Hao Ming sat cross-legged on his bed. His back was straight, his breathing steady, and his palms rested on his knees. He had remained motionless for nearly twenty minutes, his eyes closed.
Outside, loud shouts, heavy breathing, and the sharp clash of blows rang out, accompanied by the sounds of fierce combat. Hu Cheng had apparently already begun training Corps 2A. Judging by the voices, Qin Ye, Xiao Yu, and the others were training under incredible pressure.
Hao Ming paid none of it any attention. He breathed slowly and evenly, concentrating entirely on the Breath of Blood.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not achieve the result he wanted.
He could clearly hear his own heartbeat and even feel the blood flowing through his body. But that was not enough. Hao Ming could not look inside himself and trace the movement of his blood, let alone force it to flow in the opposite direction, as required to form a bloodline vortex.
At last, he opened his eyes and leaned back against the bed.
"Haaa..."
Hao Ming let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. He had been trying to practice the Breath of Blood for three days now, but all his efforts had come to nothing.
Could it be because I lack Spiritual Power?
He could not say for certain, but for now, it seemed the most likely explanation. The Breath of Blood allowed one to cultivate one's bloodline itself, yet despite all his attempts, Hao Ming had been unable to create a bloodline vortex.
There was no point in continuing like this. At least, not for the time being. He got out of bed, picked up the wooden sword standing nearby, and headed for the door.
After leaving the house, Hao Ming passed the training ground, where the exhausted members of Corps 2A were working out, and ventured deeper into the forest. He wanted to find a quiet place where no one would disturb his concentration.
I'll have to put the Breath of Blood aside for now.
He felt neither particularly sad nor disappointed. He simply accepted that this path was beyond his reach at the moment. Rather than waste time on fruitless attempts, he should focus on something he could actually accomplish.
First, I'll strengthen my body.
Hao Ming rolled his shoulders, stretched his muscles, and began training. He started by running, gradually increasing his pace. Then he moved on to push-ups and squats, repeating one exercise after another. Before long, his breathing quickened, and sweat began running down his face and back.
By the time he finally stopped, quite some time had passed.
"I'm even weaker than I thought..."
Hao Ming wiped the sweat from his forehead. Several hours of training had taken a toll on him, and he was only getting started. His physical condition left much to be desired. Over these three days, he had also noticed that the thirteen chains had reappeared on his body. He had now become an ordinary human once and for all.
But he had no intention of stopping. Picking up the wooden sword, Hao Ming tightened his grip on the hilt and delivered his first strike. The blade cut through the air with a whistle.
One strike after another.
He repeated the movements, paying attention to the position of his hands, his footwork, and the distribution of his strength.
Gradually, Hao Ming's thoughts returned to the question that mattered most.
Can I create a cultivation method of my own?
He knew that cultivation required a source of energy. Traditional Spirit Masters absorbed the energy of Heaven and Earth to develop their Spiritual Power. Other beings had their own ways of gathering and assimilating energy.
But what was he supposed to do?
He had no answer. He did not even know where to begin. Simply wanting to create a new method was not enough. He needed to understand what kind of energy he could use, how to absorb it, and how to transform it into a power that could be used for cultivation.
Hao Ming stopped swinging his sword and fell into thought.
First, I need to find an alternative source of energy. Something I can absorb, accumulate, and gradually develop.
He tightened his grip on the wooden sword and resumed his training.
He kept striking until his arm began to tremble. Then he adjusted his grip and continued. Gradually, time ceased to matter. Hao Ming focused on his movements, trying to maintain precision even as fatigue weighed down his muscles.
When he finally lowered his sword, the light filtering between the tree trunks had turned reddish and slanted, while the shadows stretched all the way to the path. The sun was sinking toward the horizon. Having finished his training, Hao Ming put away the wooden sword and headed back to Corps 2A.
By then, the others had already gathered in the kitchen. Hui Mi, Qin Ye, Xiao Yu, and the other members of Corps 2A were seated around the table. Dishes prepared especially for them had been laid out, and lively conversation filled the room.
It seemed that after their last mission, the group had grown much more comfortable around one another. The awkwardness that had once existed between them was no longer noticeable, and their conversations had become far more relaxed.
"Hao Ming! Over here!" Xiao Yu spotted him and waved, inviting him to join them.
Hao Ming walked over to the table and sat down beside him.
"Just in time! We've only just started."
There were quite a few dishes on the table, and each looked unusual. Their appearance alone was enough to tell how valuable the ingredients must have been. Some even emitted a faint glow.
Hao Ming picked up his chopsticks, and everyone began eating. However, Xiao Yu could not keep quiet for long. He glanced at Hao Ming several times, as though gathering his thoughts, before finally working up the courage to ask:
"Hey, Hao Ming, why were you removed from the Federation Project, anyway? During the mission... well, you did pretty well."
Xiao Yu hesitated slightly as he finished speaking.
Everyone present understood perfectly well that Hao Ming had not done anything particularly impressive in the decisive battle. However, no one brought it up. Xiao Yu, at least, was clearly trying to phrase his question as gently as possible.
