Surviving in a world of demons and monsters to achieve martial arts sainthood

In the blink of an eye, another half month has passed.

Under the scorching sun in Qinghe County, the ground of the martial arts training ground was burning hot. Thirty trainee demon slayers were practicing stance training, their flying fish robes already soaked with sweat.

Zhao Shan stood with his hands behind his back in front of the martial arts arena, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, a rare look of satisfaction on his face.

After a month of arduous training day and night, the thirty trainee Demon Suppressors have begun to see results in their stance training. Many of them have already reached the entry level of the "Tiger Subduing Stance." The remaining trainees, although they have not yet reached the entry level of the "Tiger Subduing Stance," have become much more stable in their lower body, and their internal energy and blood have begun to condense, giving them a more imposing presence in their every move.

Shen Lian lowered his waist and dismounted, assuming the "Tiger-Taming Stance" posture.

The warm energy in his dantian flowed to his limbs and bones at his command. For the past two weeks, he had been practicing stance training every day to solidify his basic skills.

[Skill Point +1]

Shen Lian was overjoyed and immediately chose to add points.

[Ding! Tiger-Taming Stance Proficiency increased to (3/3), meeting the entry requirements. Proceed to the next level?]

Shen Lian chose "yes" without hesitation. In an instant, the warm energy in his dantian surged and rushed wildly into his limbs and bones. His bones made a slight sound, his muscles swelled slightly, and his blood and qi surged, as if he had been reborn.

[Host]: Shen Lian

[Realm]: None

[Combat Strength]: 3~5

[Martial Arts]: Tiger-Taming Stance (Minor Success) (0/5)

Skill Points: 0

A surge of power far exceeding anything he had ever felt welled up within him. Shen Lian clearly sensed that the strength of his bones and muscles, as well as the richness of his qi and blood, had increased significantly.

This is precisely the benefit of starting out with the "Tiger-Taming Stance".

It has been a full month since he entered the Demon Suppression Division. During this time, many trainee Demon Suppression Envoys have mastered the basics of the "Tiger Subduing Stance". Shen Lian's speed in mastering the "Tiger Subduing Stance" is only considered average among the trainee Demon Suppression Envoys. Only a small number of people are slower than him, and Li Hu is one of them.

At this moment, Li Hu's legs were slightly bent as he adjusted his breathing. Sweat slid down his cheeks, and his legs trembled slightly, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered. A faint flow of energy was slowly circulating in his body, which was the struggle of the initial condensation of qi and blood. He was still one step away from mastering the "Tiger Subduing Stance".

After Shen Lian finished his practice, he glanced at Li Hu and saw that the other man's face was flushed and his breathing was disordered, so he knew that the other man had reached his limit.

"stop!"

Zhao Shan gave a low shout, and all the trainee demon slayers immediately stopped their movements. Many of them breathed a sigh of relief and moved their stiff hands and feet.

Zhao Shan walked to the center of the training ground and glanced at everyone present.

"After a month of stance training, most of you have mastered the 'Tiger Subduing Stance,' and most of the rest have shown signs of qi and blood condensation," Zhao Shan said with his hands behind his back. "Starting today, the morning stance training will continue as usual, but the afternoon training will be adjusted. I will begin teaching you the 'Demon Subduing Saber Technique.'"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the martial arts arena became excited.

Swordsmanship!

Finally, it's time to learn swordsmanship!

A whole month of monotonous standing meditation did solidify their foundation, but everyone had long yearned to learn swordsmanship, especially swordsmanship that could slay demons and monsters.

Li Hu's eyes lit up. He moved closer to Shen Lian and said excitedly, "Brother Lian, did you hear that? Swordsmanship! We can finally learn swordsmanship!"

Shen Lian took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

A month of arduous training in stance training was all for this day.

He could feel that as the "Tiger Subduing Stance" broke through to the minor completion stage, his blood and qi surged within him, and his muscles and bones were filled with power, which was perfect for practicing sword techniques.

