Boundless Wilderness, with high mountains and endless jungles, is home to demon beasts deeply hidden within. The vastness of the wilderness was immeasurable, and the Eastern Domain Three Prefectures claimed to have a total of six hundred thousand troops, of which four hundred thousand were stationed at the edge of the wilderness.
There were another two hundred thousand troops stationed outside the Black Water Mountain Range, within which nearly two hundred thousand bandits resided, ranking as the foremost bandits under the heavens. Because these bandits were highly familiar with the terrain of the Black Water Mountain Range and held the geographical advantage, the two hundred thousand troops controlled by Prince Zhen Dong were permanently stationed outside the Black Water Mountain Range to deter the Black Water Mountain Bandits.
In Iron Blade City on the edge of the wilderness, within a stern and solemn residence's room, at this moment, Prince Zhen Dong, Qin De, was quietly reading a book.
"Your Highness." Zhao Yunxing stood outside the door and bowed.
"Yun Xing, come in," Qin De said without even lifting his head, and Zhao Yunxing bowed and entered the room, standing on one side silently waiting for Qin De to speak. For Prince Zhen Dong, Qin De, Zhao Yunxing only had reverence in his heart.
Qin De put down the book in his hand, looked up at Zhao Yunxing, and smiled slightly, "Yun Xing, you've been training Yu'er for a year now. Tell me, does Yu'er have a future in his Outer Strength cultivation?"
"Your Highness, the Third Prince is extremely diligent and works very hard, with a determination that many adults cannot match," Zhao Yunxing immediately said. A slight smile appeared on Qin De's face, and Zhao Yunxing continued, "However, the Third Prince's natural talent is only above average. Historically, training Outer Strength to its extreme generally involves individuals with very high natural talent. But with the nourishment from the hot springs at Cloud Mist Villa and the frequent intake of precious medicinal diets, the Third Prince still has a chance to reach the extreme of Outer Strength."
The extreme of Outer Strength, that is, Postnatal Extreme, approaches the Innate Realm. Once the Outer Strength is cultivated to such an extent, even facing an Early Stage Innate Inner Strength Expert is possible.
"How many years will it require?" Qin De asked in return.
Zhao Yunxing thought for a moment and said, "I estimate it will take about thirty years. That is if the Third Prince consistently persists. With Outer Strength, the later the stage, the more difficult it is to make progress, such as strength. The Third Prince could train for a decade or so to lift three to four hundred jin with one hand without issue. But for the extreme of Outer Strength, reaching seven to eight hundred jin with one hand is expected, and the further he goes, the harder it gets. Thirty years should be about right."
Qin De shook his head and sighed, "Thirty years is too long, but being able to protect oneself after a dozen years is somewhat satisfactory."
"Alright, Yun Xing, you can go back now," Qin De said with a smile, and Zhao Yunxing immediately bowed and said, "This subordinate takes his leave." Following that, Zhao Yunxing left the room, leaving only Qin De alone, and after a long while, a deep sigh could be heard resonating throughout the room…
The waterfall dashed down, and Qin Yu, adopting a horse stance, resiliently held his ground on the bluestone under the waterfall.
Feeling the impact force of the waterfall, Qin Yu was inwardly relieved, thankful that at the beginning of his training, Zhao Yunxing had focused on the ability of his body to resist blows, even often smearing his whole body with medicinal wine, enhancing his ability to withstand impacts significantly. Otherwise, he would not have borne the force of the waterfall.
"Persevere."
Qin Yu constantly urged himself internally. Zhao Yunxing was no longer there, no one demanded this of him anymore, and Qin Yu had indeed entertained thoughts of slacking since he was training alone, and being lazy went unnoticed. Moreover, he was still a child.
However... as soon as that thought arose, he suppressed it.
His Big Brother, his second brother, even his father, none were lazy, none were weak.
He, a descendant of the Qin Family, a son of Prince Zhen Dong Qin De, would naturally not be weak either.
Strive!
