THE GOD'S OF CHOSEN WARRIOR

Practice

"I will tell you later after you finish training and are ready to restore your parents’ good name," said Song Rui.

Although disappointment filled his heart because he still didn’t know who had slandered his parents, Li Jie did not make a fuss about it. He thought there were both positive and negative sides to learning the truth later rather than now.

"Alright, Grandpa. I’m ready to train now. It's better that I don't know about it yet, as it could disrupt my training," the young man replied calmly.

Song Rui was slightly surprised by the drastic change in Li Jie's attitude. The once hot-tempered young man had suddenly become so composed.

"This young man has two contrasting personalities. He will be terrifying if he cannot control himself," he thought.

"Grandpa, what's wrong?"

Song Rui smiled and shook his head slightly. "Li Jie... before I teach you some martial arts techniques, it's best if you listen to my words first," he said, taking a deep breath.

"Whatever you do, use your common sense as your guide in making decisions. If you let emotions drive your choices, the results will not be in your favor," he continued.

Li Jie remained silent, absorbing Song Rui’s words. He realized he often acted recklessly and let his emotions take over when making decisions. Many times, he acted without thinking first, which only led to his own misfortune.

The last time he made a rash decision was when he dared to confront a market stall owner, which nearly got him beaten to death by the villagers.

The 20-year-old young man, with golden-brown skin, a sharp nose, and a strong jawline, nodded his head.

"I understand what you mean, Grandpa. I promise myself and the universe that the tragic fate of my parents will be my guide to always uphold justice in this world."

"You have the qualities of both your parents, Li Jie. More precisely, you are a combination of them. From the beginning, I believed that you have a pure soul, just like they did. Now, finish this sweet potato first. After that, I will teach you martial arts," Song Rui said happily, a wide smile spreading across his face.

After filling his stomach, Song Rui took a hoe and led Li Jie to the back of their small hut, near the shallow, clear stream where Li Jie had bathed earlier.

"The first thing you need to do is strengthen your muscles and bones so that later, you can store inner energy. So, for the next few days, I will train your physical body to make it stronger," Song Rui explained briefly.

"Alright, Grandpa. Whatever you command, I will obey," Li Jie responded firmly without hesitation. He was eager to begin his training under Song Rui's guidance.

The first task Li Jie had to complete to build his strength was to create a small pond to collect the flowing water from the shallow stream. And he had to do it within just seven days.

Without complaint or resistance, Li Jie followed Song Rui’s orders after the old man handed him the hoe.

Day after day, Li Jie worked with enthusiasm. Sweat drenched his clothes, and exhaustion weighed on his body, but it did not dampen his spirit. Instead, it pushed him to complete the task even faster.

Before he knew it, he had finished the pond a day earlier than the deadline Song Rui had given him.

Seeing the young man's unwavering determination, Song Rui smiled faintly. For an ordinary person, this task would have taken at least fourteen days, but Li Jie had completed it in just six. And Song Rui had only given him seven days. Now, he was convinced that Li Jie could master the martial arts techniques he would teach him much faster than expected.

The old man then allowed Li Jie to rest for two days. After that, he would train him in several martial arts techniques, including the art of lightness.

Two days later, Song Rui and Li Jie stood in an open field near their hut, facing each other.

"Li Jie, I will teach you two hand-to-hand combat techniques and two sword techniques. The sword techniques will be extremely useful for both close-range and long-range attacks, as well as fighting multiple opponents at once."

The old man then explained each technique he would teach Li Jie:

Sacred Dragon Palm Strike

Dragon Claw Splitting the Earth

Demon-Slaying Light Sword

Thousand Sacred Lights Sword

Since Li Jie had no prior martial arts experience, he initially struggled with the training. His movements were stiff and uncoordinated. However, as the days passed, he adapted and improved. By the second month, his progress was remarkable.

Without realizing it, more than a year had passed since Li Jie began training under Song Rui. He had fully mastered all four techniques.

"Your progress is faster than I expected, Li Jie. However, to perfect the techniques you've learned, you must train your inner energy. And that cannot be done here," Song Rui said. He then led Li Jie to the largest tree in the forest.

"For a warrior, techniques and inner energy are closely connected. Inner energy is not only useful for attacks but also for defense." Song Rui carefully explained every step Li Jie needed to take to cultivate his inner energy.

Afterward, Li Jie climbed to the top of the massive tree and sat cross-legged on a sturdy branch. He focused his mind, drawing in the energy of nature to merge it with the pure energy within him.

Time passed, and evening approached. Li Jie meditated on the tree for a week to complete his inner energy training. When he finally opened his eyes, he leaped down from the tree and returned to the hut.

Inside, Song Rui was already waiting for him. "You’ve finally completed it. I can feel that your inner energy has grown significantly, and that is a great advantage for you."

Song Rui then took out a long-wrapped bundle and handed it to Li Jie.

"Open it," he commanded.