Chapter 13: Training [1]

Chapter 13: Training [1]After breakfast, the family split up for their respective training routines.

Huan Lianhua took Yu Lingluo away with a few soft words and a mischievous smile.

Meanwhile, Yu Changming silently motioned for Yu Xuan to follow.

They walked in silence through a narrow corridor, sunlight streaming through the tall crystal windows. The polished marble beneath their feet echoed softly with each step.

Eventually, they arrived at the exclusive training arena reserved for the Clan Head.

Yu Xuan had been here once before — as a very bored child who had quietly watched his father sit in meditation for hours before sneaking off to nap under a peach tree.

Now, it felt very different.

The room was vast and pristine, its walls a smooth white stone that shimmered faintly with spiritual engravings. The ceiling arched high above, creating a sense of both space and depth.

Along the right wall stood rows of weapons — neatly arranged racks holding swords, spears, halberds, sabers, short blades, scythe even stranger tools like large needles and curved throwing knives.

But most prominently... swords. Dozens of them.

Yu Xuan’s gaze lingered on a sleek black sword near the center of the rack. It gleamed faintly like starlight.



’Father’s definitely a sword cultivator’

he thought, eyes sparkling with interest.

Yu Changming glanced sideways at his son’s fascinated expression and inwardly shook his head.

"From today onward," he said, his tone calm and commanding, "I will personally train you."

Yu Xuan blinked. Then his eyes lit up.

"Does that mean I get to learn a sword technique?"

"No."

"...Can I throw fireballs?"

"No."

"...Flying kicks?"

"No."

"...Hidden weapons?" he asked, eyeing the oversized needles.

"Still no."

"...Summon a spirit beast?"

"No."

"...Create clones?"

"Not even close."

After a few more wild guesses — all firmly denied — Yu Xuan pouted, his tiny cheeks puffing out.

"Then what am I going to do?"

"Stamina training," Yu Changming replied, pulling a small book from his space ring and handing it to him.

The manual shimmered faintly, its title written in elegant golden script: Body Nourishment.

"Your frequent soaks in the herbal purification pools have strengthened your physique," his father explained.

"Now you must properly activate and control that strength. This manual will guide you in understanding how your body develops."

"Okaaaay..." Yu Xuan drawled, taking the book and flipping it open. "Wait, does this mean I actually have to run?"

"Yes," Yu Changming said with a slight smile. "Starting now — one hundred laps around this training hall."

"What?!"

Yu Xuan froze, staring at the wide space around him. "You’re kidding, right?"

But Yu Changming ignored him and continued, "You are still five years old, Xuan’er. Your body is not ready to handle spiritual energy yet. You must strengthen your frame — bones, muscles, stamina, balance, breath control. Without a solid foundation, all the talent in the world is meaningless."

Yu Xuan stared blankly. "This already sounds painful."

"It will be," his father replied without hesitation.



And with that, Day One of training officially began.

***


They began with stretching.

Basic movements, controlled breathing, stances, and posture corrections.

Yu Xuan had always considered himself reasonably flexible... but under his father’s sharp gaze, he discovered muscles he didn’t even know existed.

Then came balance.

He was made to stand on one leg while holding a thick wooden staff horizontally, arms stretched wide.

At first, it seemed easy.

But after a few minutes, his leg began to tremble, his arms felt heavy, and his back screamed betrayal.

"You must learn to root yourself," Yu Changming said calmly from the side, sipping tea like a serene immortal. "If the wind of a breeze shakes you, how will you stand in a storm?"

Yu Xuan muttered something unkind under his breath but didn’t dare fall.

Then came the laps.

He started his first circle around the vast room thinking, ’This is fine.’

By the twentieth lap, his breathing had turned uneven.

By the fiftieth, his legs felt like stone.

By the hundredth, he looked like a collapsed paper talisman — sweat-soaked, hair wild, and steps barely dragging.

He slumped to the floor the moment his father raised a hand, signaling a break.

But it wasn’t over yet.

After a brief rest and a sip of water, it was time for breath training.

Following the guidance from the Body Nourishment Manual, Yu Xuan sat cross-legged while Yu Changming observed silently.

He was instructed to breathe in a fixed rhythm — four counts in, two counts hold, four counts out — over and over, until the breathing became natural.

It was difficult at first. His body wanted to slouch, his lungs burned, and his mind wandered.

But slowly... something shifted.

His heartbeat fell into sync with his breath.

His fatigue didn’t vanish — but it dulled, balanced itself out. His twitching limbs relaxed.

The ache remained, but it no longer weighed him down.

He peeked with one eye.

His father hadn’t moved an inch.

Eyes closed. Still as a statue. Probably meditating. Possibly judging.

Most likely both.

By the time the session ended, Yu Xuan was drenched in sweat, sore in places he didn’t even know had nerves, and somehow... proud.



It hadn’t been flashy. No swords, no fireballs, no epic moves.

But it felt real.

His father walked over and placed a cool gourd of spring water beside him.

"You did better than expected," he said simply.

Yu Xuan blinked up at him. "Really?"

"You didn’t cry. That’s something," Yu Changming added, voice flat.

He didn’t say it, but inside, he was genuinely impressed.

’How can a five-year-old adapt so quickly?’ he thought.

’Even clan disciples older than him complain more...’

Unbeknownst to both of them, one of Yu Xuan’s [Traits] — Adaptive Mind — had quietly activated during the training. Slowly optimizing his learning speed, bodily awareness, and mental resilience.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting warm gold across the floor of the white training hall...

Day One of Yu Xuan’s training officially ended.