Training drills

It actually didn't take them very long to prepare a training schedule for Tao Lihua. They planned to train her for this one week and then have her return to the Storm Desert Sect. Hu Jie will accompany her to the sect.

In the sect, Tao Lihua took all the missions that required her to fight multiple beasts. Hu Jie would accompany her on these missions and ensure her safety.

However, he wasn't allowed to take action until she was truly in life-threatening danger.

He was chosen for this task instead of Geng Pen because he possessed Earth Ardor. He could easily protect Tao Lihua even from a distance.

For this one week, Long Chen planned to train her in the basics of martial arts personally. Tao Lihua's forms were crude and raw, and he planned to change that.

The composure part was actually rather challenging. Long Chen could ask her to take deep breaths to calm herself. It should improve after multiple battles.

For Tao Lihua's reaction speed, Long Chen prepared a special drill. Geng Pen and Hu Jie were ordered to throw multiple small stones in Tao Lihua's direction, and she had to dodge them all.

This was merely the first level of this training. The second level would be to throw these stones from both directions.

However, before going to the second level, Long Chen had to improve her awareness. This was her greatest weakness.

For her awareness, Long Chen ordered her to turn her head in both directions before gazing ahead. She had to repeat this motion seven to eight times in ten seconds.

Slowly, this motion would become a part of her, and she would do this unconsciously when in battle.

The awareness part proved exceedingly tricky, and there was almost no progress this week.

Actually, Tao Lihua wasn't the only one training with this schedule.

Ren Yue found this training schedule rather fascinating and implemented it as well.

Ren Yue's awareness and composure were much better when compared to Tao Lihua. However, it still allowed her to improve her skills tremendously.

Within this week, Long Chen also crushed the leaves and added some other herbs. He created dark soup at the end of the concoction.

Its foul smell would force anyone to run away, but Long Chen divided this soup into two portions and took one of them to Ren Yue's room.

"Young Miss, please drink this," spoke Long Chen.

"…W-What is that disgusting smell?!" Ren Yue was startled as a pungent smell entered her nose.

"It's from this soup. I know it might seem weird but drink it. It will be extremely useful for your cultivation. In fact, you might even reach the 2 Star Rank directly!" Long Chen quickly described the benefits of this soup.

Ren Yue didn't waste any second and snatched the bowl from Long Chen's hands and drank it in one go.

"Uggh…Gwaah…This is so bitter!" Ren Yue grumbled because the soup tasted much worse than she anticipated.

"Quickly use your Revolving Yin Merit Law and absorb all the energy," Long Chen urged her with an anxious expression.

Ren Yue obeyed his words and quickly moved her Ardor according to the Revolving Yin Merit Law.

Surprisingly, she sensed a tremendous amount of energy in her stomach. Ren Yue instantly understood this was the energy contained in that bitter soup.

When Long Chen noticed that the absorption of the energy was occurring smoothly, he let out a relieved sigh.

He returned to his room and drank his own portion before utilizing his Moonlit Phantasm True Scripture to absorb that massive energy.

On that very same day, Ren Yue broke through to the 2 Star Rank. She was genuinely startled and recalled that Long Chen had mentioned this.

Ren Yue hadn't taken it seriously since she thought Long Chen was making things up and just wanted her to drink this soup.

'…I spent nearly two years reaching the 2 Star Rank with my previous cultivation technique. But now, it took only ten days for me to reach the 2 Star Rank.'

Ren Yue was thrilled that she had an ally like Long Chen. She still didn't understand why he had saved her from prison that day, but she was sure he didn't mean any harm! This was more than enough for her.

As the week came to an end and Tao Lihua was preparing to depart, one of Ren Yue's subordinates arrived with shocking news.

"…Young lady, the entire Suqui Town is in chaos. There is a massive prison breakout, and all the prisoners of the Suqui Prison are free!" The guard spoke, his voice trembling due to shock.

This is the first time something like this has occurred in Suqui Town.

Long Chen thought, 'My prediction was nearly right. Now that the Law Enforcement Department is weak and Lian Ming has been demoted, it was the perfect opportunity to conduct this massive prison breakout.'

"What's their number?" Ren Yue asked.

"Nearly five hundred prisoners have escaped the prison, and all the Law Enforcement Officers have been deployed to restrain them."

