Starting from the world of martial arts in the Condor Heroes, practicing martial arts across the hea

After completing the creation of the sword technique, Jiangnan and his group rested in Huayin County for a month.

During this time, Jiangnan bought a copy of "Iron Shirt" to make up for the deficiencies in defense.

Although Jiang Nan had fought with others and seen blood, those were all when he used his high level of skill and power to crush his enemies, making quick and decisive battles without leaving any survivors. He had never fought against someone of equal strength, mainly because he was afraid of getting injured or poisoned.

After practicing defensive martial arts, these problems are easily solved, at least psychologically they are no longer afraid.

When Jiang Nan was practicing martial arts in Zhongnan Mountain, he had considered defensive martial arts. Unfortunately, at that time, besides him, only Xiaolongnu was by his side. The child was too young and weak, so she could not help him with full-body striking training.

Now that Huang Rong is by his side, she can help him practice this kind of hard skill.

All that can be collected in Jiangnan are these common, hard skills, but they have a solid foundation. Among all kinds of hard skills, they comprehensively improve all aspects of ability without any weaknesses.

Each time Iron Shirt Technique is upgraded, Jiang Nan feels that the hidden dangers buried in practicing Iron Shirt Technique are removed! This is also why Jiang Nan is willing to practice hard skills even though he knows that practicing hard skills is harmful to his body!

Of course, Jiangnan also has the Eight Pieces of Brocade, the Sleeping Dragon Dan Gong, and the Nine Yin Manual: Healing Chapter, which also have healing effects and can be used as a backup option to prevent any mishaps.

At first, practicing hard skills was very painful, mainly because Jiangnan wasn't used to this method of physical transformation. After a month of practice, the progress was good. Although he hadn't reached the maximum level, he had reached Lv5. He guessed that this was because the health-preserving techniques nourished his blood and qi, making his physical body's essence stronger, which made the practice of external skills easier.

This gave Jiangnan the idea of ​​practicing health-preserving exercises again.

"In every parallel ancient world, Hua Tuo is an indispensable famous doctor, and the Five Animal Frolics he created must have good health benefits."

"A martial arts world like The Eagle Shooting Heroes, which is intertwined with history, couldn't possibly be without Hua Tuo, which would inevitably lead to the inheritance of the Five Animal Frolics. Moreover, there should be quite a few doctors who know it, since it's not a martial arts manual but a health-preserving exercise. Even if ordinary doctors' understanding of the Five Animal Frolics might lack some key points, it would at least be complete, and collecting it wouldn't be too difficult, nor would it violate any taboos!"

As expected, Jiangnan simply asked the resident doctor at a clinic in Huayin County and spent some money to learn Hua Tuo's secret Five Animal Exercises.

The five animals—tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird—correspond to the five internal organs: liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and lungs, respectively. Jiang Nan had only just begun practicing the Five Animal Frolics when he felt his five internal organs being slightly strengthened. However, Jiang Nan's physical body was too powerful at the moment, so the strengthening effect was weak. If it weren't for his keen senses, he might not have even noticed it.

Before setting off again, Jiang Nan realized that it had been almost a year since he met Huang Rong. The story of Mu Nianci's martial arts contest to find a husband in Zhongdu should have been over. Even if it hadn't happened, Jiang Nan didn't want to join in the fun. Surrounded by a large army, even the best martial arts skills could be in danger of dying!

If this is high-level martial arts, and he has mastered it to the highest level, then he really wouldn't mind joining in the fun and showing off his skills in front of others!

Unfortunately, this is low-level martial arts. Even taking the head of a general amidst a sea of ​​soldiers requires the help of others and the protagonist's halo! Don't you agree, Yang Guo, the Condor Hero!

Therefore, Jiangnan prepared to head south to Jiaxing to join in the lively celebration of the eighteen-year-old agreement in Jiaxing.

  

While you're there, you can also stop by Lujiazhuang and Niujiacun near Taihu Lake to check in, familiarize yourself with the area, and visit the famous tourist attractions of the Condor Heroes world!

