However, after only a few days, Kanzaki's image in Jingliu's heart turned cold and unfeeling once again.
A new item had been added to the training regimen: flexibility training.
"Among the Abominations of Abundance that the Cloud Knights face, many races have bizarre forms with completely unpredictable attack angles."
"Whether you're parrying their strikes or launching your own, you need to be even more unpredictable than they are. The first requirement is that your body must be flexible enough to twist into positions most people would find impossible."
Jingliu had a bad feeling and asked cautiously, "For example…?"
"For example, like this."
As he spoke, Kanzaki suddenly turned his back to her. In the next instant, his upper body rotated a full one hundred and eighty degrees.
!!
Jingliu's eyes widened in shock.
"Won't… won't your lumbar spine break?"
"At first it will. Once it's broken enough times, it stops happening. The younger you are, the easier it is to train this. By the time your bones are fully set in adulthood, both the difficulty and the pain increase dramatically."
Kanzaki did not miss the fear in his disciple's eyes, but he had no intention of changing his approach.
"For now, flexibility training and attack precision training will alternate each day. Once you adapt, we will return to doing both daily."
"This…"
"What? Afraid of the pain?"
"I… I am. But I won't back down, Master!"
"Very well. First, finish today's long-distance run and sword-swinging drills."
"Yes…"
The sun rose and set.
Screams echoed across the entire training grounds, drowning out every other sound and drifting far into the distance.
Unfortunately, this remote delve was far from any populated area. No matter how miserable the cries, only Kanzaki could hear them.
By nightfall, Jingliu lay paralyzed on the ground, her slender brows tightly furrowed.
Not long ago, Kanzaki had folded her body into countless unnatural angles.
Her feet and arms were bent at impossible positions, her legs nearly pressed against her back, and her shoulder joints rotated backward. Overall, the most accurate description of Jingliu right now was that she no longer looked human.
She lay prone, her arms stretched behind her back to meet her feet, which were also pulled backward, forming a near-perfect circle.
She had been forced into several other high-difficulty poses as well. No matter how much she had suffered lately, Jingliu had never begged Kanzaki for mercy. This time, however, the pain finally broke her. She wept openly and could not stop herself from pleading for relief.
Yes, she could not help it.
Although she wanted to grit her teeth and endure, once her body's natural self-protection instincts kicked in, her mouth acted on its own.
In her hazy consciousness, she caught sight of Kanzaki's expressionless face and even began to wonder whether her master had sadistic tendencies.
She would faint from the overwhelming pain, only to wake up again shortly after.
Before losing consciousness for the final time that night, two thoughts flashed through Jingliu's mind.
First: The word "gentleness" had truly vanished from the depths of her master's heart.
Second: Given how badly she was hurt, she probably would not be able to train for a long time… right?
But was that really the case?
Of course not.
When Jingliu woke up the next morning as usual, with no visible injuries and her body feeling completely refreshed, her mind filled with question marks.
With injuries that severe, even the advanced medical skills of the Xianzhou should not have allowed a Long-lived person to fully recover after just one night's sleep… right?
Short-lived species often said it took a hundred days for bones and muscles to heal, but even for Xianzhou people, broken limbs usually required several days to mend. Losing a limb entirely would take dozens of days to regrow.
Last night, nearly every bone in her body had been broken. She had assumed that even with her master's exceptional medical abilities, she would need many days of recuperation.
Yet here she was.
Jingliu sat blankly on the bed, completely dazed. She briefly considered asking her master for an explanation, but quickly dismissed the idea.
Sigh… forget it.
During this period, she had lost count of how many times she felt certain she was going to be trained to death, yet she never actually died.
It was clear that Master knew her body better than she did and understood exactly where her limits lay.
As his disciple, all she needed to do was listen to him and endure the harsh training.
Long-distance running, sword swinging, grueling drills for attack precision and body flexibility… the cycle repeated endlessly.
The moment she completed her current targets, new ones were added immediately if she remained conscious, making it impossible to finish. Fainting from exhaustion was the only way each session ended.
During this time, General Sha Feng came to visit Kanzaki.
Even with all his experience and composure, the sight of Kanzaki training his disciple made the corners of Sha Feng's eyes twitch uncontrollably.
Finally, when he saw Kanzaki pick up the physically contorted Jingliu and carry her back inside, the general could not stay silent.
"If your methods were ever reported to the Divination Department, you would definitely face multiple charges…"
Intentional harm or abuse would not be exaggerations.
After all, Jingliu was still a child of tender years.
"She is already a member of the Cloud Knights Reserve Army," Kanzaki replied indifferently.
"…" Sha Feng was left speechless.
Fine. In the face of Kanzaki's inhuman training methods, he had forgotten that he himself had arranged for Jingliu to join the reserve forces.
Once someone entered the Cloud Knights Reserve Army, they had to endure the training no matter how harsh it was, unless they were a Foxian with weaker recovery abilities.
As long as Xianzhou people and Vidyadhara did not die, military healers would step in and restore them as quickly as possible.
Even the Foxians aboard the Xianzhou Yaoqing followed training volumes nearly identical to those of the local Xianzhou and Vidyadhara. In the unit known as the Qingqiu Guard, the drills for Foxians were so intense that many naturally powerful Vidyadhara struggled to keep up.
"Three days from now, you will lead the army on expedition. I have already arranged the military affairs, but…"
"General, feel free to speak plainly."
"There are still a few difficult individuals to handle."
"I know. After all, I am not originally from the Xianzhou. The solution is simple: anyone defiant will behave after a proper beating."
"Mm. It seems you will fit in well with the Xianzhou Cloud Knights." Sha Feng gave a reassured smile.
The Xianzhou valued martial strength. There was nothing that could not be settled by a duel.
If one duel was not enough, it simply meant the opponent had not been beaten hard enough.
Two days later.
When Jingliu woke up, she found that Kanzaki was not at the training grounds as usual.
He stood there in full Cloud Knight battle armor, holding a pair of scissors and cutting off his long hair.
"Master, you are…?"
"Expedition against the Abominations. We depart tomorrow."
"Then I…"
"I have arranged for someone to escort you to the Cloud Knights training camp. While I am away, you will train with the reserve army."
Jingliu was slightly stunned.
Having grown used to seeing her master every time she woke up, the sudden change brought a trace of reluctance to her heart.
"Should the training intensity stay the same or be increased?" she asked.
"Control it at a moderate level yourself. The reserve army is not only about harsh drills. You can also complete the Academy courses you have not yet finished."
Kanzaki set down the scissors and tilted his head to adjust the angle as he shaved his stubble.
"Passing the Literature and Poetry classes is enough, but for the course 'Detailed Explanation of the Great Enemy: Abominations of Abundance,' you must achieve a perfect score. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Master. How long will you be gone on this expedition?"
"Unknown. It could be as short as six months or as long as over a year."
"If all goes well, I should be able to return in time for your Coming-of-Age Ceremony. I want Master to personally… is that okay?"
"Provided that things go smoothly." Kanzaki did not refuse, but he also did not give a firm promise.
"As long as Master is willing…" The corners of Jingliu's mouth curled up slightly.