Training Ground (2)

Push-ups, running, squatting, weightlifting, and sit-ups. These are the fundamental forms of physical training that Augustus undergoes as he strives to improve his cultivation.

Over the course of five days, he pushes himself to the limit, with push-ups proving to be the most challenging exercise due to the intense pain, especially when Augustus was getting used to the pain.

Finally, Augustus receives a notification from his system, indicating that he has learned a new skill as he completed the training.

[You have learned 'Pain Resistance']

[You have learned a skill without relying on skill book]

[500 Points earned]

[Physical Training Lvl 1 completed]

[Your stats have increased]

[Augustus Gray]

[Cultivation Realm: Qi Refinement Realm]

[Mana Rating: Two-Star Mage]

[Learned Skills: Wind Step Lvl 3, Pain Resistance lvl 1]

STR: 11 CONS: 6

AGI: 6 DEF: 3

INT: 18 MAG: 25

Unique Stats:

Qi: 10

"Great. I've obtained Pain Resistance lvl 1. It seems the system sarcastically saying I haven't suffered enough yet," Augustus mutters to himself.

"It also only gave me 500 points for it."

"I thought I could farm points with all of my trapping skills later on."

Nonetheless, Augustus is pleased to see that his stats have improved, making the physical training feel easier in comparison.

He wonders about the exact impact of a single stat point, but he can definitely feel the results of his hard work.

"Great job. Now let's head back and take a well-deserved nap," Leo says with a satisfied smile.

Leo also receives a notification from the system as Augustus completed the training, immediately wanted to heads back to the castle's bedroom chamber to rest.

"I still have a few more rounds to go," Augustus says determinedly, ignoring Leo's complaints as he initiates the next round of Physical Training through the system.

[Physical Training Lvl 1 chosen]

Bzzt*

"What! He can do it without my guidance. Why am I standing here all day just to watch," Leo grumbles to himself.

Bzzt*

"... There's no need for weights this time," Leo tried to end the Physical Training faster with easier workout rountines.

Bzzt*

"GO AND GRAB THE WEIGHTS AND START DOING PUSH-UPS," Leo commands.

Leo screamed as his head is against the wall in frustration.

The training continued under Leo's guidance. When he noticed mistakes in my posture he would ask me to correct it, etc.

[Physical Training lvl 1 Completed]

[Your stats have increased]

[Augustus Gray]

[Cultivation Realm: Qi Refinement Realm]

[Mana Rating: Two-Star Mage]

[Learned Skills: Wind Step Lvl 3]

STR: 13 CONS: 7

AGI: 8 DEF: 3

INT: 18 MAG: 25

Unique Stats:

Qi: 10

This time it took only two days to complete the whole training.

Feeling the need to refresh myself before diving back into the training, I decided to strip down and immerse myself in the cool, refreshing river.

Taking breaks occasionally was a must, or else the pain might drive me insane.

"Hey, have you ever taken a dip in here?" I asked Leo casually, not feeling the need to be overly respectful as he had not undergone the training.

"Not really, never thought of that," Leo shrugged, often spending his time sleeping and doing nothing.

"Come down here and take a dip. It's nice, the river here is very clean," I insisted, encouraging Leo to join me.

Leo hesitated, but I pulled him down with me into the river. His clothes were now wet, but he didn't seem to mind.

If he didn't want to join me, I doubted I could force him. This old man was just shy.

"It'll be even better with hot water. If only there was hot spring here,"

Hearing Augustus words Leo scoffed. "Hot water? You're trying to cook yourself?"

[Upgrade List]

[Hot Spring Features]

[Made due to user request.]

[Cost: 1000 Points]

"Hmm... a thousand points for something with no obvious benefit," He's thinking whether it was worth the investment.

Augustus looked at Leo with curiosity. "Have you never enjoyed a hot spring before?"

"No," Leo replied bluntly. "I rarely washed myself, only when I was covered in blood."

"Revenge and rage were all my life was about."

"Revenge and rage..." Augustus repeated softly, memories of his past life resurfacing. He had been consumed by those same emotions until he met Laura. He decided to let go of revenge and try to be content with what he had.

"It's because you didn't find someone you can rely on," Augustus said, trying to sound casual despite the awkwardness.

"That's too cringey for an old man like you but I've lost everything. I have no purpose left. Just blaming the whole world for it," Leo admitted, his guard seemingly lowered as it's been a while he talked to someone other than system.

Augustus was intrigued. "How long will you be imprisoned here? Actually, how long have you been imprisoned?"

Leo shook his head. "I don't think I can get out of this place. My original body died, but my soul was trapped here to prevent me from reincarnating."

Augustus was curious about the system that had brought them together. "What is the system? Who is it? Is it God?"

Leo was about to give some information but before he could mutter out a word, the system take an action.

