Five days.
That was how long it took Jingliu to adapt to a 200-pound load and maintain a speed of no less than 40 miles per hour to complete her first 80-mile long-distance run.
Every morning felt like the beginning of a predictable torture session.
Collapsing from physical exhaustion and passing out completely was no different from losing half her life; that was the finish line.
Waking up the next day, all her fatigue would miraculously vanish, and the cycle would repeat.
With every step and every swing of her arms, the Star-Iron Sand equipment on her limbs constantly exerted a weight that threatened to drag her into the ground.
Her sword-swinging training had also been interrupted for a few days because of this. She could barely comfort herself by calling it a blessing in disguise.
A person's ability to adapt and endure often grows most rapidly through cruelty.
Finally, on the fifth day, Jingliu was able to complete her morning run... while remaining conscious.
She thought her master might say something to praise her, but instead, she received a command devoid of any emotion.
"I'll give you two minutes to rest, then begin three thousand sword swings. Oh, at this stage, you may remove the weights from your hands and feet."
"..."
Jingliu's expression stiffened.
Because she hadn't been able to complete the weighted runs in the previous days, she had naturally missed her sword-swinging training.
And the phrase 'at this stage'... did it mean she wouldn't be allowed to take them off for future sword training?
Her small face couldn't help but tremble slightly.
It seemed she would still faint from exhaustion tonight... "Yes... Master!"
She wanted to protest, but in the end, she swallowed her emotions.
She couldn't help but miss the Guard Qi from before the fall of Azure City—the one from the traditional Cloud Knights camp tourney who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
Compared to her current master... he had been practically amiable.
Clearly the same person, yet his attitude was worlds apart.
When it came to training her, the word'strict' didn't even begin to cover it; even 'harsh' felt like an understatement.
But... thinking of certain things in the past, Jingliu's heart felt incredibly conflicted.
How painful must it have been for Master to personally kill a family member who had fallen into mara affliction?
She could roughly understand why Master had become like this.
Perhaps the kindness and tenderness deep within Master's heart had completely vanished the moment he killed his own mother.
All that remained was... endless hatred for the Abominations of Abundance.
She and Master were in agreement on this point.
She must not disappoint Master!
Jingliu tightened her fists, gripped her longsword, and gritted her teeth as she assumed an all-too-familiar stance.
"One, two, three..."
The outcome was no surprise; she was so exhausted that she completely lost consciousness.
After that, it was Qi Zhimu's turn to take over.
He was well-versed in this routine.
Only at this moment would Qi Zhimu shed his merciless majesty and tenderly pick up his disciple.
The next day, as dawn broke.
Jingliu stared blankly at her fair, delicate palms, somewhat dazed.
Her strength had suddenly increased significantly... When she woke up, she had accidentally crushed the edge of the bed.
Only now did she notice that if she were a Short-Lived Species, these hands would have probably developed calluses long ago.
For the Xianzhou people, who could even regrow a wisdom tooth after it was pulled, there was no need to worry about such skin damage.
She fingered the silver moon jade pendant hanging from her neck for a moment, then got out of bed, washed up briefly, and entered the main hall.
Breakfast was prepared as always. After eating and resting for a moment, the hellish training began.
She grabbed the bottle of pills on the table, put it in her pocket, and ran out toward the martial arts arena.
It was a bit bitter, but she had grown accustomed to such days.
In the arena, Master was also there as usual, holding a horse stance.
Except while her horse stance was for sword training, Master's was for weight-bearing, standing as immovable as a mountain.
Today, the things on Master's shoulders weren't cylindrical steel bars, but two Aurumaton Gatekeepers... A human carrying two mechanical constructs that far outweighed him without moving an inch was a somewhat terrifying sight.
Whenever she saw Qi Zhimu's even more terrifying morning routine, Jingliu would hypnotize herself into believing the hardships she faced were nothing.
This was the primary source of motivation that kept her gritting her teeth and persevering every day.
Watching her master's figure allowed her to hold on longer.
"Good morning, Master."
"Mm."
Hearing the response, Jingliu habitually put on her arm and leg guards, took a deep breath, and began her training.
The morning sun shed its shyness, peeking its silhouette over the horizon and rising at a steady pace.
The warm light was pleasant, casting a dreamlike filter over the master and disciple in the arena.
Shadows lengthened from beneath the green trees surrounding the track, and the birds in the trees began to sing melodic tunes.
Among the various sounds of nature, Jingliu's slightly hurried breathing gradually joined in.
The leaden weight on her hands and feet no longer imposed an unbearable burden on her.
In less than an hour, she completed the training that used to be considered torture in one go.
When she stopped and panted heavily, Jingliu was still dazed, feeling that it was all a bit surreal.
"Rest for three minutes. Starting today, the training content will include three thousand sword swings while wearing the weights."
Qi Zhimu helped Jingliu snap back to reality instantly.
Jingliu's face fell as she silently pulled the small bottle from her pocket, poured out a pill, and swallowed it.
The dry, parched feeling in her throat quickly dissipated.
The weighted run was finished, but weighted sword swings... holding a single posture for a long time without moving was actually harder than repeating a movement without stopping for a long time.
To be honest, Jingliu didn't have a shred of confidence.
To put it in simple terms, how could she currently manage to lift a hundred-plus pound barbell three thousand times in a row, and at a fast pace?
As it turned out, Jingliu was very self-aware.
Throughout the morning, she fell backward several times, bruising her back and buttocks badly.
She also fell forward several times, scraping the skin off her arms, which showed dark red in multiple places.
Finally—she fainted.
However, this time, Qi Zhimu did not treat her wounds, nor did he let her soak in a medicinal bath.
He simply waited for Jingliu to wake up, threw her a nutritionally balanced lunch box, and ordered her to continue training after resting for fifteen minutes.
For the first time, Jingliu felt absolutely miserable upon waking from her exhaustion-induced faint.
Her whole body was in excruciating pain; being hit by a starship traveling at 200 kilometers per hour might not have been as painful.
The hand holding the chopsticks wouldn't stop shaking, and the food she tried to bring to her mouth would occasionally miss and fall back into the box.
In this state, the outcome of continuing the training was obvious.
The fierce sun dipped below the horizon, and the crescent moon rose steadily with the night.
The familiar evening breeze, the familiar medicinal bath.
And the familiar, half-dead Jingliu.
Over a dozen silver needles were pricked into the girl's exposed, fair back. As Qi Zhimu twisted them with his fingers, the pain in her brow slowly faded.
Once the emerald-green medicinal liquid in the wooden tub turned clear, it was the familiar routine again.
At dawn the next day, Jingliu walked to the full-length mirror and took off her pajamas.
She turned left and right to look at herself.
Her skin was supple and white, glowing with a healthy luster. There were no scars remaining, nor any discomfort left from her injuries or fatigue.
"What exactly... did Master do to me last night..."
Her biology books at the Academy said that Xianzhou people had strong restorative powers, but they weren't this strong.
How could someone who had lost half their life become full of vigor after just one night's sleep?
Wait, no, thinking about it carefully, there actually was such a thing!
...The Mara-Struck...