The next day, early in the morning, Geonu and I were already treading through a nearby forest, walking along a narrow trail while carrying a large amount of luggage containing all of my necessities.
We left the house after informing the servants that we would be going on a camping trip. Using that reason made our departure far less suspicious.
This forest was located just behind the house, so they weren't too concerned, especially since Geonu, my bodyguard, was with me. Besides, I used to go on trips like this with him all the time, so it wasn't anything new to them.
'Finally! Today, I'm going to start learning martial arts!'
This was the day I would finally learn martial arts personally from Geonu. I couldn't sleep much last night due to sheer excitement… and perhaps also because of the lingering aftertaste of my atrocious dinner.
Despite spending the entire night restless like a child who had just received a new toy, my excitement hadn't decreased in the slightest. If anything, it remained just as intense as before.
Geonu and I had been walking for quite a while now, going deeper and deeper into the forest. I couldn't help but feel eager as I wondered where he was leading me.
'Wait… where are we even going, anyway? Why are we heading this deep into the forest just for me to learn martial arts?'
I hadn't questioned it earlier due to my excitement, but thinking about it now, it was odd. Learning martial arts didn't really require a special place unless it was required.
Earlier this morning, Geonu had asked me to quickly pack my belongings and leave the house, but he never told me why. Still, I followed without question, too excited to notice anything strange.
Now that some time had passed and we had gone pretty deep into the forest, exhaustion slowly began to creep in. Carrying a ton of luggage with my untrained fifteen-year-old body was no small feat, and it was only now that I realized how heavy it truly was.
"Geonu? Why are we even going this deep into the forest just for me to learn martial arts? Couldn't we just do this back at home? This is tiring!"
"Don't be impatient now, Young Master. Just wait a little longer. You'll understand soon enough."
Geonu, who was also carrying luggage albeit smaller and lighter than mine heard my complaints and calmly reassured me, asking me to wait just a bit longer.
Although I was gradually getting tired, it wasn't enough for me to complain too much. I had already been on plenty of camping trips before, and my excitement alone gave me the push I needed to keep going.
So I agreed to wait patiently, doing my best to keep my excitement in check.
What I didn't realize was that this 'little while' was going to turn into a very, very long time.
****
"Just… huff… how… far… huff… is… it…?"
A few hours had passed, yet we still hadn't arrived at our destination. By now, I was completely exhausted. My earlier excitement was gone, no longer giving me the push I needed to continue.
After lifting heavy luggage for this long, exhaustion was inevitable. I finally put my things down for a short rest, yet Geonu showed no signs of fatigue at all as he continued marching forward.
At first, I could still vaguely trace the path back home, but after hours of walking, I could no longer tell which direction we had come from. This was farther than any camping trip I had ever gone on.
There was now a real risk of getting lost if Geonu didn't know the way back but I trusted him to know what he is doing.
"Don't worry, Young Master. Just a bit more. Once I clear these grasses, we'll be there."
Slash! Slash!
"Really…? Gre…at…"
As we went deeper into the woods, the grass that once only reached our feet gradually grew tall enough to block our path entirely. Geonu drew his sword and began cutting through it, forming a narrow passage.
Hearing that we were close instantly restored my morale, like a soldier hearing the war is ending after fighting in it for years.
Slash! Slash!
That surge of morale allowed me to gather the rest of my strength as Geonu cut through the final patch of grass, revealing what lay beyond.
"Phew. Young Master, it looks like we've arrived. Come, take a look."
"Really?! Alright!"
I temporarily set my luggage aside and rushed over to Geonu, eager to see the place we had endured such a grueling journey for. I sincerely hoped it would be worth it.
Geonu was standing in the way, so I gestured for him to move. Before I could even finish the motion, he stepped aside.
A bright light suddenly burst forth, temporarily blinding me.
Once my vision returned and I could finally take a proper look at what lay beyond the tall grass, I was left utterly speechless.
"Woaaah… what is this place?"
Before me was a wide clearing covered in short grass, large enough for someone to build a home upon it. Scattered across the clearing were boulders of various sizes and huge stacks of logs that looked as though they had been deliberately arranged.
The clearing rested at the base of a tall mountain. Along its surface, a cave entrance was visible, offering a natural and effective means of shelter.
To the left of the clearing, a waterfall cascaded down the mountain, feeding into a river that flowed alongside the clearing. The sunlight reflecting off the water was what had blinded me moments earlier.
"This place, Young Master, is where you will be learning and training martial arts."
"Oh… how did you even find a place like this? It already looks like a proper training ground."
"I found this place during one of our actual camping trips. I thought it would be perfect for you, so I prepared it in advance, waiting for the day you would finally come here to train."
"Geonu…"
What surprised me wasn't that this place was found and prepared by Geonu it was the fact that he had found this place and prepared it specifically for me.
I was deeply touched. It meant that he had always believed the day would come when I would overcome my inability to cultivate and finally learn martial arts.
At the same time, it made me feel sad. In my previous life, I never once made use of this place. Unable to resolve my inability to cultivate, it had remained abandoned, never seeing the day it would be used.
'Geonu… thank you. Even when everyone else gave up on me, you never did. I swear I'll make full use of this place, and even more to make up for my previous life.'
Judging by how well-maintained everything was, it was obvious that Geonu had taken care of this place regularly, likely visiting every few days.
That realization only strengthened my determination. This time, I would not waste what Geonu gave me and the opportunities placed before me.
Geonu and I brought our luggage to the cave entrance and laid out and setting up our camping equipment before entering.
'Woah… this place is bigger than it looks from the outside.'
"Put your luggage down here, Young Master, then come outside. I'll show you around."
"Yes, just a second."
Upon entering the cave, I realized that it was far wider than the entrance suggested. Instead of a tunnel, it opened into a large dome, perfect for shelter during night and harsh weather.
It looked like it had once been a bear's den. That suspicion was confirmed when I noticed a rug made from bear fur spread across the floor, along with other animal hides of what look like came from deers and tigers.
I quickly placed my belongings in my spot inside the cave and went back outside so I wouldn't keep Geonu waiting.
"Geonu, I'm here! Sorry for making you wait."
"Oh, Young Master, there's no need to apologize. Come, I'll show you around so you can familiarize yourself with the place we'll be living in for the time being."
He led me to the nearby river. The sound of the waterfall was clearly audible, and a ton of fishs could be seen swimming with the current.
Suddenly before I could react, Geonu threw a wooden spear he had carved while waiting for me to finish unpacking.
Swoosh! Splash!
When he retrieved it, two fish were skewered cleanly on the spear while I was surprised by what happened.
"This river will be where we catch our food, as well as where we bathe and do laundry. If you want something other than fish, we can hunt in the forest."
Although I was startled by his sudden action, his explanation made sense. During our journey here, I had already seen many wild animals roaming freely.
Still, I wasn't sure whether I even remembered how to hunt. It had been a long time since I last did so in my previous life.
'I just hope those skills are still buried somewhere in my muscle memory…'
After showing me the river, Geonu continued guiding me around the area, pointing out different spots, each serving it's own specific purpose.
He mentioned that some areas were still unfinished and that he would need time to complete them before I could use them.
Eventually, we returned to the center of the clearing which made us surrounded by the boulders and stacks of logs.
"This is the final area—and what you've been waiting for. The training area."
'Yes! Finally! But… what are all these boulders and logs for?'
"I'm sure you're wondering what these boulders and logs are for. They'll serve as tools for your training, preparing you to become a martial artist."
"Preparation? Aren't I already one? If you don't recall I already have a dantian."
"You're getting ahead of yourself, Young Master. Just because you've formed a dantian doesn't mean you're a full-fledged martial artist. You're still far from it."
I felt embarrassed. I had assumed that cultivation alone was enough, but I didn't even know a single martial art yet.
I was getting ahead of myself due to my excitement and impatience to finally learn martial arts.
But could anyone blame me when I have been forced by inability to cultivate to not learn them when I desperately wanted to but couldn't.
"Then what exactly are these boulders and logs for? What kind of training am I going to do with them?"
"Isn't it obvious? Before you can learn martial arts, you need a body capable of performing them. We start with body training."
"What?! Do I really have to?!"
"Yes, Young Master. This is extremely crucial."
After my question was answered, I was shocked to learn that I would need to train my body first. Body training could take years to produce actual results and I knew this well.
In my previous life, I had trained my body, and it took years before any real results appeared.
Although I hadn't expected to go through that process again, I wasn't completely against it. I understood the logic.
'I know I need to do first before learning martial arts... But I can't waste anymore time doing this!'
After all, how could I perform martial arts properly if my body wasn't strong enough to handle them?
What I truly had a problem with was the time it required. I didn't have years to spare.
The time of 'That Day' was slowly approaching, and every moment counted.
"I know this is important, but couldn't we start with the actual martial arts first? This kind of training takes a long time to show results, and I don't have that kind of time. Can't we?"
"No, Young Master, Skipping this stage of training would be unwise not only for you but also for your future as a martial artist."
