For the rest of the day, I was gradually descending into a quiet panic. The entire Lin Manor was buzzing with news, sharing more and more exaggerated rumors and giving me fuel for more and more images of my gruesome and inevitable death.
Being pierced by a spear, turned into a pincushion by Crystal Phoenix archers, burned to "well done" by their cultivators or turned into a pancake by Earth techniques they also liked…
When I finally met Lin Chu on his personal training ground, I was at my peak of dread, held together only by a thin veil of hope that I was too valuable and fresh to be sent to war. That, and a request I planned to make.
Lin Chu's training ground was much smaller than the public one, but much better furnished. There was only one dummy, but it glowed with a defensive formation. Similar formations were glowing on the walls.
Lin Chu greeted me with an almost imperceptible nod. In clothing that wasn't "covered in blood of his enemies", he looked exactly as usual, without a single trace that he was fighting recently.
"Greetings, Master Lin Chu. I'm happy to see that you have returned to us safely."
"Disciple Ru, I have been talking with the clan's officials and generals for the entirety of yesterday, and had heard enough pleasantries for a week. Now tell me, did you find a Qi element you are most attuned to yet?"
I shook my head, somewhat puzzled.
"They are all the same to me, Master. Should they be different?"
Lin Chu frowned. "A person usually has one or two elements that are easiest for him to master. A spirit root, a talent, an aptitude—people call it many names. Could your aptitude be in one of the more advanced elements? Don't tell me you didn't learn even a single technique…"
"What? I didn't say that." And Lin Chu must've really not talked about anything but war yesterday if he still didn't know. "I promised I won't disappoint you!"
Less afraid and more distracted than before, I turned to the training dummy and flicked my wrist.
A meter-wide Ice Cutter flew from it, hitting the dummy's neck. Not a scratch appeared on it—instead, a pulsing bright-red line showed the position and depth of the "wound".
"A perfectly executed Ice Cutter in just two weeks." Lin Chu rubbed his chin. "Indeed, Ru Yujin, you didn't disappoint. Water aptitude, then—?"
"Wait, Master, that's not all!"
"Hm?"
I raised my fingers as if shooting an invisible bow and created a string of Qi between my fingers. From it, a Black Snake Arrow—black and shaped like a snake—flew at the dummy, hitting it in the chest and leaving a bright red spot there.
Then I stepped up to the dummy and punched the air in front of it. A wave of fire flew from my fist, leaving red trails all over the dummy's upper half.
Finally, I summoned a rain cloud over the dummy's head and stepped aside.
"I also learned Stone Body, Blade Breaker, Bamboo Growth and Corpse Puppet techniques, but they are harder to demonstrate. Either way, I hope that's enough to make you happy with my progress, Master. Happy enough to spare…"
I trailed off when I saw the frozen expression on Lin Chu's face. Not simply cold, but utterly blank.
He was stunned from shock.
I suppressed a smile. Wasn't it nice to be appreciated? Even if for what I considered barely an accomplishment—just some work done in the last two weeks.
Then Lin Chu unfroze, and his gaze became evaluating.
I tensed, beginning to regret my rash actions. He didn't decide that since I was so good, he could throw me right onto a battlefield, right?
"Spare what? A Body Purification Pill, correct?"
I nodded. "Of course. You stole words from my mouth, Master."
That was unsurprising. Body Purification Pills were such a common item aimed at early Qi Foundation cultivators that even I had heard of them.
Clan-born disciples liked to brag about their parents buying them one.
At the Qi Foundation stage, a cultivator had two tasks: purify his body, enriching it with Qi, and transforming his dantian into a Proto-Core. The latter was a complicated process that required amassing even more Qi than before. The former just required time, dieting, and sitting under a waterfall for a week straight.
Or you could just eat a pill and expel all the impurities from your body at once. Icky, but quick.
Lin Chu nodded.
"Yes, that would be appropriate. Especially since we are about to enter a full-scale war."
Panic rushed to the forefront of my mind. Fear locked my face into an immovable mask.
"Even with it, however, you lack the qualities necessary to fight in a war like that. No combat experience, almost no training… No amount of techniques and body purification can save you from a cunning, knowledgeable enemy."
My face stayed still, but inwardly I sighed with relief. It seemed like I evaded problems this time!
"But you can probably hold your own for a while. War is a harsh teacher, but is the best one I know. I will give you a Body Purification Pill from my stash, Disciple Ru. Use it quickly. We will go to the frontline in another week's time."
Aaaaaaah, no! Not a war! It had so much fighting! So much stress and worry!
Even if Lin Chu wasn't the best teacher, that didn't mean he had to drop responsibility for me on a war. Wars killed people. People like me!
I wanted to tear out my hair. I barely spent a month in peace, and was now sent out again?
The more optimistic part of me reminded me that a war was a great place to get fame and status, which I and Lin Chu needed to rule over the Lin clan.
The rest of me was screaming, running in circles and waving hands in the air.
I bowed like a corpse puppet.
"I understand, Master."
Next time I will hide my true abilities, I swore to myself. I will pretend to be really stupid… But that went against my plan to elevate Lin Chu…
Ugh.