After spending a few more days enjoying themselves in Holy Soul Village, Jiang Jiu and the others returned to Nuoding City.
Their daily routine remained the same: training, cultivation, and blacksmithing. Nothing had changed much, though some things really had changed.
For instance, Tang San now openly showed Jiang Jiu his Hidden Weapons.
The mechanical Hidden Weapons were pretty interesting, but they still did nothing to shake Jiang Jiu's dogged determination to refine Iron Essence.
If he couldn't hammer out Spirit Refinement, then he'd hammer out Hundred Refinement or Thousand Refinement.
And honestly, as Jiang Jiu's strength and experience increased, the quality of the Iron Essence he forged kept improving too. But when he might achieve a qualitative transformation was anyone's guess.
"Brother Jiu, you really don't want to learn?"
Tang San had no reservations about teaching some Hidden Weapon techniques to Jiang Jiu. In particular, he coveted the Iron Essence Jiang Jiu refined; any Hidden Weapon made from it would undoubtedly be top-notch.
"My time and energy are limited."
He had to build up his Soul Power, spend more time practicing how to control his Martial Soul, train in Soft Technique, work out, and make money on the side by blacksmithing. Jiang Jiu's daily schedule was packed to the brim.
"You're the one who shouldn't let it interfere with your Soul Power cultivation, San."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Tang San's expression turned serious, and he nodded. Whether he'd actually taken the advice to heart, Jiang Jiu couldn't say.
That sort of thing came down to self-discipline. Jiang Jiu wouldn't nag Xiao Wu about it either.
But Xiao Wu had started training harder, too.
It was mainly during their time in Holy Soul Village, and in their recent sparring sessions, that Xiao Wu had realized how often she'd been losing when she didn't use her Martial Soul.
At some point, Jiang Jiu had quietly surpassed her in strength and speed.
Facing an opponent who knew all her moves inside and out—and was faster and stronger—Xiao Wu had tasted the bitter fruit of teaching one's disciple too well. She'd had to use every trick up her sleeve just to avoid a complete defeat.
Sister Xiao Wu was going to buckle down and improve!
"Xiao Jiu, what do you think of the rooster I drew?" All she could say was that it wasn't exactly a picture of strength.
"You perfectly captured the way it looked when you strangled it to death." Jiang Jiu glanced at the drawing.
"Nonsense! It clearly looks majestic and imposing."
Jiang Jiu stopped what he was doing and looked at Xiao Wu.
"What? I already told you, I'm studying seriously!"
"I acknowledge your efforts."
The cultured phrases that occasionally popped out of Xiao Wu's mouth always made Jiang Jiu react like that.
Xiao Wu accepted it with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, while secretly studying harder.
"Xiao Jiu, teach me those exercises you do, too."
"What, aren't you afraid of getting bulky legs?"
Earlier, when Jiang Jiu had suggested that Xiao Wu try weighted squats, she'd said she was afraid of getting tired. But she was also worried that her slender legs would grow several sizes thicker. Xiao Wu preferred to keep her figure slim.
"I get the feeling you like them."
"How can you tell?" It was true that Jiang Jiu preferred legs with a little more meat to them than stick-thin ones.
"When we bathe, you only touch your own legs. You never touch mine." Xiao Wu said it without the slightest embarrassment.
"I take back the compliment." Jiang Jiu rolled his eyes. He wasn't some pervert who lusted after the legs of a girl who looked about seven or eight.
"But it's true! Yours really do feel nicer to touch."
The real pervert was clearly someone else.
"Don't talk about this stuff when we're out."
"Hehe." Xiao Wu got away with it by being cute.
After dinner, they wrapped things up and headed home.
"See you tomorrow, Brother Jiu."
"See you tomorrow."
Tang San now seemed to have found a stable center. He still didn't say much, but when he was with Jiang Jiu, his whole presence felt a lot gentler.
Back at his house, Xiao Wu pulled Jiang Jiu over to the spot where he usually worked out.
She hadn't just been talking when she asked Jiang Jiu to teach her strength training.
"Wait, wait, wait. Let me change first."
"Right. I'll go take a bath, then."
"Oh, yeah. Let's bathe first."
Xiao Wu barged into the bathroom.
When she came back, she was wearing nothing but hot pants and a crop top.
"You're wearing that?"
"Is there a problem?" Xiao Wu giggled.
She was killing two birds with one stone.
But Xiao Wu hadn't started developing at all yet, so she didn't look as appealing as Jiang Jiu did.
"Let's start with the empty bar." Jiang Jiu ignored Xiao Wu's mischievous grin and got right to teaching.
He'd been training himself for half a year, so he was confident he could help Xiao Wu adjust her form. It also gave him a chance to review his own movements and make sure he hadn't developed any bad habits.
The lesson went smoothly. Xiao Wu already had a great foundation, and her excellent coordination let her carry out every instruction from Jiang Jiu precisely. She quickly mastered the essentials of all three movements.
"That was easier than I thought."
"The important part is sticking with it."
"Fine, fine."
Modern people needed several lessons to learn the proper form, but Xiao Wu and the others picked it up with ease. It just went to show that people's physiques couldn't all be judged by the same standard.
Xiao Wu had learned so quickly that she barely got to press up against Jiang Jiu before the lesson was over.
"That's enough for today. Stick to the training plan I gave you from now on."
"Okay, Teacher Xiao Jiu."
Jiang Jiu put the equipment back in its place.
His progressive-overload routine hadn't been proven ineffective yet, so he might as well have Xiao Wu use it for now.
He wondered whether Xiao Wu would become a muscular rabbit in the future. But he'd have to improve her diet, too. Beans alone wouldn't cut it anymore; she'd need to eat more meat.
Jiang Jiu also planned to make a new barbell.
His squat had already passed four hundred kilograms. If he kept pushing for heavier weights, it was hard to say when the fifteen-kilogram Iron Essence bar would snap. And now that he and Xiao Wu were both training, the barbell's metal fatigue would build up faster, shortening its lifespan.
"I'm broke."
Jiang Jiu felt as though the little nest egg he'd only just managed to build back up was about to go up in smoke.
"Xiao Jiu, it's time to cultivate Soul Power. Don't slack off."
"Yes, yes, Teacher Xiao Wu."
Xiao Wu was getting above herself, even accusing him of slacking off.
Jiang Jiu pinched her cheek, then darted back to bed.
"Ah!"
Seeing that Jiang Jiu had already settled into his meditation posture, Xiao Wu couldn't disturb him.
"Hmph. You pinched me, so I'll pinch you tonight."
Watching the smooth, natural lines of Jiang Jiu's body as he meditated, Xiao Wu waved her little hands a couple of times. A wicked smile curled across her lips.
She'd been worrying that she wouldn't have a good excuse to ambush Xiao Jiu tonight.
Then Xiao Wu sat down on the bed and began meditating, starting her evening cultivation.
There was no denying that under Jiang Jiu's subtle influence, Xiao Wu had really started working hard.
Who knew how long she'd keep it up.
Before you continue