Some hours later, after the almost-broken bones in his body fully healed with the help of atmospheric Spiritual Energy, Xue Ren calculated his gains.
"Roughly twice as effective as normal cultivation, as my Qi Veins are better activated this way," he stated. "Worth it."
For a meagre double cultivation effectiveness, Xue Ren was willing to risk it all.
Insanity…
"Now time to repeat the process until I'm satisfied."
Eyeing the raging waterfall like a predator encountering his prey, Xue Ren rose from his boulder and… headbutted it…
This ridiculously dangerous process looped over the course of the next two years.
The only times he ever took breaks were at his parents' insistence. With his sister already off to Goldencrown Academy, determined to become the strongest in the Kingdom to protect him, there were few other distractions.
"Xue, I've brought lunch!"
Well… There was still one.
"Mei Mei," Xue Ren said with a tone of exasperation, not the least bit taken aback when he felt her soft body collide with his scarred back. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm here for you, silly!" Mei Mei smiled like a girl in love while rubbing her face up against his stoic one. "Don't tell me you don't remember?? Some months ago, you told me I could come by and eat together with you every weekend. D-Did you forget…?"
Seeing her make those puppydog eyes, Xue Ren thought back to the months prior.
*Flashback~*
"Hey, Xue, can I come and eat with you every weekend!? Well, can I?? Can I??? Pretty, pretty please, with a cherry on top~!?"
Xue Ren, who recently fractured a number of the bones in his neck, couldn't hold his head straight. This made it look like he nodded when Mei Mei begged him for permission.
"...."
"I guess I remember…"
Mei Mei beamed, hugging his muscular back even tighter. "Yay! And you know, Xue, even while all sweaty, you smell like nature. It's such a nice fragrance, mfmph!"
"Quit rubbing your nose against me," Xue Ren said with disgust as he pulled away from her. "You're just a kid. Don't get ahead of yourself."
Mei Mei pouted, appearing like a cute chipmunk. "You're just a kid as well, so stop being stingy and let me sniff!"
"No, go away."
Xue Ren held her forehead at arm's length.
"No, come on~, just let me sniff sniff, hwa!"
Mei Mei used her 1st Layer Qi Condensation Realm energy in an attempt to brush past his outstretched arm.
However…
"Whaa!? Why won't you budge, Xue?? Are you made out of steel or something?!" Mei Mei complained, unable to make his arm move even an inch.
"You just aren't disciplined enough," replied Xue Ren as he effortlessly and skillfully took control of her forceful momentum to sit her down on the other side of the boulder, all while snatching one of the two bento boxes in her hands. "Does this have protein in it? Why so much rice in the shape of hearts?"
"Such a meanie…!" Mei Mei grumbled as she watched him scrounge through the bento for sources of protein. "All I want to do is hug you, and yet all you care about is your stupid protein, ptui!"
"Seriously, where is it?"
"...In the bottom," replied Mei Mei. "There's chicken, beef, and pork."
"Good choices." Xue Ren gave a thumbs-up of approval before gulping down the entire bento in one bite.
Afterward, he praised her culinary skills, saying, "That was 32, no 33 grams worth of protein. Double it next time and you'll make for a very good wife."
"Bah, all you think about is protein this and protein that!" Mei Mei complained, though blushed toward the end. "But that does mean you think of me as waify material…? Hehe…"
Xue Ren stared at her with a vacant look on his face, not responding to her clear provocation.
"Got any more?" he asked to change the subject. "I was just going to eat raw fish or rabbit for my protein intake this week, but yours taste better."
Mei Mei's cheeks filled with air. "I'd sure hope my carefully and lovingly prepared food tastes better than raw animal meat!" she retorted. "But yeah, I brought ten extra portions because I know how much you like to eat."
FWIP! FWIP!
Ten larger bento boxes fell out of her Storage Ring and appeared before the salivating Xue Ren.
With a serious voice, he declared, "10/10 wife."
"So then does that mean you'll—"
"No."
Xue Ren gave an instantaneous rejection while vacuuming up dozens of grams of protein each second.
"You're just… a kid," he said through chews.
Mei Mei grumbled. "You just wait; one of these days, when I'm an adult, I'll make you understand just how perfect I am for you," she said while storming off. "D.u.m.m.y!"
"...Hmm…" Xue Ren's brows drew together, her words seemingly affecting him greatly.
"I wonder what I should train next."
Or not…
"As of late, I feel that all the tempering I've done to my physical body has really done good things for my Qi Veins. A breakthrough shouldn't be too far away."
With a mindset that wouldn't fade, Xue returned to the eternal grind.
His stomach was full, and now it was time to beat it out of him!
— Next Time on Spamming Fireball: 2 and a Half Years, A Breakthrough! —