At this moment, the Kunlun Mirror was cruising through the Sea of Consciousness, feeling even freer and happier as the heavens broadened and the earth expanded.
Lu Li's expression showed surprise, "My Sea of Consciousness... It has indeed enlarged!"
He had harbored this feeling before, but it was not clear at that time, and he dared not be certain.
But now, his Sea of Consciousness had been expanded by 50% by the Kunlun Mirror, which was immediately noticeable at a glance.
The Sea of Consciousness, also known as the pineal gland, was considered since ancient times to be the place where the soul and consciousness were nurtured.
According to the ancient texts of Xia Country, the "Dao Shu," it was called "the cave of a hundred spirits, the jade chamber of soul essence."
An enlarged Sea of Consciousness would surely bring great benefits to one's spirit.
Yesterday, with the help of the Calming Incense, Lu Li had infused a great deal of spirit into the Kunlun Mirror.
The Magic Treasure, nourished in this way, was not only in great condition itself but also incidentally expanded its master's Sea of Consciousness further.
This might be a kind of "self-improvement of living conditions" instinct, but it brought Lu Li tangible benefits.
His spirit strength grew at an incredible rate;
With a strengthened spirit, he could refine the Kunlun Mirror even better;
And as the Kunlun Mirror was in great condition, it diligently expanded the Sea of Consciousness...
Thus, a perfect "benign internal cycle" was formed!
Lu Li was overjoyed, "This means, as long as I can solve the profound mystery of 'sudden insight,' I can rapidly improve my realm!"
With strength, one could protect oneself on Blue Star.
And whether it was his nature or the "family learning," Lu Li wanted to do something about Emperor Chuyun from the Otherworld.
Initially powerless due to a late start, he finally saw a glimmer of dawn!
In the midst of his passionate emotions, he suddenly heard a "squeak;" Xiao Cha's head popped through the window lattice.
"Hey, what time is it? Get up already!"
"I'm coming..."
Lu Li quickly went out.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was about 10:00 in the morning, and the sun was fierce.
Xiao Cha's pretty face was stern, ready to start teaching.
But Wanqing came over with a bowl of food, softly saying, "Martial arts training is tiring, Young Master Lu should eat something before practicing~"
In the bowl was millet porridge and a peeled hard-boiled egg.
Lu Li expressed his thanks and began to eat.
Xiao Cha took this opportunity to explain:
"Martial Arts is a Cultivation Method created by the Great Powers of ancient times, imitating the heavens and the universe. Like Spirit Refining, it has nine realms: Muscle Training, Bone Forging, and Refining Internal Organs are the first three realms!"
The girl only spoke of three realms because for someone in Lu Li's condition, achieving Bone Forging would be considered incredibly fortunate; there was no need to mention the rest.
Lu Li also voiced his doubts, "I have a disability, can I still practice martial arts?"
Xiao Cha confidently replied, "No big issue~ It's not about making you a master. Just need to strengthen the body to help with Spirit Refining Cultivation."
In that case, Lu Li certainly would not miss any opportunity to become stronger.
He gobbled up the food in just a few bites and said, "Then let's start."
"Great buildings rise from the ground; now let's begin the Muscle Training Cultivation!"
Xiao Cha straightened her pretty face and formally said:
"As the saying goes, 'When the bones are aligned, muscles supple, the energy and blood will flow naturally.' Muscle Training is about stretching the big muscles and tendons!
This realm is not magical; to master it is nothing more than being a gymnast.
But this is the foundation of Martial Arts, which must not be taken lightly! Even with your disability, you must give your utmost effort to lay a solid foundation!"
These were heartfelt words, and Lu Li nodded vehemently, "I understand and will not take it lightly!"
"Very good, I'll now teach you 'standing'; watch my movements carefully."
Xiao Cha's hands formed a circle, tiger's mouths facing each other, and then she rounded her arms and flung them.
"This is the 'Dragon Unbinding Stance,' which can translate the upper body's strength into the force of stretching muscles, minimizing the impact of your leg injury."
