After taking a beating from Zhang Ruohan, Zhang Chu felt deeply wronged.

Yet, he still hadn't completely given up.

He couldn't fathom why, when they both possessed a copy of the Stance Training notes, Li Yun was able to comprehend it easily and advance by leaps and bounds, while he could not.

He walked up to Li Yun.

And bowed deeply.

With a slightly cheeky smirk, he said, "Li Yun, oh no... Brother Li, teach me, won't you please teach me?"

Li Yun: "..."

He felt rather helpless.

"I can teach you, but could you please not talk like that? You're creeping me out."

Pfft!

Zhang Ruohan couldn't help but smile; these two were truly a pair of clowns.

However, she did not intervene.

She also wanted to see how Li Yun would instruct Zhang Chu.

Li Yun stepped aside. "Zhang Chu, let's make this clear first... I've never taught anyone before, and I can't guarantee that my guidance will definitely work for you. If you can accept that, come over now and perform your Stance Training."

"I'll correct your form based on my own understanding, how about it?"

"Deal!"

Zhang Chu agreed promptly and hurried to the side, beginning his performance from the first stance.

"Stop! That's wrong!"

Barely after he began, he was cut off by Li Yun.

Zhang Chu had only executed half a motion before freezing up entirely, having no idea where he had gone wrong.

"What is it?"

Zhang Chu looked completely bewildered.

Even Zhang Ruohan was slightly puzzled. In her view, Zhang Chu did indeed have some flaws, but they weren't unacceptable. Still, she remained silent and merely watched quietly.

Li Yun said solemnly, "Your movement is wrong. You're too stiff!"

"The first stance of Basic Stance Training is called the Green Pine Stance. As the saying goes,'Stand like a pine tree.' A green pine is straight, yes, but it should be upright, not rigid!"

"You were rigid from the very beginning. By being straight merely for the sake of straightness, you lose a sense of natural grace. How can you comprehend the true essence of an upright green pine like that?"

"Ah... isn't straight just straight? Is there really a difference?"

"The difference is massive! As the saying goes, 'A miss by an inch is a loss by a thousand miles.' The martial path is precise. Don't look down on this slight discrepancy, for its impact on what follows is immense."

Standing nearby, Zhang Ruohan fell into thought upon hearing his words.

She couldn't resist chiming in, "Indeed, Li Yun is right. No wonder it felt a bit odd when you performed it... It should be upright, not rigid... Zhang Chu, you brat, listen to Li Yun and correct your posture."

"Alright!"

Zhang Chu shrugged helplessly. Now that his elder sister had spoken, disobeying her would lead to severe consequences, and he didn't want to get beaten again.

However, though 'rigid' and 'upright' differed by only a word, their meanings were worlds apart.

Zhang Chu could grasp the idea conceptually, but when it came to actually correcting it, he was at a total loss.

If he exerted force, he became stiff.

If he didn't exert force, his posture collapsed.

Even after adjusting several times, he could not achieve the described effect of being upright, natural, and straight without rigidity.

Left with no alternative,

Li Yun had no choice but to step forward and demonstrate in person.

The moment he stepped up, the atmosphere transformed.

In what appeared to be a simple stance, he stood rooted like a weathered green pine that had endured countless storms—neither stiff nor lax, carrying an exquisite charm that gave off a pleasing sense of beauty.

Zhang Ruohan's eyes sparkled with brilliance. She had risen from being an Outer Sect Disciple herself, and her Basic Stance Training had once reached the Great Mastery Realm.

However, after reversing into the Innate Realm and cultivating Innate True Qi, practicing stances was no longer necessary, so she hadn't delved deeper into Stance Training.

If she were asked to perform it now, she felt she wouldn't be able to achieve such a captivating Green Pine Stance either.

Zhang Chu, on the other hand, lacked the Realm and could only stare in blank bewilderment.

He was entirely unable to distinguish the difference between his Green Pine Stance and Li Yun's.

Fortunately, after demonstrating for a moment,

Li Yun meticulously explained the intricacies—including the angles of posture and breathing rhythm—using simple, straightforward language. Only then did the dazed Zhang Chu gradually begin to comprehend.

