8 Spar between Feng and Lin

One week left and Lin was practising his punching. Feng observed and saw that the progress was slow... super slow.

After an hour of Lin trying to figure out how to punch and use his fists as weapons, the progress only went up by six percent. That may seem a lot for Lin's first try but they don't have the time and this is for getting the cultivation skillbook.

Only when they got the skillbook will Lin temper his body skills and breakthrough the fourth stage. By his own calculation, Feng will reach the second stage once Lin achieved this.

Since the gap between is now vast, every breakthrough for Lin is a breakthrough for Feng except for stepping onto the sixth stage because the breakthrough for the fifth will give no excess progress.

"Ha!" like a monk, Lin assumed a horse stance and gave every punch force. He had been doing this for an hour now. His form improved over time since the basics is not hard to learn for a cultivator.

Lin's senses are also sharper than before. He could feel that his every move brings great force. But that was not enough, his move lacks something.

'I wonder what it is... I'm not really a fan of boxing or any other martial arts. I do read sports novels and mangas, even watched some shows about it but a lot of them are fiction and have no consistency.'

Each moment that passes, the progress becomes slower. This means that Lin's repetitive actions do no help him at all.

[I would've taught you if you chose a sword. I'm really good at it and since it's a popular weapon, it has vast techniques behind it I can share.]

Feng sighed at Rumia's words.

'Unfortunately, we don't have anything as a sword. I don't think the manual will accept something sloppy.'

[Hmm... how about this. Just stop being repetitive. I know practice is the road to perfection but perfection is not your goal right now. How about you explore more with trial and error? Fists are not only for punching you know. The fists are just a part of the hand-]

'That's it! Rumia, you're so smart, you're right! That's why you're worthy of becoming my wife!' Feng got a jolt of realization.

[Haha... haha... I don't deserve you, Feng... only sinful people deserve such a punishment.]

"Lin!" Feng called while ignoring Rumia's remark.

"Hm? What is it, Feng?"

Feng explained what Rumia said. Lin realized it too. Soon, he used his palms. He formed a hammer with both fists, smashing the air. He used his elbows and even explored so grappling techniques on Feng but finding some techniques is harder than it seems.

The progress bar picked up its pace while Lin did so. At the end of the day, Lin reached sixty percent which in Feng's view is not enough.

Going home, Feng asked both of his parents about fighting skills only to be disappointed.

"I'm glad that you're becoming enthusiastic now. Must be because of Lin's influence." Boqin laughed.

'Only if they know...' Feng inwardly laughed as well.

"But sorry, Feng, we have no idea about it. I just cultivated to not be bullied while your father cultivated to get a job. Fighting is not the life of every cultivator." Fei shook her head in dismay.

"No, as long as there's a will, there's a way. Just go and never give up." Boqin patted Feng's back.

"Huh..."

The next morning, Feng continued to teach Lin about some stuff he thought should work, and to their satisfaction, they did.

Lin practiced when he got home so the progress got twenty percent more. Another twenty percent and they will finally be able to start increasing their cultivation again.

Alas, another bottleneck appeared at eighty-five percent.

"I wonder what we are lacking?" Feng asked and Rumia answered.

[Maybe he needs some real opponent to practice the basics.]

Feng nodded and faced Lin off.

"Ugh... I don't want to hurt you, Feng." Lin made a sincere saddened expression.

"Heh, don't worry, Lin. I'm not that weak as you think I am, come!" Feng assumed a posture.

"Okay..." Lin wanted to make sure he pulled some punches first then he charged.

Feng prepared himself and-

Pak*

A tooth came flying out with a sparkle of blood as its trace.

"Feng!" Lin shouted as he saw Feng almost flew off the ground.

[What are you thinking? Lin is three stages above you. Looking at it, he didn't seem to use his full strength there.]

'You knew... why didn't you say anything?' Feng thought as blood was smeared on his mouth.

[I just want to see you get beaten up? I don't know.]

