Three days later, the sun shone brightly overhead.
Although it was already autumn and the willow leaves had begun to turn yellow, the temperature remained high. The days were muggy and oppressive, and the world felt like a steam basket, making one extremely uncomfortable.
Fang Yue felt even more miserable practicing his Pile Skill every day.
He couldn't help but think, 'There are no gyms or air conditioners here.'
'The perseverance of those who train through the harshest days of winter and the hottest days of summer without rest is truly admirable.'
But no matter what he thought, Fang Yue could only grit his teeth and persevere.
Getting stronger and surviving in this world had always been his goal.
Being able to pursue the Martial Dao was a dream come true.
Therefore, he had to overcome any and all hardships.
Time flew by, and in a blink, the sun reached its zenith.
Today's training was about to end.
[Time flies, Heaven rewards the diligent, Talent +1]
[Current Talent: 100 (One in a Hundred)]
[Note: One in a Hundred. You can distinguish yourself among mortals. If you make good use of it, you will surpass ordinary people.]
WHOOSH!
As the text flashed before his eyes, Fang Yue, who had already reached his limit for today's Pile Skill practice, was about to stop.
But now, a warm current surged through his body, sweeping away all his fatigue and discomfort.
An almost instinctual, strange sensation took over. His body began to adjust itself spontaneously, making a few slow, slight movements.
These minor changes caused much of his discomfort to dissipate, and the rhythm of his breathing became more and more coordinated with his Pile Skill stance.
He even felt as if his body were soaking in a hot spring, and he couldn't help but immerse himself in the feeling.
~~~~~~
Inside the house,
Fang Hu was drinking tea while Fang Ergou was processing medicinal herbs to the side.
He ground the dried herbs into a powder and then placed them into a clay pot on a small stove nearby.
BUBBLE, BUBBLE. The murky medicinal soup churned, and the rich aroma of herbs filled the air.
After about a quarter of an hour,
the fire gradually died down. The bitter aroma of the medicine faded, and the soup itself became much clearer, taking on an amber color like a cup of tea.
Fang Ergou poured the soup into a nearby teapot. It was just enough for two cups, no more, no less.
"Dad, we're running low on medicinal herbs."
Fang Ergou said to his father after finishing the decoction and cleaning the small stove and clay pot.
"In a couple of days, I'll make a trip to the county town and sell the furs we have at home," Fang Hu said.
Practicing a Breathing Technique requires one to take corresponding medicinal soups.
Otherwise, it's easy to sustain hidden injuries.
Since Fang Hu had decided to teach Fang Yue, he was naturally aware of Fang Yue's family situation. That was why he was providing all the medicinal herbs required for Fang Yue's training.
He had already made this clear to Fang Mu beforehand.
Furthermore, he also provided Fang Yue with two meals a day.
This was one of the reasons he had been able to persuade Fang Mu and Ms. Chen.
In a few more days, once Fang Yue crossed the threshold, he would take him to the city to formally meet his own master and establish the master-disciple relationship.
"Ergou, go check on Yue. He should be about done with his training by now. Tell him to come in and drink his medicine."
Having seen how properly Fang Yue had been training these past few days, Fang Hu no longer felt the need to watch over him constantly. The foundational skills weren't difficult; the key was persistence.
Based on his performance over the last few days, Fang Yue should have reached his limit by now.
"Yes, got it, Dad."
Fang Ergou responded and ran out.
Only after Fang Ergou left did Fang Hu begin to process the final ingredient, adding a tincture into the freshly brewed medicinal soup.
With this step complete, the Little White Tiger Strength Soup, which aided in cultivation, was successfully prepared.
In truth, the reason it had this name was because tiger bone was a key ingredient in the decoction.
As for why he had to perform the final step away from Ergou, it was because it was a secret passed down within his martial school.
Although Ergou was his biological son, he had never formally become a disciple.
The introductory Breathing Technique and Pile Skill could be taught, but the recipe for the crucial Little White Tiger Strength Soup could not.
It wasn't that Fang Hu was being inflexible; the matter was simply too important. It could not be passed on privately and required either his master's permission or for Ergou to be formally initiated as a disciple.
~~~~~~
Enough time to drink a cup of tea passed.
"Hm? Why haven't Fang Yue and Ergou come in yet?"
Fang Hu picked up the teapot, ready to pour some tea, only to find it was empty.
Hm?
'That's not right. They've had enough time to wash up and more.'
Filled with doubt, Fang Hu walked out the door and immediately saw Fang Ergou on the other side of the courtyard, playing with a lynx.
'Well, now. I told you to go get Fang Yue, and here you are, playing with a lynx.'
'Such frivolous distractions will be the ruin of you!'
Fang Hu's face darkened with anger, and he was about to scold Fang Ergou.
But just then, his gaze naturally swept over and fell upon Fang Yue on the other side of the courtyard.
In his view, Fang Yue—who should have finished his training and been resting—was still holding his Pile Skill stance!
'This...?'
'His breathing is natural and deep, his aura is stable... He's not forcing it. He's already mastered it?'
'Has he crossed the threshold?'
'How is that possible? It's only been a few days!'
'Three days, or four?'
Fang Hu couldn't help but rub his eyes. The muscles on his dark face twitched, and his mouth opened and closed like a beached grass carp.
His mind was in such a jumble that he couldn't even remember exactly how many days Fang Yue had been training with him.
'Back when I was studying under our master, there were more than twenty of us martial brothers. The most talented one, my Third Senior Brother, took three days to reach this level of proficiency in the Pile Skill and Breathing Technique when he first started. Even then, Master called his Talent top-tier.'
'Could it be... '
'that this Fang Yue also possesses top-tier Talent?'
'Was I wrong before? Is Fang Yue's Talent even greater?'
'Is his innate Divine Power not his limit? Can his Talent continue to improve?'
At that moment, he had even forgotten his intention to punish Fang Ergou.
Instead, he walked over to Fang Ergou's side.
"Ergou."
"Ah! Dad!"
Fang Hu's voice suddenly sounded from behind him, giving Fang Ergou, who was busy teasing the lynx, a huge fright. He was about to cry out instinctively.
But before he could make a sound, he felt a large, powerful hand clamp over his mouth.
"Shh, be quiet. Don't startle your brother Yue."
Fang Hu's gaze was stern as he glared at his impetuous son. 'Can't you see Yue is completely absorbed in his training? The first time one crosses the threshold, the longer they can maintain the state, the better the results.'
'If he were startled and broke out of his training, it would negatively affect the outcome, which would be a real shame.'
He had explained these rules of cultivation to Fang Ergou long ago, but he was still so reckless.
'Sigh, my son is a good kid in every other way, but he's just too rash and inflexible.'
"Has your brother Yue been training this whole time? Without stopping in between?"
Although he could already tell the answer from Fang Yue's training state, Fang Hu still needed to confirm it.
Fang Ergou nodded.