Several others at the table also turned to look at Hao Ming. Judging by their expressions, Xiao Yu was not the only one curious about the matter.
Zhou Shengyang and Hui Mi were watching him especially closely. They still had not forgotten their defeat, and over the past few days, they had trained with even greater determination. But now, the person they had been striving to surpass was about to leave the Federation Project.
Hao Ming set down his chopsticks for a moment. He had no desire to explain what had happened to his body, much less tell them about the thirteen chains suppressing his power. So he decided to give them a simple explanation.
"My source of power was damaged," he replied calmly. "I haven't been able to restore it. I'm an ordinary human now, so I can no longer take part in the project."
He said it so casually, as though he were talking about some minor inconvenience.
Xiao Yu froze, his chopsticks still in his hand.
"An ordinary human...? Does that mean you can no longer cultivate?"
"I couldn't before, either," Hao Ming replied. "Just think of it as my cultivation foundation having been destroyed."
"I see..."
Xiao Yu clearly had not expected that answer. He continued looking at Hao Ming for a little while, but when he noticed how calmly the latter was taking it, he decided not to bombard him with questions.
Qin Ye, who was sitting nearby, was also slightly surprised. What astonished her was not so much the explanation itself as the casual way Hao Ming spoke about what had happened. He did not look dejected or confused, as though he had already accepted his current situation.
She said nothing and returned to her meal.
Hui Mi, on the other hand, was experiencing more complicated feelings. The thought that someone who had managed to defeat him would no longer be able to fight him again bothered him. But instead of continuing to ask questions, he turned his attention to something else.
The way Hao Ming ate.
His movements were calm and precise. He did not rush, handled his chopsticks neatly, and made no unnecessary gestures. Even while talking, Hao Ming maintained good posture and carried himself with ease.
Hui Mi watched him for a while. The Hao Ming he had known before and the one sitting before him now seemed like two different people. Something about the person in front of him felt completely different.
"Looks like Teacher Hu Cheng finally taught you some table manners."
Hao Ming raised his eyes and nodded calmly.
"That's right."
"About time," Hui Mi muttered before continuing his meal.
Xiao Yu, who had already begun to recover from what he had heard, turned to Hao Ming again.
"But if you're an ordinary human now, what are you going to do next?"
Hao Ming thought for a moment.
"I'll be staying here for another three months. They'll find someone to replace Grandpa Hu Cheng during that time. After that... we'll see. I'll find something else to do."
Sheng Ming, who was sitting nearby, looked at him with concern.
"Hao Ming, if you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask. Perhaps once I become stronger, I'll be able to restore your power core."
Hao Ming smiled faintly. From what he had learned about Sheng Ming so far, she was a kind and considerate girl. Perhaps her ability to heal others had something to do with that.
"Thank you. If I need your help, I'll ask."
Sheng Ming nodded several times, clearly pleased that he had not rejected her offer.
Zhou Shengyang had remained silent throughout the conversation, eating without asking a single question. It seemed that after hearing the explanation, Hao Ming had lost his former significance in Zhou Shengyang's eyes. Before, he had regarded him as a rival. Now, he was simply another person—just a passerby in his eyes.
Jin Luo was also silent, eating at an unhurried pace, though he occasionally glanced at Hao Ming.
He's changed... His personality, the way he carries himself. Even the aura around him has become less cold.
No one else questioned Hao Ming. The conversation gradually returned to everyday topics: training, assignments, and how Hu Cheng made them practice the same movements over and over until they were completely exhausted.
Xiao Yu complained particularly loudly about their teacher's training methods, making the others laugh.
Hao Ming simply listened, occasionally joining the conversation. He had no particular desire to grow closer to the others, but neither did he feel the need to keep his distance.
Sitting at the same table and listening to their conversations, he gradually experienced something he had almost forgotten—a feeling of being among companions once again.
As though he had returned to Shrek Academy.
Xiao Yu occasionally glanced at Hao Ming, watching his reactions. It seemed he was trying to catch even the slightest change in his expression or tone of voice. However, Hao Ming behaved so naturally that it was difficult to tell what he was thinking.
Before long, dinner came to an end, and everyone returned to their rooms.
Hao Ming, however, headed back into the forest. He had no intention of calling it a day just yet.
When he reached the familiar clearing, he picked up his wooden sword and resumed his exercises. The first few strikes felt easier than he had expected, although the fatigue from his previous training session had not yet completely faded.
Even though I've lost my former strength, I recover surprisingly quickly.
Hao Ming could clearly feel that even after several hours of intense exertion, his body returned to normal far faster than one would expect from an ordinary person.
It seems even the chains couldn't completely suppress the peculiarities of my body. Perhaps there's something else I can discover.
He did not know exactly what was responsible for this, and he had no intention of jumping to conclusions just yet. But one thing was perfectly clear to Hao Ming: even if he really had become an ordinary human, his body was anything but ordinary.
Hao Ming tightened his grip on the wooden sword and continued training.