dark blue palace dress, her hair was combed meticulously, and she held an ebony cane with a small water pattern carved on the top. Her eyes fell on Mo Zi's wrist, sharp but not harsh.

"The water sleeves are an extension of the body's rhythmic force. They aren't swung by the arms, but rather 'sent' out layer by layer through the rhythmic force from the shoulders to the elbows, and then from the elbows to the wrists. Since you have a weak heart, you should use the gentle force of the water to dissipate the force, rather than forcing it."

Mo Zi nodded, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tried to focus on the flow of rhythmic power.

The rhythmic power of the body sect originated from the same source as water. She tried to imagine that her arms were rivers and the rhythmic power was the water flow, starting from the "Shui Xin Point" on her chest, flowing slowly along the meridians of her arms, reaching her wrists, and then spreading naturally with the waving of her sleeves like water flowing over a bank.

When he waved his sleeves again, the lavender sleeves finally stabilized. The sleeves slid along the ground, creating a circle of very light ripples. The ripples flowed over the cracks in the bluestone, then retracted along the sleeves, retreating silently without even a splash of extra water.

"That's right."

Rong Mama's tone softened a little and her gaze turned to Xiaoqing on the other side.

Xiaoqing's sleeves are green, like newly sprouted willow branches. The material is thinner than the dark purple ones, and a slight rustling sound can be heard when they are waved.

She was practicing the "Wind-Breaking Sleeves", which should have been a bit strong, but her movements were a bit impatient at the moment. She swung her sleeves with too much force, and the "whoosh" sound of the sleeves passing through the air was a bit unstable. When they landed on the water mirror, there was a "splash" sound of water, and even the reflection in the water mirror was messed up.

Xiaoqing noticed it herself, and she couldn't help but frown as she put away her sleeves. She raised her hand to wipe the water droplets that splashed on her face and muttered softly:

"Why can't you hold on again..."

"You're still too impatient."

A gentle but weighty voice came from the entrance of the hall, and Molan walked in.

She was wearing a moon-white robe with dark golden water patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. Her long hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin. When she walked to the water mirror, the hem of her skirt swept the ground without raising a speck of dust.

She looked at Xiaoqing, her tone calm but full of expectation:

"Your sister uses the 'softness' of water to nourish her body, and you should use its 'toughness' to cultivate your strength. Look at the water in this water mirror; it looks soft, but dripping year after year, it can even wear through stone. The rhythmic power of the Body Sect is not just about softness; the combination of hardness and softness is the foundation."

Xiaoqing bit her lip and raised her arms again, but just as she was about to wave her sleeves, Molan stopped her again.

"and many more."

Molan walked up to her and looked at her tense shoulders.

"Look at you, your shoulders are as tense as a rock. How can you let your rhythmic energy flow smoothly? The Shen Sect's water sleeves emphasize 'sinking shoulders, dropping elbows, and loosening wrists.' Lower your shoulders and try to let the rhythmic energy flow down through the gaps between your bones, instead of forcing it upwards."

Xiaoqing tried to relax her shoulders, and sure enough, her arms instantly felt lighter.

But when he waved his sleeves again, he was still a little hasty. Although the sleeves were more stable than before, they still lacked some "toughness".

Molan sighed softly, her tone becoming more serious:

"Xiaoqing, you should learn from your sister. Have you forgotten the 16-word formula of our body sect?"

Xiaoqing was stunned for a moment, and spoke subconsciously:

"It meanders without turning, it goes forth and returns; the water flows through secluded places, its momentum is like breaking through the sea..."

As she finished reciting, her voice gradually became lower - she had not forgotten it, but when she was practicing, she was always thinking about mastering the moves quickly, and instead forgot the essence of the formula.

"Since you remember it, you should understand its meaning."

Molan raised her hand, and a wisp of water condensed at her fingertips, drawing an arc in the air.

"'Bend but not break' means that the rhythm should be like flowing water, able to bend but not break. When you waved your sleeves just now, the rhythm was too fast and broke several times. How can this work?

'Go and return' means that the moves must have both an out and a back, and be released and retracted freely. If you only think about 'going' but forget about 'returning', the sleeves will not be able to be retracted, and the power will naturally dissipate.

