Body Cultivation(Part1)

"So, how's your cultivation going?" Elder Zihao De asked Si Kim and Yang Zhai. 

"Elder, my cultivation is going smoothly, and I am not facing any issues in my cultivation, but brother Yang Zhai…" Si Kim replied and stopped while speaking, 

"Yang Zhai what?" 

"Brother Yang Zhai is not advancing in his cultivation, in fact, his cultivation has dropped to rank 2 early-stage." 

"Hmm," When Zihao De heard this, his eyes narrowed, he was surprised, at least, that was what his expression looked like. He looked at Yang Zhai with a questioning expression. 

However, Yang Zhai looked at Zihao De and said with a slight hesitation on his face, 

"No, Elder, brother Si is lying, my cultivation is going fine. There… is no problem, you don't need to worry." 

"Hmm, are you sure?" Zihao De looked at Yang Zhai as if he did not believe Yang Zhai. 

"Brother Yang, what are you saying? You clearly told me that you were having issues with your cultivation, and it was decreasing. Why are you lying now?!" Si Kim was shocked by what Yang Zhai said. 

"No, I… I was not lying, yes… I was not lying." Yang Zhai said with hesitation on his face. 

Hmm, he must be hesitating that we would stop him from participating in the final round or that we would get angry at him, and from what I have seen until now, he really cares for the Bai clan. If the Bai clan fails because of him, he would surely blame himself; thus, he doesn't want to tell us that his cultivation is decreasing. Even though I already know it from his talk with Si Kim yesterday. I must make him talk, or we won't be able to help him and win the final round: Zihao De thought and said, 

"Yang Zhai, we can't take the risk. Tell me truly, is your cultivation really not advancing and is decreasing instead? Tell me truthfully, for the Clan." 

I need to make sure that elder Zihao De doesn't examine my cultivation with the Glimpse of Power stone. Even though a rank 2 stone won't be able to examine my cultivation rank, I still can't take any risks. If they use a rank 3 Glimpse of Power stone to examine my cultivation rank, my true rank would be exposed. For that to not happen, I will need to play with his mind: Yang Zhai thought inwardly: If I accepted that my cultivation was not increasing, and in fact, it was decreasing, and that I wanted to become a body cultivator, Zihao De would surely suspect something and that I might be lying. Therefore, he would surely examine my cultivation rank with the Glimpse stone. 

Yang Zhai hesitated and said quickly in a shivering tone, 

"Elder, brother Si is… tel…telling the truth. My cultivation has dropped to… rank 2 early stage from rank 2 mid-stage. Please, please don't remove me from the final round. I surely can win in the final round. I promise, I will give my all. In fact, with my body strength right now, I can easily defeat a rank 2 mid-stage cultivator. I, I can surely win the final round. So, so, please let me fight in the final round." 

Yang Zhai fell to the ground on his knees and kept on begging to let him compete while looking at Zihao De's face. After all, he wanted to make sure that elder Zihao De had a good look. His eyes were filled with tears. A determination for the Clan could be seen in his eyes. 

 When Zihao De looked at Yang Zhai, he sighed, 

"Sigh, we are in really big trouble. But, you said that you can defeat a rank 2 mid-stage cultivator with your body strength, right."

Got him, he fell into my trap. He caught the point I wanted him to: Yang Zhai smiled inwardly. 

Zihao De had fallen into Yang Zhai's trap and did not even think of examining Yang Zhai's cultivation to check whether he was lying or not after seeing what Yang Zhai showed him. He did not even for once think that Yang Zhai was lying. In fact, Yang Zhai had also added his body cultivation in his speech to avert Zihao De's attention. Now, even Zihao De did not know what had happened to him. His mind played along with Yang Zhai's game. He subconsciously did not even think of examining Yang Zhai's cultivation because his mind got satisfied with outward manifestation. 

In a game of experts, everything matters from top to bottom, every expression, each body reaction, every move, every word, every breath, and even the environment. Body language, gesture communication, expression reading, social study, and ecosystem theory on earth were developed not for no reason. These were all Yang Zhai's thoughts. He was not only reading Zihao De's body language but was also manipulating his mind through minor things. Yang Zhai had a thorough grip on psychoanalysis and psychology. This was not only achieved through books but also by experience. 

"Yes, elder, I can defeat a rank 2 cultivator with my body strength." 

"Good, come with me." Zihao De said this and left the room with Yang Zhai. 

Both of them came in front of Tai Qi's room. Zihao De opened the door and both of them entered the room. 

"Come sit, Yang Zhai." Zihao De said after sitting at one side of the floor table. On the other side was sitting Tai Qi. Yang Zhai went and sat at one side of the floor table. 

"Yang Zhai, I heard about your cultivation from elder Zihao De yesterday." Tai Qi said. 

After Yang Zhai heard this, he looked confusedly at them. 

"Don't look so confused. I heard yesterday's conversation that you had with Si Kim." Zihao De looked at Yang Zhis's bewildered expression and spoke. 

"Yang Zhai, after listening about your situation and that you have a good body for body cultivation, I chose a few Kas for you. But, I must see for myself whether you are truly suited for body cultivation. Come with me." 

Tai Qi stood up and opened the Shoji door of his room. After the door opened, a beautiful green yard with red and yellow leaves was revealed to their eyes. In the middle of the Yard was placed a rock of a man's size. 

"Yang Zhai, do you see that rock? If you can really defeat a rank 2 mid-stage cultivator, you should at least be able to leave a dent in that rock, a full handprint. If you can, I will give one rank 2 Earth Bones ka, one rank 2 Earth Veins ka, one rank 2 Earth Muscles ka, one rank 2 Earth Speed ka, one rank 2 Earth Skin ka, and one rank 2 Earth Bull ka. Remember that one rank 2 Earth Bull can grant you the strength of two bulls. We have to be sure that body cultivation is really suitable for you, if not, we will find another way for you to cultivate and not waste time by trying to develop your body cultivation." Tai Qi looked at Yang Zhai and said. 

"Yang Zhai, don't disappoint me. I have high hopes for you. I told everything to brother Tai about your fight in the second round of the competition and other fights that I have seen you in. I always felt that you are suited to be a body cultivator, so don't disappoint me" Zihao De spoke after Tai Qi. 

Body cultivation was not for everyone. Some were suited to be body cultivators and others were suited to be other paths cultivators. Using body type kas could prove to be harmful to the body if the body was not suited to them or was too weak to endure them: otherwise, every cultivator would use at least two to three body type kas to make their bodies stronger. Even after using these kas, practicing one's body was too important such as, damaging the body again and again and even more. Not just this, a few body cultivators would even break their bones again and again and heal them, again and again, to make them even stronger. Body cultivation was not so easy, this was the reason Tai Qi wanted to check for himself. 

!*****!*****!

Shoji doors: Japanese-style doors, sliding doors.