Training & Frustration!

He was aching all over by the time the sky turned dark. Unfortunately for Pheonix the day was not yet over. The old man made him to meditate for another couple of hours before calling it a day.

By the time his head hit the ground, he was already asleep. The old man smiled at the sleeping boy. " Simon my boy, your son will surpass each and everyone in you family. His dedication and patience itself is enough for him to reach great heights. Fortunately, he is also blessed with a sharp mind and an able body. He will be a great man. A legend if nothing goes amiss and he lives long enough. For him to reach that height, I will make sure he works hard for the next couple of years and for that he should perfect his basic foundations. " After that, the old man took the lotus position and started to meditate.

"Pheonix, how is your second life?" A black shadow with a huge eye fixed on him asked. Pheonix could makout the small grin on the vast face that was infront of him. Instead of panicking, he felt curious about the newcomer.

"Who are you? How can you emit such a strong aura? Its something I rarely felt. Why is your aura trying to make me kneel? Why do I feel that, I had met you before?" Pheonix asked, definately standing still with a proud look and unmoveable attitude.

" Ha ha ha..... same old boldness. Same old curiocity and the same old defiance. I like it kid. Let's say we had met before, but, not in this life. And you will know about me later. This is not the age or time to know my identity. See you later." The figure vanished into thin air.

When the boy opened his eyes, he saw the old man looking at him curiously. Pheonix looked around and saw he was still in the forest. " It was just a dream." Pheonix mumbled and went back to sleep.

Bulan, however was alert as he had felt a strong death aura all around the area they were staying. And it did vanished within a few seconds.

In the morning they started to do their exercise. This time, Pheonix felt his muscles protest. He felt stiff and aches all over his body. After completing the 5th set. He fell down limp and started to breath heavy.

But the old man did not force him to continue or commented at his state. He simply continued doing the sets bu himself.

Watching the old man do the exercise effortlessly, Pheonix stood up and started to do the exercise himself slowly.

Boy, focus on your breathing. It will help you lessen your aches and its just temporary. After a couple of days the aches will not bother you.

"Ok Master Bulan." Pheonix did as he was instructed. The same routine continued for 5 more days. Once Pheonix was able to catch the fish effortlessly, Bulan decided to continue their journey.

They would do the exercise in the morning. Then meditate for a couple of hours. Walk for a couple of hours. Have lunch and then again walk for a couple of hours. Do the exercises again but this time only ten sets. Then have dinner. Again meditation before going to bed.

This routine training and travel took them almost 15 days to reach the old man's place.

The place was calm and similar to the place, where they camped for the initial few days.

There was a small clif of around 40 feet on one side, a small house in the middle of the clearence surrounded by a few square freshly tilled fields which looked ready for farming. There was a calm and clear water pond a couple of hundred feets away infornt of the small house. And the area was surrounded by the thick forest.

Pheonix also observed that there were no sign of any wild animals or beasts near the clearing or inside the forest area surrounding it.

Master Bulan, why is that there are no wild animals or even beasts near this place? The air here feels slightly heavier than what I was feeling before a few hundred steps.

Good observation boy. I think your sense are attuned to mana. You feel chang in the mana fairly better and earlier than many well trained people. Yes this area is enchanted and beasts below peak of legendary levels cannot even come close to the barriers. Only humans can enter, that too with a certain level of magic. If they are extremely powerful, this barrier acts the way it does for the low level beasts.

Pheonix was fascinated by the theory he got to know from the old man. "A barrier working in the reverse order for two different being!!! What a surreal feeling. I have to grow stronger and learn these things and many more."

"Now come, lets take a look at the place where you will spend atleast a couple of years from today." Bulan beaconed the young boy and started walking towards the small house.

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Boy, why are you laying on the ground, lazing around ? I didn't tell you to take rest now. Did I?

Pheonix, panting heavily got up and sat. Sweat was pouring down his face and his shirt was completely wet. " I was not lazing around Master Bulan, I am just tired."

Tired, Already!!? You have not even completed tilling half the field yet. And its already lunch time. I want the complete field to be tilled before sunset, Boy.

Pheonix's mouth was hanging open in shock. He saw the old man, faning himself and entered the house. When he looked around, he saw almost 5 acers of land was tillied. And he did it with his bare hand using just two small pieces of metal plates as shovels.

He sighed heavily, stretched once, drank few sips of water from the water skin hanging from his waist. And started to work again.

Pheonix was looking at the moon, floating on top of the pond, relaxing his aching muscles by the help of cool water and thinking about Fiona and his family.

He always missed them at night times. He missed the family conversation. Spending time with his sister. His parents and grandparents love and care. His carefree life. Then he would sigh, get his emotions under control and start meditating, floating ontop of the water for a couple of hours.

To his surprise, the meditation on top of the water would completely cure his body aches, cuts and bruises he would accumulate during the entire day. By the time he went to have dinner, his skin would be as good as a new born babe's. Fresh, smooth and unmarked.

He also observed that, the training he was doing for a couple of months now was make him become leaner, muscular and tougher. Pheonix was pleased by the development. Alas, the old man was not. He would never appreciate or praise Pheonix, no matter how hard he worked or how fast he completed his task.

"Not enough kid, you still have the scope for improvements. If this is your limit, then you can forget to become special amongst the humans." This was the general dialog that the old man seldom used to keep Pheonix push his limits and achieve greater heights.

Pheonix sometimes even felt like bashing the old geysers head with a huge rock and run away. But he would always calm himself down. Breath deeply and continue doing as he was told by his Master.