Chapter 14: Xiao Lie's Resolve to Become Strong
For the next few days, no nobles dared to cause trouble for Dorm Three. Ye Wen had used his strength to prove that even without an offensive spirit, these young nobles, most without spirit rings, were no match for him.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lie had undergone a transformation. Following his defeat, his once boisterous and arrogant demeanor was replaced with a newfound quietness. His gaze often held a contemplative glint, evidence of a mind turning over fresh thoughts.
"In just a year, I'll be twelve," he thought bitterly, "and yet, my spirit power is barely at level 15. How is it that kid is so much stronger than me? Both of us started with roughly the same innate spirit power, around level four, and my spirit is supposed to be powerful."
As he struggled to understand, images of Ye Wen's composure and decisiveness during their duel replayed over and over in his mind. By comparison, Xiao Lie felt his own power was pitiful, weakened by his own actions and his failure to ever pay attention in class. His growing frustration over his lack of direction gnawed at him.
"No. I have to get stronger. Even if I can't inherit my father's noble title, I can't let Mother suffer anymore. Unlike her, I'm a real spirit master. If I apply myself, even Father said I could reach the level of Spirit Elder, at the very least. It may not make me as strong as him, but it'll be enough to give Mother a comfortable life, free from scorn."
This resolve crystallized in Xiao Lie's mind, and his gaze hardened with determination.
A classmate nearby, one of his usual lackeys, noticed Xiao Lie's brooding demeanor and decided it was time to cheer up his young master.
"Hey, boss, I heard there's a pair of new girls at the Green Orchid Hall. They're as fair as cream! Why don't we go out and enjoy ourselves?" he said with a knowing grin.
But Xiao Lie turned to him with a disinterested look. "You can go if you want, but stop following me. I'm done with distractions I'm serious about training."
With that, Xiao Lie turned and walked toward Dorm Three.
The lackey gawked after him, stunned into silence by Xiao Lie's conviction. When he came to his senses, he muttered bitterly, "Damn it! That was a waste of time!"
Notting Academy's so called "noble circle" was actually quite limited; it consisted mostly of local students from affluent families rather than actual nobility. Many were families hoping to gain status by associating with those who had real connections, like Xiao Lie's.
The lackey was one such person. True, he couldn't reach the higher tiers of nobility, but Xiao Lie's family, while minor, held a voice in city affairs. Xiao Lie's father's influence could bring some benefits to those around him, and the lackey had hoped to leverage that for his family. But now, just as he had begun his plan, it had crumbled.
He cursed his luck, but, in truth, the lackey was young himself. A more experienced person might have pushed through the setback and kept trying. After all, although the title of Spirit Elder might seem ordinary in the larger cities, it was rare in a town as remote as Notting. Reaching that level would set Xiao Lie apart, regardless of his family's wealth.
Xiao Lie, meanwhile, had reached Dorm Three. When he arrived, however, he was surprised to find the place deserted. It was the middle of the afternoon, prime time for spirit power cultivation, and nearly everyone else would be quietly training in their dorms. So where had everyone gone?
Still the academy's former "big shot," Xiao Lie grabbed a passing student from a neighboring dorm, who glanced nervously at Xiao Lie before pointing in the direction of the hillside.
"Dorm Three's students went there to train. They say it's a unique method their leader created."
"Unique training method?" Xiao Lie's interest sparked at once. He was here precisely because he wanted to learn how to become stronger. He could hardly believe it when he heard that Ye Wen had invented a training regimen. A glimmer of excitement rising within him, he asked, "What's so special about it? Do you know?"
The student hesitated, reluctant to speak. Peering into another spirit master's training was a major taboo. Then again, almost every student curious about improvement had spied on the Dorm Three group at some point. Seeing the hesitation, Xiao Lie urged him, "Tell me, now!"
"I don't know exactly," the student admitted, "but I saw them lifting really heavy things and practicing combat."
"Weightlifting? Sparring?" Xiao Lie mumbled, already marching toward the hillside.
"Hey!"
"Hah!"
"Ugh!"
"Aah!"
The sounds of exertion reached Xiao Lie's ears even before he reached the clearing. When he finally emerged from behind a grove of trees, the scene that greeted him stopped him cold.
Dorm Three's members, clad in sleeveless shirts and shorts, trained rigorously in pairs. Some were upside down in handstands, others held deep horse stances, while others worked through push ups and sprints. And at the center of it all, lifting a massive barbell with steady squats, was Ye Wen. Sweat dripped down his face, darkening the soil beneath him.
Xiao Lie could barely breathe as he took it all in. This wasn't just training; it was spirit mastery through pure physical endurance.
What truly stunned Xiao Lie was Ye Wen's barbell. If he wasn't mistaken, it was forged from pure iron, the same heavy material the city guards used for weapons. Regular weapons used only small amounts of metal, and a spear tip weighed maybe three or four pounds. But that barbell… by his estimate, it had to weigh at least 800 pounds.
Xiao Lie's Flame Wolf spirit would barely help him lift such weight, yet Ye Wen's muscles barely trembled under the strain, his focus and rhythm unbroken even as he squatted up and down.
Approaching closer, Xiao Lie's eyes widened as he counted the weight markings on each iron plate: each plate was marked "100 pounds," and there were eight of them. Eight hundred pounds in total.
"That kind of power, with just an auxiliary spirit? His body is beyond belief! Even if he hadn't used his spirit the other day, a single punch from him would have flattened me…"
At that moment, Ye Wen finally set down the weight and ended his training. It wasn't because Xiao Lie had arrived, but simply because he had reached his self imposed limit.
"Better to know your limits," Ye Wen murmured to himself.
(End of Chapter)
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