18 Training

"The first rule in forging is to have enough strength in molding the materials into what you imagine it to be."

"That's why..."

Shi Zhang pointed towards the path Shi Li used to walk to the smithy and said, "I want you to run."

"Run?" Shi Li expected to learn forging right off the bat, he didn't expect that the first thing he would do was actually something related to exercise. "Why should I run, Master?"

Shi Zhang replied with a stern tone, "Running allows you to improve your stamina, which is needed in forging. If you have the strength to forge the material but not the stamina to sustain that strength, the equipment you create would just end up becoming shoddy."

Seeing that there was a reason to it, Shi Li nodded and said, "Alright, Master. Where should I run and how long should I run for?"

All of a sudden, Shi Zhang stood up and said, "I want you to run around the perimeters of this clan ten times without any breaks."

"The perimeters of the clan ten times without any breaks..." Shi Li couldn't help but look at his master in a new light. He thought that his master was a serious person but was forgiving to his disciples, but in actuality, his master was the opposite of his expectations.

Shi Zhang then channeled the qi all over his body and released it through the soles of his feet, allowing him to hover from the ground.

"What are you waiting for? Run around the perimeters at this instant!"

At that instant, Shi Zhang retrieved a sword from his smithy and imbued it with his qi. After being imbued with qi, the sword emitted an aura that would invoke fear to those who looked at it directly.

Taking a glance at the sword, Shi Li shuddered in fear and hurriedly circulated the strength of his soul and ran as if he was running for his life.

"Yes, Master!"

...

"Keep running!"

"Yes!"

As Shi Li continued to run around the perimeters of the clan, whenever he slowed down in his running, Shi Zhang would come close to Shi Li with his sword, instilling fear within him as he hovered behind him. This tactic allowed Shi Li to release all of the strength within his body, including the untapped strength hidden within his body.

After finishing one lap around the perimeters of his clan, instead of chasing Shi Li with his sword, he instead stopped in place as he allowed Shi Li to take a short breather.

"Did you realize anything while you were running?" Shi Zhang asked.

"Uh..." Shi Li took a few deep breaths before answering his master's question. The only thoughts in his mind while he was running were to escape his master's sword and run as if his life depended on it.

Shi Li rubbed his chin as if he was someone with a lot of experience and recalled the happenings that occured within his body.

Since his master asked him if he realized something, that meant that the answer was not related to the environment but rather something related to him.

The only things that would be related to him would be either his soul or his body. In this case, it would be his body since it was the channel for his strength.

Closing his eyes, he examined everything that happened within his body and saw that after his energy was fully depleted, more energy arose from deep within him and supplied his body with the sufficient energy he needed.

Retracing where the hidden energy came from, Shi Li found out that this energy came from his lungs and his heart.

With every breath he took, the lungs would transform the energy from his surroundings into usable energy which would then be pumped by the heart all over the body.

He didn't know if he was wrong but he still voiced out his realization to Shi Zhang.

"Master, I don't know if my realization is right but, does it have to do something with how there is untapped energy within my body?"

Shi Zhang's eyes lit up as he nodded. "Well, you're close."

'Just like his aptitude, his speed in comprehending subjects is also exemplary as well!' Shi Zhang couldn't help but shout inwardly.

"The untapped energy you're referring to is the energy you naturally regenerate through respiration," Shi Zhang stopped hovering and went closer to Shi Li.

"Natural regeneration...does that mean that if we breathe faster, we regenerate energy at a faster speed?" Shi Li continued to ask.

"Not necessarily. The faster we breathe, the lesser the amount of energy we inhale from our surroundings that reach our lungs. Not to mention, our heart pumps at a faster rate and that in turn reduces the amount of usable energy our body regenerates."

Shi Zhang also added, "Naturally, taking deep breaths is also inefficient since there is a limit to our lungs' capacity. That means one should breathe at a rate that is not too fast and not too slow, allowing the lungs and the heart to perform at their optimal state."

Shi Li pondered about what his master said for a bit and then asked, "So if my guess is correct, you're telling me Master that the first rule of forging is to conserve the energy that is stored inside the body and rely on the energy naturally regenerated by the body?"

Shi Zhang couldn't help but wryly smile. "Well, I guess you could put it at that. The first rule of forging is to use the appropriate amount of energy needed to mold the material. That's what I want you to realize during this run."

"Anyways..." Shi Zhang hovered once more as he imbued qi into his sword.

"Continue running!"

Shi Li shivered as he circulated his strength once more.

"Yes, Master!"

...

It was already night time when Shi Li was finished running around the perimeters of the clan ten times. The moon hung up directly at the sky as it made the beads of sweat on Shi Li's body glisten.

"Haah...haah..."

Shi Li couldn't help but gasp for air as he stood in front of the smithy. Shi Zhang, who was following behind him all this time, sat down on the chair in the smithy again and looked at Shi Li.

"Throughout these ten laps, I've seen your attempts at conserving your body's stored energy and naturally regenerated energy and I commend you for that."

Shi Zhang headed towards one corner of the smithy where a chest was located and opened the chest as he rummaged through the contents inside it.

After a while, he brought out a slightly dusty book and gave it to Shi Li. "Here you go. I haven't seen someone so eager to learn forging at a low cultivation realm like you so this will surely help you out."

Shi Li received the book with both hands and started to read the title. "[Energy Condensation Art]..."

"This is a technique that allows you to use less energy that is stored within your body and enhance your natural energy regeneration rate. Once you achieve the first level, I'll allow you to forge first-hand."

Shi Li's eyes lit up like the moon and bowed respectfully. "I thank Master for his benevolence. If there is nothing else Master, I shall take my leave."

"Eh?" Shi Zhang raised his eyebrow before giving a cruel smile. "You thought this was over?"

"Your training is just getting started."