"Let's go eat now. We'll meet here promptly this afternoon to practice the 'Demon-Subduing Blade Technique' with me," Zhao Shan said to the group.

"yes!"

The trainee demon-suppressing envoys headed to the dining hall, ready to begin practicing the "Demon-Subduing Blade Technique," and everyone was understandably excited.

Inside the dining hall, many trainee demon slayers were having their meals.

"Brother Lian, how powerful do you think the 'Demon-Subduing Blade Technique' that Commander Zhao is going to teach us will be?" Li Hu asked excitedly while munching on a steamed bun. "We've been practicing stance training for a month, and finally we're getting the real thing."

Shen Lian swallowed the braised beef in his mouth and said calmly, "What Commander Zhao taught must be extraordinary. I'll learn from Commander Zhao this afternoon."

Li Hu nodded repeatedly, his anticipation growing even stronger.

After finishing their meal, everyone rested briefly before gathering again in the training ground.

The group of trainee demon slayers looked at Zhao Shan, their eyes filled with anticipation for his swordsmanship.

Zhao Shan stood with his hands behind his back in the training ground.

Thirty standard long swords were laid out in front of them, blades facing upwards, arranged neatly.

His gaze swept over the thirty young faces in front of him, and he slowly spoke: "'Demon Subduing Blade Technique' is a basic blade technique that every Demon Suppression Envoy of the Demon Suppression Division must master."

This sword technique was created specifically to subdue demons. The moves are simple and powerful, emphasizing offense over defense and a single, decisive strike.

You must remember that no matter how exquisite your swordsmanship is, without a solid foundation, it's just a show.

This month of stance training has laid the foundation for today's sword practice.

Upon hearing this, the many trainee Demon Suppressors finally understood why they would begin by practicing the "Tiger Subduing Stance" upon entering the Demon Suppressing Division—it was to lay the foundation for practicing the "Demon Subduing Blade Technique."

Zhao Shan continued, "If you want to use a knife, you must hold it steadily. If you can't even hold the knife steadily, let alone perform any moves. So from now on, the first thing you need to practice is holding the knife, and you need to practice it in conjunction with the 'Tiger-Taming Stance'."

Holding a knife?!

Do I also need to practice it in conjunction with the "Tiger-Taming Stance"?

Upon hearing this, all the trainee demon slayers present were stunned. None of them had expected that the initial training in swordsmanship would turn out like this.

"Get the knife!"

At Zhao Shan's command, the trainee demon slayers stepped forward and took their swords.

Shen Lian took a deep breath, walked to the sword rack, and grasped a standard long sword. The hilt was slightly cool to the touch, and the long sword felt somewhat heavy.

After a month of practicing the "Tiger-Taming Stance," he could clearly feel that the strength in his wrists and arms had increased.

He held the knife with unusual steadiness at that moment.

"Everyone, stand in formation with your knives!" Zhao Shan shouted.

The thirty trainee demon-suppressing envoys quickly dispersed, each assuming the "Tiger-Taming Stance" on the training ground. Each person held a standard longsword, held horizontally in front of their chest with the blade facing forward and the tip slightly upturned.

At first, everyone felt quite relaxed, but as time went on, the handy longsword became heavier and heavier in their hands.

Many people felt their arms were sore and their wrists were starting to tremble slightly.

"Hold the knife steadily, keep your body upright, and keep your stance firm," Zhao Shan said. "Do you think knife skills are child's play? If your hand is not steady, the knife will deviate; if your body is not upright, your strength will dissipate; if your stance is not firm, your power will be weak! If you don't lay a solid foundation in these areas, you will be the ones who die when facing demons in the future. So you must not be lazy at this moment."

Shen Lian took a deep breath and channeled his internal energy to his arms. His arms, which had been sore and numb, suddenly felt a warm support, and his hands became more stable. His breathing became steady, and the long sword in his hand was as firm as a rock.

