"Senior brother, this is..." Elder Huang's voice trailed off as she covered her mouth in shock, instantly recognizing the weathered text in Elder Guo's hand.
Elder Guo continued, undeterred by her reaction. "This is the [Mountain Heart Sutra], the other half of the Mountain Heart Scripture," he explained, his tone measured yet carrying an unmistakable weight. "The Mountain Heart Scripture tempers the body, while the Sutra tempers the heart and mind."
His gaze fixed on Xiang Yu with sharp discernment. "Although your battle awareness has improved considerably, you will still fall behind others," he stated firmly. "It's not because you lack talent, but rather because of your mentality."
The elder stroked his beard thoughtfully before continuing. "Your reason for cultivation seems to be survival rather than domination. Since your nature is survival, when you fight, you are attempting to dominate—which makes you go against your nature. When this happens, you won't be confident in the fight and will always be looking for ways of survival rather than winning."
His words hung in the air, each one striking with precision. "This means that you're more likely to run from a fight when your opponent is weakened rather than finish the job."
Xiang Yu's expression shifted as understanding dawned on him. The elder's assessment made perfect sense—it was indeed in his nature to prioritize survival. Just like when Li Yao's weapon got stuck in the tree, his first instinct wasn't to counterattack but to create distance. He had attributed this to caution, never suspecting that it stemmed from something much deeper within him.
"Although it's commendable that you already have your nature figured out at such an early stage, it's also a disadvantage as it might hinder your progress," Elder Guo continued, his voice carrying both praise and warning.
Xiang Yu furrowed his brow, not fully grasping the elder's meaning.
Sensing his confusion, Elder Guo leaned forward slightly. "Picture this: you are fighting a strong opponent and have no way to escape. When that happens, what will you do? Will you keep looking for ways of survival?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
Xiang Yu nodded without hesitation. If his opponent was stronger than him, of course he would seek escape—that was the logical path to survival.
"You're thinking about it in the wrong way," Elder Guo declared.
"The wrong way?" Xiang Yu echoed, genuine confusion evident in his voice.
"That's right. Your nature is survival, but since you're weak, you associate your need for survival with escape," the elder explained patiently.
"Isn't it the same thing?" Xiang Yu asked, truly perplexed. Wouldn't he survive if he escaped? How was this thinking wrong?
Elder Guo shook his head slowly. "But when you have no way to escape, does that mean you won't survive?" he challenged.
Xiang Yu remained silent, considering the question carefully.
"Escape isn't survival—it's just one way to achieve it," the elder clarified, his tone suggesting he was imparting profound wisdom.
"Is there another way?" Xiang Yu ventured.
"That's right," Elder Guo replied with a knowing smile.
"And what is it?" he asked, curiosity piqued.
"You fight, of course."
Xiang Yu was taken aback by this response. "What do you mean?" Wasn't fighting the complete opposite of his survival nature?
"When you have no way to escape, it doesn't mean that you cannot survive," Elder Guo elaborated. "As long as you kill your opponent, you can survive."
Xiang Yu contemplated this explanation, finding it strangely logical despite contradicting his instincts. The elder then placed the ancient manual in his hands with deliberate care.
"It's hard for you to think of other ways of survival since you already see escape as the ultimate form of survival," Elder Guo continued. "Though that may be true at the moment, there'll come a time when you can't escape. At that time, domination will be the ultimate way of survival. As long as you're strong enough, you'll survive. But you won't be able to fight effectively even when you're strong enough because your first choice will always be escape."
The elder's finger tapped the manual meaningfully. "This manual tempers the heart and mind. Though it won't change your nature, it'll make you more resolute. When you choose to escape, you'll do it with all your might, and when you choose to fight, you'll also do it with all your might."
With that final wisdom imparted, Elder Guo rose from his position, and Elder Huang quickly followed suit, leaving the disciples alone with Xiang Yu still holding the ancient manual.
As they walked away from the disciples, Elder Huang hurried to catch up with Elder Guo. "Why did you give that to Xiang Yu?" she questioned urgently. "Even people at the Golden Core stage are just beginning to temper their minds..."
Elder Guo cut her off before she could finish. "Xiang Yu has already realized his nature at this early stage. If he lets it control him, it'll be even harder for him to break through in the future. He might even fall to mental demons. This is the right way."
In his mind, Elder Guo reflected that he had already explained the boy's nature to him. If Xiang Yu wasn't stupid, he should be able to understand what he meant. As for the manual, he had given it as an extra benefit—he didn't know if the boy could really learn it, but if he did, that would be even better.
