17 Do it Again!

Instructor Ding Ji stopped the lesson on refining one's chi when about half of the class refined theirs. He explained to those who didn't manage to refine their chi that everyone advanced at different speeds.

"It is time for combat training. Since there is thirty of you, pair up and spar. I will be teaching you all the next move in the Dark Bird stage one technique afterwards." The girls go visibly excited to spar.

Bai Ling began to worry inwardly. She had no formal fighting experience.

Instructor Ding Ji planned to put the plan in motion now. In the past, many girls died or quit, whichever came first under other instructors. The instructors would purposefully give the targeted girls botched lessons. So, when the exams came up, if they made it that far, they became disabled or dead.

Bai Ling was another victim waiting to happen in the eyes of Ding Ji. He did not want to give her botched lessons, so he hoped that the girls would be the ones to torture Bai Ling.

Ding Ji was feeling stifled by what he had to do. Earlier he wanted to be indifferent towards it, but guilt crept in.

When the girls paired up, he reluctantly began.

"Okay, begin sparring, I will be asking you all to display how far you've come." The girls began to train as instructed.

Various fights broke out, and during some of the fights, the girls managed to refine their chi through the combat.

Bai Ling was paired with no other than Gao Ling. She knew Bai Ling had no chi and was apprehensive about injuring her. So, the two only stared at each other.

"Why are you two the only ones not fighting?" The instructor came over and asked the two girls. He felt the pit in his stomach as he spoke, and he was unable to look at Bai Ling.

"Instructor Ding, she has no chi. Wouldn't it be..." Gao Ling trailed off since anyone would understand.

"Just fight, who knows she might breakthrough during the fight." He quickly leaves the two girls to continue. Gao Ling glanced at Bai Ling and found her staring back.

Bai Ling was not ready to fight this unfair fight. At the same time, she was curious to see how she could combat a stronger opponent. She had no experience or training, so this would be interesting.

With a smile on her face, she beckoned for Gao Ling to begin. Gao Ling was one of the girls who refined their chi, and she had the wood element.

Gao Ling sprung out to Bai Ling with a fist that had green light around it. She came down directly on Bai Ling. This shocked Bai Ling because Gao Ling moved swifter than she expected.

The fist was coming, Bai Ling saw how slow it moved with her eyes, but she couldn't dodge it. Her body was not strong enough to dodge it.

Gao Ling's fist connected to Bai Ling's face, breaking her nose immediately. The force behind the punch also pushed Bai Ling back a couple of metres. Bai Ling crashed into the ground, taking a few seconds before she got to her feet.

As she thought, she isn't a match for Gao Ling in her current state. Everyone, including the instructor, was shocked. Gao Ling went up to Bai Ling and offered her hand.

"I'm sorry, I used too much force." Gao Ling blamed the instructor for telling her to continue. She also blamed herself. She didn't know how to control herself yet. Feeling guilty, she reached out to Bai Ling.

She expected that Bai Ling would be angry. Instead, when she looked at Bai Ling's face, a wide smile could be seen. Bai Ling's bloody nose and wide grin painted a horrifying picture.

"Whoa, that's the first time I saw chi in action." Bai Ling was excited. Based on what the instructor said, these girls started six months ago. Wouldn't that mean she had a chance to learn too?

Looking at the innocent joy on Bai Ling's face, a lot of the girls laughed at her state. Who would be as happy as her to get punched? Bai Ling was a strange but curious case to the girls around her.

After combat training ended, class wrapped up as well. Bai Ling was leaving the class to go to the Apothecary for treatment.

"Student Bai." Instructor Ding Ji stopped Bai Ling. It was rare to see a person so eager to learn despite a clear setback as no chi. So he decided to give her a way out of Madam Fu's grip.

He found a loophole in his orders. He wasn't supposed to reach Bai Ling. That way, she would be tortured by training, hurt, scarred all over and invaluable to men. She wanted to render all avenues for Bai Ling useless. That way, she could never rise.

Madam Fu went as far as to say if she died, it would be ideal. Since he wasn't supposed to teach her personally, he wanted to give her a hint.

"The library seems to be brimming with knowledge for the ignorant." After saying his piece, he left.

Bai Ling watched as he left and continued to the Apothecary. After getting healed by the physician, she went to the library.

Bai Ling picked up on his hint and followed through immediately. Entering the library, Bai Ling saw the person in charge there. It was an older woman who donned the school officials' uniform. She was sorting books with her chi, moving them through the air to go where they should.

She was reading a book while performing this task that seemed to be second nature to her. Bai Ling was eager to harness her chi now.

"Miss, where can I find books about harnessing chi?" Without responding or looking at Bai Ling, six books appeared before her.

"Take them." Bai Ling opened her hands, and the books fell in them. Five of the six books were about each element. The sixth was about harnessing and refining one's inner chi.

"Thank you." Bai Ling took the book and left. It was time to get to work.