PCJ – Chapter 127 Small Body, Big Energy

Early in the morning, Liu Qiaoye heard noises in the courtyard and nudged her husband.

“Hey, wake up, wake up.”

Zhang Youping had carried dozens of loads of grain yesterday. Although he was used to hard work, his back and shoulders were still sore and hadn’t fully recovered overnight. He was still drowsy.

“What’s going on? Woman, can’t you let me sleep a little longer?”

Zhang Youping closed his eyes again.

Liu Qiaoye pushed her husband hard. “Sleep, sleep, all you do is sleep. If someone were to move the whole house, you wouldn’t wake up. Listen, there are noises in the courtyard!”

“The dog isn’t barking, what noise?” Zhang Youping sat up, his shirtless body showing a rugged strength.

“Listen!” Liu Qiaoye said angrily.

Outside, the rustling sounds had turned into loud bangs. Surprisingly, their dog Zuan Shanbao hadn’t made a sound.

“Where’s the dog? Did someone drug it?” Zhang Youping jumped out of bed, grabbed a piece of clothing from the cabinet, and put it on. The early morning was still quite cool. He slipped on a pair of black handmade shoes, opened the main door, and saw his son busy in the courtyard. There were axes and saws, and a few pieces of miscellaneous wood.

“Son, what are you doing?” Zhang Youping asked curiously.

“Dad, I’m making poles for practicing Meishan stake exercises. The old Taoist master taught me how to practice yesterday evening.” Zhang Jiaohua struggled to carry a log from behind the house. It was strange how he carried it, with one end lifted as if someone was helping him. In reality, Jin Hu and the others were helping him lift the log. Otherwise, Zhang Jiaohua wouldn’t have been able to manage it alone.

“Put it down, put it down. Tell me what you want to make, and I’ll help you.” Zhang Youping walked over and took the log from Zhang Jiaohua’s shoulder. It felt light at first, but suddenly it got heavier, almost slipping from his grasp.

Knowing what was going on, Zhang Youping calmly placed the log on the ground.

Zhang Jiaohua drew a few circles on the ground. “Dad, I need some stakes here, and they need to be this tall.”

Zhang Jiaohua measured with his hands. Zhang Youping immediately understood. The stakes were similar to those used by martial arts instructors who came to the village to recruit students.

“Alright, I’ll set it up for you in a bit.” Although Zhang Youping wasn’t a carpenter, he could handle simple woodworking.

The main door creaked open, and Liu Qiaoye, wearing a floral fabric shirt and dark blue trousers, walked out.

“Son, why are you making a fuss in the courtyard so early?” Liu Qiaoye asked gently.

“Mom, the old Taoist master said that practicing martial arts requires getting up early. From now on, I’ll get up every day to practice Meishan stake exercises,” Zhang Jiaohua said determinedly.

“Really? I’ll see how long you can keep it up. The weather is getting colder. I’m worried you’ll stay in bed and refuse to get up.” Liu Qiaoye smiled.

“Mom, I won’t talk to you anymore.” Zhang Jiaohua pouted, upset that his mother doubted him.

“Son, if you get up every day to practice, let’s see what your mom says then,” Zhang Youping said with a smile.

“Hmph, from now on I’ll only listen to Dad.” Zhang Jiaohua ran over and kissed his father’s cheek. “Ew, so salty.”

Zhang Youping, sweating from making plum blossom stakes, smiled.

Zhang Jiaohua jumped onto the stakes to practice. His Meishan stake exercises looked similar to those of traveling martial artists but were fundamentally different. Ordinary martial artists practiced physical techniques, while Zhang Jiaohua practiced internal energy cultivation, focusing on nurturing internal qi. The first step was to cultivate qi, involving gathering and concentrating energy, primarily to strengthen his foundation. Each session needed to last the duration of one incense stick.

The stake exercises seemed simple but were very challenging. Before the incense burned halfway, Zhang Jiaohua was already sweating profusely. It looked like a simple squat on the stake, but it engaged his entire body, straining every muscle.

Liu Qiaoye frequently checked on her son, feeling distressed seeing him struggle. She wanted to pull him down several times.

Zhang Youping pulled his wife aside. “Don’t keep looking. Overprotective mothers often spoil their children. He’s finally determined. Whether he can persevere or not, as a mother, you shouldn’t hold him back.”

“Our son is only seven. He didn’t come from your body, so of course, you don’t feel the same pain.” Despite her words, Liu Qiaoye refrained from watching, worried she might not be able to resist pulling him down.

“Keep an eye on him. If he can’t hold on, make sure to catch him so he doesn’t get hurt,” Liu Qiaoye reminded her husband.

Zhang Youping sighed and shook his head. “I can’t argue with you.”

As the incense burned two-thirds of the way, Zhang Jiaohua was at his limit. His legs trembled, and he could fall any moment. Sweat dripped like water, soaking the stake. The sweat trails left marks on the wood.

Jin Hu and the others, trying to mimic Zhang Jiaohua’s stance, couldn’t feel anything because they lacked physical bodies and couldn’t sense the exercises. Watching Zhang Jiaohua struggle, they felt sorry for him.

Fugui tugged Jin Hu’s sleeve, wanting to help, but Jin Hu shook his head. They could communicate simple thoughts telepathically.

Fugui wanted to pull Zhang Jiaohua down, but Jin Hu disagreed. He understood what Zhang Jiaohua was doing.

Xiaoshuan stood next to Zhang Jiaohua, wanting to support him but was pulled away by Gouwa.

Mancang watched Zhang Jiaohua from below, ready to catch him if he wobbled.

Zhang Jiaohua’s clothes were soaked with sweat, but no one knew the immense energy hidden in his small body.

Every time Zhang Jiaohua swayed, he felt the old Taoist master’s bamboo stick hitting his leg, the sharp pain jolting him awake.

As the incense burned two-thirds of the way, Zhang Jiaohua’s body trembled violently. He could fall any moment. Sweat poured from him, soaking the wooden stake and leaving trails of water on it.