When discussing with Huang Rong whether to go north or south, Huang Rong didn't offer any opinion. In any case, she didn't have a destination in mind; she was just wandering around as she pleased.

Upon seeing this, Jiangnan made a decision to continue south to Jiaxing, so as to accurately determine the timeline and avoid being in a daze!

…………

The group from Jiangnan traveled at a leisurely pace for about a month before finally arriving at Taihu Lake. They then rented a courtyard near the lake as a short-term stop, where they parked their RV and their ox, and spent their days boating on Taihu Lake.

Jiang Nan learned how to row a boat from Huang Rong for two days and quickly mastered the skills. Before long, his rowing skills were even more proficient than Huang Rong's, who had grown up on an island, which greatly amazed Huang Rong about Jiang Nan's learning speed!

The three of them traveled through the waterways of Taihu Lake, sometimes casting nets to catch fish, and sometimes picking water chestnuts to eat as snacks.

Huang Rong gazed at the boats rowing on the banks of the Yangtze River and at Little Dragon Girl, whose cheeks were bulging from eating water chestnuts. Moved by the scene, she suddenly recalled her carefree days on Peach Blossom Island, and softly parted her lips:

"Setting sail a thousand miles across the waves, I briefly glance at Wu Mountain. Clouds gather in the water palace, waves follow the goddess, the Nine Rivers flow eastward. The northern traveler flutters about, his heart filled with lofty ambitions, for his youth is drawing to a close. Thinking of the old hermitage of Yi and Song, of his old friends Chao and You, a dream of Nanke, so swiftly gone!"

Looking back, the evil influence remains; where are the heroes of this world? Their brilliant schemes to serve their country are pitifully useless, their white feathers obscured by dust. Iron chains block the river, brocade sails brave the surging waves—Sun Lang's efforts were in vain. He can only lament the sound of his oars, the mournful chanting of Liangfu, tears streaming down his face like rain.

The soft, gentle Wu dialect, with its melodious and graceful tones, should have carried a hint of sadness. However, Huang Rong was still young and inexperienced, so she couldn't sing out that sorrow. Nevertheless, her singing style was still very beautiful!

Jiangnan felt as if his ears were being massaged, and thought to himself, "No wonder ancient emperors always had people sing and dance at their banquets; the ancients were right!"

Little Dragon Girl clapped happily on the side, her eyes full of childlike innocence.

Looking at her is like seeing all the beauty in the world.

…………

"The sunset glows and the lone wild goose flies together; the autumn waters blend seamlessly with the vast sky. The fishermen's evening songs echo along the shores of Poyang Lake. The wild geese, startled by the cold, cry out and fade away at the banks of Hengyang. My heart is filled with joy, and my unrestrained spirit soars. A refreshing breeze arises with the sound of rustling leaves; a delicate song seems to hold back the white clouds."

As the sun sets, a boat trip on Taihu Lake in Jiangnan evokes images of the lake reflecting the sunset, reminding me of the lines in Wang Bo's "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" that describe such a scene!

So beautiful!

It's mesmerizing, it leaves you speechless!

…………

Back at their temporary lodging, Huang Rong went to make dinner, while Xiaolongnu meditated and practiced her internal energy cultivation. Jiangnan, still in high spirits, painted the sunset over Taihu Lake with her brush, creating a beautiful ink painting. After finishing the painting, she still felt unsatisfied, so she wrote down the poem describing the scenery from the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng in running script!

When Huang Rong finished cooking and came to call Jiang Nan to eat, she saw this painting and this calligraphy.

"Brother Nan, your calligraphy style is unique and outstanding, a rare masterpiece in both ancient and modern times. When you see it, a sense of energy rushes to your mind, as if the beautiful scenery of Taihu Lake is unfolding before your eyes. It's truly magical."

"And in this painting, the twilight clouds are depicted, the autumn water is clear and spotless, the river and sky are one color, the distant mountains are shrouded in mist, the landscape is full of emotion, the brushstrokes are graceful, and with just a few strokes, the everyday life of the people is captured in the painting."

"A masterpiece, or rather, a rare gem!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Rong'er!"

