Half an hour after finishing archery practice, the sun had already risen. (This chapter is uploaded by a friend.)

  "Ning Er, Im here to teach you footwork." A man with a white fur cloak, Wei Chi Xue, smiled as he looked at his son.

  "Yes." Ji Ning replied.

  Although I had a sore waist and back from practicing archery before, due to my cultivation of the "Chi Ming Nine Heaven Diagram", my physical recovery has been astonishing, and at this moment I am refreshed and full of fighting spirit.

  "In close combat, the importance of footwork is no less than that of swordsmanship!" Yuchi Xue said solemnly, "When two people fight, the one with strong footwork can dodge and weave... making it difficult for the enemy to hurt you, while you can easily hurt them."

  Ji Ning nodded.

  He understands.

  Close combat is not about you slashing and me chopping, but rather like a phantom constantly changing positions to exchange blows. Like the boxing and kickboxing of past lives, those top-notch boxers and kickboxing masters all placed great emphasis on footwork. The subtlety of footwork can make it so that an opponents ten punches cannot hit you, and even if they do land, their power is weakened.

  The importance of footwork, even surpassing that of fist techniques! Due to the suffering from illness in his past life, Ji Ning was particularly enthusiastic about watching various sports competitions, so he understood the importance of footwork in boxing and sanda.

  This world, gods and demons appear and disappear, but the basic principles are probably about the same.

  The method of walking is the most important thing.

  "Ill teach you the footwork, called Wind Shadow Step." said Wei Chi Xue, "Dont look down on its ordinary name, its a mysterious and profound method. The entire Ji familys five mansions consider it one of the top-notch footworks, and only I know it! Once you master this footwork... youll understand how to dodge and weave in a small range, and also learn the method of escaping with lightness."

  "You first carefully look at the basic six steps." Yuchi Xue flipped her hand, and a yellow book appeared in her hand.

  Ji Ning took it over and examined it carefully at once.

  The book gives a detailed description of the six basic steps of "Feng Ying Bu" and their application methods, with extremely subtle footwork in terms of power transfer.

  "Stop groping in the dark." Wei Chi Xue pointed into the distance, "Look over there."

  Ji Ning turned his head, and in the distance, there were wooden stakes standing upright, with over a thousand of them visible at a glance. They varied in height and distance, like a dense forest. Above these wooden stakes, there were also numerous animal skin bags hanging densely, with possibly over a thousand of them suspended in mid-air.

  "Thats the Thousand Star Formation!" said Wei Chi Xue, "With the coordination of the Thousand Star Formation, you should be able to practice Wind Shadow Step to the realm of subtlety within ten years. If not... Im afraid it will take several times more time."

  "The Wind Shadow Step is divided into three realms."

  "It is fundamental."

  "Two is entering subtlety."

  "Three is the unity of heaven and man."

  Wei Chi Xue looked at Ji Ning, "Actually, no matter what footwork, swordsmanship, knife work, gunplay and so on, can be divided into these three realms. Like the second realm of swordsmanship entering subtlety can also be called man-sword unity."

  "Have you memorized the subtleties of the six basic steps?" asked Wei Chi Xue.

  "Got it." Ji Ning nodded.

  Wei Chi Xue then walked over to the Thousand Star Formation and pointed at a very short wooden stake: "Go to this stake."

  "Yes." Ji Ning took a light step and landed on the wooden stake.

  Standing on the wooden stake, I suddenly felt dizzy. The stake was not thick and could only hold one foot standing. Fortunately, I had practiced the Chi Ming Nine Heaven Chart, so my body balance was extremely strong, which allowed me to stand firmly.

  "Now listen to my order, Ill let you perform one of the six basic steps, and youll perform that step." said Wei Chi Xue, "Advance!"

  Ji Ning remembered the method of exerting force, tried a forward charge, and swooshed to step onto a wooden stake in front, but collided with a hanging animal skin bag, making a "peng" sound as he fell to the ground.

