Over the past two years, Jingliu hadn't made many friends her own age, even though many people had shown her kindness. She felt it was unnecessary.
The casualty rate for the Cloud Knights on expeditions was quite high. Teammates who fought side by side one moment could easily end up dead on the battlefield the next.
Having personally witnessed the fall of Cangcheng and seen relatives as well as former Academy friends depart, she believed ordinary friendships were better left unformed... to spare herself the sorrow of yet another eternal parting.
Her Master was different.
Master was incredibly strong. He would not part from her so easily.
And she... also needed to work hard to catch up to her Master. She had to become stronger so she could stand by his side, or even protect him one day.
Just as Jingliu was thinking this, Kanzaki's voice drifted over.
"You want to go on an expedition with me? It's far too early for that."
"..."
Though she was used to Kanzaki's strictness, hearing those words still left Jingliu feeling disappointed.
During the days her Master was away, she had never slacked off and had grown considerably stronger.
Among the reserve forces of her generation, no one could defeat her anymore.
As a Vanguard, Kanzaki could easily learn of these achievements. She had thought he would be satisfied with her progress by now.
Kanzaki saw through his disciple's thoughts at a glance. After a moment of consideration, he decided not to dampen her enthusiasm.
"Very few people can become Cloud Knight Vanguards. The scale of Denizens of Abundance that a Vanguard must face far exceeds the number of Cloud Knights they command."
"You've trained for two years now, so you know the iron rule best: when Cloud Knights enter battle, they must fight in perfect coordination. Never break formation to charge ahead alone."
"The Borisin, Wing-Makers, and Serpent Descendants... The physiques and combat power of these Denizens are generally superior to those of the Xianzhou natives and Foxians, nearly on par with the Vidyadhara."
"The healing abilities of some Denizens even surpass those of the three major races in the Xianzhou Alliance."
If a Xianzhou native were to activate the Self-Actualization Aspect, their regenerative abilities would rival even a Borisin in a state of lunar madness.
But the cost was far too great, and the current Laws of the Ten-Lords Commission did not permit it.
"The price we pay for injury is much higher than what the Denizens of Abundance endure. That means when fighting them, you cannot afford even the smallest opening."
"Otherwise, any flaw could cost you your own life... or the life of the comrade beside you."
"The Cloud Knights' coordinated battle formations are the key to our ability to defeat superior numbers with fewer troops. You've done well in that regard, but some things cannot be fully developed through training alone."
"Please enlighten me, Master." Jingliu suppressed her disappointment and listened carefully.
"A killing intent that fear cannot extinguish, and a fighting spirit that death itself cannot shake."
"Killing intent and fighting spirit..." Jingliu murmured thoughtfully.
Kanzaki continued, "More than ninety percent of Cloud Knights feel fear in their hearts when they first enter battle and face the overwhelming tide of immortal Denizens of Abundance."
"Because of this, new recruits are never directly assigned under a Vanguard's command."
"They must first be led by commanders of other detachments and gain experience through a number of small-scale battles before they are qualified to join a Vanguard's unit."
"Without sufficient strength, joining such a unit would only drag your comrades down, since your coordination wouldn't match the team's pace."
"In the Xianzhou, I'm sure you've heard of the Qingqiu Guard's reputation. To join them, one must pass a separate, independent assessment."
"However, with your current level, let alone the Qingqiu Guard... you should first focus on surviving enough battles alongside the regular troops or the Heyu Guard before aiming higher."
"You should know..."
Kanzaki suddenly stopped speaking.
Jingliu tilted her head, waiting for him to continue, but only silence followed.
"Why did Master stop speaking?"
"It's nothing. In short, you have passed the adulthood assessment. You will definitely be included in the next small-scale expeditionary battle."
"...I understand. Before we head out, is there anything else I can do to prepare?"
"Naturally. The special training at your previous intensity no longer has much effect. We need to increase the pressure."
At the words 'increase the pressure,' an unnatural expression flashed across Jingliu's face.
She could never forget the hardships she had endured under her Master's training two years ago.
She wondered if this time she would once again train until she fainted...
"...I will follow Master's arrangements."
Despite the lingering fear, Jingliu did not back down.
As long as she performed better, she would one day earn her Master's recognition.
The last time her Master had praised her was during the Cloud Knight camp's tour challenge.
As long as she continued growing stronger, she could slay more Denizens of Abundance to repay her Master's kindness in raising her.
During her Master's two-month absence, no matter how difficult or exhausting it became, she would persevere until the end.
Jingliu mentally prepared herself.
However... when she received the training schedule Kanzaki had prepared for her that night, her entire body couldn't help but tremble.
Carrying a weight of four hundred catties, run a minimum of six hundred miles at a speed of one hundred miles per hour, and swing the sword ten thousand times.
Attack precision training: Strike ten times within three seconds, with five of those strikes accurately hitting vital weak points.
Flexibility training remained largely the same, simply more of the same grueling routine.
New physical tempering exercises were added: enduring high or low-temperature environments for set periods, breath-holding while submerged in water, withstanding the impact of waterfalls, and specialized electrical resistance training.
Among the Wing-Makers species of the Denizens of Abundance, some could manipulate lightning.
If the body lacked proper resistance, even the standard Cloud Knight armor's insulation functions would not offer complete protection.
And so, Jingliu returned to those days of secretly complaining while gritting her teeth and pushing through.
During the two years Kanzaki had been away on expedition, she had rarely trained to the point of fainting from exhaustion.
Now that her Master had returned, on only the second night, her vision went black as she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
She hadn't even finished the enhanced long-distance running. Failing the first task meant that none of the subsequent items for the day would meet the standard.
Throughout the day, Jingliu fainted from exhaustion five times, only to wake up and continue training.
The final time, she was knocked out by Kanzaki himself.
In the bathroom, Kanzaki was preparing a medicinal bath for body tempering for his disciple when he found himself facing a dilemma.
The girl before him had reached adulthood. Her development was healthy, and her figure was gradually filling out. She was no longer the small, thin child she had been two years ago.
Though they were master and disciple, there was still a difference between men and women.
Now that Jingliu had passed her adulthood assessment, it was no longer appropriate for him to personally tend to her every need as he once had... Having just returned from a long and bloody war, he had momentarily forgotten this.
"Kanzaki, my younger sister and I have come to see you."
As he pondered, a familiar voice came from outside the door, accompanied by three rhythmic knocks.
Now he no longer needed to think about it.
"Come in."
He had promised years ago to help diagnose Hanya's body after returning from the expedition. Before that, however, he needed to ask Xueyi for a favor.
Thus, before any pleasantries could be exchanged, Kanzaki asked Xueyi to help undress Jingliu for the medicinal bath.
"Kanzaki, you may now begin the acupuncture on Jingliu."
The acupuncture points were on her back, so it was not particularly taboo.
The sisters, Xueyi and Hanya, watched from the side. Hanya couldn't help but ask.
"Kanzaki, why is Jingliu so heavily injured?"
They could tell at a glance that not only were the bones in Jingliu's limbs broken, but she also had multiple internal injuries with congealed blood throughout her body.
"Special training helps the body better absorb the medicinal power and strengthens the physique."
"Can I undergo the same training as well?" Xueyi hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"You cannot. This method is no longer effective once one has passed a certain age."
"..." A flash of regret crossed Xueyi's eyes.
"I understand your desire to become stronger. Most Cloud Knights who survived Cangcheng feel the same way. But once you've passed the optimal age for body conditioning, there are no shortcuts."
Kanzaki sighed softly.