"…It's said that some prisoners are heading towards this area. They wish to break the houses and kill the influential people in Suqui Town," the guard spoke.

"What are the Law Enforcement Officers doing? They can't even do their damn jobs!" Ren Yue spoke out with a hint of agitation in her voice.

A few moments later, another guard entered the manor and reported, "Young lady, a rumor is spreading that it's the Mayor who freed these prisoners! His personal guards were witnessed in the area, and one of them has been injured by a Law Enforcement Officer!"

When Long Chen heard this news, for some reason, he thought, 'This must be the JRA's scheme! Even though this event didn't occur in my previous life, they must have been the ones who created this rumor and spread it.'

Long Chen could easily guess the JRA's motive. They probably wanted the private organizations and the general populace in Suqui Town to protest against the Mayor. Riots against the Mayor had perhaps begun.

In a sense, they were cutting the Mayor loose.

'The JRA must have another objective if they cut the Mayor loose. They must be attacking someone else.'

Long Chen asked the two guards who brought the information about the situation outside, "Is there any large-scale battle going on?"

"Large-scale battle? Numerous battles are occurring in the entire town; which one are you referring to?" The guards snorted in disdain.

"Alright, you can leave. Peng Gen, help them set up a defensive front. I don't need any of those stinky convicts entering my manor!" Ren Yue ordered coldly.

"As you command, young lady," Peng Gen spoke respectfully. He led the guards outside the house.

Tao Lihua stared at Ren Yue and spoke, "Looks like I can only extend my stay here."

"Hmm," Ren Yue nodded. It was clearly not the best idea to go outside during these riots. She had a feeling that they would be settled in a few days.

"It's a good thing because I learned more skills from Master Long," Tao Lihua spoke while staring at Long Chen with a look of excitement.

This week, Long Chen taught her a lot. His profound knowledge and teaching style hugely impressed Tao Lihua and made her eager to learn more skills from him.

Ren Yue frowned slightly upon hearing Tao Lihua's words. She knew that nothing was happening between the two, but she still didn't want Tao Lihua near Long Chen.

"…Miss Ren, I want to head out and check the current situation of Suqui Town," Long Chen suddenly requested.

Ren Yue was stunned to hear this request. The entire Suqui Town is experiencing riots, and Long Chen actually wanted to go out at this moment?!

"No way! It's too dangerous! If you encounter some convicts who recognize you from the prison, they will definitely try their best to kill you!" Ren Yue spoke.

"No worries. I will be wearing this silver mask," Long Chen spoke as he pulled out that silver mask.

It was the same mask that he had worn previously.

'Well, it's time to recycle the mask. I will do it after using it this time,' Long Chen thought.

"…Didn't you hear me clearly? It's still too dangerous. What if something happens to you?!" Ren Yue spoke out coldly.

However, Long Chen stared at her sternly, "Miss Ren; I would have agreed if the situation wasn't urgent. But I must confirm my guesses. If we don't act soon, the JRA will truly destroy this entire town."

Ren Yue was startled to see Long Chen so serious about this issue. She didn't have the heart to reject his request.

Thus, she spoke solemnly, "…Then I will come along."

"Miss Ren, you haven't mastered your Brilliant Flame Drift yet. It will be difficult for you to follow me at my fastest speed. Moreover, you know my skill in illusions; I can easily hide anywhere," Long Chen spoke calmly.

Ren Yue spoke sourly, "You mean to say I will be a burden to you."

Long Chen paused for a brief moment before finally nodding, "…Frankly, yes. I hope Miss Ren understands me on this."

"…You can never stop me once I master the Brilliant Flame Drift!" Ren Yue spoke coldly.

"I won't dare to. In fact, I will be delighted to have Miss Ren accompany me to dangerous spots," Long Chen agreed readily.

"I shall take my leave then," He spoke before rushing out of the house.

Long Chen utilized his Traceless Breeze Striding Steps and easily jumped out of the manor's gate.

The guards were startled and were about to take action when Peng Gen suddenly spoke, "Ignore him. Young lady must have assigned him on a mission."

Very soon, Peng Gen reverts to his normal state as he shouts at a guard, "Hey you! Set that barricade properly! What's with that snobby work?! You want those stinky convicts to enter the manor?!"