When he performed it again, it gradually began to resemble the proper form.

Then came the second stance, the third stance...

Nearly three hours went by.

Before they knew it, Li Yun had guided Zhang Chu through all twelve stances of Basic Stance Training.

Once they were finished,

Zhang Chu was thrilled to the extreme.

"Hahaha... Initial Mastery?"

"I actually reached Initial Mastery in Basic Stance Training... Sis, did you see that? Your brother brought Basic Stance Training to Initial Mastery! Tsk tsk, aren't I incredible?"

Zhang Ruohan rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Incredible, my foot! If Li Yun hadn't taught you hand-in-hand, could someone like you have achieved Initial Mastery so quickly?"

"Uh... right, right, right... Li Yun, you're way too incredible!"

"Seriously, in all my life I've never genuinely admired anyone, but you... I am truly and utterly convinced now."

Li Yun promptly offered Zhang Chu a smile that was not overly enthusiastic, yet polite.

In truth, he only wanted to say two words:

Mentally exhausted!

When it came to the martial path, cultivating on one's own and teaching others were completely different matters.

If not for seeking an excuse to linger longer in Clear Shadow Residence to observe the Sword Testing Stele, he would have made an excuse to return to Courtyard 95 of the Ren Branch long ago.

Still, it wasn't without rewards.

Teaching like this was implicitly equivalent to reviewing Basic Stance Training for himself. This process of reviewing was surprisingly recognized by the System, silently earning him an additional 300 cognition points.

This also revealed to him yet another way to obtain cognition points.

If he truly couldn't find suitable subjects to observe in the future, instructing others was indeed a viable alternative; he could acquire cognition points while earning personal favors—killing two birds with one stone.

Just like at this moment.

After helping Zhang Chu achieve Initial Mastery in Basic Stance Training, Li Yun clearly sensed that Zhang Ruohan looked at him with much greater warmth, which was practically equivalent to gaining her favor and friendship.

This would undoubtedly benefit his future standing in the Heavenly Martial Sect.

However, the hour was growing late.

No matter how reluctant he was to depart Clear Shadow Residence, Li Yun had to take his leave.

Zhang Ruohan nodded and asked Li Yun to wait a moment.

She stepped into the house and brought out a book with a blue cover.

"Li Yun, your Basic Stance Training has already reached the Mastery Realm. Once you return, seek out Zhang Cong, and you will be able to claim a Martial Technique from the Martial Repository. However, seeing that your Comprehension is quite extraordinary, a single Martial Technique might not suffice for your cultivation."

"This Coiling Silk Force of mine, I present it to you!"

"Ah... Senior Sister Zhang, wouldn't that be improper?"

"There is nothing improper about it. Guiding Zhang Chu took up half a day of your time, and I failed to uphold my promise to show you around the Inner Sect. Consider this manual of Coiling Silk Force as an apology."

"Rest assured, this Coiling Silk Force belongs to me privately, so gifting it to you does not violate sect rules. You may freely study and cultivation it."

"Next time when I'm free, I will visit you at the Outer Sect and properly show you around the Vermilion Bird Courtyard or the other courtyards, and introduce you to several Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the Inner Sect as well."

"Ha, Senior Sister Zhang... you are far too courteous. In that case, it would be disrespectful of me to decline?"

Li Yun knew that Zhang Ruohan had genuinely accepted him and wished to win his allegiance, so he accepted the manual of Coiling Silk Force without further pretense.

Just as Zhang Ruohan was preparing to personally see Zhang Chu and Li Yun off, a figure rushed toward the entrance of Clear Shadow Residence.

Before entering the door, his voice arrived first.

"Haha, Ruohan, I heard you returned from your mission and even brought Outer Sect Disciples inside. Why didn't you give me a heads-up so that I could prepare in advance?"

Zhang Ruohan's expression shifted instantly.

Even Zhang Chu became visibly tense, hurriedly tugging at Li Yun's sleeve and whispering, "It's my future brother-in-law, Zhao Chuanfeng. This guy is rather petty, so don't say anything careless..."