Xiao Cha had obviously thought ahead about Lu Li's difficulties and had come up with a solution in advance.
She swung her arms vigorously, her beautiful curves in full view, and the sweat on her body evaporated, giving off an enticing hormonal fragrance.
Lu Li felt a little parched and quickly entered a Concentration State, focusing his attention on the movements.
Under the aid of "Bullet Time," he watched for a while and then made the same movements, achieving a likeness of about 70%!
Xiao Cha's delicate voice directed, "Keep your back straight, and tighten your lower abdomen."
"Put more strength inward, increase the amplitude... Yes~ just like that!"
With every piece of advice she gave, Lu Li's movements became more precise, and after a few words, he perfectly executed the "Dragon Unbinding Stance"!
Xiao Cha was very satisfied, yet even more regretful, "What high aptitude! If it weren't for that broken leg, his achievements would be boundless!"
~~~~~~~~~~~
The two of them, one teaching and the other learning, were practicing happily.
But just after half an hour, Xiao Cha called a halt, "That's enough, take a break."
Lu Li was somewhat reluctant to stop.
The "Dragon Unbinding Stance," with its upper body swings, stretched the big muscles and ligaments around the body, especially along the spine.
At first, it was somewhat tiring, but the more he practiced, the more exhilarated he felt! It was like getting an itch scratched, overwhelmingly comfortable~
"Common saying goes, an inch of muscle growth adds ten years to life. Muscle Training is very beneficial, but you can't overdo it."
Xiao Cha gently patted Lu Li's left knee, where there was a slight soreness.
"With only one leg bearing the weight, you must take care to rest more. Don't wear out your body!"
The human body is delicate yet fragile, and overexertion can easily lead to chronic issues.
Lu Li had no choice but to sit down and rest. After half an hour, Xiao Cha allowed him to resume training.
And so, after starting and stopping, three hours passed, and it became noon.
Lu Li practiced until he was drenched in sweat, his weight-bearing left knee sore and intolerable, and the stump of his leg rubbed raw and painful.
Yet for all his efforts, the efficiency of the training was frustratingly low.
The missing leg severely affected his training effectiveness, causing the training to be disjointed and consuming a lot of time for resting.
Rubbing his knee, Lu Li realized that martial arts were a thankless, labor-intensive task for him.
Xiao Cha encouraged from the side, "You're doing very well already, only two or three years until you achieve Bone Forging~ much faster than most people~"
At that moment, Wanqing, who was gathering herbs nearby, looked up and said,
"Young Master Lu, you must be in a lot of pain. Let me help you massage and soothe it."
Hearing this, Xiao Cha intervened at once, "You don't have the strength in your hands, it won't do any good. Let me do it~"
Wanqing hesitated, "Never mind, you..."
Xiao Cha turned a deaf ear, went straight to Lu Li, and said,
"Take off your shirt, I'll loosen up your muscles."
Lu Li had not yet realized the severity of the situation and obediently complied.
Then, Xiao Cha extended her fair, smooth hand and grasped his trapezius muscle firmly!
"Ah~ Hiss!!!"
Her slender hand, like a tiger's pincers, caused Lu Li to cry out in pain.
"What are you yelling for~ man up, don't be so weak~"
Xiao Cha's lips were unrelenting, but her grip lightened suddenly, and it felt much better.
Wanqing reminded, "You've mastered Bone Forging, your hands can exert 500 pounds of force, so please be gentle."
"500 pounds!"
Lu Li was surprised! In other words, this slender girl had the same strength as an Olympic-level weightlifter!
It seemed martial arts were not so simple after all!
At the moment, Xiao Cha used her sturdy fingers like steel rods to ease the muscles around Lu Li's severed leg.
A thought struck Lu Li, and he asked, "In Martial Arts Body Refining, is there a way for people to regrow limbs?"
Both girls were momentarily stunned and spoke in unison, "Of course, the Golden Body Realm makes it possible!"