"Brother Nan, I'm not just flattering you! I've seen all the famous paintings and calligraphy that Father has collected since I was a child, but none of them can convey emotions like yours. It's truly incredible, a divine skill!"

Jiangnan, no longer modest, smiled and remained silent!

Max-level calligraphy and painting skills are not so simple!

After dinner, Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu pestered Jiang Nan to look at the calligraphy and paintings, explaining the intricacies of them.

Fortunately, he had already mastered the teaching skills when teaching Xiaolongnu knowledge, and this skill was at its maximum level when teaching Huang Rong martial arts.

Now, using max-level teaching skills, we'll explain how to use brushstrokes and arrange the structure of calligraphy and painting...

This can be considered as the beginning of Xiaolongnu's calligraphy and painting lessons.

In the days that followed, the group, not in a hurry, would occasionally go boating on the lake and play the qin and xiao together, sometimes enjoy quiet time on the deck chairs in the courtyard, sometimes stroll through the market to experience the everyday life, sometimes teach bullies a lesson to hone their combat skills, and sometimes discuss literature and martial arts with Huang Rong and teach Xiaolongnu...

However, no matter which morning it was, Jiangnan would wake the two women up and have them stand in the San Ti Shi (Three-Body Stance) in the morning light of Taihu Lake to practice Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade), Wu Qin Xi (Five Animal Frolics), and the dynamic exercises of the Yi Jing Duan Gu Zhang (The Chapter on Bone Forging in the Book of Changes).

Both Baduanjin and Wuqinxi are health-preserving exercises, easy to learn but difficult to master. However, under the guidance of Jiangnan, who had already mastered both exercises to the maximum level, the two women made rapid progress in both exercises. Jiangnan did not deliberately speed up their practice, only ensuring a frequency of once a day, maintaining a calm and unhurried state of mind.

However, the practice of the "Forging Bones Chapter" of the Book of Changes is much more rigorous in Jiangnan.

This martial art is difficult to learn and progresses slowly, requiring him to guide the practice step by step.

During their practice, they gazed at the thin morning mist over Taihu Lake, which, like smoke and gauze, gently enveloped the vast lake surface. The water was gentle and clear, without any turbulence, quietly spreading towards the horizon.

The distant mountains are shrouded in mist, their layered outlines hidden in the thin fog, creating a hazy and distant atmosphere, naturally beautiful, reflecting in the clear lake water.

The lakeside is lush with greenery, and a gentle breeze rustles the branches and leaves, bringing with it the unique, warm atmosphere of a water town that soothes the soul.

Standing on the lakeside and gazing into the distance, the water and sky meet in a vast expanse, unobstructed by city buildings, offering only tranquility and refreshing air that instantly dispels the weariness of waking up early.

Practicing in this environment makes the growth of internal energy seem much smoother, without the restlessness and fire of newly added internal energy, but instead with a touch of gentleness and peace!

With a broad and open mind, the flow of internal energy unconsciously accelerates, yet there is no risk of damage to the meridians.

Every night, Jiangnan would teach Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu to fall asleep using the "Hibernating Dragon Sleeping Elixir Technique." This method not only promotes sleep, but also allows internal energy to be contained in this special sleep state and to circulate slowly and automatically in the meridians, nourishing them and repairing the damage left by daytime activities.

Every time they woke up, Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu felt refreshed and warm all over, as if they had just soaked in a hot spring.

…………

On this day, Jiangnan spent 10 taels of silver to buy a covered boat and took Xiaolongnu and Huang Rong to the center of Taihu Lake for sightseeing.

The morning mist over Taihu Lake is soft, like freshly spun silk, carrying the lingering fragrance of lotus blossoms and drifting over the bamboo canopies of the covered boats.

When Jiangnan opened his eyes, he saw the six-year-old Little Dragon Girl squatting at the bow of the boat, her fingertips gently touching a lotus leaf floating on the water. Dewdrops rolled onto the back of her fair hand, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she watched with her clear, glassy eyes as the water droplets slid into the lake, creating ripples.

"Brother Jiangnan, where will it swim to?" Her voice was soft and gentle, like the sound of wind blowing through reeds.

