The bright moon hung high, and under the quiet beautiful night, the small figure of the boy was silently doing push-ups, resolutely taking the first solid step on the road of martial arts full of difficulties and dangers.
In the next few days, his appetite started to increase more and more, and he could eat more and more. The soreness in his body caused by the exercise also gradually disappeared.
But Lin Xiaolu was not satisfied, because Li Mingru had said that the soreness of the muscles was proof that the physical fitness was improving. Therefore, whenever his muscles stopped being sore and his body gradually adapted to the current exercise, he would start to increase the amount of exercise to make his body sore again.
He wanted to make sure he was always improving.
In addition to exercising, the rest of his time was spent learning words in the academy. Lin Xiaolu did have talent indeed. He learned words very quickly. Maybe because his mind was nimble, in less than a month, he had mastered over 600 common words. Although he could not cultivate, he was a real genius in learning. The knowledge he acquired even surpassed most of the children in the academy.
The changes of the two siblings in this period were very great. First, Xiao Yuer. Although only five years old, her cultivation speed could be called demonic. In just a few days, she broke through to the second layer of Qi Condensation. She was unprecedented in history. Of course, Xiao Yuer had always been low-key in the academy, and no one knew that this five-year-old girl was already a Qi Condensation second layer cultivator.
Although not as exaggerated as Xiao Yuer, Lin Xiaolu's physique had also been honed very differently from before. Even Li Mingru was slightly surprised. He did not expect this little guy to really persist.
Initially, he had only thought Lin Xiaolu was just talking about learning martial arts, a three-minute passion. But who would have thought that his persistence was a whole month.
It should be known that for a child in an active age, foundational training like horse stance, push-ups, running, etc. was not only hard work, but also boring and tasteless. It might be easy to do it for one day, but to persist for a month was not so easy. Yet Lin Xiaolu did it!
Li Mingru was very gratified by this. He felt that although Xiaolu could not cultivate, his persevering spirit was still very rare and might really achieve something in martial arts in the future.
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"I have cultivated to the first layer of Qi Condensation. My master was very satisfied and taught me a spirit technique called Ice Soul Arrow, which I have now mastered to some extent."
"Wow! As expected from Brother Nian Yun. You are indeed the number one genius of our Emei!"
In the small courtyard of the academy, a group of children surrounded Chen Nianyun, praising him until he was complacent and felt superior about himself.
At this time, it was not long after class. The children did not rush back to their respective branches, but chose to play in the courtyard outside the study. At this moment, many people were clamoring for Chen Nianyun to demonstrate his new spirit technique.
"Everyone move back a little, and I'll show you my Ice Soul Arrow."
Hearing this, the children immediately cleared a space. They widened their eyes, afraid to miss the demonstration of the spirit technique.
In the field, Chen Nianyun was full of charm. With a pinch of fingers, he shouted loudly, "Ice Soul Arrow, ha!"
As he gestured with his finger, an icy cone-shaped object condensed in the air before his finger and shot out with a "whoosh!" hitting a willow tree several meters away.
"Wow! Brother Nian Yun is so amazing!"
The children's eyes widened in admiration and envy, and all kinds of flattering words were thrown out. Chen Nianyun was very proud to hear them.
Just as he was happily preparing to demonstrate again, the icy arrow nailed to the willow tree fell down.
"Cough cough" The boy coughed and embarrassedly explained, "My Ice Soul Arrow has just started practicing and its power is not very strong yet. When it is fully cultivated in the future, one arrow will be able to shoot through this willow tree and freeze it!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Brother Nian Yun is only ten years old. This is already amazing." A child quickly flattered.
"Elder Brother Nian Yun is worthy to be the role model of our Emei. The revival of Emei in the future depends on Elder Brother Nian Yun."
"Elder Brother Nian Yun, can you teach us this Ice Soul Arrow? We also want to learn."
"Haha, no problem."
Chen Nianyun chatted happily with a large group of children, and was just happily preparing to demonstrate again, when a nightmare-like voice came from not far away.
Lin Xiaolu, Dongfang Dan, and Xiao Yuer walked over swaggeringly. As soon as the three of them appeared, the lively laughter immediately disappeared. The children of the academy looked at Lin Xiaolu in horror.
The boy was holding a stick of tanghulu candy, Xiao Yuer was holding a stick of candied haws, and Dongfang Dan was holding a cob of sweet corn. The three walked while eating, stepping arrogantly.
"What are you guys doing gathered here?" The boy asked, licking his tanghulu.
Seeing Lin Xiaolu, Chen Nianyun was a little scared and pursed his lips without speaking.
But Yu Chuchu beside him glared fiercely at Lin Xiaolu. The candy he was licking was the protection fee he had handed over today!
Seeing him lick it happily, Yu Chuchu's small face turned livid with anger. He angrily said, "Elder Brother Nian Yun has learned the spirit technique now. You are no longer the boss of our academy!"
"Right!" The other children also echoed, "We won't pay you protection fees anymore!"
The children clamored, shouting for Chen Nianyun to deal with him.
After hearing this, Lin Xiaolu looked at Chen Nianyun curiously and asked, "Are you going to deal with me?"
The 10-year-old Chen Nianyun was so frightened that his soul almost flew away. He had been bullied by Lin Xiaolu for a month, and had to pay protection fees every now and then. He was already extremely dissatisfied with him. Now that he had learned the spirit technique, but was still beaten in public, he was enraged to the extreme. He got up, covering his beaten eye with one hand, pointing at the boy licking tanghulu with the other, and shouting,
"Lin Xiaolu! I want to duel with you!"
The children around immediately applauded and cheered loudly to encourage him.
Lin Xiaolu didn't have much reaction, just lightly said "Okay."
"How to duel, you say."
"Let's duel like the sparring in Emei, stop when you touch the other person."
"No." Lin Xiaolu pouted, "Dongfang Dan?"
"I'm here, Brother Lu!"
"Go write me a pledge. The duel is dangerous, any injury or disability is your own responsibility!"
"Yes!"
Dongfang Dan immediately ran back to the study to write the pledge.
Soon, he ran out with the written pledge and handed the writing brush to Lin Xiaolu.
The boy waved his little hand and scribbled his name crookedly.
"Come sign it."
Seeing the pledge, Chen Nianyun shuddered a little, scared in his heart. Being injured or disabled sounded frightening. But with so many fellow students around him, to save face, he could only grit his teeth and come forward to sign.
Seeing Chen Nianyun sign without hesitation, Yu Chuchu immediately shouted admiringly, "Elder Brother Nian Yun will definitely win!"
The other students also responded in unison, shouting, "Elder Brother Nian Yun will definitely win!"
The two children signed their names, then stood facing each other, ready to duel, with the academy's children watching.
"Can we start?" Lin Xiaolu asked, licking his tanghulu.
"Let's start!"
After speaking, Chen Nianyun looked at the boy three years younger than him, with determination in his eyes. He pinched his fingers and shouted loudly, "Look at my spirit technique - Ice Soul Arrow!"