"Well… I understand that. It's just that I need to learn martial arts as soon as possible—"
"I don't fully understand your concerns, but rushing will only lead you nowhere. It may even send you down the wrong path. Taking things one step at a time may seem slow, but you can't deny that it may lead you to right and correct route"
'I know, I know… I've heard this so many times already. I just hate listening to it.'
"So, Young Master, trust me and trust the process. This will be over faster than you think. You just need faith and perseverance something I know you already possess."
"Geonu…"
He was right. Ever since I realized I had regressed, I had been rushing nonstop. I have so many concerns with 'That Day' only being one of them making me very impatient.
One clear example of my impatience was when I forcefully broke through my qi blockages and formed my dantian. If my constitution hadn't changed, I would have suffered the serious consequences.
Maybe Geonu and the many others who had told me the same thing in my past life were right. I needed to take things one step at a time. The more I rushed, the more lost I become.
"…Fine. I'll do it. I trust that you'll train me as best as you can."
"Of course I will, Young Master! Hahaha!"
Geonu was clearly delighted by my answer. He patted my back in approval, and seeing him smile like that felt strangely reassuring.
Although I hadn't forgotten how limited my time was, I decided to trust Geonu's words and follow his training obediently, hoping that I would improve as quickly as possible.
I had already experienced body training in my previous life, although I didn't want to go through those grueling military-style workouts all over again, I was still confident that I could endure whatever Geonu prepared for me.
"Then, Geonu, what does the body training involve? And how do those boulders and logs fit into it?"
"Oh, those boulders and logs will act as weights to increase the difficulty of your training, As for what your training will consist of…"
He suddenly stopped speaking. An oddly sinister smile formed on his face, sending chills down my spine as a strong sense of dread washed over me.
That feeling felt like a warning from my instincts, telling me to run away. Yet my anticipation overwhelmed it. I had already decided to train, no matter what Ignoring the warning,
I waited for Geonu's next words as I was still unaware of just how terrifying the training would be, even though my instincts had sensed it beforehand, much like they had with his cooking.
"Your training will consist of a set of daily workouts and routines. All of them must be completed before sunset."
'This doesn't sound too bad… It's similar to what I did before.'
"These workouts will include military exercises the same ones used by soldiers but with a twist, along with my own personal training methods."
'Called it… but what twist? And personal methods?'
"Personal training methods?"
I had nearly forgotten that despite his appearance, Geonu was still a martial artist. Of course he trained. That was the reason I asked him to teach me in the first place.
It was natural for him to have unique methods of his own. He wouldn't have earned the title of the greatest master in the cult otherwise.
I just hoped those methods wouldn't make the body training even worse than the military training I once endured as punishment during my days as a scholar.
"Yes, These are my personal methods the same ones I used to train myself. I call them Enhancement Exercise; They involve using boulders and logs as weights, as well as specially designed exercises that take advantage of this area's natural terrain."
'I can understand adding weights… even if it already sounds much more exhausting. But terrain-based training?'
Not only did Geonu make the military training even harsher than it already was, but he also added others methods that used the environment itself.
This place had a river, mountains, and forests. It seems that his training would take full advantage of how difficult they were to navigate.
I could only imagine what that meant and I could only hope these methods wouldn't push the already extreme training even further beyond human limits.
"These exercises are inspired by ancient martial arts training methods, such as those practiced by Shaolin."
'Well… I can't deny their effectiveness. Those methods did produce powerful martial artists.'
"My personal training consists of three main exercises: standing beneath a waterfall with weights attached to your body for at least five minutes; hiking up the mountain while carrying buckets of water, then returning without spilling a single drop; and pushing a massive boulder forward five meters. Each of these will be beneficial for—blah… blah…"
Geonu continued explaining the benefits in detail, but I was already stunned by how absurdly difficult the training sounded.
I respected the training methods of the past as they were undeniably effective. But compared to modern military training, this enhancement exercises inspired from them were on an entirely different level.
This didn't feel like training anymore. It felt like a death sentence. This was far beyond what a normal human could do, and it perfectly explained why martial artists were considered superhuman.
'This is way too difficult… but I can't take back my decision. Damn it.'
****
***
**
"..."
Geonu realized something very important that he had forgotten to consider in his Young Master's body training from the sight he was seeing.
He offered his Young Master to start his training today which he enthusiastically agreed and immediately started but the results was made him realized it.
As he saw his Young Master squished on the floor by the single piece of log he just added to his back which right after he did caused him to fail performing a single push up.
"Young Master I think we will have to do some changes before you start your actual training"
****