Chapter 48: The Second Stage

Chapter 48: The Second Stage

As dawn broke, Paike trudged through the roads, the paths back towards his home. He was exhausted, not so much in pain, just exceedingly tired. He hadn’t worked so hard since he had awakened his cultivation. Despite all his training, he hadn’t even been aware that cultivators could become tired in this way. Not that he needed to sleep, but he just needed to let his body rest and recover.

Even the qi he was pouring through his qi channels into his physical cultivation was only helping so much. He and Li Feng had sparred for hours, neither using qi techniques, just pure martial prowess. There had been no clear victor; instead, each had gotten the upper hand in several exchanges as the others experimented with variations on techniques.

Other than a solid practice session, Paike wasn’t exactly sure what he had gained from it. Still, he felt there was something intangible, not just a good practice session, but something that helped him balance his mindset better. It would be something he would have to meditate on. But he was going to have a very busy few days ahead of him.

Paike noticed that his damaged house had been patched up, and when he entered, Guan Li stepped from the room, a dagger held ready. When he saw Paike, he let it drop to his side.

Paike examined his friend. Guan Li looked far worse than he did. There was heavy bruising under one eye, and his left arm was in a sling. His clothes were slightly tattered, rumpled as if he’d slept in them as well.

“Guan Li!” Paike exclaimed with a worried tone. “What happened to you?”

Guan Li huffed and slouched as he walked forward and leaned against the back of one of their kitchen chairs.

“What hasn’t happened to me?” he said.

“Well, how did you get that bruise?” Paike said, indicating his own face.

Guan Li grimaced. “I have been challenging up like you suggested. Things are a lot harder when I don’t have you around to point out the people I can beat.”

Paike shrugged. “Well, hopefully you’re learning something.”

“Slowly,” Guan Li said with a half smirk as he shuffled around the chair, leaning against it before he sat down. “That and the physical cultivation class have been brutal without you.”

Paike raised his eyebrow. “Oh?”

Guan Li nodded. “Yes. Elder Ji didn’t change the teams. The course without you is doable now that we know some more tricks, but it’s much harder to do with a team of four. I’m sure if we had lost one of our weaker members, it would be better. But man, we miss you. We’ll be glad to have you back, though.”

Paike shook his head. “I don’t think I can come back quite yet. Liming said that Elder Ji said I was welcome to join once my cultivation was better than it had been before.”

Guan Li frowned. “You’re missed… Is that what Elder Ji said? I’m glad to hear you’ll be back eventually.”

“Yeah, I was under the impression that if we missed a class, we wouldn’t be allowed back. But apparently that’s not the case.”

“That’s probably the case if we intentionally miss the class,” Guan Li nodded. “A few other people have had to miss a single class here and there as they were breaking through, but that hasn’t been a big deal.”

“There’ve been a lot of people breaking through in the physical class?” Paike was a bit worried to hear that. He knew he would have fallen behind with how much he had missed, but that fast?

“Well, yes. Most people have advanced at least to the second stage of physical cultivation. However, a few people have advanced to the third.”

Paike’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s fast.”

Guan Li nodded.

“I take it you’re at the second?” Paike asked, and the former street rat nodded. “Well. First thing I’m going to do after I get a little rest is break through as well. Is the cultivation chamber available?”

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