The Weighted Turtle Shell

After an hour and a half, Xia Yang's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and discomfort showed on his face.

"Yang'er, that's enough. Let's stop training for today."

Huo Yang spoke up at the right moment to remind him.

"Phew~~"

Xia Yang slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath of turbid air.

As he stood up, he felt lightheaded, and his body was somewhat swollen.

"These are all normal reactions."

Huo Yang supported his son by the shoulder and carefully explained, "When you first learn meditation, your mind tends to become tense. Once you become proficient, your body will naturally adapt."

"As for the swollen feeling, it's because your Martial Soul has absorbed too much energy and needs time to digest it."

He then reminded him, "It can usually be fully absorbed within a day."

"If you combine physical training with meditation afterward, the process will be even faster."

The sunlight gradually rose higher, casting bright rays through the window onto the stone floor.

Huo Yang explained several more key points of meditation and solutions to common problems before taking Xia Yang out of the Training Room.

The morning training had ended, but Xia Yang's path as a Soul Master had only just begun.

The afternoon sunlight spilled over the beach of Xiling Harbor, forming a golden sea.

Sea waves gently lapped against the shore, splashing countless tiny white droplets.

After completing his morning meditation training, Xia Yang rested briefly.

Afterward, Xia Yang followed his mother, Huo Yang, to the seaside and began his afternoon physical training.

People came and went along the beach, their laughter intertwining with the sound of the waves.

The mother and son paid no attention to the looks cast their way and walked straight toward a relatively empty stretch of beach.

With a slight turn of his wrist, Huo Yang took a heavy turtle shell from his Storage Soul Tool.

With a dull bang, the turtle shell crashed heavily onto the sand, smashing out a shallow pit.

"Yang'er, today's training has three parts: weighted long-distance running, weighted swimming, and Tidal Body Refinement."

Huo Yang pointed at the turtle shell on the ground. "This is a Five Hundred Years Rock Turtle Shell your father specially found for you. Its weight is just right for someone your age."

Without another word, Xia Yang bent down and hoisted the turtle shell onto his back, skillfully securing it with ropes.

At his mother's command, Xia Yang began running along the coastline.

The ordinary people on the beach all revealed surprised expressions at the sight.

The occasional passing Soul Masters, however, responded with knowing smiles, as though they had seen reflections of their own training years.

At first, Xia Yang's footsteps remained fairly light, and the weight of the turtle shell on his back did not seem to burden him too heavily.

But as time passed, Xia Yang's legs gradually grew heavy, and every step felt as if he were trudging through a swamp.

Following that, his breathing became rough, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

Finally, after Xia Yang had run for half an hour, his speed involuntarily slowed.

He also began panting heavily.

Just then, two gentle rays of light suddenly enveloped Xia Yang.

"First Soul Skill: Endless Vitality."

"Second Soul Skill: Photosynthesis."

In an instant, Xia Yang's exhaustion was swept away.

Xia Yang turned his head and saw that the old butler, Liu Feng, had somehow arrived at the beach and was smiling as he used a Healing Soul Skill.

"Yang'er, keep going."

Seeing that his son had regained his strength, Huo Yang immediately urged him on.

"Yes, Mom."

Xia Yang's spirits lifted, and he set off again.

For the next hour, whenever Xia Yang ran out of strength, Liu Feng would promptly use his Soul Skills to help him.

Only when Xia Yang finally stopped on the beach with weak legs, bracing his hands against his knees as his chest heaved violently, did Huo Yang signal for the training to pause.

After resting for a moment, Xia Yang took the waterskin Liu Feng handed him and tipped his head back to drink deeply.

The cool liquid slid down his throat, refreshing him at once.

"The weighted long-distance run ends here."

Huo Yang looked at his son and said, "The next part is weighted swimming. Yang'er, can you still keep going?"

"Don't worry, Mom."

Xia Yang wiped the water from the corner of his mouth and said confidently, "Don't underestimate my determination."

He swiftly took off his outer clothes, carried the turtle shell on his back, and strode toward the sea.

The icy seawater first washed over Xia Yang's ankles, then his knees, thighs, waist, chest, and finally submerged the top of his head.

Although Xia Yang was usually an adept swimmer, he was carrying the heavy turtle shell now, making swimming in the sea completely different from usual.

He carefully adjusted his breathing, striving to find balance between the turtle shell's weight and the sea's buoyancy.

On the shore, Huo Yang watched his son's every movement with full concentration. Soul Power circulated slowly within him as he remained ready to help at any moment.

"Splash! Splash!"

Xia Yang moved his limbs, slowly advancing through the azure seawater.

"Yang'er, watch your direction! Swim along the shore—don't go into the deep sea!"

Huo Yang shouted from the shore.

Unable to answer aloud, Xia Yang could only raise his right arm and wave it through the air a few times to show that he understood.

He carefully observed his surroundings and began swimming along the coastline.

Sure enough, swimming in the sea with a turtle shell on his back was far more difficult than he had imagined.

Even on a calm day, the waves still occasionally slapped Xia Yang in the face, and the salty seawater made him cough repeatedly.

He could only endure the discomfort, grit his teeth, and swim forward.

Butler Liu Feng stood on the beach and used a Soul Skill every so often to help Xia Yang recover his strength.

Emerald light crossed dozens of meters and landed precisely on Xia Yang, allowing him to keep going.

However, half an hour later, Xia Yang's physical strength finally reached its limit.

Even with the support of Soul Skills, his rapidly depleted stamina could not be replenished.

Xia Yang suddenly stopped paddling, raised his right arm high, and signaled to his mother that he had exhausted his strength.

Huo Yang immediately circulated his Soul Power, rushed over, scooped up his son, and steadily brought him back to the beach.

Xia Yang knelt on the sand and panted heavily. His limbs were limp, and he could not muster even the slightest strength.

He occasionally spat out water, while his throat burned with thirst.

During that swim, he had inevitably swallowed quite a bit of seawater.

"Third Soul Skill: Healing Fruit."

Butler Liu Feng hurried to Xia Yang's side. A crystalline phantom lotus slowly wrapped around him, while countless emerald-green motes, like fire flies, seeped into his body.

"Uncle Liu."

Feeling his strength gradually return, Xia Yang asked in confusion, "Why didn't you use your Third Soul Skill while I was in the sea? I might have been able to swim a little longer that way."

The old butler explained gently, "Young Master, I am only a Level Thirty-Two Soul Elder, and my Soul Power is limited."

"This Third Soul Skill consumes a great deal of energy. It can only be used a few times a day, so it must be saved for recovery after training to prevent hidden injuries."

Huo Yang gently patted his son's shoulder and said with a touch of affection in his voice, "You brat, it's already good enough that you have an auxiliary Soul Master helping you, yet you're still being picky."

"I understand, Mom."

Xia Yang smiled awkwardly.

Huo Yang asked with concern, "How are you feeling now?"

"If you can't take it, let's end today's training here."

Xia Yang shook his head, his tone exceptionally firm. "We can't stop here. I still have to keep going."

"Good!"

A trace of approval flashed in Huo Yang's eyes.

"Next comes today's final exercise: Tidal Body Refinement."