At the Hour of Yin, the martial arts training ground of Li Garden was covered in a layer of frost that crusted over the bluestone slabs, emitting a faint crunch beneath my boots. I wrapped my thin training tunic tighter around myself, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.
"Stand up straight!" Li Xunhuan's voice came from behind me, colder than the morning frost. "The internal cultivation of the Swallow Sect places utmost importance on posture. Keep your spine straight like a pine, and center your qi in your dantian."
I forced myself to straighten my back, mimicking his stance with my feet apart and shoulder-width. Before my knees could even lock straight, a thin bamboo pole cracked sharply against the back of my calves.
Chapter 30