"It will swim to the center of the lake and gather with other water droplets."

Jiangnan smiled and reached out to brush the bits of grass that had fallen into her hair. A rustling sound came from inside the cabin, and Huang Rong, who had grown up to be a high school student in her previous life, rubbed her eyes and crawled out, her hair disheveled and a little bit of lotus seed cake she had stolen last night still stuck to the corner of her mouth.

"Talking to the water droplets again, Long'er is such a silly girl." Huang Rong teased, reaching out to pinch Xiaolongnu's cheek, but Xiaolongnu nimbly dodged her.

Little Dragon Girl hid behind Jiang Nan, only peeking out half her head, looking timidly at Huang Rong. Although they had lived together for more than half a year, Little Dragon Girl was still closest to Jiang Nan. If Huang Rong hadn't also been a beautiful young woman, she wouldn't have been on the same boat as Huang Rong.

"Alright, Rong'er, stop teasing her. If you make her cry, you'll be the one crying!" Jiang Nan shook his head helplessly. "The sun is about to rise; it's time to practice. Let's start with the Eight Pieces of Brocade to loosen up our muscles and bones."

The three stood in the open space at the bow of the boat, facing the rising sun. Jiangnan's movements were graceful and gentle, like the morning breeze rustling through willow branches: "The Eight Pieces of Brocade is the best way to nourish your Qi. Don't rush, just follow my breath. Hold the sky with both hands to regulate the three Jiaos..."

He slowly raised his hands, his fingertips seemingly holding a ray of morning light.

Xiaolongnu learned meticulously, her small body rising and falling with his movements, every posture was done perfectly, and even her breathing rhythm was exactly the same as Jiangnan's.

Huang Rong was initially somewhat perfunctory, swinging her arms casually, but after doing the "drawing the bow left and right like shooting an eagle" exercise three times, she felt as if all the stale air in her chest had been expelled, her blood and qi flowed smoothly throughout her body, and her drowsiness disappeared. She couldn't help but become serious.

"To regulate the spleen and stomach, you need to raise one arm. That's right, Rong'er, raise your left arm a little higher, and keep your back straight." Jiang Nan gently corrected her. "Long'er is doing very well. Relax your shoulders, don't tense up."

A morning breeze blew, causing the lotus leaves to sway gently, and the three figures blended into one in the morning light. After finishing their Eight Pieces of Brocade exercise, each of them had a thin layer of sweat on their foreheads, yet felt refreshed. Jiangnan rowed the boat into the nearby reeds. The reeds were taller than a person, rustling in the wind, and occasionally a water bird would be startled and flutter its wings into the blue sky.

"Next up is the Five Animal Frolics." Jiangnan stopped the boat and stood at the bow. "Imitating the five animals—tiger, deer, bear, ape, and bird—can strengthen the body, invigorate the five internal organs, and help one understand the way of nature. Let's start with the tiger frolic."

He formed tiger claws with both hands and lunged forward. Although he did not use his full strength, he still exuded a formidable aura.

Huang Rong imitated her perfectly, even deliberately lowering her voice to let out a tiger's roar, which made Xiaolongnu smile with her lips pursed.

When Xiaolongnu imitated a tiger, her movements were gentle, yet she possessed an innate calmness, like a tiger cub that had just woken up, with clear yet alert eyes.

"Next is the Deer Play." Jiang Nan made deer antlers with his hands, slowly turned around and looked back. "Deer are agile and good at opening the Du Meridian. When you turn your head, you should do it slowly and feel the stretch in your waist and spine."

As soon as she finished speaking, Little Dragon Girl moved. She turned slightly to the side, one elbow on her waist, the other hand reaching behind her, turning her head to look at her heels. Her movements were light and graceful, just like a deer strolling in the forest.

Upon seeing this, Jiangnan couldn't help but nod in praise: "Long'er is born with an understanding of the principles of nature. Her deer play is even better than mine, and its artistic conception is natural."

