Chapter 3
In a rather deep area of the northern Death Forest, there was a small, ordinary house. It was so well-hidden from view, obscured by the thick surrounding trees, as if nature itself was concealing it.
Despite its ordinary appearance, strangely, the area around the house was filled with pure and dense qi energy. The house itself emitted a mysterious aura that differed from its surroundings. If a cultivator saw it, they would feel as though they were looking at something hidden, something that could ease their understanding and enhance their cultivation level.
In the morning, the crowing of a rooster in the small house’s backyard woke its owner. The owner appeared disoriented from just waking up. After a few seconds, they became aware and looked out of the bright window.
Surprised by the morning brightness, the owner hurried out of their room to prepare breakfast. Half an hour later, a little girl awoke from one of the other rooms in the house after hearing the commotion.
Emerging from her room, the little girl went toward the source of the noise and found her master preparing food at the table.
As the little girl approached her master to help with the meal, her master declined her assistance and told her to sit down. Once all the food was on the table, the master invited her student to eat with her.
“Thank you for the meal, master. I’m sorry I didn’t help prepare the food.”
“It’s alright; you must be tired after the journey last night.”
Seeing her student’s sad expression and tone, Vheena didn’t mind. To make her student feel better, she asked her to wash the dishes.
After her student washed the dishes, Vheena told her to bathe and clean herself.
A few minutes later, the student approached Vheena, who was relaxing and eating fruit.
Noticing that the student was still wearing shabby clothes, Vheena realized she had forgotten to provide her with new clothes. She took her student to her room to get some clothes and then thought.
‘Since I live alone, I probably don’t have clothes that fit her. If I go to the village again to ask for clothes, it would damage my reputation with the villagers. Besides, I feel quite embarrassed about asking for their help repeatedly without giving anything in return.’
‘For now, it’s better if RuanRuan just wears my clothes, and later I can make some clothes for her using the needle and thread I got from the villagers before.’
After thinking for a moment, Vheena chose clothes that were small enough for her student. Seeing her student change clothes in front of her, with clothes that were clearly bigger than her body, made Vheena feel a hidden urge within her.
‘Ugh, this little girl is too innocent. She is not embarrassed to change clothes in front of me. Is it because I am a woman that makes her not suspicious? If this continues, I might become a lolicon in the future.’
After changing clothes, Vheena took Ruan Xiaoyue to the backyard of the house. On the way, she thought about the right words to craft a good explanation for the training she was about to give her student. Upon reaching the backyard, she turned her back to her student to compose her prepared speech and then explained the activities they would undertake.
“RuanRuan, since you’ve become my disciple, I will train you strictly. Your master does not know the meaning of surrender! Once you become my disciple, you must endure all the training I give you.”
“Since you are just starting to cultivate, I will tell you that in cultivation there are levels and stages. The levels start from Martial Practicing, Foundation Building, and so on. While the stages are 4: Early, Mid, High, and Peak.”
“The Martial Practicing realm is where your body is tempered so that your physical strength exceeds human limits.”
Seeing her student nodding at what seemed like absurd explanations, Vheena immediately gave a serious expression and detailed the physical training her student needed to learn.
“This physical technique I am giving you is a high-level technique, and you must master it.”
“The training consists of 100 Push-Ups, 100 Sit-Ups, 100 Squat-Jumps, and a 20 li (10 km) run. You must not stop until you complete the training!”
‘This is really embarrassing! Giving such strange training like in anime to my student! This is so embarrassing!’
Unaware of her master’s blushing face due to embarrassment, Ruan Xiaoyue was lost in thought about her master’s explanation and confused by the terms. Seeing her student just standing still without starting the training, Vheena asked why she wasn’t beginning.
“Why are you just standing there, RuanRuan? Is there something you don’t understand?”
“Yes, master! Actually, I don’t know what Push-Ups, Sit-Ups, and Squat-Jumps are?”
Hearing her student’s question, Vheena realized she hadn’t explained how to perform the exercises. She demonstrated the movements and asked her student to follow along.
‘Uwaah... I’m really cruel, making a little child practice Caped Baldy techniques. Look! She can only manage to the fifth count with her skinny body. I guess I’ll have to lighten the training load,’ Vheena thought, inadvertently letting out a sigh.
Struggling to follow her master’s techniques turned out to be harder than expected. Upon reaching the seventh count, hearing her master’s sighs made Ruan Xiaoyue feel embarrassed about herself.
“RuanRuan, if you really can’t do it, just tell your master. I’ll surely lighten your training.”
“It’s okay, master! I won’t embarrass you! I won’t give up!”
“O-oh..”
Touched by her master’s concern, Ruan Xiaoyue was determined to complete the training. Seeing her student’s determination, Vheena could only helplessly watch as her student did Push-Ups with trembling arms. Taking a chair, she sat quietly and observed her student’s training.
‘It’s better if I just watch over her today. If she gives up later, I can encourage her,’ Vheena thought.
‘What’s going on! This is impossible! How can this be?’
Hours of watching her student train left Vheena confused. Seeing her student, nearly out of breath but still determined to finish, surprised her.
Although it took 3 hours to complete the training, it wasn’t easy, especially for her skinny body. Panicking at Ruan Xiaoyue’s apparent exhaustion, Vheena ran into the house to fetch a drink.
Approaching her student to praise her hard work, Vheena said, “My disciple, your determination is truly remarkable! I didn’t expect you to complete training that even most people would give up on the first day. I’m truly happy to have you as my disciple.”
“Th-thank... you... master..”
Responding with labored breaths, Vheena could only pat her back and give her some water to drink.
‘Whether it’s luck or misfortune to have someone like her as my disciple,’ she thought, turning her attention to the clear, cloudless sky.