Chapter 15: Shan Wuju's Instructions

A few days later, Wei Tu’s concerns came to fruition.

Seeing Wei Tu persistently practicing the Longevity Skill every night and earning the master’s favor for his diligence and competence, Deng An’s demeanor became increasingly sullen.

Their relationship had deteriorated from what it had been before.

Taking advantage of his long tenure and previous status as a head worker, Deng An began to boss Wei Tu around during the day.

However, Deng An was surprised to find that Wei Tu, instead of arguing or causing a fuss when given orders, simply completed the tasks efficiently and neatly.

Whether it was sweeping the courtyard, cleaning the toilets, feeding horses, cutting grass, or harvesting grain, Wei Tu handled everything adeptly and with meticulous care.

Both Shan Gao and Shan Wuju praised Wei Tu for his skill and diligence, and also reprimanded Deng An for his laziness.

This left Deng An with no choice but to concede. On the third day of the harvest, he went to the town, bought a jug of wine and some seasonal cold dishes, and apologized to Wei Tu under the elm tree where the workers and tenants were cooling off in the evening.

“I was wrong to harbor resentment against you, Wei Ge’er.” Deng An said with a sincere expression.

After a few drinks, Deng An revealed the reason behind his hostility towards Wei Tu.

“You’re too diligent and too spirited. If you stay at the Shan family’s house, they’ll likely dismiss me by next year and keep you.”

“People like you tend to attract envy wherever they go. I initially thought you wanted to drive me away, but it turns out you’re genuinely this hardworking…”

Deng An sighed.

After more than ten days of hard work, moving from the riverfront to the riverbank for the wheat harvest, even a tough man like Deng An was exhausted. Yet, Wei Tu managed to endure it, staying energetic every day and even finding time to practice at night.

This made Deng An abandon his earlier intentions and stop targeting Wei Tu.

Ultimately, he wasn’t willing to engage in extreme measures. Unable to push Wei Tu out with his usual tactics, he had to make peace.

“If the Shan family dismisses me next year, I’ll go work elsewhere,” Deng An added.

“You’re joking, Brother Deng,” Wei Tu shook his head and continued to eat.

He still did not reveal his true purpose for coming to the Shan household.

If he passed Shan Wuju’s “test,” he would soon be taught martial techniques, and Deng An’s concerns would be put to rest.

Even if he failed the “test,” he planned to leave the Shan family in February of the following year to attend the martial examination in the county.

Wei Tu was uncertain if Shan Wuju was testing him or what the test might involve, but he knew that a person who could keep their intentions hidden and remain steady in character would be the most favored.

Moreover, his willingness to endure the hard work during the day without clashing with Deng An was not due to kindness but because his energy, after mastering the Longevity Skill, far surpassed that of ordinary people.

What Deng An considered hard work was not difficult for Wei Tu to handle.

Lastly, Deng An was just a long-term laborer, and arguing with him was not meaningful.

Seeing that Wei Tu remained reticent, Deng An sighed and asked no more questions.

Five days later, the wheat harvest in Shan Village finally concluded.

As Wei Tu spread out the last sack of new grain in the drying yard, Shan Wuju rode up on his yellow horse, a hint of admiration in his eyes. He said, “After I’ve ridden for a while, I’ll teach you archery.”

With that, Shan Wuju spurred his horse and disappeared over the hill.

It wasn’t until sunset that Shan Wuju returned home, leading his horse.

“The martial exam has three archery-related assessments: drawing a rigid bow, mounted archery, and standing archery.”

“To excel in the martial exam, proficiency in archery is essential.”

Shan Wuju clapped his hands.

Soon, a maid brought a lacquered wooden tray, which held three different bows: a short bow for mounted archery, a long bow for standing archery, and a rigid bow for testing strength.

“This is a five-stone rigid bow!” Shan Wuju said, taking down the rigid bow and focusing on the target at the corner of the courtyard. His demeanor grew suddenly sharp.

Twang! Twang! Twang!

Three arrows shot from the hard bow, piercing the air and striking the bullseye of the target.

“One stone equals a hundred pounds. This five-stone rigid bow requires five hundred pounds of strength.”

“As long as you can draw this rigid bow, you’ll at least secure a top rank in the archery section of the martial examination,” Shan Wuju said, catching his breath as he placed the hard bow back on the lacquered wooden tray.

Drawing the five-stone rigid bow had taken a significant toll on him.

At that moment, another maid approached with a pot of tea and poured a cup for Shan Wuju. After sipping a little, Shan Wuju was still unsatisfied and tipped the pot to drink directly from it.

As the tea spilled from the corners of his mouth, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, cheeks, and neck.

"Drawing a bow requires a firm stance, known as the bow stance. I'll demonstrate it a few times, and you should remember it."

Shan Wuju didn’t immediately ask Wei Tu to try the bow. Instead, he adopted the bow stance, his legs appearing rooted to the blue bricks of the courtyard, and his body standing straight and firm like a pine tree.

“A solid bow stance is beneficial not just for archery but also for practicing swordplay and fist techniques in the future. It will make your practice more effective.”

"The bow stance focuses on the lower body. If your stance is solid, it’ll be as if your legs were cast in bronze, and your lower body will be stable. Even if someone attacks you, it will be like a gentle breeze brushing over a mountain."

Shan Wuju spoke slowly.

After finishing his explanation, Shan Wuju withdrew from the stance, took a towel from the maid to wipe his sweat, and gestured for Wei Tu to begin practicing according to his movements.

Wei Tu nodded, positioning himself as Shan Wuju had demonstrated, and began practicing the bow stance.

Having practiced the Longevity Skill for over two years, Wei Tu was familiar with stances. The bow stance demonstrated by Shan Wuju was also depicted in the thirty-two illustrations of the Longevity Skill.

However, there were some subtle differences in the details.

Quickly, Wei Tu adjusted his posture, reproducing about seventy to eighty percent of Shan Wuju’s bow stance.

"Your stance is comparable to what I used to do when I was young?"

Shan Wuju was initially surprised as he observed Wei Tu's stance, his brows slightly raised in astonishment. He remembered that just over half a month ago, Wei Tu had claimed to have only practiced the Longevity Skill.

"Ah! That’s right! The Longevity Skill also includes stances, so it's not surprising that he can perform the bow stance."

Shan Wuju reassured himself, but he soon shook his head, dismissing his previous thoughts.

Stances from the Longevity Skill were often very basic and were regarded by martial artists as mere children's drawings—useful for practice but not for significant martial prowess.

It was unlikely that such basic stances could produce the impressive stance Wei Tu had just demonstrated.

"Wei Tu, have you practiced any other martial arts or fist techniques before? Speak honestly."

Shan Wuju’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Wei Tu.

Learning techniques from other schools secretly was a serious offense.

The consequences could be severe, from losing one’s skill to facing death.

Moreover, as a martial arts examiner, Shan Wuju could not be deceived.

Although Wei Tu was working as a laborer in his household, he was essentially considered a half-disciple of Shan Wuju. Otherwise, Shan Wuju wouldn’t have required Wei Tu to present him with gifts and pay respects every year after achieving success.