Huang Rong was a little unconvinced and tried to imitate Xiaolongnu's movements, but almost twisted her waist, which made Jiangnan and Xiaolongnu laugh. She stuck out her tongue and started practicing seriously again.

The following bear play was steady and profound, the ape play was agile and lively, and the bird play was graceful and elegant. Huang Rong's imitation of the ape and bird plays was the most vivid. She jumped up and down with light steps, and even deliberately picked reed flowers to throw at Xiaolongnu. The two chased and played on the bow of the boat, and their laughter startled a flock of water birds.

Around noon, Huang Rong cooked a meal to offset the boat fare. She took out the whitefish and fresh water chestnuts she had caught the night before from the cabin, drew some lake water, and set up a small stove at the bow of the boat.

Jiang Nan and Xiao Longnv sat on the side of the boat, peeling freshly picked lotus pods. Xiao Longnv peeled the lotus pods slowly, one by one, placing them in her palm, first handing one to Jiang Nan, then one to Huang Rong, and finally eating one herself.

"Long'er is so good." Huang Rong took the lotus seed and put a piece of freshly fried fish into her mouth. "Try your sister's cooking. It's not much worse than what your brother from Jiangnan makes."

Little Dragon Girl chewed on the fish, nodded vigorously, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

After resting for an hour after the meal, Jiangnan led them to a sheltered harbor. Standing there, they could see the entire Taihu Lake, with its vast expanse of blue waves and distant mountains like dark eyebrows.

"Today we will continue practicing the Yi Jin Duan Gu Chapter." Jiang Nan's expression became serious. "This is a superior skill that can change one's internal energy and cleanse one's marrow. It may not be profound in terms of internal strength, but it is qualified as an introductory internal skill. More importantly, it can solidify one's martial arts foundation. But remember, do not be impatient for quick results. You must proceed step by step, otherwise it is very easy to injure yourself."

He first demonstrated the standing posture: "Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees into a half squat, place your hands in front of your lower abdomen, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, and breathe naturally. Focus your mind on your lower abdomen and feel the Qi flowing slowly through your body."

Little Dragon Girl stood silently, her small body standing straight, like a small pine tree facing the wind. She closed her eyes and quickly entered a meditative state, her breathing becoming steady, as if she had merged with the surrounding mountains and waters. Huang Rong felt her legs ache after standing for a while and couldn't help but sway her body with the rocking of the boat.

This is also why Jiangnan had Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu practice martial arts on the boat: to increase the difficulty of the training and improve their mastery of martial arts!

Jiangnan walked to her side and gently pressed her shoulder: "Rong'er, your mind is too active and you are easily distracted. When you are practicing standing meditation, don't think about anything, just feel your breath."

Huang Rong nodded, took a deep breath, gazed at the lake, and calmed herself down. Jiang Nan stood between the two, occasionally correcting their postures and explaining the key points of breathing exercises. As the sun set, golden rays bathed them, casting a warm halo around the two girls' figures.

As she finished her practice, Huang Rong let out a long sigh of relief, feeling completely refreshed. Xiaolongnu also opened her eyes, her gaze even clearer and brighter.

The three sat at the bow of the boat, watching the sunset paint Taihu Lake with a molten gold color. Returning sails dotted the water, fishermen's songs echoed back and forth, and distant mountains appeared and disappeared in the twilight.

"Brother, shall we practice martial arts together from now on?" Little Dragon Girl leaned on Jiang Nan's arm and asked softly.

Huang Rong also raised her head and looked at Jiangnan, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Jiangnan looked at the two girls beside him, and his heart softened.

He reached out and patted their heads: "Okay. As long as you're willing, we'll stay together forever, see all the mountains and rivers, and learn all the martial arts in the world."

A gentle evening breeze carries the fragrance of lotus blossoms across the lake. The soothing movements of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, the graceful movements of the Five Animal Frolics, and the profound exercises of the Tendon-Changing and Bone-Strengthening Manual all blend into the misty waters of Taihu Lake.

Years later, when they each become legends in the martial arts world, they may still remember that summer evening, the sunset on the small awning boat, and that carefree time when they were accompanied only by martial arts and the mountains and rivers.