Training

Chen Chuan lowered his hand from the doorknob and looked the man over. He appeared to be under thirty. Finding himself scrutinized like that, the man suddenly snapped with irritation, "Hey, stared enough yet? It's pretty rude of you to look at someone that way, kid." Chen Chuan glanced at the open window beside them and said, "Dropping unannounced into someone else's room strikes me as the ruder move, sir." The man put on an airy, indifferent front, crossing his arms over his chest. "If Uncle He hadn't asked me to pick you up, I wouldn't have bothered making the trip. I just wanted to see what kind of student Uncle He was taking in, but you don't look like anything special." Chen Chuan had already guessed that He Xiaoxing had sent him. There was not a shred of hostility about the man; when he had turned around earlier, his expression had carried an unmistakable urge to show off and boast. He asked, "Does one need to be special to study under Teacher He?" "Of course! Why wouldn't you?" the man retorted, growing agitated and sitting up straight. Then, as if remembering something, he shrank back down in frustration and grumbled, "Uncle He hardly ever teaches anyone." Chen Chuan asked, "How should I address you?" The man puffed out his chest proudly. "Chang Ba!" *Your father definitely didn't pick that name,* Chen Chuan thought silently. Seeing Chen Chuan say nothing, Chang Ba assumed the name had stunned him. He snorted a couple of times, got up, and said, "Let's go. Uncle He is waiting for you." Chen Chuan said, "Let me grab my things." He had already figured he wouldn't stay here long; with so many eyes and so much racket, it was no place suited for cultivation. As a result, he had barely touched his belongings after arriving. Now he took up his suitcase, slung the Xuejun Saber over his back, and followed Chang Ba out. The two headed downstairs and climbed into an old off-road vehicle. Once started, the vehicle turned onto a smooth, level road and headed off in a certain direction. The view opened wide before them, with blue skies and white clouds overhead, while the gray silhouettes of mountain ridges stretched across the distant horizon. Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Chang, are you close with Teacher He?" Chang Ba said boastfully, "Naturally. My father and Uncle He are old friends. Uncle He is staying at our family's lakeside lodge, which is where we're headed right now. Since you're studying under him, you'll probably be staying there too." He glanced at Chen Chuan and raised his voice. "Uncle He taught me plenty back in the day." As if Chen Chuan hadn't heard that last remark, he looked out at the road, noting the vehicles passing by from time to time. "Are these people all heading to Luoya Ancient City?" Chang Ba curled his lip. "It's only July. Spring and autumn are when the real crowds show up—the camel caravans form lines so long you can't see the end. To tell you the truth, half our family business is kept afloat by those people." Chen Chuan asked, "Since you're a local, Mr. Chang, you must have visited Luoya Ancient City?" "That place..." Chang Ba shook his head. "Before I came of age, my elders wouldn't let me go there. The place used to be notorious for missing children; once it got famous, it started swallowing up adults instead. Later, after I picked up combat techniques, I lost whatever interest I had in it." He clicked his tongue. "Just a bunch of winding tunnels—what's there to see? How could that compare to fighting arts? Don't you agree?" Chen Chuan said, "I've heard there's treasure there. Are you not interested in treasure either, Mr. Chang?" "Treasure?" Chang Ba chuckled smugly. "Other people wish the treasure would be dug up sooner, but not me. Our family makes money precisely because that treasure is still down there." Chen Chuan smiled faintly. True enough. Since his family ran lodges, it was precisely the legend of the treasure that drew in so many visitors. After driving a while longer, Chang Ba finally couldn't help turning his head to ask, "Aren't you going to ask how I slipped into your room earlier?" Chen Chuan smiled. He had realized Chang Ba was immensely proud of the trick and had repeatedly tried steering the conversation toward it, yet Chen Chuan had deliberately avoided the bait, talking only about other things. Seeing how badly the man was itching to brag, and feeling rather grateful that he had come all this way to pick him up, Chen Chuan decided to indulge him. "How did you do it?" Hearing him finally ask, Chang Ba beamed, thoroughly satisfied. He chuckled and said with dancing eyebrows, "Let me tell you, that's a technique Uncle He taught me called the Snake-Sparrow Posture. Light and nimble in flight, silent on the prowl. Once you master it, no terrain in the city can hold you back!" Chen Chuan thought about it. There had to be more to it than that. Judging from how completely noiseless the man had been, it was also a stealth technique. Yet it was likely something only someone of Chang Ba's build could pull off. He Xiaoxing had a very different physique, meaning this technique was likely tailor-made for Chang Ba. That made sense. Cheng Zitong had said that a truly good teacher taught according to the student's aptitude, crafting distinct fighting systems suited to each individual's traits. He Xiaoxing was evidently that kind of instructor. Chen Chuan found himself looking forward to the upcoming crash course. Roughly two hours later, the vehicle arrived beside a vast lake shimmering with a reddish hue. Under the open sky, the clean, crystal-clear expanse stretched endlessly. Along the shore lay sprawling clusters of buildings, extending all the way onto a small hill opposite them. "We're here," Chang Ba announced. As the car drove into the small town, Chen Chuan noticed that buildings bearing signs for the Chang Family Lodge accounted for at least a third of the town. He asked Chang Ba, and sure enough, beyond these buildings in town, the very ground beneath their wheels and the hill across the way belonged to his family as well. One would hardly have guessed from looking at him that this fellow was a local magnate. The vehicle took a turn and headed straight toward the hilltop. A few minutes later, it pulled up