Chapter 43: Practicing
The day’s training unfolded against the backdrop of the Mountain Heart Pavilion’s grounds, the rhythmic clash of steel against steel echoing through the air like a metallic symphony. Xiang Yu and Li Yao moved across the training area with increasing fluidity, their forms casting long shadows that stretched and contracted with the arc of the sun. The afternoon breeze carried the sounds of their exchange—blade meeting blade, footsteps shifting against packed earth, and the occasional grunt of exertion when a particularly powerful strike connected.
Hours melted away as they continued their relentless practice. Sweat glistened on their brows, dampened their robes, yet neither suggested a break beyond what was absolutely necessary. They persisted until the western sky blazed with amber and crimson hues, signaling the dinner hour’s approach.
When they finally paused, the two made his way to the kitchen. Xiang Yu’s movements possessed the same deliberate precision he showed in combat, though now directed toward different implements—knives for slicing rather than striking, fire carefully controlled for cooking. His enhanced culinary awareness guided every choice, from ingredient selection to the exact moment each component entered the wok.
The resulting meal brought everyone to the table with unusual promptness. Elder Guo and Elder Huang arrived with impeccable timing, as if their internal cultivation clocks had been calibrated to Xiang Yu’s cooking schedule. Conversation remained minimal as they savored each bite, the quality of the food demanding their complete attention.
After the rapid but appreciative meal, Xiang Yu and Li Yao returned to the training grounds. Even as darkness descended, they continued their practice. When midnight finally arrived, they exchanged goodnight wishes, their voices tinged with exhaustion but also satisfaction at the day’s progress.
Alone in his quarters, Xiang Yu settled onto his simple bed, the familiar blue glow of his system interface materializing before his eyes. He studied the status update with focused attention:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Enlightenment: Low (24/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (8/100,000)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (22/400) (+22/400)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (50/300) (+50/300)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (40/500)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (100/400) (+100/400)]
[Cook: 9th Grade (95/100) (+5/100)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Cook: 9th Grade (95/100) → 8th Grade (0/200)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (100/400) → Major Success (200/400)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (40/500) → Completion (80/500)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (50/300) → Intermediate (100/300)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (22/400) → 4th Layer (44/400)]
[Battle Instinct: (8/100,000) → (16/100,000)]
[Enlightenment: Low (24/1000) → Low (48/1000)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
The exhilarating sensation of Enlightenment increase washed over him like a mental tidal wave. This time, the feeling lingered longer than before, bringing crystalline insights into his various techniques. The connections formed in his mind with greater clarity than ever, pathways of understanding illuminating previously obscure concepts.
Based on its current rate of improvement, Xiang Yu calculated he would likely grasp the elusive mid-grade movement technique once his Enlightenment reached one hundred points—just two settlements away. He filed this realization away without dwelling on it excessively.
His attention shifted to his cooking skills. Since experience didn’t overflow when crossing advancement thresholds, his cooking had only increased by five points before breaking through to eighth grade. Yet those final five points had yielded more insights than all previous improvements combined. Most significantly, he now possessed the theoretical knowledge to create genuine spirit foods—though without a spiritual root or spiritual fire, this remained purely academic. He dismissed the thought with pragmatic acceptance.
Next, he examined his Battle Instinct, now impressively in double digits. The previous eight points had already transformed his combat awareness dramatically; he could barely imagine how sixteen points would manifest. And now that this attribute had reached double digits, future doublings would accelerate its growth exponentially. He allowed himself a rare moment of anticipation, visualizing the capabilities he might possess when this attribute eventually reached its maximum.
The Mountain Heart Scripture had improved by twenty-two points, and after doubling stood at forty-four—it wouldn’t be long before he broke through to the fifth layer.
His sword technique’s progress remained remarkable, advancing by one hundred points before doubling to two hundred, already halfway to completion. At this rate, it would likely reach completion after the next settlement, rapidly catching up to his knife technique. Speaking of which, since he hadn’t practiced it today, it remained at forty points—now eighty after doubling. Both weapons seemed to be racing toward Great Completion stage.
Given the sword technique had already reached its halfway mark, Xiang Yu decided to dedicate the following day entirely to knife practice. His Iron Body technique had earned fifty points, doubled to one hundred, though still short of the halfway threshold. Yet this particular skill was easily practiced alongside other activities, so he anticipated reaching the midpoint before the next settlement.
Having methodically analyzed his daily progress, he summoned his complete status:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body Refining 4th Layer]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Enlightenment: Low (48/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (16/100,000)]
[Professions: Cook: 8th Grade (0/200)]
[Techniques: Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (100/300); Basic Knife Technique: Completion (80/500); Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (200/400)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (48/400)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
...
After meticulously examining his status, Xiang Yu surrendered to the weight of fatigue pressing against his eyelids. Just as sleep began to claim him, a fleeting memory jolted him back to alertness. He rose from his bed with sudden purpose, reaching into his pocket to extract the Mountain Heart Sutra that Elder Guo had entrusted to him earlier that day.
The ancient manual rested in his palm. He turned it over contemplatively, deliberating whether he should attempt even a brief practice session. His carefully structured training regimen left little room for additional activities during daylight hours—those precious moments when he could grind experience through sparring with Li Yao couldn’t be sacrificed. Perhaps he could allocate just an hour before sleep? After all, this text supposedly complemented the Mountain Heart Scripture he already practiced, suggesting they shared a foundational approach.
"One hour," he decided firmly, setting a mental boundary for this experiment.
Opening the sutra with careful hands, he scanned the initial instructions. The text directed practitioners to assume a lotus position for meditation, focusing on heart and mind cultivation rather than physical strengthening. This aligned with Elder Guo’s description—the Scripture tempered the body, while the Sutra tempered the mind.
Xiang Yu settled into the prescribed position, crossing his legs and straightening his spine. His hands rested on his knees, palms facing upward in the traditional receptive posture. Following the manual’s guidance, he regulated his breathing while affirming the nature of his heart and mind.
As the minutes passed, an unexpected sensation began to manifest. His consciousness seemed to detach from physical awareness, floating untethered in an empty void. The training ground, his quarters, even his bodily sensations—all faded from perception. He existed as pure awareness in a dimensionless space, neither hot nor cold, neither light nor dark.
The peculiar state intensified gradually, the void seeming to envelop his consciousness more completely with each passing moment. Any desire for action or achievement dissolved into nothingness. The concerns that typically dominated his thoughts—survival, advancement, power acquisition—all melted away like morning frost under sunlight. A profound contentment with mere existence washed over him, a tranquility so complete it bordered on oblivion.
Why strive? Why fight? Simply existing in this perfect emptiness seemed sufficient—eternal, peaceful non-action.
The seductive pull of this state grew stronger until a sharp intrusion shattered the void—someone knocking at his door, followed by a familiar voice calling out.
"Senior brother, are you inside?"
Li Yao’s voice pierced through the meditative trance, yanking Xiang Yu back to physical reality with jarring suddenness.