Chapter Thirteen: Battle Techniques (Part Two)

Bang! A large foot struck Zhao Li’s backside, expressing its owner’s fury so clearly that Zhao Li hurriedly quickened his pace in panic.

After overtaking two equally unfortunate comrades and returning once more to the relatively safer third-to-last position, Zhao Li couldn’t help but feel a cold sweat of fear. Thank goodness his lapse in attention had come at the end of the cycle; otherwise, that kick might have sent him straight to hell.

With his internal energy circulating for one full cycle, Zhao Li’s stamina recovered considerably, and he felt revitalized at once. To avoid drawing suspicion, he maintained his third-to-last position, following the large group.

As soon as one relaxes, idle thoughts begin to wander. Keeping the same posture, tongue pressed against the palate, his internal energy began to flow once again as he ran. This time, Zhao Li dared not be careless; his eyes and ears were alert to all directions. At last, he managed to circulate his energy for another full cycle, returning it to his dantian.

Afterwards, he dared not attempt it again. Two minutes later, the running exercise ended. Zhao Li remained in the third-to-last place, but his spirits were much improved compared to previous days.

During the break, as always, he performed his energy circulation for another cycle. Because he could also circulate energy while running, this time his recovery was the best yet. After some regulation of his breathing, even his complexion looked much better.

For the first time, Zhao Li realized that one can practice energy cultivation even during intense physical activity. Observing his comrades, he noticed that although their cultivation was not weak, they could only rely on physical strength during exercise, unable to circulate their energy as freely as he could now. No wonder Zhao Li felt a lightness, as if floating, unsure of where he was.

Suddenly, Officer Christine’s words surfaced in his mind: the cultivation methods spread in society are suited for health and wellness, not for combat. If so, what should combat-appropriate methods be like? Are they also impossible to practice during movement? Can that be considered suitable for battle?

At this thought, the brief pride that had just arisen vanished instantly. The military is full of hidden talents; just observing the young Christine, the medical officer, one could see hints of her abilities. To be able to toy with most of the hundred trainees at her whim was no simple feat. Was she really just a medical officer?

Although Zhao Li was determined to keep a low profile, his real aim was merely to conceal the secret of his cultivation speed. He had researched thoroughly; the military’s methods had varying effects depending on the individual. Though everyone’s cultivation progress might be similar, the results could differ drastically depending on insight or other factors.

Generally, most could cross four levels within a year, but the best could jump six. Once they started practicing the military’s methods, all achievements could conveniently be credited to those techniques.

This was Zhao Li’s plan, but it didn’t mean he intended to remain low-key forever in the army. He had already stated during his psychological assessment that different performance in the military could lead to varying degrees of extra credit for university admissions—a significant boost for his dream of attending Tsinghua.

For now, he had to keep his head down, but thanks to Christine’s slip, he had a legitimate reason to leave her special attention. Yet this imperceptible method of cultivation needed to be explored gradually; the earlier he mastered it, the greater his future advantage.

At night, he entered a meditative state every time, though recently he remained at the level of thirty-nine cycles, with no further breakthroughs. Zhao Li was not anxious, maintaining inner calm. But this tranquility was already far beyond what he felt when he first entered the army; once certain matters were truly let go, even his cultivation became more comfortable.

Perhaps to accommodate everyone’s current state, basic training never involved emergency assembly, nor were they forcibly awakened while practicing. Previously, Zhao Li assumed that the military simply didn’t require such intensity, but now he understood: since no one had mastered true combat cultivation methods, it was not yet time for emergency drills.

With this realization, Zhao Li became even more at ease in the army. Physical training, assisted by his increasingly adept practice while moving, was no longer so arduous. Though he continued to linger in the lower ranks to avoid suspicion, his mindset was no longer naive.

Zhao Li understood well that over-eagerness leads to failure, so he no longer forced anything, simply familiarizing himself with the feeling during training. He knew that the quicker he mastered cultivation during movement, the further ahead he’d be compared to others—a unique advantage that could not be traded for anything.

Such opportunities only existed now, and Zhao Li seized them sensitively. Christine likely had given up monitoring him; since the day she released him, she never summoned him to the medical room again, much to the relief of the previously jealous troublemakers, who now started to slack off during training.

With the skill of cultivating while moving, and a few others feigning injury, Zhao Li’s performance had already advanced several places. Not knowing the exact evaluation standards, he cautiously improved his results bit by bit each day, careful not to attract too much attention.

At night, his practice was stable; he could reliably enter deep meditation, completing thirty-nine cycles each time without fail. His internal energy increased at an astonishing rate, though periodically it would condense, maintaining a constant pressure on his meridians.

In a few days, the initial training assessment would arrive, and Zhao Li was preparing seriously. He wondered how much those who were often bewitched by Christine would lose in points due to their performance. Would any of them be eliminated? Judging from Christine’s smiles, one could guess many things.

Whenever he thought of Christine’s smile, Zhao Li felt a stir in his heart. Was that another application of internal energy? Now, besides knowing combat energy, Zhao Li was aware of healing energy. Could that alluring force, which made people unwittingly fall into fantasies, also be a military secret? Was that kind of energy meant for battle?

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