  "Remember, move on the Thousand Star Array stakes, and dont touch any of the beast skin bags. If you do, start over." said Wei Chi Xue.

  Ji Ning gritted her teeth.

  Unbelievable.

  He got back on the low wooden stake, followed by a bowing step, dodging the sandbag and rushing to the stake. However, the forward momentum was too great, and he swayed for a while with both hands waving before standing still on one foot.

  "Remember, footwork is like nailing, one step at a time, nail it on the wooden stake!" Wei Chi Xue said, "One step out, not too small, not too big. Not too light, nor too heavy. Like you just did, recklessly swaying around, in a real fight, the enemy would have already discovered your weakness and killed you with one sword strike. Continue, advance!"

  "Progress!"

  "Forward march!"

  "Leap!"

  "Step back!"

  "Fall back!"

  "Change step!"

  The snow fell again and again under Wei Chis orders.

  Actually, no matter what footwork, the basic footwork is just a few steps, advancing and retreating. However, different schools have vastly different techniques... some practices seem to change like lightning, while others are as gentle as the wind, and some are as mysterious as ghosts.

  The subtlety of footwork is different, and the actual combat outcome will also be different.

  "Thud!" The crouch wasnt deep enough, and his back still rubbed against the animal skin bag underneath, so he didnt even land on the wooden stake.

  Ji Ning silently continued to climb up the wooden stakes.

  "Bang!" The knee bends arent enough.

  "Bang!" The strength was not light enough.

  ……

  Only to see Ji Ning on those thousands of wooden stakes, flashing and moving repeatedly, crazily practicing the basic six steps. Due to the obstruction of the hanging beast skin bag, Ji Nings body also adopted various postures to avoid the obstruction. However, no matter what posture, the premise must be that the center of gravity is stable and the feet are stable!

  "Mother, how long will I have to cultivate?" Ji Ning was thrown off miserably.

  "Ning Er, starting from the shortest stake, walk through all 1,008 stakes, and jump down from the highest stake! Dont touch any of the animal hide packages along the way!"

  "If you can complete it within ten breaths, then your footwork will have reached the first realm of Foundation." said Wei Chi Xue with a smile.

  Ji Ning was shocked: "What, ten breaths? Such a short time... even if its flat ground, I wouldnt be able to sprint down in just ten breaths." A thousand and eight wooden stakes, walking through them all would take over a kilometer, and even sprinting for over a kilometer would take some time.

  "Wait till youve cultivated the first level of the Nine Heavens Diagram, Ning Er. If its flat ground, youll be able to sprint down in about ten breaths." said Wei Chi Xue with a smile.

  "Th...this..." Ji Ning stuttered.

  "In the Thousand Star Array, its as if Im walking on flat ground. Only now can I be said to have reached the first realm, the Foundation realm." Yu Chi Xue smiled and said.

  "What about the second boundary entering subtlety?" Ji Ning couldnt help but ask.

  Wei Chi Xue pushed the animal skin bags one by one at the edge, and the animal skin bags immediately collided with each other. Soon, thousands of animal skin bags were swaying and colliding with each other, and their collisions naturally became disorderly and chaotic.

  "The second boundary entering the subtle, is that under the circumstances where all the beast skin bags are shaking and colliding with each other, you still start from the shortest wooden stake, traverse all 1,008 wooden stakes within ten breaths, and jump down from the highest wooden stake without touching any of the beast skin bags." Yu Chi Xue looked at Ji Ning, "If you succeed, then your second boundary entering the subtle will be considered complete."

  "This, this, how is it possible? All the animal skin bags are swaying and moving, how can I avoid them? The opportunity may only last for a moment, to avoid all the animal skin bags and still step on that one point of wood. And in such a short time..." Ji Ning felt that this was simply too difficult, how could it be done.

