Chapter 39: How to Train
The opening ceremony of the academy had ended, but Lin Xiu’s day was far from over. The academy offered an array of courses each year, including Classics, History, Mystical Arts, and Martial Arts, allowing students to enroll as per their interests.
These courses primarily catered to students from the Xuan and Huang Courtyards. As for the prodigies of the Tian Courtyard, each was supported by several tutors, basking in the academy’s best resources as if stars encircling the moon. The Di Courtyard students also had dedicated instructors, receiving small group lessons and significant attention from the academy.
For the Xuan and Huang Courtyards, however, students attended classes in large groups, a setup Lin Xiu found unsurprising. It reminded him of his school days, where classes were divided into elite, focus, regular, and remedial groups. He could only blame himself for his lower-tier abilities and inadequate talent, which didn’t warrant the academy’s investment.
Lin Xiu had little interest in Classics and History. Although Mystical Arts sounded useful, the best tutor was right by his side, making it unnecessary to waste time when he could train with Lingyin. Among these courses, what captured his interest was the Martial Arts class.
Despite being considered a mage, Lin Xiu’s low level meant that in a fight, physical combat might be more effective than relying on his abilities. Possessing the Strength Mystical Art, his physical power and endurance exceeded human limits. Martial Arts was evidently the most efficient way to enhance his prowess in a short period.
Thus, Lin Xiu didn’t hesitate to sign up for the Martial Arts class.
Students in the Mystical Arts Academy enjoyed relative freedom, resembling more like state-supported gifted individuals than traditional students. Martial Arts classes were held every three days, with the first session scheduled for the following morning.
Early the next day, Lin Xiu enjoyed breakfast at a street-side bun shop before checking in at the Qingli Department. After spending some time in the office, he leisurely strolled towards the palace.
Soon, he arrived at the academy’s training grounds, where he noticed a familiar figure standing. Approaching, he asked, “Brother Li, are you taking the Martial Arts class too?”
Li Bozhang turned around, smiling as he replied, “Did Brother Lin also sign up? Martial Arts isn’t easy. I wonder if Brother Lin can handle it with your build…”
Lin Xiu chuckled, “How will I know if I don’t try?”
At this, Li Bozhang leaned closer, flashing a knowing smile and whispering, “Could it be that Brother Lin also came to see…”
He gestured subtly, prompting Lin Xiu to look in that direction, where he was greeted by a delightful sight.
Not far ahead, a group of young women gathered, creating an enchanting scene. Unlike their usual loose dresses, they donned fitted white training suits, cinched at the waist like the men’s, highlighting their graceful figures while exuding a heroic aura not commonly seen in women.
The sight of these spirited women standing there was truly pleasing to the eye.
Exchanging a glance with Li Bozhang, Lin Xiu understood the shared smile on their faces, a mutual recognition of kindred spirits.
It was only then Lin Xiu realized that the Martial Arts class was co-ed. Although they had female instructors and would be separated from the men, their classes shared the same time and location.
On the men’s side, over thirty students chose Martial Arts, while the women had around a dozen.
Practicing Martial Arts was quite necessary for mystical arts practitioners. Most mystical ability users could be classified as mages; their abilities were powerful, but their bodies remained mortal. If caught off guard by a close-range attack, they might not survive long enough to retaliate.
Learning Martial Arts provided them a layer of self-defense. As long as they weren’t instantly overwhelmed, they had a chance to counter their attackers.
Simply put, practicing Martial Arts was like a fragile mage equipping a sturdy armor.
Their Martial Arts instructor was a burly man. As soon as all the students assembled, he stepped forward, sweeping his gaze over them and saying in a deep voice, “My surname is Sun, and I’ll be teaching you Martial Arts. You may call me Instructor Sun.”
In unison, the students greeted, “Hello, Instructor Sun.”
Instructor Sun scanned the group again before saying, “I know each of you has unique mystical abilities, and you’re here out of curiosity or for other reasons. But from now on, I’ll train you as if you were my soldiers. If anyone can’t handle it, you can leave now instead of crying later!”
After his words, no one moved. They already knew Martial Arts training would be tough, and they were mentally prepared. Quitting now would only make them a laughingstock to their female classmates across the way.
Seeing no one budge, Instructor Sun nodded approvingly. “Good. I hope none of you change your mind an hour from now. Now, everyone, spread out and assume the horse stance!”
The horse stance involved standing with feet apart and knees bent. Following Instructor Sun’s command, the students dispersed across the training ground, getting into position.
“You, spread your legs wider!”
“Lower your hips!”
“Pull your fists to your waist!”
