Chapter 14: Body Refining 2nd Layer
The midnight air hung still over the training grounds as Xiang Yu executed his final forms, sweat glistening on his brow despite the cool evening breeze. As his muscles worked through the familiar motions, an unusual vitality coursed through his limbs. Each movement felt lighter, more responsive than normal.
This feels different somehow, he mused, pausing briefly to catch his breath. A pleasant warmth radiated from his core, invigorating rather than exhausting him. Could it be from that beast meat I ate earlier?
He recalled the beast meat he had prepared from Li Yao's "captured" prey. Monster beasts that had begun their own cultivation journey contained spiritual essence that could nourish a cultivator's body. He thought that it would be nice if he could eat such meat everyday, but Xiang Yu quickly dismissed the thought—he wasn't capable of hunting such beasts so it was better to stop dreaming.
The thought of the beast meat brought Li Yao's request flooding back to his mind. After presenting him with the battered lion, she'd asked for a simple reward—a date. He couldn't rightfully refuse after she'd "solved" his mysterious observer problem. Tomorrow, they would visit a nearby mortal town together.
A satisfied smile crept across Xiang Yu's face as he considered the brilliance of his chosen location. My plan is actually quite impressive, he congratulated himself. The mortal town offered minimal chances of encountering other cultivators, who rarely bothered interacting with common folk. Without cultivators around, the risk to his life dropped significantly—exactly what his survival strategy demanded.
While he would have preferred dedicating the day to further practice, Xiang Yu rationalized the excursion as an opportunity to explore this new world he found himself in. Knowledge, after all, was another form of power.
As these thoughts circulated through his mind, the familiar translucent blue screen materialized before him:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (53/100) (+5/100)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (35/300) (+10/300)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (35/300) → Intermediate (70/300)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 1st Layer (53/100) → 2nd Layer (0/200)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
Xiang Yu's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. Ten points gained in his knife technique today—double his usual progress! His mind quickly analyzed the unexpected windfall, connecting dots with the unusual energy he'd felt during practice.
The beast meat, he realized. Normally, fatigue would gradually diminish his effectiveness, each hour of practice yielding diminishing returns as exhaustion crept in. But today, the nourishing properties of the beast's meat had kept his energy consistently high, allowing him to maintain peak performance throughout his training.
A surge of gratitude toward Li Yao washed over him, though pragmatism quickly tempered his excitement. Such an occurrence would probably be a one time thing since he couldn't expect regular access to beast meat.
Still, he couldn't help but feel satisfaction at reaching the second layer of the Mountain Heart Scripture, automatically advancing his Body Refining to the same level. With a thought, he summoned his full status screen:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body Refining 2nd Layer]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Techniques: Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (70/300)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 2nd Layer (3/200)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
His eyes narrowed slightly as they focused on the Mountain Heart Scripture's experience points. The conversion rate has jumped to ten-to-one after the breakthrough, he noted with a resigned sigh. This development wasn't unexpected—the higher he climbed, the steeper the path would become.
Yet optimism prevailed as he calculated his potential gains. With his knife technique now at seventy points, tomorrow's doubling would yield seven entire points for his scripture—substantial progress despite the increased difficulty. The third stage might be closer than he'd initially thought.
With that comforting analysis, Xiang Yu finally allowed his body to rest, retreating to his humble dwelling for a well-earned sleep. Tomorrow would bring an unexpected adventure with his junior sister, but tonight, he would savor the sweet taste of advancement.
...
In the hallowed halls of the scripture pavilion, Dean Gu Hanming lounged in his chair, rocking back and forth with languid disinterest. The afternoon's monotony hung thick in the air—until sudden footfalls shattered the silence. A young disciple burst through the doorway, chest heaving, face flushed with exertion.
"Dean, something happened!" the youth gasped, words tumbling out between desperate gulps of air.
Gu Hanming's brows furrowed in immediate irritation. "What is it? Why are you running in the halls?" His voice carried the sharp edge of a man accustomed to rigid order and unquestioning respect.
The disciple bent slightly, hands on knees, struggling to compose himself. "Elder, he left," he managed, still fighting to regulate his breathing.
"Speak properly!" The dean's fingers clenched the armrests of his chair, knuckles whitening. "Who left?"
"It's Xiang Yu," the disciple clarified, finally straightening his posture. "He left the sect."
The annoyance etched across the dean's face melted away like morning frost under a sudden sun. His lips curled upward, transforming gradually into a smile that carried no warmth—only malicious anticipation.
"Good, good," he repeated, the words dripping with venomous satisfaction. His eyes narrowed to predatory slits as he savored the moment. "You dare to kill my brother... wait and see what I'll do to you."
Rising from his seat with newfound energy, the dean turned toward the disciple. "Go and gather five people," he commanded, already formulating his plan of retribution.
The young man hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. "He didn't leave alone," he interjected. "Li Yao is accompanying him as well."
Gu Hanming froze mid-step. For a heartbeat, uncertainty flickered across his features—a momentary calculation of risk and reward. Then, his expression settled into something even more sinister than before.
"Actually, this is even better," he said, a menacing chuckle escaping his throat. "She was the one who killed my brother." His voice dropped to a near-whisper, as if sharing a delicious secret with himself. "I'll take care of her personally."
Striding toward the exit, the dean paused only briefly to glance back at the disciple. "Look after here for a moment."
"Yes, Dean," the young man bowed deeply, relief evident in his posture as the focus of the dean's wrath shifted elsewhere.
Gu Hanming swept through the doorway, malevolent satisfaction radiating from him like heat from a forge. His brother's killer—the sect's precious genius, Li Yao—had been untouchable while remaining within the sect's protective boundaries. He had been forced to redirect his hatred toward her senior brother instead, biding his time for an opportunity.
Now, remarkably, both culprits had ventured beyond the sect's protection. His smile widened as he contemplated the perfect symmetry of his revenge. While harming Li Yao within the sect would bring swift retribution, what happened beyond those grounds was an entirely different matter. Who would know if she never returned? Who could prove his involvement?
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The dean's footsteps quickened, propelled by a dark eagerness as he went to gather his forces. Soon, very soon, justice as he defined it would be served.