The Thousand Star Formation

Half an hour after the archery session ended, the sun had already risen.

“Ning’er, I will teach you footwork.” Yuchi Snow, clad in white fur, smiled at her son.

“Yes,” Ji Ning replied.

Although his body had been sore from the archery practice, his physical recovery was astonishing thanks to his training in the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens. He was now refreshed and brimming with fighting spirit.

“In close combat, footwork is just as important as swordsmanship!” Yuchi Snow said gravely. “In a fight, the one with superior footwork can dodge and reposition, making it difficult for the enemy to harm you while you can easily strike them.”

Ji Ning nodded.

He understood.

Close combat wasn’t a stupid exchange of blows. It was a fluid dance of constantly shifting positions, like the shadow-boxing of top-tier boxers or kickboxers in his past life. They all emphasized footwork. Exquisite footwork allowed them to avoid ten punches, and even if a punch landed, its power was greatly diminished.

Footwork was even more important than striking techniques. Because of the pain of his illness in his past life, Ji Ning had enjoyed watching sports competitions and understood the importance of footwork in boxing and kickboxing.

In this world, where Fiendgods sometimes appeared, the basic principles were likely similar.

Footwork was of paramount importance.

“The footwork technique I will teach you is called the Windshadow Steps,” Yuchi Snow said. “Don’t let the plain name fool you. It is a profound technique, one of the very best in the entire Ji Clan’s Five Prefectures, and only I know it! Once you learn it, you will master the art of dodging and weaving in close quarters, as well as the methods for escaping and light-body techniques.”

“First, carefully study the six basic steps.” Yuchi Snow flipped her hand and a soil-yellow book appeared.

Ji Ning took it and began to read carefully.

The book described the execution methods of the Windshadow Steps’ six basic steps in detail. The footwork was extremely subtle in its use of strength and energy circulation.

“Don’t just stare at it,” Yuchi Snow said, pointing into the distance. “Look over there.”

Ji Ning turned his head. In the distance stood countless wooden stakes; a quick glance suggested there were over a thousand of them. They were of varying heights and distances, standing like a dense forest. Hanging above these stakes were countless leather sandbags, also numbering in the thousands, packed closely together.

“This is called the Thousand Star Formation!” Yuchi Snow said. “With the aid of this formation, you should be able to train the Windshadow Steps to the Subtlety Realm within ten years. Without it, it would take several times longer.”

“The Windshadow Steps have three realms.”

“First is the Basic Realm.”

“Second is the Subtlety Realm.”

“Third is the Unity of Man and Heaven Realm.”

Yuchi Snow looked at Ji Ning. “In truth, any technique—footwork, swordsmanship, saber arts, spear arts, and so on—can be divided into these three realms. The second realm of swordsmanship, ‘Subtlety,’ can also be called ‘Unity of Man and Sword.’”

“Have you memorized the mysteries of the six basic steps?” Yuchi Snow asked.

“I have,” Ji Ning confirmed.

Yuchi Snow walked over to the Thousand Star Formation and pointed to a very short stake. “Go stand on this stake.”

“Yes.” Ji Ning easily stepped onto the stake.

Standing on the swaying stake, he felt its instability. It wasn’t very thick, barely enough to stand on with one foot. Fortunately, his training in the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens had greatly enhanced his balance, allowing him to steady himself.

“Now, listen to my commands. I will tell you which basic step to perform, and you will execute it,” Yuchi Snow instructed. “Forward step!”

Ji Ning quickly recalled the power-discharge method, attempted a forward rush, and with a swish landed on a stake ahead. But he brushed against a hanging sandbag, and with a bang, he fell to the ground.

“Remember, when moving on the Thousand Star Formation stakes, you are absolutely forbidden from touching any of the sandbags. If you do, you start over,” Yuchi Snow said.

Ji Ning gritted his teeth, refusing to be discouraged.

He climbed back onto the short stake, then performed a crouching forward step, dodging a sandbag and landing on the next stake. However, the forward momentum was too great, and he wobbled for a long time, flailing his arms before finally stabilizing himself on one foot.

“Remember, your steps must be like nails. Every step is a nail driven into the stake!” Yuchi Snow said. “A step must not be too short or too long, too light or too heavy. Wobbling like that in a life-or-death struggle, an enemy would see your opening and run you through with a single thrust. Continue. Forward step!”

“Forward step!”

“Walking step!”

“Leaping step!”

“Back step!”

“Retreating step!”

“Turning step!”

Yuchi Snow issued the commands, one after another.

In truth, the basic steps of any footwork technique were similar: forward, backward, and so on. However, the skill involved in different techniques was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth. Some footwork was as fast as lightning, some as drifting as the wind, and others as ghostly and elusive.

The subtleties of each step determined the difference in actual combat.

Bam! He didn’t crouch low enough, and his back scraped against a sandbag, causing him to miss the stake entirely and fall off.

Without a word, Ji Ning climbed back onto the stake and continued.

Bam! He didn’t bend his knees enough.

Bam! His strength wasn’t light enough.

…

Ji Ning’s small figure flashed and moved among the thousand stakes, frantically training the six basic steps. The hanging sandbags were obstacles he had to constantly contort his body to avoid. But no matter what pose he assumed, his center of gravity had to be stable, and his footing had to be firm.

“Mother, how long do I have to train like this?” Ji Ning was getting battered.

