Chapter 16: Unexpected Gains

Feeling the heat throughout his body, Rod sat on the ground, breathing heavily. It had been a month since Jerome and the others left, and during that time he hadn’t stayed idle—he had trained hard, using every available resource and method. He devoted all his time to cultivation except for sleeping, almost to the point of obsession.

Through a month of training and prior efforts, results began to show. His body now showed initial signs of muscle development, no longer as flat as before. The explosive power within him was astonishing—even he could feel it clearly. At least his overall coordination and agility had improved greatly.

As for his internal energy, after extensive compression and refinement, only a tiny amount remained. It could no longer be compressed any further, having reached a state of saturation, existing in his meridians like a thin thread. His overall appearance had changed significantly compared to a month ago—he was taller and much stronger, with particularly noticeable changes in his demeanor. He now appeared much more mature and experienced.

“Damn it, still not enough?” After panting for a while, Rod began his daily complaints. A month of waiting had yielded no sign of the seal loosening, and his inability to practice combat energy filled him with frustration.

“When will this end? Sword Spirit, damn it, come out! Did you lie to me?”
After thinking for a moment, Rod shouted inwardly.

“Cough, cough… Why rush? Significant changes have already occurred. It won’t be long—just be patient!”
Sure enough, shortly after, the Sword Spirit’s voice appeared in Rod’s mind.

“Damn it, until when? Will I have to wait until my hair turns white!”
“Master, please be patient. This won’t work. Another month, at most. If you follow the methods I taught you, it should be enough!” One could imagine the Sword Spirit’s pained expression at that moment.

The method he taught Rod was simple, but ordinary people couldn’t do it—indeed, no one could, except for that pervert Rod! Last time, he had instantly unblocked all his meridians, giving him an advantage in practicing Qi. By using the technique of inhaling and exhaling Qi to enhance physical training, he achieved twice the result with half the effort, or even better! Otherwise, who knows how long it would take to complete this stage of training.

The Sword Spirit was also quite troubled by this. On one hand, it was obvious that Rod’s physical condition had far surpassed what was required for Qi training, yet the seal wouldn’t loosen—what could be done? On the other hand, being pressured by Rod every day also left it at a loss.

“Another month? After another month, even the daylilies will have withered!” Frowning and full of dissatisfaction, Rod continued to complain. Jerome and the others kept bringing good news, while he hadn’t made any progress at all—how could he not be anxious?

“There’s nothing we can do. If you don’t train, not even a month—let alone a lifetime—will help you improve! Besides, this kind of training is only beneficial for you!” The Xuan Yuan Sword Spirit could only respond helplessly to Rod’s complaints. In truth, wasn’t it also troubled inwardly? Its own growth depended on its master’s support; only as the master grew could it grow as well. It didn’t want to stay stuck at this stage forever. Moreover, the mysterious information in its mind and the sealed memories it carried needed to be unraveled by itself.

Especially now that it had merged with its master, it had no other choice but to succeed or perish. Thus, its master’s strength was extremely important to it—even more so than to Rod himself.

“What kind of damn seal!” Complaining fiercely, Rod had no choice but to reluctantly accept the Sword Spirit’s advice and continue training for another month. Though he was unwilling to agree, he was extremely anxious.

A month had passed. Jerome and the others were progressing smoothly, receiving good news from time to time. Now, one-third of the southeastern part of Fire City was already in their hands, and their team had grown from just the three of them to nearly twenty. Such impressive results made Rod extremely jealous.

“I must hurry. Damn it, I can’t wait until those guys are all dealt with before starting Qi training.”

Standing still for a moment in deep thought, with a helpless sigh and furrowed brows, Rod said helplessly, “You little brat, it seems your life has been quite peaceful these past days. Not bad—at least you’re not missing any limbs!” Just as Rod turned to go back to his room to continue practicing his internal energy and use that meager amount to strengthen his body, he heard the old man’s long-absent voice. Though the words were harsh and even offensive, Rod couldn’t help but smile. Hearing that voice felt familiar and comforting, bringing a sense of home to his heart. Turning around, he saw the old man standing right beside him—still with white hair, a rosy face, and neatly dressed in gray clothes that emphasized the wrinkles on his face. “You’re back?” “Hm? It seems you’re busy. Go on, I won’t disturb you. I’m going to wash up!” The old man glanced at Rod’s out-of-breath appearance with a slight smile before heading straight to his room. “Tch~~~” With a disdainful scoff, Rod thought to himself that the old man was acting tough, then plunged back into his meditation. … After some time of practicing, he went to the bathroom and was surprised to find the water already prepared. Seeing this, a smile appeared on Rod’s lips as warmth spread through his heart. It had been so long since he’d felt taken care of like this. Without hesitation, he took off his clothes and jumped into the water. “Ah… damn it!” But soon, Rod’s cries of pain could be heard. He hadn’t expected the water to be so hot. He quickly jumped out, horrified to see his skin red from the scalding heat. The water was definitely too hot. “Damn you, old man! Get out of here!” Standing by the basin, feeling the cold, Rod shouted loudly. Ignoring the chill, his mind was filled with anger. “Hehe, kid, I prepared this for myself. Who told you to jump in? You jerk! I prepared it for nothing, and now you just take it and still have the nerve to complain!” Sure enough, the old man’s sneering voice was heard as expected. “It’s a shame about all these good things. Well, don’t waste the water. Enjoy it!” The voice gradually faded, indicating that the old man had disappeared.

