Chapter 15: Training
Yang Hao sat cross-legged as he absorbed the elemental energy in the air and tempered his tendons.
After tempering his skin to its limit—a process that took him two months and fifteen days—it was time to work on his tendons, a task that would easily take more than four months.
Thus, he didn't waste a single moment, devoting himself fully to his training. While tempering his tendons, he could only work for six hours a day; doing more than that would backfire. His tendons might temper faster, but his other body parts would suffer from prolonged elemental absorption.
So, he spent six hours absorbing the element to temper his tendons and four hours training with Navrita.
Navrita was so skinny that she looked like nothing more than a skeleton covered in human skin, yet she possessed enough power to take down Yang Hao with a single shot.
However, she didn't take him down—instead, she trained him in close combat. She taught him how to punch, kick, strike with his palm, grapple, and use underhanded methods against his opponents.
After his elemental absorption session, Yang Hao rose with determination, his muscles still resonating with the tempered energy. Navrita, clad in a simple yet striking dark tunic paired with loose, flowing trousers—stepped out from his chest.
"Today, you will learn how to turn a stronger enemy's arrogance against them," she said in a cold tone, her eyes unblinking as they fixed on him.
Yang Hao was used to this. He rarely sees her blink, and at first, he thinks that she doesn't want to teach him, since her voice is really cold but Yun Ruyi tells him that, she is just like this, with no emotions.
"When facing an opponent whose power exceeds yours, you must wait for the moment they let their guard down."
Without a pause, Navrita demonstrated a series of rapid strikes. Her hands, moving with lethal accuracy, feinted and pivoted in an almost mechanical rhythm. "Observe closely," she instructed. "A deceptive movement—a well-timed feint—can lure even the most vigilant opponent into error. Strike swiftly at their vital points when they overextend."
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Yang Hao's eyes narrowed as he absorbed her every motion. "And against multiple foes?" he asked.
"When confronted by several opponents, do not attempt to engage them all at once. Instead, create confusion by feigning weakness. Allow them to underestimate you, then isolate the one who appears least alert. Exploit the chaos: use low blows and deceptive tactics to divide their attention," Navrita explained. She paused briefly, then continued in her cold, measured tone, "Remember, if a stronger opponent assumes control, let them believe they have the upper hand. Their momentary lapse in focus is your opening. Strike decisively, but above all, prioritize avoidance and escape. If you can avoid a fight, do so; if you can escape, then escape."
Yang Hao nodded.
"Okay, let's go and start," she said, and soon they began sparring for two hours.
Afterward, Yang Hao went to fetch some food—a hearty meal of nutrient-rich meat from a forest beast. Once he had eaten, he meditated for half an hour before resuming two hours of combat training with Navrita.
As for Yu Ruyi, she remained aside. She had already taught him how to collect Yin Element and use it to temper his tendons. The next step was alchemy, but since Yang Hao was only at the Mortal Elemental 3rd Stage and needed to reach the 7th Stage before starting alchemy, he continued his combat training under Navrita's tutelage.
When Navrita returned to the small room, she sensed Yu Ruyi watching her. Looking over her shoulder, she asked, "What is it?"
"Nothing... Just when did you begin talking about avoidance? Escape? I never knew you even knew such words."
Navrita closed her eyes and began her recovery. "Do you think that after everything we've been through, I would allow him to walk on the same path as mine? I may not possess emotions, but I will fulfill my duty as his master and ensure he becomes the strongest. For that, avoidance and escape are essential skills to learn."
"If you had learned these lessons sooner, we wouldn't be in this situation," Yu Ruyi's words were full of blaming and resentment.
Just like that, a month had passed, and today was the day of the clan head tournament—a day to decide who would become the clan head.
Yang Hao was not allowed to participate since his father wanted to hide him. Clearly targeted by someone, Yang Hao always stayed at home to avoid revealing himself. Moreover, only a few trusted people knew that he was back and alive.
Additionally, his father spread the news that he was searching for his son, so everyone believed that he was missing. For this reason, Yang Hao could not go and support his father, but he hoped his father win.