Chapter 28: Training
"You gotta go lower. Pain is a very good indicator. The moment you feel it's less painful than before, you gotta increase the difficulty.
Don't keep thinking it's painful. Just look at the pain, the part of the body that hurts and attentively breathe as the technique says. As you do this, you gradually make a distance between you and pain. You are not in pain, it's just the legs. As you make the distinction, although the physical pain won't go away, the mental amplification is greatly reduced. It is never really as painful as you think it is. It is mostly the mental amplification that comes with the added thought that you are the one in pain. You keep looking at the area of pain and you'll understand what is what which would help greatly reduce the amplification." Wan Lin instructed after he hurled abuses at the millionth half assed attempt Zhang Wuji made at one of the stances.
"Damn Wuji! It really pains me as I think of the precious herbs you have wasted over the years." Wan Lin spat on the ground as he expressed his disgruntlement.
"Could you speak lower! We are not the only ones here." Zhang Wuji looked at the other disciples on the training ground and shouted in a low voice to Wan Lin.
"Don't speak! Concentrate on your breath! No wonder you are in fifth level despite consuming so many precious herbs." Zhang Wuji really regretted accepting Wan Lin's suggestion to cultivate on the training grounds. He also regretted showing him all the herbs he gets.
The previous day he had come late from drama practice and went straight to bed. Wan Lin happened to be free in the mornings for the next few days and had woken him up long before sunrise to get ready for training. He had made Wan Lin a bowl of herbal soup as he couldn't drink all by himself when he had another sitting right infront of him. What more someone who came to help him. That is when Wan Lin saw his herbs. From then on he didn't stop cursing him.
He had said it would be cramped in the room with the two of them so he should train in the training grounds. He had innocently agreed but bow he felt that he had deliberately suggested this to hurl abuses at him infront of the crowd.
"I initially only wanted to time you. But now we need to work on your form first. This is a lot of work. I had foolishly thought I hit the jackpot when you came up with the offer. Whatever, let's concentrate on the form first. Remember, keep looking at the pain. Even if fake, start rejoicing when you see it. See it, not feel it."
...
"Alright. Third cycle onwards there is nothing I can do to help you. You complete the rest yourself, I'll go start my own cultivation."
"Wait. You can guide me in the third cycle, you know to keep me from drifting." Zhang Wuji said carefully. He was not sure whether Wan Lin would agree. He himself was not sure about it. In his past life, he had heard about guided meditation so he thought it maybe helpful.
Wan Lin thought for a bit and said "This time you do it yourself. Next time we'll start earlier. I'll get late for classes otherwise."
"Right. Thanks." Wan Lin waved as if to say no problem and went on his way.
Right as he was about to enter the building, Zhang Wuji remembered something and shouted "What about the will power thing?"
"Not anytime soon. We'll do it next week." He shouted back and disappeared into the building.
Zhang Wuji then did the rest of his training, sat before the alchemy books for a while before going to classes.
After the classes he went to the Pill House where Li Xiaomei taught him about a blood coagulation paste and it's ingredients and briefly talked about the various pills they are used in. Next she told him that she'll conduct tests once every week and sent him away.
'There's Lin Xiao extraction method and elementary couldron operation formations that I have to learn today. Haah it would have been better if she taught this too.'
'I also need to talk about the herb garden job thing with Lin Yingjie. It'd be great if he knows someone. Otherwise that's a big headache. I don't know how many asses I'd have to kiss and how much I'd have to spend before I get a suitable one.'
'Wan Lin was too much today. My whole body hurts like crazy. I'll speak with him tomorrow. One day wouldn't make much difference. I'll speak to him in the morning. There won't be any difference at all, it's not like he can do anything this late.' He looked at the night sly and thought.
'No! That's laziness speaking. I'll go speak to him today and remind him tomorrow too, that'd be best.' He increased his pace and went straight to Lin Yingjie's room and knocked.
"Brother Zhang?" He heard a voice from behind him and turned.
