Chapter 104: Body Technique

"Our Zhang family is a proper lineage, with strict family values—how could we possibly kill people on a whim? Though the Step of Flowing Water is a supreme art, it's not one strictly forbidden to be passed on. I'll teach you in secret, and you'll learn in secret—nothing will happen. If anyone finds out, just say I taught you and shift all the blame onto me…"

"If they won't punish me anyway, why should I blame you? I'll just say I stumbled upon it by chance—doesn't that work?"

Zhang Lan frowned. "Huh… you've got a point."

If the Zhang family wouldn't trouble Mo Hua, why should he step forward to take the blame?

If this got exposed and the clan elders found out, he'd be locked up for months. Though he was used to it, being confined and kneeling in the ancestral hall was hardly honorable—better to avoid it if possible.

"Then you need an excuse," Zhang Lan said.

"I'll say it was some kind-hearted uncle I met on the road who taught me. Asked his name? Didn't know. Asked what he looked like? Already forgot."

"Fine. But that kind-hearted uncle isn't me."

With no more reservations, Zhang Lan said: "I'll teach you the Step of Flowing Water now. Practice it whenever you have time."

"The Step of Flowing Water is a body technique exclusive to spiritual cultivators, using spiritual power to guide the physical body, achieving effortless movement within the smallest spaces."

"The key to body techniques lies in using your spiritual sense to manipulate spiritual power with extreme precision, directing it through the corresponding meridians to pull the body, allowing rapid dodges and shifts within inches, avoiding blades and swords by the narrowest margin."

Zhang Lan explained the crucial points of practicing the body technique and handed Mo Hua a meridian map.

"This meridian map records the sequence and specific acupoints through which spiritual power flows during each movement of the Step of Flowing Water. Take it back, study it carefully, memorize it thoroughly, then burn it—leave no trace."

"Behind the meridian map, there's also a simple body cultivation technique…"

"Isn't this a spell? Why do I need body cultivation?"

Mo Hua had little confidence in his body cultivation potential.

Zhang Lan corrected his misconception: "A spiritual cultivator is someone who relies on spiritual power to cast spells for attack—not someone who cultivates only spiritual power. Both body and spiritual power are fundamental to a cultivator; neither can be missing. Even spells aren't entirely separate from the body. But for spiritual cultivators, spells are so vital that body cultivation seems optional by comparison."

After speaking, Zhang Lan comforted Mo Hua:

"Don't worry—the body cultivation technique attached to the Step of Flowing Water isn't meant to strengthen your physical power. It's a method to make your limbs flexible and your body coordinated."

"The Step of Flowing Water uses spiritual power to pull the body. If your body is unbalanced or stiff, you might injure your tendons and bones before even completing the technique—yourselves pulled apart by the spiritual force…"

…

Zhang Lan explained in detail; Mo Hua listened intently. Soon, Zhang Lan finished teaching and said:

"Now try it yourself—see how much you've grasped."

Mo Hua activated his spiritual power, following the meridian map's instructions, and immediately felt his limbs grow light, his movements noticeably faster.

Mo Hua was a formation master, with a powerful spiritual sense—even stronger than most formation masters—and he cultivated the Great Expansion Scripture, so his spiritual control was exceptional. The spiritual power flow of the Step of Flowing Water encountered zero resistance.

This body technique was simpler than Mo Hua had imagined.

Mo Hua tried taking a step forward using the Step of Flowing Water, but his right leg's spiritual power surged too quickly, while his left leg lagged slightly—his foot slipped…

And he tumbled headfirst onto the ground.

Mo Hua lifted his head, wiped mud from his face, still chewing dirt, and muttered: "This doesn't seem that simple…"

Zhang Lan saw this and thought: Finally—that's more like it. He might learn formation arts fast, but he can't possibly learn spell techniques that quickly.

Mo Hua tried several more times but still failed—either his limbs' spiritual power was uncoordinated and his feet slipped, or he moved both arms and legs together, collapsing onto his rear.

Zhang Lan watched Mo Hua, dusty and dirty, his expression calm, secretly delighted: "Now you know how hard spell cultivation is…"

Zhang Lan's main focus was another body technique; he wasn't proficient in the Step of Flowing Water. This art, among the Zhang family's supreme techniques, was neither particularly offensive nor defensive—too weak in offense, too hard to control spiritually in defense. Few Zhang cultivators practiced it.

That's why he dared teach it to Mo Hua in secret.

If it were a mainstream technique like the Step of Falling Petals, which everyone in the clan learned, anyone who saw it would instantly recognize its origin—he'd be in serious trouble.

The Step of Flowing Water was perfect: decent in its own right, low-key, rarely practiced, hard to identify, safe to use secretly.

After half a day of practicing the Step of Flowing Water, Mo Hua fell onto the ground again, sitting hard.

Zhang Lan picked Mo Hua up, brushed the dust off him, and said: "Enough for now. Go back and practice well. Spell cultivation is like formation arts—it's all about practice. If you fail once, try again and again."

"Okay." Mo Hua nodded.

Zhang Lan escorted Mo Hua back to the eatery, warned him not to tell anyone he'd taught him the technique, urged him to practice in secret, then cheerfully accepted Mo Hua's "bribe"—several jugs of wine and several catties of meat—and left, thoroughly satisfied.

Liu Ruhua pulled out a cloth, dipped it in water, and wiped Mo Hua's face as she asked: "Did Zhang Diansi teach you something?"

"Uncle Zhang won't let me say," Mo Hua smiled.

"Fine. Then study hard, and thank Zhang Diansi whenever you get the chance," Liu Ruhua said gently.

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

From then on, Mo Hua began his daily practice of the Step of Flowing Water.

In a corner of the courtyard, he first tried using spiritual power to control his limbs, making simple movements.

This was the simplest part—the foundation for all subsequent body technique movements.

At first, training caused discomfort; he'd often lose balance and fall. But after several repetitions, once he grew familiar with the meridians through which spiritual power pulled his body, his movements gradually became fluid.

In the backyard corner, one could now see Mo Hua's legs wrapped in faint blue spiritual power, like water or mist—even when his feet didn't move, his body slowly advanced or retreated.

Mo Hua tried several more times and felt like gliding on ice in deep winter—fascinating.

He then attempted more difficult body technique movements—forward flips, backward flips, headstands, handstands—and, unsurprisingly, fell a few more times…

Mo Hua analyzed the cause: his body was too weak, lacking strength and agility.

Mo Hua took out the body cultivation technique Zhang Lan had given him.

These body cultivation exercises were simple, containing only basic movements. Unlike body cultivators' training, they didn't build strength—they enhanced limb flexibility and coordination.

The little figures drawn on the chart moved naturally and lightly, like flowing water.

Mo Hua suddenly understood—no wonder it was called the Step of Flowing Water.

Mo Hua began practicing each movement on the chart, one by one.

At first, his limbs ached painfully—he couldn't even get out of bed. But after several days of persistent practice, the pain faded, his blood and qi flowed smoothly. Though his physical strength remained weak, his posture, walking, sitting, and lying all became light, fluid, natural, and graceful like water.

Mo Hua felt the time was ripe and began formally practicing the more difficult body technique moves of the Step of Flowing Water.