"Elder, your bed is ready," the maid informed while bowing deeply. She still remembered Master Ru's demeanour as he addressed this old lady, so she didn't want to offend her in any manner.
"No, you may leave. There's no need to stand outside as well since I prefer to be all by myself at night," Elder Jing stated plainly.
"Yes, elder," With another respectful bow, the maid left the room.
Elder Jing waited at her spot for a few seconds until the maid left before walking towards the door and latching it shut from inside.
Turning around, she went to her bed and sat in a lotus position. However, there was still no sign of relaxation on her face.
The very next moment, her gaze intensified as a translucent wave emitted from her body and spread throughout the room. It penetrated the walls and only stopped after covering a radius of five meters.
Only after confirming that no one was secretly observing her did Elder Jing's expression relax.
The pendant which she was holding in her hand shone the very next moment, and the whole room got filled with sparkling deep blue stones up to the bed's edges, and it appeared as if the bed was floating in a sparkling blue sea.
The air inside the room suddenly became denser as Elder Jing took in a deep breath.
Feeling the Spiritual Qi entering her body, she felt a lot more energetic.
'The cost of using the Divine Phoenix Orb with the Heavenly Teleportation Formation was greater than we had anticipated. Not only did we lose five great elders who were powering the formation, but I also almost ended up being torn to death by the spatial currents while arriving here…'
The next moment, Elder Jing closed her eyes and became fully focused on absorbing Qi from every pore of her body.
'I must regain my depleted Qi as much as possible and begin with my mission.' This was the only thought that remained in her mind as the blue stones lying on the ground slowly started losing their glimmer before turning into minute dust.
The next morning.
Knock Knock
"Young master, it's morning!" Yi Chen was soon woken by the familiar knocks, but feeling soreness in his legs, he decided not to respond and covered his face with the blanket.
"Young master", the maid knocked again a couple of times while calling out to him before finally stopping. Sensing this, a satisfied smile formed on Yi Chen's lips as he prepared to fall deeper into his slumber.
However, just then a man servant's voice came from outside, "Young Master Chen, Master Ru told me to inform you that if you're not at the courtyard within an incense's time, then you'll have to run an extra ten rounds, and along with it you would also not be served any breakfast today."
Yi Chen's eyes burst open the very next moment. A variety of curses wanted to come out of his mouth, but he forced them in and called the maid in. He hurriedly washed his face and soon left for the courtyard, limping his way throughout.
"Xiao Che! You're right on time. Well done," With that said, Master Ru took the incense stick from a nearby servant's hands and stubbed it before continuing, "Follow the same routine as yesterday, as your body needs to get familiar with that much load first, got it?"
"Um…father-in-law…can I lower the reps today? My legs are all sore because of yesterday," Yi Chen asked with a puppy-like expression.
"Sure, you just have to carry those stone weights while running instead. How about it?" Master Ru asked with a teasing smile.
A few seconds later, Yi Chen was running around the courtyard just like yesterday.
'Just where did the Master Ru who was praising me like anything yesterday night go…this chameleon-like old man!' Yi Chen cursed in his heart as he continued running.
Meanwhile, Feng Yu was making her way towards the training hall. Seeing Yi Chen diligently working out today once livened her mood.
A smile formed under her veil as a lot of thoughts about Yi Chen suddenly filled her mind.
'I never thought just spending a day with him would increase my desire for him so greatly,' she thought to herself. Even yesterday night when Yi Chen made that suggestion, she got to see a new side of him which mesmerised her even further.
A few minutes later, Feng Yu arrived at the training hall and started practising the [Frost Purity Arts]. Within seconds, Cold Qi started circulating throughout her body and a pained look formed on her face.
This continued on for twenty minutes before the Cold Qi started circulating smoothly through her meridians, and her expression somewhat relaxed, but there was still a frown that remained.
'Why did the resistance feel a little harsher today?' A confused expression formed on Feng Yu's face the next moment. However, thinking of it as just a one-time thing, she decided to let it go and continued circulating the Cold Qi.
An hour later, she finally left the training hall.
Outside, she met Yi Chen, who too had just finished up with his workout and was about to head back and freshen up.
"Good work there. You'll get stronger in no time at this rate," Feng Yu cheered Yi Chen up.
"T-Thank you…I-I'll go and f-freshen up then," Yi Chen answered while clearly breathless as he dragged himself towards his room.
Feng Yu giggled lightly, seeing this as she too headed back to freshen up.
Half an hour later, the two of them met each other in the dining hall. However, today, along with Master Ru, there was another person accompanying them for breakfast, Elder Jing.
"Feng Yu greets Elder Jing." Feng Yu bowed towards Elder Jing.
Seeing this, Yi Chen followed her actions and bowed while saying, "Yi Chen greets Elder Jing."
"Yes, please have a seat, you two," Elder Jing said with a polite smile, and the servants started serving the warm breakfast on the table.