What is the key to success in achieving goals?
In my opinion, its hard work and unwavering sheer determination.
Those two things are easy to say but difficult to do. Because it is human nature to want things that are practical and fast, as they are pressed for time.
It has been one month since I started training Shun Jin. First, she must reach the earliest cultivation level, which is the Mortal Realm or Body Tempering.
That cultivation level is the first level one can achieve after striving as hard as possible until they are on the verge of death because the muscles in their body tear and heal. Tear and heal. Tear and heal. At least three repetitions of muscle destruction throughout the entire body are needed before her body can finally contain Qi energy.
This world is not a world with shortcuts. It's not because Shun Jin has eaten a magical plant that she also gains magical power. Nor is it because absorbing thousand-year-old ginseng Qi makes her cultivation skyrocket. Or because practicing dual cultivation makes her strong. The only path that must be respected is hard training and unwavering sheer determination.
But it seems I am not skilled at teaching at all.
Shun Jin has been training for one month and consuming Water Lily flowers every night, but she has not once managed to get close to the verge of death due to her muscles. Instead, she is on the verge of death from the aching pain of swinging the wooden sword I made for her all day, or running around the bamboo forest from sunrise to sunset.
Now she folds her arms in front of my face with puffed cheeks.
"I haven't gotten stronger at all. I am indeed exhausted after every training session, and my whole body becomes sore and painful, but I still feel as weak as ever. I even shiver from the cold every night after eating the Water Lily flower, but I still can't feel the Qi around me."
I picked my nose and flicked it aside. While continuing to blow a melodious tune from my handmade bamboo flute.
"Generally, it takes for normal person a maximum of one year to enter the earliest cultivation level. It's natural for you to feel stagnant because we've only been training for a month, Shun Jin. At least your muscles are getting more defined in some places."
Shun Jin pouted. She touched several parts of her body like her thighs and shoulders. She was indeed getting more toned; she was no longer a weak princess, at least she could hit a perverted thug with a hard punch now.
"But! We don't know how long King Fong will take to find us in this place. Also! He might even be killed by another king from another kingdom, considering there's a big war between kingdoms happening in various places this year." Shun Jin clenched her fists while leaning her upper body forward. She looked frustrated and annoyed.
I was still playing the flute, and its sound became off-key because Shun Jin kept staring at me with a pout.
I sighed. "Actually, there's another way to make you on the verge of death without hard training."
Shun Jin nodded like an excited dog being fed.
"Teach me!"
I lifted my face and looked at hers.
"Are you sure, Shun Jin? You might give up and cry."
Shun Jin became hesitant upon hearing my mysterious words.
"T-this isn't the dual cultivation you once told me about, is it? You crazy man?" Shun Jin asked shyly.
I shook my head. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then teach me! I might not be talented, but I'm not a pampered weak girl anymore!" She put on a confident smile.
I sighed again and continued playing the flute.
After one beautiful melody, Shun Jin still looked at me impatiently.
Green bamboo leaves fell. A gentle breeze caressed our long hair.
"Actually, this is a method used by the devil cult to train its new recruits who have just entered their cult. This method not only makes a person achieve the first level of cultivation faster, but it is also a cruel and inhumane way that normal people should not do. Moreover, it requires a special place to do it."
Shun Jin fell silent after I mentioned the devil cult's method. She lowered her face.
I was about to blow my flute again when Shun Jin suddenly covered the hole of my flute.
She raised her face. "Teach me. If it will make me stronger to kill my father's murderer, then I will try no matter what."
I lowered the flute, looking into Shun Jin's eyes which were filled with fire of revenge.
"Out of a thousand people who try this method, only one survives. Moreover, even if they survive, their mental state will be destroyed and they will become insane like me."
"I don't care. If it will make me stronger, I will do it even if I lose my life. After all, I should have died if you hadn't stopped me from committing suicide that day, crazy man."
Shun Jin was truly serious about her words. I let out a long sigh.
"Alright, then quickly pack up. Oh, and don't forget to pick some Water Lilies for the journey. It's best to pick as many as possible, we won't be coming back to this place again after we leave."
Shun Jin nodded. She took her handmade bamboo wooden basket and her wooden sword. After that, she picked almost all the Water Lilies near the waterfall pond. Leaving two or three flowers to preserve the clear pond.
"Where are we going?" Shun Jin asked while carrying the bamboo basket on her back.
I blew the flute, my demonic sword still wrapped in cloth at my waist, tied with a rope that bound a piece of cloth covering my lower body.
"Bloody Valley. The place where the devil cult trains their new recruits."
***