Instructor Sun, holding a wooden stick, moved through the crowd, occasionally correcting students’ postures. When he reached Lin Xiu, he nodded slightly.
A simple stance could reveal a lot; this student had a stable foundation, indicating some prior training.
The horse stance seemed simple but maintaining it was not easy. After just a few moments, some students’ legs began trembling, sweat beading on their foreheads, and facial muscles twitching, showing their limits.
Eventually, someone couldn’t hold on and plopped down.
Once the first person gave in, others followed, and the sound of bodies hitting the ground became more frequent. In the end, only about a dozen students remained standing.
By that time, nearly half an hour had passed.
Among those still standing, most were barely hanging on, their clothes soaked with sweat and legs quivering slightly. Instructor Sun surveyed the remaining students and nodded. “You can stop now.”
With a thud, the remaining few also collapsed onto the ground.
Standing upright, Lin Xiu didn’t have a drop of sweat on his forehead. Surprisingly, Li Bozhang was equally at ease, seemingly unaffected.
In the past, Lin Xiu wouldn’t have lasted this long in a horse stance. But after awakening his Strength Mystical Art, his physical endurance had dramatically improved. Training daily with Sun Dali, he could easily maintain this position until the next day.
Li Bozhang’s endurance suggested he was in excellent physical shape.
Instructor Sun approached, looking at Lin Xiu and Li Bozhang. “Have you two practiced Martial Arts before?”
Li Bozhang smiled, “Just a little.”
Lin Xiu replied, “I haven’t practiced Martial Arts, just regular physical exercise.”
He wasn’t worried about suspicion. Holding a horse stance for this long was possible with regular training, and his ability made not sweating normal.
Instructor Sun nodded, “Take a break.”
At this point, Li Bozhang nudged Lin Xiu, saying, “Brother Lin, look, the girls are watching us.”
While they practiced, the girls across the way had also been doing their exercises but took shorter breaks. During their rest, they kept glancing over, particularly at those who lasted the longest.
Li Bozhang gave Lin Xiu a knowing look, “Brother Lin, you truly are one of us. A man must have a strong physique. Otherwise, how can he frolic among the flowers in the future? Weak and frail, he might only dream without the strength to act…”
Lin Xiu thought he was already quite bold, but it turned out Li Bozhang was even bolder.
He practiced Martial Arts to enhance his strength and self-defense capabilities.
Li Bozhang did it to strengthen his physique for romantic pursuits; while Lin Xiu was on the first floor, Li Bozhang was in the stratosphere.
After less than a quarter of an hour, Instructor Sun returned, instructing, “Take off your shirts.”
One student raised his head, puzzled, “Instructor, why?”
Instructor Sun didn’t explain, “Just do as I say.”
His demeanor exuded a military toughness. As students, they dared not defy his orders, so they reluctantly began removing their clothes.
Lin Xiu guessed Instructor Sun’s reasoning. Wearing clothes during training could be restrictive, affecting performance and hindering certain movements. At home, he often trained bare-chested.
For the Martial Arts class, they wore standard training attire, consisting of a jacket and inner shirt, along with long pants.
Soon, everyone had removed their tops, exposing their upper bodies.
In this world, the gender divide wasn’t as strict. With many female strong figures, women’s status had improved, leading to a more open society. As long as they didn’t strip completely, men didn’t need to worry about exposing their torsos in front of women.
Though the men removed their shirts, the female students nearby couldn’t help but peek through their fingers.
Clothed, differences were less apparent, but once shirts were off, the disparities were stark.
Some were skin-and-bones, seemingly at risk of being blown away by the wind. Others were overweight, with bellies full of excess fat, each body type unique.
Then, from among the women, a sudden gasp arose.
Some even dropped their hands from their eyes, staring with sparkling eyes at a particular figure.
That figure was tall and lean, with a flat abdomen devoid of any fat, six-pack abs defined yet not overly pronounced. The rest of his physique was perfectly proportioned, not giving off an overly muscular or frail impression.
Such a body was aesthetically pleasing at first glance, neither too bulky nor too skinny, capturing attention and not letting go.
Lin Xiu’s original physique wasn’t like this.
But the awakening of the Strength Mystical Art naturally enhanced his body. Both his strength and physical toughness had transformed dramatically, not to mention his month-long intensive training with Sun Dali, resulting in his current form.
“Gulp…”
Among the women, someone swallowed surreptitiously, another blushed, shyly averting her gaze, only to sneak another peek.
Glance away, then look again.
Glance away, then look again.
Seeing nearly all the female classmates watching Lin Xiu, Li Bozhang admired his physique with envy, asking, “Brother Lin, how did you… train to achieve this?”