"F*ck, why are you shocking me? It's not even a big deal to let him know some stuff. Isn't he your successor or something?" Leo muttered angrily, seemingly addressing the system.

"Successor? Of who?" Augustus asked incredulously.

"Nope, I can't talk," Leo replied. "I'll die if I continue to talk. It seems I've gone soft after not meeting a human for a billion years." Leo said "a billion years," but he was just coming up with a random number as he hadn't counted the specific amount of time he had spent inside.

Leo had dropped a hint about the system, but everything remain unclear about the origin of the system and its purpose.

Leo didn't speak anymore, but instead accepted the pain and resumed enjoying the refreshing water soaking in silence.

"Oh yea, the lightning bolt somehow didn't flow through the water. Thank God I didn't get hit by it," he remarked after a while.

"It's special. It's more of an injury to the soul rather than normal lightning," Leo explained.

Augustus feel a pang of guilt for prying into Leo's past.

Augustus made a decision. Just this once, he would spend 1000 points to unlock the hot spring features.

He clicked 'yes' and watched as the river water gradually turned hotter and hotter. Comfortable seat also risen from the ground, converting the river more of a hot spring rather than a river when inspected closely.

Leo was initially surprised by the change in temperature, but soon relaxed with a contented sigh, not saying a word.

"Looks like he's enjoying it," Augustus thought to himself with a small smile.

After indulging in the hot spring for about an hour, Augustus decided to resume his physical training.

This time, Leo sat in the hot spring without complaining, giving commands and correcting his forms whenever they were imperfect.

Surprisingly, the system didn't shock Leo for lying down in the hot spring while the training resumed. The system don't mind it as long as Leo is diligently doing his job.

After completing the fourth round of physical training, Augustus noticed that his stats didn't increase as much as they had during the first training. However, the training still remain as intense, but it took less time to complete due to his increased physical abilities.

'Finally completed Physical Training Lvl 1 twenty times,' Augustus Gray thought to himself, feeling accomplished.

It had felt like months had passed, but in reality, only two weeks had gone by since he started.

STR: 23 CONS: 10

AGI: 17 DEF: 5

INT: 18 MAG: 25

Leo, who was training with him, approached and asked, "Oi kid, you can make requests from the system, right? Can you make my bed more comfortable with it?"

Augustus smirked and replied, "I could probably do it, but I'm not wasting my precious points just so you can sleep better."

Leo tried to entice Augustus by saying, "I'll teach you some of my sword techniques in exchange for it."

Augustus raised an eyebrow and responded, "You'll still teach it to me even if I don't ask for it?"

Augustus was hinting at the system, as it would shock Leo if he was slacking during the training.

Leo nodded and said, "Yes, but not everything. I'll teach you what the system want you to learn. I only need to follow the set of rules prepared by the system."

"This old man has played around with the system for billions years. I definitely know how it works better than you."

Augustus considered it for a moment and said, "...It's not that I don't want to, but I seriously lack points right now. Let me see how much it requires first."

[Upgrade list]

[High-Quality Bedroom]

[Made due to user request.]

[Cost: 1000 Points]

Augustus suspected the system purposely made it so that he could befriend the Old Man more easily and get him to impart some of his knowledge to him.

Curious about his remaining points, he checked his balance.

[1200 Points Available]

Only 1200 left, if he spent it now he'll only be left with 200 points.

He decided to scour every points he can right now by opening the quest system to see what quests were available to earn more points.

[Quest System]

[Progression Quest]

Enter The Training Camp [Reward: 100 points]

[Daily Quest]

Cultivate in the Martial Seclusion House for at least 3 months time.

[Reward: 100 points]

Meditate in the Magic Tower for at least 3 months time.

[Reward: 100 points]

Train in the Training Camp for at least 3 months time.

[Reward: 100 points]

Let's claim the progression quest rewards.

[100 Points earned]

[All of the Progression Quests were completed]

[500 Points earned]

[New Progression quests unlocked]

[Progression Quest]

Reach Qi Refinement Realm [Reward: 100 points]

Reach One-Star Mage [Reward: 100 points]

Reach One-Star Aura [Reward: 100 points]

He also had the same daily quest for the Magic Tower and the Training Camp, which he could complete for more points. Augustus pondered his options and started planning his cultivation path to earn more points and improve his standing in the cultivation world.

"It's done, old man. It better be worth it. I've already spent 2000 points for your sake," Augustus huffed, his impatience evident.

"What? So fast? I knew you could do it!" Leo exclaimed with excitement, his eyes twinkling. He couldn't wait to see what his bed looks like.

Seeing Leo acted like a kid, Augustus' curiosity piqued, thus he followed Leo to the bedroom.

The heavy wooden doors creaked open, revealing a breathtaking sight that left them both speechless.

The bedroom chamber was a haven of luxury and comfort, fit for a noble.

