The Science of Cultivation - Chapter 109: Pressure (Patreon)

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Having earned a new technique to practice, Li Lang was eager to get started right away. Before that, he would have to record its contents in Ruby first. While the cultivation manual for the Gliding Coil Spear Art only lasted for a day, that didn’t matter to Li Lang, as he recorded everything on his lab computer within Ruby.

Day after day, he would practice a new chapter of the comprehensive manual. There was a lot to digest, but many parts of it were simple. However, just because it was simple didn’t mean it was easy. It required many hours of training to get to the starting line.

These techniques were so extensive because they contained not only the fancy moves, but how to respond to various situations. It also contained numerous basic moves, such as how to thrust out a spear, or basic footwork, and how they chained together. 

The main crux of it was how to flexibly maneuver a spear around, changing direction mid-trajectory. The coiling snake-like movements were its main characteristic. However, the unpredictable movements weakened its penetrating power.

Unlike the previous techniques Li Lang had received, the new spear art wasn’t just a minor technique. That meant it required drastically more time for Li Lang to get the hang of it. He had allotted a permanent time slot every day to practice it while he rotated out his other techniques.

Training in crafting techniques may have the side benefits of improving one’s Qi control, but it couldn’t compare to a proper martial art. While the spear art didn’t include any Qi arts that produced ranged attacks, the manipulation of Qi within the body amply trained its practitioners to wield Qi in an explosive manner.

All of Li Lang’s companions had been doing the same over this time, practicing the various martial arts or Qi arts they received. 

It caused their daily get-togethers to become shorter and shorter as they had less to discuss. Instead, they allocated it more to training. Everyone knew the longer the pocket realm went, the harder it became.

All the low-hanging fruits would already be plucked. To earn more trial points, one had to pass increasingly difficult trials. As time passed, the pressure grew. The entire atmosphere gradually changed as people talked with their peers less and less.

Li Lang himself was oblivious to all this for months, busying himself with his spear art. He had only noticed because of an inadvertent event he witnessed on his way to the mess hall.

“Senior, please! Spare me some of your time today. I really need your guidance!” a young man yelled out, drawing everyone’s attention.

The volume of his shouting even drew Li Lang away from his thoughts. He turned to find the young boy grasping his supposed senior’s sleeve.

The elder disciple simply flicked his sleeve to get the boy off of him.

“Bi An, there is nothing I can do for you. You have barely improved even after I have tried you help you several times. It seems I don’t have the ability to guide you. Please search for someone else.”

Just as the senior disciple tried to walk away, the junior called Bi An lunged down, holding onto his senior’s knee.

“Please! Don’t abandon me, Senior. You’re my only hope.”

The senior looked down at the desperate pleas of his fellow disciple and sighed. He then peeled each finger off of him.

“I’m sorry. I can barely keep up handling myself. I don’t have time to spare for others. You should’ve listened to Elder Ke and surrendered the quota you received due to your connections. I’m afraid you won’t be able to stay here for much longer.”

As the senior walked away this time, the junior didn’t persist any longer. He simply lay there on the ground and slammed a fist onto the floor.

With the spectacle over, the spectators quickly resumed what they were doing, as if nothing happened at all. Li Lang did the same.

He retold the story to his companions at the mess hall to get their opinion on the matter.

“What do you guys think? Why are they being so dramatic all of a sudden?”

“Li Lang you…” Huang Si didn’t finish his sentence and sighed.

Everyone else showed a troubled expression and kept their silence. That was except for Wei Ping.

“B-boss. Did y-you forget? The trial points are limited. P-people are getting a-anxious as their points d-dwindles.”

“Are they dwindling already? That fast?”

Li Lang’s naive statements caused everyone to shake their heads.

“Not everyone dabbles in multiple crafts like you,” Huang Si commented. “For many, the martial trial is their only trial. After almost half a year, it’s no wonder there are a few who are having issues making progress. As valuable as those techniques we receive are, we normally have at least a year to master them. Asking us to make progress without any roadblocks is too cruel.”

His comments made Li Lang reflect on his experience so far. It was true that he occasionally struggled to make any progress in either his brushweaving, alchemy, or martial techniques are some days. When that happened, he fell into old habits and focused on other things. If he was having trouble making headways in alchemy, he could retreat to brushweaving or martial techniques.

That had led him to rarely ever lose a single trial point. In fact, he only lost points near the beginning when he spent too much time inside the artifact space.

“Then why don’t they just practice other techniques when they’re stuck? It’s what I do.”

“Really?” Huang Si groaned. “If that were the case, then people wouldn’t be feeling the pressure already. The pocket realm doesn’t recognize the efforts you put into techniques it hasn’t provided you with. That’s why everyone is focusing so hard on the technique they received.”

“Yeah, and when they hit a roadblock, they only get more desperate and reckless. They reach beyond what they’re capable of, injuring or overworking themselves. It becomes a downward spiral that devolves into a heart demon,” Sima Xue interjected. “I’ve been having to deal with fellow disciples to prevent them from having the same issue. I’m tired.”

Li Lang glanced over at the girl, who was resting her head on the table. He tried to ignore her so far, thinking not to bother her when she was down, but her words had explained the reason for her fatigue. He couldn’t help but think back to the newcomers and interns at the labs.

Moving by reflex, he closed the distance and placed a hand on her shoulder and consoled her.

“Keep up the good work and remember to take breaks. Things will get better.”

Sima Xue glanced back at him blankly before responding with a delayed nod.

There was an awkward moment where no one else said anything upon seeing the scene until Tang Yulian cleared her throat.

“Well, it’s time for me to go. I have to watch over my fellow disciples, and I can’t slack off myself either.”

One left, causing the dam to be broken. Sima Xue took the cue and left immediately after, and then Huang Si. This left the trio by themselves.

“So…” Li Lang exchanged looks with the remaining two. “How are you guys doing? Have you been losing trial points as well?”

“I’m fine,” Long Yi said with a puffed-up chest. “I have Artificer techniques to fall back on.”

“Oh, you’re actually making progress with that?”

“What do you mean by that?!”

“I mean, weren’t you always complaining about it? I thought you’d lose interest in it eventually.”

“Just because I whine doesn’t mean I don’t like it. I’ll have you know that I’m making good progress in learning how to craft an actual artifact, you know.”

“Then does that mean you’re able to create an artifact?”

“No,” Long Yi sighed as the sail was taken out of him. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. It requires a beast core, and I’d rather not go up against any peak Energy Gathering Qi beasts. Thankfully, my trials don’t require me to create an artifact yet.”

Li Lang shrugged and turned to Wei Ping.

“If Long Yi is doing well, you must be too, right?”

“It’s…c-complicated. Woodsmithing is very t-time intensive. The time acceleration c-chambers they have here cost trial p-points to use, so I can’t say my b-balance is healthy.”

The three spent more time going over their experiences before Li Lang discreetly took a sample of each of them. He couldn’t take a break from monitoring the effects of the Cleansing Drug.

He noticed the gains had fallen slightly, but the spiritual roots do seem to still be improving. He believed it had gotten used to the level of strain he subjected them to, but they couldn’t easily increase the workload because of the daily limit of Cleansing Drugs. One could only use six doses a day.

Poison was in its quantity. One could even get water poisoning with sufficient dosage. The body simply needed some time to filter out the residual contents of the pill.

After obtaining the sample, the three also proceeded to disband, but not without a bomb of an announcement. Long Yi casually dropped some news for his two friends when they were just about to part ways.

“So guys. I think I’m already ready to break through soon. I just need to have a few fights to pressure myself, and I think I can do it. With that said, could you two accompany me on a trip outside tomorrow?”

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