Heaven Chosens Generation (Xianxia) 4 (Patreon)

Chapter 4: Growing Pain

Van liked learning and training. There was pain, but it was proof of his progress. Shizu approved of that mentality.

Speaking of Shizu, both her and Tang Mao had gone through Body Forging without issue, and at a speed that left them way ahead of the pack.

This didn’t bother Van that much since he wasn’t that far behind. The increased physical training he had been following thanks to Shizu and Mao’s advice had made him grow faster. He still wasn’t in the top ten of the new disciples, but the gap wasn’t as large as before.

They were in the Inner Expression Realm, which was all about learning how to use Chi actively inside the body, like Hong Yuan had tried to do, leading him to explode his arm.

Following that was Outer Expression: learning how to project Chi outside the body without dispersing back into Heavenly Energy. This was the basics of techniques and arrays.

Once that was done, One could be considered to be done with Foundation Establishment. Able to cultivate Heavenly Energy, a body stronger than mortals and the ability to use Chi to accomplish wondrous things. One could be considered a true Cultivator only once those steps were achieved.

Most stopped at Inner Expression. Reaching the end of Body Forging was a matter of determination. Inner Expression was a matter of patience. Outer Expression was talent.

While Van didn’t resent Shizu and Mao for being more talented than him, he still had his pride and only pushed himself further to reach Inner Expression faster.

He also didn’t want to be a burden to his two friends. Apparently, while he wasn’t training with them, they had gotten into trouble of their own. 

A Young Master had tried to seduce Shizu only to be rebuked. When he had gotten violent, the young, horned woman had broken his jaw. However, he had a big brother who was also a disciple of the Outer Expression Realm who had been causing problems by sending his minions Shizu’s way to impede her while training or accomplishing tasks for the sect.

Meanwhile Tang Mao had also attracted the attention of a Young Master when she healed him, but it was his fiancee that had a problem with the snake girl, accusing her of seducing her betrothed and being a pain in Mao’s ass.

The Sect let it happen. Iron sharpens iron was the general mindset of the sect. As long as it didn’t come to murder, the Elders figured that adversity would keep the disciples on their feet and ready to react on the field.

It was weeks later that Van finally breached through Body Forging and was allowed to spend his merit points on learning techniques now that his body wouldn’t explode.

And it was also when the matter of Shizu and Mao’s stalkers kind of blew up.

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Shizu, Van and Mao had joined up for a mission. It was for accumulating more merit points by doing an actual dangerous task. Even divided in three, the reward was still sustantial. It involved the culling of pests who had managed Bestial Culitvation and had grown all the more vicious for it.

While it was outside of the sect ground, the whole island was managed carefully for greater threats and the Elders allowed Outer Sect disciples to handle more minor dangers.

Even if  some didn’t see the danger in a Body Forging rat, more paranoid people didn’t want the advent of a new living calamity because no one bothered to kill it while it was weak.

The Andros Empire was still finding remnants of the Horned Rat’s horde to this day, and the True Soul Realm beast had started as a regular gutter rat.

Things had gone great at first.

The animals may have been at the Body Forging Stage, but there was only so much Chi they could use to strengthen their small body at this level. They were more dangerous than a wild dog, but at this point, as long as he was careful, Van could handle a few at a times quite easily, not even talking about Shizu and Mao’s prowess.

Just when Van thought they could end this soon and go back to the sect before the sun set, a sphere rolled up to his feet. He was confused by its appearance until he saw the fuse burning at one end.

With a spike of adrenaline, Van swiftly kicked the bomb moments before it could explode.

The explosion still sent him stumbling back, and created a dust cloud.

Shapes rushed through the smokescreen and Van intercepted one that came for him. His Chakram slammed against a spear. Caught off-balance, Van fell on his ass and had to roll away from the spear coming back to pine him on the ground like an insect on a board.

On his back, the blond lashed out with a kick to his assailant’s stomach. This made him win enough time to get back on his feet while the dust settled.

They were surrounded.

Shizu was facing three men. Once was the big brother of the man Shizu had broken the jaw of. Kong Zan was quite broad in the shoulders, with a square chin and a peculiar beard that only grew on the left and right underside of his chin. He wielded a hammer and was flanked by two men of smaller statures only making him seem bigger.

Tang Mao was against two women and a man. Leria Santiria was a young noblewoman from a wealthy family with blonde hair lighter than Van’s own that also curled into drills. She wielded an iron fan. Her two minions looked like they were were fraternal twins if their ressemblance was anything to go by.

“So, you decided to work together, uh? Didn’t except you to be able to swallow your ego. It’s impressive in a pathetic way.” “Shizu snarled, brandishing her sword.

“You still talk too much, whore.” Kong Zan growled back. “Today, you’ll pay for what you’ve done.”

“Hmph! It just so happen that I and Sir Kong both saw our targets go where the sect couldn’t protect them. It was only logical to attack now. Not that you peasants would be smart enough to think that far.” Van couldn’t see Leria’s mouth, but he was almost certain she was sneering from behind her fan.

“How foolish.” Tang Mao sighed irritably. “All of that because of two boys who can’t keep it in their pants.”

“You seduced him, you slattern!” Liria quickly lost her mask of composure.

Van didn’t speak, focusing on the spear wielder in front of him. He wasn’t at the level where he could afford to talk during a fight without being distracted, and he didn’t want to be caught by surprise again.

Everyone tightened their grip on their weapons.

Van moved first. He threw his chakram in the spear wielder’s direction and rushed, but in another direction.

He caught one of Kong Zan’s minions from behind and, with a burst of Chi-applied strength, also threw him in the same direction he threw his chakram.

Van believed that he could deal with two opponents at the same time, and with fewer enemies to deal with at once, either Shizu or Mao would end things up and help him if needed.

Such a sudden brawl in the middle of the wood was the Cultivators’ way.