Dugu Nine Swords only uses attack techniques. The whole idea is that when one forces one’s enemy to have no other choice but to defend himself, there is no need to defend one’s self.
Although each move was just one stance, it had endless variations. The more one learns, the more powerful it becomes when one comprehended the connections between each stance. The last three stances are said to be the most difficult ones.
The 9 Stances
1. General Index Stance
2. Sword-breaking Stance
3. Knife-breaking Stance
4. Spear-breaking Stance
5. Mace-breaking Stance
6. Whip-breaking Stance
7. Palm-breaking Stance
8. Missile-breaking Stance
9. Energy-breaking Stance
The first move of the Dugu Nine Swords, General Index Stance, has many variations to implement the General Index Script.
The second move, Sword-breaking Stance, can be used to overcome sword styles from every school.
The third move, Knife-breaking Stance, can be used to overcome knife moves of Single Knife, Double Knives, Willow-Leaf Cutlass, Ghost-Beheaded Saber, Large Cleaver, and Horse-Cutting Blade, etc.
The fourth move, Spear-breaking Stance included techniques to overcome long weapons such as long-handled spear, long-handled halberd, snake-shaped spear, staff, fanged cudgel, white wax stick, Buddhist monk’s staff, and Buddhist monk’s spade.
The fifth move, Mace-breaking Stance was used to overcome short weapons such as steel club, iron mace, point-sealing peg, crutches, Emei sting, dagger, war axe, iron plate, octagonal hammer, and iron awl.
The sixth move, Whip-breaking stance was able to overcome flexible weapons such as long cord, whip, three-sectioned staff, chain spear, iron chain, fishing net, and meteor hammer.
The seventh move, Palm-breaking Stance overcomes martial arts which uses one’s fists, legs, fingers, and palms. If the opponent were brave enough to fight against a sword with bare hands, he had to have really good martial arts and that the use of weapons no longer made any difference to him any more. The Palm-breaking Stance included techniques to overcome boxing and grappling, joint manipulation and point sealing, demon claw and tiger claw hands, iron sand divine palm, and the type of barehanded martial arts skills.
The eighth move, Missile-breaking Stance included the many different kinds of missiles and projectiles. To be able to learn this stance, the practitioner must first learn the skill of distinguishing the type of the missile by ear. He not only should be capable of blocking the many kinds of missiles coming from the enemy with his long sword, but also redirecting the force in the missiles to send them back and injure the enemy with his own missiles.
The ninth move, Energy-breaking Stance, is used to overcome opponents who have great inner energy. From what can be gathered it is actually pin-point attacks on certain parts of the body to prevent the opponent from exerting his qi.
To be able to master these sword techniques, the key lies on understanding and not simply rigid memorizing. Once you understand the essence of the sword techniques, you can use it anyway you want. Hence the idea of no stance as a stance.
Thus when you are in a real fight, the more you forget about them, the less you will be restricted by the original sword stances.
Of course looking at how Feng Qingyun taught Linghu Chong we also know that part of it requires the user to enticipant your opponent's move to overcome him.