Chapter 145: Xu Jingming vs. Liu Hai (1)

Translator: CKtalon

In the past month or so, Xu Jingming’s willpower improved tremendously.

As the ‘pain training method’ for his mental tempering was very effective, Xu Jingming created a ‘cold training method’ and an ‘extreme heat training method.’ Even ordinary people could practice the tempering of their wills in cold and hot weather, so it was very safe to carry out this training method in the virtual world.

Of course, Xu Jingming’s cold and extreme heat training methods were very cold or scorching. They were enough to threaten the body, and he constantly approached the limits of death.

In a harsh environment that pushed him close to the limits of death… he still had to focus on his spearmanship! Only when his mind and will were more focused and dedicated could he not be interfered.

Therefore, having the three training methods used in parallel, its effects on Xu Jingming’s spearmanship were excellent, and his mind and will grew very quickly. He could now sense his body much more clearly, and he could almost sense all his cells.

“Master, is something up?” Xu Jingming looked at his master warmly.

“Jingming, how’s your cultivation? Have you broken through to Lv. 5?” Liu Hai asked.

Xu Jingming shook his head. “Not yet! I’ve been stuck at the bottleneck for more than a month.”

Liu Hai nodded slightly.

Just like him, he had been stuck at a bottleneck for more than a month.

“Come over now.” Liu Hai invited Xu Jingming to enter his martial arts arena.

“Alright.” Xu Jingming tapped gently and headed for the martial arts arena in his master’s personal space.

…

In the martial arts arena.

Xu Jingming appeared out of thin air and smiled at Liu Hai. “Master, have you made a breakthrough in your cultivation?”

Last time, his master had given him pointers about being water so that he could unleash a strike with a mere thought.

Is he giving me pointers again?

“I do want to break through.” Liu Hai shook his head with a smile and pointed at a stone bench. “Have a seat.”

Xu Jingming sat down.

“Let’s have a chat.” Liu Hai looked at his disciple. “Jingming, your way of thinking is different from mine. I’m more traditional, and your growth is rapid and unstoppable… You’re no longer inferior to me now. You might even be stronger than me.”

Xu Jingming immediately said, “Master, I’m only at the limit of Lv. 4 now.”

“It’s different—your mental state is different.” Liu Hai smiled at his disciple. “You’re in high spirits and filled with fighting spirit. It’s obvious that you’ve found your path and are working hard to improve. As for me… I’m in a stupor. Our mental states are completely different. It’s only a matter of time before you surpass me.”

Liu Hai had been the national team’s head coach for so many years and had taught too many disciples. He could determine things just by looking at one’s mental state to a very high accuracy! Those who were in confusion often wore a frown or looked glum; there was always faint worry between their brows. It was like a blunt saber that was no longer sharp.

Those with elevated fighting spirit and a glint in their eyes were expressions of confidence! That confidence could infect others.

This was the situation between the two. Liu Hai was in a state of confusion, and Xu Jingming’s mental state could already infect others. Liu Hai understood the difference between the two the moment they met.

“Master, don’t praise me. The more you praise me, the more flustered I get,” Xu Jingming immediately said.

Liu Hai smiled. “Let’s not talk about this. I want to ask about sensing all the cells in the body. Any experience you can share?”

“I haven’t broken through yet, so I’ll briefly explain my thoughts.” Xu Jingming didn’t hide his insights and said, “I believe Master has also received a legacy, so you should know the importance of mental tempering.”

Liu Hai nodded.

“At this moment, only by raising and strengthening one’s mind and spirit can one sense all the cells in the body,” Xu Jingming said. “How can one strengthen their mind and consciousness? Master definitely knows some training methods and visualization methods.”

Liu Hai nodded. “There are some mental tempering methods in the legacy I received as well.”

“I think that to improve in the short term is to hone the mind and will,” Xu Jingming said.

“Hone the mind and will?” Liu Hai nodded slightly. “The legacy I received also mentions 18 ways to temper the mind and will. It’s just that I think most of them aren’t suitable for me. There are only six I’m trying to practice…”

“There are also realms when it comes to honing the mind and will,” Xu Jingming said.