"Golden Body Realm... Is Emperor Chuyun also in this realm?"
"Mm-hmm, that's the Seventh Realm of Martial Arts, where you can withstand bombs with your flesh and blood, so a broken arm or leg is nothing~"
"Withstand bombs with the flesh..."
Having been blown up by a tank, Lu Li knew full well the power of a bomb.
He stood up and said, "I've rested enough, let's continue practicing. And about Calming Incense, can I use it at night?"
"Of course, it's all up to you."
The two girls looked puzzled, wondering why Lu Li suddenly seemed so urgent.
Even in Blue Star, practicing martial arts was a bitter and tiring affair.
Lu Li, filled with immense passion, sweated profusely as he trained throughout the day.
The next day, the soreness in his body was indescribable—moving a single finger would leave him in pain for a long time, and he nearly couldn't get out of bed.
Yet, contrary to that, his spirit was exceptionally rejuvenated.
It was only 5 in the morning, yet Lu Li was wide awake, his mind extremely active.
He closed his eyes to visualize the "Serenity Meditation Diagram," and within a minute, he succeeded, and he could barely keep the image stable within his Sea of Consciousness.
It was clear his spirit had grown stronger.
Lu Li couldn't help but feel deeply moved, "If only martial arts cultivation was as simple as this."
Unlike the exhausting training of martial arts, Refining God only required lighting an incense and channeling one's spirit into the magic treasure by inhaling the fragrance.
The difficulty of the two was truly worlds apart.
Lu Li endured the pain and stood up, his posture awkward as he walked out the door.
By then, the courtyard was bathed in bright sunshine, and birds chirped merrily.
Xiao Cha was already practicing her fist technique.
Today's movements were different from usual, large and wide, and her two pink arms whipped out continuously, creating a sequence of cracking sounds.
Sometimes when she moved broadly, a glimpse of her fair, rosy waist would show, revealing the seductive lines of her toned midriff.
Seeing Lu Li coming, Xiao Cha flashed her small white teeth and said,
"Wow, you actually came. I thought you wouldn't last!"
"How could I let down Master Xiao Cha's teaching?"
Smiling, Lu Li replied and started practicing with his arms circled, setting his stance.
...
"Lu Li, which country did you come back from?"
"Moxico."
"Oh, I've heard of it; it's a country on the America Continent. Why did you come back?"
"To travel."
...
During their rest, the two would chat.
Lu Li increasingly felt that the two worlds were extremely similar, with identical countries.
After several rounds of practice, Lu Li was about to ask why he hadn't seen Wanqing.
As if by telepathy, the next second, Wanqing appeared at the entrance of the medical hall, holding a bag of herbs.
She was followed by about ten children, also carrying large and small bags of herbs.
Lu Li curiously asked, "What's this all about?"
Xiao Cha answered, "Wanqing took on a job processing herbs. She thought it'd be good to include Tong Shao and the others, teaching them a skill to earn their keep."
Tong Shao was the beggar they had encountered on the street earlier.
The thin and pale children, under Wanqing's guidance, selected the herbs, each studying seriously.
However, the sun was really harsh, making Wanqing's face turn red and sweaty, the sweat glistening as it slid down her smooth neck.
Not wanting to see the girl suffer, Lu Li frowned and said, "Why take on such a task in this scorching heat?"
Scratching her head, Xiao Cha explained, "Wanqing also wants to earn more money... It's not good to always depend on you."
"Ah, there's no need to be so formal."
Lu Li instantly understood the situation and walked over to where Wanqing was.
The children, seeing him approach, showed none of the innocence they should have, instead lowering their heads in fear.
Only the little girl known as "Tong Shao," with her hair tied in a ponytail, boldly sized him up.
Lu Li smiled warmly, then said,
"Sister Wanqing, I have some spare wealth, enough for cultivation. Don't overwork yourself."
Wanqing, having tucked her sweaty strands of hair behind her ear, softly said,
"I already owe Young Master Lu a lot, let me help as much as I can."