  "So, with the help of the Thousand Star Array, you should be able to cultivate Wind Shadow Step to the realm of subtlety within ten years." Wei Chi Xue said, "From now until lunchtime, just stay on the wooden stake of the Thousand Star Array."

  "What about the third realm Unity of Heaven and Man?" Ji Ning couldnt help but ask.

  Wei Chi Xue looked at Ji Ning with a smile: "Thats a state of mind, youll know when you get there."

  "How strong is it? There must be some way to put it." Ji Ning asked.

  "Ah, if I must say... its like a thousand arrows firing at once, but none of them hit the mark." Yu Chi Xue looked at her son.

  "Thousands of arrows fired at once?" Ji Ning thought that the countless arrows shot, but all missed him, this was also too unbelievable. A persons body is only so big, and the countless arrows should have filled up all the space already. By rights, there shouldnt be any way to dodge them.

  Wei Chi Xue smiled and said: "Dont be discouraged, most of the top warriors from various tribes only reach the first realm Foundation."

  "Born with spiritual intelligence, his footwork generally reached the second realm of entering subtlety."

  "Zifu repairman, generally reached the third realm heaven and man unity. Of course, some extraordinary innate born spirits can also reach heaven and man unity... like your father!" said Wei Chi Xue.

  "Father?" Ji Ning exclaimed in surprise.

  "Your fathers footwork is the unity of heaven and man, even more difficult to cultivate than swordsmanship, your father is also the unity of heaven and man. " Wei Chi Xue smiled, "So your father is the undisputed strongest in the Western Capital of the Ji Clan, able to intimidate countless tribes."

  Ji Nings heart surged with a thousand feet of heroic emotions. Father can do it! I have the "Nuwa Map", and also have the wisdom of my past life, I must be able to do it too!

  "Go on!"

  "Progress!"

  "Change step!"

  "Leap!"

  Only saw Ji Nings small figure on the wooden stakes of the Thousand Star Array, flashing cautiously time and again, sometimes falling down.

  ……

  Afternoon.

  After eating and drinking enough, I rested for a while before being dragged to the martial arts training ground by my father. The warm sunlight of the spring day was exceptionally bright and pleasant on my skin.

  "Father." Ji Ning looked at his father, who was wearing a white beast skin like an iceberg, and his heart was filled with admiration. Even some powerful demons like the Jiaolong had been killed by his father, and whether it was in terms of strength or skill, he had already reached the pinnacle of perfection. Some even wanted to learn from him and become his disciple.

  Father has nine great disciples, three of whom are innate spirits. However, Father only points out the nine great disciples once a month.

  But teaching oneself is taught every day!

  "From today on, Ill teach you how to wield a sword." Ji Yichuan looked at his son and said in a cold tone, "A sword is not the same as a bow and arrow or footwork."

  "As long as you master the bow and arrow, your strength will increase later on, youll be able to see further, and naturally, youll be able to shoot arrows with even greater force!"

  "Footwork is important, but its still just a supporting method... killing the enemy ultimately relies on the final sword strike!"

  "Sword, is a short weapon! Light and agile, with double blades, its more exquisite and varied than a knife. One stroke, one stab, one slash, one wipe, one point, can easily kill the enemy. Even if someone practices randomly, they might hurt themselves. Its truly a blade of slaughter." Ji Yichuan looked at his son.

  Ji Ning was bursting with excitement and anticipation, his eyes shining brightly: "Father, what sword technique should I learn?"

  "Swordsmanship? Wait a few more years!" Ji Yichuan said coldly.

  "Wait for a few more years?" Ji Ning wondered.

  Ji Yichuan said in a cold voice, "A sword is an extension of the body! If you want to use a sword well, first and foremost, your own body must be under control. You have to practice fist techniques first, until your bodys arms and legs are extremely agile and can exert force at will. Only then can it be considered that the physical preparation for practicing sword is done!"

  "Just being physically prepared is not enough."

  "Also prepare your heart for practicing sword!"