...
Xiang Yu stood at the dining table, the ancient manual heavy in his hands. The elder's words echoed in his mind, their wisdom undeniable yet somehow distant from his reality. He contemplated his own nature with a critical eye. Was he truly a slave to his cowardice, or was there more nuance to his survival instinct?
Though he acknowledged his cautious nature, he wasn't convinced the elder's assessment fully applied to him. After all, when cornered during the ambush by Dean Gu's disciples, he hadn't hesitated to eliminate his opponents. But that was different—he had calculated his odds and found them acceptable. What would happen if he genuinely faced an opponent he couldn't defeat or escape from? The thought sent an uncomfortable chill down his spine.
With a deep sigh, he pushed these troubling questions aside. There would be time later to examine the manual's teachings and their implications for his cultivation path. For now, training called—the steady, reliable rhythm that had propelled his exponential growth.
"Let's go," he said, carefully stashing the weathered text in his robe. He gestured to Li Yao, and together they made their way toward the training grounds, their footsteps crunching against the worn path.
As they walked, Li Yao's expression remained neutral, but her mind was far from quiet. "Is it true what the old man said?" she asked internally, directing her thoughts to the ancient presence that resided within her.
The Empress's voice resonated with its customary confidence. [Well, it's true what he said. As long as your senior brother isn't dumb, he'll understand what the elder was trying to say.]
Li Yao felt the Empress's assessment shift to something more analytical. [As for the mind tempering manual, he probably thinks that your senior brother's cowardice comes from trauma and thinks he can overcome it by tempering his mind. But knowing him, he'll probably become even more resolute in his caution.]
The Empress paused briefly before adding, [Still, it's not a bad thing. You should also start your mind tempering early. I'll make a manual for you.]
...
The day's training unfolded against the backdrop of the Mountain Heart Pavilion's grounds, the rhythmic clash of steel against steel echoing through the air like a metallic symphony. Xiang Yu and Li Yao moved across the training area with increasing fluidity, their forms casting long shadows that stretched and contracted with the arc of the sun. The afternoon breeze carried the sounds of their exchange—blade meeting blade, footsteps shifting against packed earth, and the occasional grunt of exertion when a particularly powerful strike connected.
Hours melted away as they continued their relentless practice. Sweat glistened on their brows, dampened their robes, yet neither suggested a break beyond what was absolutely necessary. They persisted until the western sky blazed with amber and crimson hues, signaling the dinner hour's approach.
When they finally paused, the two made his way to the kitchen. Xiang Yu's movements possessed the same deliberate precision he showed in combat, though now directed toward different implements—knives for slicing rather than striking, fire carefully controlled for cooking. His enhanced culinary awareness guided every choice, from ingredient selection to the exact moment each component entered the wok.
The resulting meal brought everyone to the table with unusual promptness. Elder Guo and Elder Huang arrived with impeccable timing, as if their internal cultivation clocks had been calibrated to Xiang Yu's cooking schedule. Conversation remained minimal as they savored each bite, the quality of the food demanding their complete attention.
After the rapid but appreciative meal, Xiang Yu and Li Yao returned to the training grounds. Even as darkness descended, they continued their practice. When midnight finally arrived, they exchanged goodnight wishes, their voices tinged with exhaustion but also satisfaction at the day's progress.
Alone in his quarters, Xiang Yu settled onto his simple bed, the familiar blue glow of his system interface materializing before his eyes. He studied the status update with focused attention:
[Calculating Settlement]
[Calculation Complete]
[Enlightenment: Low (24/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (8/100,000)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (22/400) (+22/400)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (50/300) (+50/300)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (40/500)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (100/400) (+100/400)]
[Cook: 9th Grade (95/100) (+5/100)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Cook: 9th Grade (95/100) → 8th Grade (0/200)]
[Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (100/400) → Major Success (200/400)]
[Basic Knife Technique: Completion (40/500) → Completion (80/500)]
[Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (50/300) → Intermediate (100/300)]
[Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (22/400) → 4th Layer (44/400)]
[Battle Instinct: (8/100,000) → (16/100,000)]
[Enlightenment: Low (24/1000) → Low (48/1000)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
The exhilarating sensation of Enlightenment increase washed over him like a mental tidal wave. This time, the feeling lingered longer than before, bringing crystalline insights into his various techniques. The connections formed in his mind with greater clarity than ever, pathways of understanding illuminating previously obscure concepts.