"Brother Lin, I was looking for you. As you know I'm learning alchemy right now. I have too much time on my hands and would like to come in contact with some herbs. Wan Lin suggested me to get a job at the herb garden. Do you know someone there?"
"Whoa, slow down brother Zhang, what's the hurry. You came at the right time. I just came to get some items and go back to the swamps. Me, Pan Mu and some others have a bet going on, wanna join?"
"No brother Lin, I have some studying to do." 'I'm not so eager to lose. Have some shame! Bullying others with your seventh level cultivation.' He grumbled inwardly as he answered.
"Alright," he was a bit disappointed, the first time he had earned a lot and the earnings kept decreasing since. He sighed and responded to his query "I think I can arrange something. What exactly are you looking for?"
"Only one hour of work daily. And I get to choose which garden and what part of the garden I work at."
"Impossible! There's no way I can make that happen. One hour of work is no problem, garden also can be managed but anything more than that is not possible. Garden also, you can't always choose. Some are packed, some need workers urgently, but every now and then switching gardens is possible."
"Alright, that'd be great."
"Ok, then I'll see you later. Next week we're gonna battle with Fatty Wu's gang wanna come? It'll be fun."
"Nah, I'm gonna be busy the next few months."
"Ok bye, I'm already late." He then opened his door and took some stuff and ran out of the building in the direction of the swamp.
'Hais, what a fun life.' *shakes head* 'Gotta study' he walked to his room and started studying.
...
Next day.
Today Wan Lin trained him till the third cycle. He had also made some changes into his stance hold timings. After the training he dragged his aching body to classes before enquiring Lin Yingjie about the job matter. There were no results there. He didn't expect results in a single day and was therefore not worried.
After that he went to the Pill House. He was late after the discussion with Lin Yingjie. He had only intended for a two to three line dialogue, which Lin Yingjie had turned it into a great discussion somehow. Today they had decided to practice drama after alchemy class, so Li Xiaomei was not happy with the delay and went on to delay further with a lecture about punctuality.
After the lecture, she continued with alchemy lessons. Since the previous lesson, she started bringing all the things they were going to discuss about. Her stories were now more informative and organised. After the lessons they went straight to Shan Daoling's room where they held their drama practice.
Shan Daoling and Zhai Qingshuang were waiting for them by the time they reached the venue. Shan Daoling came forward to greet them and asked for the reason behind their delay.
After Li Xiaomei was done with her long list of complaints, Shan Daoling turned towards Zhang Wuji and asked "Do you want me to arrange a job for you?"
'That'd be great! No wait, I don't even know them that much. Maybe I shouldn't be asking them for favors. No, he's the one that asked me. It should be ok. Wait I..' He was instantly assaulted with an unrelenting wave of thoughts.
"What are you spacing out for! Fourth brother, do that. This fellow has gone even more stupid and is now finding it difficult to decide about an obvious thing. What, does he think his friend can do a better job than a grade two alchemist who is also the personal disciple of the sect's greatest alchemist? I say, the other day I was.." Li Xiaomei started listing out all her complains about her incompetent student.
'Ah teacher Li, you were much cuter when you tried to persuade me into acting. Anyway, thank you for making the decision for me.' Zhang Wuji was helpless about her constant complaining. 'Maybe her Master taught her the same way, but Shan Daoling turned out good. Maybe he'll be the same when teaching.' But this time she really helped him big time.
....
After the drama practice he was too tired and it was too late so he went straight to sleep.
After a few days of this routine, Wan Lin brought him to the will power test venue.
"Your goal is to break your record and reach as high as possible. How high did you say you climbed last time?"
"36! Why do you keep asking me that? It's not like I said 60 or something! It's just 36 barely crossed the passing mark."
"Yeah yeah whatever. So climb higher and try to reach forty or something." Zhang Wuji gave him a pissed off look before looking at the hill.
Zhang Wuji's eyes followed the steps and stopped at the pavillion for a moment before he took a deep breath and climbed onto the first step.
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