She paused, and the water from her fingertips transformed into a stream, flowing slowly along the ground. Wherever it encountered a crack in the bluestone, it would go around it, and wherever it encountered a raised stone, it would flow over it, finally merging steadily into the water mirror.

"'Flowing Water Through the Esoteric' is about letting your rhythmic energy sink down, like water seeping into the soil, into every movement. 'Force Like Breaking the Sea' isn't about using brute force, it's about building up enough soft energy, then releasing it like a tide breaking through a dam. You haven't even achieved 'Flowing Water Through the Esoteric' yet, so how can you have the strength to 'Break the Sea'?"

Xiaoqing lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed:

"Mom, I know I was wrong. I was too impatient and didn't think about the meaning of the formula."

"It's okay to know you were wrong."

Molan's tone softened, and she reached out to tidy up her bangs that were messed up by the wind.

"Practicing rhythmic power is like being a person; you can't rush it. Your sister isn't in good health, so she's practicing slower than you, but she follows the formula for every move, incorporating the softness of 'bending without breaking' and the steadiness of 'leaving and returning' into her sleeves. You should learn more from her calm demeanor."

Mo Zi, who was standing by, listened, paused, and smiled at Xiao Qing:

"It's okay. When I first started practicing, I couldn't remember the formula either. But after practicing more, it became easier. Don't worry, let's practice together slowly."

Xiaoqing raised her head, looked at her sister's gentle eyes, and nodded vigorously:

"Yes! Sister, wait for me, I will definitely be able to practice well!"

Rong Mama also came over at this time, with a handkerchief in her hand, and handed it to Mo Zi:

"Take a break first. You've only been practicing for half an hour. Your heart must be exhausted."

Then he turned to Xiaoqing and said:

"Don't worry, I'll show you 'Wind-Breaking Sleeves'. Pay close attention to how the incantation matches the movements."

Mo Zi took the handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and walked to the water mirror and sat down.

As soon as she sat down, she felt the rhythmic energy belonging to Mo Yun in her pulse move slightly again, this time it was clearer, and seemed to carry a sense of reassurance.

Mo Zi lightly tapped the water surface with her fingertips, and ripples appeared in the water mirror, reflecting her reflection - her face was still a little pale, but her eyes were brighter.

She knew that Mo Yun was probably still on his way to Panzong, perhaps traveling with Bai Tang. All she could do was to practice her Yun power so that when they arrived, she could help instead of being a hindrance.

Rong Mama had already picked up the spare sleeves beside her. They were dark blue and matched her palace dress very well.

She stood in the center of the hall, took a deep breath, and slowly raised her arms. The rhythmic force sank down along her shoulders to her elbows. She gently dropped them, relaxed her wrists, and the sleeves flowed out naturally like flowing water - this is exactly "bend but not break". The sleeves seemed to be bent, but they were tough and there was no sign of breakage.

"look,"

Rong Mama's voice rang out as she moved.

"When waving your sleeves, the rhythmic force should 'go', but the wrist should retain the strength. When the sleeves reach the farthest point, they can be retracted with the rhythmic force's 'return'. This is 'going and returning'."

As she spoke, she gently hooked her wrist, and the dark blue sleeves were steadily retracted. There was no unnecessary shaking as the sleeves passed through the air.

Then, she demonstrated "Flowing Water Leading to a Secluded Place":

"Put the rhythmic force into your fingertips, letting the sleeves slide close to the ground. Just like water can seep into cracks, let the rhythmic force seep into every inch of the sleeves. This way, whether you are swinging or retracting, you can maintain stability."

The water sleeves slid along the bluestone ground, bringing up an extremely thin layer of water film. The water film moved with the movement of the sleeves without any damage.

The last one is "like breaking wind" - Rong Mama connects the previous movements, first lowering her shoulders and elbows, letting the sleeves slowly extend, using "flowing water to the secluded place" to accumulate enough rhythmic power, and then suddenly raising her wrist, the sleeves suddenly exert force like a tide.

With a "whoosh" sound, he swung his sleeve towards the water mirror. When the sleeve touched the water surface, there was no splash. Instead, the ripples on the water surface followed the direction of the sleeve force, forming a small vortex. This was the clever power of "like breaking the sea", rather than brute force.

Xiaoqing's eyes lit up and she couldn't help clapping:

"Madam Rong, you are so amazing! I just didn't get this feeling just now!"

"You'll get it if you practice more."

Nanny Rong put away her sleeves, her tone was a little relieved.

"You're a child with a high level of comprehension, but you're also impatient. When you practice next time, think more about the formula and integrate every word into your movements. That'll be much better than just blindly trying."

Molan also came over at this time, holding two cups of warm water and handed them to the two sisters:

"Drink some water first and rest for a while before practicing."

She looked at Mo Zi with concern in her eyes:

"Did your heart feel uncomfortable during the training just now? Is there any movement from Mo Yun?"

Mo Zi took the water cup, touched the temperature of the cup wall with his fingertips, and shook his head gently:

"No, Mo Yun's rhyme power is very stable, so he probably didn't encounter any danger on the way. I was just a little anxious just now, but I'm fine now."

She paused and added:

"And I can feel that his rhythmic ability is stronger than before. Maybe he's been practicing on the road."

Molan nodded and felt relieved:

"That's good. The two of you are connected by your Heart Bridge, and you can sense each other's rhythmic movements. This is both a concern and a support. When you practice in the future, if you feel tired, take a break with the rhythmic power of the Heart Bridge, don't force yourself."

"Mother, I know."

Mo Zi said with a smile, then turned to look at Xiao Qing,

"Sister, let me practice 'Wind-Breaking Sleeves' with you later. I'll help you watch the movements, and if you forget the formula, I'll remind you."

Xiaoqing's eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously:

"Okay, okay! Sister, you're the best!"

After resting for about a quarter of an hour, the two sisters stood in the open space again.

This time, Xiaoqing did not rush to wave her sleeves. Instead, she first silently recited the 16-word formula of the Body Sect in her mind, and then imitated Rong Mama, lowering her shoulders and elbows, allowing the rhythmic force to flow slowly along her arms.

Mo Zi stood beside her and also waved her lavender sleeves, and their movements gradually became synchronized.

The pale purple and turquoise sleeves intertwined in the air, like two entwined streams of water, sometimes slowly unfolding "bending but not bending", and sometimes retracting and expanding freely "going and coming back". When the sleeves passed across the ground, the ripples they brought up gently merged, and then slowly dispersed as the movement retracted.

Molan and Rong Mama stood in the corridor, watching their figures with smiles in their eyes. Rong Mama said softly:

"Xiaoqing, as long as she calms down, will make rapid progress. Mo Zi is also much more stable than before. It seems that this Heart Bridge is also good for her body."

Molan nodded and looked at the river outside the palace. The morning mist had dissipated and the sunlight sprinkled on the water, like a layer of broken gold.

She said softly:

"Yes, they are all growing up. When Mo Yun, Bai Tang and the others come, our Shen Sect will be able to contribute more to the fight against Chaos."

The sleeves in the hall were still waving, and the rustling sound of the sleeves mixed with the gurgling sound of the water echoed gently in the morning light.

Xiaoqing gradually found the point of convergence between the mantra and the movements. When she swung her sleeves, she finally had the heavy power of "flowing water through a secluded place", and when she retracted them, she had the steady power of "going and returning".

She couldn't help but smile and said to Mo Zi:

"Sister, look! I did it! Just now, I felt the rhythmic force flowing down my sleeves like water, without any effort at all!"

Mo Zi also smiled, with a gleam in his eyes:

"Well, very well done! After practicing a few more times, you can practice the advanced form of 'Wind-Breaking Sleeves'."

The sunlight shines through the window lattices, stretching their shadows very long. The pale purple and green sleeves sway gently in the light and shadow, like two blooming flowers.

They know that there are people they care about in the distance, and partners waiting to reunite with them. At this moment, every time they wave their sleeves steadily according to the formula, and every movement that follows the flow of rhythm, they are quietly accumulating strength for reunion and being together.

.........

……

...

(Xiaoqing's body is probably a bit rusty, I asked him to practice his rhythm and sleeves again)