"Persevere, persevere!" Feeling his legs go weak, Qin Yu continuously motivated himself internally, even feeling the tremble in his leg muscles. Each time he held on longer, strength seemed to surge from the deeper parts of his muscles.
Suddenly—
A numbness in his legs, and Qin Yu was "splashed" into the lake with a splash.
…
In the Training Field, several sandbags were hanging, a total of six, among which Qin Yu quietly stood.
"Ha!"
Qin Yu shouted loudly and fiercely punched a sandbag, almost instantly he hit three or four sandbags simultaneously. The bags swayed and collided with other sandbags, causing the entire group of sandbags to stir into commotion.
Without leaving a trace, a sandbag originally charged forward, but upon colliding with another bag, its trajectory changed entirely.
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"
Qin Yu's eyes sparkled with intensity as his hands swiftly struck each incoming sandbag. This was training for reaction speed, which is related to arm muscle strength and personal reflexes. Through practice, one could enhance their responsiveness.
In battles between masters, where life and death are on the line, a quick reaction could snatch another's life in an instant.
As Qin Yu rapidly hit the sandbags, their swinging speed increased. Soon, Qin Yu began to feel the pressure mounting. Suddenly, he rammed into the back wall and his form involuntarily disrupted, causing three or four sandbags to simultaneously smash into him.
"Bang!"
Qin Yu immediately fell to the ground, but he quickly scrambled back up.
He hissed in pain and glanced at his knee, which was now completely raw from friction, blood seeping out. The ground was littered with some sand and rocks, clearly from when his knee struck them as he fell.
"They didn't clean it thoroughly." Qin Yu felt helpless. He had cleaned the area himself before training, yet it was still not fully clean.
"Continue."
Ignoring the injury, Qin Yu swept the rocks away and charged back among the sandbags to resume his reaction training.
......
Dressed only in his underwear and lying on a chair, Qin Yu applied medicinal liquor all over his body in the courtyard, with a book in his hands and several lanterns lit around him. Next to one lantern, the print on the books was clearly visible.
Although his teacher Zhao Yunxing had left, Qin Yu hadn't lowered his standards at all; on the contrary, they were stricter. He trained all day, soaking in a hot spring from evening until midnight to nourish and recover his body, which also doubled as his sleeping time.
Having just applied medicinal liquor at Weng Xian's, it was now time to read.
"It's been a long time since I've gone to the mountaintop to watch the stars," Qin Yu looked up at the sky, a hint of a smile on his lips. "But watching the stars from the courtyard is pretty good too, isn't it, Little Black? Hey, Little Black, are you still an eagle, or why is your growth so slow, and why is there golden fur on your head?"
Qin Yu said, patting 'Little Black' beside him.
Little Black's eyes gleamed, and he flapped his wings as if he disliked Qin Yu touching his head. Then, he raised his head proudly, appearing very arrogant.
Qin Yu immediately burst into laughter.
"Forget it, I won't waste time with you any longer. I need to read seriously now. We have to continue training tomorrow." Qin Yu then turned his attention to the thread-bound book in his hands, a medical text. He clearly remembered Zhao Yunxing saying that if one wanted to become a true Outer Strength Expert, mastering medical knowledge was essential.
By the courtyard door, Lian Yan hid in the shadows, watching Qin Yu affectionately.
Especially hearing Qin Yu say he wouldn't waste time playing with Black Hawk, Lian Yan's heart filled with tenderness. Qin Yu was only nine years old and didn't waste any time throughout the day. He meticulously planned each moment. All for grueling training, but to what end?
Qin De had not visited Cloud Mist Villa for a very long time.
Lost in his book, dawn arrived unnoticed, and the snacks beside Qin Yu's chair had also been unwittingly eaten by him.
Qin Yu set down his book, looked up, and stretched leisurely, his face bursting with a radiant grin, "The day begins with morning; a new day has arrived. Qin Yu, strive hard! If you strive, you will succeed."
A new day of training began.....