The next morning arrived like a lazy drunkard slow, yawning, and carrying the stench of wet grass. Wang Jie cracked one eye open, glared at the sun for shining so smugly, and groaned.
"A new day," he muttered, dragging himself out of bed like a corpse rising for its own funeral.
Outside, the estate buzzed with the usual racket servants shouting, birds screeching, some distant idiot dropping a bucket. But today was different. Today, Wang Jie was determined. No more slacking.
No more waiting for Lu Xueyi's soft and even softer… ahem, distractions. That woman had vanished for two whole months. "Tch! I can cultivate even without her yin qi"
"Well then," he stretched, feeling his joints pop like cheap firecrackers "Time to toughen up"
As he reached at main entrance he saw Elder Lu coming "tsk! why this old man is here" Without wasting a moment, he slipped away as quickly as he could.
***
He met Wu Jian at their old training ground — a clearing behind the Wang Manor, half-swallowed by wild trees and stubborn weeds. It smelled of earth, sweat, and the faint scent of fresh air.
Wu Jian was already there, standing tall, arms crossed, looking like a stone statue someone had bothered to dress in clean robes.
"Took you long enough," Wu Jian said, raising a brow.
"Oh! I was meditating," Wang Jie grinned, lying through his teeth.
"On your bed?"
"It's a new method lying meditation. Very advanced. You won't get it"
Wu Jian snorted "If sleeping's a cultivation method, you'd be a Emperor by now"
Wang Jie laughed "Let's get started before my motivation runs off"
They began with the basics footwork, stances, and forms so old even the wind knew them. Wang Jie realized how long it had been since he trained seriously. A total stiffened body. His legs burned, his arms ached, and his breathing turned ragged after half an hour.
"Damn it," he gasped, wiping sweat off his face "I am really tired"
He glanced at Wu Jian "lets practice with sword"
"No, first physical training is important then other things"
"...." silently Wang Jie glared at him in disappointment he was quite exited to learn sword.
....
....
They sparred next, wooden swords clashing, each strike sending little echoes through the clearing. Wang Jie wasn't bad — he had really bad instincts, worst reflexes, and a stubborn streak. But compared to Wu Jian, who moved like a silent stone, because he don't even to need to move at all.
"You leave yourself wide open here," Wu Jian pointed, poking him in the ribs.
"Shut up, I'm luring you in," Wang Jie claimed, wheezing.
Wu Jian rolled his eyes "If your plan is dying first, then it's flawless"
By noon, Wang Jie collapsed on a flat rock, his face red and body drenched. The sun glared down like a scolding aunt.
"Not bad," Wu Jian said, offering him a water gourd.
Wang Jie gulped it down like a man lost in the desert 'this training's nice and all, but I was kinda hoping to dual cultivate tonight'
Truth was Lu Xueyi, had vanished for two months. Ruyan, his other hopeful option, had been avoiding him like he owed her money. Which, well, to be fair, maybe he did.
'She's been giving me the cold shoulder' Wang Jie sighed, staring up at the leaves 'And I don't even know why…'
Wu Jian observed Wan Jie to be lost somewhere but he didn't ask anything.
"Well," Wu Jian shrugged, "we will continue tommorrow then"
But Wang Jie still in thoughts "Tch! Betrayal," Wang Jie groaned "Even heaven's against me"
And they headed back to Wang Clan.
.....
That night, he made plans. If Ruyan comes around, perfect. If not… fine. I'll tough it out. I'm not some weakling that can't survive without a woman's assistance.
He lay on his bed, waiting. Listening for footsteps, knock, whisper But Nothing. Not a damn thing. His body ached, his stomach grumbled, and before he knew it sleep dragged him down like an old friend pulling him into a drunken brawl.
***
{A WEEK PASSED}
Every day was the same, Wake up, Train until his bones felt like boiled noodles. Curse the heavens. Spar with Wu Jian. Eat like a starving beast. Fail to find Ruyan and Sleep
Conversations with Wu Jian became the highlight.
"You sure you're not cultivating a belly?" Wu Jian teased one morning, eyeing Wang Jie's empty rice bowl pile.
"It's called a Qi reserve, peasant," Wang Jie snapped, licking sauce off his fingers.
At the training ground,
"You swing like an old grandma"
"That old grandma can beat you up"
"I let her win!"
At night, dreaming awkard things "Oh! what both doing!"
"Xeuyi.... you have... something soft.."
Despite the banter, Wang Jie felt something changing. His body grew tougher, faster. His breathing steadier. The technique he'd learned though not yet shining in brilliance made him more aware of his energy flow. He stopped getting winded so easily. His punches carried some weight.