Afterward, Murong Huai came to an open space in front of the waterfall in Star Dome Valley, then asked:
"What training plan did my teacher arrange for me?"
At this, Tu Zhen replied slowly, "Reporting to the Holy Son, His Holiness the Pope instructed us that every morning after you wake up, you should spend one hour tempering your body to improve your physical fitness.
"After that, practice swordsmanship for one hour to build a solid foundation. Then you can cultivate Soul Power."
"Tempering my body? What exactly does that involve?" Murong Huai asked.
"Qing Lan and I are here specifically to assist the Holy Son with body tempering. I was fortunate enough to obtain a Spirit Bone, which granted me a gravity-control skill.
"According to His Holiness the Pope's instructions, you'll run and hold stances under the pressure of gravity..." Tu Zhen explained.
Hearing this, Murong Huai nodded. Although running was a very primitive way to temper the body, it undeniably produced clear results. Add gravity to the mix, and the effects would be even greater.
Besides, gravity had far more advantages than carrying stones or other weights. Before the age of fifteen, children were still growing. Training for a long time while carrying heavy objects like stones could affect their development, doing more harm than good.
Gravity, on the other hand, could produce the same results—or even better ones—while posing very little risk to the body. And even if there were any risks, the Soul Saint from the auxiliary system standing right beside him wasn't just there to make up the numbers.
"Alright. Since that's settled, let's not waste any time. Begin!"
At Murong Huai's words, Tu Zhen nodded. Soul Power surged around him, and a flash of green light glimmered across his torso.
"Soul Bone Skill—Gravity Control!"
In an instant, a special energy enveloped the area within a hundred-meter radius of Murong Huai. He immediately felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.
Tu Zhen gradually eased the gravity until it reached a level Murong Huai could handle—about twice normal gravity. This wasn't Murong Huai's limit; he needed time to adjust before the pressure could be increased little by little. Starting at his limit would only be counterproductive.
"Holy Son, the gravity has reached what you can currently withstand. Once you've fully adjusted, I'll increase it again."
Murong Huai nodded. He felt the crushing weight pressing into every part of his body, the pressure evenly distributed so that each part of him could be trained.
Then Murong Huai regulated his breathing and began running slowly along the edge of the gravity field. As he ran, the gravity shifted to suit the contractions of his muscles.
This was a Soul Douluo's astonishingly precise control over his Soul Skill. It was clear that Tu Zhen was among the strongest of the Soul Douluo.
At first, Murong Huai could just barely keep up his pace. But in less than half an hour, his knees began to buckle and his body sank lower. Sweat quickly soaked through his thin clothes, steaming into a faint white mist in the morning light.
"Haah... haah..." His ragged breathing echoed through the valley. His steps grew heavier and heavier, but he forced himself to pick up the pace.
As time passed, Murong Huai's stride gradually steadied. Though his body still felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead, his movements began to flow. Under twice the normal gravity, every footfall sent a faint tremor through the ground.
He could feel his muscles tearing. The pain was intense, yet strangely exhilarating. He loved this kind of improvement. Sweat drenched his clothes, but it couldn't stop his feet.
Another half hour later, Murong Huai finished running. After catching his breath, he went to a set of plum-blossom stakes and settled into a horse stance. His feet were shoulder-width apart, his knees slightly bent as if he were sitting on an invisible chair. He raised his hands to shoulder height and held the stance.
While he held it, his body remained almost motionless, but changes were quietly taking place within. His muscles were being trained at a steady pace, growing stronger and more enduring. At the same time, his blood circulation improved, and his lower body and legs grew more stable.
He continued the exercise under the pressure of gravity. After a while, a burning pain spread through his legs, but Murong Huai kept going. Sweat poured down him. Though exhausted, he never changed his posture, gritting his teeth and holding on.
"Since I, Murong Huai, have come to Douluo Continent, there's no way I'll be as ordinary as I was in my previous life. If I want to stand at the peak of the world, what's a little pain?"
...,
As time passed, half an hour went by, and Murong Huai finished his body-tempering training. Tu Zhen withdrew the gravity. Murong Huai's strength was utterly spent, and he staggered backward, about to fall.
Seeing this, Tu Zhen immediately flashed to his side and caught him. Then he looked toward Ju Qinglan. Understanding his meaning, she raised her hand, Soul Power surging as a milky-white lotus appeared in her palm. Two yellow, two purple, and three black Spirit Rings descended around her.
"Heart of White Lotus, Light of Healing!"
At once, milky-white energy poured from the lotus and flowed into Murong Huai's body. In an instant, he felt a warm energy course through his limbs and bones, restoring all the strength he had used up.
Even the slight damage to his bones from enduring twice the normal gravity was completely healed. Qian Daoliu had arranged everything perfectly: one person controlled gravity to help Murong Huai train and strengthen himself, while the other healed him, ensuring that no hidden injuries remained. Murong Huai could build his physique without a single worry.
As his body rapidly recovered, Murong Huai stood up and clenched his fists. He felt full of strength. The muscle aches caused by his intense training had vanished as well.
"Heh, training without a single worry feels great."
Then he went to the clearing and summoned the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword. The blade slid from its sheath, and he began practicing the thirteen basic sword forms. Compared to yesterday, his swordplay flowed far more smoothly today.
His every move was beginning to show a certain bearing, and the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword felt much more natural in his hands. Wherever the sword flashed, its edge shone bright.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Murong Huai swung the long sword faster and faster, growing more adept with every stroke. Immersed in swordsmanship, he couldn't pull himself away.
Watching from the side, Tu Zhen couldn't help but marvel.
"Just as expected of His Holiness the Pope's star pupil. He's only been learning swordsmanship for a day, and today's only his second practice, yet he's already made the kind of progress an ordinary person would need months to achieve. He's truly a swordsmanship prodigy."
As Murong Huai practiced with total abandon, time flowed away like fallen blossoms carried downstream. His sword forms grew more and more forceful, as if some power were on the verge of bursting forth. When he finished his final stroke, Murong Huai closed his eyes.
A golden sword flash streaked through his mind. In that instant, a glimmer of starlight seemed to flicker across the azure sky. A trace of gold appeared in Murong Huai's eyes, and a faint sword intent clung to the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword in his hand.
Seeing Murong Huai's state, Tu Zhen and Ju Qinglan, who had been keeping watch nearby, exchanged a glance, their hearts jolting.
"This is..."
He leaped into the air, pointed his long sword toward the east, then suddenly swung it. An arc of light appeared, and his sword energy struck like the newborn morning sun, piercing the dawn.
"Nine-Fold Holy Judgment, First Form—Morning Star Enlightenment!!!"
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