“Ning’er, starting from the shortest stake, you must traverse all 1,008 stakes and jump down from the tallest one without touching a single sandbag along the way.”

“Completing it within ten breaths counts as reaching the first realm, the ‘Basic Realm,’ of your footwork,” Yuchi Snow said with a smile.

Ji Ning was stunned. “What? Ten breaths? That’s so short… Even on flat ground, I couldn’t sprint that distance in ten breaths.” The 1,008 stakes would cover over a kilometer. It would take him a while just to sprint that distance.

“Once you’ve completed the first stage of the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens, you should be able to sprint that distance on flat ground in about ten breaths,” Yuchi Snow explained.

“But…” Ji Ning was shocked.

“Moving through the Thousand Star Formation as if it were flat ground only qualifies as the first ‘Basic Realm,’” Yuchi Snow said.

“And the second ‘Subtlety Realm’?” Ji Ning couldn’t help but ask.

Yuchi Snow pushed a few of the sandbags. They swung and collided with others, soon setting all the thousands of sandbags in motion, swaying and bumping into each other in a chaotic, unpredictable pattern.

“The second realm, ‘Subtlety,’ requires you to do the same thing while all these sandbags are swaying and colliding with each other,” Yuchi Snow said, looking at Ji Ning. “Start from the shortest stake, traverse all 1,008 stakes in ten breaths, and jump down from the tallest stake without touching a single sandbag. If you can do that, you have mastered the ‘Subtlety Realm.’”

“But… but… how is that possible? How can I avoid them when they’re all moving? The opening might last only a fraction of a second. I have to dodge all the sandbags, land perfectly on a stake, and do it all in such a short time…” Ji Ning couldn’t believe it. It seemed impossible.

“That’s why I said that with the help of the Thousand Star Formation, you should be able to reach the Subtlety Realm of the Windshadow Steps within ten years,” Yuchi Snow said. “Now, until lunchtime, you will stay on the stakes of the Thousand Star Formation.”

“And the third realm, ‘Unity of Man and Heaven’?” Ji Ning pressed.

Yuchi Snow looked at her son and smiled. “That is a state of being. You will know it when you reach it.”

“How strong is it? There must be some description,” Ji Ning persisted.

“Well… to put it simply, it means that even if ten thousand arrows were shot at you at once, none of them would touch you,” Yuchi Snow said.

“Ten thousand arrows?” Ji Ning thought of a dense cloud of arrows flying towards him without a single one hitting him. That seemed unbelievable. A human body had a certain size, and countless arrows would fill the entire space, leaving no room to dodge.

Yuchi Snow smiled. “Don’t be discouraged. Among ordinary tribesmen, elite Houtian warriors generally only reach the first ‘Basic Realm.’”

“Xiantian lifeforms generally reach the second ‘Subtlety Realm’ in their footwork.”

“As for Zifu Disciples… they generally reach the third ‘Unity of Man and Heaven Realm.’ Of course, some exceptionally talented Xiantian lifeforms can also reach Unity of Man and Heaven… like your father!” Yuchi Snow said.

“Father?” Ji Ning’s eyes lit up.

“Your father’s footwork has reached the Unity of Man and Heaven Realm. And his swordsmanship, which is even harder to master than footwork, is also at that realm,” Yuchi Snow said with a smile. “That’s why your father is the undisputed number one expert of the Western Prefecture, the one who holds awe over countless tribes.”

A surge of pride and ambition rose in Ji Ning’s heart. His father could do it! He had the Nuwa Diagram, and the wisdom of his past life. He could do it too!

“Continue!”

“Forward step!”

“Turning step!”

“Leaping step!”

Ji Ning’s small figure flashed cautiously among the stakes of the Thousand Star Formation, sometimes falling, sometimes stumbling.

…

In the afternoon.

After a full meal and a short rest, Ji Ning was hauled to the training grounds by his father. The warm spring sun was radiant, making the air pleasant.

“Father.” Ji Ning looked at his father, who was as cold as an iceberg in his white animal skins. But his heart was filled with admiration. His father had slain many powerful demon beasts, like Flood Dragons. He was a peerless master of both strength and technique. Even some Xiantian lifeforms wished to learn swordsmanship under him.

His father had nine disciples, three of whom were Xiantian lifeforms. But he only instructed them once a month.

Yet, he taught his son every single day!

“Starting today, I will teach you the sword,” Ji Yichuan said coldly, looking at his son. “The sword is not like the bow or footwork.”

“Archery can be learned through practice. Stronger arms and sharper eyes will naturally lead to more powerful arrows.”

“Footwork, while important, is still a supplementary skill. In the end, killing relies on the final thrust of the blade.”

“The sword is a short weapon. It is light and agile, with two edges. It is far more subtle and versatile than a saber. A slash, a thrust, a chop, a wipe, a point—all can kill an enemy with ease. A man who practices recklessly might even hurt himself. It is a true blade of slaughter.” Ji Yichuan looked at his son.

Ji Ning’s blood boiled with anticipation. His eyes shone. “Father, what sword art will I learn?”

“Sword art? Wait a few more years!” Ji Yichuan said coldly.

“A few more years?” Ji Ning was puzzled.

Ji Yichuan said coldly, “The sword is an extension of the body. To wield it well, you must first be able to control your own body. You must first learn the fist. Only when your body, arms, legs, and fists are all agile and you can exert force freely, will your body be ready to train with the sword.”

“That’s not all. Your ‘heart’ must also be prepared for training.”