The next morning…
Dean came to the O'Brien's mansion on time, his eyes still baggy from the sleepless nights he had while he was reading in the library. A single night's rest wouldn't be able to cover for all the days he spent awake.
When he got to the mansion, he was directed to the training ground.
Leon was already in the training ground waiting for him, well, not really waiting since he had already started his training without him.
When Dean saw the training routine, he couldn't help but curse at the world. When he heard the word training from the previous Dean's soul, he honestly thought it would just be about sitting crossed legs and meditating. Who knew that it currently had to do with the thing he hated doing most back on earth? Physical exercise.
Since they were still in the Body Tempering stage, they had to temper their bodies to the limit, strengthening it as well. A Peak Body Tempering cultivator could punch a hole through a ten inches thick wall with his bare fist.
"You're here." Leon stopped what he was doing to stare at Dean who wore a tired expression.
"Yes, and on time too." Dean replied energetically as if prepared for the exercise.
"Since you're not familiar with this, I'll run you through it…" Leon explained a little about their training.
Surprisingly, this physical exercise wasn't really the main cultivation, it was just a way of preparing their bodies for the real cultivation.
The first phase of their training involves intense physical exercises which include push-ups, sit-ups, running, etc. Although not all cultivators do this, it is very helpful for the next phase of their training which is also the most important phase, meditating.
A cultivator would try to break the limits of their body every single time they train while at the Body Tempering stage, so they can squeeze out as much potential as they could when they start meditating for that day.
….
After Leon finished explaining what they were doing to Dean, he immediately started with his routine.
There was no need in showing Dean what he needed to do, explaining things to him was already the best he could do. Dean soon started to copy him, doing whatever routine he was doing.
After two hours, Dean had already reached his breaking point and couldn't even stand on his own properly, he was even surprised he lasted this long. Had it been back on earth, lasting thirty minutes was already a miracle for him.
'Guess I can't compare my strength here to that of when I was still on earth.' Dean thought while trying to stand properly.
"You should start meditating now, or else this training will be pointless if you wait till after your muscles relax." Leon's cold voice brought Dean out of his thoughts.
He still hasn't reached his limit yet, so he didn't have any plans of leaving this place yet.
Dean shook his head at Leon's somewhat cold attitude towards him, he stood up and went to his room, with the help of a servant, of course. He wasn't sure he would even be able to stand on his own for two minutes without his legs giving up on him.
To his surprise, he had a room in the O'Brien family compound. When he got to his room, a bowl filled with a greenish gooey liquid was placed at the side of the room. This was a herbal liquid, cultivators would have to cultivate while soaking in this herbal-like bath. Not all cultivators are entitled to resources like these, only those who can afford them use them after training.
'Well, here goes nothing. Leon said the aptitude of Dean wasn't high, and he could only absorb about ten percent of the herbal essence if he cultivates in this. Hopefully, that changes, or else it would be bad for me and my plans.' Dean thought while stripping himself and slowly entering the bowl.
When he first entered, he felt a cold chill all over his body. Without any further delay, he started meditating on the Dawson family cultivation technique. He had learned it the previous day when Leon told him about it.
Five minutes later.
"Oh! This is expected. I'd be screwed if my aptitude wasn't top tier. Hahaha." Dean laughed excitedly when he noticed the speed of his cultivation.
According to his estimation, he was absorbing the herbal essence at a terrifying speed. At this rate, he would be able to absorb at least fifty percent of the herbal essence. Had the cultivation technique of the Dawson family been a high-grade one, then he wouldn't have any problems absorbing a hundred percent.
In the history of the Dawson family, this was the highest anyone had ever absorbed using the family's technique!
'Wait, how am I sure my speed increased?' Dean's excitement died down. He had never seen the previous Dean cultivate, in fact, he had never seen anyone cultivate, so he was a little confused.
However, looking at the gooey liquid, he was sure that he had at least absorbed thirty percent of it.
If his cultivation speed increased, then his next focus would be techniques.
Thinking of those techniques he read about, he couldn't wait to try them out. What would it feel like running faster than a horse? If he could become a Spiritual Warrior, then he would gain the ability to fly.
....
Two hours later.
Leon could still be seen in the training ground, trying to force himself to continue moving, while panting heavily.
He was currently on his knees, supporting his body with his hands.
'I haven't reached my limit yet, I can still go further.' He thought, clenching his fist at the thought of his dead friend.
The scene of Dean being sent flying by the lizard started replaying in his head once again.
He gritted his teeth and stood up once again, he soon started training. All his muscles were already aching, but he didn't want to stop. He wanted to grow stronger, had he trained seriously previously, he would have been able to fight off the group, and they wouldn't need to run from them.
'I'll make them pay.'
He didn't know how many times he had repeated this phrase over the last month.
Thirty minutes later, he couldn't go any further. Dragging his tired body, he slowly crawled to his room.
Managing to climb into the herbal bowl, he started meditating.
Ten minutes later.
"Huh? How's this possible?" Leon stared at himself in sheer disbelief.
The speed of his absorption had increased by over one hundred percent. Previously, he would be able to absorb about twenty-five percent of the herbal essence, but now, at this rate, he might be able to absorb a whooping fifty-five percent at the very least.
"One's aptitude doesn't just improve. Could it be because of my resolve to grow stronger? No, I haven't heard of something like this happening before without eating any special pills, herbs, or natural treasures." Leon tried to process what was going on.
How could his aptitude increase all of a sudden and at this rate? Had it improved by ten or twenty percent, it wouldn't have surprised him this much. But over one hundred percent, that was unheard of! Even those special pills or natural treasures shouldn't have this effect.
'Well, since it isn't anything bad. I won't worry about how it happened. With this, I wouldn't have a problem attaining a higher layer before the recruitment starts.' He thought.
Since he couldn't come up with any reasonable explanation, he threw it at the back of his head.
It wasn't like it was something bad, right?
All he had to focus on now was improving his strength. He wanted to grow stronger, now he got the chance to improve faster.
....
At the training ground.
"What do you think changed?" Mason asked Anthony while staring at the training ground.
They had both been here since both youngsters started training. They couldn't say they were not happy seeing the kids finally start taking cultivation seriously. But there was a unique hunger they could feel from them, Leon especially. It was frightening.
"Their mentality." replied Anthony.
He could tell that after what they passed through the other day, the thoughts of both kids changed entirely. It was like something awoke in them. This was more evident in Leon.
"They're even showing more hunger than we did back then." Mason sighed as a look of reminiscence flashed past his eyes.
"Hopefully they stay this way." Anthony nodded.
He didn't want the kids to be weaklings, so seeing them working hard to increase their strength gave him nothing but joy.
....
Later that day.
Leon and Dean were standing once again in the training ground.
But unlike the usual Dean, he didn't show any signs of complaints. The reason, he was about to learn his first fighting technique!