Chapter 165: Training
Chapter 165: Training
Chen Chuan released the door handle he was holding and turned to look at the man.
He was likely in his late twenties, and the first impression was that he was rather thin. He wore a tight-fitting outfit, and his entire body resembled a slender reed. His eyes were relatively large, but the most distinctive feature was his nose, which dominated almost half of his face, drawing one's attention involuntarily.
The man, feeling scrutinized, suddenly spoke with irritation, "Hey, have you had enough? It's rude to stare like that, young man."
Chen Chuan glanced at the open window beside him and replied, "Suddenly entering someone else's living space without permission, isn't that impolite of you?"
The man feigned nonchalance, crossing his arms and saying, "If it weren't for Uncle He asking me to pick someone up, I wouldn't have bothered coming. I just wanted to see what kind of student Uncle He was expecting. Now it seems there's nothing special about it."
Chen Chuan guessed that the man was probably sent by He Xiaoxing, as he didn't sense any hostility from him. When he turned around, his expression shifted between pride and showiness.
"Does learning from Teacher He require something special?" Chen Chuan asked.
"How could it not?" The man became excited, straightening up in his seat before suddenly remembering something and slumping back down, grumbling, "Uncle He rarely teaches others."
"What should I call you?" Chen Chuan inquired.
The man puffed out his chest proudly and declared, "Chang Ba!"
Chen Chuan thought to himself that this name was definitely not chosen by his father.
Chang Ba, seeing that Chen Chuan didn't respond, assumed he was stunned by his name. He huffed a few times and stood up, saying, "Let's go. Uncle He is waiting for you."
"I'll get my things," Chen Chuan said.
He had previously estimated that he wouldn't be staying long, as the place was crowded and noisy, not suitable for cultivation. So, upon arrival, he hadn't unpacked much. Now, he grabbed his luggage and followed Chang Ba with the Xuejun Blade.
The two of them went downstairs and got into an old-fashioned off-road vehicle. As the car started and turned onto a smooth road, heading in a specific direction, they could see the wide-open view ahead. The sky above was a canvas of blue and white, and at the horizon, a gray mountain range outlined the landscape.
"Mr. Chang, are you and Teacher He close?" Chen Chuan asked.
Chang Ba, with a hint of boastfulness, replied, "Of course. My father and Uncle He are old friends. Uncle He lives in the lakeside hotel my family runs. We're heading there now, and since you'll be learning from Uncle He, you should stay there too." He glanced at Chen Chuan and added, "Uncle He taught me a lot of things."
Chen Chuan seemed to ignore his last statement and looked out the window. Seeing vehicles passing by from time to time, he asked, "Are these all heading to Loya Ancient City?"
Chang Ba shrugged, "This is just July. During spring and autumn, it's even busier. Camels form a line so long that you can't see the end. Believe me, half of our business comes from these travelers."
"Since you're a local, Mr. Chang, have you been to Loya Ancient City?" Chen Chuan inquired.
"That place..." Chang Ba began.
He shook his head, "Before I became an adult, my family elders wouldn't let me go there. It was once famous for losing children, and after that, it became famous for losing adults. Later, when I learned combat arts, I lost interest in that place." He clicked his tongue, "It's just a bunch of winding tunnels. What's so great about that compared to combat arts? Don't you think so?"
"I heard there are treasures there. Aren't you interested in treasures, Mr. Chang?" Chen Chuan asked.
"Treasures?" Chang Ba chuckled, "Others hope the treasures will be unearthed soon, but I don't. Our family makes money precisely because of those treasures."
Chen Chuan smiled, agreeing that it made sense. Since Chang Ba's family ran an inn, they attracted tourists with the allure of hidden treasures.
After driving for a while longer, Chang Ba finally turned around and asked, unable to contain his curiosity, "Aren't you going to ask how I got into your room just now?"
Chen Chuan smiled, noticing Chang Ba's pride in his method. He kept bringing up the topic, but Chen Chuan didn't take the bait. Instead, he asked about other things, clearly frustrating Chang Ba. Chen Chuan decided to indulge him since he had come all this way to pick him up. "What was that?"
Hearing that Chen Chuan was finally asking, Chang Ba relaxed and chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'll tell you. It's a technique Uncle He taught me called Snake Sparrow Stance. It allows me to fly nimbly and move silently. Once mastered, no terrain in the city can restrict me."
Chen Chuan pondered, suspecting there was more to it. From the way Chang Ba had entered without a sound, it seemed to be a technique for concealment. However, only someone with Chang Ba's physique could likely master it. Was this technique tailored for Chang Ba by He Xiaoxing?
It was possible. Cheng Zitong had said that a good teacher adapts their teaching to the student's strengths, creating unique combat systems for each individual. He Xiaoxing seemed to be such a teacher, and Chen Chuan looked forward to the upcoming intensive training.
After about two hours, the car arrived at a lake with a reddish tint, stretching as far as the eye could see. The sky above was clear and pristine, and along the lake were extensive buildings that extended up a small mountain on the opposite shore.
"We're here," Chang Ba announced.
As the car entered the small town, Chen Chuan noticed that at least a third of the buildings along the way bore the sign of Chang's Inn. He asked Chang Ba, and indeed, in addition to the buildings in the town, the land beneath their feet and the mountain across the lake also belonged to Chang Ba's family. This guy turned out to be quite wealthy.
The car turned and headed directly up the mountain. After a few minutes, it stopped in front of a building that resembled a martial arts training hall.