'Rumia, I thought you love me...' Feng inwardly cried.

[How did you get that thought!?]

Lin heard this and his face darkened.

'They're flirting again...' he thought. If Rumia had a physical body, he would've glared at her right now.

Rumia only hears Feng's thoughts so she was not able to rebuke Lin's thoughts.

Feng then stood up and wiped the blood off his face. His lips curled up to a confident smile.

"Let's do it once again."

"Huh?"

[You want to die? Lin is at least five times stronger than you right now in all aspects. He's five times faster, stronger, and more durable. That adds up and terrifyingly complements each other, resulting in you getting beaten up.]

"I guess you still love me, Rumia, but don't worry. I was training too."

[Huh!? Where are you gett-]

"Then I'll come at you again!" Lin shouted which Rumia didn't know if he intended or not.

"Sure, you can hold back however you want to but I won't, is that okay?" Feng laughed.

"That's okay!"

Right after Lin replied he charged once again, with his fist in front, it was about to hit Feng's face again but this time, it hit nothing but air before he felt a smack on his cheek.

Feng used his full force on that counterattack and it made Lin dizzy for a moment but ultimately, did little damage.

"T-tough...!" Feng waved his hand.

"How did you do that, Feng?" Lin asked in a stupor.

"Heh, it's because I now know how fast you are. Let's continue and you'll learn."

Lin nodded and he continued. For every ten hits or so from Feng, Lin would land a hit on him. This was constant because as Lin improves so does Feng.

90%

93%

97%

.....

100% Mission complete.

Their sparring finally came to an end but how could Feng defeat LIn?

"Haa! Congratulations, Lin Solace, you've completed your mission. Would you like to choose your reward and receive it now?" Feng said with a bloodied face as he gasped for air on the ground. If he fought this battle before he became a cultivator, he must've died.

But Lin didn't do much better either. He was also lying on the ground. A bit of sprinkled blood here and there, unknown if it came from Feng or him. He was sweating but was not in the state in need of catching his breath. However, the red marks on his face and body were evident.

When the battle was near its end, Lin no longer held back and came at Feng with full force. So Rumia, who witnessed the whole fight, was internally shocked. There are no skills used here, only pure brawl. No techniques, treasures, or pills to alleviate Feng's disadvantage so... how is he able to fare well?

[Maybe because he is actually older than Lin? Maybe... maybe... but still..?] Rumia could only shake her head inwardly.

"So what rewards do I choose from?" Lin laid on his belly from lying on his back and looked at Feng with expectation.

"You have a lot of choices, Lin." Feng browsed the rewards list in his mind. He didn't enumerate it all because there are only carious skillbooks due to the variety of weapons.

There is only one skill book that uses fist and it's called-

"Rock-Disintegrating Fist Skillbook. Sorry for my mistake earlier, it seemed like that's your only choice for now."

"Rock-Dizintekraying... Fist sounds cool, I'll take it!"

The cultivation skillbook then appeared out of a familiar light that enveloped Lin several times already. Lin took it and as he opened and read, he entered a state of focus and enlightenment.

'How much time does he need for that?' Feng asked Rumia, the supposed expert.

[Depends on the talent. But since it's just the most basic of the basics Common Cultivation Technique, it shouldn't take half a day.]

'Huh... I guess I'll recover my strength a little. Good thing that tooth was just a baby tooth or my handsome face will take a hit.'

[Handsome? Where?]

'Hum hmph! I will cultivate now as I wait for him.'

[Haaa... cultivation is really boring...]

'I think otherwise.'

After Lin finished being enlightened, he passed the book for Feng to learn too. Afterward, they would need to hide it or their parents would definitely question them for it.

Feng wiped off the dirt and blood from his face in fear that his parents will notice it. But his broken tooth will definitely be noticed. He just has to lie his way through. He's just a kid, kids get into accidents on their own all the time.

However, when he got home, he immediately forgot the state he was in as he saw his father lying on the ground, beaten black and blue while his mother tends his wounds.