Chapter 113 – Want to be strong, really strong

After eating her dinner while being depressed, Chu Qing-Yan got on the couch to take a rest. Don't know if what Big Block of Ice said was true, dawn? Would the sun have risen at that time?

With a stomach full of nervousness, Chu Qing-Yan fell into a deep sleep.

When the sun had just started to rise, someone was already standing in front of the door to her room.

It was Earth Spirit who was dressed all in black!

He frowned looking at the firmly closed door and Xi Ning who was standing by the door, not knowing what to do.

"Has your family's master gotten up yet?" Cold air was released.

"Still, still hasn't." Trembling with fear.

"Then why haven't you gone in to wake her up?" Cold air was released.

"Wh-why?" Trembling with fear.

Earth Spirit endured silently. "His Highness has permitted me to teach your master martial arts, so speak less nonsense words and tell her to get up!"

"Ok, okay…." Xi Ning timidly took a glance at him before turning around to push the door open. Only then did she spit out the word at her throat. "Meanie."

Earth Spirit's hearing was very sharp, when he heard this, the veins on his forehead popped out. Fine, he'll endure, in order to give an account to his master of this task!

Feeling the cold air outside getting stronger, Xi Ning immediately slipped into the room and walked quickly towards her family's master.

At this time, Chu Qing-Yan was sleeping very soundly. Suddenly someone called her, and she muddled headedly seemed to have returned to when she first entered the manor. When Big Ice Cube tormented her to wake up early and have breakfast with him. She immediately waved her hands saying. "Big Block of Ice, I don't want to eat!"

"Master, it's not to ask you to eat ice cubes, Honorable Earth Spirit is outside waiting for you to practice martial arts!" Xi Ning immediately explained.

Earth Spirit? Practice martial arts?

Chu Qing-Yan subconsciously sobered up and unwillingly opened her eyes.

When Earth Spirit who was outside, saw that the person inside was still dilly dallying, not coming out, his heart that originally wasn't willing to teach a little doll became even more unwilling, so he impatiently said. "Little Consort, His Highness asked this subordinate to teach you martial arts, so it's for your own good not to tarry!"

She didn't think Big Block of Ice would call Earth Spirit over to teach her. Even though the sleepy bugs were still present, after thinking about it, she still crawled up. After all, Big Block of Ice was doing this for her own good!

After was.h.i.+ng her face and brus.h.i.+ng her teeth, Chu Qing-Yan went out and b.u.mped right into Earth Spirit who was outside.

"Sorry to trouble you, Earth Spirit." She yawned while telling him this.

Earth Spirit cast her a side glance. "Late for a whole thirty minutes, your training will be extended by an hour!"

Chu Qing-Yan immedately stopped yawning, she lost all signs of drowsiness. She opened her eyes wide, looking at the person that had walked far away. Extended by an hour? Then, just how long was the whole training?

Chu Qing-Yan quickly chased after the person in front, turning left and right, before they eventually reached a s.p.a.cious courtyard. A stone table and several stone chairs were placed in the middle of the courtyard. An incense burner with a few unlit sticks were placed on the table. A tub of water was placed on top of a chair. Chu Qing-Yan was puzzled, was this the rhythm of bathing to burn incense in wors.h.i.+p?

Then she saw Earth Spirit walking in front of her, his expression cold as he said. "Practicing martial arts at your age is an awkward stage because the foundation of your skeleton has almost grown fully and can't get the effect of remodelling your skeleton. However, master wants you to have the ability to protect yourself, so we can only give medicine to a dead horse!(1)"

Dead horse?

Chu Qing-Yan’s sweat dropped, dear, can't you change the metaphor?

"Stand straight at attention." Earth Spirit saw her executing his order, then he slowly said. "To enter the door, one must stand for three years. If you want to learn, first strike the horse stance. The first step is to learn the horse stance step. Look carefully!"

