Aimless Ascension

The needle pulsed with momentum, shooting through the air to pierce the ironwood target right in the middle. It went straight through the target, creating a finger-sized hole in the ironwood.

Xiaolin swallowed her breath. That's a sixteen-split Qi needle. That was the number she had to reach to defeat Han Xiao. Well, her master said, sixteen is enough to defeat most iron rankers, even the elites. And Han Xiao didn't make the list in his opinion.

That was a great thing for her to hear, but the fact remained: she was still miles away from that number.

"Do you want me to show this a few more times?" Gale asked.

Xiaolin did her best impression of a woodpecker.

Gale obliged her by showing everything from start to finish a few times. He dissected the whole art into parts and spoon-fed everything to her. Even with that, many take months of practice to get a hold of the 2 splits.

Thankfully, his disciple would probably succeed at least once or twice before her Qi ran out. She had fifteen tries left.

Gale took his stand behind her, leaving his Disciple to do the work. Xiaolin carried on with his instructions, getting used to the split first and then the shooting.

This time, her aim had been better, though it burst before it could hit the target. Like all aspiring Fatebearer, impatience killed her efforts.

Xiaolin grunted in disappointment as she proceeded with her third try. And then the fourth, fifth, and sixth. She failed by a nick on each of the occasions.

Her problem had been the fusing part. She became impatient, finding her copy wasn't exactly perfect. Both of those together made the projectile more unstable as it popped before it could hit the target.

Gale gave her words of encouragement, and advice about everything she failed as Xiaolin continued.

At last, she finally succeeded on her ninth try.

Xiaolin lunged in the air, as her projectile hit the target. Although it hadn't managed to pierce it in any way, she had enough reason to celebrate.

It was her first step to fundamental offensive arts. The first step to greatness.

Gale had been no better in his first time. Saarya hit him with a stick at that time, though the reason was probably different. He embraced her in his celebration.

"Master, master," Xiaolin shouted with the enthusiasm of a child, "look."

She held the target wood to him, pointing at the slight dent she created on it.

Although he could see it perfectly from where he was standing, he came forward to oblige her success.

"Good," Gale said and patted her head. Xiaolin pouted, but accepted it like the good girl she was. She wouldn't say no to her master's touch. "Now do it like that ten thousand times, then we can move onto three splits."

"Ten thousand," Xiaolin choked at his words as the world crashed into her. "Ten thousand," she repeated. "It will take me ages to do that."

"More like three years," Gale corrected her. He had already done the calculation. "But that is if you don't improve even a little at that time."

"Three years," Xiaolin whined. "But the fight is in one year."

"That's why I said if you didn't improve, silly girl."

"Still, it will take me months," Xiaolin said. "Master, can't we just skip a few thousand of that number?"

"Absolutely not," Gale said sternly.

"But. . . But. . . I'll barely be able to practise this about sixty tries, and I'll fail in most of the tries."

"That will teach you to concentrate better."

"Master, why are you like this today?" Xiaolin lost all her spirit after hearing she had to do it ten thousand times successfully to move on. That was still a staggering number, even if she could practise like a normal person. "Are you saying this just because you have to do the same?"

"Possibly," Gale said, "but that's not the end of it. Concentration plays a vital role in most combat arts, and a good foundation is required to reach a high number of splits. You don't know the dangers of Concentration. it was like climbing a mountain with a boulder on your back, any trip can crush you completely. And I don't have to tell you how hard it is to treat the mind, do I?

Any wrong move at a high enough number could make any practitioner's mind dull. That was why there were such protocols to teach this to the disciples.

"But. . . Ten thousand times is too much. And do I have to do it at every number?"

Gale nodded.

Xiaolin just looked at him stupidly.

"Unfortunately, Your Disciple, Xiaolin.exe has stopped.]