before a building that resembled a training hall. Chen Chuan saw a burly figure standing in the open ground before the hall, his lion-mane hair draped loose over his shoulders, seemingly waiting for their arrival. The moment the car stopped, Chang Ba swiftly pulled the keys, hopped out, and called out, "Uncle He, I brought the kid over for you." Chen Chuan stepped out, walked over, and offered He Xiaoxing a cupped-fist salute. "Teacher He." He Xiaoxing glanced at him and turned toward the training hall. "Follow me." Chen Chuan followed him inside. The space was extraordinarily spacious, furnished with all sorts of everyday training equipment. Several cushions lay in the center. He Xiaoxing went over, sat down cross-legged, and gestured for him to sit as well. Once Chen Chuan had settled onto a neighboring cushion, He Xiaoxing spoke. "Old Cheng told me about your situation. However, what I teach concerns only force. Force can solve certain problems, but if you want to deal with the Mutual Aid Society, you will need to consider far more than mere force. You must be clear on that." Chen Chuan said, "I understand, Teacher He." He Xiaoxing said, "Since you understand, I won't waste words. Next, I will put you through intensive crash training. How much you gain and how many days you can hold out will depend entirely on whether you can keep up with my pace." Chen Chuan nodded. "Understood. When do we begin, Teacher He?" He Xiaoxing asked, "Did you bring enough training medicine?" Chen Chuan said, "Teacher Cheng had me bring a two-month supply." A two-month supply was what they called it, but he felt it might not even last one month, as he had always consumed medicine at several times the normal rate. Fortunately, the Mountain Ghost's influence had yet to fade, so he likely wouldn't need to draw on it for the next few days. He Xiaoxing said, "It's getting late today. Go with Xiao Chang to find a place to settle in. Come find me tomorrow morning at five o'clock. Make sure to pack your daily essentials—we're heading out into the wilderness this time." Chen Chuan replied, "Yes, Teacher He. Then I will take my leave for now." He rose, offered a cupped-fist salute to He Xiaoxing, and walked out of the training hall. Waiting outside, Chang Ba saw him emerge and hailed him. "Come on, I'll take you to find lodgings. There are plenty of vacant houses this season—take your pick." Chen Chuan climbed back into the vehicle and followed him down the hill. After driving around a bit, they found a spacious two-story house with broad views, abundant sunlight, and great ventilation. The upper floor served as living quarters, while the ground floor offered ample room for training. Since it was the off-season and Chen Chuan had come to study under He Xiaoxing, Chang Ba charged only a token fee. He also handed him a phone number, telling him to call this person if he needed anything. Once Chang Ba left, Chen Chuan set down his suitcase, unpacked his things, and tidied the rooms a bit. Even though it was already past four in the afternoon by the time everything was in place, he wasted no time and headed down to the first floor to make up for the daily training he had missed today. There were plenty of people in the small town, yet it possessed a tranquility detached from the worldly bustle, making it extraordinarily easy to lose oneself in focused training. That was likely why He Xiaoxing had chosen this place for his cultivation. At six o'clock, lodge staff came by to ask if he wanted to order dinner, mentioning that there was a bonfire gathering tonight that everyone was welcome to join. They even presented him with a small gift, saying— Taking it, Chen Chuan had a look. It was a bracelet crafted from polished, colorful little stones strung on a thin cord. After a thought, he simply untied the cord and threaded the strand of the flying head monster's hair onto it. Worn like that, it looked entirely natural. Once night fell, bonfires indeed flared along the lakeshore, accompanied by a dozen or so barbecue pits. Around a hundred people sang and danced together in lively celebration. Having finished his training and washed up, Chen Chuan went to the window, watching for a while against the cool night breeze before heading to bed after nine. At four the next morning, he got up, washed, and had a quick breakfast. Carrying a pack on his back and holding the Xuejun Saber, he headed up the mountain alone. When he reached the summit, he found He Xiaoxing already waiting. That towering figure stood atop the peak as if everything in the surroundings had been trampled beneath his feet. Reaching the crest, Chen Chuan set down his pack and weapon, cupping his fists. "Teacher He, I have arrived." He Xiaoxing nodded. "Old Cheng already explained your situation to me. He didn't teach you any special tricks before, which is good. You don't need any of that. Even if you've picked up bits and pieces from other sources, forget them all right now." Chen Chuan nodded earnestly. "Understood." He Xiaoxing said in a deep voice, "When you enter—" Those words were true, because this threshold was a crucial transitional stage, much like the middle section of a wooden beam—neither too heavy and thick nor too delicate and slender would do, which was why one needed to be exceedingly cautious. Yet the principle of 'guarding' had applied only to the Old Era. Back then, whether it was medicine used to stimulate mutated tissue or medicine used to nourish oneself, ingredients were exceedingly difficult to gather. Elders in a sect often spent an entire lifetime collecting and stockpiling them to pass down to future generations, continuing the cycle age after age. Constrained by the scarcity of medicine, they could only rely on the most conservative methods. In that era, such a choice had proven effective and reliable. Yet every era had its own ways. Beyond one's own efforts, a person was mostly limited by their environment, which required everyone to work together to bring about change. Nowadays, medicine was no longer an obstacle, so there was no longer any need to be so conservative. The key to this stage lay in enlivening the six bowels and vitalizing the five viscera. What came next was figuring out how to bring your mutated internal organs to life.