Lu Li couldn't disregard the girl's good intentions and instead persuaded,
"Then focus more on your cultivation. There are some things I still need to consult you about."
"Mm, I understand." Wanqing smiled and nodded.
Lu Li nodded and turned to leave, continuing his martial arts practice.
He had just left, when Tong Shao started chattering:
"Sister Wanqing, who is that? Is he your sweetheart? He's really handsome and seems very fond of you..."
Wanqing rubbed her little head and just smiled without saying anything.
Afterwards, Tong Shao's big round eyes kept stealing glances at Lu Li.
When it was time for a break, she eagerly brought over a can of water.
"Thank you."
Lu Li politely expressed his thanks, then took it and drank.
Seeing how gentle he was, Tong Shao blinked her innocent eyes and blurted out nonstop:
"My name's Tong Shao~ What's yours~ You're so fair~ Are you a young master from a wealthy family?"
"My name is Lu Li, just an ordinary person."
The little girl was lively and cute, and Lu Li was about to reach out to pinch her pigtail...
But she was very vigilant and ran off covering her braid with her hand.
Xiao Cha laughed from the side: "This little lass slips away like a slippery monkey, and she talks fast too. She seems to really like you."
Lu Li flashed a faint smile, suddenly feeling that life in the Otherworld was actually quite nice.
But just then, two burly men suddenly entered through the clinic's main door.
Both were dressed in tight clothing, faces covered with stubble, strong and brawny, but their expressions were unexpectedly sinister, staring at people like hungry wolves.
As soon as the children saw them, they immediately showed expressions of fear, even the lively Tong Shao curled up into a ball.
Xiao Cha immediately sprang forward, pointing at their noses and scolded:
"Wang Wen! Wang Wu! You two human traffickers dare to come here, looking for death?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Human trafficker is another term for human trafficker.
These two brothers, eyeing a group of children and Wanqing, showed a thick look of greed!
Their demeanor was no different from the Black Gang in Moxico, as if all the world's bullies had the same disgusting faces.
Lu Li silently stood by Xiao Cha.
At that moment, Wang Wen said with a faux smile:
"Officer Luo Xunbu, cool down, you still aren't in the Refining Realm, and murder demands life~"
"I'd rather break with you beast! It would spare the children from your harm!"
Xiao Cha's pretty face turned icy cold, her hand moved to her waist and suddenly drew out a nine-section whip!
With a flick of her arm, the whip turned into a silver dragon and burst out with a loud "snap"!
Wang Wen's face changed slightly, showing a hint of fear, but he quickly composed himself and arrogantly said:
"Just so Officer Luo knows, we're here on behalf of 'Yahang' for legitimate business!"
Wang Wen took out a document from his chest and continued, "The gear factory is hiring child workers, any beggars here want to go?"
Occasionally, human traffickers would do something akin to labor dispatch.
Xiao Cha coldly took the paper and glanced at it, and indeed it was a recruitment advertisement asking for child workers, no pay, but food and accommodation provided.
In these times, employing child labor was very common, some as young as five or six years entering factories.
But Xiao Cha didn't trust the people before her.
She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it in Wang Wen's face, sneering:
"Those who want to go, I'll let them apply at the match factory themselves, you can leave now."
Seeing Xiao Cha touched and looked at the paper, the two brothers facially displayed a barely noticeable joy.
Wang Wen even feigned indignation, "Officer Luo, that's not very honorable..."
"Not honorable? Still better than ending up in the Bitter Cave Brothel because of you." Xiao Cha coolly said:
"Do so many immoral things, be careful one day your ancestral grave gets dug up."
Upon hearing this, Wang Wu, who had been silent the whole time, his face showed a fierce look, and his hand reached towards his waist.
Wang Wen quickly held back his brother, mockingly said: "Fine, Officer Luo is busy, we'll meet again some other time."
The two turned and left, but just before leaving, Wang Wu fixed his gaze on Wanqing for quite a while.
You may also Like
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT