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Chapter 132: Plum Blossom Stakes
🕑 Added 2024-12-25 17:58:36 +0000 UTCIf Ning Rongrong still had the protection of her family, the others were far worse off.
The first to suffer was Oscar. Being a food system soul master, the rigorous training left him even more prone to internal injuries.
Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, represented the opposite extreme. Ever since joining the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, his evil fire problem required release, and the academy was filled with temptations and beautiful women. Ma Hongjun quickly descended into a life of indulgence, losing himself entirely in his desires.
The situation was similarly dire for two soul masters from the original first team, one being a control system soul master with the Sky Blue Vine martial soul and the other an agility attack system soul master. There was also Bai Xiaofei from the second team.
Bai Xiaofei's martial soul was also a beast martial soul, but his Sharp-tailed Swallow martial soul was extremely weak in strength and attack power, making it a unique case among beast martial souls. Yang Podi had invested considerable resources into improving his physique in the past.
However, after a long period of training, Bai Xiaofei noticed the effects of the medicinal baths were not the same. Having been in the second team for six years, he found that after just a few months in the first team, his physical condition had deteriorated significantly.
Bai Xiaofei quickly reported this to Young Master Tang San and Yu Xiaogang:
"Young Master, I feel like the medicinal baths for the first team and the second team are different. The effects of the first team's baths are clearly inferior. My body has deteriorated a lot recently, and the recovery effect isn't as good as it used to be."
"Several other members have reported the same issue. If this continues, it might lead to serious problems."
Yu Xiaogang and Tang San were both alarmed by this revelation. How could there be issues when they were simply replicating the second team's training methods?
Tang San, being knowledgeable in medicine, began examining his body and discovered he, too, had developed minor internal injuries. He quickly turned to Yu Xiaogang:
"Teacher, I think there might be an issue with my body as well. I've detected some slight internal injuries."
The three of them went to the academy's administration, suspecting that the problem lay with the medicinal ingredients provided by the academy. However, after thorough inquiries, they learned that the medicinal ingredients for both teams were issued at the same time and were identical.
Tang San seemed to realize something and quickly asked Bai Xiaofei:
"Xiaofei, who used to prepare the medicinal baths and ingredients for the second team? Did you ever question it?"
Bai Xiaofei shook his head:
"Everything in the second team was handled by Big Brother and Teacher Li Xiang. We just followed instructions. The medicinal baths and ingredients were always prepared by them."
Tang San sighed:
"I understand now. In the second team, all medicinal baths and ingredients were personally managed by Yang Podi. The Breaking Clan is a family of medicinal experts, capable of adjusting the dosage to ensure no internal injuries occur."
At this, Tang San felt a pang of regret. If the Breaking Clan had joined the Tang Sect, the sect's strength would have significantly increased, and today's situation would never have arisen.
Yu Xiaogang looked puzzled:
"Little San, what should we do now? The first team's training cannot simply stop."
"Teacher, for now, we must suspend all training to allow the team to recover. If we want to resume training, we will likely need Yang Podi's help."
Before Yu Xiaogang could respond, Bai Xiaofei interjected:
"I heard the second team has gone out for field training. We haven't seen them for months now."
Yu Xiaogang's face was full of anger:
"Why did Yang Podi choose this moment to take his team out for training? Is he deliberately trying to make the first team look bad?"
After much discussion, they realized there was no immediate solution. Ultimately, they decided to halt the over-intensive training and wait for Yang Podi's return to address the issue.
Tang San had some ideas for dealing with the internal injuries. As someone skilled in medicine, he had ways to treat such conditions. However, the treatment required a large amount of expensive medicinal ingredients. With over a dozen people on the team, the academy could not afford to purchase such high-cost materials.
Meanwhile, after half a year of training in the Sunset Forest, Yang Podi's team did not return to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy but went directly to the Breaking Clan.
Now that there were no outsiders on the team, they felt it was better to return to the clan than to face Yu Xiaogang and his group. Furthermore, the next stage involved meditation and private training methods they were unwilling to share with Yu Xiaogang's faction.
After returning to the clan, Yang Podi ordered the construction of a plum blossom stake forest. The setup was simple: several hundred wooden stakes, each five meters long and about ten centimeters in diameter, were driven into the ground.
Each stake protruded about four meters above the ground, with a distance of one meter between each stake. There were hundreds of them, considering the large number of people training.
Yang Podi gathered the team in front of the plum blossom stake forest and announced:
"The next phase of training is simple. During the day, you will all spend your time on the stakes, practicing sparring and running."
Yang Tianyue looked at the stakes and couldn't help but ask:
"Brother, this looks too easy. It doesn't seem helpful for cultivation."
"Tianyue, do you think it's easy? Why don't you try it first? Just don't fall off."
"Fine, I'll give it a try. It's just wooden stakes. How hard could it be?"
Yang Tianyue jumped onto the stakes but quickly realized it was much harder than expected.
Each stake was only ten centimeters in diameter—barely enough for half a foot. To maintain balance, she had to stand on her tiptoes. Additionally, the one-meter distance between stakes exceeded a natural step's width, making it extremely uncomfortable to stand on two stakes simultaneously.
Yang Tianyue tried to move around but quickly lost her balance and fell off after just a few steps.
She got up, dissatisfied, and confronted Yang Podi:
"Brother, what kind of ridiculous setup is this? How could this possibly help us?"
Yang Podi glanced at her, then addressed the group:
"After years of cultivation, you all have excellent strength and speed. However, you lack complete control over these abilities, especially precision, which is crucial."
"This plum blossom stake forest will improve your stability, flexibility, precision, muscle elasticity, and strength, as well as enhance cardiovascular and respiratory functions. It's perfect for your current stage."
Hearing this, everyone jumped onto the stakes to test them. Unsurprisingly, no one could last long before falling.
In the following days, everyone trained in the stake forest. According to Yang Podi, in addition to standing on the stakes, they had to engage in several hours of sparring. The key to sparring on the stakes was avoiding excessive or unnecessary movements, as either could lead to a fall. For the team, this training was a minor form of torment.
One day, as Yang Podi was meditating, someone informed him of a visitor. Surprised, he wondered who would visit him now that he had returned to his clan.
When he arrived at the reception hall, he saw his grandfather Yang Wudi, along with Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Ning Rongrong from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
After some polite greetings, Ning Fengzhi got straight to the point:
"Yang Podi, I've heard your team is short of members. I'd like to recommend Rongrong to join your team. Would that be possible?"
Yang Podi immediately replied:
"I'm sorry, Sect Master Ning, but our team is already complete. All training has ended, and the members are now focused on meditation. There's no additional training plan."
"But I heard your team only has six members. How can it be complete?"
"Sect Master Ning, we recently recruited two excellent members, so the team now has eight people. We're fully staffed."
"Isn't it standard for teams to have seven main members and four substitutes? Doesn't your team need substitutes?"
Yang Podi shook his head:
"Sect Master Ning, my plan for the preliminary competition is not to participate myself. The other seven members must take part in every match to build their teamwork and accumulate experience. Even if Miss Rongrong joins, she likely won't get a chance to compete."
Before Ning Fengzhi could respond, someone came to report:
"Clan Leader, Titan Clan Leader, Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Tang San are here to visit. They're currently at the clan gates."
Yang Wudi initially didn't want to meet them, but Ning Fengzhi intervened:
"Clan Leader Yang, if you have matters to attend to, I can wait. I'd also like to take a look around your clan."
Yang Wudi thought for a moment before responding:
"There's nothing secret here. It's fine for you all to meet."
He then instructed the messenger:
"Invite them to the hall."
When Yu Xiaogang and his group arrived, they were surprised to see Ning Fengzhi and the others already there.
This was Titan's first visit to the Breaking Clan since their falling out, and the relationship was no longer as close as before. They weren't even considered friends anymore.
Yang Wudi wasted no time:
"Clan Leader Titan, what brings the four of you to our Breaking Clan?"
Titan, his face gloomy, replied:
"I'm here only to ensure the Young Master's safety. It was the Young Master's wish to see you, not mine."
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Yu Xiaogang and Tang San. After some hesitation, Yu Xiaogang finally spoke:
"Yang Podi, may I ask you a question?"
Yang Podi smiled at Yu Xiaogang:
"Teacher Yu, please feel free. We're all acquaintances here."
Yu Xiaogang asked seriously:
"Did you provide the second team with different medicinal baths than those supplied by the academy?"
"Indeed. I used some valuable family ingredients for their baths."
"Have you considered the consequences if others follow your training methods?"
Yang Podi smiled:
"Teacher Yu, I recall that my training methods were closed and shouldn't have been accessible to others. If someone copied them without permission, any resulting issues shouldn't be my responsibility."
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed with anger:
"How can you say that? Since you developed this training method, shouldn't you be responsible for anyone who uses it?"
Yang Podi was speechless for a moment before replying:
"I've never heard such reasoning. Your disciple Tang San is skilled in medicine. He could easily create a method to treat the injuries. Why don't you ask him how much such medicinal materials would cost in gold soul coins? How much effort would it take?"
"Do you expect me to spend my money training your students just because you say so?"
Titan, visibly irritated, interjected:
"Yang, mind your tone when speaking to the Young Master."
Yang Podi looked at Titan and retorted:
"Titan, in these years, I've spent countless resources and effort to nurture Tai Long. Without that, do you think his talent would have advanced to High level Soul Elder so quickly? And now you stand here with Yu Xiaogang to confront me. Isn't that a bit excessive?"
Even Titan, with his thick skin, blushed slightly and was at a loss for words.
Yang Podi ignored Titan and turned back to Yu Xiaogang:
"I've heard that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has a Dragon Transformation Secret Technique requiring specific medicinal support for cultivation. If outsiders steal the technique, they are killed on sight. Is this true?"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent.