Supposedly, in most sects and holy grounds of cultivation, the number was around a couple of thousands. That number wasn't low per se, but it was just above average. Most of those who made the foundation with that number barely made it to thirty-two splits.

However, to reach a higher number, even double it or more, one needed to put in more work. His study in this art left him with the golden number of ten thousand.

If one practised ten thousand times successfully at every new split, their foundation would be impeccable.

Honestly, this training is terribly exhaustive to the mind. Most practitioners hardly have the fortitude or will to practise it after they hit the nail on most occasions.

After arguing with Gale for several minutes to lower the number, Xiaolin finally understood her master wouldn't lower the number.

She could relent there, however, she wasn't ready to give up without getting anything.

"Fine, I'll do it ten thousand times," she said, "but you have to let me practise with Pure crystals with all my might."

It has been a week since Xiaolin recovered, but her master cut the time to half she could practise with pure crystal.

Even though the accident increased her endurance, he kept the session to five minutes just for her safety.

"Fine," Gale agreed to her plea easily. "Also, all your might doesn't include overlooking your safety."

Xiaolin felt cheated somehow. She first felt she was winning something big here, but since her master agreed to it so easily, she simply felt cheated.

"Now, continue."

Within a quarter of an hour, Xiaolin was done with spending all her Qi. She felt all too empty inside. Her head hurt as if it was being crushed under great weight.

She practised like this every day, spending all her Qi, but she never felt this bad. What's with this training? She became even more depressed learning she would have to do it every day from now on.

As Xiaolin was lamenting, laying flat on lush green grass, Gale came next to her, holding a glass of drink.

He held it closer to her eyesight, but Xiaolin had no power to drink it on her own.

Gale helped her sit as she leaned against him, getting the chance.

"Master, I can't do it," Xiaolin almost tore up.

"It will be easier once you hit copper," Gale said.

"When?" she whined as Gale held the glass to her lips.

Gale barely had any expertise in alchemy, but he could make some simple drinks, mixing different kinds of herbs. That reminded him he was almost finished with all the herbs he had with him.

'Do I need to order them in the guild?' he mused. Gale couldn't hope to find every ingredient he needed for different kinds of drinks. He stole everything from his master's herb garden.

This little town couldn't compare to a grandmaster's wealth, even though there were a few fields, specially cultivated herbs, around here.

"I hate this drink," Xiaolin grumbled through her swallowing. But she liked drinking from her master's hand. Not that she would ever admit it out loud.

Even if she had some power left, she would always find an excuse to lie flat on the ground to look dead, so her master would take care of her.

Unfortunately, these days would end soon. She wouldn't be able to lean on her master so blatantly when the detestable maid comes to babysit her. She would be in the maid's care and mercy.

Xiaolin ended her thoughts to run wild and enjoyed her master's company. She sniffed slightly, taking in his scent as she finished the drink.

Gale had a frown on his brows as he stored the glass.

"Master, what are you thinking?"

"How to make your training easier," he admitted honestly. "I had three plans to diminish the fault of your constitution. We're already trying the first way, and so far it's working, albeit at a slower pace."

Xiaolin frowned. She heard her master mention three plans, but didn't know anything save for the one that involved pure crystals. She had some thoughts about that, but she wasn't sure.

"Master, what are the other two ways?"

"You probably have guessed. The second way is to let you fuse with an easily removable Qi storage-type fate lock. I have been experimenting with it for some time. Almost perfected it, but I'm not sure if it was the right thing to fuse you with it."

"Why?"

"For starters, you're not even a copper ranker," Gale said. "Plus, your constitution might reject the fate lock, which might leave you bedridden for months."

Xiaolin swallowed, understanding the reason behind her master's rejecting that idea.

"What's the last way?"

"That's. . ." Her master's face grew odd. "It's probably something I'll regret if I make you do it."

"What is it?" Xiaolin asked as an arch appeared on her brows.

"It's better if you don't know about it. Practice. We'll talk about it when you hit Copper."