In the quiet of the night, the sound of wood being struck reverberated throughout the training ground.
With each blow, an old wound would open on his hand, after a while blood would start to drip from my fists, but that didn't matter, I had to persevere, so even though my fists were bleeding out, I still had to keep going.
The sound of wood being hit continued to echo around the room until a new sound interrupted everything else.
A skill point has been awarded!
Only then did the blows stop, I had no emotion on my face, yet you could still feel the relief.
I practiced for almost two months without seeing any progress in my skills, in a world where everyone sought more power, not having it was a sentence for anyone who wanted to prosper in this world, if you didn't have talent, you had to compensate for any weakness with more effort.
Focusing my gaze on a point in front of me, a transparent window appeared in the air in front of me.
Practice method:
None
Spiritual techniques:
None
Physical techniques:
Boxing Methods (Advanced 0/20)
Skill Points: 1
I wanted to use the skill point I've been working so hard to obtain, however, I'm not sure how it works, if a single point was only able to help me advance one point per level, then it would be useless to spend it on a low-grade boxing technique.
Either way, it didn't matter whether he spent it or not, he could find out later, once someone mastered a technique to the advanced level, the martial arts school would grant a method of physical or spiritual practice, that depended on each person's choice.
A heaviness invaded my face, looking at the moon high in the dark sky, it was time for me to rest a little, continuing to practice could bring more misfortune than benefits.
. . . . .
Lying my body on a hard bed made of wood and linen, I closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep, however, time passed and I was unable to fall asleep, my body still had too much energy despite the training, perhaps it was the benefit of having trained day and night.
Shifting my position, I sat down on the hard bed, and as I did so, an old, almost rotten wooden box entered my vision.
The box was nothing spectacular, and if someone saw it, they would most likely mistake it for trash.
However, seeing it brought me a certain calm. That box was the only thing that remained by my side when I woke up on the cold floor of a dilapidated house, with no emotions or memories to accompany me at first. The box was my treasure and my only relief in this place.
Taking it, I opened the box and inside I took out a booklet and a letter made of exquisite paper that was soft to the touch.
The book had a title that was too long, "With feet on the ground, mind in the sky and calm in the sea." It was about a breathing method that until now I was unable to understand no matter how many times I read it. Each explanation turned out to be more complex and vague than the last, causing me to end up leaving it gathering dust inside the box.
As for the letter, the truth is that I haven't opened it yet, something about it makes me feel strange every time I see it.
However, perhaps it was time to take a look at it, I didn't plan on keeping these things with me any longer, I heard from the weapons master that the more complex a technique is, the more powerful it turns out to be.
If so, perhaps it wasn't a good idea to continue keeping these two things in my possession, in the end, if someone decided to take them from me, a simple commoner wouldn't be able to refuse and defend himself, dying in some corner of the city would be the least of my worries.
With trembling hands, I removed the seal from the letter and carefully opened it. Inside, a few lines were written in such beautiful handwriting that I was mesmerized for a few moments.
[…]
"If you ever read this letter, I would like to apologize in advance. My mistakes dragged you into a problem that never belonged to you. I apologize for giving you this manual, because it is not a gift, it is my curse. If your heart ever grows as big as the world, I would like you to forgive me for placing such a heavy burden on you.
Until then, please keep getting stronger."
[…]
For some reason, my hands trembled, a heaviness began to take control of my chest, which no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't understand.
After a while, the heaviness and trembling in my body subsided, although I thought I should burn everything, after reading the letter, I felt a conflict with myself, someone put me in this situation, that person must also be very close to me.
If he could find out, maybe that person could tell him who he was, at least before he lost all his memories.
Although that would have to wait for the moment, putting the letter back in its envelope, I put it back inside the wooden box and turned my attention to the manual that until now I had been unable to understand.
As I picked it up, a line of words appeared on the manual, taking me by surprise.
Learn the practice method? Yes/No
I didn't know why this message had appeared, but for fear that it might disappear, with a thought, a transparent window appeared in front of me.
Practice method:
Breathing (Beginner 10/10,000)
Spiritual techniques:
None
Physical techniques:
Boxing Methods (Advanced 0/20)
Skill Points: 0
After seeing the new information in the transparent window, while I was initially surprised to see the ridiculous amount of experience the practice method required to advance to the next level of mastery, after thinking about it for a bit, it was reasonable considering the complexity behind the method. Thanks to that, I also managed to get an idea of how skill points work and how much experience each point is worth.
As my body still didn't feel tired in any way, I started practicing the breathing method, instinctively I already knew how to do it, as if it were somehow something as natural as using all the senses, while practicing the breathing method, information about the method was introduced into my mind, although a little uncomfortable, little by little I got used to it.
As I breathed, a strange sensation came to my mind, it was the smell of the earth full of grass, it was more than pleasant without a doubt and as I continued, new sensations came to my mind.
Swimming among the clouds, feeling the pleasant wind hit his face and swept over him like a small child, finally, I felt like my body was floating on a vast, calm sea, without a single wave to disturb the tranquility.
Tong Tong Tong
The sound of drums and bells echoed around the place, bringing me out of my daze.
Looking out the window, the dark sky had been replaced by the morning sun.
—It's daytime — As I got out of bed, the manual in which the breathing method was written fell to the floor, turning into ashes as soon as it touched the ground.
When I checked the wooden box where I left the letter, there was nothing but ashes inside.
Without time to react to what had happened, my thoughts were interrupted by a man's scream.
—It's time to get up! It's time to get up! —
Sighing in disappointment at being pulled out of that trance, I couldn't help but think about the transparent window, as I did so, new information appeared in front of me.
Practice method:
Breathing (Beginner 11/10,000)
Spiritual techniques:
None
Physical techniques:
Boxing Methods (Advanced 0/20)
Skill Points: 0
I felt disappointed when I saw the information, a whole night of practice only amounted to one experience point, it was reasonable considering that the boxing technique had taken him a month and a half of hard work, however, even so, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Shaking my head, I put everything away, wiped the blood off my hands, and straightened my clothes a bit before heading off to visit the weapons master.
When an apprentice achieves their first breakthrough in the fighting technique that the martial arts school grants them, they can go to see the weapons master to receive a practice method.
With that in mind, I wasted no more time, heading immediately towards the weapons master's residence, as for the breathing manual and the letter, although a little sad, it was for the best, having them with him could cause him problems in the future.
. . . . . .
Pacing back and forth, the weapons master seemed to be thinking about something without paying much attention to me.
It was only after several minutes of awkward silence that the weapons master spoke.
—Really, brat, if I were you I would dedicate myself to the field or something else, there are only ten days left before the two-month trial ends, which means you barely managed to succeed —
I wanted to say something, but the weapons master silenced any opinion I had.
—What makes you think that if I give you a practice method you'll be able to master the first stage of whatever path you choose in a month? —
Knowing that the weapons master's intentions were not bad, I answered his question honestly.
—If I don't have talent, I'll make up for it with effort, master of weapons—
Looking at me hesitantly, the weapons master sighed in an act of surrender.
—Phew, why are these brats so much trouble these days? — Throwing two manuals from who knows where to the table in front of him, he said — Choose one of these two manuals, one contains the path of spiritual practice while the other shows the path of bodily practice —
Looking at the two manuals in front of me, each manual contained a simple name, Formless Qi and Copper Body.