Chapter 34: Picking Another Technique
As Xiang Yu examined his updated status screen, he nodded with quiet acceptance. Just as he had anticipated, the exchange rate had shifted once again to ten-to-one. Though potentially discouraging, he remained undeterred—progress was progress, regardless of the increasing difficulty curve. The steady advancement of his stats confirmed his path was working, even if the pace felt glacial at times.
"Still," he mused while absently rubbing his sore muscles, "there must be a way to accelerate this."
A sudden inspiration struck him like lightning. His junior sister always trained with weighted clothing, simultaneously developing her techniques and body refinement. The dual-purpose approach was elegantly efficient—why hadn’t he thought of this sooner?
With weighted clothes creating constant resistance, every movement would require additional effort, potentially amplifying his technique improvement. The added pressure might even accelerate his progress beyond the standard rate. There was just one glaring problem: he already struggled against Li Yao at peak performance. How would he fare when deliberately handicapping himself?
Xiang Yu weighed the consequences carefully. A few extra bruises seemed a small price to pay for accelerated cultivation. His lips curved into a wry smile as he mentally apologized to his future self. "Sorry. This sacrifice is for the greater good of our survival."
The decision made, he allowed himself to sink into his simple bed. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, rest was essential.
...
Dawn broke with remarkable swiftness, the mountain air crisp and invigorating as Xiang Yu faced Li Yao in their training clearing. The weighted garments he’d acquired pressed against his frame, making even the simplest movements require conscious effort.
Li Yao extended her hand, helping him rise after another punishing takedown. Her eyebrows lifted with genuine surprise. "I hadn’t expected senior brother to also put on weighted clothes," she remarked, curiosity evident in her voice.
Xiang Yu dusted himself off, adjusting to the unfamiliar heaviness encumbering his limbs. "Just thought it would be more convenient to train both body refining and techniques simultaneously," he explained, settling back into his stance as they resumed their sparring session.
From his private chambers, Elder Guo observed his disciples with undisguised pride. Their dedication manifested in every movement, every strike, every moment of focused determination.
"Your disciples are really dedicated," Huang Fengqi commented, seated comfortably beside him as she watched the training unfold below.
"They are," Elder Guo nodded, satisfaction evident in his tone. His approval lasted only moments before suspicion crept in. "Also, what are you doing here?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing.
Huang Fengqi’s melodious laughter filled the chamber. "Come on, senior brother, don’t be like that! I just wanted to keep you company and watch my martial nephew’s training," she explained, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Don’t you have your own pavilion to look after?" he pressed, skepticism clear in his weathered features.
"I do, but it’s so boring staying there by myself all day," she replied with a casual wave of her hand.
"Hmph, don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning," Elder Guo grumbled, closing his eyes to resume his cultivation. Huang Fengqi observed him with an amused smile before settling into her own meditative posture.
...
In the training ground, Xiang Yu leaned heavily against a tree, sweat drenching his garments as he struggled to catch his breath. The weighted clothes transformed even basic movements into torture. How did his junior sister make it look so effortless? Despite the agony, he could feel improvements taking root within his body—subtle changes that promised future strength. The sensation alone made the suffering worthwhile.
Wiping his brow, he pushed himself away from the tree and charged at Li Yao once more. He targeted her left leg, which he had carefully observed to be her least guarded area. Too late, he realized his mistake—what appeared to be vulnerability was merely bait in a well-crafted trap.
Li Yao smiled as he took the bait, lifting her leg before stomping down with such tremendous force that the resulting wind pressure alone sent Xiang Yu stumbling backward.
"Senior brother, your movements are really easy to read," she observed, approaching to check on him as he struggled to rise.
The criticism struck deeper than any physical blow. He wasn’t a natural fighter and lacked fundamental battle instinct, relying instead on technical knowledge and basic intuition—a potentially fatal flaw when facing experienced combatants.
Gratitude washed over him as he considered how fortunate he was to have such a genius junior sister as a training partner. She wasn’t merely helping him refine techniques; she was forging true combat awareness that couldn’t be developed through isolated practice.
Battle instinct was something that could only emerge from actual confrontation. Without genuine combat experience, he might eventually reach tremendous power yet still fall to a weaker but more experienced opponent—a tragic end to his journey toward invincibility.
After exchanging several more bruising exchanges with Li Yao, the sun reached its zenith, signaling lunchtime. They immediately halted their training, both moving with purpose toward the kitchen. Even through the exhaustion, Xiang Yu felt a certain satisfaction—every difficulty overcome brought him one step closer to his ultimate goal of survival.
...
After Xiang Yu arranged the final dish on the table, completing the artfully prepared meal, his master entered the dining area. To no one’s surprise, Elder Guo was once again accompanied by Huang Fengqi. The two disciples exchanged knowing glances, their eyes sparkling with poorly concealed speculation about the elders’ relationship.
Elder Guo immediately caught their suggestive looks. His bushy eyebrows furrowed in displeasure before he swiftly bonked both their heads with surprising accuracy, leaving them nursing small bumps and muttering apologies.
"You brats and your wild imaginations," he grumbled, taking his seat with affected dignity.
Huang Fengqi couldn’t suppress a smile at the scene. There was something genuinely heartwarming about the dynamics between her senior brother and his disciples—not the formal master-disciple relationship often seen in cultivation sects, but something more resembling a real family. The casual affection underlying even their disciplinary moments spoke volumes about their bond.
As everyone began enjoying the meal, appreciative silence filled the room, interrupted only by occasional murmurs of approval. The flavors seemed to dance across their palates, each bite more satisfying than the last.
Li Yao finally broke the comfortable quiet. "Senior brother, are you practicing in secret? Your cooking seems to be improving every time I taste it," she observed, savoring another mouthful with evident delight.
Elder Guo nodded in agreement, stroking his beard thoughtfully. The boy’s culinary skills were indeed advancing at a remarkable pace. If this trajectory continued, he might genuinely develop into a professional chef of significant renown.
Xiang Yu merely smiled at the compliment, offering no hint about his newly recognized status as a 9th grade cook. "I just improve by cooking for all of you," he replied modestly, diverting attention by serving another portion to Huang Fengqi, who accepted it with poorly disguised eagerness.
When the meal concluded and dishes were cleared away, Huang Fengqi leaned forward with purpose. "Since we agreed to carry out the experiment, is there any technique you’re particularly interested in?" she inquired, reaching into her spatial pouch.
With a flourish, she produced numerous technique manuals, arranging them carefully across the table. The collection, while not extensive, represented a respectable variety of cultivation methods—each bound in different colored covers with intricate patterns denoting their various applications.
"For now, I only have access to basic and low-grade techniques, you can select from these," she explained, gesturing toward the spread. "I’ll find higher-level techniques for you soon," she added, her eyes gleaming with genuine anticipation for their experimental journey.