A soft rug with colorful patterns covered the stone floor, creating a cozy atmosphere.

A modest wooden desk with a single candle for illumination stood near the window, offering a peaceful space for reading or writing.

But it was the bed that stole the show. A simple, yet sturdy wooden bed with a carved headboard and footboard stood against one wall, draped in embroidered linens and topped with a plush mattress and down pillows.

Leo couldn't contain his excitement as he jumped onto the mattress like a child, testing its softness.

"This is the softest bed I've ever slept on! It's like lying on a cloud!" Leo exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder. "Trust me I laid on a cloud before."

Augustus couldn't help but chuckle at Leo's enthusiasm.

'I might consider sleeping after seeing this. I just remembered I have yet slept a single wink.'

I couldn't help but agree with Leo. The sheer luxury of the soft bed brought tears to my eyes as I touched its plush surface.

"This is my bed now," Leo declared, embracing the soft pillow and settling down with a sense of peace.

"That fireplace seems useless, it doesn't get cold here, does it? Now that I think about it, it's always have been morning."

Augustus pointed out the presence of a fireplace, but noted that the place remained in perpetual daylight.

"Hm? You can simply ask the System to switch to night mode," Leo suggested, ever the savvy expert on the System's capabilities.

"Switch to night mode," Leo commanded, and in an instant, the sky turned pitch black. It was astonishing to witness the swift response of the System.

"There's such a feature?" I asked, incredulous.

"I told you, I've lived here long enough to know the system inside out," Leo smirked, a confident gleam in his eyes.

"Kid, you must become stronger so you can earn more points for my sake. Let's start training now," he urged, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

"Old man, I have other plans for the points, and I've almost ran out of points because of you," I retorted, feeling the weight of the points I had already spent on Leo's behalf.

"You can always earn more points, but I'm suffering here, trapped in this dimension for eternity," Augustus complained, his impatience palpable.

"That's entirely your fault. Why should I have to earn points for you?" I argued, my frustration mounting.

Leo intervened, offering a compromise.

"Okay, let me impart a technique to you for free then. How much you learn depends on your talent," he interjected, his voice calm and composed.

"Two techniques, one for the hot spring, and one for the bedroom," Augustus added, seizing the opportunity to get his way.

"Deal. The stronger you are, the better it is for me anyway," Leo agreed, realizing that me gaining more power could ultimately benefit him as well.

With the agreement made, we turned back time to morning and made our way to the training ground, where Leo would begin imparting his techniques to me.

"Watch closely," Leo said, grabbing a sword and assuming a combat stance.

The air around him turned cold as he closed his eyes, and in a split second, he swung the sword, effortlessly splitting everything in front of him, even the wall of the training ground was destroyed revealing the dense forest surrounded the training ground.

"He's not even using his aura. That's solely his physical strength," I marveled, in awe of Leo's formidable abilities.

'I almost forgot he's one of the strongest men in all dimensions,' Augustus thought to himself as he watched Leo effortlessly split the ground in half.

The damage Leo dissipated quickly while Augustus was in awe, as though nothing have happened as it was restored by the system.

"A man called Ichimonji invented the technique. He managed to injure my shoulder with it."

"Sadly, he's an honorable warrior, willing to sacrifice himself for others. I used it as a weakness and killed him,' Leo explained with a smirk, patting the very shoulder that was injured by the man he mentioned.

"How can you be proud of it as you say it?" Augustus couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at Leo's callousness.

"Son, the strongest survive, that's it," Leo replied, his confidence oozing out of every pore.

Hearing Leo's words, Augustus found himself at a loss for a comeback, remembering how powerless he felt when facing the Six-Horned creature that toyed with him as if he was nothing but an ant.

"So how much did you understand from it? It may look like a simple sword technique, but it took him years to perfect it. He's a talented guy as well," Leo continued, his tone smug.

'It seems to me that you have perfected it. How long did you take?' Augustus asked, curious despite himself.

'Really wish to know? It took me a week,' Leo replied, not even waiting for Augustus to answer his question before boasting further.

Talents certainly made a difference.

Augustus couldn't help but feel a pang of inadequacy. If the man mentioned, who seemed to have a natural talent, took him years to perfect the technique.

How long will I take?

'I guess let's find out how untalented I am,' Augustus muttered to himself, steeling his resolve.

He imitated Leo's combat stance to the best of his ability, swinging the sword downward in an attempt to replicate what he had seen.

"How was it?" Augustus asked eagerly, hoping for some praise.

"Bad. No, bad is an understatement. Have you ever held a sword before?" Leo's words stung, but Augustus shook his head in response.

Augustus had always relied on his magic in combat, never really bothering with close combat skills.

Despite receiving basic training during his time in the military, he barely needed to use it but he definitely knew he was lacking in that area.

"...Let's start with Weapon Training. We better start from the basics," Leo said with a sigh.