Based on its current rate of improvement, Xiang Yu calculated he would likely grasp the elusive mid-grade movement technique once his Enlightenment reached one hundred points—just two settlements away. He filed this realization away without dwelling on it excessively.
His attention shifted to his cooking skills. Since experience didn't overflow when crossing advancement thresholds, his cooking had only increased by five points before breaking through to eighth grade. Yet those final five points had yielded more insights than all previous improvements combined. Most significantly, he now possessed the theoretical knowledge to create genuine spirit foods—though without a spiritual root or spiritual fire, this remained purely academic. He dismissed the thought with pragmatic acceptance.
Next, he examined his Battle Instinct, now impressively in double digits. The previous eight points had already transformed his combat awareness dramatically; he could barely imagine how sixteen points would manifest. And now that this attribute had reached double digits, future doublings would accelerate its growth exponentially. He allowed himself a rare moment of anticipation, visualizing the capabilities he might possess when this attribute eventually reached its maximum.
The Mountain Heart Scripture had improved by twenty-two points, and after doubling stood at forty-four—it wouldn't be long before he broke through to the fifth layer.
His sword technique's progress remained remarkable, advancing by one hundred points before doubling to two hundred, already halfway to completion. At this rate, it would likely reach completion after the next settlement, rapidly catching up to his knife technique. Speaking of which, since he hadn't practiced it today, it remained at forty points—now eighty after doubling. Both weapons seemed to be racing toward Great Completion stage.
Given the sword technique had already reached its halfway mark, Xiang Yu decided to dedicate the following day entirely to knife practice. His Iron Body technique had earned fifty points, doubled to one hundred, though still short of the halfway threshold. Yet this particular skill was easily practiced alongside other activities, so he anticipated reaching the midpoint before the next settlement.
Having methodically analyzed his daily progress, he summoned his complete status:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body Refining 4th Layer]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Enlightenment: Low (48/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (16/100,000)]
[Professions: Cook: 8th Grade (0/200)]
[Techniques: Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Intermediate (100/300); Basic Knife Technique: Completion (80/500); Basic Sword Technique: Major Success (200/400)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 4th Layer (48/400)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
...
After meticulously examining his status, Xiang Yu surrendered to the weight of fatigue pressing against his eyelids. Just as sleep began to claim him, a fleeting memory jolted him back to alertness. He rose from his bed with sudden purpose, reaching into his pocket to extract the Mountain Heart Sutra that Elder Guo had entrusted to him earlier that day.
The ancient manual rested in his palm. He turned it over contemplatively, deliberating whether he should attempt even a brief practice session. His carefully structured training regimen left little room for additional activities during daylight hours—those precious moments when he could grind experience through sparring with Li Yao couldn't be sacrificed. Perhaps he could allocate just an hour before sleep? After all, this text supposedly complemented the Mountain Heart Scripture he already practiced, suggesting they shared a foundational approach.
"One hour," he decided firmly, setting a mental boundary for this experiment.
Opening the sutra with careful hands, he scanned the initial instructions. The text directed practitioners to assume a lotus position for meditation, focusing on heart and mind cultivation rather than physical strengthening. This aligned with Elder Guo's description—the Scripture tempered the body, while the Sutra tempered the mind.
Xiang Yu settled into the prescribed position, crossing his legs and straightening his spine. His hands rested on his knees, palms facing upward in the traditional receptive posture. Following the manual's guidance, he regulated his breathing while affirming the nature of his heart and mind. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
As the minutes passed, an unexpected sensation began to manifest. His consciousness seemed to detach from physical awareness, floating untethered in an empty void. The training ground, his quarters, even his bodily sensations—all faded from perception. He existed as pure awareness in a dimensionless space, neither hot nor cold, neither light nor dark.
The peculiar state intensified gradually, the void seeming to envelop his consciousness more completely with each passing moment. Any desire for action or achievement dissolved into nothingness. The concerns that typically dominated his thoughts—survival, advancement, power acquisition—all melted away like morning frost under sunlight. A profound contentment with mere existence washed over him, a tranquility so complete it bordered on oblivion.
Why strive? Why fight? Simply existing in this perfect emptiness seemed sufficient—eternal, peaceful non-action.
The seductive pull of this state grew stronger until a sharp intrusion shattered the void—someone knocking at his door, followed by a familiar voice calling out.
"Senior brother, are you inside?"
Li Yao's voice pierced through the meditative trance, yanking Xiang Yu back to physical reality with jarring suddenness.