“Right.” Liu Hai nodded. “Some people work hard, persevering through gritted teeth. Others can brush off all the torment in the external world as an illusion. The freaks… become more focused in mind and will through the tempering, solidifying and strengthening their mind and will.”

“Of the three realms, the higher the realm, the better the effects of tempering one’s will.” Xu Jingming nodded. “Master, you can give it a try and find a method that’s most suitable for you to temper your will.”

“I’ve tried all kinds of methods, and they’re all at the first realm. I could only work hard and persist through it.” Liu Hai shook his head and glanced at his disciple in surprise. “Jingming, you should be at a higher realm. Is that why your mind and consciousness are improving so quickly?”

Xu Jingming nodded. He didn’t hide it from his master.

“This is talent,” Liu Hai said with a smile.

“Perhaps it’s because I was used to practicing my spear in pain in the eight-plus years after my leg was broken,” Xu Jingming said. “I repeatedly requested myself not to be affected by the pain. Over time, it became instinctive.”

The injury to his broken leg appeared to be healing, but the slightest change in weather caused his leg to hurt. Just being exposed to the cold and wind hurt his leg.

It also hurt when he exercised past a certain limit. However, he couldn’t not exercise. He had to maintain an appropriate level of training so that his injuries wouldn’t worsen. And in the arena… Sometimes, he would slightly exceed the limits.

Only in the World Martial Arts Tournament would he unleash his ultimate move without caring about his injuries at critical moments! This was also the reason why he had to retire at the age of 26. It couldn’t be helped; his injuries worsened after participating in the World Tournament.

“Practicing the spear in pain during those eight-plus years?” Liu Hai fell into thought. “You didn’t have the intention of honing your mind and will back then and only focused on practicing the spear. After eight to nine years, the pain gradually didn’t bother you, so your realm naturally reached a certain level. And now, our training is to hone our mind and will. It’s very difficult for us to do what you did.”

“A flower won’t bloom if your goal is to pluck it, but a flower can bloom if you don’t have the intention.” Liu Hai sighed with emotion. “The mind is very complicated.”

“It’s very complicated.” Xu Jingming nodded.

Of Xuan’s five mental tempering methods, there were also two methods—reading and putting into practice. Moreover, these two methods were even more important. For example, Xuan had said that he had put things into practice for more than 10,000 years before breaking through to Lv. 10.

Elevating one’s mind wasn’t just about honing one’s will.

“Of course, this might be because of your talent,” Liu Hai said with a smile. “Everyone has different genes. They grow in different environments and have different mental processes. This talent is naturally difficult to replicate.”

Liu Hai looked at his disciple. “After the virtual world’s launch, we haven’t had a good fight. Let’s have a match today.”

Xu Jingming jolted and smiled. “I was crushed by you the last time, Master.”

“I was already at Lv. 3 the moment the virtual world was launched, so I could naturally crush you,” Liu Hai said. “But now, both of us are at the limits of Lv. 4! It’s hard to say who will win.”

Xu Jingming got up. “Master, you have to be careful.”

“Don’t worry.” Liu Hai got up as well.

Although he knew that his disciple was very strong, he had taught his disciple for so many years. As a master, he wanted to defeat his disciple to uphold his pride.

“I’ll let you know why a master is a master,” Liu Hai said. “Don your armor!”

“Alright.” Xu Jingming was extremely solemn.

Soon.

The master and disciple wore light armor and stood facing each other from afar. Liu Hai was tall and stocky; he held a shield in one hand and a saber in the other. Xu Jingming wore dark-red armor and held a black spear.

Although he was facing his master, Xu Jingming had the desire to defeat his opponent as long as he was fighting! Moreover… the person in front of him was his master, the master he had never defeated in all his years.

Ever since he entered the national team, he had never won a sparring match!

Xu Jingming wanted to win, but he knew very well how powerful his master’s actual combat was.

The thirst for battle and his master’s strength consolidated Xu Jingming’s mind and consciousness even more, making him strive to win this battle even more.

“Very good.” Liu Hai could feel his heart palpitating.

This rapidly growing disciple threatened him. Moreover, as his master, he instinctively wanted to win! This instinct and self-esteem further consolidated his mind and consciousness.

“You first,” Liu Hai said.