Earth Spirit stood in front of her with his legs spread open in parallel, then said. "Open your legs to the distance of the length of three of your foot, then slowly squat down. Both knees should face outward but they can't go past the toes. Push out your chest and straighten your back, place both hands at the waist. Alright, you do it!"

Chu Qing-Yan nodded, then imitated his horse stance, but just as she squatted firmly, Earth Spirit took a bamboo stick out of nowhere and hit her right leg. "Withdraw this, what's the point of it being so wide?"

When the bamboo stick hit her legs, she didn't feel anything immediately but after awhile, there was a burning pain.

It was her first time learning, so making mistakes was normal. But she never expected Earth Spirit to not even give her a chance to correct herself and directly hit her with the bamboo stick!

Although Chu Qing-Yan was somewhat angry, she still did as she was told.

She had heard that Earth Spirit was in charge of a large portion of the secret guards under Big Block of Ice. His position was very high, and now being sent here to teach her was already considered a waste of his talents, she had nothing to complain about!

In just a short quarter of an hour, her back and waist were sour and in pain. Also, the back of her hand, her waist and even her little legs had already been hit more than ten times.

"Honorable Earth Spirit, if you have something to say, then say it nicely. You can't treat master like this!" Xi Ning who stood at the side with some heartache said this. Summer clothing was already thin, master's thin skin was also tender, how can it possibly withstand his continuous lashes.

Originally, he was already very tolerant of Xi Ning holding the handkerchief to help wipe off Chu Qing-Yan's sweat from time to time. However, he didn't expect that this girl would dare speak words to argue with him, Earth Spirit slanted her a cold glance. "Do you think on the outside, the enemy would just have a talk with you? Moreover, am I the one teaching or are you the one teaching?"

Xi Ning was frightened by his glare, but seeing her family's master's face turning white, she still bravely argued. "But this is master's first time learning, can't you be a bit lenient?"

Chu Qing-Yan heard this and immediately spoke to stop her, afraid that this Earth Spirit would do something to her. "Xi Ning, I'm fine."

Earth Spirit tapped the bamboo stick in his hand and ruthlessly gave an order. "Light the incense, whenever the incense finishes burning, then you can rest!"

Xi Ning originally wanted to say something but after receiving master's signal and also hearing Earth Spirit's order, she was afraid of saying something that might offend him to make it harder for master to tolerate!

After the order was given, a black-clothed person suddenly appeared near the stone table, his hand brushed across the head of the stick and the smoke gracefully danced. Then it was stuck into the incense burner, and after a turn, he disappeared again!

Chu Qing-Yan immediately became somewhat envious of this light martial arts move that reached perfection.

Earth Spirit looked at the envy in her eyes and coldly said. "Wanting to reach his level is not at all impossible."

Chu Qing-Yan immediately became interested. "Then how long will it take?"

Earth Spirit glanced at her. "Based on your current learning ability, I'm afraid it can't be achieved in a short time!"

Chu Qing-Yan's lips twitched, it was the same as if he hadn't said anything.

"Don't move!" The bamboo stick hit her back. Chu Qing-Yan almost cried out loud, it really hurt!

Earth Spirit saw her getting angry but not daring to say a word, and he coldly humphed. He waved a hand and let people deliver the tub of water atop of the stone chair to Chu Qing-Yan.

"What's this for?" Chu Qing-Yan didn't understand.

"Put it on top of your head, if you want to grow up quickly, then you have to increase your training amount!" Earth Spirit said in a sinister way.

Chu Qing-Yan widened her eyes. My G.o.d, was this person really not sent by Big Block of Ice to torture her?

"I don't…."

"You want to fail to live up to His Highness's expectations?" Earth Spirit looked at her and sneered.

Chu Qing-Yan recalled the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt she encountered on the street and recalled the helplessness she felt yesterday when tied up in the imperial palace. The words of rebuke she was going to say immediately choked in her throat.

She slowly lowered her head and looked at the tub of water in her hands.

She, wanted to become strong, really strong!

1) Give medicine to a dead horse: To keep trying everything in a desperate situation