8. Chicken Soup, Crazy Training, and Yiran's Suffering
Yiran ate without enthusiasm, while Yun Zhi watched him curiously, wondering what was wrong with the man in front of her.
"Is my cooking not good...?" Yun Zhi asked hesitantly.
Yiran stared at Yun Zhi with a blank expression. (I'm frustrated...)
"Ah... maybe it needs more salt..." Yun Zhi murmured, trying to guess.
They continued talking, though their conversation felt disjointed.
Screech...
The door swung open, and a loud voice startled them both.
"Yiran!" Huang Jianfeng called out excitedly, spreading his arms wide.
(Ugh, he came too early. I haven't even finished breakfast.)
Yun Zhi turned to him and said, "Master, isn't this a bit early? Yiran just started eating."
"Ah, I guess I got too excited!" Jianfeng chuckled. "I haven't had breakfast either, so I'll join you guys."
Without hesitation, Jianfeng sat down and began eating with them.
Only one chicken drumstick remained in the soup, and Jianfeng and Yiran locked eyes. The chicken soup was the most delicious dish on the table, and the two of them seemed to be competing for it.
"Can't you let your master have this one?" Jianfeng asked challengingly.
(You showed up early, invited yourself to our meal, and took the most food. Do you have no shame?) Yiran thought in frustration.
"Damn, Yiran really doesn't know how to respect his master..." Jianfeng muttered, unwilling to back down.
Jianfeng and Yiran then started fighting over the last piece, engaging in a battle of soup spoons and chopsticks, each trying to claim the final bite.
Seeing them fight over her food, Yun Zhi felt pleased—it meant her cooking was good enough to make them argue over it.
"Hehe, if they're fighting over just chicken soup, I'm afraid someday they'll fight over me instead~," Yun Zhi murmured playfully.
---
Gasping for breath, Yiran kept running along the forest path toward the waterfall. He pushed himself to his limit until they finally arrived. The moment they reached their destination, Yiran collapsed onto the grassy ground.
(Damn, my legs feel like they're going to fall off...)
Meanwhile, Jianfeng, who still looked perfectly fine without a single drop of sweat, smiled at Yiran. "Not bad, not bad. I see some improvement."
On Earth, Yiran had above-average stamina compared to most people. However, in this different world, he was nothing more than a beginner—like an apprentice. Though he had a fairly decent physique by normal human standards, he was still far from exceptional.
Yiran stared blankly ahead. They had to meditate under the waterfall while standing.
(What kind of madman does this? This is going to be painful...)
Jianfeng grinned and said, "Come on! Don't just stand there spacing out, or I'll kick you if you take too long."
(This is just like those old martial arts movies where they go whoosh in an instant and suddenly gain superpowers. I just hope nothing falls from the top of the waterfall and smacks me on the head, giving me a concussion...)
Yiran resumed the meditation he had practiced before. However, this time, the process was far more difficult. His body felt as if thousands of needles were piercing him under the force of the rushing water.
Several times, his concentration broke as his subconscious drifted. Taking a deep breath, he tried again and again. Eventually, he succeeded. But the next day, just as he was about to rest, his body completely gave out, and he fell sick. Feverish and weak, the last thing he needed was to be laughed at, but of course, Huang Jianfeng did exactly that.
"Hahaha, this really takes me back! Hahaha~ I was only ten years old back then, hahaha~"
(Damn! He's laughing at someone else's suffering. What a bastard!) Yiran cursed in his mind.