Training at the Turtle Hermit School (End)

Zhou Zilong nodded, put on his hard hat, and prepared to begin a new round of training.

The machines at the construction site rumbled as the workers busily hauled materials. Zhou Zilong stood to one side, observing how they worked. He took a deep breath, smelling the dust and sweat in the air. It was an experience unlike anything he'd ever had, but he knew it was a necessary part of growing stronger.

He picked up a shovel and began scooping up the dirt. He swung it with all his might, shoveling dirt into a wheelbarrow. With each swing, he felt his strength gradually increasing.

As time passed, sweat soaked Zhou Zilong's clothes, and his face was covered in dust, but his eyes shone with determination. He kept shoveling and pushing the wheelbarrow, repeating the seemingly simple motions. His hands were rubbed raw, but he didn't stop. He knew that only through tireless effort and perseverance could he become a true warrior.

Master Roshi stood to one side, quietly watching Zhou Zilong, then secretly discussed something with the foreman.

As time went by, Zhou Zilong gradually adapted to the rhythm of the construction site. He shoveled faster and pushed the wheelbarrow more steadily. In the end, the foreman gave Master Roshi a day's wages for six people.

At five in the afternoon, when the last brick had been laid at the construction site, Zhou Zilong followed Master Roshi to a peaceful lake. The setting sun bathed the island in its afterglow, and golden light made the lake shimmer.

Master Roshi pointed to the opposite shore and said to Zhou Zilong, "Zilong, you've worked up plenty of sweat today." He stroked his white beard, a satisfied smile on his face. "Your next training exercise is swimming. It'll build your stamina and improve your endurance and determination. Swim to the other shore and back. Do that ten times, and you're done!"

Zhou Zilong nodded. He was already used to Master Roshi's strict training. He took off his outer clothes, revealing his solid muscles, drew a deep breath, and plunged into the lake.

The lake was crystal clear, and Zhou Zilong felt as if he'd entered a whole new world. He swam forward with all his strength, each stroke a struggle against his own limits.

Training in the lake wasn't easy, and Zhou Zilong soon grew tired. But he didn't give up. He knew this was a test from Master Roshi, so he gritted his teeth and kept swimming.

As time passed, Zhou Zilong gradually adapted to the lake. He swam faster and his strength slowly returned. He felt as though he'd become one with the water, every breath filling him with energy.

Just then, he suddenly sensed a powerful threat. He looked up and saw a gigantic shark swimming toward him.

Zhou Zilong was startled, but quickly calmed down. He knew Master Roshi had arranged this test on purpose. He took a deep breath and adjusted his breathing and pace. Instead of swimming frantically as he had before, he used the current and the shark's movements to cleverly dodge its attacks.

The shark seemed enraged by Zhou Zilong's actions. It sped up and launched even fiercer attacks. But Zhou Zilong wasn't afraid. Using his intelligence and courage, he dodged the shark's attacks again and again. He felt strength welling up inside him, as if he could overcome any obstacle.

Just then, Master Roshi's voice rang in Zhou Zilong's ears. "Zilong, remember: a true warrior needs more than great strength. He also needs a calm mind and unwavering conviction. Only then can he stand undefeated against a powerful enemy!"

Hearing Master Roshi's words, Zhou Zilong felt something click, as though he understood. He took a deep breath, then suddenly swam straight ahead. He stopped dodging the shark and charged toward it. He slammed his fist into the shark's head. The shark let out a cry of pain, then sank to the bottom of the lake.

After the swimming exercise, Master Roshi led Zhou Zilong to a large tree. It towered into the sky, its branches and leaves lush, as if it were a guardian of nature. Master Roshi untied a very thick rope from around his waist and fastened one end around Zhou Zilong's waist.

"Zilong, this is your last training exercise for today." Master Roshi pointed at the rope. "It'll limit how far you can move. Your task is to dodge the enemy's needle-like attacks within the area the rope allows!"

Zhou Zilong's heart tightened at those words. He knew this exercise looked simple, but would be incredibly difficult in practice. He would have to stay alert and react quickly, or he'd be pricked by those tiny needles. Xiao Ling had given him a steel body, but he didn't know how much it could withstand yet.

Seeing Zhou Zilong's tense expression, Master Roshi smiled slightly, then quietly walked beneath the tree. With a light leap, he jumped onto a branch and struck it hard, knocking down a hornet's nest.

"Bzzzz—"

A shrill buzzing filled the air as a swarm of furious hornets flew out of the nest. Their target was Zhou Zilong, standing right where he was.

Seeing them, Zhou Zilong immediately focused, preparing to face the sudden attack. He clenched his fists and fixed his eyes on the approaching hornets.

But just as he was about to fight back, he realized that the hornets were incredibly fast and there were too many of them to knock down all at once. Panicking, he tried to move quickly to dodge, but the rope around his waist restricted his range of motion.

Stay calm! Stay calm! Zhou Zilong told himself. He took a deep breath and began moving slowly, trying to dodge the hornets by adjusting his posture and footwork.

But it wasn't easy. The hornets attacked in a dense, swift swarm, and the slightest mistake would get him stung. It couldn't hurt him, but it was annoying, so he had to keep adjusting his posture and breathing to deal with them.

During the exercise, Zhou Zilong's reaction speed and coordination improved tremendously. He gradually learned to judge the hornets' flight paths and speed, and quickly decide how to dodge their attacks.

At last, after half an hour, Zhou Zilong successfully dodged every hornet. He felt as if his body had grown lighter and more agile. He looked up toward the branch where Master Roshi was standing and saw him smiling down at him.

"Not bad! Well done, Zilong!" Master Roshi shouted in praise. "You've successfully completed today's training!"

The next day, Zhou Zilong got up and began the same training routine as the day before. The difference was that this time, Master Roshi had him put on a tortoiseshell weighing about twenty pounds.