At that moment, Chen Chuan saw a robust figure standing on the flat ground in front of the hall, his hair cascading over his shoulders like a lion's mane. It seemed he had been waiting for their arrival.
As the car came to a halt, Chang Ba swiftly removed the key and hopped out, announcing, "Uncle He, I've brought the person as requested."
Chen Chuan emerged from the car, approached He Xiaoxiao, and respectfully performed a fist salute, saying, "Teacher He."
He Xiaoxiao glanced at him and headed towards the training hall. "Follow me."
Chen Chuan entered, finding a spacious room filled with various training equipment for daily use. Several mats were laid out, and He Xiaoxiao sat cross-legged on one, gesturing for Chen Chuan to do the same.
Chen Chuan sat on the adjacent mat and waited. He Xiaoxiao began, "Old Cheng has informed me of your situation. However, my teachings will only involve martial power. Martial power can resolve certain issues, but to deal with the Mutual Aid Society, you must consider far more than just martial power. Keep this in mind."
"Teacher He, I understand," Chen Chuan replied.
"Since you understand," He Xiaoxiao said, "I won't waste words. From now on, I'll be giving you intensive training. How much you gain and how long you can endure will depend on whether you can keep up with my pace."
Chen Chuan nodded, "I understand, Teacher He. When do we begin?"
"Have you brought enough training supplies?" He Xiaoxiao asked.
"Teacher Cheng instructed me to bring enough for two months," Chen Chuan answered.
Although he mentioned two months, he felt it might not even last a month. Cheng Chuan always calculated his portions based on Chang Ba's numbers, but fortunately, the Mountain Spirit's influence on him hadn't faded yet, so he wouldn't need them for a while.
"It's getting late," He Xiaoxiao said. "Follow Chang Ba to find a place to settle in for now. Tomorrow, at five in the morning, come find me. Remember to bring your daily essentials. This time, we're heading into the wilderness."
(The above chapter is based on the 1961 version.)
"Understood, Teacher He," Chen Chuan said. He stood up, saluted He Xiaoxiao, and left the training hall.
Outside, Chang Ba greeted him. "Let's go. I'll help you find a place to stay. There are plenty of vacant houses this season; you can choose whichever you like."
Chen Chuan followed Chang Ba, driving down the mountain. After circling a few times, they found a spacious two-story house with an open view, ample sunlight, and good ventilation. The upper floor was for living, while the lower floor provided ample space for his training.
Since it wasn't the peak season and he was here to study with He Xiaoxiao, Chang Ba only took a symbolic fee. He also gave Chen Chuan a phone number, saying that he could be reached whenever needed.
After Chang Ba left, Chen Chuan unpacked his suitcase. He organized his belongings and tidied the room, even though it was already past 4 p.m. Without wasting time, he resumed his daily training on the first floor.
The small town had a tranquil atmosphere, a sense of being far removed from the secular world. This atmosphere made it easy for people to immerse themselves in their tasks, which was probably why He Xiaoxiao had chosen this place for his cultivation.
At 6 p.m., a staff member from the inn asked Chen Chuan if he needed to order dinner. They also informed him about a bonfire party that evening, open to all guests, and presented him with a small gift. It was a tradition to give first-time guests a gift, they explained.
Chen Chuan received the gift—a handmade bracelet crafted from tiny colored stones threaded onto a thin rope. He untied the rope, threading it through a strand of Flying Head Monster hair, ensuring it wouldn't look out of place.
As night fell, a bonfire blazed atop the mountain, accompanied by about a dozen barbecue grills. Around a hundred people sang and danced merrily, creating a lively atmosphere.
After completing his training and taking a shower, Chen Chuan went to the window. He enjoyed the cool night breeze for a while before retiring to bed at 9 p.m.
The next day, at 4 a.m., he woke up, washed up, and had a quick breakfast. Carrying a backpack and the Xuejun Blade, he headed towards the mountain alone. Upon arrival, he found He Xiaoxiao already waiting at the summit. His towering figure stood atop the mountain, as if dominating the surrounding landscape.
Chen Chuan placed his backpack and the blade on the ground and saluted, "Teacher He, I'm here."
He Xiaoxiao nodded. "Old Cheng has informed me of your specific situation. He didn't teach you any special techniques before, which is good. You won't need any of that. Even if you've learned something through other channels, forget it all now."
Chen Chuan nodded earnestly. "I understand, Teacher."
He Xiaoxiao spoke in a deep voice. "After entering the second limit, you should have learned that this stage was called 'Guarding Vitality' in the old era. The key word is 'guard.'
This is accurate. This limit is a critical period, like the middle section of a wooden beam. It's about balance—neither too heavy nor too light. Therefore, you must be extra cautious and meticulous.
However, this 'guard' concept was limited to the old era. Back then, whether it was drugs to stimulate mutated tissue or those for self-nourishment, they were all hard to come by. Often, elders in the sect would spend their entire lives collecting and accumulating these resources for future generations.
Due to the scarcity of drugs, they had to adopt the most conservative approach. In that era, this method proved effective and reliable.
Nevertheless, each era has its practices, and people's efforts are influenced by their environment. This calls for collective efforts to bring about change.
Nowadays, drugs are no longer an issue, so there's no need to be so conservative. The focus of this stage is to 'activate the six organs and generate the five viscera.' From now on, we'll work on activating your mutated internal organs."
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(End of Chapter)
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