Li Hu, standing to the side, was flushed, veins bulging on his forehead, and his arm holding the knife trembled uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "Brother Lian, why is this knife getting heavier and heavier? I feel like my arm is about to break..."

Shen Lian glanced sideways and lowered his voice, saying, "Coordinate your breathing and direct the power of your qi and blood to your arm. Commander Zhao said that holding the knife is the foundation of swordsmanship. If you relax now, you will suffer when facing demons in the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Hu took a deep breath, tried his best to regulate his breathing, and managed to steady his trembling arms a little.

Half an hour later, many people were nearing their physical limits.

"Everyone, take a short break, drink some water, and then continue."

Zhao Shan looked at the crowd who were about to give up and said, "Cultivation requires a gradual approach. Pushing too hard will only backfire and hinder your cultivation."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, sheathed their swords, slumped to the ground, and grabbed their water pouches to drink voraciously.

Li Hu, panting heavily, said, "Brother Lian, we haven't even started learning the moves yet, and we've already lost half our lives. This swordsmanship is really hard to learn."

"If the foundation is not solid, the ground will shake. Commander Zhao is strict with us, but it's for our own good." Shen Lian said, stretching his arms, wiping away the sweat, sitting cross-legged to regulate his breathing, and feeling his blood and energy recovering in his body.

The sun still hung high in the sky.

After resting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Shan looked at the resting group and said, "Everyone, stand up and continue your stance training with your swords."

The trainee demon slayers all stood up and assumed the "Tiger-Taming Stance" once again.

"A knife is divided into five parts: the tip, the blade, the body, the guard, and the hilt. The grip on the hilt should be firm but not stiff. When wielding the knife, use the waist to drive the arm, the arm to lead the wrist, and the wrist to rotate the knife. Only in this way can the power be transmitted."

As Zhao Shan spoke, he demonstrated, and the long sword remained exceptionally steady in his hand.

Shen Lian slowly circulated his internal energy to his right arm, firmly gripping the long sword. Even though he had reached the entry level of the "Tiger Subduing Stance" and his internal energy had improved considerably, he still felt his arm become heavy if he held the sword for too long.

Half an hour later, Zhao Shan finally called a halt to the crowd.

"Today's sword training ends here. In a few days, I will teach you the sword techniques of the 'Demon-Subduing Sword Technique.' Remember, sword techniques are easy to learn, but mastering the application of power is difficult."

Zhao Shan looked at everyone and then announced the disbandment.

Upon hearing this, many trainee demon slayers breathed a sigh of relief. Many of them stretched their right arms, as holding a knife and standing in a stance for a long time had greatly depleted their vital energy.

Shen Lian slowly sheathed his sword. After reaching the beginner level of the "Tiger Subduing Stance," even standing in the stance with a sword in hand did not consume much energy.

Li Hu, on the other hand, collapsed to the ground, panting heavily: "Brother Lian, do you think... if we keep training at this intensity, in a few days when we're practicing moves, we won't even be able to lift a sword?"

Shen Lian said solemnly, "Today's training focuses on the foundation. A month of stance training is just the basics. Only by combining it with swordsmanship can you understand how to mobilize your qi and blood and stabilize your sword stance."

Li Hu felt a soreness in his right arm, nodded, and said no more.

The crowd gradually dispersed.

"What do you think the 'Demon-Subduing Blade Technique' will be like?"

"Commander Zhao said that it's a sword technique specifically designed to counter demons, and it can definitely cleave through a demon's leather armor in one strike."

Some of the trainee demon slayers whispered among themselves.

Shen Lian and Li Hu returned to the office and immediately filled two large buckets with hot water. They then immersed themselves in the buckets. The daytime practice of holding knives and standing in the stance had caused considerable wear and tear on their arms, and the hot water soak relieved the pressure on their arm meridians.