Training and Growth

In the broad square in front of the Worship Hall, a boy in a purple robe stood with his head held high. He was Su Zhen.

After finishing his medicinal bath, Su Zhen had arrived early. Starting today, he would be trained by his grandfathers. He hoped they would go easy on him.

"Xiao Zhen, you're here pretty early. Looks like you're ready."

"Second Grandpa, you're the one training me today?"

Golden Crocodile came up to Su Zhen and patted him on the shoulder. The force nearly sent him toppling over.

"Your physical constitution is decent, but it's not good enough yet. Starting today, I'll train your physique and combat skills every morning. Get ready for your grandfather to put you through the wringer."

Golden Crocodile walked to the middle of the square and took off his golden robe, revealing a muscular body covered in scars.

"Xiao Zhen, as the owner of a top-tier Beast Martial Soul, your physique and close-combat skills are the core of your fighting strength. I'll suppress my Soul Power to the Soul Elder level. Once you can force me to use a Soul Skill other than my first, you'll have passed my training. Come on, do your best to entertain me."

Golden Crocodile completed his Martial Soul Possession in an instant. His powerful body radiated a crushing presence as he charged at Su Zhen with overwhelming force.

Su Zhen didn't dare let his guard down. He hurriedly activated Martial Soul Possession and kicked off the ground, trying to evade Golden Crocodile's charge.

"Too slow."

Golden Crocodile seemed to teleport to Su Zhen's side. He grabbed Su Zhen as he tried to flee and punched him in the abdomen.

The intense pain in his stomach forced Su Zhen out of his Martial Soul Possession. His body curled up on the ground like a shrimp at the mercy of its captor.

"Xiao Zhen, your combat skills are terrible—practically nonexistent. A powerful Martial Soul is certainly the most important thing, but if you don't know how to use your own, then even a god-tier Martial Soul is wasted on you. Rest for ten minutes, then we'll continue. I hope you can last ten moves against me today."

After speaking, Golden Crocodile called over the Healing System Soul Master who had been waiting nearby to treat Su Zhen's injuries.

Su Zhen spent the entire morning being pummeled by Golden Crocodile. With no combat experience, he was tossed around the square like a sandbag. He still hadn't met the standard of lasting ten moves, but he had at least improved enough to last five.

"That's it for this morning's lesson. We'll continue tomorrow. I expect to see progress."

Golden Crocodile left after dropping those words. He needed to settle his disappointment in Su Zhen. The improvement to Su Zhen's physique from his top-tier Beast Martial Soul was considerable, but his combat skills were only a little better than those of a child who had just awakened his Martial Soul. Even when Su Zhen used his first Soul Skill, he hadn't touched Golden Crocodile once.

Su Zhen lay spread-eagled on the square, panting heavily. The pain from Golden Crocodile's every blow had left every cell in his body trembling. The Healing System Soul Master beside him was pouring Soul Power into his healing Soul Skill, ensuring Su Zhen would be able to train that afternoon.

I think I disappointed Second Grandpa. I'll have to work even harder.

At noon, Su Zhen studied under the Grandmaster who had taught him theory before. The Grandmaster was named Jin Wuque. He was an 87th-level Soul Douluo, vice dean of Spirit Hall's Advanced Soul Master Academy, and a teacher of theory classes for the upper years. He was more than qualified to teach Su Zhen.

Under Jin Wuque's guidance, Su Zhen quickly learned about all kinds of Soul Beasts. Jin Wuque would occasionally quiz him on what he had studied, and Su Zhen could answer most questions without a hitch. When he couldn't answer, Jin Wuque would beat him with a switch made from Diamond Vine. It hurt, but being struck with Diamond Vine gradually improved his physique. Su Zhen was delighted whenever he felt even the slightest increase in strength, and he would deliberately fail to answer so Jin Wuque would hit him a few more times. Jin Wuque looked at Su Zhen's expectant little eyes with nothing but disdain.

After the easy theory lesson ended, Su Zhen returned to the square. A white-haired youth who looked sixteen or seventeen was leaning against a pillar.

Spitting out the Blue Silver Grass stalk in his mouth, Guang Ling walked ten meters in front of Su Zhen and stood up straight.

"Good afternoon, little guy. Your Second Grandpa beat me to it this morning, so now I'll train you. If you can get to me through my arrows and snatch the token from my waist, you'll pass my test."

As soon as Guang Ling finished speaking, he summoned a huge ice bow. Before Su Zhen could react, he loosed an arrow.

Seeing the arrow closing in, Su Zhen hurriedly gathered Soul Power in his feet, compressed it, and released it to dart to the side. He had learned the technique that morning while fighting Golden Crocodile. It was a crude form of a Self-Created Soul Skill. But Guang Ling's arrows were incredibly fast. Even though Su Zhen dodged immediately, he was still struck in the arm.

The instant the arrow hit, ice encased Su Zhen's arm. The bone-deep cold made him collapse limply to the ground, and the Healing System Soul Master rushed over to treat him.

"I'm training your reaction speed and agility. Those are crucial in battle, and sometimes they can even help you challenge someone of a higher level. Keep working hard, little guy."

Guang Ling's playful voice reached Su Zhen's ears. Looking at the wound on his arm, he felt a lingering fear. The old men were serious. If he didn't grow quickly, these adorable old men would play him to death.

After composing himself, Su Zhen charged at Guang Ling for the first time, using his first Soul Skill right from the start.

"Oh? The little guy's going all out. Then Grandpa Five won't hold back, either."

Guang Ling's fingers settled on the bowstring and drew it back in a rapid series of movements. In an instant, several arrows shot toward Su Zhen. Faced with the dense rain of arrows, Su Zhen didn't dare let his guard down. He combined the technique he had learned from Golden Crocodile with the effects of his first Soul Skill, dodging arrow after arrow that radiated icy cold. But he only managed to evade the first few; he took the rest head-on with his strong physique.

After spending the entire afternoon under Guang Ling's rain of arrows, Su Zhen lay sprawled on the cold marble tiles, panting.

"Xiao Zhen, Grandpa Five had a great time today. Go back and get some rest. We'll continue tomorrow."

Guang Ling crouched beside Su Zhen and looked down at him with a grin. He used Soul Power to dispel the chill lingering in Su Zhen's body, then bounced away.

Su Zhen lay on the ground for a while before getting up and dragging his stiff body back to his room. The medicinal cauldron had already been set out by a maid. He took off his clothes, climbed slowly into it, and focused on regulating his breath.

That night, Qian Daoliu came to Su Zhen's room and took him to sit on a cushion beneath the enormous Angel Statue at the center of the Worship Hall.

"Starting tonight, you must limit your sleep to two shichen a day. Use meditation in place of all your other rest."

Qian Daoliu sat cross-legged and guided Su Zhen through Deep Meditation.

"You need to make meditation a part of your body's instincts, until it comes as naturally as breathing. Given enough time, your body will remain in a meditative state at all times."

"That part is circulating too quickly. Slow it down. This part is too stiff. Run it through a few more times."

Qian Daoliu kept correcting Su Zhen's little mistakes as he meditated.

And so, Su Zhen's carefree life fell into a regular routine: medicinal baths, getting beaten by Golden Crocodile in the morning, meals, theory lessons at noon where Jin Wuque beat him, getting shot by Guang Ling in the afternoon, another medicinal bath, and Deep Meditation under Qian Daoliu's guidance at night.

Su Zhen spent every day under this high-intensity training, and his strength improved by leaps and bounds.