Chapter Ninety-Two: Let Me Show You What I Can Do

A group of sixty burly men spent a while stretching, only to find the pain unbearable.

Among them was Chu Yun’s eldest brother-in-law, Chu Dafu.

A few of the men urged him on, saying that since he was Chu Yun’s brother-in-law, Chu Yun would surely give him some face.

Unable to resist their coaxing, and already suffering sharply himself while stretching, Chu Dafu stepped forward and said, “Brother-in-law, this stretching is too painful. It feels as if I’ve been injured. Can we skip it?”

Chu Yun snorted coldly. “No. Chu Dafu, don’t think that being my brother-in-law means you can do whatever you please. On the contrary, as my brother-in-law, you should set an example. Don’t make everyone think I favor my relatives or show partiality.”

With that, he looked at the others. “I know stretching hurts. But it is also a form of treatment. After stretching, the soreness from yesterday’s training will fade faster, and only then can you continue training this afternoon.”

“I know training is painful and hard, but remember this: sweat more in peacetime, bleed less in war!”

“Only by training harder in ordinary times can you protect yourselves better and defeat your enemies in battle.”

After Bai Hao heard this, he could not help praising him. “Sweat more in peacetime, bleed less in war. That is beautifully said, truly worthy of a count.”

Then he turned to his cavalry squad. “Looks like we need to train harder in ordinary times too. Come on, everyone follow me and keep stretching. No matter how much it hurts, bear with it.”

Having said that, he led his cavalry squad to continue stretching.

Though they were in tears, though they cried out in pain, they still clenched their teeth and endured.

Chu Yun smiled at him gratefully.

Then he looked at Chu Dafu and said, “Brother-in-law, stand behind me and hold me.”

Chu Dafu hesitated for a moment, but still came behind Chu Yun and held him.

Chu Yun then said to the crowd, “Stretching not only relieves the pain caused by training, it also increases our muscles’ flexibility. And with greater flexibility, we can master more combat techniques. For example, right now, if someone is holding me, I can do this...”

When the men heard Chu Yun say that stretching could increase muscle flexibility and thus help them master more combat techniques, they all looked at him with curiosity.

Bai Hao and his cavalry squad did the same.

They all wanted to know exactly what kind of techniques could be learned.

Chu Yun suddenly lifted his leg and kicked upward, striking Chu Dafu squarely in the back of the head.

Immediately after, he bent at the waist and threw Chu Dafu over his shoulder, slamming him to the ground and making him howl in pain.

Everyone stared, stunned. Once they recovered, they could not help exclaiming, “Lord Count is amazing! He can actually kick the head of the person behind him just like that.”

Some tried to kick as Chu Yun had, only to find that they could not lift their legs very high, and they could not help muttering, “Too hard. Lord Count’s move is far too difficult.”

However, Bai Hao could not help saying, “Count Chu Yun, this move is indeed very difficult, but it doesn’t seem particularly practical. If someone has been held from behind, who would lift a leg and kick the person behind them?”

Chu Yun was somewhat speechless. “Lord Bai, I was just grateful to you for getting my guards to do stretching exercises, and now you’re already arguing with me. Very well, let’s spar. I’ll let you see just how powerful improved muscle flexibility can be.”

The burly men and the cavalry squad, hearing this, hurriedly cleared the space and cheered them on, urging Bai Hao and Chu Yun to fight and see who was stronger.

Bai Hao burst into laughter. “Ha ha, good! I can tell Count Chu Yun has real skill, and I’ve long wanted to spar with you.”

So Chu Yun and Bai Hao stood in the middle of the crowd and began their contest.

At first, Chu Yun did not use any true finishing move and deliberately allowed Bai Hao to throw him to the ground.

“Lord Bai truly is the captain of the personal guard battalion. He is incredibly strong, actually beating Lord Count so quickly.”

Everyone could not help but sigh in admiration, though inwardly they also felt that the difference in their strength was too great. There was no suspense at all, and it was a little unsatisfying to watch.

Bai Hao sat astride Chu Yun and said, “Count Chu Yun, you still haven’t shown your real strength, have you? Shall we start over? After all, I still haven’t seen just how formidable improved muscle flexibility can be!”

“Heh, you’ve already lost,” Chu Yun said with a smile.

Bai Hao was momentarily stunned.

He thought: I’m already sitting on top of you. How am I the one who lost?

Could it be that you can still turn this around?

But just as he finished thinking it, Chu Yun’s legs bent up, clamped around his neck, and with a roll of the body, Chu Yun pinned him sideways to the ground.

Before long, Bai Hao felt as though he could no longer breathe.

To his surprise, Chu Yun’s legs were as nimble as hands, and with greater strength to boot, Bai Hao could not break free no matter what he did.

With no other choice, he hurriedly called for a stop.

Chu Yun released him with a smile. “Stretching the muscles and increasing their flexibility not only relieves pain, it also makes us more agile, allowing us to use moves our enemies would never expect and catch them completely off guard.”

“Like Lord Bai just now, sitting on me and thinking victory was already in hand. In truth, I had deliberately let him throw me down so I could demonstrate this move.”

“Also, the move I used on my brother-in-law just now may not seem very practical, but in real combat, when your opponent does not know your depth, it can still take them by surprise.”

“Now, do you still think stretching is useless?”

At his words, whether they were burly guards or members of the cavalry squad, no one training there dared say another word. They all began stretching at once.

Even though stretching truly hurt, making them bare their teeth, bringing tears streaming down their faces, and driving them to cry out in agony, they still forced themselves to endure until breakfast was ready, and only then did they stop to eat.

After breakfast, they rested for a while and discovered that the muscles all over their bodies really did not ache nearly as much. They could not help but praise him again.

“Lord Count, you are truly amazing. The stretching training you had us do really made our whole bodies hurt less. It is genuinely miraculous. You are indeed someone who received true instruction from immortals.”

Chu Yun only laughed. “Ha ha ha, since you’re not in pain anymore, perfect. Later we’ll continue with the Classic of Herbal Roots fitness exercise.”

“No... please no!”

They were all on the verge of tears, but after resting, they still went on to train.

After that, no one questioned Chu Yun’s training methods again. They all trained obediently and earnestly according to Chu Yun’s instructions.

When the day’s training ended with the Classic of Herbal Roots exercise, they massaged one another to relax, and then stretched.

Again and again, day after day.