CHAPTER 37

Hard Thrust

LUO FAN

Prince Xiong Ru had offered the courtyard at the western wing per Ruan Yanjun’s request. When we arrived at the location, I realized the reason why.

It had a private training ground.

This would be where I’d be beaten from morning ‘til night. I hoped it wouldn’t be my graveyard, as well.

The courtyard had five rooms, so Li Shi and Lin Qiu stayed with us.

Just as I had expected, the very next morning, Ruan Yanjun woke me up at dawn and started his rigorous training once again. I collapsed in the second half of the hour.

On the second day, I survived the first hour but spat blood on the second hour.

On the third day, I successfully completed his required two-hour training but I collapsed in bed afterwards and fell asleep until night.

On the fourth day, I realized I had gotten stronger. After completing my two-hour training, Ruan Yanjun left to attend a meeting with some nobles and officials who had heard of his presence and wanted to take the opportunity to speak with the renowned sect leader.

I finally was able to have the time and energy to impart my knowledge to Xiong Ru. Although he was a prince, I found him very humble and enthusiastic to learn.

Before we started with his lessons, he took care of my injuries. He spared me some of his precious qi to ease my exhaustion and he gave me pills to hasten my recovery.

It was already dark when I returned to the courtyard, and when Ruan Yanjun noticed that I was still standing on two feet, he decided that I was ready for additional training hours.

So since then, my training schedule became two hours in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon.

For the next three days, that had been the routine. After the morning training, although I was usually beaten and bruised, I’d struggle to go see the prince to seek his help for my injuries and for me to give him some lectures. Imparting my knowledge with him was supposed to be for the purpose of returning the favor for his hospitality, but since he had to take time and energy treating me, I felt indebted to him two-fold.

In the afternoon, after Prince Ru had done his utmost best to give me relief, I had to return to the courtyard for yet another round of beating.

By dinner time, I’d be too tired and sore to even eat. Worse, because I could not eat, Ruan Yanjun would come into my room to feed me. He would act so tender and caring, and by the next morning, he’d beat me up again, insisting that I wasn’t trying hard enough just to have a reason to be even more ruthless.

Although I wanted to quit, I could not. All he had to do was attack me, so of course I had to fight back. He’d only stop once I collapsed on the ground, and then he’d carry me back into my room and return to being that tender and caring person as if he had not caused me the injuries he was treating.

No matter how I tried to convince myself that he was just that way as a master, I could not help but suspect that he was probably insane. He had a dual personality that comes and goes.

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The only thing I appreciated was the new beginner move he taught me. He named it ‘Hard Thrust’. It wasn’t anything fancy. It was as the name implied. Just thrust the bamboo stick towards the opponent using a significant amount of force, but with some modifications. For someone like me with a very low energy level, that move could not possibly inflict any serious damage to cultivators, so he taught me how to reinforce the stick with qi until it became as hard as iron so it could take the impact of the hard thrust and give maximum damage to the opponent.

The technique looked easy but was actually quite complicated and difficult to master.

On the eighth day, my core had gotten stronger and I could feel it even without touching my vitality gate, but it came with a price. I had pushed myself too hard that I fainted after hitting Ruan Yanjun with an energy blast that did not even make him budge.

When I woke up, I was already in bed and he was sitting beside me.

“I told you you just weren’t trying harder,” he said. “Now, look at what you’ve accomplished.”

I could feel it even if I did not have to ask. My spiritual energy had fully awakened, vigorously flowing through my meridians. For the first time since my cultivation had been nullified, I felt full of life once again.

I had to admit that if not for Ruan Yanjun’s fierce prodding, I would not have made this progress. But still, he was way too harsh I’d die before I’d even make it to the next level.

“And because you’ve made such progress, I’ll let you rest the whole day tomorrow.”

I was relieved. “And the day after that?”

“We’ll be leaving after tomorrow, back to our original plan.”

“And Lin Qiu.”

“I’d ask someone to take him to where his father is.”

“But he does not like to go back to his father.”

“That’s not for us to decide. He still has a father. It’s better for him to stay with a family.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Are you hungry?”

“No. I just want to sleep.”

“Then sleep. When you wake up, you’ll feel better.”

*****

I stiffened the moment I opened my eyes.

Someone was lying on the bed beside me.

A man.

And who else would it be but the shameless Ruan Yanjun!

I opened my mouth. I was just about ready to scold him and lecture him about propriety, but when I realized that I could actually see his face, I was transfixed instead.

Could it be true?

Am I really seeing more than just a silhouette now?

My heartbeat went wild in excitement I had forgotten about my anger.

With an elbow propped on the bed, I lifted my head and hovered over his face. I realized my vision was far from perfect yet, but I was not complaining. This was by far a great improvement that I thought I would never achieve anymore.

I continued to stare at his face, trying to get as much detail as I could.

I could see colors, and I could tell his skin was light and his clothes were black. I could see where his eyes, nose, and mouth were, I could follow the hairline above his forehead although they were a bit blurry.

He said he was over a hundred years old, wrinkled, and with gray hair. But his hair was dark, as far as I was concerned, and I could not see any wrinkles.

Or perhaps it was because I could not see quite clearly yet.

Maybe if I take a closer look I will see just how wrinkled this old hag is.

But before I could try anything, his eyes opened and I froze.

“What are you doing staring at me like a lover watching over his beloved after a night of intimacy?” he asked.

I flushed.

Shouldn’t I be the one asking him why he is sleeping in my bed?

How did the situation suddenly turn against me?

Immediately, I pulled away to a sitting position and cleared my throat. “I… I can see your face now.”

He also sat up and leaned closer to me. “You can see me now?”

“Not that clearly, but I can see some colors and some details.”

“And?” he teased. “Do you find me so alluring that you can’t resist taking a closer look?”

I cleared my throat again. “I’m still not in the position to comment on your looks. I only know that your hair is not gray. You said you have wrinkles, but I can’t see it.”

“If you can’t see it, why not touch it? I don’t mind.”

I hid my hands inside my sleeves, just in case he had any intention of taking them to touch his face.

He smirked. “That’s a shame then. It’s too bad you can’t see this stunning man traveling with you. I’m lucky I get to see the beauty beside me so clearly.”

I ignored his teases. “Lord Ruan, why did you sleep in my bed?”

“I was looking after you and I fell asleep. Shouldn’t you be thankful to me?”

“I am.”

“Then why do you sound so displeased?”

“I’m not displeased. I’m just concerned that you’re sacrificing so much of your time worrying about me. I’m really fine.”

“Last night, you weren’t fine, that’s why I stayed. Your condition is quite volatile. If I don’t monitor you, your progress might have a setback. I did not go through all these troubles just to see you slip back to zero once again. So from now on, we are going to sleep in the same room every night.”

My eyes widened.

Now, things are getting out of hand. How should I handle this?

I’d rather have him beat me up all night than sleep in the same room with him.