Chapter 6: Group Training
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
It was night time again.
Their dinner was the leftover lamb soup from last night.
Xu Ning did not say a word about picking the Heal-all Plants during the day.
After dinner.
Xu Lian packed up the dishes and chopsticks. Tao Yunchuan said to Xu Ning, “From tomorrow onwards, on odd-numbered days, you shouldn’t go to the mountains to pick medicine.”
“Why?”
Xu Ning was puzzled.
Tao Yunchuan said to Xu Ning, “I paid the village five taels of silver so you can go to the martial arts training..”
Xu Ning suddenly felt a little confused.
‘Training?’
Xu Ning was a little dumbfounded.
He was already in the intermediate realm of the Gale Knife Technique, why would he need training?
Seeing how Xu Ning did not immediately agree, Tao Yunchuan thought that Xu Ning was distressed over the money. He said, “You don’t have to worry about the money. We have 100 taels in savings, so take this opportunity to practice martial arts.”
“Xu Ning, you have to understand that martial arts training is the true way in life.”
Tao Yunchuan said, “When I was a teenager, I went up the mountains to collect medicine and met a beast. Although I escaped, I was physically disabled. I had no ability to practice martial arts, so I couldn’t get ahead in life. You are still young, and with your current capabilities, you can’t give up this opportunity.”
“I…”
Xu Ning felt that this was a waste of time.
Xu Ning pondered for a moment and spoke.
“Yunchuan, my knife technique is actually quite good.”
Tao Yunchuan heard this and shook his head. He smiled. “Don’t lie to me. Last month, you were upset because you haven’t improved your skills for a long time. And now you’re saying that your technique is good? Do you think I’m gullible?”
Xu Ning was at a loss for words.
“It’s fine, Xu Ning, don’t hesitate. I have already paid the money. Go there tomorrow.”
Tao Yunchuan did not intend to give Xu Ning a chance to make a decision this time. He stood up and patted Xu Ning’s shoulder. “Remember, practice hard.”
After that, Tao Yunchuan limped out of the room.
Seeing how Tao Yunchuan was determined, Xu Ning decided to listen to his brother-in-law.
“If that’s the case, I’ll go practice.”
Xu Ning knew that he couldn’t escape Tao Yunchuan’s demands.
However, he didn’t plan to train for a long time. After finding an excuse for his increase in strength by going to the group training, Tao Yunchuan would recognize his talents.
By then, he would ask to train alone instead of training in a group.
…
Early the next morning.
The rooster crowed while the sky was still dim.
Xu Ning woke up early. He quickly groomed himself and went outside.
Today, Xu Ning would officially begin his time in the training camp.
On the way there, Xu Ning saw a large bunch of teenagers rushing towards the school.
As soon as Xu Ning arrived at the school, he saw that the field was crowded.
Xu Ning estimated there were more than 200 people in the school field.
Every 30 people were divided into a team, and the training was led by the elders of the clan.
Yesterday, Tao Yunchuan told Xu Ning that his instructor would be Tao Yunmeng.
Xu Ning asked around and finally found his team.
Tao Yunmeng, the leader of Xu Ning’s team, hadn’t arrived yet. Xu Ning greeted the peers in his group.
Although he was an outsider, the young men with Tao as their surname did not exclude him.
However, from what Xu Ning remembered, his predecessor had never been unable to fully integrate and be accepted by the Tao village.
In his predecessor’s heart, he had never been a member here.
But fortunately now, as a transmigrator, Xu Ning was not so sensitive anymore.
“Xu Ning!”
Suddenly, Xu Ning heard someone call his name.
He looked over.
“Guo Ye?”
Xu Ning saw Guo Ye.
“Xu Ning, you are here too!”
Guo Ye was surprised.
“My brother-in-law signed me up.”
Xu Ning then asked, “So you are also participating in the training camp, I didn’t even know.”
“I occasionally practice. I come here for a few days a month. If it weren’t for my uncle forcing me to come, I would rather go to the medicinal shop.”
Guo Ye scratched his head; he felt quite embarrassed.
Having poor martial arts skills in this era was considered as being unambitious, so Guo Ye didn’t mention the training camp to Xu Ning.
Xu Ning smiled when he heard his words.
Most people who paid the fee wanted to come every day, but Guo Ye was forced to come instead.
