Chapter 6: Rapid Advancements
The warmth of shared laughter and conversation lingered in the air as the unusual dinner gathering concluded. Elder Guo Shantian, his white beard still carrying traces of the sauce he'd so enthusiastically consumed, nodded with grave satisfaction before vanishing in a blur of motion toward his private chambers. Li Yao, after helping stack the empty dishes, excused herself with uncharacteristic politeness, eager to resume her own cultivation regimen.
Left alone with the aftermath of their meal, Xiang Yu methodically cleaned each utensil, his movements efficient and practiced. Despite the mundane nature of the task, his mind remained firmly fixed on his cultivation goals. The moment the last bowl was dried and stored, he hurried back to his training ground, practice knife in hand.
The moon cast silver patterns through the forest canopy as Xiang Yu resumed his forms. Each swing of his blade now carried a subtle harmony absent from his earlier attempts. Hours melted away under the night sky until finally, a translucent blue screen materialized before his exhausted eyes:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Basic Knife Technique: 10 (+6)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Basic Knife Technique: 10 → 20]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
Xiang Yu's breath caught in his throat as he studied the numbers with undisguised wonder. Six additional points today! After yesterday's initial struggle, he had clearly found his rhythm, pushing his training efficiency to new heights. And now, with his experience doubled from ten to twenty, he could feel the knowledge integrating into his very being—countless phantom knife swings echoing through his muscle memory as if he'd performed them thousands of times.
"At this rate," he whispered to himself, a rare smile playing across his lips, "I could reach Minor Success in just five days even if I did absolutely nothing." The thought was exhilarating—his progress, while nowhere near the meteoric rise of a genuine cultivation prodigy, was nonetheless substantial.
He sank to his knees, suddenly aware of the bone-deep exhaustion permeating his mortal frame. "But I won't just wait for the system to carry me," he promised the silent night. "Though perhaps after some sleep..."
Unlike the previous night, Xiang Yu had enough presence of mind to stagger back to his humble dwelling. The makeshift bed of dried leaves welcomed him like the finest silk as consciousness fled, plunging him into dreamless slumber.
Morning arrived with inexorable certainty, rousing Xiang Yu before the sun had fully crested the horizon. Without hesitation, he made his way to the secluded bathing spot, the bracing water washing away lingering fatigue as effectively as it cleansed his body.
Refreshed and focused, he returned to his training ground, taking up his practice knife with renewed purpose. Each movement flowed with a precision that would have been unimaginable just days earlier. "At this pace," he thought with carefully measured optimism, "Minor Success might be achievable in just three days."
In his private chambers, Elder Guo Shantian's mouth twitched in mild irritation as the distant sounds of knife practice disrupted his morning meditation once again. "That boy," he grumbled, stroking his long beard. "Is he truly going to maintain this fervor indefinitely?" The elder calmed himself with a measured breath. "Surely it's merely a temporary burst of enthusiasm. It will fade soon enough."
Meanwhile, Li Yao emerged from her quarters, eyes immediately drawn to the training clearing where her senior brother's blade glinted in the morning light. A determined expression settled across her delicate features as she turned toward her own practice area. If her senior brother could display such dedication despite his limitations, how could she do any less?
The sun climbed higher, beating down mercilessly upon Xiang Yu's relentless form. Sweat soaked his garments, yet his blade never faltered. Only when the sun reached its zenith did he finally lower his knife, his stomach reminding him of more mundane responsibilities.
"Time to cook," he murmured, wiping his brow. Since yesterday's culinary triumph, Elder Guo had appointed him "Chef of Mountain Heart Pavilion"—a position Xiang Yu strongly suspected didn't exist until that very moment. Nevertheless, he accepted the role with stoic resignation, already planning the day's lunch as he made his way toward the kitchen.
...
"Your cooking is really good, senior brother. Where did you practice?" Li Yao asked between enthusiastic bites, her eyes bright with genuine appreciation.
Xiang Yu's lips curved into a modest smile as he watched her enjoy the meal he'd prepared. In his previous life, his culinary skills had been merely functional—born of necessity rather than passion. Never had he imagined receiving such earnest praise for something so ordinary.
I could open a restaurant in this world if the whole cultivation thing doesn't work out , he mused silently, the thought both amusing and strangely comforting.
"Just a little practice," he replied with deliberate vagueness, carefully portioning another serving onto Elder Guo's plate before the venerable cultivator could voice his request.
Throughout the meal, Elder Guo's penetrating gaze repeatedly settled on Xiang Yu, assessing the subtle changes that three days of relentless training had wrought. The boy's movements displayed a newfound economy and precision—noticeable even in such mundane actions as serving food. Lean muscle had begun to define his previously unremarkable frame, and a certain quiet confidence had replaced his usual hesitancy.
Perhaps there's hope for him after all , the elder thought, stroking his beard contemplatively. If only his personality wasn't so frustratingly timid.
After the meal concluded and the dishes were cleared, each member of their unlikely trio returned to their respective pursuits. Xiang Yu immediately resumed his knife practice, his blade cutting through the afternoon air with increasingly fluid motions. The hours passed in a blur of repetition and refinement, the setting sun painting his dedicated form in hues of amber and gold.
Only when twilight deepened into true darkness did he pause, his sweat-soaked garments clinging uncomfortably to his skin. A quick bath in the mountain stream refreshed both body and spirit before he returned to the communal kitchen to prepare the evening meal—another opportunity to strengthen the unexpected bonds forming between master and disciples.
Following dinner and pleasant conversation, Xiang Yu once again retreated to his training ground, resuming his practice with undiminished intensity. The moon tracked its slow arc across the star-filled sky as his blade flashed silver in its pale light.
From his private chambers, Elder Guo observed the persistent disciple with growing resignation. The boy's dedication clearly wasn't the temporary enthusiasm he'd initially dismissed it as. With a heavy sigh, the elder mentally added "soundproofing formation" to his list of necessary purchases. If Xiang Yu intended to maintain this relentless schedule indefinitely, the elder would need magical intervention to preserve the tranquility of his morning meditations.
As midnight approached, Xiang Yu's movements remained precise despite hours of continuous exertion. Then, like a faithful companion, the translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Basic Knife Technique: 30 (+10)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Basic Knife Technique: 30 → 60]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
Xiang Yu's eyes widened in amazement. Ten experience points gained in a single day! And after doubling, his understanding of the Basic Knife Technique had leaped forward dramatically. He could feel the knowledge integrating seamlessly with his muscle memory, each form now flowing naturally into the next with minimal conscious thought.
With a mental command, he summoned his status screen:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Mortal]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Techniques: Basic Knife Technique: Beginner (60/100)]
[Scriptures: null]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
A rare grin spread across his features as he studied the numbers. Three days of dedicated practice had carried him more than halfway through the Beginner stage. At this rate, he would undoubtedly reach Minor Success tomorrow, finally qualifying him to request a scripture and begin true cultivation.
The cultivation stages flickered through his mind as he contemplated his future path: Body Refining, Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. Undoubtedly, many higher realms existed beyond these, but his immediate focus remained on the first step—Body Refining, a stage mercifully accessible even to those like himself who lacked spiritual roots. Body Refining was all about refining and tempering the body repeatedly, even mortalls with no spiritual roots like him could do it.
"Tomorrow," he promised himself, his voice barely disturbing the night's stillness. "Tomorrow I take my first real step on the cultivation path."
But for now, his mortal frame demanded rest. Sheathing his practice knife with newfound precision, Xiang Yu made his way back to his humble dwelling, already anticipating the system's next settlement and the exponential growth it would bring.