C5 Troublesome

Initially, Aotian had thought running ten laps would be a breeze, but he quickly realized his mistake. After just two laps, his legs felt like they weighed a ton, and lifting them became a monumental task. Each step required all his strength. He longed to stop for a breather, but the Dark Night Warrior ruthlessly denied his plea. "If you can't handle this minor challenge, you might as well quit now while you can," he said. "Martial arts training means enduring hardship. You must finish these laps, even if it's a struggle."

So, Aotian had no choice but to dig deep into his reserves of willpower and keep moving, however laboriously.

Five laps, six laps... eight, nine. Only one more to go. "I must keep going, I must," he repeated to himself, determined to endure more pain than the average person to rise above them. He clung to Aunt Maria's words, remembering her advice as he pushed past his limits. Finally, he saw the finish line. "You can do this," he encouraged himself, and by noon, Aotian had completed the ten laps.

Huffing and puffing, he bent over, hands on his hips, trying to catch his breath.

He desperately wanted to rest, but time was not on his side. The first task had taken up his whole morning, and with two more to go, he couldn't afford to slow down.

After a brief pause, Aotian approached the stone his master had pointed out and embarked on his next challenge.

With two deep breaths, he hoisted the stone slowly, lifting it above his head, then down, and up again. After more than ten lifts, Aotian was spent, barely able to raise it again. But he knew he had to push through and keep going.

With a powerful yell, he lifted the stone once more.

Now drenched in sweat, his pale complexion flushed red, Aotian gasped for air, his eyes burning with defiance.

"Kid, it's way past lunchtime. Aren't you going to take a break and grab a bite? Rest up a bit, have some food, then you can get back to practice," Dark Night, who had been closely observing Aotian's training, finally chimed in.

"No, I'm not hungry! I can keep going! I'll eat after I finish training," Aotian replied with determination.

Watching the boy before him, Dark Night was reminded of his younger self. Wasn't he just as headstrong back in the day? This kid's stubbornness really mirrored his own from back then.

"Fine, continue then. Pick up the pace, cut down on the breaks, adjust your breathing, and carry on. And remember, hold your breath when you lift that stone!" Dark Night Zhan instructed.

Aotian took a moment to regulate his breath, then lifted the stone once more.

At last, with the stone's thud against the ground, Aotian had completed his second task.

After a brief rest, at Dark Night's urging, Aotian headed back to his courtyard to eat something. As he entered, he ran into Aunt Maria.

"Aotian, where were you at lunchtime? Why didn't you come to eat? And why are you all sweaty?" Maria asked, noticing the perspiration on Aotian's brow.

"Oh, Auntie, I've been exercising since this morning. Even though I can't practice martial arts right now, I still need to keep my body in shape! After training, I went to read a book in the back mountain, so I got back late," he explained, handing over the book he had prepared earlier that morning to Maria.

"Oh, I see. It's good that you're exercising, but next time, don't forget to come back for meals! You're still growing, and it's not good to go hungry," Maria said, convinced by the book in her hand.

"Dinner's almost ready; let's head to the main hall," Maria suggested.

"Auntie, I'd rather not ask about meals anymore. They might not even want me there. Could you tell Grandpa that from now on, we'll just eat in our own courtyard?" Aotian pondered before speaking up.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Maria asked, puzzled by Aotian's request.

"It's nothing, I just don't want to eat with them anymore! Auntie, can you please help me out?" Aotian pleaded with Maria for the first time, his voice tinged with a hint of whining.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll handle it," Maria said, considering the situation. Ever since Aotian's baptism ceremony, the family's attitude toward him had shifted, growing colder and more dismissive, much like how no one had even bothered to ask why he missed lunch.

"Thanks so much, Auntie!" Aotian beamed with gratitude.

Later in the evening, as Aotian was about to dash off to the back mountain, Maria caught him. "Where are you off to now? Why head to the back mountain at this hour? Oh, and about the matter you mentioned this afternoon—I spoke with your grandfather. He's agreed that from now on, you don't have to eat in the great hall with everyone. You can join me for meals in the courtyard instead."

"Really?! That's amazing!" Aotian exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

"Auntie, I'm just going to play on the back mountain for a bit and maybe stargaze. I'll be back tonight. You know it's safe back there," Aotian assured Maria.

"Oh, just make sure to come back early, okay?"

"Will do, Auntie. I'm off now!" With that, Aotian sprinted toward the back mountain.

Maria watched him go, shaking her head with a mix of concern and resignation. He had changed so much since that day, always shrouded in mystery, leaving her to wonder what he was up to. But at least the back mountain was well-guarded by the family's sentinels—it was a safe place for him to find some solitude.

Reaching the back mountain, Aotian eagerly pulled out the mysterious shoes and slipped them on. He was ready to embark on his final task.

The shoes, made of some unknown material, made walking feel like a chore, his legs weighed down as if he were running through molasses earlier that morning. His stamina was the only thing that seemed improved.

Aotian attempted to jump, but to his frustration, he could barely get off the ground. His jumps were low and clumsy, far from the heights he aimed to reach.

"Jump higher! You won't meet the training objective with jumps like that! Use your full strength, engage your waist, and get all your muscles working in harmony!" Dark Night Zhan's voice echoed in Aotian's mind.

Aotian focused on coordination, cooperation, and exertion, refining his movements. Gradually, he jumped a bit higher, but his legs grew sore and he struggled to keep jumping.

Night had fallen, and the sky was speckled with stars. Aotian was still practicing on the mountain. The night breeze swept over him, plastering his sweat-drenched, fiery red hair to his face, preventing it from billowing in the wind.

"Huff, huff," he panted. After a hundred jumps, today's training was finally complete. Exhausted, Aotian collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"Not bad at all! You've managed to finish the first day of training. It's late; you should head back and rest. There's more practice waiting for you tomorrow," Dark Night Zhan commended Aotian.

"Okay, got it!" Aotian rose to his feet and trudged wearily back to his courtyard.

Upon arriving, he greeted Aunt Maria, took a shower, and then retreated to his room for some much-needed rest.

Once in his room, Aotian tumbled into bed. Despite his fatigue, the day's grueling training and exposure to the harsh sun left his body sore and restless, making sleep elusive.

In that moment, Dark Night Zhan reached out through their shared consciousness. "Kid, not too shabby. Do you know why today's training wore you out?"

"Why? I don't know," Aotian pondered before responding.

"It's because you didn't manage your energy properly. Consider running, for instance. You sprint with all your might right from the start, failing to conserve your energy, which is why you quickly run out of steam. And when lifting stones or jumping, you don't fully engage your body's strength or coordinate your muscles, especially in your waist. You rely on just a small group of muscles to do the work, which is why you feel so drained. You need to gradually address these shortcomings so you can withstand the upcoming training sessions, understand?"

"Lacking proper control over your physical strength, and it's uncoordinated?" Aotian savored his master's words, sinking into deep contemplation.

Observing Aotian deep in thought, Dark Night Zhan knew his message had hit home. He chose not to interrupt the reflection, instead watching over him intently.

Then, Aotian looked up, his face alight with excitement, "I've got it! Thank you, Master!"

Pleased with the breakthrough, Dark Night Zhan gave an approving nod, "Good! Now, get some rest. There's more to tackle tomorrow! If you're not ready to throw in the towel, best to rest up now!"

"Okay! I'm on it—I'll rest now!"

With those words, Aotian let his whole body relax and settled down to rest. It wasn't long before he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.