Furthermore, Tao Yungang was in the medicinal materials business, so he had plenty of money in his hands. The fee of five taels of silver per month wasn’t a huge expense.
“Uncle Meng is here!”
Someone suddenly shouted.
A muscular man in a tight shirt, carrying two large wooden boxes on his shoulders, walked over.
This was the leader of Xu Ning’s team, Tao Yunmeng.
Tao Yunmeng was a powerful man in the Tao Village. Apparently, he had long mastered the Gale Knife Technique, and his internal skill had reached the fourfold realm. He was also famous among the nearby villages.
Bang! Bang!
Tao Yunmeng put down the two large wooden boxes from his shoulders.
“Grab a knife and line up!”
Tao Yunmeng looked at the dozens of teenagers in front of him as he shouted.
Tao Yunmeng’s team practiced the Gale Knife Technique.
The dozens of teenagers in front of him went silent instantly.
Everyone stood in order. They then took out the steel knives from the wooden boxes and stood back in line.
The steel knives were not anything special, but not every family had one.
For example, Xu Ning’s household only owned two hatchets.
Therefore, the knives needed for the training camp were prepared by the village.
The members stood still. Tao Yunmeng counted the number of people before nodding with satisfaction. “Very well, many people came this time! There are even new faces.”
Tao Yunmeng noticed Xu Ning.
“Roll call.”
Tao Yunmeng took out a piece of paper with the list of trainees on it.
“Tao Qingshu!”
“Here!”
“Tao Zhi!”
“…”
“Xu Ning!”
Finally, Xu Ning was the last one called out.
“Here!”
Xu Ning said loudly.
“Okay, there are only three people who are absent, which is pretty good. Then, let’s start practicing!”
Tao Yunmeng shouted fiercely.
“Everybody get your spirits up!”
There was more than one team on the school field. There were nearly ten leaders, but Tao Yunmeng’s voice was the loudest.
“Practice the usual routine first, begin!”
Dozens of teenagers began to practice the Gale Knife Technique at the same time.
Instantly, the knives glided in the wind.
Tao Yunmeng did not stand in place, instead he paced around slowly, carefully observing everyone’s movements.
“Use more power!”
Tao Yunmeng would reprimand those whose movements were not of standard or had no force.
Especially for those whose movements were obviously subpar, Tao Yunmeng would even kick them as a reminder.
Occasionally, Tao Yunmeng would also praise them.
“Tao Zhi, good progress, continue to work hard.”
Tao Yun praised the young girl.
In Kangyun County, regardless of which village, there were always a few women practicing martial arts.
In Xu Ning’s team, there were two to three women practicing martial arts.
They were all from good family backgrounds. Their parents and relatives were regarded as upper-class in the Tao Village; they had few problems in life.
In the Tao Village, women could practice martial arts, but it was not compulsory.
Firstly, for external skills such as the Gale Knife Technique, women were disadvantaged in terms of physique when compared to men.
The second reason was that even when women practiced martial arts, they rarely participated in defense and fighting. The high-risk occupations such as guards and hunting teams of the village were mostly performed by men.
After being praised by Tao Yunmeng, the girl named Tao Zhi smiled and swung her knife even harder.
Tao Yunmeng continued to walk and examine, and soon he arrived in front of Guo Ye.
Guo Ye was obviously nervous when Tao Yunmeng came over.
“Guo Ye, what are you practicing?”
Tao Yunmeng suddenly spoke in an aggressive tone.
Guo Ye was naturally an anxious person, so his movements were more stiff than most people.
“Lazy and enervated. Looking after your uncle’s shop as an excuse, you lack perseverance and hard work. You never practice in your spare time. You still haven’t touched the basics of the knife technique. What do you want me to say about you?”
Tao Yunmeng gently kicked Guo Ye’s calf.
Guo Ye staggered and almost fell to the ground.
But faced with Tao Yunmeng’s aggressiveness, Guo Ye didn’t dare to say a word.
“I really don’t know how Brother Yungang can stand you…”
Tao Yunmeng sneered.
Tao Yunmeng’s eyes turned away from Guo Ye.
He was completely disappointed in Guo Ye, who had average talents and no fighting spirit. Such a person could not become a true warrior.
Then, Tao Yunmeng turned his gaze from Guo Ye to Xu Ning.