“Damn it!” Looking at the basin of water, Rod cursed silently. A cold wind blew, making him shiver. Frowning, he carefully stepped into the water. It was still hot, but with preparation this time, it was much better.
“I hope I’m not in trouble!” Yet in less than a moment, Rod’s muttering came again. The water seemed a bit off today—something was wrong!
At that moment, Rod felt as if his entire body was being invaded by ants, with waves of itching and mild pain spreading throughout him. The sensation was unbearable.
“Old man, you bastard!” Realizing this, Rod shouted loudly. His roar shattered the quiet night like a thunderclap.
“You brat, do I really need to torment you? I told you, that’s valuable stuff. I myself couldn’t bring myself to use it, and now you snatch it first—getting the benefit and acting proud!” After a while, the old man’s complaining voice was heard.
Frowning, unable to bear the sensation, Rod wanted to get up and leave this annoying basin. After a whole day of work, he finally got a chance to relax by taking a bath, only to encounter such a problem. How could he not be frustrated?
“You better stay put! That stuff is valuable. Since you’ve used it, make the most of it. Damn it, if you dare waste even a little, I’ll make you pay!” As if seeing Rod’s movement, the old man roared sternly. This time, his voice was serious—without any joking or threats.
“Master… just keep bathing. It won’t harm you!” At the same time, Rod heard the voice of the Xuanyuan Sword Spirit.
“I don’t know exactly, but it’s definitely good for you. Don’t worry!” After pondering for a moment, the Sword Spirit said confidently.
“I’ll take the risk. I trust you this time!” Hearing the Sword Spirit’s reply, Rod fell silent for a long time before saying with a bitter smile.
…
“Kid, you must not waste this stuff!!”
After confirming that Rod hadn’t wasted the hard-earned items he had prepared, the old man returned to his room. Looking at the dark night outside, he murmured to himself. His expression was complex. Hadn’t he gone out for such a long time just for this brat? He had finally gotten these medicines—he definitely couldn’t let this kid waste them.

He cast one last deep glance at where Rod was, and after another sigh, the old man slowly turned away. At that moment, he appeared much older and weaker—completely different from how he looked in front of Rod.
…
“Damn it, annoying thing!”
It was unclear how much time had passed. His body gradually adapted to this state and began to feel more comfortable, but in no time the water had cooled down. With a sense of frustration, Rod grumbled as he stepped out of the water.
Feeling the chill in the air, without wasting time, he hurriedly put on clothes and rushed back to his room.
Strangely enough, once he returned to his room, he no longer felt any coldness. Instead, his entire body became scorching hot—like being in the scorching sun on a summer day—causing sweat to appear all over his body.
Frowning and complaining again, he realized he definitely couldn’t fall asleep in such a state. With no other choice, Rod continued with his cultivation.
As he continued cultivating, the burning sensation spread deeper into his body, starting to heat him from the inside out, as if he were inside a furnace, his entire body being bathed in flames.
Every cell seemed to be boiling, and the heat reached its peak. Rod’s body was once again drenched in sweat. His face turned slightly red as he gasped for breath. He found himself unable to stop cultivating at that moment.
His internal energy seemed to be drawn along an unknown path, while external air flowed into his body without hesitation, combining with his internal energy to refine every cell.
“What’s going on, Xuanyuan… Are you still alive? Tell me what’s happening!” Suddenly, Rod became panicked. This situation reminded him of what had happened after his reckless actions last time.
“It can’t be happening again!” At this thought, Rod felt like crying. If this happened again, it would really be the end—there was no way he could control the situation or stay unharmed.

“Cough, cough, cough… Don’t worry. I’ve taken a look—it’s no serious issue. It’s probably due to taking a bath earlier. Don’t waste this opportunity; the substances in that water are now taking effect. Hurry up and temper your body—this is a rare chance!” After a moment, the Sword Spirit’s slightly excited voice came through, as if it had found some treasure, urging Rod anxiously.

Although he still had many doubts, Rod didn’t hesitate and immediately devoted himself to cultivation. He believed the Sword Spirit wouldn’t harm him, and at least the old man wouldn’t frame him. Perhaps that basin of water really was something special. With that thought, Rod didn’t dare delay—such an opportunity couldn’t be wasted.

He quickly focused all his mental energy on cultivation, controlling his internal energy to turn the tide of the battle, and gradually tempering every part of his body through techniques of inhaling and exhaling energy.

As the cultivation continued, the heat slowly subsided. It wasn’t until Rod had completed 81 full cycles that things finally settled back to normal.

Feeling this, Rod slowly drew back his slightly strengthened internal energy to his dantian, exhaled a puff of foul air, and took deep breaths. His face was slightly pale—hours of cultivation had drained his mental energy completely, leaving him on the verge of collapse and utterly exhausted.

“Finally safe!” Opening his eyes, he gave a faint bitter smile and said helplessly, still gasping for air.

Indeed, this cultivation was even more difficult than a battle. His whole body felt sore and weak, making him reluctant to move. But the unpleasant stench on his body and the cold sweat reminded him that he couldn’t slack off—he needed to take a bath right away.