Chapter 50: Brute
After resting for a few minutes and checking if there was anything else that needed attention, Xu Mo stood up from the ground, shivering intermittently. His clothes were still soaking wet, and as the night grew longer, the temperature dropped further. The cold was so intense that it made him tremble. He couldn't imagine how beggars, orphans, and the poor in the mortal world endured such harsh weather.
Even as a cultivator, he was affected by the cold. Mortals would have long since perished, their bodies frozen into solid blocks of ice.
Shiver.
"I had planned to start your training in the next few days, after you finished absorbing the medicinal liquid. But now that you've already completed the first task, let's not waste any more time. Remember, time is money," Long Bai said, his arms folded across his chest as he looked directly at Xu Mo.
Xu Mo tilted his head in confusion. "Combat. You said you wanted experience, right? It's simple," Elder Long explained. He snapped his fingers, and a thick wall of steel appeared in front of Xu Mo. "Punch a hole right through it—with your bare fist, of course. Remember, this is a special type of steel, stronger than the average sword's blade. If you manage to complete this task before the end of the month, consider this rare steel my gift to you. If you'd like, I could even have it forged into anything you desire."
Xu Mo's jaw dropped. Although he had grown stronger, he couldn't help but wonder if the Elder was in his right mind. The steel plate was five feet thick and eight feet tall. Its shiny surface and composition made it clear that it was forged by melting multiple types of steel together. Xu Mo doubted he could even leave a dent, let alone punch through it in one attack.
[Elder… I don't want to become a brute.]
In the end, Xu Mo could only write down his thoughts and complain to the Elder. He had assumed he would learn swordsmanship from the Head Elder, skills that would help him take on missions, steadily improve his reputation, and eventually claim the title of True Successor once Long Chen left the sect in a few years. Even if the disciples didn't consider him worthy, it wouldn't matter.
Why was he so sure Long Chen would leave the sect? The answer was simple. Long Chen was arrogant, prideful, and easily jealous of others' good fortune. The moment he realized the sect could no longer provide for him, he would cut ties and join a holy land to reach greater heights. Xu Mo hoped Jin Meiyu would join Long Chen on his adventures. Otherwise, Xu Mo would have no choice but to lay low longer than planned, waiting for the Saintess to be summoned back to her clan or for Long Chen to return and take her with him.
"I'm disappointed, Xu Mo. I thought you were different," Long Bai said, shaking his head as if saddened that Xu Mo hadn't lived up to his expectations. "The power of a weapon will fade as you grow stronger. Only the strength you cultivate through training will remain with you. Swords, spears, blades, knives, daggers, and whips—they are all external factors."
"Think of it this way: What if you were suddenly granted peak Foundation Building strength while still at the second level of Qi Condensation? What do you think would happen?"
Xu Mo pondered the question but couldn't grasp what the Elder was trying to convey. "Unless your body is strong enough, you would explode under the sheer amount of Qi that a peak Foundation Building cultivator holds. No matter how talented you are," Long Bai explained. He placed his hands on Xu Mo's shoulders and bent down to look him straight in the eyes, his expression serious. "Xu Mo, the human body is the most mysterious thing in existence. Master your body, and you will unlock its hidden secrets. Everyone has unique traits. As you already know, there are twelve standard meridians in the human body."
Xu Mo nodded, and Elder Long continued, "These twelve meridians serve as the foundation for cultivation. But there are records that state there are actually more than a hundred meridians in the human body." Xu Mo was shocked beyond words. He could understand if the Elder had said twenty or thirty meridians, but more than a hundred? Unlocking just the twelve meridians allowed one to defy fate and reach new realms. He could only imagine what a cultivator who had unlocked and mastered over a hundred meridians would be like.
"Until now, many geniuses, through fortuitous encounters, have managed to awaken the eight extraordinary meridians, allowing them to soar to great heights and become overlords of their sects, clans, and families. The Saintess of our sect is one such individual. The only difference is that she was born with these eight meridians and didn't need to search for such opportunities."
"What?!" Xu Mo couldn't help but break his silence, nearly screaming in shock. However, because of the stone in his mouth, his words came out incomprehensible.
"That is one of the reasons the Ancestor warned you against meeting her and developing feelings for her. She is not from the same world as you, me, or anyone else in our region," Long Bai continued in a serious tone, ignoring Xu Mo's shock. He didn't enjoy crushing a young man's spirit, but a reality check was important from a young age. It was crucial to make Xu Mo aware of the futility of entertaining thoughts that would only lead to pain and misery.
Xu Mo finally understood why the Elder had been so excited and shocked when he absorbed the medicinal liquid. The Elder had hoped that Xu Mo might have awakened a hidden meridian due to the rare herbs' effects. This also explained why the Elder was against him directly practicing with weapons. Many young cultivators wasted their youth pursuing dreams because they idolized someone who had achieved success in a particular field, not realizing that by doing so, they had already placed themselves beneath that person, limiting their own potential. By the time they awakened from their dreams, they often found they had wasted precious time on something insignificant, never stopping to ask their hearts what they truly desired.
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